Scarlet

 A few days passed before I really got into the routine of things. All these tests, classes, grades—combine those with that spar with Isaac, and I was exhausted. “But I beat the smirking prick.”

“I-I still can’t believe you went through with that, Princess.” Mary leaned against my headboard. After what felt like an eternity, the Vertana maids had finally released her.

I couldn’t tell which of us was more excited about that.

“Well I couldn’t turn down a free fight.”

“We're not here to get into fights, Princess.” Mary sighed, burying her face into my sheets.

“Aww, were you worried about me?”

“You? In a fight?” Mary laughed, her voice muffled from the covers. “I’m more worried about the prince.”

“He survived without a scratch! And I only used a bit of red magic to do it anyway.”

“Y-You did what?” That was enough to get Mary to jolt up. “Princess! We’re in Vertana! W-W-W—”

“It’ll be fine! No one saw.” Well, most likely. I wasn’t going to touch Professor Gregory’s weird comment with a ten-foot pole while Mary was here.

“Wha—I—You—”

“Would you rather me have lost? Well, not that I ever had a chance to lose, but it was either use a bit of red or blow Isaac to smithereens with high-pressure water.”

“You’re… you, Princess! You could have found a way!” Angry Mary had to be the least intimidating thing on the planet. She was shaking like there was an earthquake—with her face red as a tomato.

“With eight—”

I froze. A knock echoed against the door. One hit, then four.

“Hello…” I said, apprehensive. Who would be knocking at a time like this? “Mary?”

“Right, Princess,” she whispered, letting a few vines curl around her fingertips. The clock had passed eleven not too long ago. Val would’ve just barged right in if that was her—I didn’t have a clue as to who this could be. “Do you think they overheard? Your v-voice is—”

Knock knock knock.

“Coming! Who’s there?” Still no response. Maybe the doors are just thick? These are the dorms of nobles, they wouldn’t want anyone to overhear.

“Well, the door isn’t going to open itself.” I grasped the cold metal handle. “How can I—Oh, it’s you.”

“That it is, Princess.” Isaac stood at the door, still in uniform. “May I come in?”

“If you insist.” I could feel the pressure melting away as he walked in. Isaac wasn’t the first person I’d expected, but he wasn’t a Vertanian guard out for my arrest either. “What brings you here?”

“You. What else?” he said, like that was obvious.

Excuse me? It took a miracle to keep my face from blushing like Mary’s. “What’s that supposed to mean?” I collapsed back on my desk chair while Isaac took Val’s. “Want a rematch?”

“Hard no.”

“Well, I tried. I’m always down to give another beating.” I couldn’t tell exactly why he was here—’you’ didn’t exactly answer much. “What kind of prince is out this late?”

“A rebellious one.” Isaac grabbed Val’s coffee pot and lit a flame under his fingers. “I’m assuming Val won’t mind?”

“Please,” I said. Val just dumped out the extras anyway.

“I hope she won't mind if I borrow a few cups too.” He grabbed three mugs from her shelf. “Though, I don’t think I’ve been formally acquainted with your maid yet. Mary, is that right?”

“Y-Y-Y-Y—” Mary stuttered, shivering like a leaf in the wind.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” Isaac handed her a steaming cup. “I heard Mary’s been your servant for a good while. I’m assuming she’s an easy person to confide in?”

“Of course! What are you implying?” Does he not trust Mary? I mean, Isaac, look at her! She couldn’t hurt a fly. Or well, that last part was a lie. Mary was actually really good at hurting things whenever she could have a fifteen-foot vine do the job.

“Nothing. What could make you think that?” Isaac wrapped his hands around Val’s glass, though he didn’t take a drink. For a second he just glanced toward the door. Then Mary, then myself.

“You asked what I’m doing here. No good prince drops by their friends' dorm room this late for fun. I feel it's about time I answered your question.”

“My question?”

Mary gave me a look. Don’t ask me what he’s talking about.

“Our two countries have always been locked together because of necessity more than anything. Sure, we’re allies, but that doesn’t keep random skirmishes from popping up every once in a while. I just…” He paused. “I think that in the future, our countries could benefit from joining together.”

“Against what?” I said the unspoken part out loud.

“There's—” Yet again, Isaac cut himself off. “Neither of us know the future, Ruby. I enjoy talking to you, and I think that you and I have similar ideals”

Me? What brought that line around? I could feel my blushing cheeks get redder by the second. So much for keeping that under control. But I pushed that aside; there were other times better suited for screaming into my pillow. “What ideals?”

“Peace, prosperity, the idea that everyone, rich or poor, should be able to live as themselves.”

“I can throw out Church buzzwords too.” Not that they exactly meant much. I was sure the Church would have loved me casting a bit of yellow in the town square. “What’s your—”

“But you actually act on them!” Isaac nearly knocked his chair over standing up. “I was told not to share this. We had a few knights collect data on you before your transfer. Do you know what they said, Ruby? They told us about a princess who would teach the village kids magic—voluntarily! The soldiers spoke of a person who didn’t particularly care about someone's standing, who put on shows for free, and would personally chase a thief to save a kid’s birthday money.”

“Yeah?” I tilted my head in confusion. “I don’t think any of that is particularly notable.”

“Around here it is,” Isaac spat. “I have five siblings, and I don’t think a single one of them knows commoners even have their own colors.”

“Okay, but that’s not the impression I got from you…”

“I’m the exception,” Isaac collapsed back into his chair, a disgusted look on his face. “I’m assuming you know about Val’s situation?”

“Of course. Val wouldn’t let me forget she’s a commoner if she tried.”

“Yeah, the only commoner. My family fought tooth and nail against it.” The hesitant prince from a few minutes ago was gone. This prince had his gaze locked and knuckles white. “The purpose of our school is to train the brightest magical minds in the country. Somehow, they all seem to be nobility.”

The fact he felt so sincere put me on guard. I knew Isaac’s personality—kind and passionate—but even for him, this felt nearly treasonous.

Mary fidgeted with her hands to my right. We're both on edge at least.

“What’s your plan then? Vertana doesn’t do birth order for their kings, if I remember right?” Where is he going with this? I could tell there was a point that Isaac wanted to hit, but even now he seemed to be restraining himself a bit. “If you’re asking for support, I’m down to help, but—”

“It’s not just that,” Isaac interrupted. “It leads back to the old treaty of Yarns. Back a thousand years ago, the classism regarding people’s colors was even worse. The reds held everything, and the purples—”

I could feel my eyes glazing over more and more by the second. So much history…

“But I’m sure you know all of this already.”

“Totally!” I snapped back to reality.

“You wanted to hear my plan?” Isaac laughed. “I don’t want to just be some stuffy king. I plan to gut and reform the entire system. Imagine it, Ruby! Imagine a world where we rewarded the best and brightest based on merit, where one’s color and talent mattered more than their parents. A world where even Prismas can live freely!”

“P-Prismas?” I stuttered out. Mary started to shake next to me. I know these rooms are supposed to be soundproof, but they’re not perfect! Do you want the Church to break in here, Isaac? Those rats are everywhere around here anyway…

That wasn’t to mention the irony. How shocked would Isaac be to find out a Prisma was in this very room.

“You heard me.”

“But the Church is—”

“Screw the Church,” Isaac spat. “They don’t know their own doctrine. All their clamoring about Prismas comes from fear, not any actual religious foundation.” He met my eyes, softening his face a bit. “But I’ve said enough for tonight. Something tells me religious doctrine isn’t something that exactly fascinates you.”

“You could say that.” I couldn’t remember a thing from my religious classes if I tried. So many lectures, not to mention slow, monotonous readings.

Made for an amazing naptime.

Isaac got up and gave a small bow. “I ask you to consider my words. I’m very sure they weren’t what you were expecting to hear.” With that, he walked toward the door, completely ignoring my horrid attempts at a response. “Also, it’d be amazing if you didn’t report me, though, I don’t really take you as the type.”

“Isaac, I…” My voice trailed off. “He’s gone.”

“R-Reminds me of you, Princess.”

“What’s that supposed to mean, Mary?” I collapsed in my bed, nearly screaming into the pillow. “What was all of that supposed to mean!”

A world where even Prismas can live freely…

He said it like it was some random idea. Like it was the kind of thing someone could just say out loud over coffee. Not heresy!

“I… I’m not sure either, Princess Ruby. It could be a trap.”

“I didn’t even think about that.” But I internally crossed a trap out pretty fast. The Church wouldn’t have bothered. “Who does he think he is, marching into a girl’s room at night and saying… that!”

I screamed into my pillow.

Mary slowly rose, still shaking a bit. Both of us were still a bit stunned. “I think the best option would be to discuss this in the morning… Do you wish for me to stay here for the night?”

“Honestly, yeah…” I wasn’t particularly worried that anyone overheard, but Mary’s firepower would help for sure. “Speaking of, we should probably sleep.”

I sent a bit of water to snuff out all the candles. My brain was a mess, and giving it some time to organize, well, everything from tonight sounded like an amazing idea. “Good night, Mary. Hopefully tomorrow is a bit quieter.”