Cadet Galene spends all his time with Cadet Harper. They’re an odd pair. Cadet Harper towers over Galene. He towers over most the Golden Cadets, actually. He’s in the class below Alexi and Galene. The pair are practically joined at the hip, despite seeming like they couldn’t be more different. If anyone was the descendant of a sun god around here, Harper certainly has the looks for it; tall and powerfully built, with silky red hair, darker skin and the same deep brown eyes usually associated with nobility.

“Shameless, aren’t they?”

“Isn’t he only here because Galene wants someone handsome and strong to warm his bed?”

“Who can blame him?”

Alexi strides passed the group of gossiping cadets, who all stop abruptly when they notice him. His bag strap creaks beneath his fingers and his hands tremble as whispers continue to dog his steps.

“Isn’t he Mika’s shadow?”

“Karnstein.”

“The witch’s son?”

“Think it was him who set Mika up?”

“Maybe Her Majesty took him for her harem. Why are all the redheads around here gorgeous?”

Perhaps Alexi understands why Galene would run away from the world more than he’d like to admit.

“The witch’s son. Mika’s shadow.”

That’s all he is. All he’s ever been. Always remembered by and judged on his family and friends. His gaze moves to the small wall Galene is stood upon. Harper sits against the wall, book in his lap, watching with an exasperated smile.

“General Galene’s son. Her Majesty’s favourite.”

Perhaps they understand better each other better than anyone else.

Not that Alexi thinks he understands a thing about Galene really. Despite spending the day hiding together in the shelter, he doesn’t think he knows anything about Galene beyond his liking for marine life and terrible taste in pyjamas. It’s seems getting personal information from Galene is like turning lead into gold.

“Alexi,” Galene calls, jumping from the wall.

“Galene.”

Galene stops in front of him and narrows his eyes. “I told you, Percy is fine.”

“Is it?” Alexi replies. “You’re being far too familiar for someone who barely knows me.”

“You’re so mean,” he says with a sigh. “Have you met Damien?”

“I’m aware of him-”

“Come on.”

Galene grabs his hand and pulls him away towards Harper. He smiles back as if Galene’s antics are a normal part of his life. Maybe they are. He certainly seem a to be childish and eccentric person. Whimsical, he supposes. Perhaps it's just something you get used to in time.

“Percy, you can’t just drag people around.”

“It's fine,” Percy laughs, turning to him. “Right, Alexi?”

“Galene-”

“Percy,” he says. Alexi sighs. “I told you, didn't I? Percy is fine.”

“Doesn't mean I agreed.”

Galene pouts. He actually pouts. “But I like you calling me by my name. Galene is my dad. Aren't you the same, Karnstein?”

Alexi frowns. Perhaps. His mother's name has certainly closed as many doors as its opened. He's used to the whispers that move across the room in waves whenever they first hear his name. Cadet Karnstein, son of The Great Witch. Best to be avoided.

“I apologise then,” Alexi says. “I didn't realise it was such an offense to you… Percy…”

“You always sound so hesitant,” Galene says, leaning against the wall. “Am I really so awful for wanting to be friends?”

“Is that what you want?”

Galene grins and there’s a horrid heat in Alexi’s cheeks. Why does Galene looking like that make him so weak?

“What would you like me to want?” Galene says.

“Percy,” Harper says. Galene glances down at him before sighing and pulling himself up to sit on the wall. “Shouldn’t you be doing your coursework?”

“When’s it due?”

“Second period tomorrow.”

“Remind me in the morning, I’ll do it before breakfast.”

Harper sighs. “You’re the genius.”

“Is that tomorrow’s combat theory report?” Alexi says. “How can you be leaving it so late? Have you even started?”

“It’s so dull,” Galene says, tilting his head back and gazing up at the sigh. “There are way better things to be doing than analysing Her Majesty’s battles over and over. We get it, she’s amazing and can only ever be amazing in the eyes of her people. I’m so bored of it now.”

Alexi frowns at him. “Isn't she amazing?”

“Of course she is,” Harper snaps. Galene just hums noncommittally. “Thanks to Her Majesty we have so much technology and such good lives. Her magic keeps us safe and her military prowess has saved us from the Nightmares countless times. It’s because of her risking so much to give us even this fraction of Algean technology that we can live the content lives we do.”

“Mm, you lived a content life in poverty only a few minutes walk from the palace’s front steps, right?” Galene says.

Harper’s shoulders go rigid. He glares up at Galene for a moment, jaw set and clenched, before he stands and sweeps away towards the dorms. Alexi watches silently. He didn’t know there was any true poverty left in the system - not unless you counted the penal colony on Algea - let alone cadets that came from such a life.

Galene sighs and kicks his legs in the air. “He’s thinks she’s so perfect when she lets that kinda thing happen right under her nose.”

“I’m sure Her Majesty has her reasons,” Alexi says. Galene glances up at him. “I’m sure-”

“I can’t stand liars.”

Alexi swallows thickly. There’s something about Galene’s suddenly stormy glare that sets his pulse racing. Galene is so strange. Unpredictable and changeable as the island weather. Bright and breezy one moment; stormy and unforgiving the next. Never quite clear and strangely beautiful to watch.

“What about cowards who run away and hide?” Alexi says, meeting his gaze.

“I suppose people in glass shelters shouldn’t throw stones,” Galene laughs, lightness and charm again as if a switch has been flicked. “If someone wishes to hide away in delusions and fantasy, who am I to tell them otherwise?”

“Fantasy, huh?”

Galene flashes a smirk. “You never did answer my question earlier.”

“No,” Alexi says, “I didn’t. So what’s your opinion of fools who hide behind laughter and whimsy?”

“That he’s probably a very sad, lonely young man hiding behind the mask of a fool,” Galene replies. “But I’m sure you understand how lonely it can be hidden in your parent’s shadow.”

“I guess so.”

Galene is gazing up at the sky once more. What an infuriatingly inconsistent, fickle creature. He doesn’t take his position at the most prestigious, elite school in the system seriously. He skips class. He ignores his reports. Yet he’s considered absolutely perfect by every teacher. 

How does Galene manage to say he can’t stand a liar when he’s the biggest one here? Acting like he’s so hard done by, like he has anything to complain about, when he’s been raised lacking nothing, having everything he wished for and waited on hand and foot. He might have to live in his father’s shadow but he has never experienced any hardship. He could never understand!

Even so,for some reason he can’t fathom, Alexi sits next to him on the wall.

“We could do that report together,” Alexi says. “It might be boring but-”

“It doesn’t have to be,” Galene says.

“It’s a report,” he replies. “I think that’s at least part of the definition of boring.”

“Didn’t Mika ever teach you to have fun?” he says with a sigh.

He jumps off the wall and bounces towards the dorms. 

Mika… 

Alexi’s fingers twist into his hair, sharp pain shooting through his scalp. Mika always smiled like that. Pushed up his glasses and laughed that they’d have to just look forward to their reward for completing their assignments. Galene is just as strange. Just as playful and wild. Another liar. Another one hiding his true face behind laughter and smiles and his wild child attitude. Alexi is starting to think he can’t stand a liar either.

Hands close around his and Alexi starts, staring up into Galene’s piercing eyes.

“Your hair’s too pretty to be damaging it like that.” He smiles, gently freeing the tangled strands from Alexi’s fingers. “I bet it hurts too.”

“Sometimes,” Alexi replies.

“Sometimes we hurt ourselves without thinking,” Percy says. Alexi nods a little and Percy steps back as he stands. “That’s why we all need someone to look after us.”

“I guess so.”