Around the corner of Ivyshade Garden, behind the fountain crowned with a graceful statue, Beatrice Rosedale stood with her arms crossed. The daughter of a duke, she exuded arrogance, surrounded by her group of sycophantic friends who shared her twisted sense of superiority. Before them, Mariana—a timid girl with delicate features—was entangled in a web of thick, thorny vines that conjured from Beatrice’s fingertips and tightening mercilessly around her limbs.

The more Mariana struggled, the tighter the vines constricted, their sharp thorns digging cruelly into her skin. Pain was etched across her tear-streaked face as she sobbed, her voice small and desperate. "P-Please, forgive me. I didn’t mean to... I’m sorry," she stammered, her words broken by her trembling.

Beatrice sneered, her voice sharp with malice. “You should’ve known your place. Did you really think you could humiliate me in class like that and easily get away with it? A mere baron’s daughter? How dare you sat the correct answer after I didn’t.”

Her friends laughed in unison, their voices echoing in the secluded garden like the cackles of a cruel audience. One of them, a tall girl with sharp eyes, added mockingly, “Did you see her face when the professor praised her? Our little Mariana thought she was the star of the day. How adorable.”

"Yeah," another chimed in, her laughter high-pitched and grating.“Now Look at her squirm ”

Mariana winced as the vines bit deeper into her flesh. “I...I really didn’t mean to offend you...I will never do any anything like this again,I swear...Please... forgive me,” she whispered, her voice cracking. Her eyes, red and swollen, brimmed with terror.

Beatrice waved her hand dismissively. “Enough! You don’t get to speak unless I allow it,” she snapped. She stared down at Mariana, satisfaction gleaming in her cold eyes. “You need to learn your place. Worms like you, who forget where they stand, deserve to suffer.”

With a casual flick of her wrist, the vines lifted Mariana higher off the ground. Her friends clapped and laughed as if watching a show.

Mariana gasped in terror, her hands desperately trying to claw at the vines binding her. Her legs dangled helplessly being suspended above the ground in mid air. “No—please! Don’t!” she sobbed, her voice was barely a whisper now, her breath catching in her throat as she braced for what was to come. Her face went drained of color.

Beatrice smiled, enjoying every second of Mariana's fear. “Consider this a lesson. The next time you even think about speaking out of turn, remember what happens to those who cross me.” With a flick of her fingers, the vines released Mariana’s body, letting her free-fall toward the ground.

Time seemed to slow as Mariana’s body hurtled toward the earth. She closed her eyes in horror, bracing herself for the painful impact. But just before she hit the ground, a blur of movement cut through the air. In the blink of an eye, someone slipped in, catching Mariana just in time.

It was Reese.

Her expression was calm, but a quiet fury simmered behind her sharp eyes as she turned to Beatrice and her companions, holding Mariana securely in her arms. The suddenness of Reese’s appearance stunned Beatrice and her friends into silence, their laughter dying on their lips.

Gently, Reese lowered Mariana to the ground, her voice soft but firm. “It'a alright. You’re safe now.” Mariana, still trembling, tears streaking down her cheeks, could hardly process what had just happened.

Beatrice scowled, her pride wounded by the unexpected interruption. “And who do you think you are?” she snapped, trying to regain control of the situation.

Reese’s voice was low and controlled, cutting through the tension like ice. “Is who I am really what matters right now?” she asked, her gaze unwavering. “Shouldn't the real concern be about what you were just doing?"

Beatrice scoffed. “I was simply putting a lowly baron’s daughter in her place."

Reese’s gaze hardened. “And who are you to do that?”

Beatrice lifted her chin arrogantly. “Me? Well, I’m the daughter of Duke Rosedale, the highest-ranking noble in this empire,” she declared. “You’d do well to stay out of this, unless you too want a lesson like her."

A soft, mocking laugh escaped Reese’s lips. “You? Teach me a lesson?” she said, her voice laced with disdain. “When your brother couldn’t even manage to do that.”

"WHAT?" Beatrice’s eyes flashed with fury. One of her friends whispered urgently in her ear, “It’s her. The new student who took down those four guys on her first day.”

Reese didn’t bother paying attention to all these murmurs. Instead, she turned to Juniper, who had quietly approached them. “Take her to the infirmary. She needs some first aid.”

Juniper nodded, placing a comforting hand on Mariana’s shoulder. “Come on.” she said softly, guiding the shaken girl away. Mariana leaned on Juniper, still too dazed to speak, her steps unsteady as they left the scene.

Beatrice’s friends shifted uncomfortably, their earlier bravado fading. Beatrice, however, refused to back down. “So what if you’re the new student who beat my brother’s men? You just got lucky in that fight.” she hissed. "It doesn’t change a damn thing. You still are nothing compared to me-a duke's daughter.”

"Duke's daughter this, Duke's daughter that..." Reese sighed. “According to the rules, your title means nothing here,on the academy ground. You don’t have any right to trample over others just because you feel like it,” She said, meeting Beatrice's gaze steadily. “If you had an issue with Mariana, you should’ve taken it to the student council. But of course, You had no valid reason for what you did, did you?”

Beatrice’s fists clenched, her pride taking another hit. "What makes you think that you can lecture me?"

“You bully others because it makes you feel superior,” Reese continued, her voice cold. “But deep down, it’s nothing more than cowardice. Hiding behind your title to feel powerful, hurting someone to satisfy your ego-It's Pathetic. YOU ARE PATHETIC.”

Hearing Reese's last words, Beatrice’s patience finally snapped. With a flick of her hand, she summoned the vines again. The vines now shot forward aiming directly at Reese with blinding speed. But Reese was faster. In the blink of an eye, she caught all of the vines in one hand, her grip tight and unyielding.

“What a cheap trick,” Reese mocked, her voice dripping with disdain.

Beatrice’s eyes widened in disbelief.

"You are flying very high, aren't you?" Beatrice snarled, her voice dripping with venom. "I swear I will clip your wings and make you realize what fear is!"

Reesw tilted her head slightly, a small smile playing on her lips. "You think you can intimidate me? Honey, I eat intimidation for breakfast."

“You—how dare you!” But before she could react further, Reese gave the vines a sharp tug, yanking Beatrice forward. She lost her balance and flew straight into the fountain just behind Reese with a splash, soaking herself from head to toe. All the onlookers gasped in sock.

Reese crossed her arms, a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. “So? How’s the water tastes like? Maybe it'll help to cool that hot temper of yours.”

Beatrice sputtered in rage, her face red with humiliation. “You won’t get away with this! I’ll report you! I swear, I will make you pay-”

“Go ahead,” Reese said, her voice clam as she yawned, completely unbothered. “What will you say? That you tried to attack me and ended up drenching yourself instead? I’m sure that’ll go over well.”

Without waiting for a response, Reese turned on her heel and walked away, leaving Beatrice fuming in the fountain as her friends stood frozen, intimidated by Reese.

..

Reese made her way to the infirmary immediately after leaving Ivyshade Garden. The infirmary room was quiet, almost vacant, save for the presence of Mariana and Juniper. The dim afternoon light filtered in through the tall windows.

As Reese stepped inside, she noticed Juniper carefully tending to Mariana, who sat silently with her face and eyes downcast. "Where are the doctors?" Reese asked, scanning the room.

Juniper looked up from her task, her expression calm. "When we got here, no one was around. They must’ve gone to lunch," she explained, her hands doing the last of the bandages on Mariana’s arm, which had already been treated with ointment. "How did things go back there?" she asked Reese, glancing up as she wrapped the bandage with a neat knot.

Reese smirked slightly, leaning against the infirmary bed. "Well, let’s just say it didn’t end too well for a certain someone. And that someone is not me, of course." There was a glint of mischief in her eyes as she sat down beside Mariana.

Juniper smiled knowingly. "I’d expect nothing less from you," she said, standing up and stretching as she placed the leftover medical supplies back in their proper place. "All done here."

Reese sighed dramatically. "I haven’t even had a proper bite of my lunch yet. I’m starving," she complained with a playful groan.

"Let’s eat here then!" Juniper suggested brightly. "But first, let’s wash up." She headed toward the basin across the room, gesturing for Reese to follow.

Reese nodded, getting up to join her. "Yeah, good idea."

As they washed their hands, Mariana, who had been quietly watching the whole interaction, hesitated before finally speaking up. "Um... excuse me," she said, her voice barely audible. Her hands were trembling slightly as she stood, preparing to leave. " I’ll take my leave now. Thank you again for your help," she added, bowing politely before making her way toward the door.

Just as her fingers brushed the doorknob, a firm hand landed on top of hers, stopping her in her tracks. She looked up, startled, to see Reese's frame towering over her. "And where do you think you’re going?" Reese asked, her tone gentle but firm, her eyes locked on Mariana’s.

"I... I... um..." Mariana stammered, clearly flustered.

"You’re not going anywhere," Reese said taking Mariana’s hand and gently pulling her back to the bedside. "Sit." It was more of a command than a suggestion.

Mariana, both confused and nervous, hesitated. "But—" she began to protest.

"You can leave after you’ve had something to eat," Reese interrupted, her voice leaving no room for argument.

Mariana fidgeted. "I... I shouldn’t. I don’t want to take share from your food," she murmured shyly, looking down at her bandaged hands.

Reese raised an eyebrow, her tone turning casual but insistent. "Why not? What’s wrong with sharing lunch with friends?" she asked.

Mariana blinked, taken aback. "But...we’re not really friends... I mean, we’re not close."

"Then let’s fix that," Reese said with a shrug, already unpacking the food. "We’re going to get close right here and now. It's not like we need years to be friends with someone. Look at me and Juniper—we just met yesterday, and now we’re buddies already."

Juniper, who came closer to them in the meantime, nodded enthusiastically. Her expression were warm and encouraging. "She’s right. Besides, you must be starving too. You haven’t eaten anything since morning, have you?"

Mariana opened her mouth to protest again, but the words stuck in her throat. It would have been a lie if she said that she didn't feel intimidated in this situation, especially by Reese. But their kindness was undeniable, infact they were also the ones to save her earlier. "I... I can’t eat. My hands are... well, with the bandages..." she tried to explain, making an excuse and hoping for an escape.

Reese glanced at her hands and then back at her, her lips curling into a sly smile. "Who said you need your hands to eat?"

"Huh?" Mariana stared at her in confusion, unsure of what Reese meant. Before she could process it, Juniper, with a mischievous grin, suddenly shoved a large sandwich into her mouth.

"There, problem solved!" Juniper giggled as Mariana’s eyes widened in surprise.

Caught completely off guard, Mariana couldn't even speak, her mouth being completely filled. She had no choice but to chew, her cheeks flushed as she tried to swallow the unexpected mouthful. Reese and Juniper burst out laughing at the sight, their laughter lightening the mood in the room.

As they continued to eat, Reese and Juniper talked animatedly, sharing stories and jokes, while Mariana mostly listened in silence. Mariana found herself gradually relaxing, her initial anxiety giving way to a quiet sense of comfort. Though she didn’t say much, she felt a warmth growing inside her—a feeling of inclusion, of belonging.

___

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