Chương 8: Chapter 7

Q had no idea where Professor Ligarius was taking her.

The halls of RAPS twisted and turned like a maze, each corridor gleaming with polished marble and adorned with elegant sconces that cast golden light over the pristine walls. Q tried her best to keep up with Professor Ligarius's long strides, but every few steps she found herself distracted by something new—a gilded portrait of a woman in a dazzling ball gown, a carved pillar that looked like it had grown straight from the ground, or the impossibly high ceilings that made her feel as small as a mouse.

"Keep up, Miss Q," Professor Ligarius called over his shoulder, his voice calm but firm. "Time is off the essence."

Q scurried to close the distance between them, gripping the sides of her skirt as she went. "Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

Finally, they stopped in front of an arched set of double doors. Professor Ligarius pushed one open without hesitation, stepping aside to let her in.

The sight that greeted her was unlike anything she had ever seen.

A massive chandelier dominated the center of the room, its cascading crystals shimmering like icicles caught in sunlight. Beneath it, a dozen girls glided across the polished floor, their movements slow and deliberate. Each one balanced a book on her head, her posture ramrod straight as she walked back and forth along invisible lines.

Q blinked, her mouth hanging open slightly. She had never seen anything so strange.

"What… what are they doing?"

"Practicing posture and poise," Professor Ligarius said, his tone matter-of-fact. "A Princess must always carry herself with grace, no matter the circumstance."

Q frowned. "Looks silly."

But then, she froze, a memory flickering to life in her mind.

She was sitting under the old willow tree in the Carlton Estate, chewing on a blade of grass while Maddy paced in front of her. A book was balanced precariously on her head, her hands stretched out for balance.

"Why are you doing that?" Q had asked, unable to hide her smirk. "You look like you're about to fall over."

Maddy had glared at her, her face flushed with exertion. "You wouldn't understand."

Q had laughed. "You mean walking like a chicken with a book on its head?"

That had been the final straw. Maddy had yanked the book off her head and plopped down next to Q with a huff.

"You don't even know what poise is," she muttered, her voice tinged with irritation. "You don't even know how to read."

Q's laughter had died in her throat, replaced by a flicker of embarrassment.

"So what if I don't?" she had said defensively. "Books are boring."

"They're not boring," Maddy had said, her tone sharp. "They're important. If you'd just let me teach you—"

"Fine," Q had interrupted, crossing her arms. "Teach me, then."

It had been a disaster. Letters blurred into nonsense, words refused to stick, and by the time the sun dipped below the horizon, both of them were exhausted.

"Reading's not for everyone," Q had muttered, half-apologetic as she slumped against the tree. "I'm tired."

"So am I," Maddy had sighed, brushing dirt off her dress. "Just promise you won't make fun of it anymore."

"I promise." Q had said, and she never had.

Now, standing in this glittering room, Q's chest tightened at the memory. She could almost see Maddy among the girls, her back straight and her chin high, a book perched perfectly on her head.

The other girls in the room were as elegant as Maddy had always wanted to be. Their hair was curled and styled into intricate updos, adorned with ribbons and jewels that caught the light. Their faces were powdered and painted, their lips tinted soft pinks and reds. Even their gowns seemed too beautiful to be real, their silken folds sweeping the floor as they moved.

Q looked down at her own clothes—her wrinkled skirt and patched apron, still smudged with dirt from the road.

She suddenly felt very small.

"Impressive, aren't they?"

Q nodded, though she didn't feel entirely sure what she was agreeing with.

Professor Ligarius stepped forward, his boots clicking against the polished floor. The girls stopped mid-step, their books wobbling precariously before they managed to steady them. They turned to face him, their expressions a mixture of surprise and curiosity.

With a sharp knock on the nearest table, Professor Ligarius announced, "I'm looking for Madeline Carlton."

Q's breath caught, her eyes darting around the room.

And then, she saw her.

Maddy.

She stood near the far wall, surrounded by a cluster of other girls.

Her gown was unlike anything Q had ever seen—layers of shimmering fabric cascading down in a perfect blend of soft golds and whites, its edges embroidered with tiny flowers that glinted like sunlight. Her makeup was flawless, her cheeks softly blushed, her lips painted the color of roses. Long lashes framed her sharp, intelligent eyes, giving her an almost doll-like appearance.

Maddy was beautiful. But she wasn't… Maddy.

Q's throat tightened, her vision blurring as tears sprang unbidden to her eyes. The Maddy she knew never wore gowns like that. She never stood so still, so poised, like a figure carved from marble. The Maddy she knew would be laughing in her garden, her golden hair in a slightly messy bun, her hands smudged with ink from one of her books.

This wasn't her Maddy.

But Q didn't care.

"Maddy!"

Every head turned toward her, the girls gasping in unison as Q took off running.

"Miss Q, stop!" Professor Ligarius's voice snapped from somewhere behind her, but she ignored him.

Her boots clattered against the floor, a jarring contrast to the soft shuffles of the girls' delicate shoes. She dodged past stunned faces, her gaze fixed on the one person she'd been searching for since she'd arrived at RAPS.

"Maddy, it's me!"

She was close now, just a few more steps away.

But Maddy didn't move.

Q threw her arms out as she lunged forward, aiming to pull Maddy into one of her signature bear hugs. She needed to feel her friend, to know that beneath all the makeup and lace, this was still the same girl who had laughed with her under the willow tree.

At the last second, Maddy sidestepped.

Q stumbled, nearly losing her balance, her arms falling awkwardly to her sides. She blinked in confusion, looking up at Maddy, who was now staring at her with wide eyes and a deep frown.

"What are you doing here, Q?"

Q froze, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath. "Maddy, I… I came to see you. I—"

"You're embarrassing me," Maddy interrupted, her voice rising slightly. Her hands clenched at her sides, her knuckles white. "Do you have any idea where you are? What this is?"

Q's face crumpled, her tears threatening to spill. "I just wanted to see you. I missed you."

Maddy's glare only deepened, her lips pressing into a thin line.

"You can't just barge in here like this-"

Q staggered back a step, her breath catching in her throat.

Maddy opened her mouth to say something more, but one of the girls beside her grabbed her arm, whispering something into her ear. Maddy glanced around the room, noticing the growing number of stares and murmurs directed at them.

Her expression shifted, her glare softening slightly, though her tone remained cold.

"Go back home, Q. You shouldn't have come here."