| ── |
To say the night of the Drowned Palace was a disaster would be quite the understatement. Cecilia thought it was more akin to a calamity. Though that did not mean the efforts of her peers were futile. Even as they descended into chaos, Cecilia still found herself admiring the stunning decor they chose. Alas, that was not enough to save the evening. Bitter exchanges quickly soured the mood and turned what would have been an exciting evening into an enclosed battleground.
However, Cecilia was fortunate enough to meet someone who intrigued her – Maisie Gemmell. The poor girl had steam blowing out of her ears and rightfully grew tired of everyone’s antics. Despite that, she had remained competent and, quite frankly, brilliant in Cecilia’s eyes, despite her claims that she was not. Maisie deserved every bit of praise from that evening.
Unfortunately, her pleas for silence were only met with more clamour, and Cecilia found herself feeling somewhat guilty for contributing to her discomfort. It seemed rather unfair that she was caught in the crossfire of her quips with Hestridge. For the next few days, Cecilia contemplated whether she should seek out the girl and make amends. It seemed like the right thing to do, but she failed to find the right time – until today.
Cecilia rose at an early hour with heavy eyelids due to tossing and turning all night. After struggling to fall asleep again, she decided to head over to the great hall. She hoped that eating something warm or hearty would help her feel more awake. However, the thought was swiftly abandoned when she noticed fresh crêpes and began piling them onto her plate. Feeling pleased with her portion, Cecilia began looking around the hall for a seat. That was her gaze fixed on Maisie, who was sitting by herself. Her eyes immediately lit up – this was her chance. Before anyone else had the opportunity to steal a seat beside her, Cecilia hastily made her way over.
“Good morning, Maisie,” she greeted with a warm smile. “Is it alright if I sit with you? I just wanted to apologise for the other day,” she began slowly, carefully examining her expression for any hints of confusion. This was a large school after all, so she would not fault Maisie if she failed to remember her.
“I’m Cecilia, from the drowned palace – if you remember that nightmare. I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t,” she clarified, chuckling nervously after that statement. She took a deep breath before speaking again. “I shouldn't have put you in the crossfire of my quips with Hestridge. I’m sorry about that,” she apologised, lowering her head.
“If it’s possible, I’d like for us to start over,” she said with a small smile and then paused. Cecilia was unsure if Maisie was upset with her. Even if she wasn’t, it still felt wrong to pretend that she was not partially at fault for the discourse that day. Clutching her plate nervously, she waited for her reply.
|
── |
