Ghost in the Roses

Tonight I have to meet up with Kai and Nina to study for our Law of Conduct test. They already started sharing their outlines when I finally arrive at the library.

“Got your notes?” Nina is not surprised, only a bit annoyed.

I wonder what will come first; her accepting my incompetency of arriving on time or me finally learning to respect her time.

“Sorry guys. I got stuck downtown,” I make my excuse.

“You were downtown this noon?” A once bored Kai perks up with a smile.

“Yeah, to pick up my uniform from the cleaners,” I sit down at our reserved table.

“Did you see it?” all of a sudden, Nina seem to have forgiven me.

I have a suspicion about why they're so excited, but need to make sure, “Are you talking about...”

“The protest. Yes. Did you see it?” Nina finishes my sentence.

“How do you know about the protest? You two were at the Exchange.”

“The whole school knows,” Kai leans in.

“That’s all anyone can talk about,” Nina says. "So, did you see it?”

“Yes, I saw it. I was having lunch with Anita at a plaza cafe,” I begin to take out my notes.

“Were you close? What was it like?” Kai presses for more.

“There were people, simple folks, with banners and posters, singing, and marching on the road. They were just a glass window and a sidewalk away from us. It was peaceful; no one bothered them and they didn’t bother us. It was authorized; the officers cleared the streets beforehand and the road was open just for them. That’s why I’m later than usual.”

“What did their signs say? What was the protest about?” Nina asks what really matters.

“The kings. They were unhappy with the kings,” I answer.

“Unhappy? What do they want then?” her questions keep getting better.

“A new government system,” I myself can't believe what I saying, and neither can my friends.

“A new government system?” Nina frowns.

“You mean they want to overthrow the kings?” Kai becomes uneasy about how much he doesn't know of the intent.

“No, I don’t think so. As I said, the march was peaceful and authorized. I think they want the kings to step down, willingly.”

“Willingly?” he chuckles.

If anyone knows anything, it’s the history of the royals’ pride and superiority.

“To avoid a violent conflict, I think they just might consider the option,” Nina says.

“A violent conflict? You know there is a name for that- civil war." He's only making this worse.

“It’s too soon to tell anything,” I put a stop to it.

Nina and Kai stop talking about it, but I can tell that they are still thinking about it.

“Okay, let’s see what you have,” Nina gets back her focus and tries to bring us to do the same.

“Okay, so I did the research on the war conventions, and the most recent one made is...” but, I don't get to finish.

Something disturbing catches Nina’s eye and her pointing finger makes Kai notice it too.

“What is that?” her eyes glare at my notebook.

“This is on chapter 14, the core rules of war.” I'm very confused.

“No, Adrien. What is that?” she reaches and slowly pulls out a red sheet of paper.

Kai looks around to make sure no one is watching.

“I don’t know. What is that?” I try to recognize it.

How could I? It isn't mine.

“How did you get this?” Kai keeps his shock in me discreetly.

“Who gave this to you?” Nina whispers and shows me what the red paper means.

On it, four lines are written in bold black letters.

No more hunger!

No more disease!

No more favorites!

NO MORE KINGS!!!

“Oh, my,” those words rob the air out of my lungs.

In a split second, we realize the heaviness of that note. Nina crumbles it up. Without anyone looking, she throws it into the nearest burning fireplace.

“Why did you take it?” out of worry for me, Nina's eyes grow misty when she makes it back into her seat.

“I didn’t. I don’t know how I got it,” I feel like I'm being tried for a crime and want her to know of my innocence.

“Did Anita give that to you?”Kai asks.

“A Senior Knight’s daughter?” his question is ridiculous.

“Then who?”

“It could have been anyone. It could have been a laundry employee, someone from the cafe, or anyone on my way to the library,” I give them the list of possibilities.

“You’re right. Our suspicions are circumstantial. But she is a suspect.”

“You’re talking like this is a crime. Even if she did, there was no law broken,” I speak up for Anita.

“No law was broken. But someone could use this against you. You’ve got to be more careful about whom you make friends with outside the Academy,” Nina remains calm but very stern.

“I understand. I know I can’t be associated with this in any way,” I know that she's right.

“Okay guys, enough. We will speak about this no more. Ever.” Kai's voice is low.

With that established and the study meeting long over, I found myself looking about my dorm room and through my things making sure that there is nothing else being sneaked in into my possession. There is nothing of such. Thank goodness.

The weekend ended, but it didn’t end there. It is the beginning of a new week and the Law of Conduct test is the first thing on the agenda. In my class, there is a fellow cadet who wore a red flower behind her ear on each test day without fail, but this time for the first time it is not in her hair. In this slight change of habit, I realize that nothing will ever be the same again.

“Katia, you forgot your lucky flower,” I remind her, knowing very well that she left it behind on purpose.

“I don’t need it anymore. Believing that a trinket can be a lucky charm is silly, don’t you think?” she plays it cool, but I know she knows.

And she knows that I know that she knows.

“You’re right. You did well in all the other tests and it won’t be any different this time,” I nod.

She smiles back and pets her hairdo.

“You look great,” I say.

“Thank you. I’m trying out a new bun style,” Katia plays with her hair.

I know she will miss it and I feel sorry for her. She loves that flower. After all, this is an heirloom from her great-grandmother’s wedding. No rule is made about it, but in silence, the entire student and faculty body no longer wears any red. This color which once stood for beauty now has grown a new meaning. A meaning I wish I understood.