For something that is in essence a mere number, the results of an examination can have massive rippling effects on a person's life.
It's almost amusing how a single result, acquired on a single day, can potentially make or break your life. What is often ignored are the countless variables that come into play when the examinee takes their seat in whatever dreadful hall the education system has decided on. The first, and most obvious, being the condition of the examinee. Are they sick? Sleep deprived? Malnourished? It doesn't matter, the numbers never lie.
What of the content within the exam? Chosen on the whim of some decrepit old person in an office, most likely. Because of this, the majority of what you studied for will be tossed to the floor like useless sawdust. What? The topic you focused on the most didn't appear on the exam? Well, that's life! The numbers never lie.
Countless other variables exist, but there's no point in going through them here. Yes, exams are not nearly sufficient proof of one's worth. Such a thing is obvious to anyone with a brain in their head. The reason they exist is simple - they are a convenient and straightforward way to get a rough idea of a student's capabilities. And if there's one thing humans love, it's convenience. The numbers never lie.
*
The next day, Dean could only look on in concern as Matin stumbled into exam hall, half asleep and looking like he had been at a party all night. He gave him and the others a quick smile before making his way over to his desk. Dean felt a little headache after last night's wine, but at least he felt much better than Matin probably did.
Before the mock exam papers were handed out, Sophia approached Matin and started talking to him. Matin's face brightened somewhat, and they managed to exchange a few brief words, but Marianne's arrival into the hall put a quick end to that. Sophia was forced to scurry back to her seat with a pale face after Marianne gave her a sharp look.
Soon after, Methaeus handed out the papers, and the exams began. Marianne remained at the back of the class, and Dean could feel her eyes staring a hole into his back throughout the entire duration of the test. The atmosphere was so tense that nobody dared so much as clear their throat. He was sure that the sound of Marianne's footsteps echoing as she patrolled the hall would remain in his memories for the rest of his life.
As Dean was tackling a complicated math equation, he heard something small fall to the ground. He turned slightly towards the noise and saw Rosetta looking at the ground in front of her desk, where the jar of ink she had been using to write had fallen to the ground.
She looked around the room for a moment, her eyes widening when they met with Marianne's. The older woman looked down at the poor student, daring her to interrupt the exam further. At the other end of the room, Methaeus sat staring blankly ahead. He hadn't noticed a thing. Rosetta bit her lip and turned back around to look at her exam papers. Sadly, as she had nothing to write with, she was forced to sit in silence for a few moments before eventually gathering the courage to act.
She quickly tried to pick up the glass of ink, but her foot got caught on the leg of her desk, accidentally dragging it across the floor and creating a loud screeching noise.
The entire room went dead still. Nobody looked up from their exam papers, but a few students had stopped writing. Footsteps could be heard approaching Rosetta.. Marianne stopped, looming over the cowering Rosetta.
"Come with me, child."
"B-but the exam…" Rosetta stuttered.
"Now." Came the ice cold reply.
Methaeus, who had only just noticed the commotion, rushed over and whispered something in Marianne's ears.
"Nonsense, I will have words with her then she may return. If she misses time on the test, then she only has herself to blame." Marianne said, not doing a thing to quieten her own voice.
Marianne then escorted Rosetta from the room. They were gone for ten minutes, and when they returned, Rosetta's face was red and tear-stained. She quietly went back to her desk and resumed her test. Marianne simply returned to her lookout point and continued observing the class.
After two hours, which felt more like six, Methaeus signaled the end of the mock exam. Rosetta seemed to have calmed down a little but was still gloomy-looking as she played with her quill. Matin, on the other hand, was staring at his desk, unmoving. His eyes had large dark bags under them. He looked positively wretched.
As Dean was trying to decide what to do, Rosetta abruptly got to her feet and half walked, half ran out of the room. He'd have to ask Maria or Addi to talk with her later and maybe buy her something nice as an apology for the prank yesterday. He turned his attention to Matin and walked over to his friend.
"How did it go?" He asked. He tried to inject his words with some positivity, but it just ended up sounding forced.
Matin looked up at him with his exhausted eyes. For a moment there was a blank look on his face, but that was quickly replaced by a reassuring smile.
"Oh Dean. Yeah, it went alright, I think." He said with a nervous laugh.
"You look like you're going to pass out at any minute. Shouldn't you go back and get some sleep?"
Matin shook his head.
"It's still daylight, so I should go to the library and study some more. There were a few things that I found difficult, so-"
"I think Dean's right, Matin." Came a soft voice from behind.
It was Sophia. Her eyes narrow with concern behind her large circular spectacles.
"You shouldn't be studying all night before a test. It's not at all productive and harms your ability to think properly. Nobody could do well on an exam in your condition."
Dean took a quick look around. Thankfully, Marianne seemed to have left the room as soon as the test finished.
For a moment, Matin's smile slipped, but he quickly returned to his usual expression as he got to his feet.
"Thanks for worrying about me, everyone, but I'm fine, really. I've been doing this for as long as I can remember, so what's another two weeks, right?" He said with a brief nervous laugh.
"Well, if you're going to the library to study, then I'm going with you." Sophia said in a tone that brooked no argument.
Matin stood there silently for a moment, staring blankly at the space between Dean and Sophia. Eventually, he nodded.
"Sure, ok. I'm sure we can help each other with a few things." Matin replied as he took off towards the door.
"Don't worry, I'll look after him." Sophia whispered to Dean with a wink. "He'll probably nap on the desk. If he does, I'll let him rest."
Dean nodded his thanks and watched as the pair left the classroom.
He didn't feel satisfied with how things were going. There were still two weeks left until the final exams, and Matin looked like he could keel over at any moment. And then there was Marianne, who had already begun her reign of terror. He worried about Sophia as well. Something had to be done, and to start things off, he would assemble his closest friends. They could put their heads together and think of a solution. Dean left the classroom to spread the word about the urgent emergency meeting that would take place tonight.
*
"And so I announce the start of this vital emergency meeting!" Dean declared as he stood on a stool in a private study room.
The sound of a single pair of hands clapping was the only response, and Dean felt his heart sink a little. With a pathetic sigh, he got down from the stool and sat down on a nearby chair.
"I told them all it was a very important meeting." He whined as he covered his face with his hands.
"It can't be helped. Most of the others are too busy with their studies. Besides, you say every meeting is important," Addi said, trying her best to comfort him.
"That's because they are. The meetings are what keep us together! Well, what about Maria?"
Addi shrugged.
"She only ever comes if she's bored. Guess she's not bored today."
Dean sighed. He should have expected this. Maria and Nicolas were probably too busy ogling each other to come to their friend's aid.
"Friendship always pales in the face of puppy love," Dean whispered sadly.
Addi looked at him with a strange expression.
"What are you talking about now, Dean?"
"Nothing at all, just musing to myself." He said before narrowing his eyes at Addi. "How the hell did you manage to find the time to come here? Don't you have an entire religion to lead?"
Addi shook her head and gave him a beaming smile.
"You'd better be thankful Dean. I had to pull lots of strings so that you wouldn't be lonely tonight. Besides, when you get to my level, you don't have to do much outside of official ceremonies, looking important and stamping papers. I can just delegate the rest"
Addi had been consistently present over the last few days. She must have been feeling left out with all this exam business keeping the rest of the group tightly together. Dean found that fact extremely comforting. She was still the same girl he had always known, even after her unusually sudden promotion.
"With the two of us working together, nothing can stand in our way," he said confidently. "Let us begin. We need to come up with countermeasures so that Marianne doesn't take complete control like she did last time. Suggestions?"
Addi crossed her arms as she thought for a moment.
"I think we should focus on Matin more than Marianne, Dean. We just have to support him as best we can until this is all over."
Dean remembered how Rosetta was punished for making a little noise by accident and how Marianne had looked at Sophia. He also knew that as long as Marianne was around, Matin's situation would not improve.
"This isn't just about Matin though. I'd wager Sophia stands to suffer the most because of all this. You're the priestess, can't you order Marianne out of the monastery?" Dean asked.
Addi looked at him blankly for a moment before shaking her head.
"I'm just a figurehead, remember? If I tried to do that, and she stood her ground, it could start another holy war. Priestesses have been beheaded for less."
Dean grumbled something that sounded like an agreement. He knew deep down that the church didn't have as much power as it used to and that Marianne, on the contrary, had enough power to throw her weight around wherever and however she pleased.
"Ok. Here's what we do. We dress up as a monster of some kind. Maybe a yeti or wendigo and scare her off!" Dean said, sounding awfully proud of his suggestion.
Addi raised a brow.
"You're not ten anymore, Dean. Even if she truly believed monsters had breached the walls, it would only lead to her occupying the monastery with her army, and that's the last thing we want. At least try something a bit more plausible. You need to find her weakness and exploit it."
Dean clapped his hands together.
"An impeccable idea, dear apprentice, if a little terrifying! At least in regards to her weakness, we are well aware. We can talk Matin into this, pretend to kidnap him and force Marianne to leave the monastery that way!"
Addi hung her head and closed her eyes for a moment.
"Alright, but before we try something that's likely to upend the peace of the empire, why don't we talk to Methaeus? Maybe he'll have a suggestion?"
Dean scratched his chin. Methaeus was the de facto leader of the monastery, answering only to Addi herself, and even then it was assumed he held most of the hard power within the church. Asking him could bear fruit, but Dean couldn't think of him as the most trustworthy of allies. There was just something about the man's eyes and strict bearing that rubbed him the wrong way.
"Fine, but if it doesn't work out, we're going with the kidnapping plan." He replied.
He got to his feet, intending to visit Methaeus at that moment, but felt an unusual weight pulling at his rear end. Turning back, he discovered the chair he had been sitting on was stuck firmly to his trousers. He turned to look at Addi, who was hiding a giggle.
"You only came so you could do this to me, didn't you?" He asked quietly.
"That's for tormenting Rose the other day," Addi snickered.
Dean could only grit his teeth and lament the unfairness of life.
*
Donning a long robe to hide the rip in his trousers, he made his way to the abbot's office in the cathedral along with Addi.
"Snow's really come early this year, huh?" Dean asked, looking up at the sky as they walked.
Strangely, Addi remained silent. Her lips were drawn in a straight line, and she looked out over the snow as if it were a great inconvenience. He recalled how snow had usually made her quite happy in the past.
"Hey, what's up?" He asked.
"Sorry, what?" She mumbled.
"Looks to me like something's bother you. Snow usually makes you happy, and yet here you are with that sour face." He said, making sure to maintain eye contact.
Another silence, shorter this time.
"It's nothing." She said, and then after a long pause, "Just thinking about what we should say to Methaeus. That's all"
Dean didn't believe her in the slightest but decided to let it go. He trusted that she'd tell him if he really needed to hear it.
Methaeus' office was at the far end of the cathedral on the second floor, and it took them a while to get there. When they did eventually arrive, Addi knocked on the door.
"Who is it?" came a low, serious voice from within.
"It is I, your beautiful, perfect priestess." Addi replied.
"Your Holiness?" Came the surprised reply.
After a short moment, the door opened, and Methaeus appeared. Dean couldn't help but gawk at the man's bushy eyebrows and liver spot-covered skin. Seeing Addi, he stepped aside to let them inside.
"I see young Kasanagh is with you as well?" He asked.
"Hey, old man," Dean greeted.
As they entered the room, Methaeus folded his arms.
"I believe I advised you to act with more dignity, Your Holiness. You too, Dean. You both need to behave in a manner that better suits your station."
Addi, ignoring Methaeus, sauntered up to a fine leather sofa at the center of the office and plopped herself down. Dean, who was slightly more hesitant, followed after. Methaeus sighed and walked over to his desk, his footsteps echoing on the black-and-white marble floor. Pushing aside a pile of maps that appeared to detail the catacombs, he procured a finely made smoking pipe and filled it with a brown leafy substance.
The office was, for the most part, what Dean expected. It had bookshelves containing various records, notes and holy books lined around the outer wall and was decorated with various religious symbols, including a large wooden carving of the circle motif, which represented the Mortian faith. Leaves still grew from branches as if it were still alive and growing. It hung from the roof behind Methaeus' large desk, adding a certain imposing feeling to the whole setup. Stained glass windows depicting various mythological figures illuminated the room from behind the carving.
Dean was surprised to see what appeared to be a keg of ale next to the desk. He resisted the urge to ask Methaeus for a mug.
Having lit his pipe, Methaeus joined them, sitting on a chair opposite the sofa.
"I'm going to assume this has something to do with the exams, or perhaps Miss Evelyn's arrival?"
Dean looked over at Addi who was also looking at him, a slight air of surprise in her expression.
"That's right," Dean replied hesitantly. "To get straight to the point, we don't think she should be interfering in our education."
Methaeus took a long drag of his pipe as he contemplated Dean's words.
"I'll be honest with you, Dean. Marianne is arguably the most powerful noble in the kingdom. If she decides she wants to do something, there's little we can do to stop her."
"But hasn't the responsibility for education belonged to the church for years?" Addi asked.
Methaeus nodded.
"That would normally be the case, but Marianne is a patron of ours, the foremost in fact. Much of the funding we get comes from her and nobles like her. It's difficult to run a large settlement like this in the middle of the mountains without them."
"So it's about money?" Dean asked, sitting up straight and looking Methaeus in the eyes.
"That's right." He replied, not breaking eye contact. "Ever since Oscar's victory in the civil war, the church has existed only because of the generosity of the nobility."
"She's actively threatening the students!" Dean shouted, surprising even himself. Not only Sophia but even Rosetta had suffered the brunt of it.
He recalled how Rosetta had looked after Marianne had 'spoken' with her as well as how Marianne had been watching Sophia like a hawk. This exam usually dictated how the rest of your life would go, so it was no understatement to say that Marianne could ruin their lives forever if she continued to torture them like that.
Methaues took a long moment to respond. His wrinkly face twisted strangely, and his eyes were almost hidden behind his big bushy eyebrows.
"The safety of our students has always been important to me, Dean. Please do not misunderstand. All of them will sit the exam in complete fairness. Of that, you have my word."
"And what if Marianne takes over completely and suspends your authority?" Dean asked. "She'll stop at nothing to get what she wants."
Methaeus closed his eyes.
"Stop fooling yourself, young man." Methaeus said evenly. "You know how things work in this school. Those with the backings of noble families will always perform better than those who don't. Anyone who tries to stand above them will be hammered down."
Dean knew this already. After all, he was one of those privileged few. He might not be getting top scores, but he would be much more successful than many of his classmates simply because he was the son of Morgan Kasanagh. For him, getting into this academy had been as simple as showing up for the entrance exam, unlike Sophia and a handful of other lucky commoners whose exam papers were corrected strictly.
Methaeus leaned forward.
"Perhaps rather than spending time trying to convince me, you should be supporting your colleagues. This is a difficult time for them, so they need friends to get them through it. That is something only you can do."
Addi put her hand on Dean's shoulder.
"I think so too. We need to help everyone, especially Matin. I'll help you out so you don't have to do this alone."
Methaeus looked at Addi with disapproval but said no more. Dean was thankful for their encouragement, but he felt sick that nothing more concrete could be done.
"I still think it would be better if we kicked her out of this place entirely." Dean muttered.
"That would solve all our problems," Methaeus agreed. Dean thought he saw a smile appear on the old man's face, but it could have been his imagination.
"Just don't go against Marianne too much. She's brought her soldiers this time."
"Soldiers?" Addi asked, her voice trembling slightly. "That's not allowed. It goes against the treaty!"
Methaeus grunted.
"I made that quite clear to her. Apparently, the emperor is also visiting soon. He also seems concerned about her movements. For now, however, she seems content with having them camp just outside the walls so the treaty remains intact."
Oscar was coming to Mount Moore? The revelation caused Dean's muscles to stiffen.
"Honestly, don't they know it's rude to distract students who are studying for this exam?" He said with a nervous laugh.
Addi's face, which was typically quite pale, grew even whiter upon hearing the news.
"Sorry, Dean, is it ok if I speak with Methaeus privately?" She said, voice strained.
Dean looked over at Addi and back to Methaeus. Both had dark looks in their eyes.
"You sure about that?" He asked. "I might be able to add something do this. My family can…"
Addi was shaking her head.
"Please, Dean, I'd rather you not see this."
That was a tone he rarely heard from her. Right now she was the Priestess, not his friend or trusted apprentice. He felt a stab of pain in his chest and felt more than a little left out.
"Oh, how they grow before your very eyes!" Dean said dramatically, getting to his feet and covering his eyes. "I will let you do what you have to, oh holy one."
Addi actually let out a small laugh, and Dean considered that a small victory given the circumstances though it did little to calm the bitterness he felt within.
"Thanks for your time, Methaeus. I know how precious it has to be at your age," he said with a casual wave.
"Watch that tongue of yours, boy, or it'll get you killed one of these days."
Dean allowed himself a small smile as he left the room.
*
The sun had just about finished setting when Dean stepped outside. He recalled Methaeus' words about supporting others and decided to pay a quick visit to the library. Last he heard, Matin was there with Sophia. He wouldn't be surprised if the two had been studying for hours at this point. No doubt they'd be needing some distraction to take their minds off things.
The library was still rather busy at this hour because of the exams, but Matin's preferred study area on the fourth floor was almost completely empty aside from him and Sophia. The pair were sitting next to each other, a huge pile of books in front of them and pages full of notes lying everywhere else. Matin looked slightly better than he had earlier. There was a fire in his eyes that hinted at motivation, though it did little to hide the exhausted look beneath.
"Hey, you two. Still studying? Bet you haven't taken a break all day," Dean said in friendly greeting.
There was no response. They hadn't even appeared to notice him. Sophia was whispering something to Matin. He nodded, taking a book that was lying open some distance away and pointing out a particular paragraph. So, they were going to ignore him, were they? Was Matin so caught up looking doe-eyed at the girl that he failed to notice the presence of his closest friend? No, that wouldn't do. That wouldn't do at all.
He took a seat some distance away and behind them and began listening in on their conversation. He wasn't eavesdropping — he had already introduced himself after all. Surely Maria, Rosetta and Addi would appreciate a little gossip. He might even be able call in favors if he caught anything especially interesting.
"See? There was another volcanic eruption that was recorded three hundred years earlier, and there was a famine in the northern areas of the empire soon after," Sophia was saying in an excited voice.
"Has there been any kind of activity like that recently then? This year's winter is coming much too early," Matin responded, equally excited.
Dean had to admit to feeling a little disappointed. They had this entire place to themselves, and they were talking about the climate? He could have sworn he'd lectured Matin about talking to women before. Had the man even been listening?
"What else has changed recently? Think about it," Sophia was saying.
"Let's see. There was a civil war, then the new priestess and the discovery of lyth stones?" Matin replied.
"That one — the last one!" Sophia said, nodding her head. "A civil war or a new priestess wouldn't cause the weather to change, Matin," she said with a smile.
"But how could the discovery of a new type of rock affect the climate?" Matin asked, confused.
Sophia shook her head.
"It's just a theory since I have nothing else to base the harsher winters on yet. But these stones provide us with various kinds of energy, right? For example, they light our lamps and heat our buildings. I have to wonder where this energy is coming from."
"It was only discovered a decade ago and has only come into common use over the last two or three years. There's still a lot about it we don't know," Matin responded.
Sophia nodded.
"Using things we don't understand and causing more harm than good simply because it's convenient is a common mistake throughout history."
Matin smiled at her.
"Do you think we should tell everyone to stop using lyth stones then?"
Sophia laughed.
"Maybe when you become the great and powerful Duke Evelyn you can look into it. I'll help you with the research, of course."
Dean had to stifle a yawn and rub his eyes. If he wasn't careful, he was likely to fall asleep. The two really did appear to get along with each other though. He had rarely heard Matin speak with such enthusiasm before. Allowing Matin and Sophia to work together rather than against each other was obviously the right thing to do. He just wished they would find something a little more interesting to talk about. They clearly showed no regard for those who might be listening in.
Their conversation went on for some time after that. As it did, Dean's hope of finding out anything interesting quickly faded away. He considered playing a prank. Who knows? Perhaps receiving a shock of some kind might stir their hearts and get the ball rolling?
They were alone, so donning a mask and taking Sophia hostage would certainly be a thrill. It would also give Matin the chance to act heroically and impress her. It was a flawless plan. However, just as Dean got up to make preparations, he heard quick and loud footsteps approaching from behind.
He turned only to see Marianne walk by him without giving him so much as a glance. Her eyes were fixed on Matin and Sophia.
"Matin dear, it looks like your studying is going rather well. Is it not?" Marianne asked, her voice slightly shrill.
Surprised by her sudden appearance, both Matin and Sophia got to their feet.
"M-Mother. What are you doing here?"
His eyes also met Dean's and widened even further, but it was clear that his mother warranted more attention, and so his gaze quickly snapped back to her.
"I came to see how you were doing, of course. Is it not normal for a mother to be concerned about her son's education? I see you've been studying with this one again."
"Your grace, I…" Sophia spluttered.
"Quiet."
The word was like snapping of a whip, cutting Sophia off entirely. Marianne looked at the pair with stern eyes.
"You recall what I told you about study partners, dear." Maria asked softly.
Matin's face grew pale, and he visibly swallowed.
"Yes, but-"
"Only those from certain families, like Dean here, and only in moderation. There is very little that the other students can offer you. You would make much more progress studying by yourself."
Her eyes flashed towards Sophia.
"If you study with some lowborn parasite like this, they will only end up siphoning the knowledge I spent a fortune on acquiring for you alone. You gain nothing by working with her."
Dean had heard enough. He got to his feet and approached them.
"Sorry, Ms. Evelyn, but that's an idiotic statement if I've ever heard one."
Marianne's eyes widened, and both Matin and Sophia winced. Dean realized too late that he may have made the situation worse, stoking Mariann's anger. Well, there was nothing for it but to soldier on. He would at least see to it that some of Marianne's ire was directed in his direction.
"She may be common born but Sophia got here through raw talent. She can help Matin get even better. She has…"
"Enough!" Marianne screeched.
A dreadful silence settled upon the group as Dean and Marianne locked gazes,
"Enough." She repeated more quietly. "Keep your mind on your own personal matters, Dean."
Marianne was now clearly angry, her face red and eyes wide. Her furious gaze returned to Sophia, who took an involuntary step back.
"You, child, will back off now. Not only when it comes to talking to my son but also in your cheating ways. If I hear so much as a word of you unfairly getting the better of my son again, I will ensure your entire family spends the rest of their days in the stockades!"
Marianne's voice had grown louder as she spoke, booming thunderously towards the end. Sophia, on the other hand, was speechless as tears trickled down her cheeks.
"That's right. Your family lives in that old slum of a town. Karm, was it? That hovel lies within my borders, if memory serves. Yes, I decided to look into your background. A fairly simple thing to do, all things considered."
Marianne leaned forward.
"Don't cross me, girl, or your family will have much more to worry about than paying taxes."
Sophia was openly crying and turned to Matin.
"Mat-"
"Silence! Don't you dare speak to my son, harlot!"
Matin took a step forward, shielding Sophia.
"Mother, leave her be, please."
Marianne looked at Matin with visible pain in her eyes. That pain quickly turned to anger. She was about to say something, but Dean took her momentary silence to get a word in himself.
"Stop this. Can't you see you're doing more harm than good?" He shouted.
Marianne turned her fiery gaze towards him.
"Remain silent, Dean. This doesn't concern you." She said quietly, though with a sharp edge that almost made Dean swallow his words. However, he persevered, grit his teeth and outright ignored her warning.
"Anyone with a brain in their heads can see that Matin's results have gotten better ever since he started working with Sophia. It doesn't matter that she gets a higher score. He's been happier, and they've learned so much from each other. You just can't see it because it goes against your preconceived notions of class!"
Dean had spoken all at once and needed to catch his breath. As silence once again descended, Matin looked at him with a complicated expression.
"Dean, I don't…"
Dean shook his head, interrupting his friend.
"Don't worry, let me handle this," he said.
"Quiet!" Marianne shouted.
"You don't get to decide when I've said my piece!" Dean countered.
This was it. He could sort this all out right here and now. Logically speaking, his arguments were sound. He just had to get Marianne to see sense.
"Who cares if Matin doesn't get the top score? They're going to work together from now on, and by working together, they'll get so much more done than they ever will alone. So, Marianne, please let them just carry on. You're his mother, so surely you can see that this is what's best for him. Isn't that what matters most?" Dean finished with a smile on his face.
Matin's eyes had become wider, and he had tried to interrupt Dean and various times throughout his speech. He shouldn't have worried so much. He knew he had Marianne on the back foot. She may be a cruel bitch sometimes, but he knew better than anyone that she wasn't stupid. He turned from Matin to look at her and was met with a cold, hard gaze.
"Don't you dare assume you know what's best for my boy."
Her voice was quiet, and yet it seized onto Dean's heart, choking it until it skipped a beat. The temperature of the room felt like it had fallen several degrees.
"But you're clearly…"
"I'm doing what is best for him. Don't you assume you know better than his own mother," Marianne said, interrupting him.
She turned back to her son and Sophia.
"So, you plan to continue distracting my son, you conniving whore? Even after all this exam business is said and done?" She asked quietly.
Sophia shook her head, unable to speak.
"Mother, I won't…"
"Quiet, dear. Mother has already come to her decision."
Marianne closed her eyes and exhaled. When she opened her them again, she was all calm and composed.
"For distracting a noble student during such an important period, both Sophia and Dean Kasanagh are hereby banned from the library and lecture halls. You may borrow books and study in your rooms, but otherwise you will remain outside these halls until the end of the exams."
"Marianne, that's…" Dean said, stepping forward.
"Not only did you speak disrespectfully to me, but you've also been a bad influence on my Matin. You need time to rethink your attitude. Such actions are shameful for one of your blood"
"You can't do this to me, I…" Dean replied, words shaken.
"I can and I will. I will notify the guardsmen. You will not be permitted entry, and neither will the whore who threatened to ruin my son's life."
Dean's voice caught in his throat and, for the first time in a while, silence fell upon them. Not complete silence, however. Sophia was crying quietly to herself. Now and then she would look to Matin but he kept his eyes cast downward, avoiding eye contact with everyone.
"I'll be sending the guards soon, so make sure you vacate the premises. Come dear," Marianne said, walking away.
Matin obediently followed behind her. His expression was darker than Dean had ever seen, and he didn't so much as glance at him or Sophia as he walked by them.
Soon only he and Sophia remained. He walked over to her slowly. Her face was pale and eyes red. She looked completely drained.
"Hey it's ok. I'll talk to them later," he said.
Sophia didn't reply. She looked at him once with a forlorn expression before turning her back and walking quickly away, barely holding back her sobs as she went.
Dean was left standing in the library alone, wondering where things had gone so wrong.
"No, not yet. There's still something I can do. I'm sure of it," he muttered stubbornly.
With those words of false bravado, he too left the library. His movements carrying significantly less confidence than they had when he entered.