Chapter 1
"Ergh!" said Aila to herself as she got out of bed. Placing her feet on the floor and standing up, she put her hand on her desk to steady herself. She moved over to her dresser and contemplated what to wear. "Like it really matters" thought Aila as she selected one of the many black shirts. While pulling her long, auburn hair to the side and braiding it, she walked along the empty stone hallway towards the marshal's office. Pulling on the cold brass handle, she opened the heavy wooden doors and approached the desk with the name plate "Marshal Stoll".
"Sit" said marshal Stoll sternly. Rolling her eyes as she sat down, he continued to stare at her intensely. "You already know what I'm going to say to you". Aila momentarily thought back to the conversation they had had earlier in the week. "Um...you are going to dismiss me from all classes and pay me an exuberant amount of money" she replied with sarcasm.
"Is that what you want?" he asked, raising his eyebrows at her words. Aila, taken by surprise, looked at him cautiously while he continued "Do you want us to pay you out? Do you want to end your time here? That's no problem, no one is forced to stay here".
With a pang of guilt Aila replied "no, I just was....um...jus"
"I don't have time for these games Aila. There are a number of other students here to look after, not to mention the squads I also supervise" he replied stated while maintaining eye contact.
"I'll say it again, you already know what I'm going to say to you". Aila nodded her head. "Well...what am I going to say?"
Sighing Aila replied "I...I've missed too many classes".
"Why? What is going on?"
"Nothing...I've just been tired, overwhelmed"
"you haven't been to the infirmary and you haven't been staying in your dorms, where have you been going"
"You should know, you apparently like to keep tabs on me" Aila sneered while crossing her arms defensively.
Marshal Stoll paused and let out sigh. Leaning forward he said "Look, I can't keep pulling strings here; the council needs to see dedication, not a lot, but enough to show that you have interest in being here. If you keep missing classes, you will be removed."
Aila looked away at the wall becoming distracted by the various medals and certificates framed. The world around her went silent as her eyesight went out of focus.
"...a lot of potent...Aila, Aila are you listening?" Aila was beginning to get that glossed over look in her eyes. She would sometimes stare, seemingly lost in thought, until someone or something distracted her enough. Marshal Stoll had noticed this before when things seemed to be overwhelming for her.
"Aila" he said gently and carefully touched her arm. Moving quickly, Aila shot a glance at him as she withdrew her arm from his touch. She looked down as she stated "I know, its just been...hard lately with all of the makeup work, I'll try to get as much of it done."
"I can understand that, but I'm more concerned about where you've been going..." he replied while trying to look at her eyes. Aila looked up to meet his eyes and assured him she was just resting either in the dorms or in the library.
"Fine, but I want you to check in with me every day at 1:30, you understand?"
"Why, you don't believe me?"
"I'm smarter than that" he said with a smirk.
Aila rolled her eyes and got up. As she made her way to the door, marshal Stoll stated "None of what I said sounded like 'you can leave'" Aila turned around. "May I leave marshal?" while staring coldly. "Yes" he replied. Aila quickly grabbed the handle and walked out the door. Marshal Stoll was not too sure about letting her go; from her eyes alone he could tell she has been using.
