Social Disease

She felt exposed. Cosette had been tired of hiding her identity for a while, and decided to take baby steps. First step- appear in Port Durmstrang a bit, making her presence known. Second step- change her eye color. Currently, she was only on the second step, but she felt different.

Frodo had told her a lot that her eyes looked like chocolate. Her deep brown eyes had no other color mixed in the pools of brown, something that you couldn't find a lot these days. Her eyes was annoying to her -having only one eye color was a bit boring- but Frodo liked them. That was good enough for her.

A bell ringing as she opened the door to the bookshop. The 'pureblood' was struck with the memory of fighting with Lena here, and talking to Ashleen after Cosette got in a fight with a man for stealing something of his. She still thought that was unfair- the man had caught her before she had walked out of the store.

"Help me figure out something in here," Cosette demanded, as she sat down the book in front of the store keeper. The same book she purchased the time that Lena and her fought. The ex-Hrabrost flipped to a page, full of random scribbles about a lost diamond that held a secret. The scribbling was so messy, that she could barely read the Latin words.

Sweet sixteen, this was supposed to be. She was sixteen, mature, and this was the last time she'd see Enya in her dreams. After this... she was on her own. She'd traversed most aspects of the Dreamtrails and had become friendly with some of them, yet she felt as if this responsibility was something she was all but prepared for. Once Enya had grown tired, it would be Lena ruling the paths between the human subconscious and dreams.

She couldn't face the whole world on her own, not yet. Feelings would constantly cloud her judgment, especially when Leon was concerned. Enya had appointed the man as Chief Guard of the Land, which meant that it was a one-way ticket to spending hours at a time with this man. As much as she'd tried to resist, there was no permanent way she could avoid her responsibilities.

Lady Ashling was what she had become, from mere Lena Vorstenbach. No more princess; it was too cheesy a title for a second in command of the Dreamtrails. Damn, both her real life and her dreams were shit now. If only... if only there was a place where she could be neither.

The bookstore was close enough, she'd decided. At least it was a place where her mind can wander off recklessly without suffering any major consequences. Ashling opened the door inwards, and glanced at another girl, who had familiar eyes, the dark side of the moon. Grayson?

Ashling merely called her over, and at the same time denying such outlandish thoughts in her head.

Cosette wasn't concerned about the twinkling of bells that sounded when the shop keeper explained the page to her. She had already put up charms that the outsider thought they were talking about an complete different book. Cosette had became determined over the past months that this book held an secret. Shew knew that Arkadi knew what it was, but the old woman was testing her. And this was a test she was going to pass, with surprising marks.

Following the mans hands that pointed out several words with an trained eye, the brunette didn't register the calling of her true last name, the one she had illegally changed her last name too (long story). It wasn't until the man gave a sly look to the caller, when Cosette registered it. Grayson. Surely this girl thought her to be her twin sister, Iris. But she had to be blind. Maybe this girl lost her glasses and mistaken the brown hair for Iris.

"Excuse me," Cosette muttered to the curious man, while turning around. Her mouth open to a small circle, as Cos was frozen. Lena.. it was the girl she had once called the she-devil. It was the girl, who was part of the Seven Devils with her. Shit shit shit. Cosette had to come up with something quick.

"My name, is not Grayson," Cosette corrected angrily, putting on her pureblood show. "How can you mistaken the Holender crest for an family that isn't an pureblood one?" The Parselmouth waved a hand to the crest on her right side.

Ashling's eyes flickered at the crest the other brunette had pointed to. Indeed, it was the Holender crest. The Uchitel scrutinized it, stepping closer as she did so. Her lips parted gently, and she stepped back, glancing up at the chocolate-haired girl. "You're a Holender, yes," relented the lighter brunette, "though I thought your family resided in France? I doubt there is any business important enough to bring one to Port Durmstrang."

The prefect studied the book that the other girl was holding. "Latin?" she queried, "considering that you don't seem to be a student from Durmstrang, are you some sort of scholar?" An idle question it may be, but Ashling didn't know much about pureblood families outside of the Union. This was a great, greater, greatest chance she had of exploring other families. Enya would be greatly fascinated.

The young fellow she'd rejected the night she met the werewolf exited an aisle of bookshelves, and called her by her former name. Ashling turned to face him, and the fear that had once misted over her face when she saw him was long gone, replaced with ice-cold blue spheres, sensing the lust his calling contained. Her lips were pulled into an effortless smile.

"I missed you," she cooed, though the poison in her tone was reckless, unhidden. She grabbed his hand, pressed his lips roughly on his and pushed him towards the bookshelves. "Truth be told, I'm lying," she spat, her eyes fixated on his bloodied head. The owner of the store said nothing, and the brunette looked back at the Holender. "Sorry about that," she replied airily.

Lena was smart. Arkadi had taught her how to tread carefully around Lena, knowing the quickness of the fellow pureblood. "I have received that this book was last bought here, from the person I got it from. The girl had purchased the book here, and I needed some help deciphering some clues in here." A sensible lie, Cosette supposed. And if Lena got curious- the Greek woman could say that the clients privacy was paid for and respected.

"I grew up studying Latin, enjoying the dead language. I rarely get into a book, but this book holds certain... knowledge the Holender family has. As you know, the Holender family is famous for their collection of rare books and skill to uncover the secrets of the books." Cosette smirked, and closed the book. She slid it in her robe pocket, the questions of the book could wait for later. Cosette wanted to talk to the friend she missed so much.

Cosette couldn't help but shake her head at Lena. Lena was a violent person, though hid it well at times. "Interesting scene I just witnessed. Mind answering some pestering questions?" Cosette noticed how much Lena has changed, but she didn't think twice about it. Lena was like her- a constant change. Never the same again.

"I see," Ashling stated simply. There was nothing else to question, nor was there anything else to say, yet the air that the Dreamtrailer felt around her felt as if there was. It was a lie if she didn't admit she was waiting for this girl to make a mistake that would reveal her identity. Unlike her former self, Ashling had mastered the art of keeping her mouth shut, a skill she deemed necessary for being a Lady.

Somehow, her position made her feel offended. "There's no need to explain your fascination for dead languages," she replied, anger lining her tone, "my father has spoken of your family on several separate occassions." She wanted to add Leon too, for he'd admired the family's literature collection, though the word 'bondmate' to refer to him just won't cut it. "So," she began to speak, "what sort of books are you most fascinated by?"

Apprehensive, Ashling raised both her eyebrows. Dangerous as this was, she was lonely, and loneliness is a terrible state. "Pestering?" she asked. She glanced around the store, checking the clock, before giving an almost imperceptible shrug of her shoulders, "go on then. I have all day."