After mass the Parebants were led away from the chapel and the rowdy Maiors, back to the Parebant courtyard, where the events of the day were going to take place.

     "Hey." A voice called from behind George as they waited in the courtyard for the warden and their professors to give them further instructions. George turned to see a boy, wearing a clone of his outfit, with slick black hair, and deep brown eyes. 

     "Hello." George greeted in Latin.

     "I'm Francois. What's your name?" The boy asked in French, signalling he wished to speak in an informal manner. 

     "George." 

     "You're English." Francois stated, "Catholic?"

     "Yes."

     "Good. That's good. I don't trust protestants." Francois joked, and George laughed lightheartedly.

     "England is in one big political mess." 

     "You think France is any better? There's no way they can get an heir on the throne once Charles X dies, we'll fall right back into the revolution." Francois frowned. George knew he was relatively wealthy from his admittance to St. Louis', and assumed that fueled his revolutionary distaste. 

     "In Russia they exiled all Frenchmen who refused to swear an oath to King Louis XVI, but Empress Catherine II was friend's with Queen Marie Antoinette."

     "That was way back in the 1790s. Emperor Nicholas is on the throne there now, and I'm not sure he cares much about France." Francois smiled good naturedly.

     "Good." George affirmed. 

     "Who was that boy you were with earlier?" Francois asked.

     "What do you mean?"

    "The Maior. The one that picked up your glove after communion." Francois explained.

    "Oh I don't know him." George stated.

    "Really? I thought it might have been a ploy."

    "A ploy?" George questioned.

    "Yeah, like a scheme, for flirtation. I though you were trying to catch his attention." Francois mused fixing his spectacles so they sat better on his nose.

     "No. No scheme."

     "Too bad. I'd respect you more if it was on purpose." Francois smirked, and flicked a black hair off his forehead.

    "Parebants!" The voice of the warden cut through the crowd of boys, "Some of you may know me, but for those who don't, my name is Madame Jean-Claire, and I will be your keeper, as long as you are living under Regina Coelum's roof. " She instructed in a formal Latin. "Ground rules for everyone: First, Absolutely no fraternizing with the Maiors unless given other instructions, Parebants are not permitted to be in the company of strange Maiors without proper supervision. Second, curfew is a nine pm sharp, trespassing in the corridors after that hour will result in detention.  There are three meals a day. Breakfast will be served in the dining hall at six and remain open until eight. Classes begin at eight thirty. I'll be calling you up in alphabetical order, and you can come and get your schedule." She began calling people up beginning with the "A's" and since Belmont was a "B" George got called up relatively early.

     "How come you were so interested in the Maior I talked to?" George asked, once he had his schedule. 

     "No reason." Francois pursed his lips, thinking for a moment. "We should sneak over to the Maior dorms."

     "No we should definitely not do that. You heard her, we'll get detention."

     "We'll be fine. We just can't get caught." Francois grinned boldly, "It'll be fun. You'll see."