Alexandra took Penelope to the Council.

'Sir.' She nodded to Master George, secretly very glad to be seeing his familiar face. 'I've got proof of the Barrister's guilt,'

'Very good!' He boomed, then his eyes fell on Penelope. 'A girl? Another girl?!'

'No sir, she's not joining in! She's just ten. The barrister, however, had kidnapped her.'

'What?'

'Yes, Sir.' And she told him the whole story. Master George's eyebrows travelled up and up his forehead as he heard more and more. He shook his head when he heard the part about the well-wisher. Alexandra showed the signed paper, it was good she got it. Then he looked mortified. It was not the expression she had expected out of him - but perhaps, now that he'd shown it - mortification was the realest thing he could have shown. After all, they were all his students. 

'Take her to the mess, she looks starved.' He told Alexandra, 'and tell them not to disturb me. I want some time to think.'

Alexandra nodded, she led Penelope to the mess. The ten year old ate like she hadn't done in ten years. Alexandra was quite amused, as far she knew, she herself was the only one who ate with such glee.

'What is this place?' Penelope asked, through mouthfuls.

'A school,' Alexandra smiled.

'And the bald man?'

'My teacher,' she informed. 'Sometime after you go home, a few men will come ... they're the Law Enforcing Officers. They'll ask you a few things. Don't be scared, don't worry about anything. Just answer them truthfully, alright?'

Penelope nodded, she ate some more. She hoped Penelope didn't keep many memories of those times in the basement. They'd be permanent scars - but as of now, the girl seemed quite relaxed. Alexandra helped herself to some edibles too, the inn's food had been nothing like this. Everything there had been bland and tasteless. Like they hadn't put in enough salt. The council's food, however, felt like something that belonged to her. It sent down homely warmth to Alexandra.

Later, as she returned from dropping the girl home - to a sobbing mother, Alexandra smiled broadly to herself. 

The street football wouldn't be lopsided anymore.

* * *

Nobody certainly failed the test. After they had all returned, the first evening, when Master George was supposed to announce them "passed" - that evening, was not nice at all.

'Yes, you all passed,' he told them, coming straight to point. 'But that doesn't mean you are passing out, any of you six.' He added, pointing to the boys. They had seemed mildly astonished that Alexandra was still there, alive. But none had shown it clearly. As though it mattered. As though Alexandra didn't know.

'Why, sir?' Asked Venly, innocently.

'Why?' Master George demanded, looking at the end of his patience. 'I'll get straight to the point then! Which of you sold Mabel off to the Court Barrister?'

Alexandra watched all the six go paler than skimmed milk. The temperature seemed to have dropped. Alexandra smirked as the rest exchanged one or two nervous looks, then, 'wh-at sir?' Asked Hans.

'What? After doing everything you say what. Fine, I will tell you - a tall, tanned, Hazel eyed boy. Get up, the only such person here!'

A bit of shuffling, but no one got up. Alexandra felt her heart beat rapidly... anytime now. The teacher shook his head. 'I expected no better, cowards. Cian Paul. Stand up.'

He didn't. Apparently, he was trying his best to hide. But the rest of them nudged him. Finally, after a minute of angry hisses and protests, the tall, tanned and Hazel eyed Paul stood up. 'You have anything to say?' Master George asked, approaching him.

'Sir, a lot.' Paul replied, now that he was in trouble, he seemed to have brought forth all of his courage. Alexandra had to give him the credit, had she been caught at such a lowly crime, she'd been dying of shame. But Paul had as much courage to speak up. 'First thing being,' he said, 'I was not alone. All of it started when Watson called Mabel, Fannel's ladylove-'

'When in reality, I'm his sister.' She interrupted, through gritted teeth. Did they think what she had done was wrong? She hadn't done anything. If Fannel hadn't been there, she would have positively left Watson bedridden for a whole year.

'Whatever,' Paul dismissed. 'But when he did, Mabel was so angry she could have murdered him. We saw it, she called him a lot of bad things and-'

'I think I called him a stinking pig and a slime-ball, at most. Both of which he is,' She interrupted again. She knew worse words, choice rants she had tortured noble ladies' delicate ears with. But she wouldn't have spoken them with Fannel around.

All in all, Mark Fannel had saved her that day.

'Will you please stop interrupting me?!' Paul barked, impatiently.

'Will you please stop saying half the stories?!' Alexandra retorted, standing up. Master George raised his palm, gesturing her to stop.

'Continue, young man,' He said to Paul.

'Sir- that was when we all decided it was enough. Why do we have to put up with this girl? There has been no girl in the Council before! Why are we always compared to her, why do all of you always favor her? She doesn't have half our abilities.' One word after the other, as he continued, Alexandra felt her temper mount. She hadn't felt as disgusted before. What was her fault? Being born under the label of one gender? And then, Alexandra remembered not one single incident when she would have bothered them. She kept to herself, she didn't ask for help, or try to talk, or attempt to befriend. But apparently, the more she tried being good to them, the worse they behaved. And there was a limit to everything.

'You didn't think so when I was teaching you unarmed combat! Not when I was giving you tips. Then you were happy to learn from me!' She lashed. 'Didn't you think of your superior abilities then?'

'Enough, Mabel.' Master George said firmly. 'Sit - down.' And Alexandra did, she was angry, but she wouldn't risk evoking the Master's bad side for herself. It was just better to watch on - because something big was coming. Or many such things, maybe.

'If that is all you have got to say, Paul,' the teacher continued, 'then sadly, it isn't enough. I agree - Mabel, is a girl. And that there has been no history of female spies, not in Idgard, not beyond. But I have not brought her here. She is a patronized Agent. Her name has been vouched for. And her patron, is - the King of Vedessa. I didn't think it would be necessary to explicitly mention this, but I'm left with no choice. So, in case she qualifies, there are certain bindings on her: that she shall serve her patron before the council. On the other hand, in case any harm comes to her, that too - goes to the patron. Which means it is very fortunate for all of you that she is unscathed. Because if she wasn't,' he broke off, looking at them expressionlessly, 'you all, as well as I, would have a displeased emperor to face. And let me stress upon this for once and for all, our current monarch, is not somebody on whose wrong side you would want to be.'

That was a new fact for Alexandra too. So much so that it made her momentarily forget about the crime. Patronized Agent. It sounded nice. Maybe, it was nice. But Liam had said he didn't intend to help her, or do any favors. Did he know that he was helping - even without being present? 

As far as the "bindings" was concerned, Alexandra was not bonded to anybody. And certainly not as a servant. And not to Liam - whom she would anytime ask to shut up. She was pretty sure he hadn't wanted it to be that way either. If he did, he would have made it clear from their very first meeting.

'Secondly,' the Master continued, 'you six broke the first, unsaid, unwritten rule of our council. You disobeyed my very first order. I had asked you to help each other. I had told you there would be only limited, healthy competition. I told you to form a chain - so, Mabel obeyed. If you practice combat in the Dormitory Hall, I do get to know. I get to know of your parties there too, as a matter of fact. And you all disobeyed that rule. You sold off your comrade and your council just to get a worthy member out. Patronization comes second. Mabel has, in every way, proved adept. And in selling her out, you proved yourselves unworthy. People who are not happy with their comrade's progress, who cannot support each other, who do not have a grain of loyalty in them - have no place in the Espionage Council. Hence, I, Head of the Espionage Council, expel all of y-'

'NO!' Alexandra yelled instinctively, getting up. And deadly silence followed.

She did it against reason. Her own mind barking at her to sit down and keep quiet. But Alexandra did it - and she listened to her heart. The action could have been stupid, but she knew it wasn't wrong. As everyone turned to look at her, she looked around herself too, realizing the enormity of what she'd done. They were all looking equally surprised, equally astonished. A few other members were looking over to them, peering over the fence and their own classes. Alexandra had done it thoughtlessly. She had been listening contently all the while. Maybe they would get a year of detention. Maybe a whole lifetime of detention. Maybe the same "service" detention. Yes, she hated the boys, they hated her. After today, she hated them all the more. Even so, they were not unworthy spies. Alexandra knew somewhere that expulsion was not what was needed. That the wouldn't solve anything. It would make no difference. She wanted acceptance - not unrivalled supremacy in the Council. 

And it would be downright depressing to be the only one in her year. 'Sir, don't do that.' She confirmed, shaking her head.

'What do you mean, Mabel?' He asked, not very kindly. But Alexandra knew there was nothing to be afraid of, now. She had to speak up now - or the chance wouldn't come ever again.

'Sir, I agree they are - deplorable - but they are not bad students - or spies! Sir I've seen them all - they are bullies, but they have caliber. They can be better than me. They might not support me, but they will at least support each other. So six are better than one - I'd rather leave. Expel me, Master George!' She demanded. Alexandra very well knew he wouldn't expel her: but that was what made it worth a say. She was not asking him to expel her. She was good as threatening her teacher. It felt as though she was saying, "you want to expel them? You have to expel me first!" And rude as it sounded, it really was necessary. 

Just let them go. Let them leave. You'll be rid of them, forever - it will be good, her Mind urged. The words were diplomatically manipulative. But when it came to relations, one had to listen to their Heart, shutting the Mind up.

'Have you lost your mind?!' Master George asked her, stupefied. Perhaps this was the first time somebody had interrupted him. Went against his say - and that it had to be a slight girl of eighteen - must have shocked him twice as much. Her year-mates swiveled their heads from side to side, in a she is really mad expression. She was not doing this for them - she wouldn't spit for them. She was doing it because her Heart asked her to. 'What rubbish - what nonsense - are you talking?' He continued, taking a step towards her.

Alexandra took a step towards the teacher too. She noticed a change in her height, a sudden increase, but it was the least of her worries. 'Shouldn't we keep the Council above ourselves?' She asked, balling her fists. Whisperings rolled around her, thick in the campus. The whole Council seemed to be watching. Seniors and par-aged and juniors. 'Am I more valuable for the Council than six other spies?' Alexandra continued, nevertheless. 'No way! I agree, maybe, they will never accept me. So in that case, sir - if we cannot co-exist - then the loss of one spy is better. Go on, expel me! I've lived as an outcast, here too, I'm an outcast. Nothing changes for me. Or,' she said, tentatively, the next line could make their teacher erupt. 'Or, let them stay too. I have worked very hard to be able to stand where I am today. They would have worked harder than me - you said I am the "recommended" one. That I'm here because a person you couldn't say "no" to, asked for it. And they have made their way till here. I think - I think they can't be expelled - but, I'll accept what you say.'

After having spoken so much - after having almost barked into the Master's face - a new realization fluttered into Alexandra. She just knew she wouldn't like the Council so much without her year-mates. They were downright nasty, but they had become a part of her life. Alexandra had grown to resentfully value them. The council would never be the same without those six.

'Be sensible, girl! They have broken the code of spies. They have disobeyed orders. They have-' Master George began.

'Dedicated two years of their lives to the council,' Alexandra finished. 'Sir they have. Nothing will change it. Please, give them another chance. I don't - I don't like them, but I don't like it without them either.'

He looked at her for a second.

Maybe, he would just expel all seven of them. 

Maybe, her words had had no effect whatsoever. Maybe he would proceed with his decision.

She hadn't seen him look so deep in thought, ever before. A frown was plastered on his face, the forehead wrinkled with countless creases between the eyebrows. 

'This is the first time any student has asked me for something,' he said finally, shaking his head. 'Foolish it maybe, but I cannot deny. You are the victim, Mabel. In future, you will have to work with them. I will honor your word because you have impressed me quite a lot. Because you have proved quite a lot. Fine.' He relented. 'Go back to your dormitories, all of you. Even the ones who are watching there, hanging on the fence - please stop acting like monkeys. Class dismissed!'

***

'Mabel!' Watson called, following her. Alexandra was stoutly ignoring the boy. She had just listened to her heart. She didn't know that act could make a hardened bully bent upon reconciliation. It was almost scary: a friendly Watson. So, she kept walking ahead, as though deaf.

'MABEL! If you are an Idgardian, stop right there!'

Alexandra had no choice: in her heart she was an Idgardian. 

But it was close. She could have broken that.

At the same time, she could not have broken that. From almost bolting away to skidding to a halt, Alexandra took five seconds. Then she stood by the Council Meeting Room, looking anywhere but towards him. Watson caught up. 'I know it's not going to make any difference,' he said, for the first time speaking to Alexandra like she was remotely human. 'But, I'm really sorry.'

That small, five-letter word, didn't excuse everything. It didn't explain his vehemence and his unacceptance. And it didn't give Alexandra any respite.

'For what?' She demanded, 'sorry, for what?'

'For everything - I - you know - it was my idea. And for that day - with your brother. And for that party. And...'

'For tripping me with that bottle. For that locked door. For that detention which followed. For shaking that rope. For those lies. For each one of those jibes. You think your single word is enough for all of them?' She asked, eyeing him furiously. 'It isn't. It cannot be!'  

'What else should I do?' He asked, 'I know it isn't enough. I - I know I went too far, I was just - desperate. And now, I could say a lot - maybe I should say a lot. But I'm tongue-tied. I didn't expect this - at all.'

'I didn't expect you to fall so low either.' Alexandra shook her head, her eyes burning. 'Maybe, this sudden change in you - this sudden apology - is just because you discovered I've got a king as my friend. Oh yes, friend.' She repeated, overcome by a sudden spirit. She strutted forward and grabbed his collar. 'I could have you deported with a single letter to Liam.' Alexandra told him, for the second time catching the hint of fear in Watson's eyes. 'But,' she continued, smiling, leaving his neckband and straightening it up amiably, 'if it's not like that - if you honestly are up for a friendship. Let's see then, because you will have to earn it.' She said, pronouncing "earn" through gritted teeth. 'And for now, your earnings are at nil.' She informed, turning away and striding off in the other direction.

She had a fleeting image of Liam, shaking his head and saying, "no, Alexandra. You cannot go about threatening people with my name like that,"

Watson didn't have the slightest idea that as she walked away from him, Alexandra was smiling to herself.

And blushing, just a tiny bit.