by Aya Ling
Elaine tried to present her most winning smile. "My literature essay?"
Tristan threw her work on the ground. "Are you mocking me, Miss Leventhorpe?"
Chairs creaked and scraped the wooden floor when the entire class tried to stand up and see what Elaine had done. On the paper, Elaine had drawn three pictures. They were rather crudely drawn–the princess had seldom paid attention in her painting lessons–but of course, the point wasn't the quality of the pictures themselves.
"Er..." Elaine rocked on her heels. "Because you said a picture is worth a thousand words?"
"This is unacceptable!" Tristan shouted. "You will write a new essay, in words only, to be handed in tomorrow."
Elaine gulped. "Yes, sir."
"And for your punishment." Tristan held up a manuscript titled A Brief History of Rivieran Literature. "Here is a model essay by Sir Wallace Livingston. Write out the essay, to be given to me on the day of the finals."
Elaine's heart sank. It was a long, descriptive essay that ran up to fifty pages and while Livingston's style was much admired and hailed by critics as a classic, she found it too erudite. Too many big, important-sounding words.
"And," Tristan continued, ignoring her look of horror, "since it's unlikely that you can retain anything from copying Livingston's essay once, I want twenty copies of it."
A collective gasp ran through the students. Elaine stared. She couldn't believe that he really meant that.
She could easily spend a whole week doing just the copying. How could she find more time studying for the finals?
"Twenty copies, sir?"
"Not a word less," Tristan said sternly. "Perhaps this will cure your disdain for good literature, Miss Leventhorpe. Perhaps by imitating the lines, the cadence, the style, you will finally learn how to appreciate fine literature. Come here. Now."
Elaine walked slowly down the aisle, her mind still numb from shock. When she took the book, it felt like it weighed a ton. How was she supposed to complete the copying AND pass the finals? Without time for studying, she would fail for sure. After all her hard work--was she going to be kicked out of school after all?
"Sir," she managed to say. "Can I submit the work after the exam?"
"Certainly not," Tristan said, glaring. "If it's the exam you're worried about, you should be fully prepared by now. A little extra work will not make much difference."
Elaine wanted to jump up and scream. A little extra work?
"And don't you dare ask someone to help you," Tristan continued. "I can recognize your handwriting. This exercise will be null if it isn't your own work."
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
She was doomed.
If she did the twenty copies as Tristan asked, she would have no time to prepare for finals. She'd fail and leave the University.
If she ignored Tristan's punishment and spent her time on the finals, he might not give her a passing grade in literature. She'd still fail and must leave the University.
Elaine sprawled on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. For once, she was so consumed with worry that she managed to lay awake on bed for an entire half hour.
"What're you going to do?" Effie asked anxiously.
"Maybe have someone forge my handwriting? There's no way that I can finish the copying on time."
Effie flipped through the pages of the essay. "The print is small as well. It's really unfair! Tell him you can't do this assignment. Especially not when your finals are coming soon."
But Elaine wasn't listening. She got the 'look', which meant that a (mischievous) idea was brewing. She sprang up from bed, began pulling down books on physics, flipping through the pages as though a golden nugget was secreted in one of them.
"Print, did you just say? I have an idea." Elaine turned around, her eyes dancing with excitement. Oh, what she was thinking of would probably send Tristan into spasms of anger, but what a great idea!
Gripping her pencil, Elaine proceeded to make a series of drawings.
"Little princess?" Effie said hesitantly. "You're not trying to substitute another set of pictures for your essay, are you?"
"Of course not," Elaine said, sketching away. "My drawing is horrible. He will not see this."
"Then what are you doing?"
Elaine threw down her charcoal pencil and rolled up her drawings in a scroll. She looked around for a ribbon, but finding none, she simply unfastened the plain black velvet one she used to tie up her hair with. Her hair spilled around her face. A lock of bright hair dangled before her eye; she swept it away carelessly.
"Effie, you stay here. I need to see Jims." Elaine hurried to the window and pushed up the shutters. She tied the blanket rope to the hook and gave it a tug, making sure it was firmly attached.
"Little princess?"
"Don't you worry, I will be back soon."
"Jims, can you make a real device of this? I need it as soon as possible."
The carpenter squinted at the design Elaine had drawn. "What is this thing?"
"It's a printing machine. We have printing blocks already, but everything is conducted by hand. So I just wondered, what if we turn it into a machine instead? It will save us plenty of time."
"Lord save us all." Jims shook his head. "Have you gone out of your mind, little princess?"
Elaine was suddenly worried that he wasn't going to help her, but when she looked at his face, she found him grinning.
"So what's next from ya? An electrical lamp? A windup duck?"
"That sounds fun," Elaine said. "But right now, I need you to make this. Please? I don't have much pocket money, but I have some savings somewhere...."
Jims held up a callused hand. "Don't ya worry, little princess. I'm more concerned that the machine won't work as you hoped. It sure ain't as simple as the wheelchair thing you designed last time."
"I'll be down here every day and see you work," Elaine promised. "If anything happens, I will see if there's a way to fix it. I have to try!" She told him of Tristan's punishment, and the carpenter was indignant.
"Why, the nerve of him! Givin' yer a load to do when you have exams to do! He's trying to expel ya from the University?"
"I don't know," Elaine said. "My literature work isn't good enough for him. I think he really believes that women should not study at the University."
"Stuff and nonsense, I'd say," Jims said. "All right, little princess. Let's have this device made and let 'em decide if a girl who can make machines shouldn't be in the University."
The printing press was completed in three days. Elaine went by the carpenter's shop every evening she got off school, and one day she saw it sitting there, polished and gleaming, with a sliding flat bed, upper platen and pitched screw.
"Here's yer toy," Jims said proudly. "It ain't perfect though, yer need to change the ink every time you switch to a new block, but it sure beats handwriting."
"Oh Jims!" Elaine couldn't believe her eyes. The press she had envisioned was really done!
"I've tested it twice, but you might wanna do it yourself."
Her hand almost trembling, Elaine laid a piece of paper in the area where printing occurred. She turned the handle and the first page of the story appeared, beautifully printed in black ink. It was incredible.
"Princess?"
Elaine whirled around. Andre was standing at the threshold of the workshop. A load of wooden logs jutted from his shoulder.
"Ah, there you are, boy." Jims waved to a corner. "Set 'em down there. Say, you wanna take a look at this machine the princess designed?"
Andre came over slowly. With a bright smile, Elaine fitted a new piece of paper and turned the handle.
"A printing machine?"
"Right yer are, my lad," Jims said. "The reason why yer been asked to fetch more wood–it's all for this thing. Ain't it a thing of beauty?"
A pang of guilt tugged at Elaine. Andre's schedule must be grueling, since he had to balance Academy training and part-time work, and she had just unknowingly gave him additional wor
k.
Andre, catching her expression, smiled. "Do not feel contrite, princess. I am always glad to serve you. Did you really design this by yourself?"
Elaine blushed. "It was an idea. But I couldn't have made this without Jims."
"May I try?"
"Of course." Elaine demonstrated one more time for him. Andre held up the paper and marveled.
"Amazing," he murmured. "You are truly talented, princess."
"'Course she is," Jims said heartily. "Did ya see the wheelchair she came up with?"
"I sure did." Andre smiled. "I should be going back to the Academy, princess. Do you need any help carrying the machine to the palace?"
"That would be great," Elaine said gratefully.
By the time Elaine had finished printing the rest of the book, a sudden guilt seized her. Even though she was doing what Samuel told her, wasn't it cheating? The afterglow of a creation finished had faded. She felt that she was committing another dishonesty.
But looking at her other subjects, it couldn't be helped. The agreement was to pass the mid-term exam, not fail an assignment. If Tristan was livid, she would have to bear it–rather than failing her exams.
Tristan WAS livid. In fact, when she presented the printed copies to him, he fairly foamed with rage.
"How dare you, Miss Leventhorpe! I told you specifically that you had to copy these lines yourself!"
"I did copy them on my own," Elaine said, rocking on her heels. "But you didn't specify that you wanted them copied by hand, sir."
"Are you mocking me?"
"I'm sorry." Elaine bowed. "I shouldn't have done that."
Tristan heaved a huge sigh. "First you disobey me and now you cheat. This is beyond my power to decide." He stood up. "Follow me."
"What?"
"I must report to Thane."
The headmaster! Elaine shrank back. Although Thane wasn't as stern and strict like the other professors, he would certainly be deeply displeased. What if he decided to dismiss her from the University?
Her old life of training with her governesses flashed before her. She didn't want to relive it. However frustrating her life might be, she preferred to pore over math problems, chemical formulas and physics equations rather than learning how to curtsy and dance in a ballroom.
Not that there was anything wrong with those things, but she'd take University life over court life any day.
"Sir," she began. "Please! The finals begin next week; can't this wait until after the exam?"
As if on cue, a voice floated in the hallway. "Is there something wrong?"
Elaine blanched. Thane was walking down the hallway, and to her surprise, Lady Matilda was behind him! What could Lady Matilda be doing here? She was a warrior. She was supposed to be at the Academy.
Lady Matilda met her eye, and Elaine repressed a shudder. The lady warrior, despite having greying hair, still looked as hale as if she were twenty years younger. She carried a lead-tipped staff, and a quiver full of arrows was strapped on her back. Although Elaine was unafraid of most people, including Darwar, a veteran warrior and head of the Academy, she cowered when Lady Matilda's sharp gaze raked over her.
"Lady Matilda." Tristan nodded towards her politely, before turning to Thane. "Headmaster, Miss Leventhorpe has committed academic dishonesty–twice. I beg to speak to you in private about how to deal with her."
"Miss Leventhorpe?" Lady Matilda said sharply. "Only the princess carries the name of Leventhorpe."
Elaine gave her a little wave and a nervous smile.
Lady Matilda frowned. "I see you are wearing the University uniform. Are you a student here? Or has the University opened up a college for girls?"
"I am a student here," Elaine said in a small voice.
Thane cleared his throat. "Matilda, could you excuse us for a while? I will ask someone to take you to our biology professor so you can continue your inquiries about kelpies with him. Since he is the expert, he can give you far better assistance than I."
"Not so soon." Lady Matilda's eyes glittered. "You just confirmed that the princess is a University student. Mind if I ask what dishonesty she committed?"
"Lady Matilda, this should not be of your concern," Tristan said firmly.
Lady Matilda dealt him a withering look. Tristan actually fell a step back, even though the old lady did nothing but glare. Elaine clamped a hand over her mouth, stifling a giggle.
"I was the first Academy girl," Matilda began loftily. "Many difficulties have I encountered since my gender was revealed. It is certainly MY concern when here is a University girl–child, I should say! How old are you, girlie?"
"Twelve."
"My, still a child," Lady Matilda said. "Pray tell us know what dishonesty she did?"
Thane opened the door to a private classroom. Tristan looked wary about letting Lady Matilda enter, but dared not voice a word of protest.
"Miss Leventhorpe has acted in a most disrespectful manner," Tristan began. He told of her falling asleep in class, of how she drew pictures instead of submitting text, and printing her assignment instead of writing by hand. Frustration laced his words; he was obviously fed up with the princess and wanted her to leave.
"I don't mean to be discriminating, but her wayward behavior poses a negative effect on the students. This will not do. However, I do not mean to deprive her of the desire to learn. I suggest that we let her be separated from the University and find a capable governess of tutoring her. That way, she can still acquire knowledge but not influence the boys," Tristan finished, looking quite pleased with himself.
Elaine was dismayed. "But I don't want a governess! I had nine already! None of them could teach what the University has taught me."
Tristan glared. "Little girls ought not speak unless spoken to."
"Excuse me?" Lady Matilda rose from her seat and faced him squarely. "You mention of Elaine sleeping in class. Is she the only one?"
Tristan took a step back. Lady Matilda did not brandish her lead-tipped staff at him, but she might as well have done so.
"Nooooo...but this is only one of the things she did..."
"Would you have suggested segregation if she were not a girl? Would you have attempted to find out why she was inattentive, rather than simply attributing it to a girl's inability to stay focused in class?"
"Well." Tristan wiped his forehead with a large handkerchief. "But it wasn't simply the tardiness and sleeping in class! She submitted work that could be considered cheating. I gave her a chance; I meted punishment in an attempt to rectify her, yet she only mocked me further by cheating! Since punishment has failed to make her realize her errors, I have no choice but to suggest that she leave the University."
Thane looked towards Elaine. "Miss Leventhorpe. We had informed you that you must abide the rules when you took the entrance exam. You were told that it was an act of leniency on our part by letting you enter. I am very disappointed that you displayed such behavior."
"Wait!" Elaine said desperately. "I can explain. I didn't intend to mock Professor Tristan."
Tristan flashed her an angry glare. "Have I not made myself clear? No self-respecting student would behave like you did."
"You've had your say," Lady Matilda said. "Now let us hear hers. It is only fair that we hear both sides of the story."
Tristan narrowed his eyes, but seeing that Thane made no objection, he settled back in his chair with an exasperated sigh.
"The reason why I didn't do my homework is because I had too much work to do to prepare for the finals," Elaine said earnestly. "Thane told me that I would have to leave school if I don't pass the finals, so of course I prioritized it."
"You prioritize your other subjects over mine?" Tristan said indignantly.
"No, I'm just trying to assign equal amounts of time to them. But with the amount of work you assigned me, I'd be spending disproportionate time on literature. So I had to improvise."
"Improvise?" Thane said. "How?"
Elaine told them how she was inspi
red to make the printing press. Thane's eyebrows rose.
"You asked the carpenter to make an automatic printing machine that you designed yourself?"
"I did," Elaine said. "The physics lessons gave me the idea. I can show it to you, sir, if you'd like."
A gleam of interest flared in Thane's eyes. "Interesting." He stood up and walked towards her. "I believe that despite the flippancy you have shown towards your literature assignments, you do have the potential to study at the University."
"What?" Tristan said, outraged. "Headmaster, didn't you hear what she did?"
"Oh shut up, Tristan," Lady Matilda snapped. "What were YOU doing when you were twelve, huh? Can you claim any of your peers could have designed an automaton? If a student like her cannot remain at the University, then I must question the intelligence of the professors."
Tristan flushed. His face turned an ugly, blotchy red.
Elaine did a mental cheer.
"Yet, no matter what your reason may be, you have behaved in a reprehensible manner," Thane said. "You will apologize to your professor, and you will do the assignment–in the way he expected you to do it. By hand."
"Um... can it wait until after the finals?" Elaine ventured. "There will be two weeks of vacation. I can devote all my time towards literature then."
"Certainly, you may," Thane said. "In fact, we have been spending too much time here. I suggest that you return to your studies immediately. Our agreement still stands, however. If you fail any of your subjects, you will have to leave school. No more leniency will be extended."
"Hmph." Lady Matilda thumped her staff on the floor. "You must be a dunderhead to expel her."
Elaine let out a whoop of joy. She would have embraced Lady Matilda, but seeing the glittering steel tip of the latter's staff, she spread out her skirt and curtsied deeply.
"Thank you, thank you," she beamed. "I shall do my utmost best to pass the finals!" She turned towards Lady Matilda. "Lady, thank you for speaking up for me. I'm ever so grateful to you!"
Lady Matilda, arms crossed, gave a crisp nod. "Good to know. Honestly, the University should revoke this retarded rule of discouraging girls to enter! If they have the talent, then they should be given a fair chance. Elaine, you had better study hard! Show them that there's no reason they should expel you."
