Frorer leisurely brushed his thumb on the scar that sundered his upper lip. He was happy. So. Much. Happy. A raw wave of euphoria washed over his body as he saw the two Corporals standing in front of him with their heads held low and he didn't even try to hide it. Especially the raven head held so low made him feel so high. He smirked.

Cat got your tongue darling?

The five apprentices involved in the eventful spur were standing behind them in the same manner, two of them really banged up. But nothing seemed as savory to Frorer as seeing the adamant jet-black head and resilient brunette holding their heads low.

6 days

144 hours

and countless blasphemous moments ago he was standing in front of Admiral Kawasaki exactly like that. Like some petty thief caught stealing just because this sneaky bastard found a hole in his grip and slipped through it.

He gritted his teeth as he remembered those humiliating 5 minutes 47 seconds of his life. Getting called out by that schmuck like he was all high and mighty and everyone else was beneath him, telling him out, forging rules.

On Me? How dare!

He was the better of the two. The elder one. The one who spent countless hours on the battlefield while he sat in a tent like some entitled mongrel running that shrewd little brain of his against their nemesis. He was the one who got his hands dirty for his country and that phony little two faces got to reap off his harvests.

I should've been the one sitting on his chair

But no! That sneaky little schmuck found a way up, like always. He had always hated his audacity. And he hated hers like he hated her mentor's. Reminded him of that Austin b**ch time to time.

He'd been waiting ever since. The past six days he waited. He waited for them to make a mistake, try to slip through any loophole and he would tie the noose around their necks. But he had to admit he didn't expect to get his opportunity this soon. Frorer chuckled. Karma seemed to be on his side this week.

By then the word of the incident had spread around the whole academy. How the vile little filthy bloods of House 9 already fouled the sacred ground on the very first day of their enrollment. Not only were two of the apprentices marked down my five points for being late in their very first classes, the third one surpassed them both. He broke three cafeteria tables, smashed multiple plates and glasses while he assaulted an apprentice of House 8.

But that was not even the last thing that Frorer bothered about. He was more interested in the two Corporals in front of him. Thanks to those crudes bringing out their true selves, he could now smear the record of these two ferals red. His eyes glistened at the thought of the things he could pin them down for. Failure insubordination failure in disciplining disciples, misappropriation of Nix property,.... the list kept growing in his head as the pace of his thumb on his scar increased at an annoying level. He was on his 17th entry in the list as his door opened slightly. Frorer gave a sharp curt motioning Jane to get in. He was surprised that time passed so fast. He purposefully sent out for Jane 15 minutes later than Rayo and Liam just so that he could watch them bow to him. After all, they were no regal blood either. Uncouth bloodlines like them need their leashes to be pulled once in a while to remind them of their filthy origin. But that was almost thrice the time he had to bow himself so his mind was in peace for the time being.

Jane came and stood beside them in the same pose. Rankings really didn't matter when anyone's action fell under any specific arena and Frorer happened to be the head of the RDC(Rapid Disciplinary Core).

Ah my luck!

A grin of satisfaction stretched across his lips.

"Reporting Corporal Patrick Jane. House 8.
Liable for Major Aston Lynx
Apprentice.
House 8 Sir"

Frorer smirked and shifted his full concentration on the other two who were standing still. " Well, you know what they say, Jane? A snake's bastard always turns out to be a snake!"

Jane said nothing to join his venomous parade. He stood silently just like before which tainted his mood a little. But this mood was too precious to be taken down just like that. He chapped purposefully slurrying each word, "I still remember clearly when Tori and Jacob begged on their knees to spare their two wildlings. After all, they are all monkeys of the same cage. I must say your apprentices precede you. Ruckus on the first day! I'm not even surprised. That's what happens when the royal ground is muddied by filthy bloodlines."

Frorer paused for a moment to take a breath. He took his time to sip his tea and looked at them gleefully. They were not showing it but he knew he hit below their belt. And he was enjoying every bit of it. He could talk all the craps he wanted, for as long as he wanted, in any way he wanted and they'd have to listen to him. They would have to keep their heads bowed and listen to him.

"And what might your verdict be on this matter Sir?" Jane retorted before he could open his mouth again, his facial expressions measured.

In all honesty, the provision for punishment by Oracle on this matter was to make sure the proprietary damages were fulfilled fair and square and to set out an appropriate exemplary punishment to discourage such further actions. He could as well fine them some Diros and put the apprentices in the West Wing for three days and that would be more than enough to discourage their any action at all in the future. But he knew West Wing would not be enough for the mulish Nixes in front of him. Frorer smirked. He had just the right correctional act in his mind.

Clearing his throat, he spoke," Taking all the casualties and actions into consideration, House 8 and House 9 are individually being charged with ¶10,000 Diros which is to be accounted for by the following 24 hours as an act of correction of any such further action, I hereby order Cadet Xen Widder, Cadet Derek Daveson, Cadet Claire Huskin, Major Aston Lynx and Major Jennifer Kimbell to retrieve all the 13 mines scattered in the Harlin forest within the next 72 hours," at this point, he paused dramatically and looked at Rayo," and Corporal Rayo Schwan and Corporal Liam Krieger are to accompany them." His face contoured into a malicious glee, the scar adding another dimension to his terrifying smolder.

He looked at Rayo. She was stoic hearing it. He really wanted Rayo to say something, beg him not to send her there or at least try to dodge the punishment questioning the fairness of the verdict. But she robbed him of that joy. He of course saw it coming. By then he knew her pride was way bigger than her angst. But he was satisfied with the result nonetheless.

The eight nodded in response, saluted him and left the room to carry out his verdict.

Frorer took a sip from his stale cold tea. He got up and looked outside. The sky was wearing a beautiful shade of temptress red, his favorite shade of the day. He'd always loved this shade. That was the color that freshly spilled blood wore when it's gradually reaching its staling end, removing the last traces of a life that once walked this planet. Reminded him of his war days, when he'd steal away lives out of people's eyes. Taking something that God had bestowed always supplied him with the delirious sense of equal might. And that shade never failed to act as the glorious reminder of those lustrous events.

But for some reason, he was not at ease at all. Not even after he finally set the score straight after 6 days.

He brushed his thumb on the scar again. Whenever he saw that Schwan girl, he always felt eerie. At the back of his mind, he always felt like she was an incomplete task mocking him on his face. They had come face to face on numerous occasions in the last 14 years but he could never contemplate what was it about her that set him off so much...

He stopped rubbing his scar and exhaled.

I should have just slashed your throat like I slashed your mama's