Sparkling flames waltz across my fingertips: a collection of dancers performing a fiery game of love and fury. 
I sit alone, cross-legged on my bed , as everyone has gone to dinner.  My fire ignites the room, drowning out the little light that still manages to shine through the open window. 
I experiment more, tossing little sparks up into the air and catching them, shaping them into ballerinas clad into tutus and pointe shoes.
Arabesque, tour jete, tour jete.
My dancers leap through the air and I laugh with amusement, turning them into gymnasts instead.  They end up doing aerials around the room, while I hoist them up before they can touch any material objects and set the room aflame.
These are what I call my parlor tricks, the things I use to entertain little children. The things people used to think of when they thought of my fire.  The beautiful, yet so trivial side of things.
Footsteps sound outside the door, and I snap away my fire, taking out the book I keep next to me in case anyone pops in. I lunge to flick on the reading light at the last moment. Only a daughter of Luna would read in the dark. 
***************
    "Today we will be learning about heat," Ms. Marina, our science teacher says.  "First I will give a demonstration, then we will move onto our Lab."
    Everyone's eyes automatically flit to me, then to the open flame.  I smile at all of them sweetly in return, flicking my hair over my shoulder.  But my eyes say more. I could melt your flesh off your skin. Char your bones. Burn this school down as the grand finale.
    Ezra is standing right next to me.  I can feel the intensity radiating off him, like he's ready to either push me over the edge, or restrain me in case I try anything.
             Every so often, I glance over at him, taking him all in. His dark blue hair, his glimmering rings, his emerald eyes.  He's awfully cute. One side of me says.
Shut up, mother won't allow you to date someone raised as a teenage killer.  My logical side challenges.
But aren't you one already? And your father is-
    "Ashlyn?" Ms. Marina raises an eyebrow. "Tell me about fire."
    Someone to my right snorts. 
    I open my mouth to say the definition I always have on hand. "Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. It's plasma, which is one of the five states of matter."
    Ms. Marina's mouth falls open. She'd only taught three states of matter, but you simply cannot forget about plasma.
Everyone gapes at me, but their ravenous eyes long for more.
    "Of course," I comment, opening my palm.  A tiny flame pops up and I giggle a bit as everyone jumps back.
    I turn the flames into dancers, and have them leap and twirl around in midair.  
    Marigold applauds. "That was so cool!  And they're so pretty!"
    A few others roll their eyes.
    "Is that it?" Ezra asks me, putting a hand on his hip.
    "Do you want me to burn down the door?" I retort sarcastically, shooting a giant wave of fire at the door (how else can I describe it, ignore the irony). Everyone screams, but right before it hits anything I clench my fist and the flames die out.
    "Was that enough? Or do you want more?" I counter, but by adding a small smile and looking down at my feet, it goes from threatening to lighthearted.  It's what I call mischievous innocence.  For I am a daughter of Discord, after all.
    "Class, please get into your assigned groups for our Lab. And let's go over the rules!" Ms. Marina orders.
"No running/playing/attempting to murder your enemies in the Lab," she says, while everyone turns to me and Ezra. "Wear the appropriate attire. No concealed weapons inside your clothing."  Me and Ezra still don't flinch under my classmates' gazes. "No food, drink or poison in the Lab." Poison? Who brought-
"Ezra. We were doing an experiment with M&Ms a year back. Ezra was paired up with a boy he really didn't like, who was also obsessed with M&Ms.  He squirted some poison on it, tricked the student into eating it and ...killed him," Marigold whispered, whimpering as Ezra turned towards her.
    "No using the materials in the lab as makeshift weapons," Ms. Marina continues. "Know where the eyewash station, shower and fire extinguisher are. And, the most important rule?"
    "No provoking Princess Ashlyn!" The class chimes in. 
        ***************************
    After science class, Marigold and I go down to the Bistro for lunch. There are at least 50 different options, ranging from hot lunch, to sushi, to bubble tea. I pick out an "Autumn Glow" salad, a small cup of fresh berries and cream and lemon sparkling water. 
    The Bistro is basically an insanely long hallway that acts as a food court. It connects to the "cafeteria", if you can call it that. It's a giant geodesic glass dome. The floor is covered in grass and flowers, and the modern tables fit right in.
    Eyes turn towards me, whispers hush. Though I already know what they were saying.
    "Here she comes, her royal majesty of murder."
    "She's enslaved Marigold and brands her with her initials." 
    "She's a spy for the Venators. I bet she hooks up with Ezra after school."
    "Her father's King Sombra. Celestia must've adopted her."

    My eyes scan the dome, calculating.  Where do I sit today? Usually Marigold and I would grab a table for two, but those are taken.  Sometimes I avoid the dome altogether and go up to the rooftop (which isn't allowed, but please. Murdering 26 is much worse.) 
There's an empty table for 4, but the Venator Legion is right next to that.  And I'm too proud to ask if I can sit somewhere. I mean, who'd want to eat lunch with an arsonist?
    "Ashlyn, Marigold! Over here!" Gemina waves us over to a table of 6. She's seated with a few other girls I haven't met.
    You have your whip chain. You have your fire. Everyone but the Venators are terrified of you.Why are you scared?
    "Thank you," I say and take a seat across from Gemina.
    "How are you guys?" Gemina asks us.
    "Good, thank you for asking. We finished Lab 4 in science class,"  I answer. " I'll never hear the end of "don't burn down the school ''!''
    Then I realize no one's laughing. See, people tell me to stop being so uptight, but when I try, it comes out all wrong. The only things I'm good at humor-wise are terrible puns about fire and stuff about burning down schools.  You know what I mean?
    I sigh, digging into my Autumn Glow. Shoulders back, chin
lifted, tiny bites, chew with your mouth closed.  I open my water.  Eat like a lady. 
    "My god, Ashlyn! You're so formal!" One of Gemina's friends, Amber, I think, gasps. 
    I shrug. "I'm a princess. I can't show up at a ball eating like a savage."
    Everyone falls silent. Why am I so bad at this?  Then I realize, I've never had training for how to do these socializing things. Even the way I talk is slightly different from everyone else.  So that's when I decide I need to learn. So I pick-pick-pick at my salad, and sip-sip-sip my water while I attempt to master the art of what I call "Freshman Girl Talk".
"Songbird Serenade? I love her songs so much!" Amber fawns.
    "Me too! Rainbow is my favorite!" Gemina agrees.
    "She was amazing on tour," Marigold swoons.
    Finally! Something I can talk about!
    "Her new album comes out December 15th," I say.  When I sang with her 3 months ago she told me that. 
    "Really? That's so cool! Ugh, we have to wait two more months," Cenra, another friend comments. 
    " Didn't you sing with her recently?" Amber asks me.
    "I did.  We sang at the Summer Solstice."
    "You sing so well! It was, like, amazing!" Cenra compliments me.
    "Thank you." I blush, warming up to these nice girls.
    "It's true though! Your voice is so beautiful.  Can you sing for us?" Gemina asks. 
    "Please?" Marigold makes these impossibly cute puppy-eyes even I can't turn away. 
    "Fine. I can see a rainbow, in your tears as they fall on down! I can see your soul grow, through your tears as they hit the ground," I sing. 
    "Wow," Amber whispers.
    "I can see a rainbow, in your tears as the sun comes out. As the sun comes out!" I continue singing, while Gemina and Amber come in to harmonize.
    We all laugh. "That was fun!"
    "It's a great song too," Marigold adds. "It's fun to play on the violin. Maybe we could do it for battle of the bands."
    "Yeah. I'm focusing on visual arts so I can work on background videos and your outfits!" Cenra insists.
    "Are you guys going to Sonbird's tour "Rainbow"?" I ask them.
    "Duh!" Amber scoffs, picking up a piece of fish with her chopsticks.
    Duh: a word used to comment on an action perceived as foolish or stupid, or a statement perceived as obvious.
    In Ms. Lilac's Etiquette Class for Princesses, saying that word was the equivalent of a 5 year old cursing. 
    "Maybe, if I can get tickets," Gemina sighs. She gives me an almost yearning glance, though I'm not sure what she means by that. Cenra does too. 
    "Yeah, but they're so hard to get," Cenra exclaims. "It's, like, impossible!"
    "Maybe I could get us tickets.  Songbird gave me a discount on 5 tickets, along with a backstage pass," I say.  Marigold and Gemina are my friends after all, and Amber and Cenra seem nice.
    "Yeah yeah!" Amber, Cenra and Gemina say too eagerly. "That'd be like, amazing."
    "Could you, like, get us her autograph too?" Amber half-beggs, her eyes lighting up.
    "Yeah.  I could," I answer. Do all girls care about objects this much?
    "Guys! Retreat's coming up," Marigold changes the subject. 
    "Yay! I'm so happy! We won't have any more homework," Gemina squeales.
    "Do you know the cabin assignments?" Marigold inquires.
    "Yeah! It's all of us together!" Cenra tells us, taking a last swig of her lemonade. 
    Everyone's eyes widen ever so slightly, reminding me I'm not truly their friend. I'm still an alien on foreign territory. Eating lunch with Rebel Flame/Ash the Arsonist/Fire Princess/Ms. Inferno (yes, someone gave me that name as well) is one thing, sleeping with her is another.
    Seriously, with the look Amber's giving me, you'd think I was Queen Chrysalis or something! 
    "The Venators are looking at us," Marigold whimpers, scooting closer to me. 
    I lay a delicate hand on hers and she yelps, thinking I'm going to brand her with my initials. (I've only done that to seven people, mind you.)
    Ravena's eyes are trained on me, with Soren side-eying Marigold.  He's the other really good musician in our grade, and they've clashed in multiple big competitions.  Ophelia is close to Ravena, licking her fangs.
    But it's Ezra who catches my attention. I raise an eyebrow, as if to say "Can I help you?"
    He blushes and looks away. Ophelia nudges him.  I feel my cheeks grow warm as well.
"My god!" Amber shrieks, and everyone stares at her. "You and Ravena look so similar!"
Great. More attention. 
Cenra half-yelps next. "I will never be able to unsee that." 
"What? What?" Gemina asks.
"You'd kill me, but she looks like King Sombra! Ash, honey, are you adopted?" Amber snickers. "Like, your hair looks just like his."
My manicured nails curl around her arm.  I keep a smile fixed on my face, purposefully showing my fangs.
"If I am, indeed, the daughter of the King of Shadows, and not of the Queen of the Sun, explain why I can do...."
She gasps as I add a little heat to her arm, perhaps melting off a bit of flesh, but we'll only be able to tell once I remove my hand.
"This."
I let go and find her arm a pale red.  Then I lean in to her and cup my hand around her ear, as if to tell her a juicy piece of gossip or a little secret.
"Amber, my dear, I don't bite often. But when I do, I draw blood."
    I throw out my trash and sling my bag over my shoulder, Marigold in tow.
    "Ash?" She peeps, her eyes still wide with fear. It makes me feel...alive.  And I think I like this fear that radiates off people. It's strange, but so refreshing.
    "Yes, Marigold?" I continue walking down the hall, suddenly realizing how everyone parts and presses against their lockers, flinching when I smile at them or give a little wave to someone I know.
    "When you were...t-talking to Amber...your e-eyes were r-red.." Marigold admits. 
    "Is that so? I guess I don't need contacts to look like my father then!" I joke, then again, realize how miserably terrible I am at it. 
    Four people block us. Two muscular twins with ebony skin and blue-bleached hair. A small boy holding a book.  And a girl, who is so foreign, yet so much like me.
    Marigold squawks and jumps behind me.
"Hello, again, Ash," Ravena greet me. Her eyes are cold, and calculating. She takes in me, and Marigold cowering behind me.  
"Ravena," I nod respectfully. "Is there something I can do for you?"
"I was hoping to catch you before the next class." She motions to the cafeteria doors. She turns to Marigold. "Run along, little lamb!"
Marigold just stands there, frozen in fear.
"She's a lamb, Ravena. Do you really expect her to do anything herself? Dear Ashlyn here holds her leash. If it's true what they said about the brandings..."
"I only brand people who don't know their place," I reply, patting Marigold on the shoulder (while she gasps like I'm burning her), and waving my hand, as if to say "Run along, I'll catch up to you."
"Is that so?" Ezra inquires, moving closer to me. "Well, there are a lot of people you have yet to brand."
"What you say is true," I say, watching Marigold scamper off.
"Enough chit-chat." Ravena puts a finger to Ezra's lips. Erza stops, still like a mannequin. "We need to talk. This is taking way longer than it should."
"Oh?"
"It'll be quick.  I don't have much to say," Ravena admits, stalking over to me.  At five foot six, she's got four inches on me.
She leans down to my height, claws wrapping around my shoulder to make sure I don't run away and whispers in my ear.
"Where wolf's ears are, wolf's teeth are near."

The quote was from volsunga saga, C.19.
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