Stretching as her alarm began to ring, Alice made her way to the bath chamber to get cleaned up and dressed before heading to the great hall of the boarding school. St. Bartholemew’s School was the most prestigious halls of learning for foreign students as well as their English counterparts yet lacked the snooty high brow atmosphere associated with other finishing schools. Here, brilliant savantish students could excel beyond imagining on their way to collegiate greatness while those that struggled academically were encouraged and could advance at their own speed without the pressures that high brow schools placed upon their wards. Today, after breakfast, the students were to gather in the grand auditorium where they would be addressed by the headmaster Winchester Abercrombie Sinclare IV.
Heading into the dining hall, she saw the familiar face of her beloved cousin Tristan. The second son of her Uncle Felix Van Breuher and twin to his brother Draco, Tristan was highly intelligent but had a playful and loving disposition that often led him to appear as being a clumsy dolt. Whereas his brother has straight hair that he kept trimmed and often slicked back, Tristan’s hair was a wild mesh of curls that often appeared unkept even though he was always impeccably groomed.
“Good morning sleepyhead,” he said keeping his eyes focused on the morning paper as Alice took her seat and began to lightly butter a piece of whole-grain toast. “Sleep well last night?”
“About the same as usual,” she shrugged. “Though I do have some good news for you.”
“My beloved brother has either eloped and is moving so far away we will never see or hear from him again or by some mercy…was killed and his body rendered to ash and scattered tot he wind,” Tristan asked wryly as the thought of his brother brought a sour taste to his mouth.
“Alas,” Alice said cringing at his expression of brotherly love “that is not the case. However, I sent a letter to my father two weeks ago asking if he would object to your spending the holidays with us as to avoid any unpleasantness with your brother. I received a reply yesterday after classes and he has discussed the invitation with your father and both are in agreement that if it is your wish, you may spend the holidays with us.”
“Although it does not remove my dear brother from the equation, that is splendid news indeed dear cousin,” he said smiling broadly. “Besides, it will be a pleasure to see your father again. Our conversations and chess games are always rather stimulating from a certain cerebral point of view.”
“Oh knock it off you pompous little snit,” Alice declared with an amused look on her face. “The only reason you want to be with us is that you won’t have to worry about that arrogant brother of yours getting your backside tanned for his misdeeds and the fact you love the pies and cakes Master Clove and Mistress Abigail make this time of year.”
“Alright dear one,” Tristan laughed “I am guilty as charged but in my defense, I also enjoy hearing about the past from your father and playing chess with him. Even if he does beat me every single time.”
As the clock struck the eighth hour of the morning, the students all stood and headed to the great auditorium and took their places according to the classes. Once everyone was seated,. the headmaster stepped forward and addressed the staff and students.
“Good morning staff and students,” he said stuffily. “As you are all aware of, tomorrow the school will be closed until the second day of the new year. Although this is the season of merriment and we forget our decorum and best behavior in our frivolity I do wish to emphasize that although not upon school grounds or in uniform you still are representatives of this fine establishment. With this in mind I ask each of you to behave accordingly and avoid at all costs bringing any shame upon our great school. If any word reaches us of anyone currently enrolled here being engaged in any form conduct unbecoming of the standards held by St. Bartholemew’s School, those found guilty of such will be punished to the fullest extent and held for a disciplinary hearing to determine if expulsion from this institution is required. Now, if you will all please report back to your dormitories to gather your personal belongings to begin your journeys home I will bid you all a wonderful holiday with the hope of seeing you all back in good health to resume your studies in January.”
As the students filed silently out of the auditorium, Alice waited in the hallway for Tristan’s class to exit.
“Is it just me or did it appear as if his britches were a bit tighter than usual in certain uncomfortable spots,” Tristan whispered in Alice’s ear.
“To be honest,” Alice whispered back “it is my humble opinion that he either gets paid extra to be so stuffy or is in serious need of the proper type of companionship that would alleviate such awful personal tension.”
“That is why I love you so much Alice,” Tristan laughs as he claps his hands together. “You have such a classy way of verbalizing that which would otherwise seem so….how should I say…socially awkward.”
“And you my dear cousin have such a verbally annoying way of producing as much manure as a heard of cattle in the attempt to intellectually expand our otherwise meager understanding of the obvious,” she said looking at him pompously with her arms folded.
“Ha,” he laughed placing his hand over his heart as if mortally wounded; “Are you trying to tell me that you think I am full of it?”
“In the words of Master Klove when he hears you rambling on…Indeed,” she said fighting the urge to laugh as he doubled over in laughter. “Come, let’s shut up and get our stuff so we can get out of here.”
“Yes,” Alice agreed. “Meet me in the courtyard when you are done packing. A carriage will take us to the train station in half an hour.”
Parting company, the two went about gathering the few things they would be taking with them along with their school books to enable them to complete their assignments and prepare for their new lessons that would begin after the holidays.