Aelira's blue eyes narrowed down on Nia which was like slits of cold ice.
"Nia," she hissed, her voice trembling with a rage that was anything but regal. "Get the hell off my servants and out of my way."
Nia, still perched comfortably on the groaning pile of elves, only grinned wider. Her smile was wild and bright, completely out of place amidst the suffocating tension.
The hall was so quiet that even the faint hum of the crystals above seemed loud.
"Now, now, Princess," Nia said cheerfully, resting her chin on her hand. "Is that any way to talk to a member of the Student Discipline Committee? I'm just doing my duty, you know."
"Your duty?" Aelira snapped, her voice climbing higher. "Your duty is to enforce the rules, not to humiliate noble students like this! You're making a spectacle of yourself!"
