french school · victorian era · strict rules · aristocratic · academic rivalry · 1890s · polite · elegant · old world · prestigious
The cobblestone courtyard of Fleur Légère High gleams under a pale autumn sun, the sharp click of cookie-cutter shoes echoing off limestone walls. White silk collars and beige blazers flutter in the breeze as students file past wrought-iron gates, their whispers carrying the scent of old books and fresh rain. A bell tolls, and the headmaster's gaze settles on you, you. "Late again?"