Cadance stood outside the Herbology Greenhouses peering in. Her slender frame was covered in a lush green velvet cloak with silver fur trim, her hands in leather gloves as she tucked a stray golden strand behind her ear, the rest of her wavy locks tightly tied back in an elaborate crest of braids. She looked at the numerous plants through the foggy, possibly grimy, panes of glass. The plants inside were exotic looking, she wasn't entirely fond of gardening herself but it was activity that had been forced upon her. All good wives needed to know how to keep their gardens lush and full, so they could provide their families with food and their cupboards well stocked with potions. For a moment she wondered how many of her courses were dictated by the future her parents had set out for her.

She cocked her head to the side and wondered what colour the plants would make if they were set on fire. Would some of the bigger more animated ones make noises? Scream even? If it wasn't for the fact that one of the younger students had set the greenhouses on fire in their first year she'd likely try it out herself just to see the flames. A part of her realized how much of that thought was a metaphor for her own life. She planned very much to set fire to her life as Princess Cadance. As soon as school was over and she was considered an adult by the wider Wizarding World she was going to burn it all down and simply walk away. A smile curled her lightly rose frosted lips as she thought of it. The look on her parents' faces, the outrage in Papa Arathorn's voice and the absolutely dumbstruck expression on Whitman's face, her 'beloved bethrothed' - though that wasn't very far from what he looked like on any given day, the git.

Cadance glanced back at the castle, her prison, the gilded cage she had been forced into for the past six years like a pretty song bird that yearned to fly. Her thoughts were waylaid when another figure came into view, "Evening," She gave a perfectly sculpted smile, "Bit nippy out here, wouldn't you say?" She folded her arms over her chest and hugged them in, mimicking a shiver.

Trudging through the Hogwarts grounds without a purpose was a very unusual thing for Bellatrix to do. She'd been cooping herself up in the girls' dormitories since before Christmas every night. The isolation was, in a word, peaceful. No one could bother her during her assignments, no one could whisper behind her back where she could hear, no one could attempt to rile her psychotic anger, but most importantly... No one could talk to her. This was what she wanted most of all these past several months: she wanted to be left alone. It was one disappointment after another. First the Bulgarian crush, then the failure of the wrock band she tried to get going at Hogwarts, and at last several tests flunked all in a row. It was horrible! Absolutely horrible!

Bellatrix didn't know what had convinced her to leave the safety of the Slytherin girls' dorm room or even why the thought had popped into her head. The shock of being outside in the evening had given her quite a shock as she looked out onto the grounds. Fond memories came rushing back on her slow trek along the grounds and by the time she reached the greenhouses, she was starting to appreciate the fresh air.

"Evening. Bit nippy out here, wouldn't you say?"

Her blue eyes roamed over the slender figure of Cadance. She had not expected to run into anyone out here. The sixteen year old pondered how she might look to the house-mate already standing there: still dressed in her school uniform with nothing more than a cardigan and the Slytherin scarf wrapped around her neck? How silly. Bella didn't have to fake shivering because her body seemed to suddenly realize it was cold outside.

"I suppose," she replied dismissively. It was the first thing she'd said to anyone in days.

She searched the surrounding area for some sign of others and was more than content when she discovered there were none. Her gaze fell back to Cadance. They should know each other better, she thought. After all, they'd spent the last six years sleeping in the same dorm. On the other hand, Bellatrix was sure it was her own fault that she wasn't close to any of the girls she shared the room with. That strange sensation of regret floated back into her mind and started to spread. Where had this come from? It had started several weeks ago and she couldn't shake it off. What could she be regretting? She quickly (and disturbingly) found that she didn't want to be alone in her thoughts after all. The silence between them had already stretched beyond the normal level of awkward; it was best if she said something...more.

"Sleep well, did you? Had a good day in class?"

Merlin's knickers this was awkward!

Bellatrix Dark, oh the things Cadance could say about Bellatrix Dark.

In so many ways Cadance felt the darker of the Dark sisters was a kindred spirit. Where Cadance loathed her own existence and longed to be free of her pureblood chains, Bella openly rebelled against anything she could possibly rebel against. It was a shame that she wasn't closer with any of the other Slytherin girls though in a way it was for the better. While the real Cadance longed to be by Dark's side wreaking havoc on the status quo, the Princess had to keep her distance from the hex crazy daughter of a wanted criminal.

And then there was Xavier.

It was rare for Cadance to be jealous of her smooth talking trouble in a wicked smile cousin but his short lived romance with Bella was met with nothing but envy. He got to be close to her, to get to know the girl in a way that no one else got to, in a way that Cadance longed to and then he let her go. One of the dumbest things he had ever done, not that Cadance would have said anything about it. She had to endure watching Bella fall, watch her pain, hear the sobs she thought had been silent while Xavier disappeared and then shunned her. She had never believed him to be so stupid.

"Nevermind me Darlin', what about you?" She stepped forward and in a fluid motion removed her cloak, draping it over the other girls shoulders. Underneath the posh fabric Cadance had been even more prepared against the weather, with heavy leather pants, knee high boots, a thick knitted silver sweater - silvery strands catching the last dregs of sunlight cresting over the greenhouses - under a deep forest green corset and a pair of matching fur lined leather gloves. Even taking a stroll around the grounds was an occasion for the Slytherin to look her most fashionable.

"Good to see you out of the dormitory. I assume we're done with our doldrums then?"  She gave the other girl another one of her perfectly sculpted and practiced smiles, all the while screaming inside.  Bella was one of the last people she wanted to play this charade with, "How about a smile then?"

As Cadance stepped into Bella's personal bubble (which was more extended than most other people's) to wrap the cloak around her figure, the young woman's guard instantly flared up. While she hadn't drawn her wand to hex someone since her brooding phase had begun, the instincts were still there to at least flex her fingers. The reflex timing was, of course, unusually slow since she hadn't performed the act in several months so by the time her arm made its instinctive jerk, the cloak was already around her shoulders and Cadance was smiling at her.

"Good to see you out of the dormitory. I assume we're done with our doldrums then?"

Bellatrix honestly didn't know how to answer that. Was she done moping about and brooding over her failures? The need for isolation had warped into a habit and a very nasty one at that. Her blue eyes lingered on the sweet, smiling face of Cadance, the first person to have physical contact with Bellatrix in a very long time. It felt oddly...comforting. And again the hidden sensation of regret bubbled its way to the surface of Bella's core. Was she missing a friend? She certainly wished her sister was still around, but Beatrix had been the first person she broke ties with when she fell into her depressed state. She hadn't wanted Lil Bee to pull her out, to save her. But the smile on Cadance's face, the closeness of a friend in these dark times revealed how alone she truly had been. It was indeed time for her to stop acting this way and return to the world anew.

She gave a non-committal shrug, "Might as well. I'm starting to grow bored in there."

Her response surprised her. Where was the snarky Bellatrix that would have insulted someone trying to get personal? Perhaps that old wicked attitude of hers hadn't returned yet. Even now, faced with the envious Slytherin princess Cadance, she hadn't the heart to be rebellious and a total git. What's more appalling was the uncertainty that she wanted such a demeanor back. The regret was too much. Her time spent at Hogwarts had been almost wasted. In her first year, she had imagined having loads of friends and, together with Beatrix and her friends, they would all cause some trouble and have memories to last them through the years. Yet somewhere along the way... Bella had lost sight of that. She had spent the last three years pushing people away and treating them horribly. Maybe it was time for her to start over.

"Wipe that silly smile off your face, princess," she tried to tease. "How can you smile all the time? Don't you ever get sick of it? Your face has muscles for a reason. Use them."

Her own mischievous smile in place, Bellatrix reached out and tugged at Cadance's face to pinch her cheeks and move the gums around. She intended to be playful, not a horrible git this time. She laughed as she let go and danced out of Cadance's reach.

Well now this . . . this was interesting.

The smile stayed on Cadance's face though a new light sparkled in her cool blue eyes. This was an intriguing development and one she was rather eager to see. If she could not only pull Bella from the brink of depression but also make her suitable enough to be seen in public with Cadance may just end up with the friend she always wanted and needed. The other Slytherin Princesses were all fine and dandy but not one of them (save maybe Strelnikov who seemed to be going over the deep end herself) had that fire in the pit of their souls like Dark did. She could just imagine the look on their faces, Xavier, her parents even Papa Arathorn, if she started to spend her time with Bellatrix Dark. However this was a friendship she was more than willing to cultivate.

She let out a charming chuckle as Bella pinched and wiggle her cheek. For the moment she let the smile fall but not to be replaced by a frown or a look of annoyance. She was far too intrigued by this latest behaviour to feel anything else, "I'm sure you know all about smile when you don't mean to." She gave the other girl a wink before glancing back to the greenhouses. She was still itching to burn them, perhaps on her last day of school.

"So now that you're out of the dorms, what brings you out here? Doesn't seem like you really planned it given your attire." Cadance nodded to her form that was now wrapped in her own cloak. If they were lucky winter would taper of soon and they could get back to wearing more comfortable clothing. It wasn't so much that Cadance didn't like her winter wardrobe, she did in fact adore it, one of the few things about her 'upbringing' that she enjoyed, but her spring and summer ones were much more agreeable.

The crazy Slytherin didn't really have a reply for her housemate's cheek about 'smiling when you don't mean to'. After all, she was right. Bellatrix was mad, absolutely off her rocker and would smile for no reason at all. Sometimes, even she faked it. Now was a good time to practice and Cadance was the perfect example for her to follow.

"So now that you're out of the dorms, what brings you out here? Doesn't seem like you really planned it given your attire."

"Can't say," she shrugged. "I was just laying there on my bed and had this sudden urge to get outside. So I started wandering and, well, here we are. Bit odd, really..."

She stood there for a moment and tried to work out what had brought along the thought, but it didn't take long before she gave up. Instead, her own blue gaze flitted towards her dorm mate and she gave her rare, friendly smile. As she talked, Bella made her way to one of the walls of the greenhouses and leaned back against it casually.

"What brings you out then?"

Cadance gave her another perfected smile, a quick bat of the eyelashes and turned to the greenhouses, once again looking through the foggy, mud stained panes. She contemplated what she would say. She obviously couldn't tell the truth though she doubted Dark would believe her even if she did. After all who would really believe that little Princess Cadance was debating burning down the greenhouses? It would be more likely that she was checking in on her NEWT project. She had heard that the year before the NEWT level students had create testing stations for the other students. She wished she could have been there to see the obstacle course Carter had made (though she wouldn't be caught dead running through it)

"Oh you know, just catching some fresh air, enjoying the sights. Boys can be so suffocating sometimes." She gave a small trilling laugh and a wave of her hand. She was often seen in the company of her betrothed though not really by choice. Whitman tended to follow her around like a lost puppy (more so these days since she grew into her looks) and it was her duty to appear to be at least somewhat interested in him, even if she did find him dreadfully boring.

"Though I'm sure you know all about that." She gave her another eye bat over her shoulder, "What with your little tryst with my cousin, and the Wentworth boy." Cadance often distanced herself from the former Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain, mostly due to her cousin's objection to him, and was unaware of his orientation or his blood relation to her. Arathorn had managed to wipe it from Xavier's memory before he got a chance to confide in his cousin about it.

"I envy you though." Though the smile and sparkle was still there her voice had a string of seriousness to it, "Being able to test boys out, choosing whomever you'd like. Must be fun." It was the first time Cadance had ever spoken aloud any negative thoughts about her own betrothal, "Not that I'm not devoted to Whitman, mind. It's just, you know," She turned away again, "the chance to choose."

"Oh you know, just catching some fresh air, enjoying the sights. Boys can be so suffocating sometimes."

Bellatrix gave a derisive snort at the comment. Boys... The one thing that had eluded her since third year--for the most part, anyway. She'd seen the way her other half giggled and gaga'd over boys like Erin Harper and it had made her sick to her stomach. The tournament hadn't helped any what with girls going crazy over the Durmstrang boys and the guys falling in line to go after those French twits from Beauxbatons. The Yule Ball and this previous Valentine's day were some of the worst days she'd had to endure.

"Though I'm sure you know all about that. What with your little tryst with my cousin, and the Wentworth boy."

Whatever state of mind Bella had been in when she'd come to the greenhouses was blown away by the shock of what the Slytherin princess had just said. Out loud! Tryst? Her cousin, Xavier Tawse? Wentworth boy?! All of this coming from Miss Perfect Bulstrode? Bella must have finally realized her mouth was hanging open because she abruptly closed it and discovered that she knew words.

"N-no! You've got it all wrong! Well, not all of it. I--Xavier and I, we dated, yes, but how could you think...? Peyton, of all people..."

She knew Peyton's preference. He'd decided to tell her shortly after a minor infatuation with him after she and Tawse had broken up. But Peyton and herself were best mates! The memories of last year being spent in close proximity to the Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain caused an ill feeling in the pit of her stomach. Now she understood why Cadence, and many other denizens of Hogwarts, would have that impression that she and Peyton were more than just good friends...

"You're wrong, I'm afraid. About me and Peyton I mean.. We're only best mates, you see. I can understand how you'd think that we're more, but we're not. He and I..." She couldn't tell anyone Peyton's secret so she had to find another way to explain it. "We just don't have any interest in each other."

She fell quiet again and wandered around the small area where they were conversing. Eventually, her own gaze fell to the greenhouse to study what was inside while she listened to Cadence. Her mind was currently still dwelling on the surprise of someone thinking, let alone voicing, that she and Peyton were a couple. At least, that was until the princess said something that brought her attention back abruptly.

"Being able to test boys out, choosing whomever you'd like. Must be fun. Not that I'm not devoted to Whitman, mind. It's just, you know, the chance to choose."

"WHAT?!" This time, Bellatrix openly gaped at her dorm-mate. "You mean... You're being forced to be with him? By who? Your parents? I thought that tradition was dead?"

How awful! Even her own dad, mad and purist as he was, wouldn't have pre-arranged his girls to be with some pure-blooded snot! Although he left the decision up to them, he'd made it perfectly clear what would happen were they to choose anyone less than pure-blooded. He wanted "the best" for his girls, that was true, and at one time she was fairly certain that he was dead set on Beatrix staying with Erin Harper, but that was tossed out the window when he realized just how much his little girl hated him. In fact, both girls hated Erin.

"That's just not fair," she finally said. "Marrying your daughter off to some slimy git just because he's got a good background. It's ridiculous! If you'd rather have someone else, just tell him where he can shove his purity and ditch 'im! You should tell your parents where they can shove their noses, too, while you're at it."

Part of her old self was coming back: this was a cruel thing to do to someone only in her sixth year. It was unfair! It was immoral! It was out-right selfish and she wouldn't stand for it! Cadence should be telling her parents off, as well as Theo Whitman. Not that Whitman was the worst choice for a girl, mind, but having it arranged for you and not given the choice...

"All right, then. Tell me." Bellatrix smiled playfully, which looked rather wicked indeed. "If you could choose any student here at Hogwarts, who would you go for? They don't even have to be pure-blooded."

Cadance watched Bellatrix closely. She hadn't expected the other girl to get so defensive when she brought up Peyton. It was easy enough for anyone to think they were more than friends given the fact that Bellatrix was pretty much the only girl the Ravenclaw had ever been seen with. Not to mention the fact that they had gone to the previous year's Valentine's Ball together, presumably not as friends. However if Bella claimed there was nothing but friendship between them Cadance would have to take her word for it. She didn't exactly run in the same circles as Peyton. At least her dorm mate hadn't tried to explain away her relationship with Xavier, there was no secrets about that one, expect maybe how the couple had broken up.

When Bella exploded about her betrothal Cadance turned to look at her full on. She blinked several times in shock while she processed the other Slytherin's reaction. She supposed it wasn't too surprising given the fact that she had never really spoken with the other girl given her penchant for trouble but she thought everyone had known. Thankfully she wasn't being forced to marry Theo, the great git but his cousin Charles wasn't exactly a step up and almost completely indecipherable amoungst the many Whitman's that were currently running through the halls of Hogwarts.

"I've been betrothed since I was eleven. My Grandfather arrange it for me, just like he had for my mother and all of her sisters. He wants the Wentworth line to stay pure." There was barely masked spite in her words as she spoke. Though she hadn't been told the true story by Xavier when he still had it in her head, she wasn't a complete idiot, she could tell that Peyton and Helena had some kind of connection to her ancestors she just wasn't sure how far up the family tree they had branched off from.

She turned back to greenhouses, "My parents agree with him. My entire life, from my studies, my looks, my clothes, even to learning how to ride an Aethonan, all of it was meticulously planned to make me the perfect wife." This time as she spoke there was no real emotion in her voice, as if her current lot in life was simply a fact not an opinion that needed to be changed, "I suppose it could be worse. The Whitman's are well known and wealthy and most of the men are handsome enough, Charles is much better behaved than Theo is at least."

She turned again to Bella looking at her through hooded eyes that matched the mischief the other girl was showing. She had never before shown disdain towards her upbringing or her betrothal, she still hadn't outright said how much she despised all of it but Bella was given her a small sliver a hope, a small outlet to fantasize what it might be like if she could pick something for herself, "Any boy? Regardless of blood status?" She chewed on her lip weighing her options, "Does Professor Locksley count? Or oh, do you remember Professor Frasier, unfortunate profession but absolutely gorgeous." A small peak into Cadance's true desires, not to mention her own penchant for older men.

"And you?"

"I've been betrothed since I was eleven. My Grandfather arrange it for me, just like he had for my mother and all of her sisters. He wants the Wentworth line to stay pure. My parents agree with him. My entire life, from my studies, my looks, my clothes, even to learning how to ride an Aethonan, all of it was meticulously planned to make me the perfect wife."

Another derisive snort was exerted from Bella. "Yeah, and how's that going for ye?"

"I suppose it could be worse. The Whitman's are well known and wealthy and most of the men are handsome enough, Charles is much better behaved than Theo is at least."

And still Bellatrix stood her ground with her arms crossed over her chest. In her opinion, no one should be forced to marry. It shouldn't be pre-arranged to someone you don't even know! What a ridiculous concept, all for the sake of keeping bloodlines pure. She'd questioned it since she was little. What was so important about being pure-blooded anyway? Were pure-bloods truly better than muggle-borns or half-bloods? Of course, Bella would never voice this doubt. It would get back to her father and then... Well, she'd be in the same place as her brother, Mikey.

""Any boy? Regardless of blood status? Does Professor Locksley count? Or oh, do you remember Professor Frasier, unfortunate profession but absolutely gorgeous."

At that, the Slytherin girl gave out a rare bubbly laugh, her true laugh. "I remember Professor Frasier, of course. He was wickedly handsome. I fancied looking at him myself. Though, I don't think Professor Locksley is someone to get all in a flutter about."

"And you?"

The question had been turned on her. It took Bellatrix a long time to consider who she would spend a long time with. A name appeared so suddenly as though it was an instinctive answer: Xavier Tawse. She dismissed it, infuriated that her mind would even conceive such an idea! Xavier was... Her mind trailed back to the date where he'd smiled and laughed, to all those days of watching him from a distance in class. He was in the past. It was time she dealt with that. It was best to give out a different answer, as she was standing there with his cousin--a girl she respected and admired and didn't want to enrage. Nervous, Bella began to crack her knuckles as was her usual habit.

"I s'pose Anthony Hoult would do," she lied. Anthony was just as violent and foul-tempered as herself. They could hardly be in the same room.

That was why she needed to change. She looked at Cadance. She was pretty--beautiful, even--and could have any guy she wanted were she not unwillingly attached to Whitman. Cadance had tact, proper manners, and she was elegant. Merlin's beard, she could even ride a winged horse! 'The perfect wife'... While Bellatrix loathed the concept, there was also an unexpected twinge of jealousy and longing. If only she could be more like the Slytherin princess. Then maybe she could be more eligible to acquire a husband in her later years. Y'know, if she ever decided she wanted a family. (Of course she wanted a family! It was just a matter of finding someone that could love her for her. But maybe that needed to change, too...)

"Cadance... Don't get the wrong idea or anything, but..." Bella had no idea how to ask for that kind of help. Tutoring on being a respectable pureblood? It was silly and stupid! No. She wouldn't ask! "If you want, we can be friends and you can let loose around me, if you'd like."

Great recovery.

It wasn't at all surprising that Bella wasn't a fan of arranged marriages. They were so archaic, horrid and completely ridiculous but Cadance had never had a say in the matter. She hadn't been exaggerating about the way her family viewed her. Tiberius would be allowed to do whatever he liked with is life after Hogwarts so long as if didn't bring shame to the Wentworth or Bulstrode name but she would have her fate determined for her. It made her almost willing to seek out a Seer just to find out whether or not she could break free of her shackles and live her life or if she would be burdened by her status forever. 

A genuine smile split her lips when she heard Bella laugh. It was such a simple and beautiful sound, one she hadn't really heard before. She doubted the other Slytherin had much to laugh about these days and she was happy to have filled that void. It made her look so beautiful, so normal when she embraced her true self no matter what kind of creature that was. Cadance was envious of that freedom, trapped within her own porcelain cage.

"I suppose Locksley isn't for everyone but honestly given the options we have, he's not half bad."

When Bella offered her own answer, Cadance was ready to call her on it. She had a rather strong feeling that Bella wasn't being honest with her and she had a pretty good idea why. Her relationship with Cadance's cousin was that of legends, a match even the Sorting Hat would have been envious of. For some reason she was holding back and Cadance was eager to break through that barrier, "Oh no no no no no. Hoult? Honestly darling you can do much better than him, he should be so lucky. He isn't even worthy enough to have you walk all over him." She placed a perfectly manicured finger to her lip and tapped it there for a moment, "No, we'll have to find you someone much better than that."

Cadance was lost in her own thoughts of match making when Bella surprised her with an offer. Once again she had the feeling the other girl wasn't being completely honest with her but this one was an issue she wasn't going to press. After all Bella had just offered what she had been fishing for, what she had been eager to achieve for a while now, a friend she could mold to societal norms while having a confidant for her less than ideal ideals. She suddenly wrapped her arms around Bella and gave her a hug, "You have no idea what that would mean to me." She whispered to her, just in case someone else happened to be in ear shot.