Katrina jumped out of her skin when the carriage stopped. One of the guards (the brunette named Charon), opened the door to inform her that they had stopped to let the horses rest for a bit and stock up their water. Deciding to go out and stretch her legs, she saw the sun on the horizon about to set.
'It has been that long already?' She thought to herself.
Walking through the village, she saw young children running around and playing. Making the most out of not having much. Continuing down the path, she stopped when she heard yelling. It was a mother scolding her son, he was about her age.
"Have you no sense boy? This is an honour and I won't let you squander it. Leave right this instant." The mother said harshly. She had a hunchback and she looked constantly in pain, yet she pushed it all away to lecture her son.
"Mum, I can't leave you alone. You know that. I won't even be able to get there." The boy reasoned, steadying her with his hand.
"Your grandfather was also a mage, you know. He loved the academy, he'd be overjoyed that his grandson had the same affinity as him. Please go. You're meant for far more than this village." The mother resorted to begging, trying to persuade him to leave but he remained stoic. Katrina had turned around to walk away, not wanting to intrude on their conversation. But if one of her people had the capability to become a mage, well that made it her business.
"I can't make the trek, not on time. They don't let anyone who's late in." It was true, they didn't. But there was one way for him to get there on time.
"Did you say you're on your way to the academy?" She asked them, watching as the boy glared at her for interrupting their conversation. Before he could open his mouth, the mother spoke.
"That silver hair... My Princess!" She said, before trying to get on her knees to pay her respect but before she could Katrina interjected.
"There's no need for any of that." She stated, gesturing for the women to stop.
"I can take you to the academy with me." She added, looking at the son.
"I'm sorry but I can't accept. You're our princess, it would be improper for me to join you on your journey as a commoner." The freckled boy replied.
'How many freckles does he have, looks like he has thousands.' Katrina thought to herself, freckles were rare in her kingdom, and were seen as a sign of good luck.
"Oh, well then I'm ordering you to." Katrina demanded, she was after all a princess and he could not refuse her order.
"But my mu-" He tried to reason.
"I'll sort it. Pack your essentials, best clothes and arrive at my carriage before the sun fully sets." She interrupted.
"Thank you, Princess." The mother exclaimed, her voice alight with happiness. Her son didn't look as happy but he was glad.
"Any time." She said simply before heading off. Once she got back to the carriage, she informed her guards about the development and ordered Leo to find the leader of the village and tell him to take care of the mother or else he'll be punished. Climbing back into the carriage, she took out a peice of paper and began to write a letter to her father informing him of it, and asking that he send guards to make sure the woman was being taken care of.
Katrina wished she could say it was out of the good in her heart, but she needed the freckled boy indebted to the kingdom so when he graduated he chose to return and aid them in their war. Their kingdom severely lacked mages, and mages won wars. Once she finished the letter, she told her other guard (Charon) to pay a local to deliver it to the capital. Giving him a royal stamp so he could make it to the king.
Minutes later, she heard a knock on the carriage door. Instructing the boy to come in, she examined him closely. He was pretty. Large almond eyes, long eyelashes she was jealous of, and dozens of freckles that made him seem innocent. His dirty blonde hair only emphasised his eyes. Not her type, but he had been given a good hand in the looks department.
"Are you a trainee yet?" She asked him, not being one would mean he wouldn't be allowed to enter the academy.
"Am I supposed to be?" He replied with his own question. She almost facepalmed at his obliviousness.
"Where's your magical tome which instructs you how to become one." She asked him, they had two weeks to fix an issue which only took a couple of days so it should be fine.
"I don't have one." He responded simply.
"The tester didn't give you one?" She asked him.
"Nope." He said, popping the p. She groaned internally, thinking 'what useless tester was he unfortunate enough to receive.'
"What's your affinity?" Katrina questioned him.
"I have a metal affinity, like my grandfather." He confessed. 'Thank God, he has something going for him.' She cheered internally.
"Read the first two chapters and try and do it." She commanded, as she handed him her tome, not like she needed it anyway. It was a small book that everyone who had an affinity was gifted.
'A metal mage huh, known for their extraordinary defence potential.' She was now overjoyed, it was a muse affinity. A derivation of the earth element.