Waking up at the crack of dawn certainly wasn't on my to-do list, but here I am braiding my still-wet hair into two, one on the top of my left side and the other on my top right. I should probably braid it up into a crown for the sake of not losing my hair, but I don't have the skills for that. Hopefully, no one grabs my hair and rips it from my scalp today. Standing up from my desk, I walked over to the floor-length mirror and assessed my outfit for the day, tugging on my blue fighting leathers to smooth them out. A knock on my door sounded, and I sighed heavily. It's probably Lyle. Opening the door, I looked up at him.
"C'mon, Princess, it's time to go to our first assignment."
Folding my arms across my chest, I stood back on my heels, "And you're what? Walking me to class?"
His eyes went from my face, to my torso, and back up to my eyes, "Well, I can't call myself a chivalrous man without meaning it now, can I? Stop being a brat and let's go," he turned and walked away down the stairs.
Groaning, I ran out the door, shutting it behind me, and followed him down the stairs. "You know, this whole name-calling thing is starting to get old."
"You know what's starting to get old? You being a brat," he snapped at me.
Narrowing my eyes at him, I huffed, "Listen, I didn't help you out yesterday for you to snap at me and call me a brat. So stop being just a prick of a Prince!"
Grabbing my wrist, he pulled me against him, his body was hot, "Alright, fine. Now you listen, that chart shit that Alec pulled yesterday has changed the game. If I don't perform up to the standards of your kind then I'm screwed. Your kind is not like mine, you guys are more agile and lean. In case you haven't noticed, I am a more muscular but stockier man."
"Trust me, I've noticed..." I mumbled.
A grin started to appear on his face. "I'm sorry, what was that? You're checking me out?"
"N-no! I'm just saying that I've noticed the difference between us! There's nothing wrong with that, Lyle."
"Uh-huh," he let go of my wrist.
Rubbing circles where he held my wrist, he looked down at them with an eyebrow raised, but didn't say a word. I bruise like a damn peach. Walking silently next to each other, we went to our first lesson, which happened to be magic training, my personal favorite. The elements usually come pretty easily for us Fae, especially the Royals, considering we try to be most in tune with it; I mean, most, if not all, of our festivals surround Earth and her magic. I am unsure of how easy magic comes to Humans or even if they hold any festivals to commune with Earth and her gifts.
"Lyle?"
"Yes, Princess?" he faced forward.
"Do you guys celebrate anything? Like we celebrate the Fall and Spring Equinox, we also celebrate life throughout the Summer."
"Nothing in the Winter?"
I shrugged, "Not particularly. Winter is a time of rest, and we generally spend our time with our families."
He nodded and looked at me out the side of his eyes, "Well, we celebrate the Summer and Winter Solstice instead of the Equinoxes. We tend to throw big feasts for them, but we haven't been able to in the past...five years or so," he shrugged at his last bit.
My eyebrows knit together, "What do you mean? Why wouldn't you celebrate something that signifies importance to you? In the Fall and Spring Equinox, that is the most primal time for us. It releases us back to our ancestors...it tends to be a pretty interesting sight. I wouldn't know, unfortunately."
That's when he faltered in his steps and waved a finger at me, "No, Princess, if they're as primal as you're saying they are, I'm sure you wouldn't want to go. And, to answer your question, we don't have the goods to do it. Our farmers aren't turning over as much product as they usually do; it's like the Earth is giving out on us. We've tried rotating crops, rotating land for the crops, and different fertilizers, but for some reason, she's given out on us. So, we're having to pay money to get different food supplies from other places."
I frowned. "That's disappointing that that's happening to your kingdom."
"It's whatever, we have to move on and try other strategies to keep the kingdom going."
"You say 'we' like you have the intention of going back. Don't tell me you're doing this to take a dragon and go back to your kingdom?" my mouth spoke before my brain could think. I just revealed what I was thinking the entire time. But he was silent. Am I right, or did I strike a nerve?
Eventually, we got to the lesson, which happened to be outside. I bet my fair skin looks like a shining white beacon outside since it is so sunny out. The Professor waited patiently for all of us to get comfortable, and by all of us, I mean literally all of us; every Royal child is here.
"Okay, so we're going to be going over basics here today. I'm going to assume that you guys know what you're doing," he stopped and looked at Lyle, "Hopefully, all of you. So what we're going to do is show me each of you knows how to do the elements. Once each of you shows me that you can do the basics, then we'll move on to what you can do with them."
Saxon raised his hand. "What will the magic trial be like?"
Of course, he'd ask that question. He wants to know everything...but it is a good one.
The Professor stopped in front of him and cleared his throat, "The trial will be difficult, sure, but it's nothing that you won't be prepared for. You will be fighting amongst yourselves only using magic to defeat your other opponent, and once you pass that, you are good to go to the next trial."
Saxon pursed his lips, "And where does the chart come into this?"
"Ah, that pesky thing...right, so throughout the year, I will have different rankings for you all, and that ranking also decides who you will go against in your trial. So the first ranking seed will go against the last, the second ranking will go against the second to last, and so on and so forth. If there are any deaths, the ranking will be moved around to fit the needs of the current selection. Make sense?"
We all nodded our heads and he pulled everyone up one by one to see they're magic, "Lyle, you can do this right?"
He rolled his eyes with a growl and looked down at me, "Yes, Princess, I can. Now, will you shut up so I can concentrate?"
My mouth fell open. How dare he speak to me that way? "I'm sorry? That was really fucking rude."
He growled again, this time deep, "Fine, I'm sorry, but I'm already on edge around all of you guys and I need to concentrate."
Rolling my eyes, I rubbed my hands down my sides. I'm so sweaty, this sun is terrible for me; I even feel a damn sunburn coming on. Professor was already close to Lyle. How the hell is everyone already done?
He walked up to Lyle and tilted his head to the side, "Show me. Doesn't matter the order, just start with what you're comfortable with."
Lyle released a breath and held out his right palm and creating a tunnel of wind. Thank Moon, he can manage that. My eyes were glued to his palm as he went through Earth, then Water poured out from his hands and spilled out the side; wow, he's good. But when he got to the Fire element, he hesitated and sparked a small flame from his fingertips. I noticed that his chiseled jaw tightened, but was that because he felt as if he is weaker? His eyes were locked onto the Professor before he nodded and went to me, the last one.
"Ah, Blake, how are you, dear?" Why is he so nice to me?
"Uh, I'm fine. How are you?"
He nodded lazily and gestured for me to hold up my hands, "I'm good, thank you. You know your father and mother were the best magic students I ever had."
I held up my hand and smiled smally, but I am annoyed at his mention of my father, "Yeah, I bet. I've always heard how good they were together before his untimely death. Which would you like me to start with? I'm guessing it doesn't matter?"
He smiled brightly and nodded for me to go. Holding out my palm, I felt the energy coursing through me and went through Fire, which feels like a simmering heat beneath my skin. Earth, a steady feeling as if someone is holding my muscles tautly. Giving him a tunnel of Air in my palm, it feels as if someone stole the air from my lungs in one quick motion, but then forced it back into me. Lastly, Water feels as if ripples flow from my heart to my toes and send a cooling effect. What if... I directed my quick demonstration of Water at the Professor, essentially soaking him; a chorus of laughter erupted from the crowd. That's what he gets, knowing my father is a touchy subject. He must've known?
"Blake! What the hell did you do that for?"
"Oops! I'm so sorry, Professor. I must've lost control after you spoke to me about my father, who you know is dead."
He stopped and narrowed his eyes at me, with a snap. He was dry, "Listen, girl, if you can't control your emotions then you are hopeless."
The day went by after that without a hitch. Everyone was talking in quite a cheerful spirit, I am unsure how any of us could kill another while we are so...happy? It's as if everyone is content with where or who they are, I guess that's before the score chart comes into play, and everyone starts getting jealous or self-conscious about how they're doing. Lyle is nowhere to be found, though, which is quite strange, usually he is beside me like a wart stuck to your skin. I wonder where the library is? Pulling my mom's map from my front pants pocket, I opened the map and saw the library was in the building with the training areas, but to the left of them.
"I'll see you, Addison. I'm going to the library."
She waved me off while she and Landon were talking, well, she was talking and he was listening, and then I got up from the table and hurried. I wonder if there is any information about the Humans in there, I mean, Lyle knows more than what we're led to believe, right? We were told from the beginning that the Humans don't possess common magic and now all of a sudden, we are told that they do? Even my mother knew and brushed my questioning off like I was wrong; I'm never wrong. Then Lyle mentioned that they have information on dragons, which is strange because we've had them for hundreds of years. That's why it's time to go to the library, maybe the books have something.
Getting to it was easy enough, direct left after you walk in. Walking into the library was honestly amazing if you're into that sort of stuff. It was huge with the bookcases lining the walls all the way up to the ceiling with a huge window overlooking the field where the dragons like to lay in the sun. Looking at all the texts gives me a comforting sensation, the smell of the books was heavy in the air and I inhaled deeply through my nose. My dad used to take me to the library and read me childrens books until I fell asleep. But, this could take me forever to sort through by myself... I bet there is a filing system that says what is where. Examining the room I found a filing cabinet and started sifting through the files, I am looking for Humans. Rifling through the Hs I didn't find much, most of it was about the war which could lead to some hints but what if it says the same thing? Wait, what is that? I grab the paper that says "Dragons and Humans: A Test of Time" by N. Credian. Interesting...
Walking over to the 'C' bookcase I start looking for this "Credian" person, and I certainly have never heard of them before, "Aha! Found you," I grab the book, it's freaking huge, and carry it over to one of the tables and I sit down cracking it open.
"Dear Reader, this book is about Dragons and Humans as we know it. Sit back, and enjoy."
Well, that's a specific intro. Skipping the first couple of pages I start reading. At first it starts off with the beginning of the war, and how Humans have always been jealous of Fae with their attunement with the dragons and magic of the land. But, then it starts to take a turn and explain how the war was disastrous for both parties involved and why the treaty between us was made. Why all of this information when we already have that? Seems silly.
"Dragons as we know it are the most magical, and destructive beings on this Earth. We must protect them, for they protect us."
"Protect us? What do you mean Credian?" I dive into the book more.
"Am I interrupting something?"
I jump, banging my knee against the table, "Ow," I exclaim with a hiss, whipping my head to see Lyle leaning in the doorway, "what the hell Lyle? Trying to give a girl a scare?"
He blows a raspberry, "Of course not. I'm too good looking for that and you know it," he waltzes over and grabs the book from my hands and closes it, "C'mon, let's go do something fun."
I must stay calm in order for him to not get suspicious about what I'm reading, it might not be seen as good, "What fun? We're just here on an island, hundreds of miles away from any civilization."
He tsked me and grinned, "C'mon. I'll show you," he grabbed my arm sending tingles up and down from where he touched me. The hell? He walked me outside then immediately turned around to face me. Water splashed on my face and I gasped, I'm soaked.
"Oh you're going to get it!" I struck my arm out and the cool water erupted from my palm, striking him in the torso. His left hand went to his torso and he faked a gasp, then from the right he hit me with more water hitting me on the thigh. I have to take him out somehow for a final blow, but what? I know...I pointed behind me, "Dragon!"
He turned around so fast and I struck his back, his white shirt now soaked on the back made it practically see through. Are those scars? Stepping up slightly I examined quickly, those are scars. Lyle turns back around and connects the dots quicker than I could've imagined, "The fuck are you doing, Princess?"
"Nothing," say something besides nothing, you bonehead, "I was just–"
"Just nothing, Blake," he left.
That fucker really left. I mean, I did cross some sort of boundary about his back but it's not like I asked? Whatever. Addison and Ridoc walked up to me with a look of confusion as Lyle storms off and slams the door to our wing behind him.
"Damn, what's up with him? He couldn't get any action or what?"
Addison not-so-gracefully pointed her elbow into his ribs, "Shut up. It's not like that dimwit. He's... he's... why did he leave, Blake?"
I bit my lip looking towards the direction he walked off to, "Well, our water fight got out of hand."
Addison didn't look like she believes my short story, but Ridoc shrugs, "Well, it doesn't matter anyway. You want to come with us to dinner?"
"It's already dinner time? How long was I in that library for?" I squinted up towards the sun.
"Long enough for Lyle to come rescue you from the books. Jeez man, you'll catch a fever in that place," Ridoc shivered as if the idea disturbed him. Addison rolls her eyes with a smile and grabs my hand pulling me to them. We set a leisurely pace on the way back to the dining hall. Addison and Ridoc started arguing, but about what I wouldn't be able to tell you. My mind started playing flashbacks about Lyle's back. Why were there burn scars on him?
"Right, Blake?" their heads were turned towards me, Addison's eyes were wide with expectation.
"Yeah, of course."
"See! I told you that the Summer Court is better than Spring!" she pointed her finger at him with a toothy smile.
He rolled his eyes, "That doesn't matter, you're only saying that because your parents are the High Fae."
"Guys, I don't think –" I tried to butt in.
Addison gasped leaning away from him, "I'm only saying that we're better because we literally have the best Court customs. I mean, c'mon, mushroom rituals? What gets better than that? Our mushroom rituals literally help with the Dragon Rite."
Ridoc stopped, "Wait, so the very thing that you guys do every day is giving you an advantage towards this thing?"
"No!" Addison shook her head vigorously, "Not at all, we do that to just calm our nerves and connect with Earth. What they do to those mushrooms is different, it's like they engineered those."
Huh. That's strange.
Ridocs rolls his eyes and trudges to the dining hall, inside the dining hall he sits at the farthest table where the plates are empty but the food on the table is full and overflowing. We sat down together, I'm on Ridoc's right with an empty seat next to me. He started stabbing the food filling up his plate. Where's Lyle? I felt prickles at the back of my neck and looked over. Lyle's covered in dirt, his shirt is tight against his soaked torso. He started walking towards our table and sat down across from Saxon who was diagonally across from me. I examined Lyle. Is that blood?
"Whoa, dude are you okay?" Saxon eyed him and pointed at his shirt, "You have blood on your shirt."
"I'm fine, "dude"." Lyle snapped at him.
Saxon put down his fork and tilted his head to the right, "What kind of attitude do you have? Is that any way to speak to your superiors?" he bit back.
Lyle abruptly stood up with a snarl, "Listen you piece of Fae shit, I don't care who you are. I am the Prince of Endorskarr and you will not speak to me like that."
Saxon slowly stood up and leaned on the table closer to Lyle, "Still Human trash," he spat. Oh Welun.
Lyle grabbed Saxon's shirt collar and hauled him across the table, "Say that again."
A grin spread across his face, "Human. Trash."
Lyle balled up a fist, swung back and punched Saxon in the face. Oh my Welun. That was totally deserved. Soon there was a full brawl, and the more he fought against Lyle, the more Saxon got hurt.
"Lyle," I stated.
Crunch.
"Lyle," I stated louder.
Crack.
"Lyle!" I shouted at him grabbing his arm, "Stop punching him to death!"
"He called me trash! Fucker deserves it," he stopped with a fist raised in the air, his breathing rapid.
"I know, I know, he's an asshole but you can't kill him. Please," I pleaded. I don't know if I could handle Saxon dying on the first day. Not because I think he's a friend but more like he could be of use one day. I feel a pull telling me that I need to know his secrets.
Lyle's eyes looked down into my eyes. Reading me. With the grace of Welun he released him, grabbing my arm and started walking towards the exit.