Rumerra - The Journey Begins

Chapter 13 - The Elven Princess (Part II)

In Eldar, Velvet was wondering when their competition would be announced. Every academy needed to select a champion for the Magornis and most did it in the same way—by letting the graduates of the last five years battle it out in a friendly elimination-style dueling tournament. The one who won it all was declared the academy champion and would be representing them.

For some reason, Eldar academy didn't seem to be in a hurry to announce this competition any time soon. This struck Velvet as odd, and so she asked Loretta about it. When the elf said she had no idea, the girl went on to ask Miss Pampleton—surely she must know, right?

"We've been given orders from the king to withhold on announcing it," the scholar explained.
This only opened up more new questions. Why would the king be doing this? Was it not in his best interest for his kingdom to be represented well at the Magornis?

Even Priscilla herself couldn't answer these questions. She knew something, though. Velvet saw in her eyes that she was hiding something from her. The question was—what?

It wouldn't take long for the girl to find out. Just two weeks later, the academy was to receive a visit from the elven king himself and Velvet had a sneaking suspicion that this had something to do with the competition.

"Does your king visit the academy often?" she asked Loretta.

"No," the elf answered. "It's very strange for the king to announce a visit like this. Usually, it's only for important ceremonies or graduations, where he gives a speech. This is odd."

"You think he's going to announce the academy competition?"

"I don't know, but the timing of this visit is ripe for that," the girl replied, looking worried.

"Is there something wrong?" Velvet asked, noticing that something was bothering her.

Loretta shook her head and forced a smile. "No. I'm all right. You don't have to worry."

"If you say so," her friend didn't really believe her. "If there is something, you know you can always tell me—I won't judge, even if you think it's stupid or minor."

"Thanks," she nodded. "You're a good friend, Velvet."

The day of the visit came around sooner than either of them expected it. Velvet trained daily with Priscilla and spent the rest of her free time with her new friend. Time just flew by.

All the students were gathered in the great hall when a luxurious-looking carriage stopped in front of the academy, a tall and just as lavishly dressed elf stepping out of it. His servant and two guards were walking with him across the park, and all the students were glued to the windows, wanting to get a glimpse of their king. All except Velvet and Loretta. They were sitting in the corner and talking instead.

"Don't you want to go look at the king?" the human asked her. "This is exciting, isn't it?"

"You can go ahead if you want," she waved her hand. "I much rather spend the time talking to you. We will see him when he gives his speech or whatever he came here to do anyway."

"In that case, I will stay here with you," Velvet smiled. "My friend is more important to me than some king of a foreign land."

Loretta returned a half-hearted smile and glanced down at the table before her.

"You're doing it again," her friend pointed out. "Something's bothering you, isn't there?"

Just as Loretta wanted to answer, the door to the great hall flung open, and the servant stepped in while the two guards took post on each side of the door.

"His Majesty, King Varus Julian Hoshinov the third, ruler of the elven lands!" the servant announced and bowed while the man in a colorful suit and a crimson bowtie entered the room.

All of the students that weren't standing up yet did so and the ones at the windows quickly scuttled away, not wanting to appear like they were spying on their king. The headmaster, a tall elf with white hair and a short goat beard, walked down the middle of the hall to greet him.

"Greetings, your Majesty," he said, bowing deeply and probably breaking his back while doing so. "It is my pleasure to welcome you to our humble academy."

"The pleasure is mine," the king smiled. His hair was as colorful as his wardrobe—a bright shade of vermillion, contrasted by the golden crown he wore. "I trust you know the nature of my visit today, headmaster Winkleshaw. You have received my letter, yes?"

"Of course," the white-haired elf straightened himself from his bowing position. "Right this way, your Majesty," he gestured, and they walked across the hall toward a podium at the end of it.