Potions, Power and Pain

Chapter 5

"Oh, I absolutely loved the annual camping trips during my time at the Academy!" Aunt Nula squealed.

"Well, I hated last year, and the year before that, and even the year before that. So if the past is any indication, I will hate the camping trip this year too." Reena had been begging her aunt to let her stay home and skip it. But no such luck, Nula had already made up her mind, Reena would go.

"I think it'll be good for you. You'll get some fresh air, be more connected with nature, and maybe even socialise a little with the other people in your year. Your time at Crestriver is almost over, so just try and make the most of it." Every time Reena heard those exact words, she would simply roll her eyes.

The annual camping trip was a big deal to say the least. Every year, each grade would spend one week camping in the very centre of the Silva, the largest expanse of forest in the entire Earthly Kingdom.

So, against her will, Reena packed a small bag with all her clothes, books, makeup, toiletries, and other necessities and left the comfort of her home to meet her classmates at Crestriver Academy.

*

Once everyone arrived at the Academy, every student made their way to school's carriages. They were all drawn by horses of the utmost perfection. Purposefully bread to be capable of traveling hundreds of miles in minutes.

Reena waited until most of the students had climbed in before making her way to the very last carriage, one she hadn't seen anyone enter.

As she sat down in the corner of the carriage, on the comfortable velvet benches, she realised she was not alone. She had not seen the other girl there.

"Hi, my name is Reena," she said nervously.

Moving her silky black hair out of her face, the other girl looked up at her. "Oh, I know. I think everyone does. I'm Cindy, Cindy Hanako."

Reena was unsure as to whether she should feel offended by what the girl had said about everyone knowing who she was, because it was surely not for the right reasons. But she decided to brush it off. After all Nula had told her to make an effort. "Nice to meet you."

There was a slightly awkward pause in the conversation before Cindy asked, "Do you know who you are going to room with?"

"Oh no I haven't asked anyone, and no one has asked me. I just figured that I would find someone once I got there," Reena answered.

"Well I don't have anyone either, so do you want to share a room with me?" Reena tried to hide her surprise. She hadn't realised that someone would actually want to room with her and had just assumed that whoever she got stuck with would probably be disappointed by it.

"Yes that would be amazing!" Reena replied rather enthusiastically.

*

Calling the trip a 'camping trip', was quite frankly, entirely misleading. Rather than spending the entire week sleeping in makeshift tents and sleeping bags, the students of Crestriver Academy spent their time in various different forms of accommodation that had all been specially built for the annual camping trip.

Some of the rooms were carved and built in the trunks of giant sequoia trees, others were built directly into the earth on hillsides, covered with soil, grass and plants. Some rooms were in cute little cottages, covered in vines, ivy and flowers, while others were elaborate tree houses. There were even some that were in huge mushrooms, that had grown to over fifteen feet. The process of distribution of the rooms operated on one simple rule: first come, first served. Therefore the second they were allowed to, every student raced to pick the nicest room.

In the past, Reena had simply taken the last room that no one wanted, but not this year. Cindy's desire to get a room in the trunk of a giant sequoia tree, had motivated Reena to fight for a nice room.

"Once every student is ready, you may all proceed to your rooms. Please do not fight. I really do not want to have to deal with that today," Mr Datura shouted over the voices of all the eager students. "May I also remind you that drinking, smoking, illegal substances, using glamour on students and shapeshifting so that teachers do not recognise you is all forbidden on this trip." The rules had not changed in years, however something that also had not changed was the students complete disregard for them.

After a few minutes of everyone standing around and collecting their bags, the teachers finally let them rush off to select their rooms.

Reena and Cindy raced off to a giant sequoia tree nearby. Thankfully no one else had aimed to get it.

"I am so glad we got this one," Cindy panted slightly out of breath after running.

"Me too, this is definitely one of the best rooms here," Reena replied. While the room might have appeared to be small from the exterior, once you arrived inside, it was far from that. The ground floor had a beautiful living room with sofas, armchairs, a coffee table, all of it exquisitely furnished.

The girls decided that the first floor would be Reena's room, the furniture in it was just as immaculate as the living room. There was an enormous bed, which at least three people would be capable of fitting in, with comfortable pillows, an expensive duvet and curtains hanging on the four-poster bed. There was a window overlooking the campsite, and a gorgeous bathroom. Despite the camping trip being every year, Reena never failed to be amazed by the bedrooms.

The girls also decided that the second floor would be Cindy's room, which was identical to Reena's in every way.