SONGS AND TRAILS (Book 1)

CHAPTER 36

They had all woken up cranky after the little punishment Caldor had given them. And had become even more cranky when he had forced them to drink the sourroot tea also. The audacity of Daya calling him by his name.

Aurora walked into the lounge room after breakfast in her casual but fancy outfit. She always looked put together. But of course, she was the crown princess, yet she had no stress in her face whatsoever. It seemed Keith managed to keep her intact and stress-free.

"Hope you all had a great stay... and night."

They all groaned.

Caldor walked to her. "You know, I thought you weren't going to show up. It's way too early." He kissed the back of her hand.

Aurora smirked. "I would have stayed but apparently we were all busy today."

"Good morning, Aurora."

"Good morning, Caldor."

Aurora shifted her gaze to the class. "You all look miserable."

Caldor added, "And yet you had some drinks last night."

They all muttered curses under their breaths.

Aurora murmured, "Let me guess, bitterwood water?"

He murmured back, "And sourroot tea."

Aurora laughed. "Okay, here is today's schedule. We are going to have a palace tour on the grounds and I'll explain about the Hawk's Eye's history, laws, and how things actually happen. In short, it's all politics so I'm going to need your brains active. If you think that tea was the biggest punishment, you should know I fly people to the last cloud and watch them retch themselves. So I need your focus here."

Everyone seemed to be active on that note. Caldor smirked at the threat.

"Okay, children, let's be ready in sixty seconds."

Caldor turned to her, "You do know they are grown-ass males and females."

Aurora looked at them with a grin. "Well, it looks like a school trip."

"You understand that I was home-schooled before Greyenvir?"

Aurora just rolled her eyes and started her way.

They walked around the palace grounds and Aurora explained everything that was done around and why they were done that way. They reached the training grounds where all soldiers were in white and silver, with white wings, busy training.

Aurora said, "These are the palace legion. There are three legions in the Hawk's Eye's Order; the palace legion run by me...after my father, then the sky legion run by General Larry Smith, and the night legion run by..." She turned to Caldor with a smirk, "...Keith Khaldabar."

Caldor returned an impressive smirk with a raised eyebrow.

Aurora went on. "The Palace legion protects the palace grounds as far as the woods and the nearby cities and towns. They protect the royals and nobles. They train in the palace training grounds most of the time, but I train anywhere I feel like. All legions have the same training master, General Smith, of the sky legion. He runs after the sad fall of General Kiara Khaldabar. She passed, protecting Princess Mia Talari in battle for the City of Wings." Mia lowered her gaze to the ground in respect for the past general. They all offered the same respect. "She was also a dear friend of mine and...a cousin to Keith Khaldabar." To remove the sad atmosphere, she said, "Well, you can all guess how we met."

Their spirits all became attentive.

"But that isn't the point."

They all grumbled in annoyance.