The New Princess

Chapter 28: Phone training

Soarin's POV

The morning air was quiet, still thick with the calmness of dawn, until an ear-piercing scream shattered it, sending everyone in the palace into a flurry of movement. Within moments, the halls were filled with the hurried footsteps of guards, advisors, and Rainbow's friends, all converging toward her room.

As they entered, they found Rainbow sitting up in bed, clutching a pillow to her chest, her face a mixture of shock and horror. Her eyes darted toward a phone blaring a loud, pop song ringtone from her nightstand.

I stumbled in last, rubbing my eyes and looking around the room, still dazed from sleep. "What's going on?" he mumbled, blinking at the scene in front of him.

Rainbow's eyes narrowed as they fixed on him. "Soarin!" she shouted, pointing at the phone accusingly. "Is that... yours?"

I scratched the back of my head, looking guilty. "Uh... yeah," I admitted, realizing I must have left it in her room the night before. "My bad. Didn't mean to leave it behind."

Rainbow groaned, frustration clear on her face. "Soarin! What the heck?" she exclaimed, a mix of embarrassment and annoyance in her voice.

"Shhh!" I said, holding a finger to my lips as I grabbed the phone. I pressed to answer the call, his voice lowering as I turned away from the others.

The ringtone buzzed, and I fumbled to grab the phone, seeing my sister's name—Agnes—lighting up the screen. Her calls were never random, especially at this time of day.

"Hello?" I answered quietly, hoping not to wake anyone else up.

"Soarin," Agnes's voice came through, a hint of urgency under the calm exterior. "Sorry to call so early, but we have a situation back here in Aeatria."

"A problem?" I leaned against the wall, feeling the weight of concern sink in. "What happened?"

She sighed. "There's been talk around the Aeatria. It seems there's some unrest brewing, and we need to address it before things get out of hand. I was wondering if you'd be able to come by, just for a day or two."

I glanced at the door to Rainbow's room, thinking about how close she was to finally becoming queen. "Of course, Agnes. But what kind of unrest are we talking about?"

"There's a rumor going around that some people are questioning Rainbow Dash's right to the throne. You know... because of the spirit that made us send her to Equestria."

My stomach sank. This was exactly what I'd feared. "That's absolutely true. I mean, this has to be done. I don't see another way. It's better if I come and stay close!"

Her voice softened. "Alright, stay there for now. I'll update you when something new comes up. If we can clear things up on Aeatria's side, that would be ideal."

"Absolutely, stay in touch. I feel like I need to finalize some work this week. I'll give you a call later," I said, pausing for a moment, wondering how Rainbow would take the news.

"Sure, malli. Best of luck to you! And to Rainbow as well," she said warmly. "Stay alert. The closer we get to the coronation, the stronger the resistance might grow." (malli means little bro)

I nodded and said, "Thanks, akki. I'm glad I heard this from you!" So I guess we are going to Aeatria.

As I hung up, I turned to find everyone staring at me with various expressions of curiosity, amusement, and even a hint of bewilderment. I blinked, my face trying to portrait a picture of innocence. "What?" I asked, lifting my hands as if I had no idea why they were all so interested.

Across the room, Rainbow's brother, Blitz, shuffled in, rubbing his eyes and yawning as he looked around in confusion. "What happened?" he muttered, his voice still thick with sleep. "I heard someone screaming."