Queen Hera's Academy

Chapter 2

The following morning was hectic. We were given our timetables and expected to know exactly where to go for our lessons. I was quite happy with my subjects, I mean you had your regular math and geography classes, but we got to learn stuff like the fine arts, and Greek, although sadly I didn't have too many subjects with Aubrey. We met up after our first two periods and I was already exhausted. I usually enjoy learning about Henry's six wives, or Victoria's diamond jubilee, but our teacher was just a wee bit too strict for my liking, so I was more than glad when I could walk out of the dismissed class. Unfortunately, when it was over I also walked out with a pile of books and a crazy amount of homework. I didn't know how I was going to manage.

"Students, please roll out your yoga mat," Mrs. Mulia said. After being bored out of my skull with my history teacher droning on about something which I didn't really care for, a period of yoga was exactly what I needed to enjoy my afternoon and finally... relax. The yoga subject teaches us about meditation and praying, so that when we want to talk to the gods, we know exactly how. to do it Fortunately, yoga was one of the few classes I had with Aubrey.

I love Aubrey, I really do, but sometimes, just sometimes, I wish she would be a bit more quiet. It was difficult to hold the standing tree while trying to converse about whatever Aubrey was saying. I wasn't really paying attention. All I needed to relax was either absolute silence or the gentle Tchaikovsky tunes that were currently playing in the background.

"Change," Mrs. Mulia said in barely a whisper. I lifted my hands above my head, and closed my eyes, but I could still hear talking. I opened my eyes, and I realised I wasn't the only one having a difficult time to relax. All the other pupils were giving Aubrey dirty looks. I tried to close my eyes again and block out the sound, but I opened them almost instantly, to see Aubrey sprawled across the floor.

Everyone was laughing at her. Yes, I was a wee bit annoyed with Aubrey but I still did what any friend would do and helped her up. Unfortunately, that didn't help the chatter quieten down.

"You have the balance of a hippopotamus!" hollered one of the girls.

Another then yelled, "You are a hippopotamus!" of course, everybody shrieked with laughter at that remark.

I could see Aubrey's face was red.

"Your brain is a midget, unlike you."

Aubrey was close to tears. I had to act fast.

"At least she has a brain!" I yelled. My hands clamped my mouth.

Deadly silence.

Sometimes I wish my brain worked faster than my stupid sharp tongue.

Mrs. Mulia couldn't tell who said what, as everyone was yelling, but she definitely heard what I said.

"Miss Thalia, see me after class."

I was so in for it! I can't have detention on my first day of school, especially not with Mrs. Mulia! She is so nice, and I tried really hard to please her this entire lesson, and now I had let her down.

I sat in the office waiting for ages. The only thing to do was to look around the room. I saw portraits of all the Headmistresses and Headmasters, dating way, way, way back to the early sixteen hundreds when the school had just opened. The castle itself was actually at least a thousand years old. There was a vase full to brim with masses and masses of flowers, but they were all dead. At the back room I saw a tile made of stone built into the back wall and in it, someone had carved the face of beautiful Queen Hera. I got the feeling that I wasn't the only one in the office anymore, and I shuddered.

That night I thought about telling Aubrey what was on my mind but she was sound asleep along with eight other girls. I still couldn't quite shake the strange feeling that I had, and it was starting to irritate me. All my dreams had just come true but I wasn't being grateful. I had been given everything I wanted, but I still felt empty. My parents had pulled so many strings so I could attend this prestigious school, so why wasn't I satisfied?