The Black Unicorn

A safe trip

Knock-knock

"Miss?"

The only reply coming from the young woman bent over a boiling cauldron was the raising of a finger, gesturing for the butler to wait. And so the elderly male closed the door, again setting his gentle gaze upon the girl before him who was counting drops of a rosy potion that she was pouring into the larger container.

"There..." she said, straightening her posture and capping the small phial.

Placing it back in its wooden holster on the nearby table she finally looked to the servant and smiled lightly.

"What is it, Marcus?"

"You have a letter, Miss." the old man replied with a light bow, offering her the fairly sized envelope.

For but a moment she stared at the name of the sender; then she looked back up at the butler who smiled knowingly, before a grin stretched onto her lips and she jumped in his arms with a joyful laughter.

"I can't believe this! I'm going to the Academy!"

"I never doubted your application would be approved, Miss..." the old man chuckled softly. "In all my years I have yet to see a more talented magic user than you."

Releasing him, the young girl practically tore open the envelope in her haste to get the letter out, only to have it fly out of her hands and settle floating near them. Before the girl could ask any questions, however, the paper straightened itself as if puffing up its chest with pride, and began speaking.

"Good day, I am the Acceptance Letter. Through my presence here it is the wish of Headmaster Randolph to inform Miss Rosetta Whitehorn that your application to Gedonelune Royal Magic Academy has been approved. You are hereby summoned to the Academy to begin your training as a student of our prestigious school. You have until tonight to pack any and all things necessary to your stay at the dormitories, after which I shall lead you to the Academy."

"I will inform my father of my acceptance, and begin preparing." she replied calmly, in spite of the excitement bubbling within her. "Come with me..."

"Very well; lead the way."

Leaving Marcus to clean up her unfinished potion, Rosetta left the laboratory with a skip in her walk until at last she was unable to hold back from running toward the other side of the mansion where her father's office was. Upon arriving at the door, she took a deep breath to settle her pulse before knocking.

"Come in." the male responded from within.

"Father, can I talk to you for a minute?" she asked, opening the door to the spacious room.

Raising his gaze from the papers he had been reading, and sighting the letter floating behind his daughter, Remus arched a brow.

"Well... I am impressed. You did get accepted, after all."

"Headmaster Randolph was most pleased with her resume." the letter replied before the girl could say a word. "He is looking forward to having Miss Whitehorn studying at the Academy."

"I'm sure he is..." the man grumbled, almost like a growl.

After all, he would never forget the shame which had fallen upon their family fifteen years prior, when Randolph had recommended Walter Goldstein to be the King's primary maker of magic tools. And all that in spite of the fact that the Whitehorns had been producing such items for generations in advance and were clearly superior to those blonde imbeciles.

"Well, if you want to go I won't stop you." he finally said. "The teachers there are of the highest caliber, no one in the kingdom can doubt that. Just stay away from the Goldstein boys... I've heard two of them are already studying there. So you make sure to stay clear of them; nothing good can ever come from us associating with the likes of them."