Voiceless Bird

Chapter 1

How Lonely Will I Be?

The Academy.

It was the only thing people talked about nowadays... but I didn't need to worry because it wasn't like I had a chance.

The Academy was where fifteen year old's got chosen to train to become Royals, who upheld peace in our country, Anatosia. 

The selectors were coming next week and that was why everybody was crazy about it- including my best friend Misty. All Royals had to be smart, beautiful and powerful. Misty ticked all those boxes... though I supposed she needed some work on the smart bit. 

I was standing in front of my school's gates waiting for Misty, as per usual. It would be the end of school before she realised that she's late, and trust me, it's happened before.

"Night! There you are I thought you went inside and left me!" It wasn't like I waited anywhere else, I thought. Misty giggled and before I could react, grabbed my arm and pulled me inside. 

I looked down.

I disliked attention, hated raising my voice and with the prettiest girl I know—which was not a lot of people—dragging me along it was hard to go unnoticed. Hello's and Hey's chorused as Misty sailed confidently through the classroom to our seats. I sat down as soon as Misty released her hold on me, took a glance out the window and and sighed at my reflection.

It wasn't as though I was horribly ugly, but I looked pretty plain- actually no, scratch that- very plain. My hair covered most of my stone grey eyes, but in most lights it looked pitch black. They were like an empty void that sank down to unknown depths. Even for me, it was a bit creepy.

"So, how was your weekend?" 

I turned to Misty at the sound of her voice, but before I could open my mouth, Misty cut in. 

"I had so much fun! I went shopping with Mum and we bought some pretty clothes for me to wear when I attend the Academy."

I sighed again—this time internally—of course she thought she was going to the Academy. Not that she was wrong, but buying clothes when she hadn't yet been Selected, and doesn't the Academy have uniforms?

I nodded and smiled at her. Misty grinned and flipped her long hair back as she turned to the front the same moment Ms Red walked through the door.

After calling out the roll, Ms Red walked around the room, handing out our latest test and stopped as she arrived at my desk.

"Congratulations Nightingale," she said, I held my breath- did I do alright? The suspense was killing me, "a hundred percent... again." Ms Red dropped my test on my table and moved on.

"Thank you." My voice was barely over a whisper. I heard a giggle next to me and was reminded of Misty; she couldn't have gotten any worse than the fifty-five per cent she got last time. I smiled, it was great that she improved- I guess my coaching had paid off. 

"I got forty-nine per cent!" Misty's voice rang as loud as the bell that sounded only seconds ago.

Then again, maybe not.

**

I looked over to the sound of Misty filing her nails. I was trying- in vain- to go through our exam with her; and I was getting frustrated. I sometimes wondered if Misty was only friends with me because I could help her with her homework and studies. I shook my head, trying to dispel those thoughts. Misty had been my best—and only—friend since I was young, there was no way that she'd stay with me just because she wanted to make use of me... right?

 I dropped the pen and leaned back, level with Misty, and she looked at me with a scrutinizing sideways glance. 

"You're really shy, you know that? Especially around strangers." Well, way to point out the obvious. Misty sighed, waiting for my answer. What was I supposed to tell her? That there was something called stranger danger? She knew... right?

"Actually scratch that, you're shy of almost everything. You do know that once I leave for the Academy I won't be there for you. You're going to have to fend for yourself, without your best friend—oh wait, no—without your only friend." Misty glared angrily at me. 

Whoa, excuse me, what had I done to deserve this glorious attention from my only friend? Again, with the Academy, she was linking almost everything with the Academy! Who said I wasn't going to the Academy? Oh, wait, that was me... 

Misty stared at me waiting for my answer- which was pretty annoying. I turned away and muttered something under my breath, hoping that she would leave it. She scoffed with disbelief and snatched her exam from the table.

I watched her walk out of the room without saying anything. I knew that she was annoyed at me, but I didn't even know why. Misty paused at the doorway, her head slightly turned towards me.

"When I leave for the Academy, I think it would be best if you make some new friends." Misty sighed, then left, leaving me in silence. 

Did she mean that once she was at the Academy—we would no longer be friends?

I trudged back towards my dorm, where most school-age orphans in Anatosia lived.  I thought long and hard about why Misty would say that.

How lonely would I be when she left?

~~

A/N: Trailer at the top made by the awesome  ChristinaAnnRiley !! Thanks again!