1 - Daughter Of The Storm

10 - Ella's Dance

1st day of the scythe season 2447

Followed by Fayne, Azéna walked up to the girls' bedrooms, feeling her irritation flare with every step. They found their name on one of the many doors: the fourth room for two.

"By Elysia, we're together!" exclaimed the excited rebel who had completely forgotten why she was cranky a moment earlier.

Everything was so different and fascinating here. It was hard to do otherwise.

"I didn't know there were rooms for two people," Fayne informed. "They probably put us together because we're good friends. They did that so fast. How... ?"

"I feel like that makes me sound dumb, but since we've arrived, I feel like anything is possible so... do I dare guess with magic?"

She opened the door and rushed into the room. It consisted of two small beds with each a nightstand, a window, a wardrobe and a boudoir. She simply dropped her things on the floor and wrapped herself in the blankets of her cozy bed.

"Finally, I can sleep in peace," she celebrated, cuddling her feather pillow.

"So, do you want to invite Teriondil to accompany us for supper?"

Azéna nodded, acting crazy on the bed that was now a total disaster.

"Hey! Our schedule," Fayne informed, finding a scroll on hers.

"What?" barked her friend, jumping up. "Ahhh, damn it! I must have crushed mine!"

She patted around, threw the covers into a corner of the room and finally found her own schedule, which was indeed crumpled. She was in group number two like Fayne. So they would have all their classes together. Teriondil, being in group four, would share three out of five with them.

✦ Introduction to karsayrethtes, draconic language

✦ Introduction to draconic psychology

✦ Dragon welfare I

✦ General history

✦ Introduction to elemental mastery

Azéna felt the blood drain from her face as she read these class titles. They almost all corresponded to the huge books Vigoth had bought her which meant plenty of theory and memorization.

"No action?!" she exclaimed in outrage. "What kind of academy is this? I didn't come here to become a scholar!"

"Remember what Terenas said about the names of the towers," Fayne informed. "The first step is knowledge. You have to start there before you can apply what you know."

The rebel girl cocked her head to one side in confusion as her friend sighed and grabbed her hand.

"Let's go wait for Teriondil. Supper starts soon."

"W-wait!"

She walked over to the nightstand next to her bed and put away her family's ring that rested on her finger. After all, she had no connection to them anymore. She had taken an oath. Glad that she didn't have to see it any longer, she smiled and followed Fayne toward the exit.

Teriondil was already waiting for them by the fire. He was still drinking the strange liquid he seemed to love so much. Azéna wondered what it was, maybe some kind of fruit or bark juice. Imagining what it would taste like made her cringe.

"Ready for supper?" asked Fayne.

The elf took a last sip and followed his new friends to the first floor.

Supper was quite hectic. Most of the apprentices were discussing their schedules, their new classes, the masters, and what lay ahead. Teriondil expressed fear, anxiety. He confessed to being intelligent, but not in the area of academics. Calling himself artistic, he explained his problem with lack of concentration in class. Fortunately, he was exempt from the ones he had completed last year.