New Eyes

Lessons

The young girl slowly and stealthily crept up the stone stairs towards the exit. As she reached the top of the stairwell she could hear the snoring of the guard. She tiptoed past the slumbering guard towards the heavy wooden door. Once she crossed the door she was behind an old bookshelf.

She quietly recited the passphrase "Entra us sangulas," the bookcase swung slowly open in front of her.

She walked out into the library and picked a book that looked interesting. She messed up her hair and rubbed her eyes before walking past the librarian who raised and eyebrow at her.

"Did you have a nice nap?" The librarian asked.

The little girl giggled and held up the book "I got a little wrapped up and fell asleep".

The librarian smiled and nodded "That's a good book. Enjoy it".

The young girl nodded and quickly skipped away into the palace.

Almost immediately as she entered the bright white intricate halls a voice rang out "Princess! Where have you been I've been worried sick!" A spindly lanky man ran down the hallway towards her. It appeared almost like a scarecrow had wandered into the palace, but that wasn't the case. The small man was one of her father's advisers, and her personal handler. He was supposed to teach her and assist in rearing her to become a proper princess, however, the princess' favorite pastime was finding new and inventive ways to evade him.

As the winded man came to a pitiful stop in front of the princess she informed him "I was just over in the library reading. Really no need to worry so much Hovala".

"The king would have my tail if anything were to happen to you! Of course I have to worry!" Panted the brightly clothed man.

She smiled and patted him on the back, "Isn't it almost time for my lessons?" she asked.

Hovala groaned and stood back up straight to his imposing stature of barely-taller than a little girl, "Yes, I do believe it's nearly that time".

Hovala lead her up the stairs towards the hall where she always had her magic lessons. Her father always insisted that she knew how to defend herself. He insisted upon either swordsmanship or magic, and she couldn't swing a sword. Hovala pushed open a light door into the empty classroom. She went to stand behind a large desk as Hovala went to the front of the classroom.

"Have you been practicing your basic levitation and ignition incantations?" asked Hovala.

"You know that I have," she began "you saw me practice yesterday".

"Yes, and it seemed you were having trouble," he replied.

"I wasn't having trouble!" She huffed, "You know I can do it".

"I have no such knowledge," he snarked playfully.

"Arcanas levistra," she muttered.

She lifted two fingers and pointed at the confidant's thick reading glasses that hung by a silk cord around his neck. The glasses floated easily and fell on top of his head.

Hovala smiled "Excellent! Then I take it you're ready for more advanced topics?" He asked.

Elysian opened her mouth to speak as she realized that she'd been tricked, but closed it as she had nothing to say. She nodded and Hovala began to lecture about magic. She sighed and rested her jaw in her palm.

Several hours and many many lessons later it was nearly time for dinner. She eagerly ditched Hovala, and ran to the dining hall to eat with her family. She had arrived first. She arrived before her mother, or her siblings. She was early enough to hear her father bellowing at the top of his lungs at some guard. It wasn't the first time she had heard him yell. She sat down at the table to wait.

"What do you mean you were ASLEEP?!" he roared.

The guard muttered some inaudible reply.

"I don't care how few people ever go there your job is to GUARD HIM! Your job is NOT to nap! Get out of my sight! And if I ever catch you asleep again I'll have you executed!" Her father yelled.

The guard rushed out of the hall past her. It was the same guard from earlier. She hoped that she hadn't been caught. Her father entered the hall and went pale upon seeing her.

"Oh gods. I'm so sorry darling. How much did you hear?" He asked.

She hadn't been caught, "Just some guard sleeping, right daddy?" She replied.

"Thank goodness," he hugged her "we're having pork tonight. I hope you're hungry".

She nodded and hugged her father.