Timeline: a Wings of Fire fanfiction (COMPLETED)

24.

Clearsight

I have no idea what I'm doing.

I mean, sure. I made a lesson plan, practised through the whole weekend pretending Darkstalker was my student, and I am technically following it. Or I will. I will follow it. It's not happening yet. Time is weird for me.

I still don't understand. Queen Vigilance hated us last week, and now she fires Allknowing for saying things that I'm betting she was already thinking?  It doesn't make sense.

I frown. Darkstalker said that when I find the queen confusing, sometimes it's because the queen is confused too.

I don't think she's a very happy dragon. I kind of feel sorry for her, to be honest.  It must... be really empty. Not knowing who you are like that.

I have the whole morning to revamp the classroom and rearrange things--which is actually very necessary. Allknowing has this place set up to look like a high-security courtroom. I mean, when I was a dragonet, I never noticed that, obviously, but now I've actually been to real trials I realize how intimidating the whole setup is.

I survey the classroom, every little nook and cranny, noticing how she smashed a couple of ink jars on the ground--maybe after she found out she was being fired or something. The stain looks like it's already soaked into the rug, little bits of broken glass scattered everywhere.

Darkstalker let me borrow his scroll since he can control it with his mind now anyway, and said I could do whatever spells I needed to clean things up. I spell the ink off the floor.

I add cushions and add some scroll-shelves in the corner, where Allknowing had an imposing tapestry of the queen.

I clean out the skylights and windows--these things get dirty really quick, apparently. I magic a couple of plants to pop into being around the windows and hang some of them from the ceiling--it might just be me, but plants always make a space feel more calming. I used that trick in my office, and it sort of helps.

It feels like it should be harder than this. This classroom holds so many bad memories. The tension. The jealousy. The constant, pulsing fear.

It takes me a second to realize how distant that feels, now. All of it.

It's over.

I start to write on the chalkboard.

***

My class is made up of three students. I knew this, but somehow even despite my visions, I was picturing a larger group of dragons.

It's a strange feeling, being in this classroom--but not being a student.

"Hello everyone." I pause, resisting the urge to flap my wings around anxiously. "I'm--"

"Aren't you the queen's seer?" One of the older dragonets asks, looking at me with his head tilted sideways. Sharp-eyes. I've had visions about him before.

Hold your ground. You're in control here.

"I am. However, in light of some recent events, I will now be your new seer-training teacher." Deep breath. You've got this.

"Why?" Another one of the smaller dragonets--Starwatcher--asks. Sharp-eyes shoots her a look.
"I know why, " He says, looking me straight in the eye. "It's because of that article Allknowing wrote about you in the paper. I read it."