Woodbridge Recollection : The Hidden Kingdom

Chapter 9: Duty.

  "I'm just glad I got to take a shower this morning," I muttered bitterly as I climbed off Vincent's horse.

"Having a meeting with the council is a lot more pleasing," Kelian said as a matter of fact. "Showers don't decide your fate."

I scoffed.

"Neither does the council," I said. "I decide my own fate."

"Come, come," Vincent said and pushed me towards the academy doors. "You should never be late with anything concerning the council."

"Apparently," I sighed.

I stepped quickly, letting Vincent lead me through the doors. Kelian walked quickly, the both of them ending up in front of me. I had to jog every few seconds to keep up with their pace. I guess that's what I get for not trying hard enough to get away from Zacarias when he brought me here.

When Vincent, Kelian and I arrived inside the auditorium, things seemed to be become more intense.

Inside the auditorium, the five council members were already seated behind their massive council table, staring as we walked up the length of the blue carpet.

"Thank you, Vincent," said Georgina as we approached. "Thank you, Kelian. Resume your duties."

Both Vincent and Kelian bowed their heads and turned back. As they walked back down towards the door, Kelian gave me a simple pat on the shoulder.

I stepped on, approaching the end of the carpet before the council. I paused at the end and stared at the five members seated before me. The five consisted of the same people I had seen within the room yesterday. Georgina, Maximus, the young woman with the red pixie hair, the young blond man and an older man.

Maximus was seated in the middle. Georgina was on his right and the older man was on his left. The younger two were seated on either end of the council table.

"Welcome back, Zelena," said the woman with the pixie hair. Her voice was rather husky, calm and feminine. I nodded my head at her. "Let me be the first to reintroduce myself. I'm Verona."

"I'm Skylar," said the blond man on the other end. "Welcome back to the academy."

"It's good to have one of our best starting warriors back," said the older man on Maximus' left.

"And you are, sir?" I then asked.

"Drezon," he answered.

"Pleasure," I simply said. "What do I owe for the meeting summons?"

"We need to discuss your return with you," Maximus then said. "Make decisions on what we will have to do with you now that you are back among us."

I shrugged my shoulders.

"When you left, you were only a few months into your first year within the order," Georgina said. "The years that you have missed are well acknowledged."

"Most of which was discussed among us in detail," Drezon continued.

"Yeah?" I simply said when it seemed that they were expecting a reply form me.

"It is unusual for members to be backtracked," he said. "Each initiate has to train further for three years before they are acknowledged as an expert within the order. This goes according to age and birth date. It is unusual for a twenty-three year old to be among the first years. However, since you have no memory, there's no guarantee that your training remains up to standard."

"Okay," I said. "So does that mean that I am no longer part of this order?"

"Of course not," Verona answered.