The Hellish Ride

At Linwood Mage academy,

Brax, Edvin, Wayne, and Mirela got the news that Eugenie and Zander returned to the palace with Freya and Alora. Thus, they hang out in the academy, completely bored without their two friends.

Lying on the bench, Wayne grumbled swinging his leg, "We always went on battles." So they used to be too occupied to even think of Alora, "I didn't know I would miss Sister Alora in just a few hours."

Brax and Edvin glanced at Wayne, without voicing that they missed the sisters too. The morning was bleak without them.

Mirela jumped to the ground from the tree and asked, "If Alora calls the Principal as father and Crown princess as a mother, if she is also taken to the royal palace, she is a Princess too, right?"

The three looked at her without response to it. Initially, everyone heard the introduction of Freya as Princess Freya Linwood Roosevelt whereas, Alora was only introduced as Alora Linwood.

They avoided her, and looked at her suspiciously, only until she took their first class. She stole everyone's heart. They just fell in love with her, her voice, her smiles. Then they liked her innocence, her equal politeness with each one, may it be a noble or a peasant, and for always remembering everyone and taking care of each of them.

They never understood why nobody addressed Alora as Princess or spoke of her. So they had assumed Zander must have adopted Alora.

"Sister Mirela…" Zeke's voice sounded when ran up to them, as he looked around. "Brother Brax…" He looked at the four as he asked, "Why hasn't sister Alora arrived at the academy yet?"

"One more is missing Sister Alora." Wayne sighed while Brax sent Zeke to focus on his training.

The four's mood suddenly took a sharp turn when they noticed Agost and his aide, Cyrus walking in the academy at their leisure. Their hostility towards the prince was evident in their gazes and body language.

Some of the mages admired Agost for battling the monsters on the previous day. They took him as a hero. However, the five: Freya and these four found him suspicious. It wasn't because they failed to kill the monsters, they just couldn't trust Agost.

Agost ignored them and went towards the Principal office. He waited half a day before a middle-aged man rushed into the room with Brax, Wayne, Mirela, and Edvin.

Zander's younger brother, Zachary Linwood was supposed to be the principal of the academy from the beginning as Zander was a Crown Prince and had duties for the Anka.

When Zander left the palace with Eugenie and their daughters, Zachary voluntarily stepped off to give the Principal position to his elder brother. Then Zachary started traveling the nation finding the mages, briefing them about the importance, and persuading them to train.

He would love to travel and spread the knowledge rather than stay at the academy. Anyhow, he respected his duties and returned as soon as his father sent him a letter.

Thus he was appointed as the new principal of the academy. He paused looking at Agost before noticing the brooch on his coat.

"Prince of Wilburn!" He said as he took a seat, "Please wait outside for a moment." Unlike Zander, Zachary was too straightforward, without caring who he would offend by his words. His priority was Anka and his duties over the neighboring nation and its monarch.

Agost: "..."

He watched the man take Zander's chair. He saved Anka from a big disaster, they didn't only appreciate his efforts, they weren't apologetic for making him wait half a day.

Being sent out to wait without attending to him was disrespectful for a prince. Since it was a different kingdom, he clenched his fist and obliged.

Zachary looked at the four standing at the other side of the table, "Wayne, would you like to continue learning in the academy or join the three and become a knight?" Wayne was younger in the group and he had a lot to learn.

Not just Wayne, the other three were also surprised by the news. 'Were they going to be knights?' They were excited but didn't show it on their faces.

Wayne responded in a clear voice, "I would like to be a knight and serve our nation, Principal Zachary." He could study and explore his magical powers whenever he would have spare time.

Zachary noticed no unwillingness in the four. He started writing a letter as he spoke, "I won't tell you who will be your master and what are your tasks.

You are departing to the Royal Roosevelt palace right away. Your three months special training for knighthood will start as soon as you step into the capital.

There are horses at the teleportation gate, your uniform will be sent to you soon…"

His instructions continued when the four looked at each other. As soon as they were picked as the best among hundreds of mazes, they were being secretly and rigorously trained to protect the next Crown Princess.

Thus they had assumed that they were going to serve Freya. They were thrilled about the upcoming challenges but there was some kind of anxiety they couldn't fathom.

So far, they were like friends. Now, there will be a change in hierarchy, priorities, and jobs. Will they become master and servants?

What if they will be appointed as knights to somebody else?

Many uncertainties were making them anxious. One thing was certain, their life was definitely going to change.

...

Agost who was at the door, unmindfully heard them, 'Principal?' He started mulling over the situation. Zander was a crown prince who left the palace and took care of the academy. If Zander leaves the academy, then he has to return to the palace.

'Then the lady?' Agost leaped from the first story to the ground and landed safely.

Agost's aide, Cyrus went running up to Agost, "Your Highness… Princess Freya… Princess Freya has returned to the Royal Palace. Shall we…" He didn't get to finish.

"I am leaving first." Agost ran towards the exit of the academy.

Cyrus ran behind him, "Your Highness… Your highness, what's the hurry?…" He was breathless after some distance. He assumed Agost was in a hurry to meet Freya.

"Your Highness, did you forget that you are a prince?" Cyrus mumbled to himself, breathing heavily, holding his knees.

He sat on the ground and removed a scroll from his cloak, still catching his breath. Unscrolling the map of Anka on the ground, he looked at their current location and the Capital of Anka.

While the Royal Roosevelt Palace was built in the center of the nation, Linwood Mage Academy was in a village closer to the border.

They wouldn't get access to Anka's teleportation gates, thus it would take them a week to travel through mountains, cross the rivers and bypass the cities and villages.

Looking at the off-white robe fluttering in the air and disappearing from his sight, Cyrus lay on the ground as his eyes slowly widened in horror.

He fathomed that Agost was going to ride the horse all day and night to reach the palace as soon as possible to meet Princess Freya.

Cyrus shot up from the ground and shouted, "Your Highness!!!!?" And he cried, "Spare me from the hellish ride."