I made it back to the barracks and found Hanno sitting in the corner of the room. He looked anxious but his expression eased the second I walked in. He got to his feet and said. “Aya! Thank the gods you are alright.”

I preened and did a little strutt. “Worship me! For I am the richest king in all the lands!” I was prepared for more praise but Hanno instead frowned and said. “Aya! Never attack someone else like that again! You could have permanently injured Bruce! Thankfully the school has a healer.”

I stared at him in horror and was tempted to slap him. He was criticizing me? For what? A poor person dared speak ill of me. The natural response was to immediately destroy him! I showed mercy not going for the throat.

I was about to repeat that when he picked me up and held me close to his face. “Aya, you must be careful. We have only known each other for a few days! I couldn't bear to lose you!”

I blushed and said. “Ah you little sweet talker!” Hanno made a strange face and said, “How could I even think of losing you! You have the shiniest scales! Very intimidating horns. And the manner of a queen!”

I smiled and said. “Alls forgiven young Hanno! Although I’m a king, not a queen. Anyway, time to sleep!” I hopped onto the ground and settled down at the bottom of Hanno’s mat. I was about to fall asleep when I had a realization. “Did I have dinner?” I poked my belly and tried to remember but couldn’t. My stomach grumbled so I got up and said. “I haven’t had dinner! This is a travesty!”

I was about to get up but then thought better of it. “No reason to cause more problems.” I walked back to the mat and fell asleep, my dreams full of my children, but for some reason I wasn’t with them.

The next day I was woken up by a loud scream. I shot up and saw the bald instructor stomping on any students that were still asleep. I looked out the window and saw that the sun wasn’t even up yet. Didn’t he say first light?

Hanno had already woken up and gotten dressed. Right now he was bringing out a small bowl and a pouch full of meat. “Aya, come quickly. You must finish your meal before we have to leave. Hurry.”

I nodded and got to work, growing slightly bigger so I could fit more food in my mouth. I didn’t even stop eating and breathing. Instead I inhaled my food. In only a few seconds half a pound of meat was gone. I went back to my small form and hopped onto Hanno’s shoulder.

He smiled and patted me on the head. He was about to say something when the bald instructor said. “Get up you lazy sacks of shit! Follow me! Move! Move! Move!” All the students got into line and followed the man through the halls.

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He brought the students outside the and towards a race track located next to the castle. The instructor smiled and said. “I want twenty laps out of all of you! Now!” Hanno picked me up and put me down next to the instructor before beginning to jog around the track. He was at the front of the group.

I found a nice flat rock that was absorbing the first few rays of the sun. I sat down and felt the heat begin to fill my body. The instructor glanced down at me and said. “Enjoying yourself?” I nodded and said. “Of course! The only thing that could make this better would be having my children with me!” The instructor nodded and I stared at him for a second.

He couldn’t understand me, could he? Even Creep couldn’t understand what I was saying! I glared at the bald man and decided not to risk speaking to him. I turned back to the students and saw that they had only done four laps so far.

I wonder how fast I could run twenty laps in my war form? I can run pretty fast but the turns might make it difficult. I was about to try to take a nap when the instructor pulled out a crossbow and grabbed a bolt with a pouch at the end.

I stared at him in horror as he aimed at the student in the back. I heard a sharp crack and the student went down. Shot right in the gut. After a moment the student staggered to his feet and sprinted to get ahead of the second to last runner. I gawked at the bald sociopath and said. “Demon! You're a demon!”

The instructor couldn’t stop smiling as he reloaded and shot the slowest student once again. I decided that watching such a cruel act was actually quite entertaining so I enjoyed the next thirty minutes.

Hanno was the second student to finish his twenty laps. He had been neck and neck with the first place student but had lost in the end. Hanno didn’t seem to mind though, he was just chatting with the winner.

After a few minutes every student had finished running. The bald man smiled and said. “To the mess hall immediately!” The students walked back as I climbed onto Hanno’s shoulder. “Food! How I have missed it!” I turned towards the boy who had talked and saw the first place runner walking beside Hanno.

Hanno smiled and softly said. “Aya, meet Loken, My childhood friend. He is heir to the Goat Clan in the north.” Loken was tall, with short black hair. He was big, with broad shoulders and massive arms. His face was like a square, with veins bulging all over his body. Strangely his legs seemed pretty normal sized.

Loken smiled and said. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Aya. When’d you get her?” Hanno smiled and said. “My father caught her in the southern wildlands. He said she was alone and being hunted by a gigantic beast! He saved her then brought her to me.”

I didn’t even attempt to protest, instead I watched the other students. Bruce was with the largest group of students. His hand was wrapped in bandages and his face was covered in claw marks.

I smiled as we entered the mess hall. Loken and Hanno grabbed their plates of meat and eggs before sitting down in the corner of the mess hall. I absentmindedly stabbed a chunk of meat from Hanno’s plate and chewed as Hanno and Loken laughed and talked. I was about to try taking some eggs when suddenly someone grabbed Hanno by the back of his head and slammed his face into his breakfast.