Stela awoke to the clanging of the little stones that Martin was throwing into the metal chute at a copious speed.

“Enough, Martin! I’m sure Thatcher heard it the first time you flung in a stone.”, Martha admonished Martin.

“You must admit, this is a bit of a novelty here, this.”, Martin replied with a sheepish grin.

Stela sat up on the mattress grinning. She wasn’t sure why, but she felt cheerful and optimistic. She fiddled with her bracelet subconsciously but didn't notice that its colour had changed.

A few minutes later, a knock was heard on the door. Martha opened it to see Thatcher standing outside.

“Good morning Thatcher. Could we have some breakfast sent up to our room?”, Martha said.

Thatcher gave an understanding nod and walked off.

A short while later, he returned with a tray that had three bowls of porridge on it. It was humble fare but looked delicious.

“Hurry up and eat now.”, Martha said. Admissions to Sherol Academy would begin at 10am sharp, and it was already 8am. The ride to the academy would take at least one hour.

Post breakfast, their bags and trunks were packed and reloaded onto their wagon. They bade a cheerful farewell to the innkeeper and set off. After dropping off Stela at the academy, Martha and Martin were to head back for White Bridge directly.

In the daytime, Greenbay painted a different picture. There were visibly many more houses here than in White Bridge. Rows of brown wooden cottages lined the avenue and dotted the valley. There were various shops in the central town – grocers, florists, tailors, shoemakers, blacksmiths, jewelers – the list went on. It felt strange to Stela that in her past life she had never left the Temple premises. The Holy Seer’s Temple had been vast and self-sustaining, perhaps that was one reason why she had never felt the urge to leave.

"New shoes for the little girl?", a friendly voice called out from one of the many shops.

"Ma'am perhaps some new skirts for you?", another voice called out.

However, perhaps it was the visible poverty of the family making their way through town that the voices slowly came to a stop.

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An hour later, the wagon stopped at the entrance of a large gate. A watchman stood guard at the entrance, checking the passes of people that were entering its premises.

Martha and Martin walked up uncertainly to the gate. "Martha and Martin Elsher. We've come with our daughter for admission.", Martin said rather underconfidently.

The guard let out a smug smile. He had seen countless no-name families like these. It was clear that their child had no place in a magic academy as grand as Sherol, but they never gave up and always harangued him on admissions day.

"I'm sorry we'll need a pass Madam, Sir.", the guard responded curtly.

Martin took the guard aside and tried to get in a word with him but it was clear that he was not interested in listening.

Stela felt her cheeks turn red as she watched other families enter with ease. Some of them entered even without passes, as long as the carriage they got off from looked grand.

A few children snickered at her as they entered. "I'd be embarrassed to arrive in a wagon.", a pink haired girl muttered into Stela's ear as she walked by.

Stela looked at her parents. It was clear that they were embarrassed. Regardless of whether they had material wealth, the Elshers had always lived a comfortable and dignified life. The treatment being meted out to them at the gate felt like the adding of insult to injury.

After 20 minutes or so had passed by, Martin let out a deep sigh. "Martha, love, take Stela and step aside.", he said.

Martha picked up Stela and stepped aside.

Martin walked up to Bella and spoke to her gently. Then, before the guard realized what he was doing, he led her to the entrance of the gate, so that the wagon blocked it completely.

"I want to talk to the Headmaster.", Martin said decisively.

The guard began to turn red with frustration. A mere country-side farmer wanted to summon the Headmaster of the prestigious Sherol Academy! It was uncalled for!

"I'm sorry I can't possibly bother the Headmaster with such a -", he began with his refusal. However, at that moment a voice interrupted him.

"What might be the cause of the blockade here?", an icy voice said.

Stela looked up to see a tall man, clad in sharp black clothes walk up to them. When the guard saw him, he immediately began apologizing. "I apologize my lord, there is slight issue here, but not one so big that I, Steven, cannot handle it."

The man waved aside the guard and walked up to Martin. "It seems like your wagon is obstructing the entrance to our academy. I'm sure you did not intend that.", he said in a cold voice.

Stela looked at the man with irritation. It was clear that he had a higher position than the guard and had no interest in giving them passage. She began to feel frustrated at how discriminatory the academy was, it reminded her of unpleasant memories of when she was an orphan and treated horribly.

"Ma, we don't need to go to this academy -", she said softly to her mother. However, her mother did not respond. Stela looked at her and was taken aback by the look of rage in her mother's face.

Martha set Stela down on the ground gently and stepped forward towards the man in black. It was clear that she towered over him.

"Martha and Martin Elsher, here with our daughter.", she said in a steely voice, emphasizing each word.