Heavenly. That was the word to describe the journey to the academy. The carriage was a properly constructed masterpiece. Built with sturdy wood and soft iron, it was made for long journeys and crafted by master artisans. It neither bumped nor jostled as it glided on the masterwork stone roads. On the cobblestone pathway, it swayed nicely, and once it hit the dirt roads, Ravina was already sound asleep and didn't notice the light massage. The ornament eyed her sadly, so far away.

It took 17 days to reach the city of education. With a presentation of three carriages and 18 strong-looking knights escorting them, there was no danger. As such, Ravina found the trip rather pleasant. It was a far cry from her first experience, to say the least. Soon enough, the city of education could be seen from the window as the carriage descended a steep mountain. The first thing that drew the eye was the spiraling tower at the city's core. This monolith was the first mage's tower ever to be built and the pride of all mages.

It was opposite the other tower Ravina had known. Instead of a tall, oppressive black building looming over all, this tower was brilliant white and drew stares of awe and wonder. Still, Ravina couldn't help but feel a slight sense of foreboding about it. She could see the top of this tower, unlike the ominous scale of the black tower. It was crowned by a beautiful blue gem floating just inches from the tower's top. She could feel the power radiating from it and the twisted pull drew out a sinister memory, carved deeply into her own flesh.

She could only swallow her trepidation. As she slid the curtain of the carriage shut, she brought her knees to her chest and hugged them. “Magic,” she whispered softly. The word itself now quickened her heart, even now, after all this time. It was not simply a reminder but something that resonated in her so deeply that even an untrained girl like her knew what it meant.

“It's fine,” she told herself as she shook her head. “Everything is fine.”

. . . . . .

It didn't take long from there to reach the city, but by the time they arrived at the gates, the sun cast an orange hue across the sky. Were it not for the runner sent ahead of time and the emblem of Count Ravenshield, the gates would have been long closed for the night. Instead, a dozen guards were now working overtime to ensure the safe arrival of a prominent noble.

Despite the late hour, Ravina wasn't tired. Hearing unfamiliar voices, she pulled the carriage’s curtain back to look outside. Rising from her comfortable seat she found that they had already crossed the walls and were now in the city. It was darkening quickly, but with the light cast by torches and a few magical tools, she could see all around her, and she came to a simple conclusion.

“Ravenfort is better,” she mumbled. She couldn't tell if it was because the town was livelier, perhaps due to the military application of the city, but even when the sun set, the streets were filled with people. Many were drunks, but there were also some reputable individuals. Here, not even whores were standing around in hopes of enticing a customer. It was almost… dead. Peaceful perhaps, but empty. Even the buildings seemed unimpressive, aged and bruised but functional and given the bare minimum to maintain. She scoffed at the excitement that had once welled in her heart. The energy gained from the thought of a fantastic new city quickly drained away as the young girl sat back down, her disappointment leading to the discovery of fatigue. She yawned as she listened to the sound of horse steps on the cobblestone floor and the gentle grind of wood on that same stone, and soon drifted back to sleep.

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

. . . . . .

Ravina woke up in a comfortable bed, something a little unfamiliar to her over the last few weeks. She got up, looking around the unfamiliar room. It was too fancy to be a hotel, and then Ravina remembered they had entered the city. “So this must be the count's manor in the city of education…what was it, Crook-Beak Manor?” She laughed at the silly name while rubbing the sleep from her eyes. At least it was on brand.

Walking to the window, she peered out. After pulling the curtain to the side, a thin light streamed in. Yet the streets were still dark, and the city was still sleeping. There was a short garden, enough for a few steps, that separated the main street from the manor. A rustic iron gate marked the limits of the manor and the city that surrounded it. She was on the second floor and able to see the buildings beside them. They were all different but had the same function and form.

“A noble district?” she guessed. It would make sense. Nobles gathered together for a better district of comfort, smell, and sound. It would also explain why there was no one outside in the morning. “Well,” Ravina took a big breath of the cool air, “I’ve gotten a good bit of sleep, so I may as well try to remember how to live like a commoner.” Her joke brought a smile to her face as she walked to the closet.

She struggled for a bit but was able to dress herself… relatively well. She huffed at herself in the vanity mirror. “Well, it's the nobles' fault for not having a better sense of fashion.” After all, function over form. Yet no one really cared about that.

There was a knock on the door, and the girl went to answer it, but the maid walked in on her own. This woman was tall and a little plump, filling the uniform out with more than a few folds. With light grey-blond hair, she didn't smile with her lips but with the blue-grey eyes that she looked through. She was the resident maid, one of three.

“Oh, you are already up,” the maid said as she eyed her. “Forgive me, my lady, I did not know you would be up so early.”

“It's alright,” she said with a raised hand. “It was a long trip, so I went to bed early. Were you the one to move me to the bed?”

The maid shook her head. “No, it was one of the knights that moved you and little Emily who changed you.”

“Oh good.” Now she knew how she got here and why she was wearing that comfortable dress.

In the silence, the maid revealed why she was here. “My lady, breakfast will be ready in a bit. I have come to wake you up and prepare you for the day, but it looks like you are all ready, so breakfast might take a little longer.”

“Oh, that's fine,” Ravina responded, “Instead, can you give me a tour of the manor? I shall be living here for the next few years, after all.”

“Yes, my lady. As you know, this manor is only used when the young Ravin clan comes to learn at the Amaranth Aeolian Clerisy Academy.” The pair left the room to explore the two-story, simple mansion as the old maid explained everything about it to the young miss.