While Mor was talked to by the prince, the others were waiting in the adjacent hallway, and now, as the imitating presence of the Royal Highness was gone, Orth gathered his courage and spoke up.

"Mister Agaton, Sir black knight." He opened up, and then got nervous as Morokhan fixated him with his gaze.

"What do you need?" He asked, trying to sound relaxed and friendly, but his concern for his son was glued to his face.

"I'm a big fan of yours, but now I have some questions." Orth continued on, and Morokhan made an inviting nod.

"Why are you accompanying the prince?" Orth asked.

"Sophie and I went to school with the prince. That's how we know him. In addition, she's the reason why we are accompanying the prince. She was worried about Mor, and I learned early on not to stay in the way if she sets her mind to something." Morokhan chuckled at some bitter-sweet memories.

"I thought this school was only for nobles?" Orth continued his questioning.

"I probably can't fault you for not knowing. This school isn't only for nobles. If you have the right aptitude and a letter of recommendation, even a commoner can join. Just like my son did, it's just a tad harder than the "commoners" schools," Morokhan explained.

"The teachers also said this school is only for nobles." Clare interrupted, Saphine uncharacteristically silent.

"Yes, they would say that. There is a rift between nobles and us commoners, a rift the prince wants to close, and he is working hard towards this goal. But in fact, the teachers are wrong. It's not never, it's just seldom." Morokhan said, grateful for the distraction.

Sophie shushed them all, trying to listen to the discussion between the prince and her boy, but she couldn't understand anything.

"Sophie, could you please calm down? You're making me nervous," Morokhan said with a deep sigh.

"Be quiet. I can't understand anything. What if Dino sentences my boy to be killed?" She hissed.

"He won't. Mor will probably just get a slap on the wrist and a deserved one. Depending on how his "human" conducts itself." Morokhan said, hoping he was right.

"Well," Orth said, changing the topic. "Could I ask you a favor, Sir Agaton?"

"You may. Also, just call me Morokhan. You're a friend of my boy, so this much familiarity should be expected." Morokhan continued his discussion with the boy.

"Could you train me, please?!" Orth asked straight out. "I don't need to return to my family over the break. Nobody will even be home, and I wanted to learn your black knight spell."

Morokhan was taken aback at this request and gave it some serious thought.

"If you're fine, living like a commoner for that time, it's okay with me." He answered, looking at his wife for a second, contemplating asking her too, but then abandoning the question. Right now, she wouldn't pay attention.

"Also, it might be good for Mor to have a friend and training partner close. I don't think he is completely over everything that has happened. He's just suppressing it very well." He continued.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

"Now I'm jealous," Clare said, pouting. "I have to return home, my parents want to see me... But I also would rather stay with the two of you."

"Right," Saphine added, "Your parents aren't living on Diamond-isle."

"Yes..." Clare said grumpily.

"I don't like that. I wanted to continue to spend time with you over the break," Saphine said, a bit sad.

"You two will see each other next school year. Don't be too sad," Orth said, and Morokhan whinced at that sentence. "The folly of youth." He thought and would be right.

Saphine and Clare rounded on Orth, who suddenly found himself on the back foot.

"You're just lucky! How would you like to be separated from all of us for the whole break!" Saphine scolded him.

"You are mean!" Clare added.

Orth looked to Morokhan, pleading for help, but the man just gave him an apologetic smile and chose to stay out of this.

"I didn't mean it that way!" Orth tried to fix his predicament, but he might as well try to order the sun to stop shining.

"How did you mean it then?" Saphine asked.

"I..." Orth began, and Morokhan knew the boy was only digging his grave deeper. "I just wanted to say it's not so dramatic. We're able to meet again after the break."

"So you say it's okay for us to be separated like this!?" Clare asked unbelievingly. I thought we were friends!"

"You're tactless, Orth!" Saphine chided him, but then it was Sophie who came to Orth's rescue as the heated argument pulled her ire.

"I told you to stay quiet!" She hissed, ending the argument in an instant.

Sophie then returned to try listening back in on the princes and Mors' discussion without success.

"Don't you also want to learn from the "Ice empress"" Orth tried to change the subject.

This again drew Sophie's attention.

"I will not allow it. I won't be the "reason"," she articulated mockingly, "for you to spend time with my boy. No matter what Dino says, I won't agree to a possible bonding between you two!"

Saphine turned red in embarrassment at this, and Orth and Clare looked surprised.

"You and Mor?" Clare asked. "Since when?" Orth added.

"I didn't agree to that!" Saphine tried to defend herself. "I just now accepted Mor as a friend. I don't see him that way. No chance ever I would bond with him!"

Morokhan smiled at that vehement refusal, remembering himself after Sophie declared her intentions the first time. "Funny how those things could turn out," he thought.

He watched the kids argue for a while, Orth and Clare drilling Saphine for more information, and decided he liked this little band of friends. Then the door opened, and a cowed Mor and a stern Dinothom walked out.

After this last bit of excitement, the rest of their time at the school went uneventful. Mor was asked to visit the headmaster and then thanked for saving the school, while Amber berated him for his stupidity at every opportunity. True to the headmaster's words, the school year was over, and all parents had been informed, some of them not taking the news well.

Slowly, the remaining students were carried away by the wind-magic-powered flyers. The last one to leave the ruined school carried the prince, Orth, Clare, and the Agatons.

With that, Mor was swept away from this chaotic first school year, and while he napped in peaceful silence, his dreams let him wander through everything that had happened, the good, the bad, the awesome, and the crazy. A wild ride with lots of hardship but also lots of opportunity.

Sophie and Morokhan watched their son's sleeping face, filled with pride that he had accepted the prince's offer. Both knew he would go far, as they always had believed.

..........

Just how far no one could begin to guess, but that's a story for another time...

I'm closing this book, for the next part deserves one of its own.

Excerpt from "The Hero's Journey Vol.1", researched and put to pen by Nalomel Amazonik.