The atmosphere in the shuttle was grim, after they had settled into a seat. The admiral’s man was in the pilot’s seat, Orphelia and Lia in the two seats right behind him. The admiral himself sat in the row behind them. He insisted that it was because of Orphelia’s status, but Lia had the feeling that he wanted to be able to see them. Maybe he suspected that Orphelia turned back into a normal donar at any point now. She wouldn’t. But Lia was concerned that she once again showed signs of severe mana drain.
“Lillian is behind this, isn’t she?” the admiral asked all of a sudden. “Only she would be crazy enough to hide a princess as a donar in the crystal academy.”
Neither of them answered.
“How did you manage to keep this secret?” It seemed that he didn’t give up that easily. He probably wouldn’t have become an admiral, if he did. “I know how donar are treated by the imperi at the academy …”
“Not only there,” Lia interjected.
“You …” He stopped himself from what he was saying, and changed the topic. “… are an omni-elemental donar, are you not?”
“Does that change anything?” She didn’t look directly at him. Instead she fixed her gaze on his reflection in the cockpit’s glass.
“So you are …” He sighed. “It explains why Ludwig van Ragd was so adamant to get you two away from the pirates.”
Lia pressed her lips together. Ludwig had more or less told her that they didn’t want the pirates to have access to the tenth color or mana. Still … it seemed as if the admiral hadn’t been briefed fully on what they were. And he couldn’t just talk outright about the tenth color, or he would have. Probably.
After a moment, the admiral sighed, and looked out of the cockpit himself. Out there the pirate’s shuttle was docking to the Lagrange, while they approached the one ship from the empire that had stayed behind.
Their shuttle didn’t dock at some port on the large ship, but rather flew into a hangar, that was barely larger than the ship they were in. After they landed, she could see how the wall closed behind them. It wasn’t a door closing like on an airlock or an oversize barn door at home. No, the wall grew together. They had a mage operate their hangar doors. Some were probably also responsible for evacuating the air before opening the wall for the ship to fly out.
That was the kind of magic she had expected to see all the time when coming to the Crystal Academy, the kind of magic she wanted to be able to use. She pushed the thought and her slight envy aside and left the chair. The first thing she noticed was that the ship had gravity. It seemed that a lot of mages were working in the military.
She turned to her friend. Orphelia’s eyes were closed and she was breathing shallowly – she had fallen asleep. In a way it was Foresteri all over again. Sighing, she loosened the seatbelts and then lifted Orphelia up. Although the ship had gravity, it was far weaker than on Eo or the stations they had visited thus far.
“With that stamina, she won’t be queen material,” the admiral said. “A pity.” Then he turned to the pilot of the shuttle: “Tell the bridge to return to the Crystal Citadel. I’ll be bringing our guests to the airlock.” He gestured to her to follow, and opened the back door of the ship.
Lia carried her friend on her back while they traversed through the vast corridors of the ship.
“I hope the princess can stand up to Amir,” the admiral said all of a sudden. “I’m sure he’ll want access to a donar like you as well.”
“It’s not that he can force me to give him mana,” Lia mumbled.
“There are other ways to get people to do one’s bidding.” He didn’t elaborate further, and Lia didn’t ask. She had a good idea what he was talking about. Her family. It made her wonder whether the empire were the true pirates and the FAE were the legitimate government.
They passed a few more soldiers, some in the typical mage robes, delineating donar and imperi, others in trousers and shirts. Everyone saluted the admiral, and some bowed to them. Even though Lia wasn’t the center of attention, it felt weird. Maybe it was the best that Orphelia was asleep.
The ship’s airlock was as large as that of the Aptenodyte or the Aurelius. The admiral paused in front of the large round door and folded his arms. “I’m sure we’ll arrive in ten minutes, tops.” He looked at them out of the corner of his eyes. “I’d have my crew prepare a cabin for you two, if the journey would take a few hours. But it usually doesn’t.”
Lia settled in to wait. She was still used to carry weights for long periods, and Orphelia didn’t even feel that heavy due to the reduced gravity. Her friend stirred once, but only to put a different cheek against Lia’s shoulder.
“You have to wake her before we get on the Crystal Citadel. The princess can’t be carried by you or anyone. Even if she feels dead tired, she has to keep up appearances.”
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Nodding, she stared on the door and waited. They didn’t exchange any more words until she heard the telltale clangs of the ship docking.
“It’s time,” the admiral said, and Lia put her friend carefully down.
“Orphelia?” she asked and gently shook her friend. It took a few times before the girl woke.
“What is? What happened?”
“We’re back at the Crystal Citadel, and you have to act like a princess until we’re back in our rooms at the Academy.”
“Then … that wasn’t a dream?”
“It wasn’t,” she confirmed, and Orphelia fought herself back to her feet.
“Good. The academy staff should be waiting on the other side,” the admiral explained. “I’ll leave you with them and will report back to the king. You’ll probably have two or three days before he arrives to welcome her into the royal family.”
Lia gulped. It sounded like an ultimatum. Especially since sometime around Orphelia’s coronation was the deadline for the zombie outbreak. Ludwig would have to find a way out of that predicament, even if she had to push all of her time mana into him to do it.
After the airlock hissed open and they stepped through the passage leading to the station, they were greeted by every teacher of the academy. Even people she hadn’t yet seen. Ludwig wasn’t the one in the front, but an older looking gentleman.
“Welcome back, princess,” the leader of the academy said, and Lia recognized him as Arthur P. Rose – the school’s principal. “Please forgive our lapse in security.” They all bowed, but Lia noticed Ludwig keeping his eyes on them, or rather on Orphelia. The expression on his face sent shivers down her spine.
“It’s fine,” Orphelia answered. “We weren’t harmed.”
“Still, I am very sorry.” The principal bowed again. “Please, follow me. We have prepared an adequate room for you at the academy.”
So, they weren’t living in the same room together anymore?
“Very well. Come, Lia, let’s see that new room.” Orphelia stepped forward, following Mr. Rose, and Lia hurried to follow her. Everyone was staring at them, but it felt as if they scrutinized her especially. As if they thought ‘what business does she have with the princess?’ That they had been together in the academy for months didn’t seem to matter. That she had all elements … Well, they probably didn’t know. Even the general had to deduce it himself.
The principal stepped in the center most elevator of the five leading up within the Crystal Citadel. After Orphelia and Lia joined him, Ludwig squeezed in, too, then blocked anyone else from entering.
The principal spoke again when they had risen several meters above the heads of the other teachers. “We have a lot of things to discuss, your highness. First of all, I’d like to know how you fooled our tests to enter as a donar.”
“I’m afraid that that’s a secret I am not at liberty to share.”
A moment of silence passed, and since Orphelia didn’t add anything else, the principal continued. “Very well. I assume you would like Lia here as your personal donar?”
“If she is willing to,” Orphelia answered with a nod.
When Mister Rose looked at her, Lia gave a quick nod herself. It warmed her heart, that Orphelia still wanted to know what her wishes were.
“We shall prepare a room for her adjacent to yours.” The principal was interrupted by the elevator’s announcement and the subsequent hissing of the doors. “I really would like to know when the royal family first found you, and why they haven’t taken you in earlier.” He shook his head while leading them through the tranquil gardens in front of the academy and to the side entrance Lia had seen in the former queen’s vision. “Be it as it may. The king has yet to react to your proclamation, and Ludwig believes he didn’t know of your existence.”
Orphelia didn’t answer as they turned at the gazebo and walked straight at the illusory wall.
“Seems you already learned some royal mannerisms. I guess the former queen then?”
Lia looked between him and her friend, but Orphelia refused to answer once again.
“Since you have been discovered at the Crystal Academy – in a sense – your coronation and official welcome into the royal family, will take place here.”
Lia snapped around and looked at Ludwig’s grim expression. These events were related far more closely than she thought. Her teacher didn’t even look at her, and looked stoically forward. Looking at Orphelia’s back, Lia gulped. Why did it feel as if she had a bad premonition, if she wasn’t even capable of looking into the future?
She couldn’t even think about this, when the next door opened. Several students stood in the corridors and shouted above each other. Lia saw Eclaire in a corner, staring with wide eyes. Some shouted the question “why didn’t you tell us?” others “is it really true?”
“Be quiet, all of you. I am sure princess Orphelia will answer any questions you might have at a later date, but allow her to rest for now. Being taken by pirates must have been very stressful to her.” The volume at which he spoke made Lia wonder whether he was a prince in secret as well.
“Come.” Mister Rose kept leading the way, while Ludwig walked in the rear. The two escorted them through the halls of the academy, out to the main square, and then to the right, opposite of where their old room was.
“We will arrange for some bodyguards as soon as possible.” The principal headed through the pseudo-garden. There was a large building at the end of it, with a big dome above. Lia wasn’t even sure if that was still truly part of the building or already an illusion.
“This is the accommodation that’s usually reserved for royal attendees of the academy.” The principal opened a door, and Lia stared at the inside. This wasn’t like their old room. Maybe in length, but it was several times as broad, with stairs leading up to another story, and doors that hinted at even more rooms. This wasn’t just a room, it was a house. “You can rest here. We have already transferred all your belongings.”
“Thank you.” Orphelia nodded and entered the house.
As Lia wanted to follow her, she was stopped by a hand on her shoulder. Then she felt Ludwig next to her ear. “I need to see you in private.” Then he straightened. “Please follow me, your parents have come to visit.”
“I will keep an eye on her, until the bodyguards have arrived,” the principal said.
Lia looked at him, then at Ludwig, and lastly at Orphelia. Her friend nodded at her with a smile, and mouthed an “I’ll be fine.”
Lia’s shoulders slumped, then she turned around. She didn’t look forward to the session with Ludwig, but she also knew that it was necessary. She would get answers, and she would find a way to protect her friend. Though this time, she would force Ludwig to include her in the visions.
“Oh, and princess?” Ludwig asked all of a sudden, “your uncle has arrived.”
That made Lia snap up. Ludwig looked down at her, an eyebrow raised, as if he wanted to say: “Did you really think I used that just as an excuse?” Her heart beat faster. She would see her parents again!