Sam leafed through the paperwork and handed maps and passes out to each of the other three. There wasn't much else there, so she began to explore the cabin. It was pretty spacious, it had it's own galley kitchen that ran up alongside of the main room. Not huge but equipped with a fridge/freezer, microwave oven along side a prep area and a couple of stools under the bench, with enough dishes to feed four people. She heard Rae gasp as she stepped out of the kitchen and walked briskly into the bathroom.
“Wow!”
Exclaimed Rae. The bathroom which was situated on the other side of the main room, was huge considering the rest of the cabin. It had a bath running down one side a two person shower at the opposite, with two sinks one either side of the entrance with an over head cabinet that stretched to the width of both and a toilet enclosed at the end of the room between the bath and the shower, the whole room was tiled to be a wet room and it sparkled! Sam thought it looked brand new. She looked at the conspicuous two person shower and felt a certain foreboding. other than that the room was amazing.
Sam found her two suitcases at the bottom of the wardrobe and decided to have the bottom bunk against the kitchen wall, rather than have the bathroom wall against her bed. As she was putting her clothes away she looked up at Rae, who had opted for the opposite bottom bunk bed and thought out aloud. “How is it that our clothes and papers are here, when we didn't even know our selves until after the entrance exam that we would be coming here?”
Rae opened her mouth to reply and then closed it again dumbfounded. Edward leaned over from his bunk above Rae and replied. “I guess they already knew. I mean they have had all our lives to track us and find out what's happened to us, how we've reacted to certain events in our lives? Seems to me the entrance exam was for us. A chance for us to look at our past and see the truth of it. Maybe to help us focus on what's important? Maybe the whole stuck to the table thing only worked if you actually have magic in your veins? Stevens didn't appear too impressed. And a lot of people were pretty stressed out by it, but managed to deal OK with it.”
Sam nodded. “Yeah I guess.” She shook her head. She would much rather had skipped that bit thanks very much.
“So that means they knew before Stevens stuck his nose into everyone's face!” declared Paul.
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
“Ah wow. Well that makes me feel a bit better, I thought my whole life had just taken a massive pivot because of that prick.” Rae perked up.
“So I'm really meant to be here? For real?”
“Yeah it does kinda look that way.” Nodded Sam. she looked at her new friend who seemed like Paul to have thought she had screwed the pooch just before getting enrolled into the academy, but was only just now realising that might not actually be the case.
Rae looked around, seeing possibly for the first time where she was going to be living for the next 5 years? Wow. She looked at Sam and then up at Paul. Well it didn't look all bad. She felt a sudden rush of relief and grinned at her new friend.
Sam noticed the grin and felt the relief pouring off of Rae. She smiled back as she finished off her suitcases full of clothes she probably wouldn't need. “You fancy a walk? This place is huge, the sooner we acclimatise to our new environment the better I think.” Rae smiled and nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah you bet!” Edward looked down from his bunk and grinned. “So you girls finally finished? Thank the gods! C'mon Paul it's walk about time.”
“Really? Oh jeez I don't think I can, my legs have atrophied, I can't move them!”
Sam turned and wrapped her knuckles on Paul's head. “Hello anyone in there?”
“Ouch! Ouch! OK I'm getting up! Hey Eddy, can we swap bunks, I forgot who was sleeping under me.” Edward smiled and shook his head. “I didn't. You snooze you loose mate.”
“Jesus. Fuck my life.” Replied Paul wincing and rubbing his head as he dropped down from his bunk and hugged Sam. “You gotta stop hitting your friends girly. Save it for those that deserve it.” Sam leaned away, but didn't hit him.
“Friends?”
She looked at Paul suspiciously, who grinned and nodded. Sam shook her head. “Fuck that's two in one day. Will wonders ever cease? now get off me.”
Paul continued to grin as he let go as Edward spoke up. “Hey what about me? Am I not included in your little cabal? Sam looked at the powerfully built 6ft 2” blue eyed blonde. he was smiling, but he had an intelligence behind those pretty blue eyes. she wasn't sure she could be friends with him, he was too pretty, way too pretty.
“hmm...I don't know, I'm already over quota for this year. Be nice and I'll let you know if there's a vacancy.” she looked at Paul and grimaced.
“It might not be too long a wait.”
Edward grinned as Paul shook his head.
“Girl you got issues you know that?” Sam looked down and nodded. “Yeah, actually I do.” Rae grabbed Sam by the arm and exclaimed.
“Ignore them lets go see this amazing ship. Do you get sea sick? Oh! Are we sailing yet?”