Ch 3 - Royal Academy

The cafeteria of the Royal Academy, if I were to describe this place hmmm, It’s a huge rectangular hall of two stories, the second floor is more like a vip balcony, as it only allow entrance to high nobles and royalty.

The first floor is filled with tables where the students sit to eat and chat, from the entrance all the way back to the cafeteria’s counter where you order and get your food.

As the fiery swordswoman entered through the door, the place went almost mute. Everyone here knows who she is, not just because who her father is, but also both her unearthly beauty, her lovely figure and her strength are recognized by everyone since the entrance test last year.

Using a very odd dual wield style of swordsmanship, she went through the Knight’s test undefeated and without losing a single point.

Then starting her first year a couple of months ago she sits at the top of the Knight’s division sword art class beginner’s course.

She’s not conceited, she’s not evil, yet isn’t either the saint type. Is not like she goes out of her way to teach others, nor to help those in need, if it’s not “right there” she just won’t pursue it, or at least until now that’s how it was. Since her entrance in the academy, a lot of bullying has stopped.

Beside her, clad in the shadow arts uniform, specializing in information gathering, and ‘not so flavorous’ endeavors, walks another of the roses of the Royal Academy garden.

Another genius of the caliber of the fiery swordswoman, who also passed the entrance exam undefeated and untouched the same day and even a year early than usual, her younger cousin and best friend.

All the boys oogle at the two, where the black haired lovable beauty smiles, the red haired untouchable princess frowns. Two of the top flowers of the ‘Flowers of the Royal Academy Garden’.

These are two have completely different characters, yet they stick to each other each time they are not in their respective classrooms. Inseparable friends, the daughter of The Pegasus and the daughter of one the Lions of The Pegasus.

Both parents are well known and strong Knights who married sisters of unparalleled beauty in the kingdom. Brought to this world two incredibly beautiful young ladies, and they both started this year attending here at this Royal Academy.

“Ahhhh if she wasn’t that fierce, I’d love to court her”

I let out a whisper on my table with my friends, who like everybody else are watching those two enter, not early but not late, you could say “perfectly” in time for lunch break.

“Forget it Dan, she is out of our league, besides we are still too young to even think of that you know, they are 10 and 9, too young to be courted, and too strong to even care about us”

I look at Paul who’s sitting on my right, his face is equally red as most of the guys around, I’m sure he wants the same, yet he understands, it’s not just about age, neither of those two would date someone weaker.

He seems to know them since they were small, his father is part of the pegasus guard, albeit file-and-rank, still just being part of that squad you can say his dad is one of the few elite.

Aliyah just looked this way and bowed slightly her head in a greeting, while waving at some other tables somewhere. People don’t bother looking wherever she waves but where she bowed, and there it is, those envious stares concentrated on this table, Paul and James bow their heads slightly and our conversation keeps going as usual.

“So Paul’s and James’s dad both are part of The Pegasus guard, I’m so envious”

I said, my dad is a city guard, a high one ranked at that, but still just a city guard. I couldn’t even dream to be part of their weekend barbecues. They have told me that every other weekend they meet at Gat *woops* Gatriel’s home to play, have barbecue and train with their parents.

“Would you like to come with us next weekend Dan? I’m sure if I speak to my dad he’ll allow it”

“Uh? W. wha? What did you just say?”

Nervously I asked, I wasn’t expecting that, what did he just say? To go with him next weekend? To where? To Gat’s? What’s this? A dream? No no, he must mean something else, I’m sure

“I said, ‘Would you like to come with us next weekend Dan?’?”

James repeated himself, in a way that I wouldn't misunderstand making sure I got the message. He’s staring at me waiting for an answer. Is he being thoughtful or mean? Which is it.

“I’d love to, but it’s ok? My dad is not part of the squad and I’m not even that much of a friend to Gat”

“If she hears you calling her ‘that’ you won’t be able to go, not because the lack of motivation but the lack of healthy bones, careful there Dan”

It was Paul who intervened now, and he’s right, if Gatriel hears me saying “Gat” I’m a dead man. Breathe in, breathe out, calm yourself me, calm yourself.

“You are right, won’t happen again, sorry, really sorry, please forgive me”

“Whats with you Daniel Lief, are the boys here bullying you?”

It’s an angel, an angel, there is no doubt in my mind that voice is an angel!

“Eh, am, erm, uhh, hehe, am”

Uhgg, I went again on my stupid habit of being at a loss of words each time she speaks to me. That’s right, each time Gatriel speaks to me I can’t speak back, I turn into tomato-man(or so they say) and can’t utter a word again.

“Such a wimp, Daniel Lief, with that attitude you won’t be able to make a fine knight, you have to be more courageous”

Awawawa there she goes again, calling me wimp, hearing Gat calling me a wimp breaks my heart a little, she is so disappointed in me that I can feel it, without even looking at her I can feel that intense stare raining down disappointment-beams on me.

“Sorry Lady Gatriel, it’s not like that, James just invited me to your house next weekend and I was at a loss of words”

I mustered some courage and spoke back to her, I even looked her in the eyes, those beautiful, lovable red eyes, are entrancing, it’s like watching into a sea of fire, her red hair, her eyes, that lovable face, her lightly tanned skin, her lips, oh forgotten gods give me strength to not crumble here.

“Ho ho! So ‘Lord James’ invited you to ‘MY’ house next weekend eh, did you hear that Ali”

“~ehehe~ Isn’t that fine Gat, why not, the more the merrier isn’t it?”

Aliyah, my life saver, I thought Gat would refuse and remove the invitation right there on the spot! Aliyah hurray, hurray Aliyah, I smile at Aliyah and nod my head, to which she replied in kind.

“Yes I did Lady Gatriel, is there something wrong with extending an invitation to a good friend to a gathering? Be it on your house or mine, it’s a place where friends meet, share sweat training the sword, talk and eat, was it wrong of me to assume you wouldn't mind?”

Uwauwa so courageous James, I’m so envious, but sorry you are on your own here, I close my eyes tightly and move a bit out of the way. Any second now a sword will fly down on his head.

But no sound ever came, instead the most unusual question of all times resounded in the silent cafeteria.

“It’s as you said James, there is nothing wrong. It is my bad for trying to tease him a little too much. Would it be fine for Ali and myself to sit and share the table with you guys?”

“Huh?”

There I went again, and let out a weird sound, so embarrassing, gather your courage me, reset those circular surprised eyes, remove the tomato costume, and speak like a man.

“Erm, I mean, Esteemed Lady Gatriel, is it ok for me to go?”

“Didn’t I just say so? Sir James is right, there is nothing wrong with inviting friends to a friends gathering is there?”

I see of course, inviting friends to a friends gathering, that’s it, that settles it, I’m dreaming. No no, Jokes aside, it’s incredible, it’s the first time I actually hold a conversation with the Gatriel, amazing me, go go me!

“Well then, I accept the invitation, thank you very much my Esteemed Lady”

“Drop it Dan!! Esteemed is my lord father The Pegasus. When talking to me just call me Gatriel, no need to go out of the way and add Lady when we are friends just talking, right Ali?”

The crowd went crazy in that second, as soon as Gat said those words, people started coming towards our table asking if they could go. If they could call her Gatriel without adding lady, there were some crazy bastards that even asked if they could call her Gat,

“What’s the ruckus in this place, show some manners Ladies and Gentlemen, this is a place for light chatting and eating, behave yourself as proper knights in training.”

With an very gentle but loud voice from the top floor reserved for the nobility, a feminine voice roared down to us. Yes that voice, it’s her no doubt about it, Princess Roxana Reiyah, the third princess of the kingdom, and another of the roses of the Royal Academy garden.

The cafeteria went again on their normal tones, with a bit of unrest of course, Princess Roxana just sent everyone back to their tables with a single order. Her charisma is fairly good, as expected of one of the candidates for the Royal Academy Council of students.

“Ara ara, Lady Decebal, it is really rare to see you eating in the cafeteria, and rarer yet, not here up but down there with the”

She looked down at everyone, she made a small pause. I doubt she is going to say ‘peasants’ or the likes, even if she puts too much importance to novelty rank, she is a princess.

“Rest of the students...”

She finished, clearly containing herself from saying something impolite, she's a princess and cannot just blurt whatever she wants impolitely.

Every eye in the location, above and below, were shifting between Gatriel and Roxana, the sparks are almost visible between this two ladies. They don't like each other or at least seems that way, but you know, it’s that, that, in the air, that not so friendly atmosphere between them whenever they clash.

“And what’s wrong with it? Are you telling me that it’s wrong to sit and eat with friends just because they are of a lower rank than mine? I’m sorry princess, but that’s just unfitting of a noble, to discriminate statuses, is disheartening hearing you say that”

“Oya~ Lady Decebal, but I never said anything of the sort, if my memory serves me well I said ‘rest of the students’, nothing else, and are we not friends too? You could have come up here and sit with me.”

The princess has a smug smile on her face, that face which says ‘I won this argument o~ho~ho~ho’, I don’t like it, don’t bully my angel you mean princess.

“Ho ho Princess Roxana, excuse me for my impoliteness, indeed you are one of my oldest friends, so please allow me to also extend you the invitation, you can come down here and join us. Also would you join us next weekend at my house?, we are having a gathering of friends there”

Wwwww www ww w w www wwwwwwaaaaaaaahhhhhttttt the heck is going on here? What did Gat just do? Whats going on with the princess, why is her face so red, you can see her face going redder, any second now her head is going to explode.

“Oh! Such warm words, I gladly accept your invitation to go to your place on the weekend, but right now I can’t go down as I’m with many other friends and we wouldn’t fit on a table, I hope you don’t mind”

With a forced smile, and a raging look the princess accepted the weekend invitation… uwauwauwa what’s going on.

Thanks for reading my fiction! I hope to get your comments and help from now and in future issues.

Give and Take you know undefined, you help me, I help you! isn't that the main reason why most of us gather here in RRL? to learn from each otner?

Cheers.