Last chapter for the day. Hope you all enjoy!

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“No! No! Stop! Please!”

I groggily woke up from these words and after a few more minutes of hearing the shouts I instantly got out of my bed and ran to where the sound was coming from.

I ran not knowing of what to expect when suddenly I was greeted with a strange scene.

Eustasia and Serephine were standing with Alexandra between them. Alexandra was panting a bit with small amounts of sweat coming down her face. Her clothes were worn and wet. My other two sisters were each holding different dresses and were arguing with each other.

“Alexandra looks much better in these!” said Eustasia as she held out a black slightly immodest dress.

“No! She looks much better in these!” said Serephine as she held out a… rabbit costume?

“Sister! How can you make our younger sister wear that?!” Eustasia asked incredulously.

“Well how about you! How can you even imagine her wearing that!” retorted Serephine.

Having my sleep interrupted with a girl fight, I slowly walked away hoping against all hope that they didn’t notice me.

Suddenly, my shoulders were caught and I heard two voices say, “Oh Zed~”.

I got flung into the room and landed on a bed of clothes that I didn’t notice earlier.

“We’re going to,” said Eustasia.

“Have so much fun,” said Serephine.

“With you!” said them both.

“No, please, no!” I said as they kept on coming closer with each hand holding a different dress.

It was the afternoon of the next day and I was walking in the garden trying to avoid my sisters.

Those two were always like that. No matter how old they got, they would always make us into dolls for them to dress up. I shudder at the thought of wearing those clothes they were going to make Alexandra wear.

I sat down at the fountain and looked up.

I’m leaving tomorrow, I thought.

I looked around me and felt a little apprehensive leaving home.

“You’ll be safe master,” said Malakir.

“Thank you.”

I got up and walked to my favorite tree in the garden. It was my favorite because it was the most coolest as it gave the best shade and view of the city below me. It was a relaxing spot that I chose for myself. I would climb but my body has always been weak but I always wondered what the city would look like from above this tree.

I sat down by my tree and looked at the city. It looked so peaceful but I knew that in its corners, the slave trade was running. I laid back down and tried to forget my mood when I fell asleep.

I was shaken awake by something and I got up. It was my mother.

“Zed why are you sleeping in a place like this you’ll catch a cold,” said my mother as she got me to stand and wrapped me in her silver shawl. She was wearing a pink dress to match her shawl today as she led me to the fountain and we sat down.

We sat together in silence when she said, “Look at me.”

I did and she started crying a bit. I felt a bit awkward so I hugged her.

She released the hug and said, “Oh how you’ve grown! You’ll be leaving me, my youngest son, oh if only you could stay! I’ve told your father time and time again that you’re too young! But no, your father insists and well.”

She hugged me and said, “Oh I’m going to miss you.”

“Me too mother, me too,” I said.

“Mother!” shouted a voice.

We both stopped hugging and Eustasia came into view. Behind her was Alexandra and Serephine.

I tensed up remembering what happened yesterday.

“Oh, do you want a repeat performance of yesterday?” asked Serephine.

“No, no thanks!” I shouted.

“Yesterday? What happened yesterday?” asked mother.

“Oh nothing much just dressing up little boys again,” said Eustasia so matter-of-factly.

My mother laughed a small controlled laugh and said, “Oh you girls do take after your mother! What exactly did you dress him up with?”

“Oh you see–” started Eustasia.

Alexandra and I were sitting a bit away from my mother and twin sisters as they talked about the dilemma that they put the both of us through.

“So you’re going to be a priestess Alexandra,” I said.

“Yep, you have anything you want me to ask the gods?” she asked confidently.

“I do.”

“What is it then?”

“Could you tell Julia and Finda to stop messing with my future?” I asked.

“Uhm well,” she stammered.

“It would be great if you could because I have this weird feeling I won’t like my future at this rate,” I continued.

“I’ll see what I can do,” she said.

“Thanks!” I said hugging her, “You’re the best big sister ever!”

“Hey! Who’s the best big sister ever!” shouted Eustasia angrily.

“Obviously its me,” said Serephine pointing to herself.

“No way its you, you forced him to wear that rabbit costume!” accused Eustasia.

“Only because it was your idea to do dress ups with those clothes!” retorted Serephine.

“Yeah, well your breath smells in the morning!” said Eustasia.

“Well-”

“Enough!” shouted mother, “Ladies, behave yourselves. A lady does not quarrel nor does a lady insult. Remember that.”

“Yes mother,” said Eustasia and Serephine.

“Now come here, all of you,” she said as she gestured all of us to gather around her.

“Today is the last day we all see Zed, tomorrow he goes to Asmodeus Academy and he won’t return until he graduates. Cherish the time we have left together,” said mother as she hugged us all.

“Asmodeus Academy huh,” said Eustasia as mother released us from her hug.

“Yeah, isn’t Sasha also going there,” said Alexandra.

“Oh yeah Sasha,” said Serephine, “wait till she hears about your blessing brother.”

I blushed and said, “Shut up!”

“Yeah, you’ll be with Sasha all day long won’t you?” asked Eustasia.

“After all, you’re engaged anyway so being together is a must,” said Alexandra.

“I wonder how she’ll react after knowing that you wear girls clothes,” said Serephine.

My face darkened and I pleaded, “Please anything but that!”

“Oh no little brother,” said Eustasia, “since Sasha will be family soon, she should know about your little hobby.”

“But its not my hobby!” I whined.

“But you never resist,” said Serephine.

“But!” I continued whining.

“Oh let’s stop teasing him,” said Alexandra as she hugged me, “after all I am the best big sister ever.”

And they kept on arguing with each other until it was time to eat dinner.

Nothing happened much other than my sisters talking to everyone about what they did with me. That merely prompted me to excuse myself very quickly and headed off to bed.

My things were already packed and then it was time to leave.

I was going alone as my sisters had their own schools to go to and my brothers had to help my parents with the affairs of the state. Sebas wasn’t coming with us as servants weren’t allowed to come to the Academy. All in all, I was going alone with a retinue of guards guarding the carriage I was in. It was going to take a week to travel to the academy and it was going to be my first time to being outside of home.

My parents saw me off with tears with my brothers saying that they will accompany me up to the walls. With my stuff piled into the carriage we were off.

“Good luck in the Academy,” said my oldest brother Leon.

“Make us proud!” said my other brother Salazar, “make sure you do the tournament.”

“Tournament?”

“Yeah, there’s a yearly tournament for all the grades near the end of the year. Last time I participated I lost.”

“You went to Asmodeus Academy?” I asked.

“Yep, but I wasn’t strong enough,” said Salazar despondently.

“Nonsense, you have great skill in everything,” said Leon, “You make the financial minister look like a two year old.”

“Yeah but that’s not power, look at you, you’re a warrior ranked swordsman and I’m just a Novice rank with the bow.”

“But you’re also intermediate ranked with magic,” said Leon, “I’m powerful with a sword but you’re talented in both magic and combat.”

When we got to the walls, my brothers told me, “Take care. You should have enough guards to protect you for a week to get there. Be mindful of bandits and magic beasts on the way.”

“Shouldn’t you tell this to the guards?” I asked.

“They’re already told, but you also have command over them. Just make sure that they don’t lose their lives for a petty thing,” said Leon.

“I will.”

With that they got off the carriage and waited by the gates, while my carriage and entourage headed off towards the mountains where Asmodeus academy was.

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