Fir opened his eyes and groaned. A splitting headache had formed, and he couldn’t remember why. Something about a Guinea Pig? A guard? It started to come back to him then, it was also then that the full implications hit him.

A commoner.

Had touched a prince.

A commoner.

Had knocked out a prince.

If this got out then his reputation would be sullied! He started going over ways that he could hide this travesty from the rest of the outside world then realized with a horror that it was probably too late; his entire entourage had seen what happened, his entire entourage had seen a pig try to manhandle him! Then even worse they had seen him knocked unconscious! It was a travesty!

Not only that but his bed was hard as a rock and his pillow harder! Where was Hoppy? He should’ve had this fixed by now!

Fir’s headache burned stronger and he just relaxed, rolled over, and tried to get back to sleep. Just as he was entering that stage between wakefulness and deep sleep a voice pierced through his fugue.

“RISE AND SHINE! IT’S MENTOR TIME!” A Rabbit was where the voice originated from.

Fir thought for a moment about showing her what it meant to annoy a prince but then decided against it. His head ached just a tad too much for him to bother. Fir instead rolled over once more and shut his eyes tighter.

He vaguely noticed the Rabbit shouting some more and a bunch of critters surrounding his bed. Fir was just entering into a deep sleep when his bed was flipped and he went flying…. Right into a Guinea Pig, he recognized this pig though… TI was the same pig that had laid hand on him yesterday and now he was standing over Fir grinning.

Filled with righteous anger Fir leapt up, “How dare you!” He sent a withering glare at all the critters surrounding his bed. “What makes you think that you can flip my bed!? That you can wake me from my peaceful slumber?!”

He felt a small measure of satisfaction as some of the critters shuffled uncomfortably as his glare lighted on them.

“That would be me.” The Rabbit that had caused this came to the front of the group, Fir now with a specific critter to target began his triad.

“You may be older but that does not give you the right to do this to me! I should have you sacked for this!” Fir began.

He was quickly cut off as the Rabbit began to laugh. “We ain’t in the palace no more princely, here? I am the law!” The Rabbit came right up to him and leaned in close, whisker to whisker. “Understand that?”

Fir started to laugh, “You think that you’re in charge here? I’m the prince here. If you think you’re outside of my jurisdiction then you are wrong.” He laughed harder, “I may be exiled to this mud pit filled with unwashed critters but I will not be treated with anything other than respect.” He glared, “Understand that?”

The Rabbit sighed, “It seems that you still do not understand.” The Rabbit looked at him, “Come with me.”

He grinned smugly and followed. The Rabbit leads him through a couple of hallways before ending up at a door labelled Warden.

The Rabbit knocked, and a voice sounded from within, “Come in.”

In they came.

The Rabbit walked out motioning Fir too stay, then she closed the door behind them.

The Warden was a Capybara, the biggest of critters and he outsized Fir prodigiously. The Warden sighed, “hello Fir.”

Fir decided that with a high ranking individual like this it would probably be best to use some of his courtly manners, “Warden, how are you this fine day?” He articulated and bowed.

The Warden chuckled, “you remind of your father when he came in here, you walked in exactly the same way. You also thought about how to treat me in exactly the same way. The only difference is that you recognized my status and he didn’t.”

Fir bowed once more, “I have always been more perceptive than father.”

The Warden nodded and looked at him, “why have you been sent here?”

Fir looked at him, “now that is a good question and one with which I have no answer too. I think it may have been because I ignored that loud rabbit's summons.” He took a breath, “which is, of course, withing my rights, and I will tell you what I told her; I may have been exiled here but I will be treated with all the respect that my status deserves. By everyone.” With these words, Fir ended with a significant look at the Warden.

The Warden sighed, “so much like your father Fir, too much like your father. I will give you one chance and one chance only. Treat everyone with the respect that you treat me with. Pretend that you are at court if you must. Being arrogant will do you no favours here.” The Warden ended with a note of finality. Then waved his hand in clear dismissal.

Fir left with a huff.

Right into a gathering of lesser critters, with the Rabbit right there shouting with her high voice once more. “ALRIGHT!” She looked at Fir. “NOW THAT WE HAVE ALL OF OUR FIRST YEARS WE WILL COMMENCE MENTOR TIME.”

She motioned beside her and drew their attention to a bunch of critters lined up, “These are the second years. Each of you will be paired with one, and they will teach you the ins and outs of the castle. Where to go and where not to go.” Fir noticed that her volume had decreased drastically.

She pointed at the second years, “These second years will choose which of you they will mentor for this year.” She smiles at them then pulls out a list.

“Adern, from Oxgin, who will mentor him?” The critter in question was a bird, a raven from the looks of it. Fir noticed that one of his talons was missing.

A hamster stepped forward and said that he would mentor Adern.

“Agnilian Firnocitus, from the capital, who will mentor him?” Once again a second year stepped forward. Fir paid special attention because this was obviously a noble, he also paid attention because this was a noble that wasn’t a mouse. He was instead an ant. Unusual to say the least. A low ranking noble based off of the name but a noble nonetheless.

He would need to befriend him. There didn't seem to be many nobles here, perhaps for the best?

“Bleg, from Tortiseshire, who will mentor him?” A tortoise, it seemed that the Everguard did indeed accept anyone. Fir snorted as if anyone would willing come to the Everguard. The stories abounded.

It went on for a couple of minutes before another name was mentioned that actually interested Fir. Well, it wasn’t the name really but the critter. “Florence, from Leftown, who will mentor him?” It was the Guinea Pig that had laid hands on him! His name was Florence, was it? From Leftown? Interesting.

A second-year stepped up grinning and quickly volunteered to be Florence, grabbed him and whispered something in his ear. After this Fir listened in for his own name. It seemed that the list was a little bit out of order if Florence had gone before him.

“Firiniel Florinica Agustinius Tragen, from the Capital, who will mentor him?” The second years shifted uncomfortably, and Fir looked at them askance, who wouldn’t want to mentor the prince?! The silence went on longer, and Fir looked on confused. Why would no one mentor him? He was a prince!

The Rabbit coughed and sent a glance at the second years. Once again they all shifted uncomfortably. Once again silence reigned for a while.

Fir was confused, why? Why would no one mentor him? Was he not good enough? Was there something wrong?

Finally, finally, one of the second years stepped forward and said, “I will mentor the prince.” Before looking at Fir at beckoning him over. The second-year lowered his voice and said, “come on, let us get something for you to eat.”

As he was exciting the room he bumped into Florence, who leaned in close and said, “No one likes you princeling, no one will ever like you.”

Fir stumbled on, letting out a small whine only heard by him.