My Story 1: Academy

The chattering of children filled the halls as the twins silently walked towards the main office. They were a little frightened going to school with other children having a private tutor since their birth. Crowne, unlike Jewel, was also very excited to know that he was going to be placed in a class schedule that also taught magic. Any opportunity to learn more was welcome to him. Jewel was placed in a class schedule of the soldier tier. Hers would include information about tactics, weaponry, armory and the likes. She was well learned in this but had a small fear that she would not know anything and be a laughingstock of the class. Another possibility was to attract unwanted attention. It would be best to act average and neither show off nor be the class idiot. Not that she was one.

 

They reached the office doors where they entered, meeting an old angry man. His eyes furrowed at the interrupting students. His lip curled in a half attempt of a smile. “May I help you?”

Crowne blinked a little fearfully and looked at Jewel, then back at the man.

 

Jewel did not hesitate, prepared to meet others head on that proved to show resistance. “Yes, we were entered into the academy just recently and we have come to gather our class information.”

 

The man growled bending over a file sifting through information; a shine gleaming off his bald spot as he bent down to read the writing. Crowne eyed the name plaque on the desk, Sir Gregar Mulich. Perhaps an old knight that could no longer be placed into the army and was stuck with a desk job. That was their assumption and seeing the way he held himself, as if years of training, proved them correct. Though he was old, he was well muscled.

 

“Yes, here it is.” He squinted to read their names. Perhaps another reason why he was no longer an active knight. “Jewel and Crowne? Sounds like pompous royal names…” For a knight who had to learn great control, his lips were quite loose.

 

Jewel raised an eyebrow, “Your opinion was not asked for.” She reached for the papers and took them with little resistance.

 

“Jewel…you didn’t need to speak like that…” Crowne said softly, though anyone could hear it in the empty room.

 

She gave her brother a side glance and separated the information between the two. There was something missing. The books! Her dull blue eyes scanned the room and saw two neat piles of books sitting behind the old man’s desk.

 

Crowne followed her gaze and understood. “Sir? May we have our books please?”

 

Gregar Mulich frowned, “After being so rude to me? I think not!”

The boy shook his head, “Please forgive my sister. She is angry with the king for making her join the academy even though she is already working directly for him. Also she isn’t quite a people person…” He gave a sheepish smile holding his palms up and out to show that this was a result of a certain circumstance.

 

The desk man’s eyes widened, “T-THE KING SENT YOU!?!” He gasped in disbelief and turned to Jewel, “AND YOU WORK UNDER HIM?” His mouth hung open in shock. A few seconds passed and he shook himself into a more proper composure. “My apologies! I should have known!” He quickly handed them their books as well as a crude map of the academy’s layout. A kind controlled smile in place of his earlier forced one.

 

Jewel frowned at the man’s reaction. Everyone did this once they knew who she worked for. A quick glare to her brother made him laugh nervously. She gazed at the map layout and handed it back, “Thank you I have it memorized. We shall be going now.”

 

Crowne held onto his having a terrible memory himself and followed cheerfully behind. Before he closed the door he gave a polite ‘thank you’ and left.

---

 

“I really wish you had not done that.” Jewel muttered knowing that her brother would hear her.

 

He laughed, “Yes well dear sister I wish you didn’t act so impolite to others right off the bat. Everyone has their story to tell which can explain their behavior!”

 

She sighed, she really didn’t mean to act such way it just had become so natural. A defense mechanism you could say.

They chatted for a little bit, well Crowne spoke and Jewel mostly listened, until they made it to their first room. A classroom where the students all gathered for news and changes before heading off to their regular class schedules. At least the two would have each other in an unfamiliar place before being split. Never had they ever been split up when they didn’t want to be. This would be the first.

 

Crowne, being an overly dramatic one took a deep breath and exhaled, looking slightly more relaxed. A huge grin played on his face giving an encouraging look to Jewel. “Here we go!”

The big door creaked as they entered the loud room. Suddenly it went quite as all eyes turned to them.

 

Crowne smiled nervously while Jewel held her head high trying her best to ignore the onlookers. They walked to the adult in charge to introduce themselves and ask what they must do. He looked stern yet had a kind look in his eyes. He had a light tan robe on and a leaf pinned on the right side of his lapel signifying he was a teacher for the herbalist classes. His short dirty blond hair stood tall in clumps upon his head not moving as his head did.

 

Both stood in the front of the class as the man nodded to them and spoke loudly to the students. “Please sit down! I would like to introduce two late students who are going to be joining us at the Phoenix Academy. Welcome them into our school.” He turned and asked them to introduce themselves.

 

Crowne took another deep breath calming his nerves then beamed a bright smile, “Hello! My name is Crowne and I will be in the Mage class tier. I hope to learn a lot from you and become friends!” Everyone relaxed, smiling at the boy with dirty blond hair and bright blue eyes. He had a cheerful aura emanating from him. He held himself tall and proud like a man of rank, which the students could only assume what position he could be from.

Their attention then turned to Jewel who spoke cooly, “My name is Jewel and I shall be in the soldier tier.” Everyone waited waiting for something more but it never came. The cheeriness that was brought by the boy was gone as dull blue eyes looked through everyone. She noticed there were a few hundred students eyeing her from a stadium seated room.

 

Crowne laughed, “Please excuse my sister. She isn’t a very talkative person.” His smiled shined sensing the room once again relax. It was stating the obvious. Everyone had seen her at least once within the last season though none had actually been able to learn much from her. Oddly, only a selected few had even seen her brother who seemed more like the one to enjoy spending a lot of time outdoors and interacting with others.

The teacher smiled, “Thank you. I forgot to introduce myself; I am the head of Herbs here in the academy. Please call me Professor Utrell. Will you take a seat in the back seat #34 and #35? Then I can resume the announcements and send you off.” Without another word he turned around to grab papers off of his desk.

 

That was their dismissal cue. So Crowne led Jewel over to their seats. He chose the seat in front. Jewel was grateful that her brother knew she preferred a seat behind him rather than in front. She could then observe people’s reactions as she so often did. Their eyes showed interest and excitement when on her brother, and curiousness and a hint of fear when on her. It didn’t bother her, just amused her.

 

Announcements were boring to her, yet hearing about the shipment of rare materials for the magician tier greatly excited Crowne. She inwardly smiled seeing her brother lean forward trying to exert self control from bursting out and asking questions. The rest were rambled on until they were then released to go to their main rooms.

 

Crowne turned to his sister, “I shall meet you at home later! Don’t forget to be nicer!” He chided his twin with a teasing smile.

 

She looked away and walked off towards her first class.

He laughed and scampered with excitement to his first room followed by a few other students. They began talking to him wanting to learn all about him.

 

Jewel felt a twang of fear then calmed down remembering that she and her brother had discussed that their past shall remain hidden. They didn’t want others to know that they were exiled royalty. It was one thing to be royal, but another thing to be EXILED royalty. They didn’t even know the reason for that either so the explanation would be too troublesome to explain.

 

She picked up her books and looked at them. There were four new books with her name nicely written on the front. The first was Peace and War Throughout the country: A History of Triumph and Failure. The next, Tactics versus Strategy in a dark green cover that appealed to Jewel’s eyes. She turned down the hall as she looked at the next book: Different Economies of the Leading Kingdom’s. A pause in her step was the result of her mind suddenly flashing back to her home. Perhaps she will learn more of her home from an outsiders view. Quickly she resumed her pace and quickly sidestepped an oncoming student rushing towards her. He stumbled looking back at her then continued on without a word. She had hardly noticed anything besides something brushing by her. Her focus came upon the last book, Basic Medical Treatments.

Her mind wandered through her schedule, she had four classes that involved sitting indoors in a classroom and three classes that involved the outdoors. Horseback riding while in full armor as well as being able to fight in such a uniform was going to be a tough class. She liked horses but not to fight off of. Then there was basic sparring with weapons and armor, and lastly foraging in the nearby forest.