When she had heard of the girl’s description, Mihca did not expect the amount of incongruence it detailed. She was small, -too small. And her jade eyes, they did not only draw importance but had started to bare her secrets. She was caught by the rumored inquisitive glance when Malrow shuffled to stand.

“I’m leaving.” He grunted through the amount of spasms his attacks claimed him.

She grabbed his spindly arm before he could escape. “Bear me sympathy,” more like a hiss, she nevertheless begged. “Please.”

Malrow’s face contorted. His dark eyes, glinting with hidden fury. Without responding, he regained his arm harshly and was about to ignore her plea when the Lord Visor trilled, “I see. It seems you have met?”

The two of them were still glaring at each other when the dainty voice, like a new chick chimed in, “Ye… yes, Master.”

Mihca immediately shifted her attention back to the princess. What? How? It was however a slight to her conduct when she did not notice the three royal guards that had entered with the monarch. One of which was a squad leader who was now brandishing his curved sword. Mihca heard a quiet yelp before the Sergeant pointed the blade’s end and commanded them, “State your name and purpose. If found false, the crown will not hesitate to eradicate you.”

Mihca froze. Her mind was in a whirlwind of panic when the same little voice defended skittishly, “Please Sergeant. Ke… keep your weapon. It wasn’t him who… um… came to me. It was me.”

Mihca was taken aback with the little girl curling her hands on the head guard’s blue cape. She was also stunned to realize whom the princess had protected. When she had turned to her companion, he was already baring his teeth.

It was a tight mess. Zazun had failed to perceive the outcome of this visit. When his right arm, a numb, did not respond to his intention, he lifted the other and casted an eth-hariot. “Lies, begone,” he said and a yellowish tint of glaze warped around his golden barrier before disappearing again. “There. Now we can talk comfortably.”

He peered into the stunned faces of his guests. The guards, who were trained to understand the spell, sheathed their weapons. The Sergeant, however, was still holding on to his and a protected arm around the princess. The two new apprentices, the one named Mihca, had no color to her face. Interesting, he thought. And the husk, his new errand boy, unlike his companion had lost his tensed shoulder… and the snarl.

“Sergeant,” he caught the guard’s attention, though a nod while still had eyes on the prey. “You may find the princess a seat,” he gestured to the other two guards towards the chair in front of his desk. “You may interrogate the children once the first business has been dealt with. They may leave but will understand that it will be Shazak where they will be going.” Mihca’s eyes gaped wider. “Come now princess, let us leave the nasty work to the mighty warriors of Chustern.”

It took Oria to shine through the windows when they had finally settled on the arrangements. One guard stood watch over Malrow and Mihca by the coaches, far from Alve and the Lord Visor’s conversation. The second guard by the carpeted steps that lead to the lounging area. And the princess, near the desk with Zazun while the Sergeant took in simultaneously patrol over the claimed criminals and their ward.

She was well-mannered for her age, Zazun took note. He smiled at the little lady and was exactly rewarded with the relaxing of her wrinkles and the room’s gloom. But not quite all of it. The Lord Visor noticed the princess’ smart swivels towards the apprentices and he worried what this odd behavior will make of her. He ignored the Sergeant's protocol and promptly risked the question. “Princess, I wish to know how you came to meet my apprentice?”

The Sergeant grumbled while the princess was inevitably disrupted from her own silent musings. Zazun disregarded it and waited for the response.

“I… It was when I was invited to the High Adjunct’s dinner.”

“Dinner?” Zazun tried to comprehend the time. He did not have all the information of his students, especially the crown dinner schedule.

“That time when… um.” She started to count on her fingers and had finally ended on her other thumb, “like eleven moons ago.”

“Mmm… if we are to amoun that.” The Sergeant grunted inside his helm while Zazun lastly realized the affair. “That contract with the Chrav Alliance?”

“I… think? Maybe?” She had turned her head towards the apprentices once again when she continued, “What I can remember was that I was in the Thorn Garden when I met him, and then the loud clap. He ran. He was hurt actually, but then Urda was there and took me back to my room.”

Understanding dawned on him. Zazun finally gripped the tight knot of the princess’ circumstance. He did not dare look towards the Sergeant for confirmation, the tightening grip on his hilt made sure of that. The principal trusted his gut senses to withhold the information. The variables however were not making sense. He peeked towards where the princess’ affection was laid upon. His new apprentice, hands in front of his chest and barely making eye contact to anyone in the room. But he doesn’t want to be here in the school. I can attest to that, Zazun thought hard. When he looked at the girl, she was shaking. And the other one fears.

Not making a sorted conclusion, Zazun sighed. Fortunately, Thravadin had blessed him with a keen mind and an open heart. He pitied the children.

“Well! That explains everything,” he steadied.

She was still a child and Zazun thanked the great goddess for the availability he had. “It does?” the princess asked innocently.

“Yes, it does.” As he said this, Zazun waited for the Sergeant’s hand to let go of his foreign sword. When the head guard lessened the grip, Zazun knew the crown had agreed. He returned to ascend his task. “Princess, you were of course sent here to receive our gift, yes?”

The child nodded.

“You see, Mistress Beramontin, your adviser, has told me that you have not made friends with your classmates?”

It took her time to answer, perhaps it was what the situation needed. She admitted sadly. “I think they are scared of me. It's always the eyes… I think.”

Poor lass. “If they can’t recognize your cute smile, princess,” he glistened gladly at her. “Then they do not deserve you. This shall be your gift, with an honorary touch from the school to you.”

Alve stared at the new class schedule in front of her. Worried but a little excited. It detailed that twice of all her permanent classes in a week were piled for the morning. Half of the afternoons were marked as private lessons.

“I will arrange your proctors, two of them whom you already met,” the Lord Visor explained. “One is my graduating apprentice. He has this research going on and with additional help, it would lessen the burden.”

Alve beamed with the principal. He continued, “They are supposed to be apprentice schedules but I think,” he shifted to the cornered students. “I think they won’t have any problems with the new classmates with them.” Zazun knew the former guild apprentices didn’t hear them, but he doubted his. The Lord Visor could vaguely see the boy’s jaw muscles tightening.

“Can I bring my brother?” the princess begged.

Zazun did not falter. “Princess, he already is.”