Madeline was walking through the hallway on her way to her geography class when she saw the familiar form of Prince Wolter von Plettenberg walking with the Academy chairman, the head of the Order of the Rose and the Student Council President along with Wolter's entourage. Wolter's eyes looked up and caught sight of Madeline he stopped dead in his tracks. It was as if a bolt of lightning struck his heart. She casually brushed her bright red hair over her ear as she waited for them to pass. To Wolter, it was as if a Goddess had descended to the mortal realm. He had never seen a more beautiful woman in all his life. It wasn't just her beauty, she had a sharpness to her that caused him to see his future with her as his empress, the two of them ruling side by side like a pair of chiseled warriors, he the large strong protector. While she held a bow and shot down those who sought to stab him in the back.
It wasn't until the Chairman asked if he was alright that he remembered that he was on a tour of the school and would be classmates with the woman and would have the chance to see her again during his regular class schedule. He watched her disappear into the room for the geography class. He turned to the Chairman and said, "Please see to it that I have that class at this time."
The Chairman smiled knowing it was because of the pretty girl. He chuckled and said, "Of course your Highness, it will be done as you wish." The walked further along and the Chairman said, "I understand you are quite the swordsman, you are in luck because this year's first-year class has the six best swordsmen in the history of Pays Des Abrutis. I am sure you will have plenty of good people to practice against.
He grunted derisively and then said, "Possibly, I have found that your swordsmen weren't strong enough to fully bring out my best. I'll test these top six and make up my own mind."
The Chairman chuckled and said, "That girl we passed, she is one of them."
Wolter's eyes grew large and then he grinned like a hungry wolf. "Coming here to the Academy de L'échec seems to have been the right choice after all."
The head of the Order of the Rose shook his head and smiled, then said, "If you think that girl is beautiful, wait until you see the other two. The three of them are each heart-stoppingly beautiful. I think most of the other men here at the school all have a favorite among them. It's too bad the men they are with are all shockingly handsome as well."
The Student Council President nodded and said, "That girl, Lady d'Aumont, is the fiancé of Lord Guy de Montfort too, we call him Guy the monster. No one can touch him with a sword. On top of that, he is the top student. Even second Prince Andre backed off from his pursuit of Lady d'Aumont because of him."
Wolter grinned wider, "Interesting. This school gets more interesting the more I hear."
*****
Wolter went to the area his informant had mentioned and waited for the appointed time. Once it was dark he started feeling as if he were being stalked by a large predator. He could see nothing in the shadows until a silvery portal opened and then another shockingly beautiful woman walked out. If the first woman made him think of an empress with a bow ready to strike down his enemies than this woman made him feel as if he would have an angel standing at his back raining death and destruction with a wave of her hand. She reached out her hand and said, "Wolter, it's been too long since I have seen you. I am sure you have questions but this isn't the place. Take my hand and let me show you a future where no one will ever threaten our Wütendes Menschenreich ever again."
Wolter took the hand and was pulled through the portal. They stood on a cliff overlooking a field that was black with the soot of a fire. He could see melted metal blades and armor mixed with partially mummified bodies of horse and man. He asked, "Where is this?"
She smiled at him, brushing her golden hair behind her ear and said, "This is the army of Wütendes Menschenreich that was set to invade Pays Des Abrutis. Your father made the mistake of provoking Lord Guy de Montfort. He is like me, a Mage. The most powerful existence in the world." She smiled at him again and said, "Just one pissed off Mage and your father's entire army of four hundred thousand men are now nothing more than ash. Do you understand?"
Wolter looked at her as if he were looking at a demon he asked in a low voice, "You mean, you can do this too?"
Alicia smiled and nodded, "I have returned from the future. In that future, I was your Empress. Together we fought against the whole world and survived, even thrived. You understand?" She approached him provocatively, "You are my man, and I am your woman. Together, we will build a Wütendes Menschenreich that will be known as the greatest empire in the history of the world."
Wolter looked at her from top to bottom, "Is that Madeline d'Aumont a Mage like you?"
Alicia nodded and smiled, "She is."
Wolter grinned and said, "Then I can't lose to this Guy the monster. Teach me."
Alicia chuckled, "Oh, does my man have his eye on another woman? You bad boy, don't make me punish you." She pressed her large chest against him.
*****
Claude sat at the table with all of the most handsome and beautiful people in the Academy including the crown prince of Wütendes Menschenreich. He felt so out of place that it was hard for him to even meet anyone's eyes and yet they kept talking to him as if he was one of their closest friends. They even knew things about him he hadn't told anyone at the Academy. It was starting to greatly unsettle him. If he hadn't been invited by a goddess he probably would have refused the invitation.
Diggory laughed, giving Claude a slap on the back, "It's good to see you back my boy, I'll have to show my progress with the new Autopainter. Here drink this, you look terrible." The handsome old man passed him a potion bottle. He looked like he didn't trust it, but the ladies at the table urged him on. Claude picked up the bottle and downed its contents. He figured he had nothing to lose. After a few minutes, he started to feel as if he had grown stronger and faster. His vision even seemed better. Diggory laughed and said, "That's my improved Hero potion, my boy, you'll have improved up here as well." He tapped the side of his head.
Doreen smiled and said, "Alright, with that he should be able to learn now, right? We aren't going to let him be killed over a grudge that didn't even happen this time, right?"
Guy sighed and then said, "Fine, let him learn if he can. Speaking of that. Alicia, you told Wolter didn't you?"
Alicia smiled and said, "Oh, very perceptive, how did you guess?"
Guy looked at her unhappily, "Don't plunge this world into war, Alicia. We sacrificed too much to make it what it is right now." He looked straight at Wolter, "I am not sure how much she as already taught you or how badly you want to unleash Magic on the world. If you try and do that, I will kill you and your rotten family just like I killed your army. Do you understand me? This world is to remain peaceful. Even if I have to erase Wütendes Menschenreich from the face of it myself." He turned and stared at Alicia and said in a very threatening tone, "Our pact remains. Don't teach outsiders."
Alicia cuddled up to Wolter who was staring at Madeline and ran her fingers through his hair, smiled and said, "My husband doesn't count as an outsider. Let me offer a threat of my own. If you touch my Wütendes Menschenreich again, I'll erase House Montfort from the map." She giggled, "You aren't the only powerful person in the world, Lord Molester, don't forget that fact."
Guy looked panicked and said, "Is that how it's going to be, Alicia?"
Alicia casually looked over at Guy and asked, "Did you think that you were the only one capable of making a threat? I was the Empress of the free world for ten years, I have been threatened by so many men I can't even count them all."
Wolter cleared his throat and said in a calm voice, "I understand. I saw what you did to my army. I understand the power we all hold. I swear to you, I will never threaten the peace of Pays Des Abrutis. I will respect her borders and her neutrality as long as you respect my borders and my sovereignty." He reached out his hand and offered a handshake to Guy.
Guy smirked and the accepted the handshake, Wolter tried to crush Guy's hand but found that he lacked the strength to even make Guy slightly uncomfortable. He knew then that he must abide by the agreement as long as he lacked the strength to defeat this man. "I'll hold you to this, Wolter. I know you that you can become the kind of man that holds to his word. I just pray for the world that you do it before you two plunge us back into chaos."