Rielen had received another letter from her mother. She had rejoiced at the letter she had received from her daughter. News of a new brother was written in her mother's flowing script. Her mother lamented how she was too old to raise a newborn.
Rielen was surprised. There was a 17 year gap in between her and her new sibling. 'I wonder what he looks like?' The King had made her wear a bracelet that prevented her from teleporting off the Palace grounds, even though she had never broken her promise not to teleport from the Palace.
She sensed he was a very cautious man. The Royal Family had complete control over the mages in the Academy. She often wondered what had led to this obsession to control any person who had any form of power in the Kingdom. She understood people who had magic were needed to protect the Kingdom, and that magic is what allowed it to run.
She knew they were valuable, but why did the Royal family hold onto us so tightly? Her schedule had been changed, like the day she met Charla today. She was curious as to what could change her schedule after years of Individual Study, with a new teacher popping up every time a new ability of hers popped up.
Rielen was led to a classroom that was closer to the West Wing. When she entered the room, she was shocked to see several young men in the room. She scanned the room and met eyes with Eon. He smiled, and for the first time since restrictions had forced separation from the boys and girls, she was allowed to sit next to him.
She was elated. Hyla made her sit several seats down from Eon, but she was in the same row. She could feel his gaze on her, causing her to blush. Hyla stood behind her. Normally, she would be outside the classroom waiting for the class to finish. She noticed a servant behind each of the students in the room as well.
She frowned, but waited patiently. Grend walked into the room after several moments. The usual, casual demeanor he showed was replaced by a stern expression.
"Each of you have been selected to move further in your studies," he explained to the class. "Due to your successes and talent, you will be sent to be tested in order to determine if one of you shall become the next Ruler of our Kingdom. This is an honor, and the next King could very well be in this room."
Rielen noticed how he had said King. She frowned. The very presence of her in this room should be enough to determine that the next Ruler could very well be a Queen! Not that she wanted that job. She just didn't want to be shipped off to the Nobility. Therefore, she needed power to be able to choose. Of course, her choice would be Eon.
Many of the pupils in the room sat up higher as mention of being tested buzzed in their ears. It had been mentioned when they joined the Academy, but they had all seen several of their friends had been sent off and left the Academy.
Rielen counted the many people in the room. Ten. Only ten were here, and were qualified to be tested. Rielen knew there were hundreds of people in the Academy. Most only stayed for 2-3 years before they were shipped out.
The ones chosen must have more ability. She briefly wondered what ability Eon had shown to be chosen. She glanced to her side, careful not to let Hyla notice. Eon was watching Grend with determination in his eyes. He looked so different from before they had been shipped to the Capital.
She missed when they could have light conversations. Where they could laugh freely and spend the day by the river. The days where Eon would spend hours just to find and give her a pretty stone to make her smile. Of course, he had given her countless stone flowers now. Each more elaborate than the last.
Each of the candidates were locked into an empty white room. Grend did not envy them. These ten were the most talented he had seen in years. He faced Rielen as he shut the door. Pity for her was the worst. He knew the only reason the King allowed her into the candidate pool was to marry the winner.
The way the King treated the mages who were women had often left a bad taste in Grend's mouth. Rielen was perhaps the most valuable of all of them. He had long been hiding her many talents from the King. He knew he had to do this to protect her.
The pain that each candidate was about to face would either break them or make them stronger. The first stage of testing was brutal, to say the least. A new era of torture and tests for basically every conceivable trait was going to be grueling and challenging.
Maybe the King had allowed her to join because of her talent. Maybe it was to teach her a lesson. Every time she had achieved something, he had grown increasingly angry. The current belief that women shouldn't be taught magic stemmed from his hatred of them.
However, by law, all those with the mana must be trained. Grend silently prayed to the Spirits. 'Allow her to rise above the difficulties she will face.' He had done all he could for her. In the end, it would be up to her whether she rose above, or was crushed.