The head nurse git hold of Aria's wrist and she said, "No. What are you doing? You are not free to leave just yet."
Aria looked at her and said, "I'm sorry, Miss...."
The head nurse, "Anhao. Anhao Song."
Aria: "Sorry Miss Song, but I do not want to stay in this room a minute longer."
When Aria said this, her tone, expression, and aura could easily surpass most of the kids from the powerful families in this school.
Both Jacob and Miss Anhao were surprised to see a little girl have an aura like that.
Jacob was so taken aback that he forgot he wanted to apologise to Aria, and just sat there in a daze.
Miss Anhao, having had more experience in dealing with kids from prestigious families, quickly recovered herself and said, "No. I'm afraid I cannot allow you to leave."
Aria pulled out her hand out of Miss Anhao's grip. The nurse thought that she might try to make a run for it, and was ready, but Aria stood facing her, looked her in the eye and said, word for word, "If you want me to get in that bed, you're going to have to make it so that I really cannot get up."
And she turned around and walked out of the recovery ward.
Miss Anhao, who was left standing, had only one thought in her mind, "This is no ordinary girl. Just who is she?"
Aria did not stop and continued to walk. Out of the castle, past the academy grounds and into the surrounding forest.
Aria stopped once she was inside the forest. She twirled her fingers, and flew. Aria flew mindlessly for a few minutes before she calmed down with the wind in her face and landed on top of a pretty tall tree. She sat on a strong branch, opened up her hair and let them wave in the wind. Aria took a few deep breaths before her tears started to fall.
Aria looked up at the sky, at the sun shining brightly, as Jacob's words continued to play over and over again in her mind.
She continued to sob for a long time. After she had run out of tears, her face was all tear-stained, she looked down and mumbled, "Mom, you asked me to stay kind. Have I been able to do that? Am I the kind of daughter you would have been proud to have? Will you be happy to see me when I return home? I wonder....."
She looked up at the sky and exhaled, "I wonder what you are doing right now? Beth, Julia, do you both still do everything together? Dad, are you overburdened with work? And Grandpa, how's your health?" Aria closed her eyes as she remembered the faces of the people she had left behind in the fire kingdom, she wondered what they all looked like now.
Aria's train of thought was broken as a cold hust of wind hit her and she shivered. Aria thought, "That's right. It's almost twilight now. I need to get back to the castle." She flew down from the tree and and most of the way back.
A few metres inside the forest, Aria landed and walked back onto the academy grounds.
As she entered the castle, Aria was a little taken aback to see a rather stern looking man in front of her.