Amora felt her head throb and something cold trying to suppress the aches as she began to awaken. She groaned and twisted her body. She could tell that she was in her chamber from the softness of her bed sheets and Aquata's scent of fresh water and water lilies. There was another scent in the room, it was familiar but she couldn't quite identify the smell. Then her eyes began to open slowly. She first saw two blurry faces and then the faces became clearer; Aquata's worrying face and the scowling face of Lilith. She sat up slowly and wondered how long she had passed out and how she was in her chamber. She had gone to the Wilerbee meadow with prince Azar and back but that was the last thing she remembered.
"Welcome back" Aquata said with a worried frown on her face while Lilith only scowled harder.
"Does she ever smile?" She asked herself.
Aquata had manipulated water from the stream and made it into small ice pads with a piece of clothing to help calm Amora's burn.
"You were burning up" Aquata spoke again as she maneuvered the water out the window. " What happened? You were unconscious for two hours" Aquata spoke again. Her hair was in a messy ponytail, she had been asleep when Lilith appeared with an unconscious Amora and had been awake since then.
"I can't remember anything. I remember talking to the prince and then nothing" Amora winced from the ache she got trying to rack her memory.
"Well, thank you for stealing two hours of my sleep and now it's going to be a bad day at the learning halls because I was of course saving your stupid hide" Lilith snapped at Amora.
"Hey don't be mean" Amora snapped back. "You shouldn't have helped if you didn't want to. Besides why were you also out by the time of the night huh?" Amora asked with a frown.
"None of your business. I stayed out of your business, stay out of mine or I'll tell everyone you were responsible for the wanderer's attack" Lilith flashed her dark stormy eyes before vanishing with a cloud of lightning, leaving a burn on the ground where she first stood.
" Now I have to clean that scorching mark of the floors" Amora lamented.
"I think you should get some rest before it's time to go to the learning halls" Aquata was rummaging through her medicine bag for something as she spoke. Amora only grunted in response as she got up to change her outfit at least.
Aquata handed her something that looked like seaweed. "Here, eat this. It should help with your head. I have to go for a swim now" She said. Amora took the seaweed looking thing from her and watched her as she jumped out through the window. Aquata, a water nymph needed to go into the water some times to be one with the element and get reactivated. Amora studied the dry seaweed for some seconds before throwing it into her mouth, eyes closed expecting it to taste putrid but was glad that it was just tasteless.
In the learning halls, Amora dragged herself and juggled listening to Bloom's chatter and trying to remember what happened after being dropped off by Azar. It was the usual day of elementals, witches, naturites, halflings and all to learn, fall in love, snicker and gossip. Bloom noticed that Amora was trying to follow up.
"What's going on in your mind Mora?" She asked snapping her out of her own mind.
"Oh Bloom I am trying hard to remember what happened while I was unconscious. I think someone or something was trying to pass a message across but I just can't remember anything" Amora lamented.
"Perhaps if you do not worry your head too much, it'll come to you" Bloom tried to cheer her up but was distracted by the sudden cooing of majority of the females walking the halls, including the tough female earth elementals. Amora didn't know was going on as the females began to straighten up their attires, one glance at Avonlea a tall dark skinned earth elemental who was trying to arrange her full thick bush of a hair, to Solana suddenly whispering to Fiammetta and Fiammetta saying something to assure her. Amora knew only person or rather a few people in the halls that could rouse this effect and that was Aenan Asturias the water elemental and his friends but they weren't in the direction the girls were all staring to.
Amora and Bloom walked closer to get a glimpse and then when the crowd parted, Amora's jaw dropped when she saw Azar and his annoying twin brother Alev walking in.
"Oh the princes of Vadina. They're here" Bloom said nonchalantly.
"Why did they leave before?" Amora watched from the corner of her eyes. Alev had a rigid expression on his face and when their eyes met, he smirked at her and she only wanted to punch the smirk on his face. His fiery red hair looked like shiny rubies when the sun hit them.
"They got into some trouble during the last games and had to be laid off for some time and now they are here, another female competition to begin. I only have eyes for my Aenan" Bloom blushed as she finished her statement.
Amora only rolled her eyes at Bloom's statement and then proceeded to watch the twin princes make their way into the halls. Azar was the friendlier one, smiling and sending playful pats and nudges as he walked. Alev on the other hand, had his head high and commanded grace and power like no other. That made Amora's stomach churn. Azar soon sighted Amora with Bloom and quickly left his small crowd of swooned maidens.
" Ooh your prince is coming this way" Bloom teased her with a singsong voice. Amora only smiled and shook her head only muttering that Azar is a nice guy.
"Greetings Ladies" Azar smiled, showing off his left sided dimple.
Amora and Bloom immediately curtsied and returned the greetings.
"You know this isn't the palace so don't curtsey or anything. I am here to learn just like the lot of you" Azar smiled. Amora liked his humility and Bloom was only happy to be talking to the prince. The other females that walked past them glared at Bloom and Amora.
"Siofra asked to give you this" Azar brought out a small brooch made of plaited flowers and twigs from his pocket and handed it to her. "She weaved it during her weaving lessons and asked to give it to you since she can't move into this part of the learning halls" he explained further.
"This is so beautifully made" Amora admired the brooch and immediately pinned on her crop top. "Send my thanks to the princess" she added.
Soon a trumpet sounded, signalling the beginning of lessons. The three opened their schedules and then with a twinkling sound, the scroll revealed that they had potions lesson together.
"Shall I escort the ladies to the lesson?" He asked with a smile. Before Amora could reply, Bloom already placed her arm in his. Amora and Azar laughed and they began to walk to the chamber where the lesson was to hold. Amora and Bloom still got glares from females, especially from Solana who looked like she could rain fire on both of them.
Amora and Bloom split for the next lessons with Bloom having plant decoration lessons and she having defense lessons. She wondered why the students didn't have the same lessons at the same time and then decided that the students were quite much and were only scheduled into lessons based on their abilities and interests. Defense lessons wasn't a ride of fun for her. Not that she couldn't fight, but because she had been paired with Alev and Azar had been paired with a very feminine looking male water elemental who had long hair. Amora had stepped out of the changing chambers wearing just a black sports bra on the military cargo pants that fitted her perfectly. Her ripped abs flexed as she stretched, walking to pick up a weapon of her choice and wished she had her lipstick taser with her and some electric batons but just had to make do with a shiny sword.
Alev saw Amora walking out wearing the skimpy sports bra and cargo pants. He had never seen anyone dressing like that, let alone dress that way for battle. His eyes flew to her face that held a neutral look and her long red hair already tied into a bun and held with some sort of pin. Her skin was absolutely flawless and he could see the way her chest heaved up and down as she was adjusting herself. Her slim waist and hips in motion put him in a trance but he wasn't just going to admit that she was all that. She was a thorn in his hide and a rogue, that was all she was. But then she was roguishly beautiful he couldn't even deny it.
"Less clothes, more places to cut with my sword" he taunted her as she walked to the arena. The others had already started their sparring.
"Ulanni Daeva, Prince Alev, get into your stance" The bulky man who happened to be the tutor bellowed at them. Amora immediately got into her rigid position, feet firm on the ground, grip strong, eye contact and relaxed muscles. She recited Louisa's defense stance in her head again to make sure she wasn't missing it. Alev still wore the annoying smirk on his face and it annoyed her so much.
"I bet I can cut you more than you'll cut me"She taunted the good looking prince. Alev only gave a small laugh and shook his head.
"You are but a girl rogue, I'll go easy on you" Alev said as he took his stance drawing his shiny sword.
Amora felt her stomach churn with anger when he said she was just a girl. She could accept his name calling of a rogue but she wasn't going to let him ride on her because of her gender.
"How about, we get this party started then pretty boy? No powers, first to draw blood" Amora proposed loudly to the hearing of the others who stopped their sword clashing and gasped. The tutor nodded his approval and asked the others to stop and watch the duel.
"I'll go easy on you rogue" Alev winked at her. The tutor gave the start signal. Amora and Alev moved in circle waiting for who would strike first. Amora replayed Louisa's training exercises "never strike first, wait for the attacker to strike first". Alev fell for it and launched first but Amora swiftly ducked and returned the attack, clanging the sword on his. She gave him a wicked smile and then proceeded to spin and give more attacks. Alev was surprised at how swift the girl was and decided to fight like he would fight a fellow male, using all his sword tricks.
The other students gasped and cheered the duo as they fought, sword for sword battling for who was supreme. Alev had never seen anyone more beautiful than the lady he was battling now. Her hair flew out of the bun and her sword moving swiftly. She had the gleam of a warrior in her eyes, yet looked as dainty as a flower. Alev used his most popular move on her twisting her sword and knocking it off her hand. Amora stared at her sword that had now flown to the other side of the field. She knew Alev had the upper hand with his sword in hand but she wasn't going to go down that easily. Alev launched for her but she ducked with a flip and landed on her two feet. Alev was surprised at this move of hers and launched again determined to cut her somewhere but Amora was thinking fast and immediately bent, swiping his feet with hers, landing him on the ground which roused a round of laughter from others watching. Amora quickly ran for her sword. Alev, embarrassed, launched at her again. Amora ducked and landed a punch on his stomach. Alev staggered backwards but regained his stance immediately, there was no way he was letting a girl win, never. They both swung swords at each other. Amora's sword scraped his jaw and his her cheek, hence both were bleeding. They had drawn blood but still continued the battle till the tutor called them to a stop. The other students cheered and clapped for the duo. Bloom had finished her lessons and had joined the defense lesson crowd to cheer for her friend. Lilith only gave a small smile and nodded towards Amora's direction. Amora, panting now felt happy that Lilith had actually acknowledged her. Alev couldn't believe what had just happened.
Amora was still panting when she felt that familiar chill going up her skin and then in an instant her eyes went white and she froze. Alev was confused to see what was happening and so were the others. Amora fell to the ground and began to convulse violently. Alev and Azar ran to her as she shook violently on the floor. Bloom jumped the crowd and got to her friend. The convulsing stopped a few seconds later after the learning Hall's healer had been called.
Amora got up to her feet, three pairs of questioning eyes staring at her and a worried tutor.
"What happened?" Bloom asked.
Just as Amora was about to answer, there was a screeching scream coming from the changing chamber area and then everyone rushed to where the scream came from, hoping to find the screamer.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhh" That was Fiammetta's voice, well recognized. When the students gathered towards the chamber, Fiammetta was looking pale like she had seen a ghost she shakily pointed to a corner. The defense tutor and healer rushed to the corner.
" Doom and sorrow" They said in painful unison as they both stared at the tragic sight in front of them.