There was only a month left before the start of the school, but I wasn't as busy as always. My town visits ended as I never succeeded in changing Mia's mind about it. She was not that angry anymore and actually started talking with me as usual, but she stood by her words. As I wasn't going to visit the town, I didn't have a reason to exceed all expectations on my lessons. I was, of course, improving my magic, but I wasn't interested in the rest. In the end, after I skipped a few lessons to go to the garden and daydream, my parents thought it was time for me to actually have some free time so they canceled all my remaining lessons, including the magic ones. Freedom, at last!
Now my days were filled with visits from my friends and Alex who also met Damon. He checked him out to see if he was dangerous, making me laugh at that, and concluded that he is not. They actually became close in the end, and Damon would sometimes ask for tips in controlling his magic. I pouted a little that his teacher ended up being my cousin and not me, but I guess everyone would choose him instead of me. I was starting to think that Damon idolized my cousin and maybe saw him as a role model or something. No, no, don't let his good looks and gestures fool you! Alex is a wolf, a wolf, I tell you!
"You cousin is so good looking and strong in magic!" Damon said to me one time with sparkles in his eyes. No, what have you done Alex? You might be my 'perfect' cousin, but I won't let you corrupt him!
My last days before school were passing by lazily. Chopa was always with me when I was outside wandering around. He still didn't grow, but it seemed like he was more protective of me after the events at the festival. I wondered what kind of wolf he was. I checked some zoological books, but didn't find anything special about how wolves grow. Maybe he really was a dwarf and didn't grow as much as regular ones. He was still free to run to the woods every day and he would always come back in the evening to sleep in my room. He was also popping out from somewhere whenever I was outside in the garden. I was planning to take him with me to school, nobody will know. I had to go to the dorm a week before school started to get accustomed to living there. My parents won't accompany me so I could take Chopa in his pouch and hide him in the carriage.
A few days before departing to the dorm, I heard some maids discussing an incident at the border with Myrina. A convoy was attacked at the border and the first suspects were some people who seemed like myrinan soldiers. In the end it turned out to be a prank and no one was hurt and nothing was stolen, but I started being suspicious remembering my dream. I still had that nightmare now and then which inflicted serious warrines towards the royal family, but there were no other details about my crimes or any war.
As I was walking back to my room, two new ideas bloomed in my mind. The first one was to gather as much information about the relation between the two countries and see if there were any war plans and whether it could be avoided. This would be tricky as such information is usually not revealed to 14 year olds who just started school, but maybe I could find a way. The other idea was to learn to fight with a weapon and if it wasn't available at school, I was planning to make an ice weapon to use instead. It seemed my lazy days were about to end.
The day before my departure, Alex came to visit. While we were walking to our place in the garden, I started my investigation.
"Have you ever been to Myrina, Alex?" I tried to throw the questions as any other and it seemed he didn't suspect anything.
"I will go on a class trip next year. There aren't any trips to foreign countries while in the junior section. But in the senior section, we will be visiting all three of our neighbours for a few days. And they will visit us. It's an exchange study to help future generations to cooperate better." He informed me. I started thinking if I could make him investigate a little, but erased the idea as it would raise suspicions.
"Why are you interested?" he woke me from my daydreaming.
"I heard about a conflict at the border the other day and was worried." I explained.
"Hm… I heard about that too. Wasn't it just a prank? We have been allies for the past hundred years or so with them, I don't think anything will happen. Are you worried about your sweet cousin?" he teased me.
"I am more worried about the poor girls in Myrina who will meet you. Or wait, I am worried about you! Worried that you will be beaten up by a jealous boyfriend!" I tried looking serious.
"Why do you make it sound like I am a playboy? I am just well behaved!" he justified himself and laughed.
Thinking again about the incident, I asked a bit more seriously. "What would happen if war started?"
He stopped laughing when he saw my face. "Don't worry, Fredrika! There won't be a war just because of a prank!"
"But what if it happens?" I insisted.
"Why all of the sudden?" he asked back, but continued. "Well, although we are at peace, we still train ourselves to be able to protect this country. You will see that at school there aren't just politics and social skills you can learn, but some will be able to learn tactics and fighting as well. And magic is always useful and can change the balance in a war. You will be safe if a war ever starts." he patted my hair to reassure me.
"But will you be safe?" I asked, panicking suddenly. If war were to start in a few years then Alex will take part in the first battles. And there are others who would go to war as well. My father and Noriko's father as well. Maybe even my mother. Thinking about my family going to the front sent chills down my spine. What if we lose? "What if you get injured? Or worse?"
"Wait, don't be so serious about war. There are no rumors about any war and don't be so worried about me! I am strong." When he saw that I was still worrying, he hugged me and spoke in my hair. "Calm done, Fredrika! Don't worry about me! You know I'm strong and I will become stronger, so strong that I will be able to protect both of us."
I started being ashamed of myself. Of course he was strong, and my father was also strong. I had to believe in them. And I had to become stronger myself. So strong that I would be beside them if a war ever were to start. I hugged him back until I calmed down entirely.
"Well, we just have to make sure no war will start." I said and he just patted my hair.
"Throw out those thoughts from your head!" he demanded. "You should be thinking about school and dresses and whatever young girls think about. Definitely not wars!"
"Do you think that young girls just think about dresses and stuf like that?" I felt offended.
"Knowing you, I sometimes wish you'd think only about 'stuf like that'. But I know it's not that easy." He stopped and looked as if he was thinking about something. "You know what? We can start training together. Once a week, when we have time. It will make you stronger and it's an opportunity for me to show you just how great your cousin is." he smiled and added. "Just don't tell your mother." We both laughed at that.
"It's hilarious that you can get away with almost everything, but are afraid of my mother." I laughed at him.
"I remember aunt being seriously angry at me once, when we spent a whole day in the forest chasing lizards and swore that I will not make her angry ever again." I slightly laughed at his fear, but I knew what he meant.
"Then, every week we will train together?" I made him promise.
"Yes, every week when we can." He promised.
"Even with weapons?" I asked.
"I'll think about that," he responded, suspecting something. Maybe he already knew that I intended to insist on this, but even if he were to say no and wouldn't allow me near weapons, I still had my plan of making them with ice. Ohoho, I anticipated my cousin's surprise when he would be able to see them.