* 4 months later*
The day was here—the end to Raven's first school year. The remaining ninety-seven first-year students were all seated in the auditorium of the school. After many tests and exams, only ninety-seven first-year students remained in the school.
Seated in front of them all were the top ten first-year students. In the first two seats were the infamous Ice and Lightning Empresses. The two strongest first years, each of them undefeated in exhibition matches.
As Freya walked up to the podium on the stage to give the speech every top-ranked student gives, she smiled at the new number-five-ranked student, Isaac Saville.
Two months ago, Isaac challenged Freya for her hand in marriage. He was confident in himself but lost in less than three minutes.
The following month, he tried again, but this time he challenged Raven. Once again, he was confident once again and he lost in four minutes.
These two humiliating losses caused his rank to drop drastically to that of the fifth-ranked student.
Freya looked at Isaac, whose face was filled with scorn. He only had two losses on his record, being the two girls he looked down upon and thought would just be his.
Freya began her speech by saying, "Welcome all first-year students to our graduation ceremony. Today we have all gathered not only to celebrate us becoming second-year students but also to celebrate all of the accomplishments we have conquered to get here. We survived tests against both our minds and bodies and succeeded where others failed, and today we will be awarded. As we take on the responsibilities of second years, not only will we help train the new first years, who will be going through the same trials and tribulations we have, but we will also broaden our horizons and knowledge. I wish all of you a happy summer break, and I'll also give you a warning if you think I'll surrender my seat as the top student in this class. You're going to be in for a world of disappointment. Thank you guys for your time."
And just like that, the statement and the challenge had been laid. Freya would keep her seat and take on anyone who was brazen enough to try to take it from her.
Freya left the stage and sat back in her chair.
"Quite the statement." Raven said to her friend.
"Well, you know I mean every word I said." Freya responded.
"Well, we don't know who the true number one is between us." Raven commented.
"True, we have never dueled against each other, only sparred." Freya said.
"And what are our sparring records?" Raven said.
"I have 34 wins, and you have 32." Freya answered.
"Don't forget about the three draws." Raven said.
"That's fair enough, so what are you doing once we leave here?" Freya asked.
"I'm going back to live with my family; how about you, Freya?" Raven asked Freya, who was thinking to herself.
"Actually, I wanted to ask you: could I possibly stay at your house this summer? My family is going through some issues that I would rather not be around to see, so I was just wondering..." Freya was saying before she was interrupted.
"It should be fine, Freya; my mother will understand. After we leave here, we can head straight there." Raven said.
Freya had a look of relief on her face. "Thank you, Raven."
"What are friends for?"
With that and the final speeches from the professors, Raven and Freya went to their dorm room to pack their things and headed to Lyanna's mansion, where his family was living.
"Let's go in and introduce you to everyone." Raven said.
The two walked in and saw Lyanna and Amelie in the kitchen preparing lunch.
"Hey, Aunt Lyanna." Raven said greeting her aunt.
"Oh Raven, is graduation over?" Lyanna asked. Then Lyanna noticed the girl next to Raven. "And who is this?"
"This is Freya Crawford; she was my roommate in school. Freya, this is my aunt Lyanna Morrigan and my cousin Amelie Morrigan." Raven introduced her family.
"It's a pleasure to meet you!" Freya said.
Freya had never met anyone in Raven's household besides Eve, who stopped by the college to deliver something to Raven. So she was a little curious about what her family was like.
"The pleasure is ours, Freya." Lyanna said facing Freya.
"It's nice to meet you, Freya. I know Raven introduced me, but my name is Amelie Morrigan, and I'll be taking the admission test to your school later this year." Amelie said.
"Oh yeah, I wish you the best of luck. I hope you're prepared; the tests are very difficult. Freya said smiling.
"I know; it's why mom and Aunt Anna have been teaching me what they know...which is basically torture." Amelie said.
Raven's body shook as she remembered what her mother did as "training". It was borderline abuse.
Freya saw Raven's reaction when Amelie said torture and took note of it.
"It couldn't be that bad, could it?" Freya thought to herself.
"Aunt Lyanna I was wondering, could Freya stay here for the summer?" Raven asked.
"Sure, the more the merrier; we have some rooms available if you want Freya." Lyanna told Freya, who started smiling.
" Is Alex's room available?" she asked, shocking everyone.
"I mean, it's empty at the moment." Lyanna said.
"Good, I'll take it." Freya stated.
"Freya, what are you doing?" Raven asked with her eyebrow twitching.
"The way you always talk about him makes me curious what he's like, and the best way to find out without him here is to snoop around his room." Freya said.
"Freya, don't you dare..." Raven tried threatening her, but...
"Second door on the right upstairs." Amelie said.
"Amelie!" Raven yelled out.
"Thank you; I've got to go!" Freya sprinted away and up the steps before going into Alex's room and blocking the door.
"That should give me some time, now, Alex. Let's see if I can find out why Raven is so obsessed with you." Freya thought to herself.
First, Freya checked out the perfectly made bed but noticed something. It smelled like perfume, and considering Raven did come out frequently and Alex wasn't here, that could only mean one thing.
"Aw, Raven, that's adorable." she thought to herself.
"Freya, you have until the count of three to get out of the room." Raven warned from outside the door.
"I can't hear you~" Freya teased.
"Freya!!!" Raven yelled out.
"Oh, I'm definitely in trouble." Freya thought to herself, "but that gives me an idea."
Raven started her countdown: "3...2....1" *BANG*
Raven broke the door off of its hinges and saw a sight that infuriated her.
Freya was lying down in Alex's bed, the bed no other woman besides her and her mother had laid in before.
"Freya, because you're my best friend, you have three seconds to get off of his bed." Raven warned.
Fine, fine, I was just teasing; I'll take one of the empty guest rooms. I was just curious what how his room looked; it's very bland, to be honest." Freya said.
"He didn't live here long; he...left us soon after we arrived here" Raven said, getting sad thinking about that day.
Freya stood up from her seat, walked over towards Raven, and apologized to her.
"I'm sorry, Raven, but at least you know he'll come back; after all, he made a promise to you and who knows it could be sooner rather than later." Freya said.
"You're right, he did, and he'll come back; I'm sure of it." Raven said.
"And I'm waiting Alex." Raven thought to herself.
*Elsewhere*
"Alex, it's almost time."
"Yes, in four months the entrance ceremonies to the Royal Academies open, and I plan on taking part in them." Alex said.
Claire looked at him and asked "So we're going back home?"
"We are, but what about you, Kyssee? Adelia?" Alex asked the other two girls sitting at their camp.
"Sorry, Alex, but I have to return home soon, but I do plan on seeing you again someday." Kyssee said.
"I will be coming with you for a time, but I won't be joining any academies. I'm a bit older than you, after all." Adelia said.
"Well, Kyssee, when do you plan on leaving?" Alex asked.
"I will be leaving tomorrow, but I can still spend the night with you~" Kyssee said, smiling at Alex.
"Back off." Claire warned Kyssee.
"What? Are you finally going to take that next step tonight?" Kyssee teased.
Claire's face blushed after hearing that.
"Girls, it's our last night together. How about we just call a truce from all the fighting for tonight?" Alex said, sighing.
"Sorry, Alex." the both of them said.
"Well, aren't you popular?" Adelia laughed.
"Shut up, Adelia. Don't think we didn't notice you blushing with him earlier." Claire said.
"What? I...I don't know what you mean by that." Adelia said, turning her head away.
Alex just watched as the three kept going back and forth; however, his thoughts were more focused on something else.
"Raven...Anna...Eve...Kaede...I'm coming home."
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