Needless to say that everyone was surprised that they wanted to share a room.
"Are you sure?"
"For the thousandth time, yes, we're sure"
It took a terribly long time for them to finally get their uniforms and just as long for them to get access to their room.
They were even stopped many times on the way by others that tried to convince them not to do that.
The pair only had peace when they arrived at their assigned room.
"I'm sorry, this is my fault"
He was sure that the duke knew that all the times anyone stopped them, they were looking at Abaddon.
It was practically an immediate response, they only stopped when he glared at them.
"It's not man, don't worry"
As frustrated with the situation as he was, Leo didn't want Abaddon to feel guilty about it.
The duke already sounded so dejected, how could he put the blame on him. He didn't do anything, why should he take the blame for something so stupid.
He decided to change subjects to the first thing he saw when looking around.
And great Morpheus!
"Abaddon, they got bunk beds here!"
In this room that should be less than a fourth of his own room back in the castle, he found four desks, four closets and a door he believed to lead to a bathroom.
But the big star of the place was a pair of bunk beds.
He never got the chance to see one, but now he has!
Leonel Frostine Solas, the third prince of the South Empire was gonna sleep in a bunk bed!
After making sure that the wheelchair wasn't in the way of the door and that nothing was gonna hit Abaddon, he went to check on the bunk beds.
"A what now?"
Abaddon didn't seem as eager as he was about the situation, more curious and amused than anything.
And who was he to deny knowledge?
***
Percy was standing in front of his new dorm.
He was surprised when he heard that the third prince and duke Abaddon were sharing a room, but he just couldn't let that chance escape, so he signed to share a room with them.
It was stupidly easy for him to do that, literally no one wanted to share a room with Abaddon even though the literal prince of their empire was sharing a room with him.
He was a bit nervous to meet high ranking noble families, but didn't hesitate much, taking a deep breath and entering the room.
"Fuck off"
Just to immediately freeze.
"You're lying"
"I'm not! That's what they are!"
"That can't be!"
He walked into a scene he would never forget for the rest of his life.
The third prince and duke Abaddon seriously arguing about bunk beds.
"It's literally a bed on top of another bed! How is it that hard to understand?"
"How can a bed be on top of another bed? You're just pulling my leg"
"I literally can see it and you can't!"
He didn't expect this kind of situation.
He doesn't think anyone would.
"The hell is happening here?"
Percy jumped at the sudden voice, then turned back.
It was a familiar face, not that they knew each other, but because he knew this person's information.
It was Angus Thoreau, the fifth child of the bull house, a county, and Carrier of a Lesser blessing.
He was much bigger than the three of them, had tan skin, brown hair and black eyes, besides having the build of a bull.
"Finally, someone with eyes!"
The third prince widely gestured to the bunk beds while looking at them.
"Can you two please tell this idiot what a bunk bed is?"
"Great, now you're involving others"
"Of course I'm involving others, you insist that I'm lying"
"Because you are!"
"I'm not!"
That moment Thoreau chimed in.
"Isn't a bunk bed a bed on top of another?"
"Excuse me?"
"Ha! In your face Abaddon!"
Well, things would be interesting.
***
They were now moving to the auditorium to hear a lecture after the… discussion, for lack of a better word, and after Solas helped Abaddon into his uniform.
And he had to admit, it was a sight to behold.
Gus still found it amusing how these two interacted, apparently having met only today.
He signed to share a room with them, knowing full well that no one other than the new noble of the year would want to share a room with the outcast prince and the cursed duke.
His gaze fell on said pair.
Solas was of a pure white shade that stood out with his black uniform, his hair was white and so was his skin, the only different thing was his eyes, gold like the symbol of the royal family.
Then there was Abaddon.
His skin was dark, but only on his face, from the neck and below his skin was of an unnerving shade of black, the type that doesn't reflect light. His hair was, unlike the snow white of Solas', flashy silver white, like that of an elderly man. His milky eyes were of a faded gold color, as if worn away by time and became dark.
He watched as the two of them bickered over something stupid again and held back a chuckle.
They looked like siblings.
They arrived at the auditorium where many other students were waiting for the lecture to start.
They found somewhere to sit, Abaddon was kept by the side of their roll in his wheelchair.
The duke and the prince would chatter among themselves, bringing Gus and the new baron to the conversation from time to time, but mainly bickering when they disagreed on something, which was quite frequently.
After some time, a man came to the podium and started to speak. He didn't miss how Solas and Abaddon's heads immediately shot up, expressions serious.
Well, hard for them not to, it was the first prince.
He was there to give the new students a speech about their contributions to society and the great feats they'll do in the future and how their families would be proud of them.
The same thing that was said every year at the arrival of new students, his parents had heard the same speech, and so did his grandparents.
It was just a speech to inspire loyalty to the royal family.
After the useless talk ended, a round of applause rang into the room. He saw the smug smile on the prince's face, as if he had heard some kind of praise, before he left.
They also stopped to eat at the cafeteria, but it was only when they were out of the auditorium and back to their room that they relaxed.
"I hate that guy" Gus said.
"You tell me?" Was the duke's response "I swear I could feel him looking at me"
"Oh he was, to you and me" The prince clarified.
Gus knew the reason for that, but the baron gave them a curious look.
"Why do you all hate him so much?" He asked.
All three nobles sighed as if they had to worry about unpaid taxes before they gave an explanation.
"Thomas is trying to take me down to avoid the possibility of me getting the throne thanks to my mother" The prince said "I don't even want the throne, I just want to get my duke title in my come of age and disappear from everyone's lives, but things will get worse now that I got a blessing higher them his"
That was an understatement.
The royal family had always been quite crazy, so, unless one of them was caught with undeniable proof of their crimes, they always found a way to drag down each other in the worst way possible without consequences.
Then it was the duke's turn.
"The first prince want to gaslight me into entering his faction" The duke said "He wants Abaddon's military power and supplies to suppress his competition and gain the favor of the other nobles factions"
A smart move, if not for the obviously wrong approach.
It was well known in the social circles that the first prince was forbidden by the emperor himself to approach the duke after a scandal he made by publicly trying to pressure Abaddon into accepting a deal with him.
He was actually in the party where it happened and he still remembers how he and his father laughed their asses off at the sight of Frida, Abaddon's representante out of the duchy, appearing out of nowhere to quick the first prince in the face.
Now was his turn.
"The first prince is desperately looking for a allies" He said "He want support fast since he's losing his father's favor just as fast, but ain't finding it as easily as he thought and his candle is burning fast enough to be seen at naked eye, so he's chasing after the neutral houses, like Thoreau and Abaddon"
It was starting to look pathetic, honestly, a 21 years old man trying to gain favor from a bunch of 15 years old kids.
It's not like he could say that out loud, but there was one thing he could do.
"You're a Baron now" He said "Don't fall for cheap tricks, don't follow people to dead ends and don't trust the royal family, no offence Solas"
The prince shrugged at that.
"None taken" Then added "Keep an eye for Thomas, the concubines and my mother, don't let the twins trick you if you ever get a spirit and Beatrice will stab you in the back if you don't be carefull, but you can be at ease with Elizabeth, she's chill"
Right, the first princess, the late empress's daughter.
Many supported her, as the daughter of the emperor's late lover, to assume the throne. She was kind and just, but also serious and strict when needed, she knew how to do her job and it always had a good result.
She was also the spitting image of the emperor, with golden eyes and hair and fair skin.
He believed in the image of the perfect princess until today.
What made him change his mind?
Abaddon's expression at the mention of the princess.
Everyone noticed as the duke cringed, and the three of them exchanged a look.
"What do you think of Elizabeth Abaddon?" The prince asked.
There was a moment of silence, then came the answer.
"Let's just said that the royal family have a strange obsession with me, well, besides you"
Solas stayed quiet for a few seconds, face blank as he stared at Abaddon, but then he turned his face away with a serious expression.
"I'm scared to ask why" He said "So I'll just stay quiet"
"It's for the best" The duke said.
Gus just nodded at that.
Well, you learn a new thing every day.
***
"Could you call me Dove while in the tower"
"What?"
He was now in his new bed and getting ready for his first dream when he said that.
He came to this conclusion after much thought and now he had the courage to say it.
"No one will approach me the moment people hear Abaddon" He explained "I just… want to be me for some time, not Abaddon"
There was a moment of silence in the room, then came Thoreau's voice.
"Why Dove?"
That earned a chuckle from Dove.
"It's my first name" He explained "Dove Abaddon"
He heard a 'ooh' coming from Thoreau, then a crack from above him followed by Solas' voice.
"I'm fine with that, but only If you call me by my middle name! I don't like my first name and I won't be left alone if everyone knows I'm a prince!"
Yeah, he can see that happening, so he agreed to that.
But then the others came forth too.
"Don't mind if I join you guys on that?" Thoreau asked "I rather be known as Angus or Gus"
"I also prefer my first name" The new baron added "So Percival or Percy please, but Val is also on the table"
He was surprised that the other two decided to join, but didn't mind it.
"Of course" He said.
The more, the merrier.
But Angus seemed to have something more to say.
"And you two should quit the formal talk" He said, definitely for he and Frotine "You two will give away that you're noble!"
And, with this last warning he relaxed, letting himself fall asleep.
He would dream today for the first time in his life.
***
Leo- no, he was Frost now! - opened his eyes to a blue sky with white clouds, he was a bit stunned for a moment, uncertain if he truly came to Dreamland.
"GET UP!"
He was suddenly startled by a voice shouting so loudly that his ears rang.
Sitting on the grass, Frost turned around, eyes meeting the hard gaze of an old man with a wooden sword on his waist.
"So the ladies decided to wake up huh?" Said the man while looking around "Good, kow get up before- why are you crying?"
Surprised, Frost turned around, just to see Abaddon- Dove, his name is Dove. Well, someone that looked like Dove.
He had the same simple clothes that Froat was using now, showing off dark skin that was once painted pure black, his silvery hair was now of a beautiful golden color and so were his eyes.
He looked like a member of the Royal family.
The boy was still laying on the ground, eyes fixed on the sky as silent tears fell.
Right, he was blind.
"Like what you're seeing?"
The man had approached Dove before he could react and leaned to block his vision of the sky, but Dove only smiled at him.
"It's beautiful" Said the Duke "Like a jewel"
The man grunted at that.
"You act like you have never seen the sky" He said.
That earned a chuckle from the duke.
"I have, in fact, not seen the sky in a long time" He said "I forgot how vast it is, makes me wonder how big must be the sea"
"You're talking fancy again"
It was Gus who spoke, he was close to Percy when he got up and approached the pair, crouching by Dove's side.
"Can I assume that you don't know how to walk?" He asked.
"I did once!" The duke responded a bit too cheerfully "Let me see if I still know how it works!"
They watched as the duke started to move, clumsy sitting up, and successfully attempting to get up.
Only to lose balance and fall face first on the grass.
The duke lifted his head and looked at them with a stupidly happy smile with a piece of grass in his mouth..
"I think I still can!" He said "Just need some practice, I can feel pain now too, which is bad, but manageable, and my sense of taste is back too! Which is good! Grass tastes awful, by the way"
"Ok bud, to the back you go"
While Gus allocated an overly excited duke in his back and Percy took the grass from the duke's clothes, the old man came to Frost and whispered to him.
"What is his problem?"
Frost sighed helplessly as a smile formed on his face when he saw Dove excitedly pointing at a training ground in the distance.
"He's crippled" He responded "The only thing that works in his body other than his organs are his neck, mouth and ears"
The man's expression didn't change a bit, but his hard stare softened a bit.
"Thanks for telling me" He said "At least now I know how to proceed with training"