Draeyer Academy
Drae Skyland
Northeastern Space

"Saggar!" Areisha said as a heavy weight bounced on top of her stomach. She sat up, trying to gasp for air which left her lungs in a hurry. She looked down, and spotted her Draeling looking up at her with big pink eyes while nestled in her blanket. She took a deep breath to rid herself of the anger which bubbled inside her. Raising one of her delicate hands, she stroked the metal of Emera's head.

"Why did you wake me up?" she said while rubbing her eyes. "It's a weekend. We can play all day if you want."

She yawned as Emera jumped off of her large bed, and ran across the green carpeting to the door. Her brows knit together when the little creature started pawing at her door, while sniffing at the gap beneath. She started hopping around in circles on the floor as her shrieks echoed against the room's white walls. Areisha peeled the blanket off her, and shook her head with a smile. She stood and cradled the baby Drae in her arms.

"You must be hungry," she said. "I'll get changed first before we go downstairs." She placed Emera on her bed, and the Drae restlessly ran around in circles as the bed bounced with each step of her little paws. Areisha laughed at the adorable display, and stroked the creature's head. She went to her closet, and slid her silk nightdress off her creamy shoulders. Soon, she went to the door donned in a white shirt, black shorts, and brown slippers.

"Come on, Emera," she said. As soon as she pulled the oak door open, the Draeling spread her wings and flew past the door and to the hallway. Her Draeyer stood wide-eyed as she stepped out and saw her flying through the hall and down the stairs. Areisha's brows knit, curious of what was happening, as she ran through the turquoise hall.

The last time she acted like this it was because of...she trailed in her thoughts. Her lips pressed into a thin line for a moment as she remembered the transfer student. She raced down the stairs of the third floor until she reached the twin staircase, both leading down to the common area of Star Dorm. She paused on the last landing as her blue eyes grew big at the sight on the ground floor.

Emera, Dia, and Uby gathered and curled around a familiar person who had a smile tugging at his lips. Her eyes were on Emera as the Draeling tuck her head between Arden's neck and shoulder. Her grip on the railing tightened, not that she was aware of it.

"Isha," a voice broke her out of her staring. She looked over and saw Solana waving at her with a smile and her blonde hair in a mess of curls. It was as if she just woke up. Solana sat on one of the couches, with Knox, and the infuriating Arden across from them. She returned her friend's smile before climbing down the steps. However, the smile vanished not a moment later, when she saw the transferee stroking her Drae's head.

"What is he doing here?" she spat. Her eyes narrowed into slits as she got closer. She sat on a blue single couch, and crossed her leg over the other and placed her arms on the rests. Alec broke away from her gaze, and shook his head.

"It's nice to know that I'm welcome here," he said, as he patted a pale red Draeling, the same size as Emera, who curled into a ball next to him.

"Uby, quit bothering Alec," Knox said, as he raised both his hands and motioned the Drae over. Uby peeled one scaly eye open, before letting out a snort, and snuggling closer to Alec. The latter chuckled at what it did.

"He's not a bother at all Knox," he said. "It's fine."

"Even with the sealing power of your Sentiral Stone, the Draes still can't seem to stay away from you, even for a bit," the tanned-skin boy said. "Are you sure that you toned down the stone to pale green?"

Areisha watched with raised brows, as Alec took a silver chain from around his neck and revealed a Sentiral Stone in pale green color attached to it. A faint gasp, one could be mistaken for a breath, escaped her lips as she unconsciously reached out at the bracelet where a pink stone attached itself on the silver.

"Your power must be that strong," Solana said, as she examined her nails. Areisha resisted the urge to roll her eyes again at the girl's mannerism.

"I told you that I have no power over Draes," Alec said. "They approach me on their own."

"And we told you that it's your ability as a Sentire," Knox said. "The stone wouldn't have reacted to you otherwise."

"I can't believe this," Areisha said. She raised her hands, shook them, as she rolled her eyes heavenward up at the chandelier hanging above.

"Believe it," Solana said, as she winked at her with a weird smile on her face.

Oh Lord Saggar, I hope she hasn't heard of my encounters with this bastard or she'll tease me to no end, she thought.

"Grandma Eden already had his things moved from Sun Dorm right after the Changing Ritual," Knox said.

"You people were really sure with me being a Sentire," Alec said, as he shook his head. He took Dia from his left, and placed her on his lap, enticing a delighted purr from the baby as he stroked her neck.

"Is breakfast ready yet?" a voice shouted from the top of the stairs. They looked up and found a boy climbing down the steps, still in his sleeping clothes as he let out a yawn that filled the foyer.

"You're forgetting that it's the weekend," Solana yelled back. River whirled his head to them. For a moment, he squinted, before his black eyes grew big in shock, and he scrambled down the stairs, until he stood in front of them.

"Why the Blazen is he here?" he said, as he pointed one long finger at Alec. The latter in return just focused on stroking the Draelings who stood on fours at the sound of River's voice.

Areisha rolled her eyes at the scene in front of her, and stood to head for the kitchen. She followed a hall to her left, and saw the only door at the end of it. She pushed open one flap of the large double doors, and slid inside. The round table covered in dark blue cloth still held no food on top of it, as white seats with blue cushions lined at the side.

Much smaller doors opened to her right, and a lean boy her age wearing thick square-framed glasses came out carrying two plates of food.

"Can I help, Ceiver?" she said, as she stepped closer to her seat. The boy jumped from her voice and turned his head to face her with wide honey brown eyes.

"It it fine," he said, as his blonde hair swayed while he shook his head. "Muriel it helping me."

Areisha inwardly shook her head as she kept her eyes on her dorm mate who had trouble pronouncing 's.' A middle-aged lady with brown hair, their dorm helper Muriel, came out of the kitchen after and placed the food she carried on the table.

"You can come back later, dear," she said. "It would take quite a while before breakfast is ready."

After watching them head back into the kitchen, she decided to come back later. She stepped out of the dining hall, and to the lobby. She ignored River's yelling at the twins and Alec, before grabbing hold of the door handle and slipped outside. Following a short path lined with small rose shrubs, she moved around the building and headed for the yard.

She let out a sigh as she reached the backyard, and sat between large roots. She leaned back on the trunk, and stared at the back of Star Dorm building looming in front of her, with windows reflecting the early morning sun. The dorm was taller than the Sun and Moon dorms, but narrower, for there were few of them for such large structure same as the two former dorms.

Those old geezers just had to separate us from the others, she thought. She heard the sound of beating wings, as a green creature came flying towards her. Permitting herself to smile, she reached out when Emera landed with a soft thud on the grass. The Draeling ran to her, and hopped onto her lap.

"And I thought you were going to keep sticking to...Arden," she said, as she rolled her eyes. The smile was still visible despite the distaste in her tone.

Her smile faltered though as soon as she felt a pair of eyes staring at her. Emera seemed to have noticed, as she climbed onto her Draeyer's shoulder, and her pink eyes darted around her surroundings.

"Come out," Areisha said. "I know you're there." She heard rustling inside the woods surrounding her. Feeling Emera shifting and spreading her wings, she reached out to her head to calm the creature down.

A figure jumped down from the tree she was sitting under. The person landed a few feet next to her, with a brown cloak veiling his appearance. He dropped on one knee and lowered his head. Although surprised, Areisha reined her emotion from showing, more so when she recognized the person's voice.

"Milady, pardon my sudden appearance." She tried not to frown at the familiar deep voice, and placed Emera on her lap.

"Why do you always have to ask me to pardon you even though you do it over and over again?" she said, her voice cold as the winter wind. She heard a suppressed chuckle come from him, and she sighed as she shook her head.

"If you don't mind me asking, milady," he said, "but, has something upset you this early in the morning?"

"Upset is not the right word, Bran. Instead I'd use annoyed," she said. "A certain person I particularly don't like has transferred into the dorm, and most probably in the Power Mastery class for us Sentires."

"The one you recently encountered in the library, milady?" Bran said. Areisha's eyes widened, and this time, she was unable to hold back her frown and narrowed her gaze at the man.

"You were watching me again!" she yelled as she stood. Emera let out a squeak as she jumped to the air when she slid down her lap. Bran kept his head down, trying to hide his fear or his indifference at her outburst. "Was it Sheriun's idea?"

"Please address him properly, young mistress," he said, with a flat tone. "Your lord father only wants what's best for you. He wants to make sure that the people you mingle with are of good influence towards you."

Areisha gave a very unladylike snort, which goes against her upbringing, and raised a perfect brow at the man while one side of her lips tilted up in distaste.

"Just admit that he's trying to find a way to control my life again," she said. "Tell him, that I am done. He can disown me for all I care. I don't need him."

"He would never do that, Lady Areisha," Bran said. "Whether you believe it or not, your father loves and wants what's best for you." Silence followed after that, and the leaves rustled as the wind blew past. Areisha shifted her gaze to her feet and bent down to pick up Emera, who busied herself by rolling over the grass.

"What did you really come here for?" Areisha asked. "You wouldn't have showed yourself, if you only had the intentions of keeping an eye on me." Silence followed after that, before Bran stood from his position.

"It would seem that your five months in this academy has enhanced your deduction skills, Lady Areisha," he said. "Lord Sheriun has ordered me to give you a message―to ask a favor to be precise."

"What is it?"

Areisha looked up, and she saw his grass-green eyes shining from under the shadow his hooded cloak casted over himself. Her eyes grew big like saucers, as she heard her father's request.

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When I woke up, I was like "Holy Kosmos!" I quickly scrambled out of my bed only to find out my laptop was with my little bro. I'm so sorry for the delay! I'll make sure this doesn't happen again