Win was woken up by a Messenger just an hour before his breakfast timing. He groaned at the unfinished homework and sore muscles of his body. As if to make it even worse his neck was sore too from sleeping in an awkward position. 

He quickly bowed thanks to the Messenger and walked out gingerly. Once he was in his room, he took a cold shower to wash away the sticky humidness around him and quickly dressed up in the new pair of uniforms.

Soon with a knock, Potsdam appeared with a bag of books, parchments, quills, and ink bottles. He then helped him carrying his discarded clothes to wash in the basements and finally accompanied him to the breakfast Hall.

Win was carrying his homework parchments, struggling to keep them in his bag as he took his seat beside Carmel, who steadily helped Win with the task.

"Where is Love, Bright, and Joss?" Win asked.

"Oh, they'll be here soon. You see Bright has extra classes for a Prince and Love is on her wings wash day, so she'll be late and Joss is the late guy, so, he's late as usual", Carmel shrugged.

Win hummed in response.

"Did you finish your homework?" Carmel asked, casually as a few students and Royals started joining

"Don't even ask!" Win groaned, "I am at sea!"

"Sea? You mean the waterbody found on the  Earth?" Carmel asked, tilting his head in confusion.

"Ah, no! It's a phrase", Win explained, mentally facepalming.

"Oh I see, I am sorry we only know the basics about Earth. Bright told us about it", Carmel explained, grinning apologetically.

"That's alright, I understand", he nodded, "Bright knows about Earth?"

"Yes, as a Prince Bright has to do extra morning classes on planets and its geographical conditions. He often tells us about the Earth and Jupiter. They are his favorite planets", Carmel explained.

"Really?"

"Yes!"

"He's loads of work than us... It might suck", Win pouted wondering how Bright would feel doing classes like reading about planets early in the morning. Win might have fallen asleep if he were to be in his place.

"Yes, being a Prince isn't an easy job. You have to learn to be responsible for trivial matters and have to learn to take extreme criticism from your own family", Carmel explained, "extra lessons are just a mere thing that a Prince must tolerate".

"I see", Win nodded.

Love soon joined them followed by Bright and Joss.

"That's crazy!" Joss whispered, frowning.

"What's crazy?" Carmel asked.

" I heard from few Messengers that Hendry was punished by Sir Sarawat for bullying a Flasher girl. Sir Sarawat ordered him to clean the stable", Joss said.

"He deserves it", Love said, nodding, "Anyways, good morning to you four". They too greeted her in unison.

"Love, what's your wing color?" Win asked.

"Oh, it's pink of course!" Love chirped.

"It must be pretty", Win said. Judging from Love's appearance, she must look really pretty with pink wings.

"It is, gonna show you one day", Love whispered as Sir Heliff entered and motioned the starting of the breakfast.

"Where's the Magnifer?" Win asked Bright, who was sitting beside Joss.

"He usually doesn't eat breakfast with us. Yesterday was an exception because it was your first day", He said. His tone was a bit bitter, but Win soon shrugged it off thinking he might be imagining it.

"I see", Win nodded and started eating.

•••

Win groaned entering the Meditation classroom.

"It's cheating", he grumbled, "when am supposed to finish those punishments— those extra homeworks?"

During  Literature and writing class he was given two long poems as punishment homework because even though he finished his works, Sir Fong found the citations were incomplete. When he tried to argue with him about it, they increased the workload even more.

During Runes, his work was half done, so as punishment the teacher asked him to write the alphabet twenty times in the class and five times more as homework. He tried no to argue that time or else he could have doubled the workload.

He wasn't the only one who couldn't finish his works, but surprisingly enough none of them revolted against the system.

"Raven–head, don't fight it. Do as much as you can and accept the punishments. You see it's so easy", Joss replied, wrapping his arms around his shoulder.

"Accept it?! But it's torture!" Win argued.

"It's a discipline, Win", Bright said, "Every man with sane mindset will understand its next to impossible to cope up with the workloads. It's either we have to give up sleep and meals to complete it or vice versa".

When the Meditation class began, they were asked to peer into themselves to find their powers again. Yet again, Win couldn't focus at first because of his frustration. He took a deep breath next and tried to look into him just like he did yesterday at the Seeing class.

The idea worked and he got a glimpse of his fire, but almost instantly, he snapped his eyes open panting. It takes lots of strength to find the fire that was burning in him. The Meditation teacher thought Win was not doing accordingly and made him bow in front of an odd statue several times as a punishment.

Next free time went just like it came– like a soft breeze. Win was barely able to complete his Literature writing even though he tried writing it with his most horrible handwriting. He felt getting betrayed by the time itself!

During the lunch break, he half ate and half wrote the Runic alphabet as clearly as he can. Joss helped him with the forms and ways the alphabets are written while scribbling down some invisible odd patterns with his fork on his plate of vegetables. Bright too got inspired by Win's stubbornness and started doing his planetary geography homeworks and Literature writings.

The fighting class was, however, far better than yesterday. He was made to shoot arrows at the aim after practicing the shooting position for ages and he did fairly well. But during the fencing practice, he was once again beaten into a plum.

He, however, must agree on the fact Bright was an excellent swordsman and Love was an excellent archer. Joss and Carmel was a 'raw beginner' according to Sarawat, but he would never argue on the fact they were far better than him.

The squattings and the joggings were just like adding salt to the raw wound. He felt he would die any moment now from the exhaustion!

The number of blows he has received at the fencing practice, made him prone to his punishments, according to the new rule Sarawat had made. That made Win strike a hay doll with the heavy sticks, throughout the period keeping Gray, a fellow Page to invigilate.

His whole body was tearing up by the time he reached the History class. There was a double History class today combining yesterday's class and Sir Tine went on and on about the Messenger Riot back when Boony ruled.

"He's obsessed with Messenger Riots, heard from few Flashers", Carmel, who was a History genius has said to Win, who was grumbling about the long class. And as usual, Tine gave loads of works to complete as homework.

Fortunately, there was no Seeing class, or else he would have been having that strange dream again or maybe something more. He sighed, joining the rest of them towards the flying classes.

As he didn't grow his wings till now, he was made to do some shoulder exercises to smoothen the joints and for preparing the wing growing places. The students gave him an odd look, few were snickering, muttering how weak the Preserver was! He blushed at the looks they were giving him. He felt worthless and wanted to quit whatever he was doing. It was torture and no man—or Numan— in existence can change his mind!

When he finally had everything done— the lessons, the table service, and dinner— Joss invited them in his room to group study and complete their homework.

"That's too much, don't you think?" Joss said, sitting down beside Love.

They went on and on about how fun it was at the flying lesson. Their laid-back attitude irritated Win to the extremities. And soon the last straw tore down. All the vented-up irritation and frustrations burst out of Win.

He stood up at once, "I AM DONE! I GIVE UP!"

"What happened? Are you alri—" Love began but was soon cut off.

"I AM NOT! THIS IS FUCKING TORTURE! I AM LEAVING RIGHT NOW", He screamed.

"You cannot leave until you fulfill the prophecy", Bright replied calmly.

"FUCK THE UNIVERSE AND FUCK THE PROPHECY!" Win cursed. He was getting even more irritated at the casual demeanor of his friends.

He felt too tired. He wanted to go home.

"Respect the Universe, Win!" Bright said, "Or else—"

"Or else what?! You're gonna take me to the Magnifer? You're gonna tell him to send me home? Sure! You can fucking do that!" Win huffed.

He was stubborn, yes. But he feels humiliating to stand as a weak mannequin, flinching at the blows he got for being clumsy and the works he couldn't even finish before the deadline. He wants to go back to being one of the best students of Thammasat! He wants to go back to his mum, to his dad, to his sisters being their best son and best brother.

"Crying wouldn't help", Bright replied calmly. Win blushed, realizing he was fucking crying.

He was caught crying. But instead of stopping his tears, he cried again, "I AM NOT!"

"I never know the Preserver is such a weak little creature who loves to stay amidst the comforts and luxuries", Bright scoffed.

"I AM NOT A WEAK LITTLE CREATURE WHO LOVES TO STAY AMIDST THE COMFORTS AND LUXURIES, BASTARD!" Win screamed.

Bright knew perfectly what was the word he had called him just now, but he didn't dwell pondering upon it. He knew it was quite common for someone to be this violent while having an emotional breakout.

He was there once. He never had anyone to snapped out his emotional turmoils. He was forced to endure it, keep it inside, and hear his father say him a 'family disappointment'. He could see himself in Win right now. But this is the path to discipline. To understand the value of accepting everything, to stay unbothered outside while having turmoil inside— this is all for one Numan to learn how to stay calm when your enemies would torture him! To stay calm amidst the turmoil standing as a pillar of trust and protection for the people, whom once he had promised protection is a must thing to inculcate as a Prince or as a Saver or as a Preserver.

As a Prince— or as the Preserver, in this case— he has to learn to discipline his emotions. It can be hard, yes, but if Win stands this out, he can finally be there in front of Megatrix and take all those tortures bravely without being vulnerable. Bright understands the importance now; Win will, too, one day.

"Then why are you quitting and running away?" Bright asked again.

Love, Joss, and Carmel sat still, never daring to move a finger. They were busy watching how Bright, their leader, their Prince was leading the whole thing.

Win was shocked at those words, "I–I did not quit... I am protesting! This is inhumane— I mean innumane!"

Bright bit back a burst of laughter at the correction, "Scarpes can fly."

Love snickered at the expression and the whole scene bringing Joss and Carmel to join her and burst out laughing.

"Wait— what was that? What does that expression mean?" Win asked pointing a finger at Bright.

"Scarpes, the ugly birds found in Star Lakes cannot fly... So indirectly I mocked you", Bright explained, his voice was still calm.

"Argh!" Win ruffled his hair, before sitting down. Even though might not agree, snapping out at Bright made him feel much better, but the words like 'quitting', and 'running away', cut through his heart. He wondered how such trivial things irritated him the most while he had been taking his entire years of hellish life back on the Earth. He feels guilty at snapping at his new friends, and the Prince, who was kind enough to accompany him throughout.

"Fine", he muttered, "I am sorry for snapping out at you all like that".

"Oh it's fine", Joss said, wrapping his hand around Win, "You should say sorry to Bright! You screamed on him the most", he chuckled.

"That's right! I am sorry, Bright", Win apologized, right away bowing at the Prince.

"It's fine. No worries, Raven–head, I am used to it!" Bright chuckled, "But make sure to apologize to the mighty Universe and never to disrespect her ever again!"

"I will", he bowed.

"So you're not running away are you?" Carmel asked.

"I'll see for three days more, if I feel I am not up to it, I'll go the Magnifer myself", Win huffed, opening his Runes homework. Nobody dared tell him how he could never leave until he fulfills his prophecy.

Those three days soon became one week, then two weeks, and then almost a month. Win completely forgot if he had once promised to leave Midaster and run away home.

________

Emotional outbursts suck. >-<

Plus, this lesson thing was inspired from The Song of the Lioness book. It was really tough to frame our protagonists, without this chapter. So I have tried to write it as detailed as I can.

Anyways, thoughts?