Chapter 3: A whole new world

Zachary;

The Academy was full once again, it was nice seeing new faces, new royalty, I wondered who would be the ones selected to be in our dorms. The flames of the forest is known for their extreme bravery during war and I was so proud to be the leader. At the academy, you don’t get picked to be the captain, you challenge the old captain, I wasn’t planning on challenging the former captain; prince Phillip, he challenged me and I just couldn’t say no to a duel.

‘Prince Zachary, I wonder who you’re thinking about, I’ve been trying to get your attention’ I looked around to see my sister glaring at me

‘what do you want Penelope?’

‘well have you seen the new intakes, they are so cute’

‘why should I care if they’re cute or not’

‘well, you’re captain, so you have to meet them tonight for the introductory party’

‘is that a must?’

‘yes, tonight party will be formal, I have no idea how’ she said with a frown.

‘Penelope, you look beautiful in a dress’ I said with a smile, she sighed before walking away. I looked back at the picture on the wall, my father and mother were both warriors of the flame, my father was the captain also in his time. Looking at the next picture was Queen Merida of Scotland, the greatest archer in her days. My father always told me the story of the war they had against the Chinese kingdom and during the war, unknown arrows shot at the intruders and they all fell dead and when they looked up, by the mountain top, then, Princess Merida stood courageously on her horse with her bow and arrows. The entire guard were confused how a woman could shoot straight arrows from where she stood killing the Chinese army all by herself and that was how women became warriors. After hearing that story, my sister Penelope had always wanted to be like her, her daughter Princess Bethany was good but nothing like her, Bethany was good with the sword but not with the bows. I was yet to see the person who would be the next queen Mérida. I looked at the big clock down the hall, the new intakes would be at the flames big hall.

I entered the big hall, our head commander was already standing, the flames gave a bow or curtsy as I passed them, giving the head commander a bow before I stood beside him.

‘I welcome you flames of the forest. I also welcome you the new intakes. At the flames, you should know that you will be pushed beyond your limit because the flames are not known for weakness; we stand for STRENGHT! FIRE! BRAVERY! And HONOR! We are flames, we burn the battlefield, I am the flames head, commander Jeffery and this is your captain, His Royal highness, Prince Zachary Windsor. I require loyalty, dedication from all of you and I look forward to working with all of you. Your highness, anything you might want to add?’ I sighed, of course he wanted me to say something

‘Welcome to the academy and also welcome to the flames of the forest new intakes, I look forward to knowing you all. Classes start by 10a.m tomorrow. Dismissed’ everyone bowed or curtsied whatever before leaving. I walked back to my dorm, I was very tired, the journey from England to Ireland was a long one to me.

‘you’re back early’

‘am I supposed to be late for any reason?’

‘nope, just thought you’d be hanging out with the girls you know’

‘shut up Luke’ I said taking off my jacket and changing into more comfortable clothes. This was something I loved about the academy, you could wear whatever you want and not be in a tux or royal coat all day. I could say the same for my best friend Lucas, the to be duke of Sussex of England. He always ran away from his duties and disguised himself I still wonder why he goes through all that trouble just to have fun.

‘sometimes, I imagine myself in a tuxedo or in royal coats, I would look exquisite’

‘says who?’ I replied plumping myself beside him on the bean bag. Being a prince, to be king and being a duke to be came with much privilege at the Academy, you can have whatever you want, you get whatever you want in your dorm and you also get to pick your dorm mates that is how Lucas and I ended up together.

‘I said so, you think I look awful in a coat’

‘no. but you look better in a pair of jeans and white tee’

‘I always knew that but mother wouldn’t even want to take a glimpse of the white tee. I wonder how you do it, we were both trained at the same age to adjust to royal life and all its challenges but I can’t just adapt to royal dressings’

‘when I’m king, no more coats I promise’ Luke laughed

‘what a dream, that would be the rule absolutely no one would pay heed to’

‘I know, but it is worth trying’ I said laughing again

‘the new intakes, the girls are hot’

‘don’t you think of something else other than the girls’

‘yes I do your highness, I’m just glad our ladies are a lot hotter than the prides. Last year, the girls at the prides were breathtaking, I almost failed archery because of them’

‘you still got a C’

‘hey, that has been my highest score in archery for the past four years. I’m even lucky I’m a duke, I would have been told to withdraw because of it. I hate archery, it’s the hardest course so far’

‘don’t say that in the presence of her highness’

‘Penny is naturally for that; we are both terrible at it. You mock me, you also got a C’

‘everyone knows archery is my weakness, I’m not going to lie about it’

‘what did your mother say about it’

‘I need more practice; I always need more practice. I’ve given up already, I don’t need it, I like the sword, martial arts, I’ll cover up for the archery like I always do’

‘exactly’

‘I’m looking forward to tomorrow, you?’

‘yeah, I get to see the pretty girls, of course I’m excited’ I rolled my eyes, normal Lucas.

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Author:

Scotland was thrown into panic, the princess was missing,

‘Find her!’ yelled the king, his mind was disturbed, the queen wept, the princesses were confused, where would she have gone to

‘are you sure you didn’t see her Elizabeth’ princess Eleanora said looking through her younger sister’s room for any clue to find her

‘no your highness, I came this morning to wake her up and she wasn’t here’

‘anything yet Eleanora?’ Dianne said entering the room

‘nothing, nothing at all’

‘she must have disobeyed me and gone with her siblings to the academy, send a letter to the academy telling them to remove the princess Fauna immediately’ the king yelled walking into his study.

    The letter came late to Ireland’s Warriors Academy and the search for the princess began but she wasn’t in the academy, so a letter was sent back to Scotland telling the royal family, the only Scottish royalty at the academy were prince Andrew, Caleb and princess Bethany, and Scotland was devastated once again.

‘do you think she left because of the way I treated her?’ Dianne said to her sister in the umbrella shade in the garden

‘I always told you, you are mean to her’ Eleanora replied taking a sip from her tea

‘but it was only for fun. I wonder where she is at right now. The academy has seen no sign of her, if she didn’t go to that academy perhaps she went to a different one’

‘and what other warrior academy do you know about if I may ask you Dianne’

‘well I don’t know, perhaps that isn’t the only academy in the kingdoms, moreover, she would have gone elsewhere not even a warriors camp’

‘elsewhere like?’

‘I don’t know. Fauna has an adventurous spirit, maybe she wanted to go practice her archery or whatever, I’m very sure she’s going to be back soon’

‘I hope so. Mother hasn’t been herself lately and father is…well, you know how father has been’

‘he would have just let her go for maybe a year, we really never notice her around, she’s always on her own in her room or riding that Majesty horse of hers to the woods to shoot her arrows’

‘might I say, she’s really quite impressive with that bow of hers. I’ve seen her from my balcony at the training grounds. She reminds me of mother back in her days’

‘mother was an archer?’

‘you didn’t know, she saved the kingdoms from the Chinese empire. She shot unknown arrows and destroyed the Chinese warriors’

‘so she is a legend or something’

‘don’t you read your history, seriously, what do you do except put on new dresses’

‘mind your words Eleanora, I’m still older than you are’

‘I know and I apologize for my choice of words your highness but that is something a daughter should know not just what a princess should.’ Eleanora said and got up giving her a brief curtsy before walking away.