Princess of the Silver Ocean - Chapter 80

“I feel like staying here forever!” the fairy exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air as she jumped on her bed in the room she was assigned to with Astoria.

Astoria nodded. The bed was so soft that it felt like one was floating on clouds or candy floss. They were assigned to Room 4. There were twenty students in total and 10 rooms were used with two students in each room.

“It says here,” Laurelai read, her green eyes scanning the roster, “that dinner is at 6 PM.”

Astoria laughed.

“It’s not even 12 in the afternoon and you are already thinking about dinner?”

The fairy nodded and smiled.

“This hotel has delicious cuisine sooo,” the fairy paused, grabbing her notebook, “I cannot help but get excited about what the chef will cook for dinner.”

Astoria stood next to the fairy and also grabbed her notebooks. They had a lesson to attend to in ten minutes as their teacher, Miss Yalvina, was going to teach them some history and legislation about East Corrilt.

When they grabbed their stuff, they walked out their room, locking it. They were provided a place to use as a classroom in one of the conference rooms in the hotel. All the other students were making their way to the conference room and some gazed at the beautiful buildings of the hotel as they passed.

The students arrived at the conference room and found that it was stacked with chairs and desks like a classroom. Miss Yalvina was already inside, making sure that her notes where in order. She smiled as the students stepped in and took their seats.

“Do come in students,” she ushered them in with a smile, “We still have five minutes before we begin.”

Astoria sat in the front with Laurelai. Davitt sat behind them with a male elf student. Misty’s gang stepped inside the room and when Astoria and Misty’s eyes met, the ghost glared at her, baring her teeth.

‘Geez,’ Astoria thought, ‘So childish. She really needs to leave Nexi alone. Her and her gang of bullies.’

Misty’s gang sat at the back of the room. When Miss Yalvina saw that all the twenty students had arrived and were seated, she clapped her hands to get their attention as they were busy chatting away in excitement.

“All right students,” she ushered them to be quiet, “Before we start the Riddle Race, you need to know some knowledge about this city.”

All the students paid close attention to her.

“You will need to know about the Heavenly Spruce Forest, the Coat of Arms and the laws of East Corrilt,” she continued opening a textbook, “Please open your textbooks to page 125.”

The students opened their textbooks. Some students forgot to bring their textbooks out of excitement and so shared theirs with other students.

“Please take this assignment seriously as it will make up 60% of your assignment,” Miss Yalvina emphasised causing the students groaned at this, “There will be two parts to this assignment. The first part is a Riddle Race in which you will compete in groups of 4 with other teams to finish the race.”

“Sounds exciting,” a student said.

“The top 3 teams will get to choose among three gems which they can use if they want to forge a weapon. The gems has magical elements,” the teacher explained, “The second part of the assignment will involve a special exam which will combine multiple choice questions, true and false questions as well as fill in the blanks. This part will make up 40% of the assignment while the race is 20%.”

The students nodded in understanding. Astoria knew that if she wanted to pass, she had to do well for this assignment as to pass the subject, one needed to get a 50% overall pass.

“Now,” the teacher said, holding a foreign places textbook, “We will first begin reading about the Heavenly Spruce Forest.”

The students stared at the textbook page as Miss Yalvina begna reading. The Heavenly Spruce forest was tremendous, radiant, and young. Its canopy was eclipsed by hawthorn, hickory, and birch, sufficient twinkling lights bursted through their crowns for a plethora of ferns to consume the moist and fertile bottom layer below. Quiet climbing plants dangled from many trees, and a hodgepodge of flowers, which claimed remnants of light, added playful elements to the otherwise mundane backdrop.

The forest’s canopy was reigned by ash, buxus, hyacinth, and magnolia. Enough light shimmered through their crowns for a hodgepodge of mushrooms to claim the fertile soils below. A mixture of beastly noises, most belonged to rummaging critters, brightened up the forest, and were in harmony with the raging river currents clashing against boulders.

Miss Yalvina then read about the Coat of Arms. As much as East Corrilt was a city, it was bestowed it’s own Coat of Arms because it provides the Ashen Kingdom its fertility when it comes to nature. Without the anthousai and their power and affinity with nature, the Ashen Kingdom would not be as fertile and luscious as it is today. The anthousai goddess, Viola, created East Corrilt. She is a highly regarded and much adored goddess. Nature, life and fertility are several major elements this divine being is associated with and most would regard her as captivating and friendly.

A modest shield with a symmetrical squared top and an asymmetrical broad curved bottom is supported by a mage on either side. All of which rests on a forest landscape. A considerable crown, or coronet, rests atop the shield, it’s a crown of raised flowers and rows of various gems decorate the outer sides.

On top of the coronet sits a coppergate helm, which itself supports the crest, in this case a small owl with closed wings. The coronet and crest are decoratively bound by a roll of fabric, or torse, which carries the main colors used on the shield.

Lastly, tied to the helmet is an average sized drapery, or mantling, in the shape of floral patterns and colored in the main colors, just like the torse.

The shield itself has 4 colors which are painted in an embattled grady pattern. 4 hyacinth flowers serve as the emblem, or charge, and a long ribbon, reaching from supporter to supporter, carries the motto, which reads: “Reap what you sow.”.

Miss Yalvina had asked another student to read about the laws of the city. According to the textbook, East Corrilt has multiple community laws. This community law dictates all those found guilty of vandalism of public property will face the punishment of a short term exile.

The damage of the forest is considered a huge crime as the forest provided sustenance for the city and in turn the kingdom. Those found guilty of assault with illegal chemicals which could potentially harm an individual or the earth will face the punishment of brief public service.

One law dictates all those found guilty of attempting to or succeeding in bribing a government official will face the punishment of an ‘eye for an eye’. One law dictates that those found guilty of domestic fighting will face the punishment of long term solitary confinement.

A community law dictates all those found guilty of owning or operating a chop shop will face the punishment of a stern warning. This community law dictates all those found guilty of paying an employee in anything but money will face the punishment of short term servitude.

They had the lesson for an hour and thirty minutes. It was a load of information for Astoria to take and she was so grateful that she had a textbook with all the information. When the lesson had ended, the students were told that they had an hour break before they would have afternoon lunch.

“Man,” Laurelai fell on the soft, cloud-like bed, “That was a load of information to take. We better do well for this assignment.”

Astoria nodded and placed her stuff on top of the drawer. She sat on the bed and ran her hands through her hair. She still did not see any royal guards so she was distressed about that.

“Are you okay, Nexi?” she heard the fairy ask her.

“Huh?” she tilted her head.

“You just seem distracted,” the fairy scanned her, “Like you’re looking for someone. Is there someone who is supposed to be here or someone you’re expecting?”

She sighed and nodded.

“Yes,” she told the fairy, “My father was against me coming here so he said he would send five royal guards to watch me however I have not seen any guards.”

Laurelai sighed.

“Maybe they are in disguise?” the fairy raised her eyebrows.

“I do not know,” Astoria bit her lip, “I have been looking and looking but I do not see them. Plus, it is hard for me to know their faces because there are so many guards at the palace and they could have used magic to disguise themselves.”

The fairy pat her shoulder.

“Do not worry,” the fairy told her, “They are definitely here. Probably in disguise though.. Do not think too much of it.”