She grew up in the clutches of poverty; He was raised in the lap of luxury.
She hated nobles; He couldn't be bothered with commoners.
Her heart hidden deep in thorny vines; His one burning in his sleeves.
She was the recently orphaned flower seller;...
That's when I felt someone's gaze on me. I look to my right to see Akira's eyes on me.
Now, why was he looking at me? Was there something stuck on my teeth?
But he only shrugs in response to my questioning gaze and goes back to his conversation with Arthur.
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"Then mix the juice from the Hungry Grass with the roots of Syrinx and-" the ever-boring lectures of the magical medicine master were interrupted by the sudden earthquake that sent a tremor of terror amongst the students.
"What on Selena's name was that?" Eboni's shocked question rang in the bustling classroom.
"Students, settle down. Everyone duck under the tables while I go and check out the cause of this situation," the master said while frantically trying to keep the bottles of medicine from falling down the cabinets.
With a swish of her golden robes, she ran outside and closed the door behind her.
"What was that?" Arthur asked looking at me and Dhara who was clutching my arms in fear.
"An earthquake?" Dhara suggested in a timid voice from where she was hiding behind me.
"Not an earthquake. The Academy is spelled to be protected against natural disasters. Whatever this was, it wasn't natural," Akira said from the seat in front of us in a dark tone.
The bustling classroom went silent at his comment.
Not natural? Then what caused the whole Academy to shake?
The pin-drop silence was broken by Inayat entering the classroom followed by two other masters.
"Attention, students. there seems to be an attack on the Holy temple of Azura, so we dismiss you for today. Worry not, the home brigades fought bravely and the preparator has been caught," Inayat droned out in a soldier-like voice without any indication of emotions.
He looked so different that his usual joking demeanor.
An attack on the temple?
How was someone able to trespass in Azura in the first place?
"Sir, were there any casualties amongst the home brigades?" Gunhild suddenly asked in a shaky voice.
Inayat averted his eyes downwards. "There were, of course. Brave soldiers laid down their lives for Azura's protection just like they had pledged. Unfortunately, there were no survivors amongst the home brigades," he said in a cold voice that made me flinch.
For a moment, the warm, mischievous man I knew felt so, so heartless.
They were suddenly a gasp of realization from Kishar and she looked at Gunhild with tear-filled eyes.
Gunhild, on the other hand, was standing tall with her head .It was as if she had accomplished a great feat but the slowly forming tears in her eyes said otherwise.
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*Hector, Tamer of horses: A trojan prince who appears in the Iliad as the greatest warrior of Troy and the leader of Trojan tropes during the Trojan war. He was killed by the Greek hero, Achilles.
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*Syrinx:In classical Greek Myths , Syrinx ( Σύριγξ) was a nymph and a follower of Artemis , known for her beauty . Pursued by the amorous god Pan, she ran to a river's edge and asked for assistance from the river nymphs. In answer, she was transformed into hollow water reeds that made a haunting sound when the god's frustrated breath blew across them. Pan cut the reeds to fashion the first set of panpipes , which were thenceforth known as syrinx. The word Syringe was derived from this word.
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*Hungry Grass: In Irish Mythology, hungry grass (: féar gortach; also known as fairy grass) is a patch of cursed grass. Anyone walking on it was doomed to perpetual and insatiable hunger .
