Always Love || TSFGAE

Chapter Six~

Maddie POV~

Animal Communication is taught by an actual Princess, which is fascinating but also amazing at the same time. We were all taught to meet up on the lakeside banks at Halfway Bay, as that is were the class is held.

Though I am a bit suprised at the fact there are no mixed boys and girls classes yet. It just seems a bit odd, why not teach them the same things so they have equal opportunities and everyone can defend themselves. No offence to the school or anything, but they do seem sexist, and everyone just seems to be following along with it, which confuses me. But, I suppose if you've been taught this way your entire life you wouldn't really think differently.

Though I fo have to say, Princess Uma looked far too young to be a teacher. Nestled in prim grass, backlit by lake shimmer, she sat very still, hands folded in her pink dress, with black hair to her waist, olive skin, almond-shaped eyes, and crimson lips pursed in a tight O. Whenever she did speak, it was in a giggly whisper, but she couldn't make it through a full sentence. Every few words, she'd stop to listen to a distant fox or dove and respond with her own giddy howl or chirp. When she realized she had a whole class staring at her, she cupped her hands over her face. "Oops!" she tee-heed. "I have too many friends!" I'm not to sure if she was nervous or something else, but it was a bit odd to witness.

"Evil has many weapons on its side," said Princess Uma, finally settling down. "Poisons, plagues, curses, hexes, henchmen, and black, black magic. But you have animals!" I hear Agatha snicker behind me, and bite my lip slightly, trying to conceal my own amused smile, this is a joke right? I mean animals against magic, it's like brining a knife to a gun fight.

Though Princess Uma seemed to notice everyones hesitation and unleashed a piercing whistle and a barrage of barks, bays, neighs, and roars blasted from the Woods beyond the schools. And I whimper, plugging me ears and so does everyone else at the barrage of noises.

"See!" Uma chuckled. "Every animal can talk to you if you know how to talk to them. Some even remember when they were human!" I look up in shock at that, that's a joke right? These animals can't be former students, "I know everyone wants to be a princess," said Uma, "but those of you with low ranks won't make good princesses. You'd end up shot or stabbed or eaten and that's not very useful. But as a sidekick fox or spying sparrow or friendly pig, you might find a much happier ending!"
She squeaked through her teeth, and on cue, an otter bobbed to shore from the lake, balancing a jeweled storybook on its nose. "You might keep a captive maiden company or lead her to safety," Uma said, holding out her hands. The
nervous otter bumped the book on his nose to find the right page-
"Or you might help make a ball gown," Uma said, eyeing the bumbling creature. "Or you might deliver an urgent message or-ahem!" With a yip, the otter found the page, slid the book into her hands, and collapsed from stress.

"You might even save a life," said Uma, holding up a brilliant painting of a princess cowering as a stag speared a warlock. The princess looked just like her and I look at her in shock, not having realised she was apart of an actual fairy tale.

"Once upon a time, an animal saved mine and in return, it received the hap-
piest ending of all." all the girls around me except Agatha gasp in quiet shock, whispering in awe to one another before turning back to Princess Uma with barely concealed awe in their expressions which she just smiles happily at.

"So if you want to be like me, you need to do well in today's challenge!" chirped the Princess happily before leading us to the edge of the bank, right where a lake full of fish were.

"Animals love to help princesses for so many reasons!" said Princess Uma, stopping at the water's edge. "Because we sing pretty songs, because we give them shelter in the scary Woods, because they only wish they could be as beautiful and beloved as-"