Territory 18

11. School Days

The medical staff suggested that Reia required normal amounts of movement, and thus suggested for her to head back to school, as a part of her sick leave from the military. Much to her surprise, the Prince and Princess were also going to join her in school with the Prince being her classmate, and the Princess being her underclassman. Early in the morning, Mr Leon and Miss Amelia dropped Reia off before the school gates, and Reia got off her car with a speed as slow as an old grandmother. She had both her legs wrapped in compression bandages all the way up from her ankles to her thighs, showing from under her short school skirt.

Tearing her eyes off her legs, the girl took her bag, and slung it across her shoulder, before methodically lifting her foot and placing it forward. She felt like she was walking like a robot. From where she stood, she could still hear Miss Amelia cheering for her within the car. She felt like burying herself underground and never to surface again.

"Reia, you'll be fine on your own?" Leon shouted from the car, "Amelia and I need to head back to make some adjustments to Celestine so that the amount of stress would not be so hard on your body," Leon said.

"I will be fine," she called without turning back. When she heard the car drive off, she was just five paces away from the gate behind her, with many more paces to go before her.

It was then, someone walked into pace with her, and supported her, with his right arm about her waist, and his left holding her arm gently. Looking towards her left, she found the Prince, "Y-Your Highness!" she whispered with shock.

"I kind of missed that tone in which you call me," he chuckled.

"What about Princess Aioria?" she asked.

"She does not have lessons until second period," he said.

"B-but this is unacceptable!" she said and got out of the Prince's grip.

"Alright," the Prince gave up sighed and let her continue walking on her own, while walking at pace beside her, accompanying her until she reached the classroom. Opening the doors of the classroom, the Prince let Reia enter first in a gentlemanly manner, even pulling the chair for her to sit.

Sitting down rather uneasily, the girl opened her textbook, and waited for the teacher. Going through the lessons, it was almost at the end of every single lesson that the teacher read, "Alexius Arcand and Reia Winchester, please avail yourselves after school as I have some catch lessons for the two of you to attend," before leaving the class.

True enough, the two of them have been skipping school every other day. It was not exactly their fault, but they still failed to turn up for lessons which was a responsibility for students.

After school, all the students vacated the room as their first teacher entered the room to have a one to two session. It was their History teacher who was also their Homeroom teacher. Putting on a stern face, she handed out the worksheets and notes she prepared specially for the two of them. Arms akimbo, the teacher took a deep breath, "Alexius Arcand, or rather Your Royal Highness Prince Alexius vi Azalea, I don't care if you are a Prince of our Imperial homeland or whatever, as long as you are in this class, you are under me, and you are to turn up punctually for lessons! You know if you don't get enough attendance rates, even if you are a Prince or even the Emperor himself, you will have to retake the year!" she rambled as Alexius scratched away at his paper, "And don't think I've forgotten about you Miss Reia Winchester," the teacher paused to catch her breath, "You, I don't know whatever you have done on the battlefield to get the name of the White Fairy, but if you don't perform in class, there is no point!" she almost cried.

"Teacher," Reia tried to pacify the teacher with her hands raised.

"I know your futures are already secured, but you still have to study! So don't you say anything. You two are staying here until you finish the paper you have before you and read through all the notes, and I'll be right here watching you!" she waved the pointer in her hand.

Outside the classroom was a long time of teachers. Tiredly, one of them asked, "Do you think this will end by tonight?" he leaned back against the cushioned chair.

"Even if everyone takes just an hour, it is not enough," the Mathematics teacher calculated as he looked at his watch.

After the hellish period with every single subject teacher, the sky outside was pitch black, contrasting the bright white lights in the classroom. Attempting to get up, Reia noticed her butt was a devoid of feeling. Clutching onto the table, she tried to get up to no avail. She was stuck. She was so not getting back to the dorms to sleep in her bed looking at the current situation.

Beside her, the Prince stood up and stretched for a moment. Feeling depressed, cold, tired, hungry and in pain, Reia slumped forward onto the table, sticking her face to it.

"Come on," the Prince held out a hand to her.

"I'm stuck," she mumbled.

Sighing, the Prince pulled out her chair, and bent down, putting his right arm behind her back, his left under her knees, and lifted her like she weighed nothing.

"Y-Your Highness?" Reia squealed.

"I'm bringing you to the clubhouse where the Director has allowed me and Aioria to use due to her disability. You can stay there with us for a night. We'll get a room prepared," he said as they walked through the corridors.

"A-am I not heavy?" Reia asked getting embarrassed.

"I am the 11th Prince of Azalea. I've learn the operations of a SWORD since I was twelve years old, and during my weekends as a child I've been a soldier in the homeland military under orders of my father. Not as a Prince, but a normal foot soldier, doing all the physical training," he said confidently, "And I'm a proficient SWORD pilot as are all the Royal children with the exception of Aioria due to her disability, the 12th Prince born of the Empress and 17th Princess born of Third Rank Imperial Consort Helena due to their young age," he said.

"I see," Reia turned all the more redder.

Reaching the clubhouse close to the school building, Reia was first put down on the swan down cushion which was so comfortable, and gentle to her aching muscles.

"Welcome back brother!" Aioria called from further within the clubhouse.

"I'm back," he called as he removed the outer coat of his uniform, and hung it over a chair before going to Reia, and started unbuttoning her coat which shocked the girl greatly.

"W-What are you doing?" Reia asked.

"Removing your coat," the Prince answered curtly, "Unless you want to wear a crumpled coat tomorrow morning, suit yourself," the Prince said.

"R-right," she nodded and removed her coat.

After getting a pot of tea brewing, the Prince handed one cup in which he added some cold water to lower its temperature to Princess Aioria, reminding her it was still hot and she was to be careful, before giving Reia a cup and getting one for himself.

Sipping the tea, he then asked, "Is the numbness subsiding?" he looked up from his cup of tea.

"Y-Yes," Reia nodded.

"Good," the Prince nodded and placed his cup of tea on the table. Coming over to Reia, he made a move to remove the guards from her legs. Unsure, Reia watched as the Prince touched her legs gently.

"Erm... Your Highness?" she asked.

"Keep still," he said, "I'm just going to massage your legs a little to release the tension," he explained, "They did this the last time I ended up like you some years back," he said.

"But this is inappropriate," Reia protested.

"It is not," the Prince pointed out, "Here I am just Alexius Arcand, and you are just another girl I know in my class known as Reia Winchester. We're not Prince Alexius nor Pilot or Bodyguard Mikasa Reia," the Prince said.

It was then the young Princess popped in, "Brother dear's massages work wonders for my feet," the Princess told Reia as she took her hand, "It feels good too," she smiled.

"I see..." Reia did not know how to respond.

"Well, you'd better report to Leon later before you sleep," the Prince said, "In the meanwhile, just relax," he revealed a brilliant smile that made Reia feel slightly shy.