The three made their way back to the dormitory after their second diagnostic exam. Dorin and Sebastian looked okay, but Johan seemed a little depressed.
"Had problem with the written exam?" Dorin asked him.
"They said I might need to take a basic language course," he grumbled.
"Me, I need to be updated with the current events..." said Dorin, "How about you, Sebastian?"
[I was told to tutor the two of you] wrote their roommate. [Anyway, I thought of a way to get Azra to stay in the dorm,] he continued, [we just need to register her as a familiar, that way I can keep her in the boy's dormitory.]
"What's a familiar?" asked Johan.
"They are magical animals or creatures that can help a mage to do magic," explained Dorin. "There used to be a lot of magical familiars like Azra before," he added, "but because of some circumstances, they don't make contracts with humans anymore." Sebastian stared at Dorin. He didn't think that Dorin knew this much about familiars.
"Oh." Johan suddenly gasped then fell silent.
[Something wrong?] Sebastian asked Johan.
"Nothing..." Johan mumbled, looking away.
[Anyway, we need to take Azra to the registry office first to register her – as a bird.]
"What happens after you register her?" Johan asked once more."
[Nothing much, it's just a formality, really]
They entered the dorm and was going past the main hall when they noticed a group of people in the common room.
"There they are!" someone cried.
Dorin and Johan took on defensive stances as several students rushed towards them. Sebastian stood in front of them and held up his slate.
[What seems to be the problem?] he asked the small crowd.
"We've been waiting for you," said one student.
"The new comers from the 5th floor are in the office with Ms. Ermingard," said another.
"It seems that the 3rd prince is in trouble for messing up the 4th floor staircase," said Nathan who came out from the crowd. "They were blaming you three for attacking them, good thing there were surveillance cameras along the halls."
"The dorm head told us to send you to her office as soon as you returned," said Peter, the dorm President.
"Don't worry, you guys," said another student, "we saw the whole thing, we can prove that you merely defended yourselves." The rest of the students mumbled in agreement.
The three roommates made their way to the dorm head's office and knocked on the door.
"Come in," came Ms. Ermingard's voice from inside.
Sebastian opened the door. Inside, the 4 people from the imperial capital sat in a row of chairs to the right of the dormitory head's desk. Venet looked harassed and glared at Dorin as he entered the room. He didn't look as tall with his back slouching and his shoulder length black hair in tangles.
Boulvar, on the other hand, sat straight on his seat beside the prince. He was dark skinned with broad shoulders and short black hair. The prince looked at them, smiling, while on his other side sat the 4th in the group. He has honey blond hair that fell to his back in a half pony tail. On his chest was a brooch which featured a coiled snake with a diamond by its tail. Dorin stared at it.
"Sit down, the three of you." Ms. Ermingard pointed at the chairs on the other side of her desk. "I believe you haven't been properly introduced?"
"Yes, Ms. Ermingard, we never had the pleasure," smiled the prince. Johan glared at him.
"Sebastian, Dorin, Johan, these are your new dormitory mates," said Ms. Ermingard, "This is Mordecai Almicione, a royal healer from the Almicione family of Healers, Alexander Bryon Louise Alcione, 3rd crown prince of the Alcione Empire, and his two attendants Guiscard Boulvar and Benedict Venet." Ms. Ermingard glared at a seething Venet. "First of all, may I take this time to tell our new students, and remind the rest as well, that when we enter Aubrianne University, we leave all titles beyond the gates," said she. "We do not give special treatment to 'nobles' unless the 'student' deserves it." she finished.
"Glad to make your acquaintance," Alexander said with a nod and a lopsided smile to Dorin. "You can all just call me Xander."
"These are students from the Special Class," Ms. Ermingard continued, "Sebastian Revious, Dorin Silvius, and Johan Ignacius."
"Ignasius?!" Venet suddenly spat out. "You dare use that name?! When you do not even have a title?!"
"Silence," Ms. Ermingard told the shrill voiced mage. "Johan came from a place with different culture and traditions. It is his name, and you are to respect that."
"What's with that name anyway?" Johan mumbled, irritated. "Seems like everyone who hears it over-reacts!"
"The name Ignasius is an honorific title used to refer to a powerful Fire Master," Mordecai Almicione answered.
"What? That's it?" Dorin frowned, "And here I thought it was some kind of offensive, blasphemous word!"
"It is because only members of the Alcione royal family are privileged enough to be called Ignasius," said Boulvar.
"It is not an issue," said the third prince, "Like Ms. Ermingard said, he is from a different country. This is, after all, the Royal Aubrianne Imperial University, where people of all walks and culture come to learn. We have no right to take that against him..."
[Is that all, Ms. Ermingard?] Sebastian showed his slate to the Dorm head.
"Actually, I called you here regarding that incident by the 4th floor staircase this morning."
[Are they here to apologize?]
Venet and Boulvar stood up angrily after reading the slate, but the prince held them back with a raised hand.
"Yes, as a matter of fact," the prince smiled once more. "we asked Ms. Ermingard to stand as mediator, for us to make amends."
"Your highness..." Venet started, but again he was cut off.
The prince stood up. "I deeply apologize for the rude behavior of my attendants," he bowed his head slightly, to the indignation of his 3 companions, but they, too, looked at Sebastian's group and did the same.
"Apology accepted," Dorin said as he stood up.
Sebastian rose from his seat and bowed his head as well. [We were also at fault for running in the halls] he wrote and looked at Johan.
"What?" grumbled the fire mage.
"You should apologize too," whispered Dorin.
"All I did was laugh!" The other replied.
[You almost collided with them] wrote Sebastian
"'Almost'!" Johan pointed out. Ms. Ermingard glared at him. "Okay, sorry `bout that." Johan said with a nod.
"Now, shake hands," said Ms. Ermingard. "All of you," she added when no one seemed to be moving.
Johan extended a hand to Venet who stared at it with disgust. The prince cleared his throat. Venet took the hand and hurriedly shook it. Johan faced Boulvar next. The two looked at each other, hands clasped tight, trying to out-squeeze one another.
Dorin shook hands with the prince in front of him, while Sebastian shook with Mordecai.
"I am so happy to meet you, Dorin," the prince smiled. Dorin felt a chill run up his spine. He tried to pull away, but the other held him tight. "I fervently hope that this will be the start of a beautiful friendship between us."
"I doubt it," thought Dorin.
When the prince finally let go, Dorin looked at the attendant beside him. Boulvar was staring down at him. He took the extended hand and noticed it shaking a little. Next was Venet who wouldn't meet his gaze, and finally, the healer Mordecai.
"Well met," said Mordecai as they shook hands. "I believe that you are Althea's nephew?" Dorin looked closer at the blond healer. "She came from the same house as I do." he explained.
"Ah!" Dorin suddenly remembers, "That's right, it's the same symbol!" he pointed at Mordecai's brooch. "Are we related then?"
"Hardly," answered the other. "Besides, she was stripped of the Almicione family name when she refused to return to the capital and decided to teach here instead." He absentmindedly shook hands with Johan and went back to Dorin. "Is she doing well?" he asked.
"She's doing great!" Dorin said proudly. "She's a wonderful professor and is even the head of the Magic Medical team."
"Hmm..." replied Mordecai loosing interest. Dorin scowled at the healer.
"Well, now that everything is sorted out, I suggest you go on your own ways," said Ms. Ermingard with a sigh. "You are all dismissed."
[Wait, is that really it?] Sebastian asked the Dorm head, [What about the damage? The expenses?]
"Don't worry, Xander have already settled the amount needed to fix everything that was damaged.
Sebastian looked at Alexander who smiled back at him. [Thank you] he wrote.
"It was our side who were at fault, after all," Alexander replied.
"Let's go." Dorin pulled Sebastian along with him.
[In a minute.] wrote Sebastian. [I need to ask about Azra.]
"Oh, that's right, I wonder if she's okay..." Johan mumbled. "What are you still doing here?" he asked the prince's group who still stood by the opened doorway.
"We wish to go back together with you guys, to deepen our friendship," smiled Xander. Johan shuddered.
"What is it, Sebastian?" sighed Ms. Ermingard.
[I would like to ask permission for my familiar to stay in the dorm] he wrote. Ms. Ermingard's eyebrows rose.
"A familiar?" she asked. "What kind of familiar?"
[A Caladrius] wrote Sebastian.
"A caladrius?!" Xander read Sebastian's slate from the side. Sebastian stepped back, surprised at him suddenly popping up. "You have a caladrius?!" repeated the prince. "Can I see it?!"