— Then, since I have done a will of yours, you will do mine.
He fixed his gaze on the floor, which made it easier to admit that:
— I never break a promise.
— That's good – the Director smiled in satisfaction. – But that's not why I called you here today, Krission. That promise will have its time. I was informed by the masters that you are having a misconception about being a mentor. This task, as you yourself said, ended from the moment you returned to the Institute. You do not have to continue with that vilashi.
He straightened up in the chair, showing he did not like what she said. But before he could protest, the director continued:
— Remember that I agreed to let you be mentor of a vilashi to make a good impression on the Royal State. You have fulfilled this role and you no longer have to continue with it. So ignore her again. I assure you that this girl will never have a greater glory in life and, for her sake, you must make it clear that it's over... right?
The dragon stared at it for a while, as if searching for something that could counter her argument. Finding nothing, he merely repeated, agreeing without enthusiasm:
— Right.
— And how is the Kodo Princess?
— Why did not you tell us before that she was the princess? – He asked, remembering something he could use to accuse his mother in some way.
— She wanted it – she said. – She said anything about making friends first, but that does not matter now. Is the princess with you?
— Yes. She's with the Dragons.
The headmistress leaned back in her chair and, for a moment, let her powerful Lady of the Fire Capital show how tired she was, her smile melting in a brief sigh. But he quickly recovered and asked, using a tone of one who gave no option:
— Keep her around. She must have realized that she is not a very smart girl, and the King of Kodo has asked us to take good care of her. Our good relations with Overseas depend on how we treat her.
— Vinshu is taking care of her.
— No! You must take care, Krission! The Zawhart boy having been the mentor was only for the inconvenience of her almaki not being of fire. But now it makes no difference. Within the Institute you can stand beside her regardless of that.
— Why should I stay?
— Just obey me! And in the future you will thank me. Now you can come back.
As it was someone who had learned that when the Lady of the Fire Capital gave an affair she would not insist, the dragon stood up and bowed his head, saying goodbye.
Even before he left with heavy steps of those who were dissatisfied with something, Director Dul'Maojin had already resumed his work with his reports, as if this had not been interrupted.
— Do you want anything, Principal? – Asked the assistant, entering as soon as the heir had left and standing in front of the table.
— Investigate what's happening at the Institute and let me know. – She handed him a signed paper that gave her permission to work.
— Yes, ma'am. – The assistant took the paper, bowed, and left.
***
Leaving Kidari in charge to inform her classroom teachers that she would not attend either class due to a cold, Garo-lin stayed all day in his room under the covers. There was no burning fire there, but it was better to retreat in his corner than to abuse his friendship with the princess, which might be more of an accusation against her within the Institute.
Then, with nothing to do but wait quietly for the cold not to become real, she devoted all her time to think.
Se needed to clear up some thoughts so she would not fall into the trap of ignoring them again. And from all that had come to her mind, one question sounded above all others: where was her fear of the Dragons?
So many years in which she had fled from them and was silent in the face of the injustices of the group could simply be covered up with some days when she was among them?
The Almakia Dragons were a frightening group of the greatest names within the new generation of almakins, those who would dictate the course of the Realm. They were in the right to act as they pleased, and they did not need to give satisfactions about what they did to no one. Why exactly had she let herself get so close to such people?
She remembered the old saying she had heard among her people when she was little and for a short time made her think that it was important: a Fire Almakin is like the sun, if you gets too close you can be burned.
— I should have remembered that from the beginning... – she muttered, turning in her bed, moving the arm of her wrapped band carefully.
Even though she was determined to go back to her old thought about them, she had to admit that it was not so easy now.
How can we forget about the truth behind the fact that there are five Dragons? That there was something going on in Almakia and that they were involved against the will? That all that grandiose image they had at the Institute was something planned by someone? And about the Fire Heir itself, one of the greatest names within the Realm, to have personally asked her to watch over them?
And yet, how to deny the friendship that existed between them? Far from being Almakins who represented all the pride of the Institute, Garo-lin had discovered at this time that the Dragons were made of the same substance as anyone. One could not ignore the fact that they were grandiose within the Almakin Society, but they also breathed the same air as everyone else. They grew up and were always together, and Garo-lin could recognize in them a strong bond, just like the one she had with Garo-nan.
She remembered the time they stayed at Fort Dul'Maojin and tried to fend off the larger memories, those of her being treated like a slave. There had been moments when she could see closely how the relationship between the Dragons was, which was not sustained only by the fame they had in common.
The Royal Dragon and the Gran'Otto heiress seemed very close. Even though she was the only girl in the group, and taking advantage of that fact to get her friends to do what she wanted, it was amazing to see how she looked after the four of them, and especially of Nu'lian – as if the dragon were her younger brother. of the same age. Perhaps this was related to their almakins, where the stone is able to give a new direction to the water. Garo-lin had already had that impression confirmed by Kandara, that the Royal Dragon could not exactly control his almaki, and the Metal Dragon should be aware of it and help him.
Benar Sfairul, the Heir of the Windy Capital, though it was of a frightening size, had proved the wisest among them. Unlike Dul'Maojin and Zawhart, he did not seem to have any problem with being near a vilashi. Exactly like someone who had grown up in a region of borders, where he had to deal with the most different people, he did not treat her as was expected of a dragon. From him, Garo-lin had an almost certain impression that he would not do half the injustices she had seen him doing if he had not been with his friends. If he acted on his own account, his attitudes would be much more pondered.
The Lightning Dragon could effortlessly be much more moody than Dul'Maojin. This was mainly due to the fact that, unlike the Fire Dragon, he always seemed to find a motive good enough to justify his mode of being. Throughout the time at Dul'Maojin Fortress, Garo-lin feared that this personality – which always hung to the negative – was in some way affecting Kidari, a total opposite of it. However, after the encounter with the pirates in the quarry, Zawhart did not detach from the wounded friend, monitored him at all times and revealed himself to be totally reliable. In every scolding he gave, there was an unmistakable tone of concern, which certainly was not just about the convenience of being helpful to the leader within the group.
Dul'Maojin was the one who exceeded her expectations by proposing to teach her almaki techniques to her. While not missing the opportunity to keep her initial goal of tormenting her, she could not deny that it was only after training with him that she had truly become an almakin. She was no longer able to use her almaki only to do what the Institute thought was enough for her to do. There was no denying that he
had been a good mentor... however, his impulsive way of being, saying and doing things his way without thinking about the condition of others, was what had put her in that situation. As much as he had surpassed all the impression she had, he proved himself a dictator to be trusted with, his attitudes made him unbearable.
Garo-lin gave a big sigh. She could not help feeling a little jealous of this new side she'd discovered in the Dragons after having spent so many years alone at the Institute, without even having a colleague to talk to. Seeing how they were united was not a fact to sigh with that feeling?
— It is! – She rose abruptly, but then fell back onto the pillow, growling in pain.
It was precisely for this reason that she let herself be at their side: friendship. In her unconsciousness, she was so fascinated by this new face that the Dragons presented, that she did not realize how close she had come to see more closely.
— It has to be... – said to the ceiling of your room, as if she could totally convince herself.
Understanding this, however, was figuring out just one of the nodes. There were still other important questions that should be placed on a scale and compared to what had happened that day.
One of them was the forced promise of the Heiress of Fire, which she could not escape, and which could not be used as an excuse for the almakins. The other – who worried her the most, because it existed there inside the Black Gates – was the fact that the Fire Dragon thought it was okay to have her around like a pet.
Delivering the ball, for Kidari to return, would be only a momentary solution. Sure enough, Dul'Maojin would be irritated with the return and would come after her, demanding a decent explanation about it. If he came, would he tell you what the students did? It was clear he could not! They were your problems and you should solve them for yourself.
And since when did she have to make amends for the Fire Dragon?
Just because he was her mentor?
— Just because he said he put me above all others... – She lifted a bandaged hand before her eyes, lost in thought.
Feeling that it would explode if continued, settled on the covers with the intention of sleeping and forgetting everything for a while, grunting:
— You could have lived a lifetime without hearing this...
Chapter 21 – A piece of Almakia
Even if it was ignored by their classroom masters, more than one fault and Garo-lin would not simply be bypassed by them. Then, still with her arm bandaged, but without a stuffy nose, she armed herself with all the courage she had and headed to the classes the next day.
When he entered her room, received several superior glances, which clearly repeated the threat of the previous day. Of all of them, she preferred to pay attention only to a happy look she encountered: Kidari's. The princess tried her best to control her contentment to see her, not to jump and drag her table together, thereby only making more fanfare about the vilashi having appeared. Then, sitting down beside her and calming her down, Garo-lin picked up one of the books she had won on the Routes and began to fulfill her role as a student, if only figuratively.
He'd made a big decision the night before: he would not be involved. Despite everything that had happened during her Assignment, in assessing the consequences of getting involved, she concluded that she would be crushed. And not only her! I was conscious of being the representative of a whole people within the Institute. What she would do or decide would reverberate as something done or decided by all vilashis.
Being the only one among them who could see beyond the Inland Valley line, she could not deliberately run into something she knew she could not bear.
So now, more than ever, she just wanted to finish his days at the Institute quietly and go back to Godan. And if the place where she was born was surrounded by the waves of what would result that conflict between the powers of Almakia, would decide for the good of her. It was for them that he needed to look, not for Dragons who had a whole Realm for support.
Fully convinced of this, she would devote her days to studying on her own. She had learned to deal with his almaki far beyond what could be possible. Then, now, she would reassess his concepts of Almakia according to this new vision that Kandara Dul'Maojin had given her. She would be eternally grateful to her, and as soon as they could talk again, she would explain why he would not keep her promise. She could be the Fire Dragon’s sister, but she had already proved that she was more rational than he would and would understand.
— Garo? Kidari called softly.
— Hum?
— Shion help.
— What?
— Shion return Garo for that one time – she thought a little and spoke slowly, to use the words correctly. – He will take care of the students and will not let you mistreat her again. You can have the Krission ball. – She opened her hand and showed him the glass ball.
Garo-lin peered at the winged cat, lying on top of a cupboard in the back of the room, not even aware of what was happening around him. Even though she did not think he could really help her, she gave her friend a smile, acknowledging her gesture of support:
— Thank you, Kidari. But I will not keep the ball. I've made up my mind and I'm not going back.
Biting her lip and frowning, a Kodorin way of showing dissatisfaction at not having achieved her goal, the princess did not dwell on the subject, letting her friend Vilashi continue with the reading of her book.
***
Garo-lin discovered in the worst of ways that it was no use merely to make a decision and hope that this would solve his problem with the Institute's students. Once they broke that limit of tolerance and realized there was no consequence in mistreating the vilashi, tormenting her proved to be a fun pastime.
They did not have to wear their almakis, they simply set foot on the path, pushing as they ran, tossing knapsack and books through the Bookkeeper window, making vicious comments, and many other things they experienced in the least opportunity. Even the junior students of the first levels arranged the most diverse means of preparing and blaming the vilashi for the deed. A second level almakin set fire to one of the classrooms and told the masters that it had been Garo-lin. Not even the obvious fact that she was in her own room during the event had saved her from taking a warning.
For the next three days, the vilashi had to deal with various unjust accusations and punishments, and yet she should remain silent. There was no way to insist on her innocence when there were so many more reliable witnesses in the eyes of the masters pointing her out as responsible.
Kidari, as much as she tried to help, was not an example of defender. It easily ran out of arguments, and the students already knew how to trick her and leave her confused in her own words. The cat said he would help, repaying the favor she had made when he had been caught by the Dragons; but no extreme situation like that of the first day happened and he did not seem very concerned to defend her from tumbles, jerks and verbal accusations.
Tired as she had never been and without seeing a way out, all Garo-lin could think of was that if she did not care, they would soon tire and the game would lose her grace. But it was very difficult to contain himself, especially when someone was knocking under his tray in the cafeteria and making all his food explode in his face.
— Why did it?! Kidari reached for the boys, who rushed out laughing at what they had made.
— Leave it, Kidari. – Garo-lin held her.
— You have to stop! – The princess said indignantly, as if she had reached the limit of her "letting go."
— I'll get another plate. – Garo-lin tried to persuade her that everything was fine as she removed the bits of food that were in front of her eyes and those that slid through her hair.
Swelling his cheeks, which Garo-lin had discovered to be the way the Kodorins acted when they were angry, the princess pushed her to an empty table and set her down, placing her plate in front of her, saying:
— Shion! Stay here and do not let anyone come! Kidari will get another plate! �
�� Stepped away, stepping hard.
Garo-lin could not help but smile at that. She had never seen her so angry and twice had prevented her from defending her using electric shock on the students.
— Why do not you just burn them? – Asked Shion, who had obeyed the owner and now played the role of sentry at his side.
— Because then I'd be down to their level, thinking that everything can be solved in this way.
— You're stronger than any of them – continued the cat, gazing at a group of girls who looked in that direction and giggled, whispering to each other. – If you show what you can do none of them will dare to hurt you again.
Garo-lin could not deny that it was true. Even if she could not participate, whenever possible she attended the practical classes of the students above the third level. With what she had learned during her assignment and with her vilashi agility, she could quietly surprise any of them. But even though it seemed like a great alternative, showing that she could handle her almaki at a higher level would mean revealing how she had managed to get to that point.
Even though decided she would not help the Dragons, she would not go to the extreme side telling everyone about what had happened. So the best of all was to let the students continue to see her as they saw her: a useless and third-rate fire handler vilashi.
Kidari came back with a new plate and sat down in front of her, giving her the chance to escape from giving an answer to the cat.
— Eat! – The princess snorted, pointing to the untouched plate in front of her friend. – Garo also become a student of the Institute! You can not go on like this! The Masters...
— They're not going to do anything, Kidari. Or do you think they do not see what happens?
— But... it's cruel, Garo! – She almost cried.
— Do not worry. Soon they will not find it so interesting to torture me.
— Do you believe that, vilashi? – Asked a sarcastic voice from behind her.
Almakia_The vilashi and the Dragons Page 28