The journey began with palpable excitement among the children. For the first few hours, the excited voices of Margaret and the two unknown girls filled the carriage, full of anticipation for what awaited them at the academy.
Through the window, the scenery slowly shifted from the open fields and grasslands surrounding the orphanage to small hills and mounds covered in lush trees.
Anna sat quietly, her head resting against the window, allowing the rattling of the carriage and the gentle swaying to lull her into a daze.
Over time, the conversations in the carriage began to die down. Even Leo, who had initially been making the occasional comment, fell into a contemplative silence.
The girls, once so enthusiastic, now looked tired, their gazes lost in the monotonous landscape that seemed endless. The journey was beginning to take its toll, and the feeling of being confined in such a small space for so long was exhausting them.