I hope we reconcile soon

Aria met up with Helen and Jacob after walking a little.

Aria asked, "Have you both had your fight yet?"

Helen shook her head, "Not yet."

Jacob looked a little awkward as he said, "Umm.... I'll head off." He then turned towards Helen, "Let's meet here after lunch Helen?"

Helen nodded her head and Jacob hurried off.

As Aria and Helen headed towards the castle, Helen said, "Jacob seema a little scared of you."

Aria: "Well, didn't I tell you that I had screamed at three people the first day we met, and that one of them was my friend? That was Jacob."

Helen: "So that's why? You screamed at him?"

Aria: "You don't understand. I never lose my temper. In the seven years I have known Jacob, I've never lost my temper."

Helen: "Then you must have an unusually good temper."

Aria: "Nothing compared to yours."

Helen smiled as she said, "So, that's why Jacob is avoiding you?"

Aria: "Maybe, we have both changed a lot after coming to the capital. And the first breakfast we had together I told Jacob that I could never be friends with the person he has become. Remember?"

Helen nodded her head, "Yes. But, I think Jacob is a nice boy."

Aria smiled, "That he is. I hope we can both reconcile soon. I miss him."

The two headed for lunch.

In the dining hall, most of the students seemed either nervous or tired. Those who had not yet had their fights were nervous, and those who had fought were tired.

Aria was twirling her spoon when Helen said, "What's wrong Aria? You seem to be a little out of it."

Aria looked up, "Helen, did you know that we can even bend elements without using our hands, purely with our will?"

Helen: "Yes I do. My father is able to do that."

Aria: "Your father? You mean the commander-in-chief of the army?"

Helen: "Yes. But I have heard that it takes a lot of training and practice to be able to do it. My father mastered it around the time I was born."

Aria: "Is that so?"

Helen: "I have also heard that the youngest ever to master this technique was the queen when she was 25."

Aria spit out the water she was drinking, "Twenty-five? The strongest in the kingdom mastered it by the age of twenty-five?"

She took out the flower from her pocket and stared at it.

Aria had a lot on her mind and was in no mood to eat. So, she had only eaten five or six bites with Helen's encouragement by the time Helen had finished her food.

Aria stood up as she said, "Come Helen."

Helen got up and let herself be led by Aria, "Where?"

Aria said as she continued to walk, "We're going to find Professor Thomas."

Helen was confused, "Professor Thomas?"

But Aria made no attempt to clear her confusions as she led her out of the castle towards the spot she has last seen Professor Thomas.

Aria stopped dead at the sight of the empty grounds. She muttered, "He is not here."

"Well, I should have known. The teachers need lunch too." Aria thought as she turned around.