Hush.

.

.

.

"Have we met before?" Lydan signed with covert ferocity. 

"Yesterday morning in the apple garden?" flustered Ayrton.

Lydan's eyes widened, noticing that Ayrton could understand his gestures—he unfurled his posture as he stared at Ayrton.

"I do not recall meeting anyone in the garden yesterday" Lydan signed. 

"Go away already", Lydan's notion muttered. 

Ayrton kept smiling while looking at Lydan as Gage came forward and stood beside Ayrton. 

"Why is he grinning like a fool?" Lydan's notion muttered

"You know each other?" Gage said, "Oh, obviously you both are relatives; pardon me."

"It's alright, Professor," Ayrton said, sparing just a glance at Gage.

"It's good that you two are orientated with each other" Smiling Gage spoke. "Prince Ayrton, can I ask you for a favor?" 

"Yes," Ayrton responded. 

"Since I have something to do, can you show Prince Lydan around?" 

"With pleasure, Professor,"

"Hold on what?" Lydan's notion muttered

"He came today too, so how does he know the way around here?" Lydan signed.

Ayrton was still crimsoning with his gaze fixed on Lydan-Gage, who noticed Ayrton's stare and got clouded.

"Why is the pendant's spell not working on him?" Lydan's notion muttered

"Your highness, his highness, arrived last night, so he knows a lot more about campus than other students," Gage said curtly.

"I can show you the way around here, Lydan; allow me," a smiling Ayrton spoke.

"Back off, debauchee," Lydan's notion muttered.

Lydan, without his will, jumped in attestation, which made a glittery ray unfold on Ayrton's face.

"I will excuse myself with all due respect, Your Highnesses," Gage said as he turned to the left flank of the stairs.

Lydan was rocked by the situation—Ayrton was gaping at him. He suddenly felt that Lydan looked uncomfortable from his continuous gaze, so he decided to contain his chords.

"This way," she gestured to Ayrton.

"Has he finally come to his senses?" Lydan's notion muttered as he saw Ayrton's face. 

Ayrton was treading ahead, and Lydan was lumbering behind him. Lydan ceased as he looked at Ayrton standing still in front of a door—a nameplate scribbled with Lydan's name on the door.

"This is your self-class, Lydan," Ayrton said.

"Self-class?" Lydan signed. 

"Yes we all have one to rehearse our lectures," Ayrton said "our lecture halls are on the roof" 

"Shouldn't it be within and not on the roof?" Lydan signed. 

"I do not know the reason yet either," Ayrton said. 

Ayrton stride forward and opened the entrance–Lydan footed in and was astonished erstwhile again.

It was a huge room with a rustic floor and big windows. The room was commodious enough to call it a capacious field. 

"Is that only for me to use?" Lydan signed with astonishment. 

"Yes," beaming, Ayrton said. 

"Does the other have the same room as this one?" stepping out the window. Lydan signed. 

"You should see Feron's room," a smiling Ayrton said as he strode behind Lydan toward the window.

"Feron's?" Looking back, Lydan signed.

"He is a dink kinsman of ours from the fourth kingdom," Ayrton responded.

"I have not met any of my relatives except you" Lydan signed, which gave another reason for a shaft on Ayrton's face. 

Outside the window was a huge forest with altitudinous trees that were circling the humongous mountain, which was one of the alps of Demarrow.

"This forest is the banned area; we cannot enter it." It's also behind the academy, so it's largely observed by the teachers here," Ayrton said, gaping at Lydan.

"Why is it banned?" Lydan signed. 

"No one knows," Ayrton responded. 

Lydan was looking at the forest when he felt a little weird about his chest scar; he gripped the pendant as he felt that it was warm. Lydan was surprised upon perceiving all this. that he didn't notice Ayrton's gaze.

Lydan stepped back from the window as Ayrton noticed Lydan's upset face "Are you ok Lydan?" perturbed Lydan asked. 

Ayrton's voice aided Lydan to come out of his strange chord–he was startled "Lydan?" Ayrton bayed again. 

"Yes?" Lydan signed. 

"Are you okay?" uptight Ayrton spoke. 

"Yes, I am," Lydan signed as he came to the window again.

"Was that just my imagination?" Lydan's notion muttered

"The forest is somewhat intimidating, isn't it?" Lydan signed. 

"It is," Ayrton uttered. 

Growl …

"Are you famished?" chuckling Ayrton queried. 

Lydan got flustered as he gave a nod before whirling his face to the other side. 

"It's nighttime. "The regale will be nearly ready," Ayrton said. "Let's head to our dorm,"

Ayrton paraded toward the door, opening it–as he awaited for Lydan to come and head out with him. 

Lydan was confused as to how it was nighttime and still as bright as the day outdoors. 

Ayrton saw Lydan's confused face and smiled. 

"It's all spell; the brilliance of the day outdoors is because of it; we cannot know what time it is outside," Ayrton said.

"We can only know the time from the forest..." Ayrton continued but ceased himself as if he shouldn't say anything further.

Lydan came outside the room, following Ayrton ahead. "Let's go to the dorm," Ayrton said. "I will show you the rest of the academy hereafter before the opening."

Lydan gave a nod as he followed Ayrton on the path in front of the academy, Lydan wasn't on his guard as he was when he first met Ayrton.

...

"Ellen... my dear Ellen," chortled a voice, saying pithily.

"Oh, you're bleeding," the voice again said. "Hush, hush, bear with it."

Ellen was breathing heavily—he wasn't looking like an old gent, but rather a handsome man who was severely injured and tied to the ground.

"I don't want to hurt you, trust me; it breaks my heart to see you like this." The voice said again, "But you touched something that belonged to him."

Ellen winced in pain when the man whose voice was echoing in the room, burned his skin with a hot metal rod.

"Enjoy it as long as you can," the man said as Ellen shrieked.

The man dropped the rod as soon as he heard the steps of someone coming. "My dear Ellen, he's here," he said, quivering.

To be continued...