Chapter 42: The Fish of Desire 1.

An hour earlier, Tedros had decided to go swimming.

The grades of the first two classes had already been published on the doors of the Beauty Salon; the prince and Beatrix competed for first place.

The interior of the Women's Beauty Salon looked like a medieval spa: there were three aromatic pools ("Hot", "Cool" and "Ideal"), a sauna dedicated to the match girl, three Rose-Red dressers, a Cinderella-inspired pedicure corner, and a waterfall-shaped shower incorporated into a lagoon that referred to The Little Mermaid.

Men's Beauty Salons were more dedicated to fitness: there was a King Midas-inspired sauna, a country-inspired tanning salon, a gym with Scandinavian hammers, a mud fighting pit, a saltwater pool, and a full array of Turkish baths.

After Cleanliness and Chivalry, Tedros took advantage of the break before History to test the pool.

As he swam his last lap, he saw Beatrix—and the seven girls who now follow her constantly—watching him with their eyes like saucers through the cracks in the wooden door.

Tedros was used to girls looking at him.

But when would you find one that didn't think only about how it looks?

That he managed to see more than King Arthur's son?

Someone who was interested in their thoughts, their hopes, their fears…

However, he turned around while drying, so the girls could see him well.

His mother was right: he could fake it all he wanted, but he was her father's living image, for better or worse.

With a sigh, she opened the door to welcome her fan club, as the swan flashed in her bare chest.

But the girls had disappeared, victims of a fairy patrol.

Tedros was a little disappointed, but he went on his way and collided with something that knocked him to the ground.

— I'm wet again—Agatha replied and looked at him. — You should look where…

It was Tedros.

— Hello—I say hello and held out my hand to help him up—sorry, I'm lost.

Tedros took the hand I offered, but he tried not to support his weight when he got up.

Being twice as wide as her, letting her carry her weight would only end up with the two of them on the floor.

— Neglect – I reassure her – I was also distracted.

Agatha hesitated for a moment, opened and closed her mouth, but it seemed that she did not decide to ask.

She was terribly lost and needed someone to tell her where to go, but Tedros seemed difficult to access.

If Rhian was there he would probably ask, but at the time he was alone…

Agatha shook her head and decided not to ask.

— Good day—she said goodbye and continued down the hall.

It was at that moment that she realized that he had a characteristic smell.

She went towards the end of the corridor, tapping the glass on the floor with his boots, and took the doorknob to open it.

But it was closed.

— It's over here - Tedros said, pointing to the ladder behind him.

Agatha slapped her face with her hand and muttered a faint "thank you" as she walked past him without looking into the boy's eyes.

Agatha walked past him grumbling.

— Nice to see! — The prince said.

He heard a distant "equally" before Agatha disappeared downstairs, casting shadows everywhere. Tedros grimaced.

The girls adored him; They loved him without exception.

But this rare girl looked at him as if he didn't exist.

For a moment he felt losing confidence, but then he remembered what his father had once told him.

The best villains make you doubt.

Tedros believed he could face any monster, any witch, any force that Evil conjured up.

But this girl was different; It was scary.

He felt a chill run down his back.

"Then why is she in my school?"

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Communication with Animals, dictated by Princess Uma, took place on the shores of the lake in the Intermediate Bay.

For the third time that day, Agatha found that the class was all women.

Surely, in the School of Evil, there was no need to differentiate between "boy" and "girl" skills.

But here, in the Towers of Good, boys went out to fight with swords while girls had to learn to bark like dogs and howl like owls.

No wonder princesses were so powerless in fairy tales.

If all they knew how to do was smile, stand up straight and talk to the squirrels, what alternative was left for them but to wait for a boy to rescue them?

Princess Uma seemed too young to be a teacher.

Sitting on the impeccable grass, illuminated by the sparkle of the lake, very straight, with her hands folded over the pink dress, black hair up to her waist, olive skin, almond-shaped eyes, and crimson lips pursed exquisitely.

When he finally spoke, she did so with whispers and giggles, but she could not finish the sentences.

Every few words, she stopped to listen to a fox or pigeon in the distance and respond with a dazzling howl or chirping.

When she saw that the whole class was gawking at her, she covered her cheeks with her hands.

— Oops! —Rio—. I have a lot of friends! — Agatha didn't know if she was nervous or if she was just an idiot.

— Evil has many tools—said Princess Uma, beginning at the end. — Poisons, pestilences, curses, curses, minions, and black magic, very black. But we have the animals!

Agatha laughed low.

Judging by the faces of her classmates, she wasn't the only one who wasn't convinced.

Princess Uma took note.

He let out a deafening whistle, and there was a barrage of barking, howling, neighing, and roaring coming from the forest behind the schools.

— See? — Uma said, laughing. — All animals can communicate with us if we know how to talk to them. Some even have memories of when they were human!

With a chill, Agatha thought of the stuffed animals in the gallery.

They had all been students as they were now.

— I know they all want to be princesses - Uma said—but those with low grades are not good candidates. They would end up riddled, stabbed, or devoured, and that wouldn't be very helpful. However, in the form of a companion fox, sparrow spy, or friendly pig, they could find a much happier ending!

He gave a hiss between his teeth and, with a signal, an otter came out of the lake and approached the shore, carrying on his muzzle a storybook with precious stones.

— They could accompany a captive maiden or lead her to safety - Uma explained as she extended her hands.

The otter, nervous, turned the book over her snout to find the right page.

— Or they could help make a dress for a dance—the teacher continued as she looked at the inept creature. They could also deliver an urgent message or… ahem! — With a groan, the otter found the page.

She slipped the book into the princess's hands and collapsed, exhausted from stress.

— They could even save a life - Uma added, showing a brilliant drawing of a princess crouching while a deer skewered a sorcerer.

The teacher looked like the young woman in the drawing.

— A long time ago, an animal saved my life and, as a reward, had the best happy ending.

Less and less convinced, Agatha saw that all her companions opened their eyes with veneration.

This wasn't just a teacher: she was a living, flesh-and-blood princess.

— So, if you want to be like me, you must pass today's challenge! — He chirped his new idol as he led them to the shore of the lake.

As she nervously followed the students to shore, Agatha watched Uma's storybook open on the grass.

— Animals love to help princesses for many reasons—said Princess Uma, stopping at the edge of the lake. Because we sing them beautiful songs because we give them shelter in the dark forest because they wish they were as beautiful and loved as…

— Wait. — Agatha picked up the storybook on the last page, where there was a drawing of the deer torn apart by monsters as the princess escaped.

Uma and the students turned around.

— Is that a happy ending?

— If they're not good enough to be princesses, they'll have the honor of dying for a princess, of course - Uma smiled as if they were soon going to learn this lesson.