Once Draco had taken one of the empty seats at the back of the hall, the lesson went by quite quickly. All in all, he wasn't really surprised, as Instructor Carter briefly outlined what the current term would look like, what they would be studying and under whose supervision, and what materials they would need. The latter matched the list of books the dragon had previously received from the retired officer. However, he was somewhat surprised by the presentation of riding as preparation for competitions held every spring, in which cadets from military courses compete against one another in over a dozen disciplines. The way their supervisor presented this, and the class's reactions, suggested that these internal championships came with some sort of prize. The dragon decided he would have plenty of time to investigate this matter further, so he focused more on observing the other pupils.
As he quickly realised, he wasn't the only one trying to size up the others. It was very easy for him to make eye contact with those watching him. At first, this sent him into a state of inner panic, but he quickly got it under control by telling himself that this wasn't Dagos, and that they weren't prejudiced against him. At least, that's what he wanted to believe. Feeling slightly calmer, he returned their gazes with greater confidence. Interestingly, he noticed that those watching him were doing so without hesitation and with genuine curiosity. The reptile chose to take this as a positive sign.
Now, with a clear head, he could assess his new group. Apart from the six he'd already noticed, there were eighteen young people in the class, mainly humans, but among them were also two elves, a vampire and a halfling. For the time being, it was hard to say what the relationships between them all were like, but he suspected they weren't all that bad, and they were certainly a far cry from what he'd been through in the dragon capital.
'That concludes today's theoretical session,' the instructor finally announced. 'As you have no other lectures today, we'll speed things up a bit and start the practical session in an hour.' He swept a quick glance around the classroom, though it seemed he did so more out of habit than necessity. 'Retfield, your team is one short, so Ignis will be joining you,' the tutor called over his shoulder before leaving.
Draco finally realised why he'd felt he recognised the boy with the blue colours. He must be Scion Retfield's younger brother. The dragon thought, looking at the face turning towards him. At the same time, it became clear why he'd previously found it so difficult to link the two of them together. Unlike his older brother, this one wore his emotions on his face. Despite the hint of wariness reflected in his green eyes, the boy clenched his jaw tighter so as not to betray his displeasure. Even a faint smile might pass for natural. For some reason, Carter's instruction didn't sit well with him, but he didn't seem openly hostile.
'How's it going in Dagos?' The black-haired boy sitting in front of the dragon turned to him as soon as the door closed behind the instructor. 'Adam, by the way,' he added quickly and held out his hand.
Draco instinctively shook his hand, and before he'd had a chance to answer the earlier question, most of the class had gathered around him. It seemed as though everyone was keenly interested in their new classmate, and the sheer number of questions they were asking was enough to make one's head spin.
'What are dragons like?'
'What sort of sword is that?'
'What sort of magic do you use?'
Surprised and somewhat bewildered, the reptile had no idea what to do. In the meantime, he'd probably said hello to everyone, but he couldn't remember their names, and in some cases hadn't even heard them properly amid the general racket.
'Calm down, will you!' a voice cut through the clamour. The younger Retfield pushed his way through the crowd and shot a withering glance at the most insistent cadets. 'At least let him get a word in edgewise; as it is, you're just shouting over one another,' he added with a disapproving snort.
'As I said, my name is Draco Ignis.' The dragon gave his saviour a grateful nod. 'Well, just Draco,' he added, a little awkwardly. 'And yes, I'm from Dagos and I'd be happy to tell you a bit about it.' He glanced at Adam. 'But first… I didn't catch all the names.' He didn't know how to put it without offending anyone, so he decided it was best to be honest.
'It would be strange if you had. I'm Cedric Retfield.' They shook hands, and then the lad introduced everyone gathered around, one by one. 'Now get a move on, because we need to get ready for the drills, and you're just wasting time. There'll definitely be time for a chat later, and if we're late for the first training session, Carter won't let us forget it for the whole month.'
Reluctantly, perhaps, but they all nodded and slowly began to get ready to leave. The dragon breathed a sigh of relief, now that he had a bit of space around him.
'We're on the same team, so stick close to me so you don't get lost,' Cedric called out, and quickly headed for the door.
The reptile caught up with him easily and matched his pace once they were outside. It seemed that their group wasn't the only one to have finished early and had a bit of time before their next class, as there were quite a few people in the corridor; however, it was nowhere near as crowded as it had been before the lecture began.
'Thanks for earlier,' Draco said with a slight smile.
'Don't mention it. If I hadn't done that, we'd have been late.' Cedric kept his eyes fixed straight ahead the whole time and didn't even glance at the person he was talking to.
'Still…' The reptile trailed off and decided not to press the subject, which clearly wasn't of much interest to the young Retfield. He looked around, scanning the crowd for his new classmates. It wasn't easy in the crowd, but he spotted a few faces he recognised. 'How many people are in our team?' he finally asked, to break the slightly awkward silence.
'Five, including you.' That brief reply, in Cedric's view, must have brought the matter to a close.
'And the other three?' the dragon pressed, undeterred. It was obvious that the other boy showed minimal interest in the conversation and was giving just enough answers to avoid saying anything bad about himself.
'They've probably gone to get ready.'
Draco felt like grinding his teeth, but on the other hand, he understood his interlocutor's attitude to some extent. Cedric had, in a sense, been backed into a corner and forced to deal with a new cadet about whom he knew nothing. That alone might have caused a certain reluctance, but he was rather clumsily concealing the fact that this feeling had other underlying causes as well. For the time being, the dragon would have to be content with having a guide who would at least answer his questions. Briefly and to the point, but better than nothing.
I should look for Aiden. He thought, too late. Waiting for the results, the master's departure and the business with Fenrir had so absorbed him that he'd completely forgotten about his friend. Fortunately, he remembered which room he should check. They hadn't discussed meeting up beforehand, but it seemed quite natural.
Meanwhile, Cedric led them to the stairs and began descending them as quickly as possible, paying little attention to the other people using the passageway. Surprisingly, no one even turned to look if they bumped into anyone.
'Retfield!' rang out above the heads of the passers-by as they passed the third floor.
Cedric was stunned. The reptile only just managed to notice the boy clenching his fists and, with a sour expression, turning towards the person who had called out to him. The dragon also looked in that direction. Standing in the doorway leading to the third-floor corridor were several people, and in the centre of the group was a stocky lad with chestnut-coloured hair. A smug expression was etched on his chubby face, and the gaze he directed at Cedric was brimming with contempt. He wore turquoise embroidered with a black pattern as his family colours.
'I thought someone would finally come to their senses and get rid of a nuisance like you.' The taunt was spoken loud enough to be directed not just at Cedric himself, but at everyone around him. 'Well, I was deluding myself.' The youngster spread his arms in a gesture of disapproval. 'And now we'll have to… put up with your filthy presence.'
'Oh, don't say that, Frank,' chirped the girl with the mouse-like face and the beige lapels on her uniform. 'Don't stoop to that level.'
'You're right, Anabel.' The boy smiled at her almost provocatively, to which she responded with a giggle.
The dragon was dumbfounded. He had no idea what to do, and the level of behaviour being displayed by the group gathered in the entrance, who appeared to be aristocrats, was simply appalling. It was hard to imagine such a debased sense of morality.
Meanwhile, Cedric showed no reaction and simply stared at Frank with genuine hatred burning in his eyes. It was clear he was seething deep inside, and only an iron will was stopping him from snapping back.
'Is that another one of those filthy Retfields?' The girl tore her gaze away from her pig-like admirer and turned her attention to Draco, standing slightly behind his current guide.
'I can't believe there's another one,' Frank sneered. 'They're multiplying like cockroaches! Maybe blue has become the colour of the rabble?' he mused aloud.
It was only now that the reptile realized that his master's colours were very similar to those worn by Cedric. He hadn't noticed it before, but now, standing barely a step behind the young Retfield, he noticed the purple stitching on the fabric, which largely distinguished the colour scheme.
The dragon clenched his jaws and strode forward. He could have ignored everything concerning him, but he had no intention whatsoever of allowing his master's colours to be insulted. Clearly, no one had expected his swift reaction, for as he drew near, the whole motley crew of aristocrats seemed taken aback. As if they didn't know what he was getting at.
'Draco!' The cry rang out through the stairwell, which had fallen into sudden silence. The boy stopped at the sound of the familiar voice and glanced over his shoulder. A mop of red hair appeared amongst the onlookers standing on the stairs leading to the fourth floor, and a moment later, Aiden, grinning from ear to ear, came tumbling out onto the landing. 'I've been looking all over upstairs for you, and here you are,' he blurted out, paying not the slightest attention to the scene unfolding around him. 'You could have let me know where they'd assigned you; I told you where to find me, after all,' he added, feigning a touch of embarrassment with some energetic gesturing.
'Sorry, I didn't have time earlier. I was going to look for you after class,' the dragon replied almost automatically. As he spoke, he turned slightly towards the redhead, inadvertently revealing the sword hanging at his side.
'Good luck,' Aiden laughed. 'Unless, of course, you knew which residential hall to go to.'
'Don't tell me you're that hard to find. There'd surely be someone there who could at least point me in the right direction.'
'By the way, I heard your master's back from some mission.' Aiden quickly changed the subject. The redhead's eyes lit up with curiosity. 'Tell me about it.'
'There's not much to say.' Draco shrugged. He was telling the truth, though he knew full well that many people wouldn't believe him. 'He came back, submitted his report at the Palace, and is still working.'
'You must have heard something.' Aiden wouldn't give up.
'I'm telling you, there's nothing interesting about it.'
At that moment, from behind him, the dragon caught a few hurriedly whispered words, of which he understood only one: Bleist. This was immediately followed by a stifled curse and a flurry of movement tinged with mild panic.
'Right, right, sure.' The boy waved his hand dismissively, showing a lack of conviction. 'Anyway, we've got classes together!' he announced with satisfaction. 'Combat, horsemanship and alchemy. And for the last one, we even have a joint lecture.'
A grunt from behind drew the dragon's attention even more, and he looked back rather reluctantly. The group had unexpectedly thinned out. Anabel the mouse, her two friends, and one of the lads were missing. It looked as though only Frank and his two lackeys remained.
'I hadn't noticed the coat of arms before, for which I apologise profusely,' said the ringleader of the whole commotion in a surprisingly pleasant tone. 'Unlike some people, Earl Bleist deserves the utmost respect.' He added, glaring at Cedric, who was still standing on the stairs with his fists clenched. 'If I've offended you, that wasn't my intention.'
Draco knew people like Frank all too well, and it wasn't a familiarity that brought back fond memories. The image of Pirce and his gang flashed before his eyes. Their behaviour and the pain they had caused. He felt a sudden revulsion towards the chubby-cheeked lad himself, or perhaps towards the stance he represented.
'I can't imagine a worse slander than insulting a master,' the dragon almost hissed through clenched teeth. At that very moment, he felt Aidem give his arm a gentle tug. He realised he'd taken a step towards Frank. 'It's fortunate that we're in Solvein and it's the start of the academic year.' He backed away slightly, casting a rather disapproving glance at the three of them still standing in the doorway. 'I hope we'll meet in the practical combat classes,' he added as he walked away, heading down the stairs and almost pushing Cedric in front of him. Aiden was hot on their heels, glancing back over his shoulder every few steps.
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'What on earth was that?' the dragon blurted out when they finally reached the lowest level of the building, although it turned out not to be the ground floor but the underground changing rooms, which Aiden had forgotten to mention earlier. 'Who on earth was that?' He was nearly boiling over.
'Frank Kerling,' the redhead replied helpfully. 'Knowing him, you'll be hearing about him more than once, and not once will it be anything positive.'
'Very helpful,' muttered the dragon, having little understanding of the Atlantean aristocracy. 'You've really been a help.'
'It's nothing special,' Aiden retorted somewhat sharply. 'If you picture a stereotypical school bully, that's exactly what he's like.'
'So I need to keep my distance from him,' muttered the dragon, stopping himself from saying everything he was thinking.
'Good idea,' said Aiden, stopping in front of one of the doors. 'It's great that we've got training together, but I've got to go. I need to get ready before it starts.' And he quickly disappeared inside.
'Our changing room's a bit further on.' Cedric gave the dragon a strange look. It was hard to tell what he was getting at, so Draco didn't even try. 'There's no time for chit-chat. Hurry up,' he added when he noticed the dragon was already taking a breath, getting ready to speak.
Their changing room was at the very end of the underground corridor. Even when young Retfiel opened the door, he didn't say a word.
Well, all that's left is to meet the rest of the team and hope they're a bit more talkative, Draco thought to himself before stepping inside.