I return home and immediately my father and mother call me in for tea in the garden after hearing the news of my mana capacity. May said the temple stone tests are always sent to the castle no matter how good or bad using magically enhanced messenger pigeons. I sit down and grab a few macarons and await whatever news they have for me. My father says wearing that normal stone-like mean face, "I already told you before you left that we were going to be getting you a marriage partner for when you become of age and we found one suitable for you and your talents. You are to be the crown prince's fiancee." he dabs his face elegant but like a man.
I am glad I didn't start eating the macarons yet because I probably would have choked in surprise and despair at the news. That is the worst kind of news for me. They will try to prevent me from using my magic like I want to and not to mention make me do gross things like kissing with the crown prince. Ewwwww! I do not want to do things like that with him! I ask my dad, praying to the goddess that he will listen, "What if I don't want to get married to the crown prince?" My father replies, "It doesn't matter what you want. You are going to do this for the family to have you in the palace as future queen. You have a duty to your name." I reply feeling desperate as if everything I want is slipping through my hands like I was trying to hold water, "Can you at least teach me how to use a sword then?" My father replies firmly with his scary voice, "No queen needs to know how to use a sword!" I immediately ran off in tears and I ran far into the forest near the garden where we were having tea.
I ran until I came across a beautiful bright blue bird that was hurt in a snare. I go up to it and immediately grab the trap with care and free the bird. "Don't worry, little birdy. I will heal you." I say as I do a healing spell. The bird excitedly flies around me and flies in front of my face like it wants me to hold my hand out for him to land. I hold my hand out and he lands gripping my finger gently with his feet. He then holds his head out to my head. I immediately remember what Father Xavier said and I think this bird wants to be friends. I asked him, "Pretty birdy, would you like to be my friend?" The bird nods his head to say yes and chirps.
I lift my hand to my head and I try to do the familiar magic like he said I focus the magic to my head and I gently put my head on his head and then next thing I hear is an excited, "Can you hear me now?" which I assume is from the bird. I replied, "Yes. I can hear you, now. My name is Ariela. What is your name?" He says, "Others just call me Sky since my feathers are the same color blue as the sky above." I replied really excited I made my first friend, "I love it! It suits you perfectly. It is nice to meet you Sky. I hope we can become good friends. I can take you home right now if you would like. Are you hungry? What kind of foods do you like to eat?" Sky replies happily wiggling while still gripping my finger with his feet, "I am so hungry! I was in that trap all morning and I never got to eat breakfast. I love fruit, and I also like stealing some of that bread you humans make." I giggle, stroking his pretty feathers, "Now you don't have to steal it. Why don't we go back and get you filled up with some food." Sky at first was excited then his expression changed to something more sad, "Oh I never asked but why were you crying when you were running here?" He asks as he hops to my shoulder as a perch.
I tell Sky about how I didn't want to be married to the crown prince and how I like girls and also how I wanted to learn swordsmanship but couldn't. Sky then says, "I will be your biggest supporter in helping you. You have time before you have to marry, correct?" I nod and he continues, "Then instead of worrying about that now, why don't you find your own teacher for swordsmanship? Work on the task that you can devote yourself to at this point in time." I stroke Sky's feathers and say, "Thanks. Perfect advice, friend! I will do just that! Let me take you back and introduce you to everyone. If they try to put you in a cage just fly away back to this forest and I will come back for you when it is safe. I don't want you to ever feel like you are trapped."
Sky then replies, "If it allows me to stay by your side I wouldn't mind being in a cage sometimes." I immediately respond, "Well to me you are my friend and I don't want to lock up my friends. I can act spoiled to make sure you won't ever go in a cage!" I continue to pet Sky and we get back to the garden where my parents are getting up after finishing their tea. They see me and approach. I blurted it out as an announcement to give me courage, "This is my new familiar Sky. We are now friends and he wants to live with me now." Father then says, "That is fine, but birds need to be in cages in my estate." I immediately said scared he was going to say that, "Sky is a good bird and doesn't need a cage. You have taken so much from me Father just let me have this. If he does something bad you can punish me, father."
Mother then chimes in, placing a hand on his shoulder, "Honey, just look, the bird seems to like her a lot and they get along well. Ariela, can you talk with Sky?" I nod, "Yes, Mother. That is how I learned his name. He is very hungry now. Can we go get him some food?" Mother then says letting go of father's shoulder, "Yes, love. Walk with me baby." As she grabs my hand to walk with her, she turns to Father, "I will talk with you later, honey." As we walk, Mother says, glancing down at me, "Ariela, do you by chance like girls instead of boys?" I immediately stop and clench her hand. "How did you know, Mother?" "A mother just knows these things. I am so sorry. I have tried to speak reason into your father but he is stubborn. He thinks it is just a phase and that you will grow to love the prince in time." She says as she kneels in front of me holding my hand in both of her hands. "Ariela, I pray to the goddess that you experience happiness in this life. I want a future for you where you are happy and I want to help you. I can help you too, but we have to keep it a secret from your father. After you get ready for bed, change clothes into something you don't mind messing up and can move around in. Then drop the rope ladder under your bed over your balcony and meet Hector in the garden for swordsmanship training."
I then replied confused, "But there is no rope ladder under my bed." Mother giggles, "There will be when you go to bed, honey. Trust me." She then hugs me and I hug back crying, "Thank you, Mother." She holds me tightly and pats my head. When she lets go. Sky excitedly flies around, "First mission: Find a Swordsmanship instructor completed successfully. Now we just have to train hard! I can be useful in battles too with my overhead view. So it will be best if we practice lots together. I am so excited!"
Mother giggles, "What is he saying?" I replied with a beaming smile since I am so happy, "He is excited we found a teacher. We were just talking about that on our way here." She smiles at Sky, "I see. It seems you have a good friend there. Sorry Sky, for stopping to talk to my child when you said you were starving. Let us get you some food." She gets up and takes my hand and we walk to the kitchen and Sky immediately sees some bread on the counter and asks if he can have some. I go over and rip off a big piece for him and he starts eating very quickly. I tell him, "Careful now, Sky. You don't want to choke from eating too fast." I hear a muffled, "Bwut i- taspe so goo-" since his mouth is full. I laugh, "How about not talking with our mouth full, Sky. Not only is it poor manners but it is hard to understand one another." Mother starts laughing, "Yes, that is right. Sky you are now a noble and nobles don't talk with their mouths full." Sky replies tilting his head confused, "I am a noble?" I instantly reply smiling, "Yep. We are family now. Your new name is Sky Romo. Do you like it?" He stops eating and flies around excitedly a bit, "I LOVE IT! I LOVE YOU, ARIELA!" I giggle more, "I love you too, Sky." He flies back down and goes back to his bread. My mother looks at me and her expression changes and she says, "Ariela, while he is eating I have some news you probably don't want to hear. Starting tomorrow you will be studying hard to be the next queen. The first thing you need to learn is everyone from all the noble houses. I know you don't want to but as of right now this is all we can do." I grimace and turn my head, "I understand, Mother."
Night came around and I followed my mother's instructions. I changed my clothes and looked under my bed and found a rope ladder. I put it on my balcony and climbed down. The climb down took a lot of energy. I am not that strong. After getting all the way down, I stealthily moved to the garden to meet Hector. He then says when I arrive, "Come let us go to a good spot for training. As of right now you are not strong enough to wield a sword. So first things first is to build up your strength and get you nice and strong. You are too young to use weights so we will be doing body exercises and working on your stamina. He took me to a place further from the mansion in the forest in a clearing that was surrounded by rose bushes. There is a wooden martial arts practice dummy glistening in the moonlight off to the side. I think this is where Hector likes to be when he isn't doing any work since he smells so much of roses. While here, Hector made me do all kinds of squats, pushups and made me run a lot and we continued to do this every night doing different exercises. Training through the smell of roses.