Chapter 144: Book 2 Chapter 9

Marie

 

Her parents had been anything but thrilled when Marie was accepted into the military school. She had applied there without her parents knowing about it. They were already planning to introduce Marie to the big world of trade. Marie didn't want that. But no matter how many times she told her parents, her father only told her about the importance of the family business and her mother preferred to stay out of the discussion. She had enough to do with Marie's younger siblings. Her father didn't care that she now had a two-year-old brother who could take over the business one day.

And then there was her three-week-old little sister Aela, who was born the day Marie announced her plan. Her mother had given birth to her baby because of the fright. So there was no shortage of successors. Well, there had been controversy. Just as she had expected. Her mother did not want her to risk her life and her father had withdrawn in offense. Her brother, Zaid, did not understand all the excitement and cried continuously. And he cried, even more, when he was introduced to another sister. The little boy was anything but enthusiastic. But Marie had made her decision and left a little later.

Her mother was offended because she had counted on Marie's help in caring for her youngest. And she feared for Marie's life. Understandably. Marie had to promise her to take good care of herself. Her father sulked because he wanted to take Marie to the company. That's another reason why her parents had argued. Marie's father wanted to instruct her in his work and her mother wanted her help at home. Theo's parents had been wise enough to stay out of the discussion. Marie did not want both, as already mentioned. She had a goal. She wanted to be able to protect her friends and family.

And Theo? He found the military school exciting.

Marie was happy. Tomorrow her first lesson would begin. She shared the room with another girl. Elin was a funny girl with fiery red curls and blue eyes. She wanted to become a military doctor and was a mortal. Few mortals got this chance, as the military and hospitals counted on healers.

A lot had happened in the three years at the Academy. Marie had finished her school days there as the best in her class. By the end of the second year, she and August were no longer a couple as he fell in love with Pia. This ended the friendship between the two girls. Pia and August were now a couple and wrote each other plenty of letters in her last school year.

Helga and Philip? As far as Marie knew, the two had married, changing their plans for the future. Philip now wanted to become an advisor to the queen and studied politics and Helga? She was at the military academy, yes. But she did not learn sword fighting or healing there. No. She learned everything about the organization, statistics, and supply of the army.

In addition to Elin, Marie had made two new friends. Right after she arrived. There was Lou, whose goal was also the elite courses, and Alrik. Elin's boyfriend. Alrik did not attend the military school of his own volition. It was the wish of his grandfather, who had also been a soldier. Alrik was also mortal. Unlike Lou. But Lou had worked in his parents' shop after leaving the academy four years ago, making him the oldest in their group at twenty-two. Elin and Alrik were both nineteen. This made eighteen-year-old Marie the youngest of the group.

Theo now lived in the servants' barracks, where he learned to cook. He was supposed to help out in the military kitchen. He liked it less since he dreamed of fighting with a sword at Marie's side, but as a servant, this was the best place he could get. Other tasks were cleaning the toilets and other unpleasant tasks.

"Are you going to shorten your education here, Marie?", asked Elin. The two girls sat in their room after a simple dinner.

"Probably, yes." Marie grinned. "After all, I can't wait to start!"

Elin sighed and wrapped herself in her simple blanket. "You immortals have it good. After three years at the academy, you can shorten your time here to one year. Instead of a three-year apprenticeship."

"Because we can use magic!" Marie winked at her. "But our training is harder. And after one year, we have to serve two years as trainees in the military. In addition to training, this also means cooking, running errands, and cleaning! Real battles and missions are rather rare unless it comes to war. And those who have proven themselves afterward and showed talent in combat are allowed into the elite courses. Unless you won the tournament at the Academy. Then everything is different."

"Do you think you can do it?" Elin looked at her skeptically. "You are very petite, Marie."

"But a gifted witch. And I won the fencing tournament in the third year. This allows me to participate directly in the elite courses in addition to the normal, shortened training. This is a special honor! And for me, the two years as a trainee will be eliminated if I successfully complete the elite courses."

"What?" Elin was amazed. "You didn't tell me that!"

"I didn't want to brag." Marie winked at her. "And I didn't want Lou to get jealous right on our first day."

"Eventually, he'll find out!" Elin snorted and pressed her pillow to her.

"I'll tell him tomorrow. I promise."

 

You are reading story WITCH – The Revolt at novel35.com

Finn

 

"Do you smell that?" Marko sniffed the air confused and nudged Finn, who was about to fall asleep in his friend's arms.

"What do I smell?"

"Well, sniff! It smells like... It smells like a werewolf is nearby."

"We are four werewolves here, Marko." Finn sighed, but he sniffed anyway. The smell made him suspicious. That was the smell of...

"That smells like your mother", Marko murmured, while Finn was already getting up and hurrying out of the tent as fast as he could. He didn't care how risky it was for him. He had to follow his nose. Could it really be true? Was she here? Marko followed him. The rest of their new family sat in the main room and looked after them in amazement.

"What's wrong?", asked Leopold. But neither Finn nor Marko answered.

And indeed, a light brown wolf ran towards them and turned back into a human when she arrived before the two boys.

"Finn! Marko!" The werewolf embraced the two.

"Mom!" Tears gathered in Finn's eyes.

"You both grew up so much!" She held Finn's face in her hands. "How can that be? Why are you both here? Marko!" She had to crane her chin to look up at Marko. "You are a giant! Bigger than your brother Noah!"

"Mom!" Finn wrapped his arms around his mother. She had lost weight and looked older.

"Yes. I'm here, sweety!", she murmured through tears and kissed his forehead, his cheek, his hair. "How can that be? I've got you back!"

But then Julia stepped out of the tent. "We have a visitor?", she asked with a friendly smile.

Finn's mother looked at her and noticed the pale symbol on Julia's wrist, which identified her as his mistress. His mother growled.

"Mom?" Finn blinked restlessly. "This is Julia."

"Our sweet little mistress", Marko added with a grin. He tried to improve the mood. "Don't worry, she won't bite." But at the same moment, Finn's mother bared her teeth, turned back into a wolf, and attacked the frightened Julia. Sharp teeth hit Julia's shoulder.

"Don't!", Finn cried.