Misha the Beast Tamer.

Aqila went and saw the head master without me. I preferred it that way. I couldn't relive that night, even when I remembered what almost happened I would shake uncontrollably and tears fell from my eyes.

I waited in my room, tucked up tight in bed. I yearned to go to class, but I shared most of my classes with Simon and I couldn't handle seeing his face every day.

Aqila returned about an hour later. She slumped on the end of my bed and said,

"Simon and his friends will be suspended immediately from academy for the remainder of the term. They will get a "stern" talking too, and that's all. After what they almost did and they get nothing but a holiday and a stern talking too. Fuck this academy and fuck the head master. This isn't good enough."

This was the first time I witnessed Aqila show any emotion, let alone disappointment and defeat.

"What if we talk to Bourdon? Do you think he'll punish them? He seems like a fair and decent man, maybe he'll do something?"

Aqila sighed,

" It would be hard for him to do anything, as he is no longer here at academy. He's gone on a exploration expedition to a newly discovered land. He wants to study new beasts and animals. He won't be back for a very long time. So I'm afraid dear Princess, we're on our own."

I added another sigh, there was nothing else I could do. At least tomorrow I can attend class as normal and not have to worry about seeing Simon or his friends for another two and a half months. Then there will be a break, and I'll see Stefan and hopefully Zac again. This made me happy, knowing that this will be my reward for completing my first term at the academy.

Even as time passed, I always found myself getting excited to attend the Tracking and Trapping class with Erik as my teacher and Aqila as my friend.

Ever since the incident in the baths Aqila hardly let me be by myself. She wasn't over bearing or suffocating. She was now my best friend, and I enjoyed her company.

In class Erik bought in casts of footprints made of plaster. This time we were to identify the animal or beast the footprints belonged too.

As soon as I got handed mine, I knew instantly that the footprints belonged to a wolf. The cast activated the numerous memories of dreams I had of the black wolf with red eyes. This wolf would invade my dreams every second night. Every dream I had, the wolf was stalking me, watching me, and ready to attack.

I took my cast back to Erik and told him of my findings. He smiled as usual, but this time he rested his hand on my shoulder and said,

"I want to see you and Aqila in my office this afternoon. You both have been outstanding and I want to offer you both a unique and rare opportunity. This opportunity will help you to become the best beast tamers in class."

I nodded enthusiastically,

"Yes, of course." I replied excited

"Good, Princess. I'll see you then" he replied,

He ran his hand from my shoulder to my elbow and back up again. Before letting me go back to my seat, next to Aqila. My face warmed, as I remembered the softness of his hand on my shoulder.

Aqila noticed the linger of Erik's touch on my shoulder and the gentle flirtatious rub of my arm.

"Watch him Princess. He has you in his sights. He may be good looking, but you are fourteen, and he is a grown man, who has a history of favouring young underage girls as targets of his affections and has no wife or love interest of his own age. Be fucking careful, I don't know how many times I have to repeat it."

I was in a state of disbelief that such a good looking man would be interested in me. I ignored Aqila's warnings, he was harmless.

That afternoon, I arrived a little bit before the meeting was to take place. I knocked at the door, Erik ushered me in.

"You're early Princess, take a seat and we'll wait for Aqila." I obeyed

" So Princess, you've been a student here for a little while. Got a boyfriend yet?"

My face turned bright red as I looked at the floor, I was not expecting such a direct line of questioning.

" There's not much choice here, Sir. Plus, I have a special person back home. He gave me this necklace."

I pulled the necklace out from underneath my uniform and showed him.

"That looks pretty. Can I have a closer look?"

I nodded, he come in close and studied the pendant as I held it up to him. He gently removed it from my hand and held it in his own.

"Mmm! That is some fine glass work. This boy must really like you Princess, plus it looks as though it would've been a lot of money. He must be a very wealthy boy."

He let go of the pendant,

"Such a pretty pendant, it's perfect for you Misha." My face burnt, at his closeness to me.

Luckily Aqila knocked on the door. Erik sighed and straightened up and let Aqila into the office. He pulled up another chair and motioned for Aqila to sit.

"So, girl's I have an offer for you. There is a beast hunter named Todd who is an expert at tracking beasts and animals. He was a student here a long time ago, instead of choosing the path of Beast tamer he chose Beast hunter. Now the difference being, we deploy hunters if a beast or animal has killed someone or if there is an overpopulation of beasts that are causing damage to crops and villages. They will be hunted and killed.

However, beast tamers are deployed to catch rare beasts that are in danger of being poached, or to train other common beasts to be sold to circuses, zoo's, or private collector's. If you catch a rare beast, you will tame it and bring it to the academy's sanctuary where it will be saved for the entirety of its life or if we are lucky enough to catch a male and female they'll breed, and we can repopulate.

Some Beast Tamers are magic and can talk to animals, or see inside their minds, some can form a bond with a beast simply by touching it.

Anyway, back on topic girls. Todd has a job and the beast he is trying to track has killed numerous times, one of his victims was a toddler. The beast is a danger and needs to be killed. You two are going to help him track it.

You will travel there tonight and tomorrow you will join him on his search. It will give you the chance to put what you've learned in my classroom into a real life situation, pretty exciting huh?"

Erik said a wide smile on his face.

"What teacher will be accompanying us?" Aqila questioned,

"I will be, Aqila. I have postponed my classes for tomorrow. I will also be helping Todd track this beast, with all of us working together, this beast will be found."

Aqila was not happy with the news that Erik would be joining us. In her mind, Erik had offered us this task as a way to be alone with me.

After the meeting, she pulled me aside.

"I suspect this tracking trip was organised so Erik could get close to you and get you alone. I won't let that happen, I will not leave you alone with him.

We will track the beast together, he'll try and split us up and put me with Todd and you with him.

I fear he'll eventually try to get you alone, and start making advances towards you, like flirting. Please don't allow him to get you to think you're in love with him. He is only interested in you because you're royalty and untouched by another man." She whispered,

"How do you know this Aqila? Did he try it with you too?" I whispered, concerned.

Aqila's demeanour changed, she went quiet and sad.

"No, not to me Misha. But to someone I cared about and loved...She left the academy and me... because of Erik. He seduced her and fucked around with her mind.

When this happened we were the same age as you, and she fell for it. She thought she was in love with Erik and he was in love with her. He wasn't. She told me that she busted him kissing another student. Please, Misha, be careful."

We finished our conversation and returned to our room to organise our belongings. I was excited for what tomorrow would bring.