"Please, how do I get there?" Aiden asked, wanting to know how to navigate the new kingdom he was now in.
"The school for magic is in the upper city," Nessa replied.
"Don’t worry lad, I’ll show yer the way" Alaric interjected. He knew Aiden would need help getting there since it was his first time in the city.
Aiden immediately turned toward Alaric and said, "Thank you, Alaric. I am in your debt." Then he stood up in preparation to leave.
But Elara halted him, "There’s a slight issue. I didn’t think you’d be heading out so soon, and I just put the clothes you came in with alongside my husband’s out to dry." She was referring to when she had done laundry earlier that morning and had taken care of his dirty clothes as well.
"Well, that shouldn’t be a problem," Alaric said.
...
Some minutes later, Aiden stepped out of a room wearing a casual brown, loose-fitting shirt with an open neckline that revealed a bit of his built chest, along with dark pants and his boots.
Nothing about him now looked royal or noble in any way. Instead, he appeared to be a common man, perhaps nothing more than a farm boy.
"Aye, that works just right," Alaric said as he stood at the door waiting. It was another piece of his clothing that fit Aiden perfectly.
Alaric’s daughters, who looked sad that Aiden was about to leave, both walked toward him. With their eyes raised toward him, Kira asked, "Will you be back, Sir Aiden?"
Aiden’s face broke into a smile, and he nodded affirmatively.
"Good luck," Nessa said.
"Thank you," Aiden replied, though he was rather confident this time. If Xathia’s academy was anything like Dragonhold’s, then he was sure to get in.
Alaric began heading out, and Aiden followed behind. They both mounted Alaric’s horse and slowly left his compound.
They kept riding through town, and Aiden took mental notes of the roads and pathways so he would never forget them. Then eventually, they arrived at the upper city gates, where soldiers were stationed once again.
Alaric’s horse moved closer, and one of the men raised his hand up. "Halt!" he exclaimed. The horse came to a stop after Alaric commanded it, and the man asked, "State your business."
Alaric had a face that looked like a frown, as he hated being stopped like this. However, he raised his thumb backward to refer to Aiden, who sat behind him, and said, "Me son here is tryin’ to get into the magic school, and we’ve heard today is the day for entry."
Aiden’s eyes widened slightly at hearing this, but he offered no other reaction.
The soldier who halted him at the gates replied, "What’s that accent that sounds like you’re barely even from here, and it’s called Oakenheart. How is your son supposed to get in if he doesn’t even know the name?"
The other man stationed at the corner chuckled and said, "You commoners always give me a laugh. Word of advice, your son would be better off joining us as soldiers than wasting his young years trying to be a mage with his weak magic."
"Is there anything else, or can we go now?" Alaric simply said.
The soldier scoffed and gestured his hand toward the gate, indicating they could pass through and continue on their way.
Alaric then commanded his horse into action, and off they went.
"Daft fellas, them. Nothin’ but soldiers standing at a gate, acting like they’re better than any of us down in the lower city," Alaric said, expressing his disgust.
Aiden said nothing in particular to that, but he could tell one thing for sure; the Xathian Kingdom was just as much a classist society as Dragonhold was.
However, Aiden said, "Just now you called me your son to get us past that gate easily. Thank you." Frankly, it wasn’t a big deal at all, but it was the first time someone had openly called Aiden their son.
His own father found it hard to even introduce him as one to any visitors who came to the palace.
"Oh, that’s nothing," Alaric said while shaking his head slightly with a small smile.
The upper city itself was much different from the bustling lower city. People moved about their daily business, but in a much more orderly fashion. Most people were either well-to-do merchants, nobles, or even knights of the kingdom walking about.
Eventually, they arrived at the magic academy of the kingdom, Oakenheart.
There was a grand staircase leading into the large building that looked like a castle with multiple arched windows and spires at different parts. This building was several times bigger than the one in Dragonhold.
Several people stood in a waiting line at the stairs to get in, and from the looks of it, they were all common folk and peasants. This meant those considered noble, the royals themselves and other people of high social standing were already inside, and the magic assessment had already begun, much the same as in Dragonhold.