Julia

"His arm was broken?" Sophie rushed to Finn, who had been hiding under his duvet.

"Yes, from a real bastard." Marko growled. He sat at the kitchen table and made a sad impression. "He just grabbed him. I shouldn't have walked through the marketplace with Finn. It's all my fault. I didn't think it through."

Julia laid her hand on his shoulder. "You didn't know this was going to happen. None of us could have guessed. Does he need a doctor?"

"No. Injuries heal on their own. Even bone fractures. The bone straightens and then heals. It just takes longer for him..."

"Did they hurt you too?"

"No, they just insulted me. But you'll probably hear about the incident soon."

"Why?"

"I bit the man who broke Finn's arm and ran to the academy as a wolf with Finn on my back."

"You bit him?" Leopold stood at the kitchen door. "Something like this gets punished severely. You'll go to jail for a few days at best..."

"I know." Marko hung his head.

"Nothing will happen. These men had no right to attack you." Julia was furious. "You have nothing to fear. I won't let you get punished."

"Can you do that?" asked Marko.

"Of course, she can." Sophie pushed past Leopold and put a saucepan with milk on the stove. "First of all, I'll make us a hot chocolate. Finn has fallen asleep. And we'll focus on the rest when the time comes. Leopold? Will you please clean the bathrooms? Marko? The large basket with laundry must go to the laundry rooms. And please go to the commercial kitchen and ask for potatoes and tomatoes, later. We don't have any. You two do that after our chocolate break, please? I will take care of lunch. What do you think of pasta? Princess?"

"Noodles sound wonderful. And hot chocolate too. Thank you, Sophie." Julia looked at Leopold. "Would you go to the post office afterward? See if mail has come for me?"

"Of course, Princess." Leopold nodded. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"No, thank you. Did you at least have fun in the city? Did you meet your friend?"

"Yes, I met him. Don't worry."

"And I got my coat!" Sophie stirred chocolate into the hot milk. "Something positive, isn't it?"

"Yes, at least," Julia agreed. "I'm very sorry this happened to both of you, Marko."

Julia was annoyed. Her plan to protect her servants had failed. Ant that with the best intentions. She gave them free time in the city and they were attacked. It was terrible. The gardeners of the academy also gave her a stomachache. What gave them the right to insult servants? To treat them like dirt? Julia wouldn't let that rest. No one insulted her servants!

Sophie handed her a hot chocolate. Leopold sat down next to her. Sophie had placed his chocolate next to her. The old servant sat down next to Marko, who was already holding his cup in his hands, although the chocolate was still a bit too hot to drink. Sophie had set aside a cup for Finn.

There was a knock on the door to her hallway, which was basically an apartment in the evening. When Sophie opened the door, the director of the academy was standing there, together with two female soldiers.

"Forgive the disturbance, please, but there was an incident in town. That's why the ladies are here...", said the director. He was clearly nervous.

"We have reason to believe that one of the servants attacked a citizen," one of the soldiers said sternly. The soldier looked at Sophie dismissively. She had her brown hair tied into a ponytail and a scar set over her eye. The other soldier had short, black hair.

"We were already expecting you. But as far as I know, the incident happened somewhat differently." Sophie made room for the soldiers and the director so they could get in.

Julia was standing at her room door. Marko had just gone to the laundry and she was grateful for that.

"We have an arrest warrant for said servant. Attacking a citizen by a werewolf is a serious crime." The soldier with short hair bowed when she noticed Julia. "Please forgive the inconvenience, but where is your servant? According to the director, his name is Marko?"

"You will not detain Marko." Julia's voice trembled with anger. "This citizen broke the arm of one of my servants and insulted them both. You have nothing to blame him. This was not a crime. Marko only defended himself and Finn."

The soldier looked at her in surprise. "Your Highness, you must understand, hurting a citizen is a criminal offense and we have an arrest warrant."

"You won't take him with them." Julia remained steadfast. "Rather, you should arrest this citizen who hurt my servant. And now please leave. Marko stays here. He didn't do anything wrong."

"Your Highness, there are laws," the other soldier tried again.

Sophie snorted angrily. "You heard the princess. The boy stays here. If you want to arrest someone, you should start with these bullies."

"As you wish." The soldier with the ponytail bowed again. "We will take our leave then and let the matter rest."

The two soldiers left the apartment, leaving the clearly nervous director behind.

"Some students have also complained. Apparently, your servant was naked." The director cleared his throat. "I can't tolerate that. We have a dress code here and this also applies to servants. Remind your servant of that, please. In addition, the house rules prohibit werewolves from transforming on the school grounds..."

"It won't happen again." Julia sighed. "It was an exceptional situation. We will remind Marko of the rules."

"Thank you very much. Then I wish you a pleasant evening." The director bowed and disappeared through the door. He nearly ran into Leopold who had returned from the post office.

"What did the director want here?" he wanted to know.

"He was here because of Marko. Apparently, he caused a lot of attention." Sophie giggled. "There was a complaint because some students saw him naked."

"Oh." Leopold looked at Julia. He held a letter in his hand. "This one has come for you. From your brother."

"Thank you very much." Julia took the letter and went to her room. A little later she heard Marko return. The post office was not on his way and he probably had a lot to carry, so she had asked Leopold to go to the post office. She heard Sophie tell him about the visit of the director and the soldiers and remind him of the house rules.

"Wait." Marko sounded surprised. "I'm not allowed to transform on the property? Really? And when it's a full moon? I didn't know anything about that."

"Not even then, Marko. Such are the rules. Didn't you listen when you were told about those rules?"

Julia would have liked to allow him to transform. Werewolves were restless at full moon, longing to run through the landscape as wolves. Marko was not allowed to do this. Just as elves were forbidden to fly. Julia thought about that rule as meaningless and humiliating.

She opened her brother's letter and began to read. His news was disturbing. Apparently, Babette was supposed to become part of the family. For the engagement, a ball should take place.

Julia buried her head inside her pillow. Poor Peter. It was just like with Paul. Hadn't her mother learned anything? Paul and Ingried had turned their backs on their mother for exactly this reason.

Julia sat down at her desk and wrote an answer. She also wanted to take a leave of absence from class for the ball. It would take place next Thursday. After that, she did her homework. She didn't have to go to the library for the essay. The needed books stood on her shelf.

Finally, she wrote a letter to her mother.

It was already very late when she went to bed. She had another vision during the night. She saw a village in flames.

The next morning, Finn was back at the table with them, while he hadn't gotten out of bed on Saturday. His arm was healed and he ate a large portion of cereal. Marko had also calmed down and talked about his brothers. Julia barely listened. She thought about her brother and the upcoming wedding. She didn't want Babette to become part of her family. Peter couldn't stand her. What was her mother thinking?

Julia knew that her mother liked Babette very much. But that she ignored her son's will? Peter would not be happy with Babette.

Julia did not want to see her brother unhappy. She clearly remembered the argument between Paul and his mother shortly after Ingried's fiancé died. A magician she had already fallen in love with as a teenager. Paul had been angry and screaming, just like her mother. The next day he and Ingried were gone, sending her and Peter only occasional letters. They never wrote to their mother and the queen did the same.

Julia didn't want to lose another brother.

Would Peter leave too?

"Is everything alright, princess? You look worried," Leopold asked worriedly. His curly hair shimmered golden in the sunlight. Julia would have liked to touch it. She remembers the vision of a kiss.

Pull yourself together, Julia. "Yes. I was just lost in thoughts." Julia remembered the vision she had that night. Fire. Was that a vision of the future? Or a picture from the past? She didn't know. And she was worried about Peter.