Julia

  Julia took her brother's letter. She hadn't read it yet. She just ope. Her gaze wandered over the familiar, slightly scrawled writing. Here and there was a dark ink stain and some of the letters were slightly blurred.

  She could imagine him well, sitting at his desk or in the library hastily writing the letter. Julia grinned.

  'Hello dearest sister' was written there aer had drawn a star o it. She made herself fortable on her bed and began to read.

  'Hello, dearest sister,

  I miss you terribly.

  Do you enjoy your time at the Academy? Do you already have a favorite subject? Surely it is not magic.

  Do you remember when we dreamed of going to the academy together? I wao fail all the csses a the school year until we could attend the academy together. I wish I could have pursued this pn. We could py tricks oeachers together.

  Have you already made friends?

  Mother forced me to a tea party with witches willing to marry. Babette was there too. It was terrible. I very much hope I don't have to marry any of them.

  When Mother asked me if I liked one, I said no. Truthful. I very much hope she leaves it at that. At least she didn't say anything about it.

  But I'm not sure... In the end, she may pn to marry me to Sausage Babette.

  That would be terrible. What should I do with Babette?

  I cherish your neckd wear it every day. I think she feels fortable with me.

  I hope to see you again soon.

  Your favorite brother.'

  Julia ughed. Sausage Babette. She would memorize the name.

  Apparently, her letter had not yet reached Peter when he wrote to her. At least he didn't write anything about it.

  She was tired. It had been a long, exhausting day. With her brother's letter on her pillow, o her head, she fell asleep.

  Blue-green wings. One kiss. A vilge. Fire. Her mother's angry eyes. Peter. A bouquet of flowers. Two wolves, one white, the other bck, lying in the sun in a meadow. A child with shimmering pink wings, not older than three years. A brown wolf puppy.

  Julia woke up. A vision? What does it mean? A g of the window told her that the sun was just setting. She heard Sophie singing and pots cttering. Someone ughed. Finn? Yawning, she stood up. She desperately needed fresh air.

  Leopold stood in front of her room door and swept. His blue-green dragonfly wings shimmered i sunlight. Teal. As in her vision... "Have you slept?" he asked with a smile. Julia liked his smile, even if it always looked a bit reserved. The uniform suited him well. "Your hair is all disheveled."

  "Oh." She automatically smoothed her hair. "Yes, I slept." Her eyes wao the ground to hide the fact that she was turning a little red. "Thanks for sweeping." Thanks for sweeping? Don't be so clumsy, Julia. He's a servant, fet it... No matter how good he looks. Mom would go crazy... And he is a servant... I saw a kiss... No, fet it, Julia. "I go outside. Would you like to apany me?" she still heard herself ask. What are you doing, Julia... Leave it.

  Leopold looked a bit taken by surprise. "Outside?"

  "Yes?" She stroked her hair again. "Once I've put my hair in order..."

  "All right. I would like to. I could do with some fresh air."

  "All right... I... Uh... I'm just quick to fix my hair." What was that, Julia?

  She hurried into her bathroom and looked at her refle in the mirror. Hair had e loose from her braid and her cheeks were reddened... How embarrassing.

  Finn

  It was too warm under his duvet, but he didn't want to leave the security of his b. Sophie hadn't needed his help preparing dinner and had no other tasks for him, so he was in his bed now. The door ened. Finn made no effort to see who had e in.

  "Oh, here you are, Finn," he heard Marko say. "I've been looking for you. Would you like to e outside with me until dinner?"

  He shook his head slightly, then remembered that he had pulled the b over his head and Marko probably could hardly see how he had shaken the head. Relutly, he pulled down the duvet and shook his head again without looking at the other wolf.

  "Are you sure? When was the st time you were outside? Really outside and not just with Sophie to get something?"

  Never. What if I fall? If someone bumps into me? No, I'm not going out. Not if I don't have to.

  ?Finn?“

  "I don't want to go outside," he whispered, pulling the b over his head again.

  Theiced Marko sitting down on his bed. "And if I say pretty please?"

  Finn shook his head. "No." Go alease. Marko made him nervous. He was too close.

  "And if I promise to take care of you?"

  "No."

  "Pretty please?"

  "No." He felt a hand pced on the b. Quite slightly, as if it was barely there.

  "That's good, then I'll leave you alone. But it would be good for you to get out." The hand stroked his arm, with the duvet as a thin, protective wall between them. "I'll bring you something."

  Then Marko got up ahe room.

  He’s going t something for me? What should that be?

  Julia

  They strolled together through the gardens of the Academy. In the mea had bee dark and the only light came from the nterns. It was cool. The air already smelled of autumn, while the shrubs and rose bushes were still in full bloom. Leopold told Julia about his home vilge because she had asked him about it.

  He told her about the kindness of the elves, of many soldiers, of the beauty of the forest, and of his family, which he missed.

  In one of the fl bushes, they saw a little fairy, with colorful wings, who had stolen a dy somewhere and happily licked it. Fairies did not grow taller than teimeters and were as thieving as magpies when it came to sweets. They spoke a nguage that sounded like a soft beep. So far, no one had been able to learn their nguage. Fairies usually lived iops. There they built their houses from branches, flowers, and leaves. But sometimes they also lived in attics. In the past, it was sidered a sign of great luck when a few fairies moved into the house, and sweet milk was offered to them, but they were sidered a pgue now. They had bee very numerous and stole sugar and sweets, which had led to a slight she of sugar.

  Julia grinned as the little fairy stuck out her tongue and then tio lick her dy with relish.

  "Is that Marko over there?" Leopold poio a figure standing somewhat in the shadows. "Does he steal flowers?"

  "Looks like it." Marko was difficult to see in the shadows. But what was clearly visible was how he cut off some thin branches of the bushes with a knife ahem like a small bouquet of flowers.

  "What does he want with the branches?" Julia shook her head.

  "Maybe he wants to give them to someone?" Leopold grimaced. "Hopefully no oches him."

  "We've already caught him."

  Now Leopold looked nervous. "Are you going to do anything about it?"

  "No. Let's go." They are just fl branches. Why does he hem? A gift? For whom?

  They went a little further and talked about life in the castle since Leopold had now asked her about it iurn. He looked surprised when Julia told him about Paul and Ingried.

  "They left the castle and gave up their titles?"

  "Yes. Mom wanted Paul to marry a witch, but he had fallen in love with a mortal in Castle Town. When Mama tried to force him, he gave up everything and Ingried followed him. Her fiancé, the son of a t, had died in an act a few months earlier. Nothi her in the castle and she was angry with Mother. That was all arou years ago."

  "I'm sorry. Are you still in tact with your siblings?"

  "Yes. We write to each other from time to time. But the st time I saw her was eight years ago."

  "What a pity. I'm sure you miss her. I feel sorry for you."

  "Me too."

  "Julia!" someone shouted cheerfully. Julia turned around and spotted Marie, who was rushing to them. A young elf with red hair and freckles followed her. "Good to see you. I wao ask you if you would e to town with me tomorrow. Theo," she poio her servant, "and I'm looking fift for his little sister and... It would be nice if you would e along."

  Julia noticed, even though it was dark, how the elf's ears turned red. However, he seemed in a bad mood. Doesn't he wao e along?

  "A gift?" she asked.

  "Yes. It was her birthday. Actually, we wao send her something for a long time, but we haven't gotten around to buying her anythi. All the homework! And I'm bad at choosing gifts... And everything Theo think of is probably too expensive."

  "I'm happy to e along, thank you." Julia looked at Theo. "How old is your sister?"

  "Ina is four now," Theo replied. "She likes horses."

  "But we 't send her one," Marie added with a ugh. "But we don't have any other idea. Are you good at choosing gifts?"

  "My siblings never pined. When do you want to leave tomorrow?"

  "In the m," Marie replied. "At eleven? We meet at the gate."

  "That sounds good," Julia agreed.

  "Good. See you tomorrow." Marie and Theo went their own way. Leopold, who had been silent the whole time, cleared his throat. "May I apany you? I would like to see the capital."

  "Of course. You are wele to e along. Let's go in, I'm getting hungry and I'm sure it's te." Why does he have to look so good...

  "I'm hungry too," Leopold agreed.

  Finn

  Finn heard Marko and Sophie setting the table and talking. Sophie had made pancakes and herb quark for dinner.

  The fl brahat Marko had brought him were in a gss on his small bedside table.

  Finn smiled.