Marie

  "Is there a letter for me too?" Theo tugged at her sleeve as she opehe letter her parents had sent her.

  "Yes. Here's one for you." She held out a folded sheet of paper to him on which 'Theo' was written. He grabbed the letter and sat down on Marie's bed. Her roommate, who sat at her desk and studied, watched this frowning. But she said nothing about it. Marie sat dowo him and read her letter.

  Her parents were doing well, they missed her and otherwise had a lot to do. The business was excellent.

  She looked at Theo, who was smiling and reading his letter. Then she read her parents' letter again. She desperately wao tell them about the tests. Marie had a good feeling and therefore hoped food grades.

  There was a knock at the door and the two looked up from their letters. Theo immediately jumped up to open it a Pia, who was standing at the door, in.

  "Where do we meet the princess?" she asked.

  "By the carriages. Have you finished your homework?" replied Marie. inally, she wao leave right after css, but Pia had insisted on having lunch first and at least starting to do her homework. Therefore, they had arrao meet for two hours after css. However, they had received little, and Marie had already finished her homework.

  "Yes. I'm dooo." Pia smiled tentedly. "Luckily, it wasn’t much."

  "I'll leave you alohen." Theo held his letter tightly to him ahe room.

  "See you tomorrow!", called Marie after him. Then she grabbed her bag with her key and wallet and hugged Pia. "Shall we go?"

  "Definitely."

  Julia was already waiting for them at the carriages and the three of them made their way to the city. Helga and Philip had gratefully deed the offer, as they preferred to go to the city on weekends. The three first visited a bookstore where they all bought new books and they drank coffee and hot chocote in a small café after that. In the evening they drove back to the academy. Marie and Pia brought their books to their rooms and theo the dining room for dinner. Julia ate in her apartment again.

  "Hopefully we won’t get muework tomorrow either." Marie stirred her soup with a spoon.

  Pia nodded in agreement. "I would love that too. But I wouldn't rely on it."

  Julia

  The drive into town had been fun, even if the guards had apahem like grumpy shadows. But she was used to it. Julia had bought two new books, one of them an adventure hat she thought her servants would like too.

  Since she didn't know which bookstore Ingried's husband worked in, she didn't know if she happeo be in the right one or not. Maybe she had seen him today without knowing it?

  Sophie had made hearty pancakes and sad for dihe food tasted wonderful as always. After dinner, she pyed cards with Leopold, Marko, and Sophie. Fiired to work on the mysterious something. Marko looked out of the window every now and then. Soon it was a full moon and Julia suspected that he would like to be outside as a wolf. Unfortunately, she was not allowed to allow him to do so. She found the rule cruel.

  "Do you want to go outside?" she asked him.

  Marko shook his head. "No... Or... Yes, yes. Actually, yes."

  "But?" Leopold won the card game again and began to reshuffle the cards.

  "I must not transform," Marko firmed Julia’s assumption. “Not at all, I guess.”

  "But you're wele here," she tried to cheer him up. "Whenever you want... Holy ... May I see you as a wolf?" She was curious.

  "Really?" Marko looked at her doubtfully. "You’re not kidding?"

  "If she was, that would be a very bad joke," Leopold murmured and handed out the cards for the round. Sophie announced with a smile that she was tired and did not want to tinue pying. She remihe three not to stay up too long, then she left.

  "It's no joke, Marko. You are wele to walk around here as a wolf. Unfortunately, not outside the apartment. But it’s possible here... And I'd love to see it." Julia even wao see it very badly. And she also wao know if his fur was soft... But that may have gooo far.

  "Now?" Marko grinned.

  Now Leopold looked armed. "Now?"

  "If you want?" Julia looked at him expetly. However, she was a little surprised by Leopold's rea. Why did he look shtened?

  "Now!" Marko hurried out of the living room. "I'll be right back! As a wolf!"

  A few mier, a very rge, bck wolf stood in the living room. Julia looked at Marko fasated. His fur looked very soft... Leopold, oher hand, had turned pale and was clearly struggling not to run away. Is he afraid of wolves? Marko seemed to notice this too and looked extremely amused for a wolf.

  "If I didn't know that was Marko...", Leopold murmured quietly.

  Julia got up and approached the big wolf. She crouched down in front of him and held out her hand to him. "May I?" She really wao know if his fur was as soft as it looked... This might be the opportunity to pet a wolf!

  Marko gave her permission with a nod, and she touched his soft fur. Especially his ears were soft!

  "He's not a dog princess," Leopold protested as she petted Marko behind his soft ears. Marko, however, seemed to enjoy the attention.

  "I know that he's not a dog! But his fur is so soft!"

  "Whose fur is so.... Oh!" Finn had e into the living room and was now standing in front of Marko and Julia. "Marko! When did you take on wolf form?"

  Marko snorted. Finn grinned and stroked his fur as well until Marko decided it was enough and shook himself. Then he left the two of them standing and y down in front of the chair on which he had sat before.

  "We py cards. Would you like to py?", asked Julia Finn.

  "No, thank you." heless, Finn sat down on the chair, in front of which Marko now y, and had his eyes closed. Leopold stared at the bck wolf with wide eyes.

  "He’s much bigger than normal wolves", he said. "I've seen him like this before... But he is really big!"

  "Yes, but not dangerous", Finn replied. "But don't worry. The princess and I will protect you from the big bad wolf!"

  Marko snorted again. It almost sounded like a ugh.

  Julia pyed three rounds of cards with Leopold. Finn watched them aed Marko's fur from time to time. He discovered Julia's adventure novel, which she had pced on the living room table, and began to read it.

  The m they were all tired, but they had fun together. Marko appeared st at the breakfast table and yawned. As so ofteill wore his pajamas.

  "Good m", he murmured and sat dowo Finn, whled to keep his eyes open.

  "How long did you read yesterday?", Leopold wao know.

  "Too long." Finn yawned. "I hardly slept. The book is really exg. I didn't want to put it down... I fell asleep in the armchair while reading..."

  "You slept in the armchair?" Julia couldn't imagihat this leasant way to sleep.

  "For some time? I woke up in my bed. I don't remember going there, though..." Finn smeared butter on a bun and topped it with cheese and tomato slices.

  "Maybe someoook you to your bed?", thought Sophie.

  "Not just anyone. Me." Marko sounded a bit uain. "You slept so peacefully, I didn't want to wake you."

  "Oh... Thank you very much." Finn bit into his bun, avoiding Marko's gaze.

  Is he embarrassed? Julia grinned. Finn is so cute. How sweet.

  Sophie cleared her throat. "Marko? Please hurry up with breakfast. You and Leopold have to leave right away and you're still in your pajamas."

  Marko groaned. "Yes, I know."

  "I have to go too." Julia took her pte, cup, and cutlery t them to the kit. Here she usually did this herself. She enjoyed putting things away by herself, as at the castle everything was sistently cleared after her. A princess does not put away her pte herself. "See you ter."