Julia

  Peter in her apartment in the hallway. Leopold with a vessel. Dispute. A vilge in a forest. Babette destroys a painting with a knife. Princess Annemarie and Torsten dang together. She wears a white dress with blood-red diamonds. Finn and Marko kissing under a tree. Fire.

  Julia woke up drenched i. Her duvet was damp and her nightgown stuck to her skin. The sun had not yet risen. Lazily, she climbed out of her bed and tidied it. She put on anhtgown and got a gss of water from the kit. Finn sat at the table, also with a gss of water. He looked tired.

  "Couldn't you sleep either?", he asked. Julia noticed a rge bruise on his left arm, which he pressed close to him.

  "What happened?"

  Finn grimaced. "I had a nightmare... And I bumped my arm on the bed."

  "May I take a look at it?"

  He shook his head. "No. It hurts."

  Julia sat dowo him and stroked his back. "I'm careful, okay?"

  He shook his head again. "It heals on its own. It just takes a little lohan for other wolves. I'm used to that. This is not the first time this has happened."

  Julia put her arm around him. "What did you dream about?"

  "My parents. They were suddenly gone... And then, there was no o, and I was all alone. Even Marko was gone... You too. And then..." He swallowed. A siear rolled down his cheek. "No, it’s alright."

  "That sounds scary."

  "It was."

  "I dreamed too."

  "Did you? Of what?"

  Julia kissed him on the cheek. "I saw you. And Marko", she tried to cheer him up. "Under a tree."

  "What did we do?"

  "You looked deep into each other's eyes and then Marko kissed you."

  Finn ughed. "And that's what you dreamed of?"

  "It was a vision. So it will probably happen. So? You and Marko? In a ste room?"

  "Leo told you about it?"

  "He did. How loly have you two been together?"

  Finn turned red. "I don't know. It just happened? Leo caught us ioreroom. That was embarrassing... And the kit staff teased us with it... Leo told them... Well... Not directly. He hi it, but that was enough. That was embarrassing too." He rested his head on her shoulder. "You and Leo? Are you still worried? I mean... Leo has liked you for a long time now, but you are the princess."

  Julia kissed his hair. "Yes. I'm worried. I worry about a lot of things. My brother, the disease, my magic, the stricter ws. There is so much going on. And I don't know how people would react if they heard about Leo and me. I don't want to be the cruel princess who takes advantage of her servant."

  "You don't."

  "No. I don't. But it might look like this. Although... Many might not care and that doesn't make it aer."

  "I imagihat. There was also a lot of talk about me. The son of the Betas, who is sid ot transform. Many saw this as a disgrad questioned my father's pce. He was able to assert himself every time and our alpha wolf stood by us. But it still hurt. At some point, I didn't leave the house. The other young wolves were rude and... It wasn't good for me."

  "I'm sorry. pared to you, my problems do not look so bad. Right? I mean... I have everything I could wish for... I'm just not... Satisfied. And some of the things I worry about are not my responsibility. I'm a student."

  "I don't think you pare that. Those are two different situations. But I know the feeling. I couldn't do anythiher."

  "Does your arm still hurt?", Julia ged the subject.

  Finn nodded. "Yes. But it will be fi's te. You should go back to sleep. You have lessons tomorrow."

  "You should sleep too, Finn."

  He shook his head. "No. As long as my arm hurts, I 't sleep."

  " Are you sure I shouldn't look at it? Maybe I help. I use healing magic, even if I don't have much practi it yet..."

  "Thank you, but it's good. Go to sleep."

  "Let me at least bandage your arm. If it is broken. So that it doesn't grow together wrongly."

  "The boraightens itself. That's not necessary." Finn smiled. "Go to sleep, princess. I am fine. And thank you."

  "All right." She got up, hugged him briefly, and made her way to the kit door.

  "Princess?"

  "Yes?"

  "I just thought..." Finn brushed his hair out of his face. His hair had grown abundantly i few weeks and hung in his eyes. "May I call you Juli?"

  "Juli?" Julia rubbed her eyes. She was tired. "A niame?"

  Finn nodded. "I think it suits you. May I?"

  "Gdly, yes. I like Juli."

  The m Sophie made pancakes for breakfast. Finn's arm was healed aalked to Marko ughing. Deep circles were under his eyes, but he seemed cheerful.

  Leopold talked to Sophie. Now and then he nudged Julia's foot with his and smiled at her. Julia blushed every time, which made Marko ugh.

  Julia couldn't get her vision out of her head. What did it mean? What kind of vessel was that? And how did it rete to the vilge in the forest? Were the two reted? Should she ask Leopold about the vessel?

  In css, she hardly paid attention. She had to think about her vision all the time. Should she ask Leopold about it? Or not?

  In magic, her tutor decided that Julia should spend the lesson with the o watch her at work and possibly help her to get some practice. However, it remained quiet. So they only talked until the lesson was over.

  During the break, Leopold surprised her in the courtyard of the academy and pulled her behind a pilr to kiss her there. "Leo!", she protested, ughing. "Someone could see us!" Her hands grazed his thin dragonfly wings, which he fluttered at the fleeting touch. "That tickles!", he murmured against her mouth. He ughed softly, gave her another kiss on the cheek, and the back to work, leaving Julia speechless and with a big smile. Had this really just happened?

  "I saw that!" Marie ran towards her. "Tell me everything!"

  Pia followed her and looked at her in surprise.

  "Marie!", protested Julia.

  "Oh! No. No!" Marie crossed her arms. "I want to know everything!"

  "Was that... A servant?" Pia frowned.

  Marie nodded. "One of the princess's servants, yes."

  "Is that allowed?" Pia looked in the dire in which Leopold had disappeared.

  "Pia!" Marie rolled her eyes. "That's not important! I want to know everything! How long have you been together?"

  Julia sighed. "Not so loud, yes? I don't want there to be rumors."

  "You kissed him in the garden! We surely weren't the only oo see that."

  Pia nodded in agreement.

  "He surprised me... Well. It wasn't the first kiss either. At the st one, I poured hot chocote on him." Julia ughed. "That was embarrassing. Even his wings were wet." Hopefully, no one else has seen it. What was Leo thinking?

  "Oh, dear." Pia put her hand over her mouth. "I've heard elves' wings are sensitive."

  Julia nodded. "Luckily, nothing happened. He was just wet."

  Marie giggled. "That sounds really embarrassing. But... How long have you been together now?"

  "Not for long", Julia finally answered the question.

  "This is so romantic!" Marie sighed. "The princess and her servant!"

  "I'm afraid she won't talk about anything else today..." Pia hooked herself up with Julia. "After all, it's so romantic."