“Let’s introduce ourselves to her”, the boy with the glasses said and turned to Alicia, “My name is Ethan Einstein. I’m thirteen years old and the tech wizard among us. Have a problem with your robot? Come to me”
The girl with braids spoke. “My name is Zara Johnson. I’m from Nigeria. I specialise in martial arts and puzzles”, she said.
The boy with tousled hair cleared his throat and flashed a smile. He had green eyes and wore a black hoodie. “The name’s Victor. Victor Blackwell. Future Football star”
Sophia twirled her hair with her finger and rolled her eyes at Victor. “Ignore him”, she said to Alicia, “he’s delusional. You’re already met me. I’m Sophia Harris, culture linguist, master of disguise and resident drama queen. Yes, I’m officially holding that position”
“O-kay”, Alicia said, “as you know as well, my name’s Alicia. Artist and inventor”
Sophia raised an eyebrow and asked, “what things have you invented?”
Alicia raised her hand to show Knightly on her wrist. “I invented this. This is Knightly”, she said, “the first bot to have emotions”
“A robot?”, Sophia asked, “Sorry, girl, that’s already a thing”
Zara jabbed Sophia in the ribs with her elbow. “Ignore her. I think it's really cool you invented that. I know a lot of riddles and puzzles, but computer codes are the only thing I could never understand!”
“It’s not that complicated, actually. You just need to know the basics”, Alicia said, “by the way, you said you know riddles and puzzles. Can you solve this riddle: a bungalow has pink walls, pink floors and pink furniture. What is the colour of the stairs?”
Zara tapped her chin and said excitedly, “A bungalow has no stairs! C’mon, that riddle was at primary school level!”
Zara smiled. Alicia smiled back. She could tell they were going to be very good friends.
Ethan looked at his analogue wristwatch and gasped. “7:49! We have approximately eleven minutes till classes!”
“Oh God!”, Victor groaned.
Ethan looked at Alicia. “You have to eat breakfast. It’s not good to train on an empty stomach”
Ethan’s concern brought a moment of practicality to the group’s morning excitement. Alicia nodded in agreement, quickly grabbing a piece of toast and a banana from the breakfast spread. “Thanks, Ethan. I’ll eat this on the way,” she said, already heading towards the door.
The group gathered their belongings and hurried out of the dining room, their footsteps echoing in the hallway as they made their way to their first class. Alicia took a bite of her toast, feeling the rush of the morning fuel her anticipation for the day ahead. The adventure at the RSS was just beginning, and she was ready for it.
***
At exactly eight o’clock, all the members of the RSS were gathered in the Royal History Library. The vast, circular chamber was a breathtaking sight, with towering bookshelves reaching up to a magnificent stained glass dome. The dome bathed the room in a kaleidoscope of colours, each hue representing a chapter of the kingdom’s storied past.
The air was filled with the scent of old parchment and wood polish, a testament to the countless volumes that held the wisdom of ages. Antique brass lamps cast a warm, inviting glow, while interactive books lay on the large oak reading tables, ready to project holographic images from history at a touch.
Around the edges of the room, there were special spots where students could hear recordings of past kings and queens. The comfortable chairs invited them to sit and learn about their royal heritage. When the class was about to start, the RSS symbol on the floor lit up. It was time to study the history of their kingdoms and their role in guarding it.
“Greetings, team!”Agent Jade walked in, now wearing a trench coat. She stood in front of them with her hands behind her back. “Are you all ready for your first lesson?”
“Wait– the first lesson for all of us?”Alicia turned to Sophia, “you guys haven't started training yet?”
“No. We were waiting for you”, Sophia replied, rather rudely.
“We wanted to have the full team ready so we could start”, Agent Jade said, “now, that’s enough chit-chat, onto the lesson!”
The members are seated at the oak reading tables. Agent Jade clears her throat and the room falls silent, all eyes fixed on her.
“Today, we will learn about the legend of Queen Lysandra”, she begins, her voice echoing slightly in the vast chamber, “a ruler whose name has been whispered through the ages –not only for her wisdom and courage– but her possession of a gem unlike any other –the Viridis Gem”
The students leaned forward, already intrigued by this fascinating tale. The holographic projectors came to life, illustrating the story with images of a mighty queen and a glowing emerald.
“Lysandra was a queen who sought to protect her kingdom from harm. This was the time when wars were always being waged and the world was getting more and more dangerous”
The images showed people fighting and Queen Lysandra looking distraught.
“During one of her travels, Lysandra came across an emerald that granted its bearer the power of invulnerability”
Another image showed Queen Lysandra, in her royal attire, holding aloft the radiant green gem.
“Many sought to challenge Lysandra, to test the limits of the emerald’s power, but none could defeat her. The Viridis Gem made her invincible, and her reign was marked by peace and prosperity.”
Agent Jade pauses, allowing the weight of the story to settle on the young royals.
“Wow, now that’s what I call girl power”, Alicia whispered.
Agent Jade continued. “Many people believe that legends and myths are meaningless tales only told to teach morals. That is not true. Legends and myths can hold clues to something very, very powerful. This story, however, hold clues to your first mission –getting back the Emerald Star”
The holographic projectors turned off. Alicia sat back on her chair and blinked, unable to believe what just happened.
“Wait, our first mission?”, she asked.
“So soon?”Zara said, a little nervous.
Agent Jade nodded. “Yes. It’s important to begin your training with a real challenge. The mission to retrieve the Emerald Star will test your skills, teamwork and determination. It’s not just about the gem; it’s about proving to yourselves that you have what it takes to be the protectors of your kingdoms”
The members exchanged looks of anticipation and apprehension. Alicia felt a surge of excitement mixed with a hint of fear. This was it– the moment where her journey truly began.
As the ancient clock in the grand library chimed, signalling the end of the Royal History class, the members of the Royal Secret Society gathered their things and headed towards the Cultural Studies classroom. The grandeur of the library, with its towering shelves and stained glass, gave way to the bustling corridors of the RSS headquarters.
Ethan Einstein, with his trademark quizzical brow, fell into step beside Alicia. “That was quite the lesson, huh? The Viridis Gem… I mean, the Emerald Star. It’s like something out of a video game,” he mused, adjusting his glasses.
Alicia smiled, her mind still racing with images of Queen Lysandra and the legendary gem. “Yeah, it’s fascinating. Makes you wonder what other secrets history is hiding,” she replied, her voice tinged with excitement.
Their conversation was cut short as they approached the Cultural Studies classroom. Waiting for them was Agent Lavender, known as much for her flamboyant name as her vibrant personality. Her hair was a cascade of purple today, matching her name, and her eyes sparkled with the promise of adventure.
“Welcome, young protectors!” Agent Lavender greeted them with a flourish. “Today, we explore the tapestry of cultures that make up our world. Prepare to be dazzled!”
As they filed into the classroom, Sophia sidled up to Alicia, her voice low but edged with a sharpness that was hard to miss. “I hope this class teaches you something about sophistication. It’s something your kingdom seems to lack,” she said, her gaze pointedly sweeping over Alicia’s attire.
Alicia felt a flush of heat rise to her cheeks, but she held Sophia’s gaze with a steadiness that surprised even herself. “Every kingdom has its own charm, Sophia. Maybe you’ll learn to appreciate that in today’s class,” she retorted with a calm she didn’t quite feel.
Sophia huffed and turned away, leaving Alicia to take a deep breath and focus on the lesson ahead. She wouldn’t let Sophia’s words rattle her; she had a mission to prepare for, and nothing would stand in her way. Not even thinly veiled insults.
“In today’s lesson”, Agent Lavender started, “we’re going to learn about the significance of gemstones in different cultures”
She paused for dramatic effect, then continued, “For centuries, gemstones have been portrayed as mythical, magical objects. It has been told that gemstones have the power of divination and other magical abilities”
Sophia’s eyes widened with awe. It was obvious she liked this topic.
“Some even said”, Agent Lavender said in a mysterious voice, “that they reveal secrets about the very earth itself…”
Zara and Alicia exchanged nervous glances. Was every class they were going to take going to remind them of their first mission?
As Agent Lavender went on and on about gemstones, Alicia noticed out of the corner of her eye that Sophia was glaring at her. What is this girl’s problem? Alicia thought.
When the lesson ended, Alicia and Victor started talking. Sophia walked quietly behind them. As she listened to their conversation, she made a mental note of what she was going to write in her diary back in her room.
Dear diary,
The new girl at RSS is beginning to be a real pain. She didn’t really do anything particularly wrong, it’s just that…I don’t trust her. The way she just showed up and the way she talks and dresses…it just doesn’t sit right with me. The worst thing about it is that everyone is starting to like her. Zara, Ethan, Victor are all falling under her spell.
I’m going to research about her as soon as the day is over. I’m going to expose her.
Love,
Sophia
Meanwhile, Alicia and Victor were starting to get closer.
“So, Alicia, tell me about yourself”, Victor said.
“What do you want to know?”
“Your hobbies, perhaps?”
Alicia shrugs. “Apart from inventing gadgets, I also draw and read comic books and graphic novels. Especially superhero ones like Z-men”
Victor raised an eyebrow and said, “Really? Okay, in the first issue of Z-men, what happens to Alex King when he goes to his father’s lab?”
“He could turn into a werewolf at will after a chemical spilled on him. And in issue number twenty five, he learnt that he already had werewolf powers that he inherited from his late mum. The chemical only activated the power inside him”
Victor blinked, amazement clearly written on his face. “Wow”, he said, “I’m impressed”
As they high fived, Sophia rolled eyes behind them. She was about to intervene when someone stopped her. It was Ethan.
“Why are you being mean to Alicia?”, he asked.
Sophia put her hands on her lips and gave him a look. But Ethan was unmoved. He might be timid, but not intimidated.
“Why are you so weird?”, Sophia snapped, “answer that question first!”
Ethan ignored her and said, “I saw the way you were looking at her. And I heard you insult her in Cultural Studies class”
Sophia blinked. How did he know that? The answer was quite easy, though. Ethan was a computer genius, so he was very observant in even the littlest detail nobody else would notice. It was one of the reasons why he was chosen to be a member of the Royal Secret Society.
Sophia stepped closer and looked him straight in the eye. Still unmoved, Ethan stared at her right back.
“Look, nerd”, Sophia’s voice trailed off as she realized that her usual tactics wouldn’t work on Ethan. He was unfazed by her attempts to intimidate him, and it was clear that he wasn’t going to back down.
“Being smart doesn’t make me weird, Sophia. It makes me observant. And right now, I observe that you’re trying to cause trouble for no reason,” Ethan said calmly, his gaze steady and unwavering.
Sophia huffed, crossing her arms. She wasn’t used to being challenged like this, especially not by someone she considered a ‘nerd.’
“Fine. But if she causes any problems, don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Sophia retorted with a final glare before turning on her heel and walking away.
Ethan watched her go, then turned back to Alicia and Victor, who had been watching the exchange with interest.
“What was that all about?” Victor asked, his eyebrows raised in confusion.
“Sophia’s just being… Sophia. Don’t mind her. She’ll come around eventually,” Ethan replied, his voice reassuring.
Alicia nodded, appreciating Ethan’s support. She was new to the RSS, but she was starting to understand the dynamics of her team. And with friends like Ethan and Victor, she felt ready to face whatever challenges came her way.
To be continued....
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