Chapter 10: New Beginnings
Freedom and democracy doesn't get to you without pains and sacrifices. It has it's own value that stays at the highest position. One must know how to pay the price if you misuse them, and sabotage it completely. For democracy and freedom, do not come easily, and if not respected and practiced well, it vanishes and let the people suffer under the tyranny. Learn to fight for the rights, learn to keep your rights and fly high with freedom on your wings, do not let the strangers cage you and chain you, because good hearts deserves the best.
The school is situated far away from the Sea Palace. It is on the foothills of Mount Precious that provided the best education in cultivation under one of the greatest teachers in the universe, Master Bo Hai. Aqua wanted only one thing in her tiring life; learn better for the greater cause under the well renowned master. Her intention was nothing else but one; stay away from home for some days. Hence she was pretty excited to join the school. She wanted to experience a life apart from being the spoiled, strictly trained princess, stepping down and living among different people in diverse. To Aqua, thus joining the school was a dream coming true moment.
"Be good while you stay here, don't be a burden to anyone," Aqua's father advised here has he brought her to Master Bo Hai for practising cultivation on her first day. She was only 17000 years old then. "You're no longer a child and also remember the word you gave me, Okay?"
As she took her first step inside the school, she saw another girl who has come with her mother. Her mother looked strict and arrogant in one glance. Aqua took her eyes off the lady and continued her conversation with her father. That girl bid farewell with her mother and walked towards her.
"Hello, am Volca," she bowed to her and her father. It was unexpected of her to do it. Volca was wearing a black plain gown and her hair tied up with a purple ribbon.
"Aqua," she smiled and shook hands with her.
"Oh my god, you're the princess aren't you?" she said in surprise looking from head to toe. Aqua's father laughed loud.
"You girls take care of each other, never care about what clan you're from," he said to the girls as he understood Volca is from the Demon Clan. He knows that Master Bo Hai admit students from all the clans but he got to witness it this time. Aenon was happy and proud.
Volca tagged along with Aqua and they both went inside the school to meet their Shifu.
They bowed in front of him.
"Stand up," he ordered the girls. "Huo, Ash, take the girls to their accomodation. Give them the uniforms. Ask them to come back to the main hall after lunch," he ordered and left his place.
It is then Aqua noticed the silver haired tall and handsome disciple of Shifu standing to the right to her. She couldn't say which clan he belonged, but for sure, he looked strong at his higher cultivation stage. His chiseled cheek, the pink soft lips, well shaped thick eyebrows, the sharp jawline and his sparkling eyes that were calm, the perfectly fit body, well dressed, and the soothing smile, Aqua watched him well and his her smile. Next to him stood Ash, the fourth prince of the wind clan. She nodded at him and followed Ash And Huo.
"Senior Huo, how long have you been staying in the school," but he didn't reply Volca anything.
"He grew up here," Ash whispered to Aqua.
"What's you name?" he asked her.
"Aqua," she replied him, looking around the path they were taken. The trees were old but well nurtured. The path way were full of flowers and medicinal plants required for daily life. There were many accommodations on their way assigned for different stages of cultivation with their respective senior leaders to guide them.
"A Princess is here, nice to meet you," Huo was listening to everything but did not open his mouth at all. "But why did you choose to come here, your cultivation must be higher already, couldn't you get shifu to come to the water palace?" he asked personal questions. Huo looked to his left as Ash kept blabbering to the girls,
"Silence," he ordered saving Aqua from interrogation. She felt thankful. What does Ash know about her struggles. Volca on the other hand kept watching Huo, following his footsteps and drooling over him. She kept nudging Aqua asking her to admire Huo'er and his visuals. But Aqua didn't care much, she didn't want to embarrass herself on the first day itself, since there were many more days to come. She had other things going on in her head.
They reached a small villa, surrounded by trees and few other villas. "We live close by, if you need something, use this flute, we will come to help you," Ash handed out the flute to Aqua and led them inside the small house for Aqua and Volca to the one adjacent to it.
Huo stood outside waiting for Ash to finish his guiding. Aqua noticed how silent and we'll groomed Huo was. She stepped outside the door and bowed to Huo, "thank you senior Huo," she said and went inside closing the door behind her. Huo nodded and returned back to the main hall. Ash ran behind him to catch up with him, after instructing how their chambers are filled with food, clothes and weapons necessary for training.
Aqua changed into the school's long robe, white and sky blue with full sleeves, belt and hair ties matching them. She liked how simple she looked and settled down in her bed, going through the few book kept in her table. They were all about her water techniques and the crystals. Aqua knew the journey is going to be pretty difficult. She wondered what Volca must be doing and stepped out of her house. But Volca was nowhere to be seen.