(Author's Note: Please don't copy these guys. It's not smart to drink, or to do any of their secrets. Please remember this!)
They were all there. Salem had invitied Victory along, so he didn't feel left out. Mraya had somehow, managed to borrow a ghetto blaster off Holly and a few CDs. Miri had been in the middle of getting changed from her school uniform when the boys arrived, so they all had to wait outside.
A few minutes later Mraya opened the door. Miri looked lovely in the clothes she was wearing. She was dressed in a long dress, that stopped above her ankles. It wasn't posh, just a plain black, but it suited her well.
Mraya had changed into baggy jeans and a t-shirt. Victory was wearing his usual black top and trousers. Jinxes was wearing a hawaii shirt and baggy trousers and Salem was wearing his Acad blazer, a black t-shirt and jeans. They were all so different. Whatever brought them all together?
"Come in, you dopes!" Miri said smiling. She went over to the ghetto blaster and put some music on quietly. Mraya stood out of the way, letting them in. Miri had put a rock CD on. Jinxes snorted as he heard it.
"At least you could have got a decent rock group!" He said. Mraya and Miri ignored him. He was peeved because Victory had been invitied. Mraya beckoned them close.
"Next door have vodka stored under their bed and we have some blueberry juice. Any one fancy that?" Mraya asked. Miri frowned, she disapproved of that kind of thing. Then again in some countries some of them would be allowed to drink. They were all sixteen or over. Still it wasn't right.
"And how are you going to pay them for the vodka then?" Miri asked her, hands on hips. Salem saw now that she was going to mother them.
"Miri, let us drink. It's not like most of us can't hold it, I mean, we've all drank before," Salem said. Miri looked at him and realised that she might not have. She was a Princess and therefore had been protected well, from things like that.
"When I lived in the court I wasn't allowed to touch alchohol. You know why? Because it turns people into people who they don't like. It makes them do stupid things. All these years I've convinced myself that only stupid people drink, now you're going to drink slightly watered down vodka?" Miri sighed. "It's your choice of course." She added. Salem went over to her.
"Hey, we won't get drunk. There's no fun in doing that...erm...trust me?" Salem began to sweat and Miri playfully pushed him backwards.
"Fine, but I'll just have my share of the blueberry juice," Mraya went next door to get the vodka. Mraya had made a Wind-Dreamer, a charm that got rid of air that had bad vibes in. She came back with two bottles of vodka.
Miri bit her lip so Salem went over to Mraya.
"I think it's best if we take the other bottle to the boys dorms. I don't think Miri's comfortable. I'll take it back if you want?" Salem asked her. Mraya however shook her head.
"Take it at the end. I'll just hide it until then," She put the bottle of vodka in the draw and sat down on her bed. After about half an hour all but Miri were plesantly tipsy.
"Right. Everyone's gotta tell one secret. I'll start!" Mraya said. She flicked her hair back.
"I once cleaned my cats teeth with my best friends toothbrush!" Everyone laughed. Even Victory. Miri was next, she took a while to think, what was her secret?
"When I was little I had a really big crush on my father's champion. I was so stupid I even gave him scarf to remember me by whenever he went away. He only put up with me because I was the king's daughter!" Miri blushed. She shrugged and looked at Jinxes who was sitting next to her.
"I...er...I was responsible for the power surge last year. I was the one who broke the power crystal in the basement...Ahem..." Mraya looked furious. Victory gave him a long cold look.
"The very one that made my alarm clock go off at 5am and wouldn't shut up, and I had to get up and have cold porrige!" Mraya said. Her tone seriously dangerous.
"The one that killed my last familiar because his fire went haywire and killed him?" Victory asked, his eyes down cast and his voice soft.
"Yeah, sorry Victory. It was an accident... And you did get another giant bird familiar... Not that that's any consolation..." Jinxes looked down at his boots. Salem cleared his throat.
"What's in the past is in the past, we can't change that. We can learn to deal with it but going back to change things is just unthinkable. I'm sure Jinxes has learned his lesson," Salem sat down again. Miri went over to Jinxes.
"What he says is right, I think it's be best if you guys don't hold him too responsible, it was an accident," Miri sat back down again. Victory and Mraya told him it was alright and they realised it had been an accident. In return Jinxes apologised fully.
Next it was Victory. Victory looked down for a minute. Which one should I tell them? He thought to himself. Best to go with trivial...
"I've kissed Sarla and Chibi, both on the same night," This meant nothing to the girls but Salem and Jinxes both knew that they were a good catch. Both we're pretty and intelligent. They weren't as pretty as Miri or Mraya but they were a good catch for most guys. Both had recently aquired boyfriends and Salem could see why Victory would want to keep it secret.
"What about you Salem? What's your secret?" Mraya teased. Salem looked up at the ceiling for a minute.
"I don't have one..." He replied. Mraya and Miri giggled.
"You must have done or said something... Haven't you?" Jinxes tilted his head, exactly like Kaptra. Why didn't Salem ever want to tell them anything?
"No... You know all my secrets... And any others-" He looked uncomfortable. "I can't tell you..." He looked at Miri, his eyes dark. His dream... He couldn't tell anyone about that. Or what had happened in the World of the Wild...
"Fine then, keep your secrets. We've all shared ours but you won't share yours? I call that unfair!" Jinxes said. Salem got up and walked to the window. He looked out onto the grounds. The dark was shrouding most of it. Fire Hall shone brightly in the distance, and the Water Gardens were illuminated at night.
"When I was a kid, I thought that my parents would return. Only when I was ten did I realise that they weren't coming back. I dream about them still. It's like I saw them die, but I wasn't with them then. I went to live with my mum's friend. Then when they went shopping they got shot by a mad gunman. And I couldn't help them! So I came here for those reasons amongst others. And now-now I think I should go..." Salem walked towards the door. Before he left someone spoke.
"I'm sorry, I had no idea," Jinxes said.
"It's ok," Salem replied. "I don't like to tell people, it makes me feel guilty that I'm here to tell people." With that he walked out and ran to Fire Hall. He needed to hit something.
Miri wanted to go after Salem but something held her back. What could she tell him? It wasn't his fault? That's what life is like? Maybe her just being there might cheer him up? But hadn't she let him down just now, by letting them push him?
Miri felt upset. She cursed herself for being upset. She looked at the blueberry-vodka mix. Pouring herself a glass she sat down and drank to a better life now, than before, for them all.
Victory saw Miri get up and get herself some vodka. He would have warned her not to drink too much but he knew she was thinking about Salem so left it. Victory looked over at Mraya and found that she was looking at him. Their eyes met and Mraya blushed and looked down.
"Mraya? Can I talk to you? In private?" He nodded at Jinxes. Mraya nodded and lead him to the bathroom. Victory felt the color rising in his cheeks and neck. He found the words had disappeared. He forced them to come out but they got a bit scrambled.
"Willyoudateme, I mean, willyougototheballwimme?" He blurted out. Mraya looked puzzled. Was she teasing him or had he really mumbled his words?
"Will-You-Go-To-The-Ball-With-Me?" Victory forced himself to say. Mraya blushed deep red and took his hand. His heart jumped, he felt a litle dizzy.
"Yes, yes I will," Mraya said. She kissed him on the cheek and went back into the room. Victory stood there rubbing his cheek, like a rabbit in the headlights.
Salem got to Fire Hall to find that there were only a few people there. He drew his sword, which he had got from his room before he got here. He started to practise, warming up for any challenges that might come his way.
A person, dressed in a black cape, came over to him.
"I see you have skills in the sword. Would you fight?" The stranger asked. Salem didn't usually rise to challenges but today he needed to hit something so badly that he didn't care.
"I accept your challenge. You can set the rules," Salem said calmly. He assessed his opponent. He was quite big and wouldn't be able to move fast unless skilled in fencing.
"No magic, and if one begs for mercy they lose. I believe that is all. Oh yes, we must be introduced if we are to fight..." The stranger looked at Salem. Saem taking the hint started to introduce himself.
"My name is Salem, I'm a student here," Salem said. The stranger scratched his nose.
"My name is Kinik, I am the King of the Southern Lands and Prince of the Northern Lands," Salem didn't believe what he was hearing. King of the Southern Lands, that would make him Miri's father.
"You're Miri's father aren't you?" Salem asked. Then realised that was a disrespectful term. "I mean, you are Princess Miri's father, are you not, sire?" He coughed. The King stroked his beard.
"Yes I am. Do you know where my daughter is? If you do take me to her at once!" Salem realised he could lose Miri forever. He couldn't give in! He'd fight to stop her from leaving! She couldn't, she'd promised!
"I do, but I will not tell you!" Salem taunted. The King looked at him sharply.
"What did you say?" He snapped. Salem felt his anger turn into fire within his skin.
"I will not take you to her! She doesn't want to leave! We defeated that Ninja you sent and I will not let her leave here until she wants to!" Salem replied. His mind was full of anger, to fight your mind must be clear and that means anger cannot be used.
"You speak as though you know my daughter well. You say you fight for her. Perhaps she should decide? Perhaps you should go and get her? Perhaps she would rather go with her father and be a Princess and have anything she wanted? I think she'd prefer that to living in a house that has to be shared with others, living of pityful wages of a husband who wants her only for one reason-" The King was interupted as Salem swung at him with his sword. he dodged and continued.
"Why? Does it hurt to hear the truth boy?" The King smirked. Salem took a deep breath. He swung at him again. This time Salem felt a jarring as he swung. The sword was pulled out of his hands and floated over to the doorway.
"You majesty, Salem, I want both of you to come with me!" Lady Kristel shouted. Salem followed her, thinking about what King Kinik had said.