Chapter 4 The little visitor
The academy day was calm when the sound of horses stopped outside the gates.
Students rushed toward the entrance.
"Why are there royal guards?" "Did something happen?"
Clare stood near the front, confused.
The carriage door opened slowly.
A tiny hand appeared first.
Then a small blue shoe stepped down carefully.
Princess Elza.
She looked around with wide, curious eyes. Her curls bounced as she turned her head left and right, completely ignoring the seriousness of the guards beside her.
She spotted Clare almost immediately.
Her face lit up.
"Claa!" she shouted proudly.
Clare blinked. "Princess?"
Elza waddled forward, slightly unbalanced but determined.
She stopped in front of Clare and pointed.
"Claa!" she repeated.
"You remember me?" Clare asked softly.
Elza nodded very seriously.
"Dani say… Claa," she said, struggling with the words.
Clare tilted her head. "Daniel?"
Elza nodded again. "Dani read… say Claa."
She didn't explain properly. She didn't need to.
She was just repeating what she had heard at the palace.
The students around them giggled softly at the way she spoke.
Elza suddenly grabbed Clare's hand without asking.
"See!" she demanded.
"See what?" Clare asked.
"Letters!"
Clare smiled.
"You came to see the school?"
Elza nodded proudly. "I big now."
One of the guards stepped forward nervously. "Princess, we should not stay long."
Elza ignored him.
Inside the classroom, Clare showed her a large letter written on the board.
"This is A."
Elza squinted.
"Mountain," she said confidently.
Clare laughed softly. "Yes, it does look like one."
Elza tried to draw it with her finger in the air.
It came out crooked.
She looked very proud of it anyway.
"Good?" she asked.
"Very good," Clare said gently.
Elza suddenly looked around the room.
"No Dani?" she asked.
"He didn't come," Clare replied.
Elza thought for a moment, then shrugged.
"Okay."
Children move on quickly.
She walked around the classroom, touching desks, peeking into ink bottles, asking random questions.
"What this?" "Why black water?" "Why chair small?"
Clare answered patiently.
For a short while, the academy didn't feel serious.
It felt like a playground.
When it was time to leave, Elza held Clare's fingers tightly.
"Claa come palace," she said suddenly.
Clare smiled. "Maybe someday."
Elza looked satisfied with that answer.
As the carriage rolled away, Clare stood watching quietly.
She didn't know that small visits like this would not last forever.
But for now, it was just a little princess who wanted to see "mountain letters."
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