"Now that we have been given privacy-" Lysandria said with a smile.
"The first thing you need to know is that new students are kept in the same block and your roommates are based on chance." Lysandria said as she brought out a wooden bucket containing wooden sticks from under her chair.
Some first year students frowned at having to separate with their old friends or newly found friends but Lysandria smiled and said "Take it as a chance to know new people."
"We blessed by the spirit of fire ought to stick together and this is the dormitory's way of promoting that." Lysandria explained.
"And besides you can still go to your friend's room, stop being a stick in the mud." Lysandria said with a humph and Princess Marina smiled a small smile.
"Now back to what I was saying." Lysandria said with a flourish.
"This bucket-" Lysandria said as she raised the wooden buckets for all to see.
"Contains sticks with numbers on them." Lysandria said as she brought out one stick to show her audience.
"Not flashy, I know." Lysandria said with a sigh and the first year students chuckled.
"The number you pick is your dorm number." Lysandria said as she held on to the bucket.
"You are to be three in a room." Lysandria said calmly.
"So three of these sticks will bare the same number and the number you pick will be identical to your two other room mates." Lysandria said as she handed over the wooden bucket to a girl closest to her and ordered her to pass it on to the next person.
"Before entering your room, make sure you drop a small drop of blood on the handle." said Lysandria as her eyes swept across the room.
"Your blood triggers a defensive barrier, allows the room owners to let anyone in at will and keeps outsider from having access to your room." said Lysandria as Princess Marina picked a wooden stick that had the number 9.
"Classes begin bright and early tomorrow and your rooms along with your lockers are down that hallway." Lysandria said, gesturing to a hallway on her right.
"With everything said-" Lysandria said with a clap.
"I will let you be on your way." Lysandria said and turned to leave.
Stopping as if remembering something, Lysandria said "As part of your hazing ritual, your lockers have been tied by special knots that will only unlock if you manage to answer your question right." and all the first years groaned.
"Good luck!" Lysandria exclaimed as she walked away with a flourish.
Heading into the hallway that Lysandria gestured to, Princess Marina walked straight to her room without fetching her luggage. The moment she was in front of her door, Princess Marina poked herself with a needle.
Dropping a drop of blood on the door handle, Princess Marina watched as the door handle brightened and a number 1 popped up. Smiling in satisfaction that her curiosity had been sated, Princess Marina walked back to the rows of lockers to get her luggage.
Getting to the locker area, Princess Marina took in the rows of long blue lockers and wondered how much luggage could truly fit into the long blue lockers. Thinking that they probably split the luggage and kept these ones inside this locker for show, Princess Marina opened her locker door to see all her luggage inside the blue locker she swore couldn't fit it. Checking to see if anyone was around, Princess Marina noticed a few people far away from her before carefully opening and closing the locker door in awe. After a few times of opening and closing the locker, Princess Marina deduced that the lockers were extremely deep and the walls they were propped against created an illusion that they were much smaller than they were.
Pulling out her luggage, Princess Marina saw the knots, Lysandria mentioned and read her question. Scoffing at the ridiculously easy question, Princess Marina said "Calver." and the knots undid itself.
Dragging her two suitcases behind her, Princess Marina, grabbed the door handle of her room once more and the number '3' popped up on the door surface. Deducing that her roommates had each dropped a bit of their blood on the door handle, Princess Marina pushed open the door to see, two girls on already made beds.
"Princess Marina!" Falorin said in joy and launched herself at Princess Marina.
"It's nice to see you too, Falorin." Princess Marina said as she hugged Falorin back.
"I have been worried about you since the entrance test day." Falorin said as she turned Princess Marina side to side to scan for injuries.
"How are you?." Falorin asked worriedly before putting her hand on Princess Marina's forehead.
"As you can see I am fine." Princess Marina said wuth a twirl.
"But-" Falorin said worriedly and Princess Marina pulled her in for a hug to reassure her.
"Lorraine you might have some competition." Princess Marina thought with a laugh as Falorin asked her if she was really alright for the second time.
Hearing a small cough, Princess Marina's attention shifted to the only other person in the room.
Standing in front of her bed with an awkward stance was a tall girl with skin the shade of ivory, hazel eyes and long white hair.
"Where are my manners?" Falorin said with a shake of her head.
"I don't know if you already know this but this is the third star of the empire and a four star rank of high attunement to the blessing of fire, Princess Marina." Falorin said as she puffed out her chest with pride.
"And this-" Falorin said as she went towards the dark skinned girl.
"Is the twin sister of Torvonna McQueen and the second daughter to the Baroness of Aeloria, Fawn McQueen."