Unicorn School

by Linda Chapman

  ‘I can’t believe it,’ said Storm to Willow and Sapphire, forgetting about their earlier quarrel. ‘It’s got to be someone in your history class, Willow. Who could it be?’ Willow shrugged. Sapphire was looking as if she felt sick.

  ‘I suppose it’s got to be someone who also does rose-quartz gazing,’ continued Storm thoughtfully. ‘Who does both? Topaz, Starlight and Moondust all do both subjects, don’t they?’

  ‘I… it needn’t be one of them,’ Sapphire stammered quickly. ‘Any unicorn can use rose quartz.’

  ‘Yes, but I bet you’d have to be really good at it to be able to look in the chest,’ said Storm. ‘Hmm, now who could it be?’

  Willow wasn’t listening. She had caught sight of a figure in the shadows of the nearby apple trees. ‘Troy!’ she exclaimed.

  ‘No, it couldn’t be Troy,’ said Storm, thinking she was talking to him. ‘He’s no good at rose-quartz gazing. And anyway, he wouldn’t cheat.’

  ‘I’ll be back in a minute,’ Willow said, setting off towards the trees.

  She broke into a canter. Troy saw her coming and turned to go. ‘Troy! Wait!’ Willow whinnied. But he didn’t. He flew into the sky.

  Willow chased after him as he shot away towards the clouds. There was no way she could keep up with him – he was much better at flying than she was – but she was determined not to let him get away completely. She gritted her teeth and galloped after him as he twisted and turned through the air and tried to lose her.

  ‘Troy! Come back!’ she shouted crossly. ‘I want to talk to you!’

  Willow knew that he couldn’t go on flying forever and at last he landed on the beach. Willow flew down beside him. She was panting hard.

  ‘What do you want?’ Troy said defensively.

  ‘Did you hear what the Tricorn said?’

  ‘Yes.’ Troy looked uncomfortable.

  ‘They know that someone has looked inside the chest. If they use magic to find out who it was, they’ll see Sapphire!’

  ‘It’s not a big deal, Willow,’ Troy said quickly. ‘It’s not like Sapphire does history. She can just say that she was rose-quartz gazing and… and looked into the chest by accident!’

  Willow stared at him. ‘Oh, yes, they’re really going to believe that!’

  ‘They might,’ Troy said hopefully.

  ‘They won’t, Troy! They’ll think she was trying to cheat for one of her other subjects but the magic went wrong. You have to own up,’ Willow said. ‘You can’t go ahead and get full marks for your history exam while Sapphire gets into trouble!’

  ‘I’m sure she won’t get into trouble and I know I’m not going to get full marks,’ Troy said. ‘I’ve failed the paper.’

  Willow was so surprised that for a moment her anger left her. ‘What do you mean? How can you have failed?’

  ‘I don’t know. Maybe Sapphire’s rose-quartz gazing magic wasn’t good enough,’ said Troy. ‘But the questions we had to answer weren’t the same ones I saw when I looked at the exam paper in the chest. None of the questions I’d learnt came up.’ He groaned. ‘I can’t own up, Willow. It’s going to be bad enough that I’ve failed the exam without being caught for cheating too. What would my father say if he was told that?’

  Willow knew it was hard for him but he couldn’t let Sapphire take the blame. Despite what Troy said, she was sure everyone would think Sapphire had been trying to cheat. ‘You have to tell the Tricorn it was you,’ she told him.

  Troy looked scared. ‘I can’t.’ He shook his head. ‘No, I… I won’t!’

  Willow stamped a hoof furiously. ‘Then I don’t want to be your friend any more.’ She turned round and flew away.

  ‘Willow!’ Troy called after her.

  But Willow didn’t stop or turn round. Maybe I should tell the Tricorn the truth, she wondered. But the thought made her feel cold inside. She hated the idea of telling tales…

  Feeling too worried to eat, she didn’t go back to the lunch table but headed to the cloud stables. Sapphire was there with Storm. He was looking very concerned. ‘If you’re feeling ill, Sapphire, you should tell one of the teachers,’ he was saying as Willow walked into the stable. ‘Please let me go and get one of them.’

  Sapphire shook her head. ‘No, please don’t.’

  Storm saw Willow. ‘Willow, where did you go? Sapphire says she’s feeling really ill but she won’t let me tell a teacher.’

  Willow and Sapphire looked at each other.

  ‘Tell her that she should let us get someone,’ Storm said.

  ‘No,’ Sapphire said quickly.

  ‘Let’s not,’ said Willow.

  ‘But why?’ demanded Storm.

  When neither of them said anything, he looked cross. ‘Oh, this is another of your little secrets, is it?’ He stormed out of the stable, pushing past Willow and cantering down the corridor.

  ‘Oh, Willow!’ Sapphire burst out. ‘This is dreadful. I don’t know what to do. The Tricorn’s going to find out that I was the one who looked in the chest.’

  ‘You’re going to have to go and tell him the truth – tell him that you did it for Troy,’ said Willow.

  Sapphire looked horrified. ‘I can’t do that! Troy will get into real trouble.’

  ‘But if you don’t, they might think you were trying to cheat for yourself and that the magic just went wrong,’ said Willow. ‘It is Troy’s fault.’

  Sapphire looked wretched. ‘I can’t do it. I can’t!’ Tears welled in her eyes.

  Willow nuzzled her. If only Sapphire had never suggested looking in the rose quartz. If only Troy had said no when she had suggested it! Now everything had gone wrong. She wasn’t friends with Troy any more and Storm was angry with her and Sapphire was going to get into loads of trouble…

  ‘I wish none of this had ever happened,’ Sapphire said unhappily.

  ‘So do I,’ sighed Willow.

  ‘I do too.’

  They turned round. Storm had come back without them realizing. ‘Why won’t you tell me what’s going on?’ he asked them. ‘I thought we weren’t supposed to keep secrets from each other.’

  ‘We’re not supposed to.’ Willow looked at Sapphire. ‘Please tell him.’

  Sapphire hesitated and then nodded. ‘I’m sorry, Storm. Willow’s been wanting to tell you what’s been going on but I said we couldn’t because I felt really awful and it makes Troy look bad.’

  ‘Why?’ said Storm.

  ‘Listen and I’ll tell you everything,’ Sapphire said. And she did.

  Storm listened in astonishment. ‘I can’t believe Troy cheated like that! But surely he’s going to own up now he knows the Tricorn’s found out about it.’

  Willow shook her head. ‘He won’t.’ Storm looked at Sapphire. ‘Then you have to tell the Tricorn what happened,’ he said firmly. ‘They’re sure to think you were trying to cheat. You can’t take the blame and it’s not fair of Troy to expect you to. If you won’t tell the Tricorn then I will. I’ll go and find him right now.’

  Sapphire hesitated and looked at Willow.

  ‘Storm’s right,’ Willow said. ‘You should tell the Tricorn the truth.’

  Sapphire took a deep breath. ‘OK. I don’t want to but I will.’

  ‘It’s the right thing to do,’ Storm said, nuzzling her. ‘Do you want us to come with you?’

  Sapphire shook her head.

  ‘Good luck,’ Willow told her.

  Sapphire gulped. ‘Thanks. I think I’m going to need it!’

  Chapter Seven

  Telling the Truth

  Willow and Storm waited anxiously for Sapphire to come back. After a little while they heard the door opening.

  ‘How did it…?’ Willow broke off. It wasn’t Sapphire. It was Troy. ‘Oh,’ she said shortly. ‘It’s you.’ Troy headed for his stall.

  ‘Willow and Sapphire have told me what happened,’ Storm said, stepping out in front of him.

  Troy stopped. ‘They told you!’

  Storm nodded. ‘I can’t belie
ve it, Troy. You tried to cheat and now you won’t own up to it. That’s awful.’

  ‘It’s all right for you, Storm. Your father isn’t the King of Arcadia…’ Troy protested.

  ‘That doesn’t make any difference!’ Storm exclaimed. ‘You shouldn’t have done it. I don’t think I want to be friends with you any more. How can you let Sapphire take the blame?’

  ‘I told you – I don’t think she’ll have to,’ Troy said desperately. ‘The Tricorn knows she doesn’t do history.’

  ‘But he’ll think she was trying to cheat anyway,’ Storm said.

  ‘You should have confessed,’ said Willow. ‘It’s too late now anyway. Sapphire’s gone to tell the Tricorn what really happened.’

  Troy stared at her in horror. ‘She hasn’t!’

  ‘She has,’ said Storm. ‘She didn’t want to, but I told her that if she didn’t, I would.’

  The door opened. This time it was Sapphire. She was looking very upset and big tears were rolling down her nose.

  ‘Sapphire! What happened?’ Willow asked. ‘What did the Tricorn say?’

  ‘He said that he couldn’t tolerate cheating and that I might be sent home from school and not be allowed to come back.’ A loud sob escaped Sapphire.

  ‘What?’ Storm burst out. ‘But surely he must have realized you weren’t cheating – you don’t even do history.’

  ‘I… I didn’t tell the truth,’ Sapphire said. ‘I couldn’t.’ She glanced at Troy. ‘When I told the Tricorn it had been me who looked into the chest, he asked why I had looked at the history exam. I just couldn’t get Troy into so much trouble so I just said my magic went wrong. I’d been trying to look at the charms exams and had made a mistake.’

  ‘So the Tricorn thinks you really were trying to cheat,’ Willow said in dismay.

  ‘Yes,’ Sapphire whispered.

  Willow swung round to Troy.

  ‘Troy! You can’t let Sapphire take the blame! You…’

  But Troy was already walking towards Sapphire. ‘Don’t worry, Sapphire,’ he said, interrupting Willow. ‘You’ve been a really good friend. It was very brave of you not to tell the Tricorn the truth to try and stop me getting into trouble, but I can’t let you be punished. I honestly didn’t think you would be, but if the Tricorn really does think you were cheating then I’ll go and see him straight away.’

  ‘But, Troy! You’ll be sent home!’ protested Sapphire.

  ‘I deserve to be.’ Troy’s voice shook. ‘This is all my fault.’

  Willow breathed out. ‘Oh, Troy.’

  He swallowed. ‘I’ve been really stupid. I’m not surprised you don’t want to be my friends. I wouldn’t want to be my friend either.’

  Willow hurried forward and touched him with her nose. ‘You know, I actually do want to be friends with you now.’

  ‘Me too!’ Storm joined them. ‘You’re being really brave.’

  Sapphire nodded.

  Troy looked round at them all. ‘Will you still be friends with me, even if I’m sent home?’ They all nodded.

  ‘And we’ll come with you to see the Tricorn,’ said Sapphire. ‘Whatever he says, we’ll be with you.’

  Troy managed a small smile. ‘Thank you,’ he said.

  The Tricorn’s study was just beside the Great Hall. Troy knocked on the door with his horn.

  ‘Come in,’ the Tricorn called.

  Troy pushed the door open and all four unicorns trotted in.

  The Tricorn was standing behind his big wooden desk. ‘Hello,’ he said. ‘What can I do for you?’

  ‘I’ve got something to tell you, Tricorn.’ Troy swallowed nervously. ‘I… it… well, Sapphire wasn’t cheating.’ The words suddenly rushed out of him. ‘She did use her magic to look inside the history chest but it was to help me. I was the one who was cheating. Punish me, but please, please don’t send Sapphire home. She didn’t look to try and cheat herself!’

  ‘I know.’ The Tricorn’s deep voice was very serious.

  ‘You know!’ Troy stared.

  ‘Someone who is as good at rose-quartz gazing as Sapphire would never make such a mistake as looking into the wrong chest,’ said the Tricorn. ‘I knew she wasn’t telling me the truth.’ He looked at Sapphire. ‘I hope you have learnt a lesson from this, Sapphire. You must never again use your magic to help someone cheat.’

  Sapphire bit her lip. ‘I’m sorry. I promise I’ll never do it again.’

  ‘Then we will say no more about it,’ said the Tricorn in a more kindly voice. He looked at Troy. ‘And now for you.’

  ‘I know you’re going to send me home.’ Troy hung his head. ‘But I deserve it.’

  ‘I’m not going to send you home, Troy,’ the Tricorn said.

  Troy looked up in surprise. ‘What?’

  ‘You have behaved very badly but at the end of the day, when it looked like your friend was going to be in trouble, you came forward and told the truth. Because of that I am going to give you a second chance. You may stay here at Unicorn School, although you will have to retake your history exam in a week’s time.’

  ‘That’s the day before we break up!’ said Troy.

  ‘Yes,’ the Tricorn replied. ‘I am afraid if you are going to do the work needed to pass you will have to miss out on many of the end-of-term activities.’

  ‘That’s OK!’ Troy gasped. ‘I don’t care. I’ll work and work and work. I just want to pass the exam and do it without cheating.’

  ‘I’ll help you,’ Willow promised. ‘We can use my notes – properly this time!’

  ‘We’ll help too,’ Storm said, looking at Sapphire, who nodded.

  ‘We might not do history ourselves but we can help by testing you,’ she said.

  ‘Thank you!’ Troy told them gratefully. He looked at the Tricorn. ‘And thank you for giving me another chance.’

  ‘I believe that courage should be rewarded and it must have taken a great deal of that for you to come and own up,’ the Tricorn said. ‘If you pass the exam, nothing more will be said about this whole incident, and I will not mention it to your parents.’ Troy looked very relieved.

  ‘You may go now,’ the Tricorn told him. ‘Work hard, Troy.’

  ‘I will,’ Troy promised seriously. ‘And I’ll never cheat ever again.’ He turned to go and then stopped, frowning. ‘Please may I just ask you one thing?’

  The Tricorn nodded. ‘Of course.’

  ‘Well, the history exam paper I saw – when Sapphire used the rose quartz – it… it was different from the one in the exam. Why was that?’

  The Tricorn gave a small laugh. ‘That was because all of the chests have a deception charm on them as well as a cheating spell. Not only do the elves know when someone has been looking at the paper dishonestly, but the paper itself shows the wrong questions – so the unicorn who is cheating does not prosper.’ He leant forward, suddenly serious. ‘You surely do not think you are the first unicorn to have thought of using rose quartz to cheat, Troy? Magic can be very tempting at times. Just remember to use it only for good in the future.’ His expression softened. ‘Now go.’

  As soon as the door was shut behind them, Troy breathed a huge sigh of relief. ‘Phew! I don’t have to go home! Will you all help me revise for the exam like you said?’

  ‘Of course!’ Willow, Sapphire and Storm chorused.

  Troy looked determined. ‘I’m going to work so hard. I’m going to pass this exam. I have to!’

  Chapter Eight

  The End of Term!

  ‘OK, Troy. Who were the two leaders in the Battle of the Dragons?’ Willow looked at Troy.

  ‘Fangtooth and Gracken,’ Troy replied promptly.

  ‘Which unicorn first discovered the magic of rose-quartz gazing?’ Sapphire asked.

  ‘Queen Starbright the Second,’ answered Troy.

  ‘And who is believed to be the fastest unicorn ever?’ questioned Storm.

  Troy tossed his mane. ‘That’s easy – Silverhoof. He won every race there ever was while he w
as at school and he holds the record for being the fastest unicorn to fly around Misty Mountain and the fastest unicorn to fly from the High Winds Pass to the palace.’

  Willow felt a rush of relief. It was five days since Troy had confessed to the Tricorn that he had cheated and since then he had been working really hard. First he had copied out all his missing history notes and then he had tried to learn everything so he could remember it in the exam. Willow, Storm and Sapphire had spent every minute they could testing him and it finally looked as if all the hard work was beginning to pay off. Every question they had asked that day Troy had got right!

  ‘You’re doing so well,’ Willow told him.

  ‘Thanks to all of you,’ Troy said gratefully. ‘I’d never have been able to learn so much without your help. You’ve been brilliant friends. You’ve missed all the fun end-of-term stuff to help me.’

  ‘You’ve missed out on everything too,’ Storm told him. ‘You even pulled out of the Flying Team display and I know you really wanted to do that.’

  ‘I couldn’t have gone to all the practices and revised like I needed to,’ Troy said.

  ‘I can’t believe the exam is tomorrow,’ said Storm.

  Troy looked anxious. ‘Neither can I.’

  ‘You’ll be OK,’ Sapphire reassured him.

  Troy gulped. ‘I hope you’re right,’ he said.

  The next morning Troy went nervously into the hall to sit his exam. All the other exams had finished and he was the only unicorn in there. As Roswell shut the door, Willow thought how lonely Troy looked, standing behind a desk in the huge room, all on his own.

  ‘I hope he gets the questions right,’ she said anxiously to Sapphire and Storm.

  Storm nodded. ‘I’m more nervous about Troy doing this exam than I am about getting my own exam results this afternoon.’ Willow knew just how Storm felt!

  The hour of the exam seemed to take forever to go by. Storm paced up and down, Willow fidgeted anxiously and Sapphire kept sighing in a worried way. At long last it was over. The door opened and Troy came trotting out. His ears were pricked and his eyes were bright.