Author's Note:
Greetings fans. Here is a little oneshot I was working on a few years ago. I can't guarantee you I'll finish it, but I decided to post it to see what response it would get. I, for one, found it highly amusing, but I'd like to see what you guys think, so please review! J
~TheVampyre13
The day my life ended was also the day I began to live…
I awoke suddenly to the sun shining through my window and a feeling of dread that had settled itself into the pit of my stomach. I struggled with memory for a moment and then I realized why I was filled with such dismay.
Today was the day that my best friend Alexander left to begin his knight-training. I sighed heavily and heaved myself out of bed. I dressed quickly and silently and went downstairs where my mother had a bowl of porridge sitting on the table for my breakfast.
"Honestly Raven, Why can't you dress like a young lady, for Once in your life?" She said exasperatedly. I looked down at my clothes. I was dressed in boys clothes, trousers and a shirt, then I looked at my mother's clothes…A blue dress she had made herself.
"Because I don't want to be a young lady," I said with what dignity I could muster so early in the morning.
"Well what on Earth do you want to be?"
"I want to be a knight!" I said, wielding an imaginary sword.
"Honestly, child! Sit down and eat your breakfast! I have to get to work!"
I sat at the table and spooned the porridge into my mouth. My mother worked at the castle as a lady-in-waiting. No matter how often we had our morning conversation, which was always the same, she never said anything other than 'Honestly Raven!', which annoyed me. With grim satisfaction I pushed away the now-empty bowl and headed for the door.
"Where are you going?" Mother asked, as if she didn't already know.
"Alexander is leaving today, I'm going to see him off," I said, pausing momentarily.
"Good riddance! You spend to much time with that boy as it is, filling your head with all this nonsense about lady knights!"
I ignored her and opened the door. She grunted something about having no respect for her.
I spared another second to shoot her an patronizing look before I made my way to the old oak tree where Alex and I always met. He was waiting for me when I arrived, a pained expression on his tanned face.
"There you are! I'm leaving shortly," He said to me as I walked up.
"Yes, I know that."
I was more than envious of him, and he could tell by the expression on my face.
"Raven, If I could trade places with you, I would," He said quietly.
"I know…."
"If you keep trying I'm sure you'll get to be a knight someday," He said, placing a comforting hand on my arm.
"I shall be a knight!" I said sternly, picking up a stick off of the ground. Alex picked up another stick and I smiled.
"Now let's joust!" I said.
We fought with sticks, just as we did every day, until we heard Alex's mother calling for him that it was time to leave.
"Promise me you'll come back and visit me," I said, a slight note of begging in my voice.
"I will come back, of course! And I'll teach you everything I learn in Knight-school!" He said confidently. His mother called again.
"I don't want you to go," I cried, embracing him. He hugged me back and kissed me on top of my head.
"You'll always be my best friend," He whispered in my ear. Then, with little reluctance, he walked off through the trees towards his house. I took off in a run and ran to the top of the hill where I could overlook the entire town. I looked to the East and saw Alex riding away on a brown pony, followed by one of his father's servants. He turned and looked back at me. I waved furiously and he waved back once before riding off into the rising sun, leaving me behind.
Chapter 2
The days passed into months and from then on into years. Whenever Alexander came home, which was very rarely, he hardly spoke to me, and was too tired to teach my anything he had learned. I watched every time he came home. He was getting taller and stronger, a young man, while I was still barely 10 years old.
I woke up one morning, just like I had the day when Alex left, with a ball of dread in the pit of my stomach. Again it took me a moment to figure out why. My Uncle Seeley was coming to visit today. Judging by the fact that I heard voices downstairs I supposed he was probably already there.
Uncle Seeley was Training Master of the Knight's palace where Alexander attended, and I despised him. He was a well-off man and he knew mother and I were close to having nothing as far as money and food went, but he still came every now and then for lunch…and he always made a point of commenting on how poor we were, in some derogatory way or another.
I groaned as I crawled out of bed and got dressed. When I went downstairs I saw my uncle sitting at the table, his long black beard streaked with grey. He was wearing what was possibly his best robes and his black eyes darted up at me.
"Shouldn't you be heading of to school soon, young Raven? Learning to be a young Lady, and how not to dress like a ruffian," He said, watching eagerly for some reaction. If I had been a cat my fur would have bristled angrily.
"I don't want to be a young lady," I said with dignity, just like I had every morning when my mother asked the same thing.
"Well what do you want to be?" He asked, although I'm sure he too, knew the answer.
"A knight!" I said proudly. He laughed scornfully and stared me down.
"Lady knights are extremely rare, and even then it is only the nobles daughter's who are allowed to attend…not some half-wit who was raised by a scullery maid," He said derisively. I felt my eye twitch and heard mother drop the pan she had been washing.
"You shall not come into my house and insult my family!" She hissed angrily.
My Uncle looked shocked, my mother had never outspoken to him or anyone else…I was impressed.
"If my daughter wants to be a knight, then by the Goddess she will be a knight!" Mother said heatedly.
"Not so long as I'm in charge at the school," He said contemptuously.
"Well it's not up to you, Seeley…it's up to the king," She said, eyes ablaze.
"You dare go to the king with such foolery?!"
"I do! I shall! I shall go now if I so desire!" She spat, and with that she stomped out of the house. I was delighted with this turn of events…I would be a knight after all! Uncle Seeley got up and left with an exasperated sigh.
I was ecstatic when my mother returned with a signed notice from the king saying that I was to train as a knight. I had met the king once, and he struck me as a kind man. He spoke kindly to me, though I was no more than a chambermaid's daughter.
"What on Earth did you say to him mother?" I inquired, curious as to how this miracle had been obtained.
"I needed not say anything. The king said that anyone who wanted to should have the opportunity to become a knight, and he is paying for your lessons…he expects great things of you, Raven," She said sternly. I made a cross face…leave it to her to sound like a mother at the oddest of times. I smiled as she hugged me and then made a V-line for the door.
"Where are you going?" She inquired.
"To practice fighting," I replied smugly.
"But you are to be a page starting this fall, don't you think you could give it a rest for at least one day?" She requested, but it was more like begging.
"No way! The greatest knights of the realm didn't get where they are by 'taking a day off'," I said haughtily.
Chapter 3
Fall came quicker than I would've thought it would. On the morning of my departure I awoke before sunrise and found my horse was saddled and waiting for me. The king had sent someone to lead me to the palace, and I felt very odd sitting beside someone who worked directly for the king.
His name was Jefforey and he was and elderly man with a grey-streaked beard. He smiled kindly as we started on our journey.
"You'll be the only lady-page there this year," He informed me.
"How do you know, Sir Jefforey?" I asked curiously, fiddling with my horse's reigns.
"Please, just call me Jeff, none of that 'sir' stuff…I know because I work at the school. I teach history," He informed.
"Really, sir-I mean, Jeff…What happened to the other lady pages?" I inquired.
"We had none last year and the one we had two years ago left after a week…the pressure got to be too much for her, I suppose. I hope you will not suffer the same fate," He said truthfully.
"Well I would hope not…Do you know Sir Alexander of Malian?" I asked, curious of my friend who had not spoken to me in almost two years.
"Ah, yes. He is a good student, but he relies too much on offense, rather than defense. You know him?"
"Yes, sir. We grew up together until he left for knight training…We learned together…taught ourselves how to fight," I said with a wry smile.
"Who won the most battles?"
"I did."
"Well I certainly hope that is still the case…" He replied.
"Yes…I have to do good, otherwise my Uncle Seeley will throw me out," I said bitterly.
"Denali is your uncle?! Goddess give you strength child! I wouldn't have survived a childhood like that!" He said, shocked. I smiled wryly.
"He very rarely comes around…for lack of trying. He hates me
nonetheless," I said, growling deep in my throat.
"I don't believe it's anything personal, child…I believe, as he is, he hates everyone," Jeff said in a slightly comforting manner.
"No…trust me, between me and him…it's personal," I grimaced.
We reached the palace before sun high and met Uncle Seeley in his office.
"Get a servant to lead her to her room," He said dismissively, without even glancing at me. Jeff shrugged at me and led me out of the door where a serving lady awaited me.
"I will lead you to your room, My lady. My name is Ameli and I will serve you so long as you reside at the palace," She said grimly. I followed her up many stairs and down many corridors.
"All of the first year pages reside on this floor. As a girl you should know that if you have a boy in your room the door is to remain open…likewise if you are in a boys room. Also, A tub of water shall be drawn in your room for your bath, so you will bathe in your room, rather than with the other pages in the showers," She informed me, not being at all kind about it. I highly doubted I would get along with this Ameli.
"Thank you, Ameli…I'm sure I can manage from here," I said, slightly coldly.
"Lunch is already in session and the dinner bell will ring around sundown. You are required to be in the dining hall at all meals, and if you are late there will be consequences," She said briskly, then strode away without another word. I went into my room and began to unpack my things, of which there were few. I wasn't the world's greatest decorator and neither was whoever had designed this room…not that I minded at all. I put all my clothes away, mostly tunics and trousers with a few dresses my mother forced me to bring for some reason unbeknownst to me.
About 10 minutes after I was finished unpacking I heard a commotion of noise in the hallway. I peeked my head out…the pages were coming back from lunch. I stepped out nervously and two boys around my age stopped to survey me.
"Are you the girl?" One of them sneered.
"I suppose I am," I said coolly, but inside my chest my heart fluttered nervously.
"You don't look like much," Said the other, looking me up and down.
"Looks can be deceiving," I retorted. The two boys glared at me.
"I'm Nathan of Kaolin, and this is Allan of Hendrix," The eldest boy said.
"My name is Raven. Do either of you know where I might find Alexander of Malian?" I inquired. They exchanged odd looks.
"What business would you have with him," Asked Nathan, sneering.
"That is between me and him," I snapped.
"He never allows visitors into his room…but it is upstairs, second room on the left…I hope he turns you into a frog," The boy said impolitely.
I ignored them and trotted upstairs. I knocked on the first door and it was five minutes before anyone answered.
"Yes?" Came an angry voice from the other side of the door.
"It is I," I called out. He didn't respond for a moment and then the door opened abruptly.
"Yes?" He asked, annoyed.
"I-…I'm here Alexander! I made it," I finally managed, perturbed by his uncaring manner.
"Congratulations," He snapped, then ducked back inside his door. I returned to my room, slightly wounded by his harshness.
"No matter…I don't need him," I said to myself when I was in the safety of my own room. There came a muffled reply from beneath my bed and I ducked down to see what it was. A grey and black tabby cat sat curled under my bed, covered in dust. I let out a cry of surprise as it opened its blue eyes and meowed quite loudly.
"Where did you come from? Come out of there, silly thing," I said, reaching my hand out to the cat. The cat stood and stretched as if it was the most normal thing in the world for her to be under my bed, coated in dust. She meowed and walked over to me, sniffed my hand, and then curled up in my lap.
"I wonder where you came from?" I repeated. The cat purred as if to say, Came from? I take care of myself! It's not business of yours where I 'came from'. I smiled to myself and placed the cat on the bed.
"Either way, you're to supposed to be here, because we aren't allowed pets. Go home," I said. The cat appeared not to hear me. There was a knock on my door and I rushed to answer it, but when I opened the door there was no one there. I looked at the door and inhaled sharply. Someone had painted the words 'Girls can't fight! Go home!' on my door in bright red letters. I growled and slammed the door. When I turned around the cat was no where to be seen.
When the dinner bell rang I snuck out of my room, ignoring the words on my door and avoiding all of the other pages.
"All first year pages, please come up here," Said my Uncle. I took a deep breath and followed my peers to the podium.
"Who is willing to sponsor one of the first years?" He asked the older pages.
"Please, sir, may I sponsor Nathan of Kaolin? He is my cousin," Said one of the older pages.
"Right, and family should stick together. Yes, you may," My Uncle said. I peered at him with some annoyance. 'Family should stick together', he said? What a loud of bull spit! I thought to myself. When it was my turn to be chosen I looked up at Alexander, but he was ignoring me, picking at his food.
"Will no one sponsor the girl?" Uncle Seeley demanded, irritated.
"I will, my lord," Said a voice. I turned to face the speaker. It was a boy, a little older than me, a third year page. He had long black hair and green eyes.
"You, Zachary of Tertian? Surely you should be spending your time on your studies rather than sponsoring a new page," Seeley said with a wry smile.
"I think, sir, that I am quite capable of handling the girl," The boy named Zachary retorted. He winked at me and I halfway smiled.
"Oh very well! Now that everyone has a sponsor, go eat, the lot of you," Seeley snapped. We scurried off to sit beside our sponsors.
"Hi. My name is Zack," My sponsor said, flashing me a grin.
"My name's Raven," I replied. I fidgeted until they brought the trays for dinner.
"I'll show you around the palace after dinner, but we have to be in our rooms by 11:00pm, or else we'll get punished," Zack said, taking a bite of chicken. I ate my food, and watched Zack.
"You should eat your vegetables they're good for you," I said a moment later. He hadn't touched his beans. He shrugged and picked up his spoon. He ate a few spoonfuls of beans and then took his tray to the trash.
Chapter 4
As Zack showed me all the different classrooms, I let my mind begin to wonder. I wasn't paying attention when I tripped on something and went flying forwards. I hit the ground with my hands and rolled until I was on my feet again.
"Woah! Where'd you learn that?" Zack asked, impressed.
"Years and years of practice with my best friend Alexander…What did I trip over?" I asked, walking back over. There was a dark figure hunched over behind me. It opened a set of brilliant blue eyes and meowed.
"Oh! Not you again!" I said, lifting the cat off the ground.
"We're not allowed to have pets," Zack warned.
"I know! She just keeps following me," I retorted, checking the cat for injuries. The cat purred and squirmed in my arms.
"Okay Kitty, Time for you to go home," I said, putting her on the ground.
The cat stared at me and then rubbed against my legs.
"I know where that cat came from!" Zack said suddenly. I jumped slightly.
"Where?"
"The Wild mage, Abigail…She lives at the top of the highest tower," He said with certainty. I picked the cat up again and she purred even louder.
"Lead the way," I said promptly.
"But…It's nearly time for bed…I don't mind getting in trouble, but you-"
"I don't care. Come on!" I said impatiently. Without another moment's hesitation Jack led me up the stairs towards the wild mage's room.
I followed Jack to the topmost tower and knocked on the door. The door opened and a blonde-haired woman peered out at us.
"Yes?" She asked, opening the door further. Inside I could see a crow perched on the back of a chair, two cats curled up on the floor, and a dog with three legs at her feet.
"I found…Is this your cat?" I asked, lifting the cat up to her.
"Midnight! Yes, she is mine, in the sense of belonging, I suppose," She said, accepting the cat.
"She's been following me," I said politely.
"Oh! She's usually an ill-tempered cat…you must have quite a way with animals, young Raven." The mage said, setting the cat down on the floor behind her.
"How did you-?"
"-know your name? Well you could hardly be anyone else…there aren't any female pages here besides you," She replied with a kind smile. A bell rung somewhere overhead.
"You should get back to your rooms, younglings, what will Denali do if he finds out you've been sneaking around the castle with a boy," She said. I started to protest, but she winked at me and I knew she was just joking.
"You're right…I just wanted to return your cat," I said reluctantly.
"Oh, I highly doubt I can make her stay here with me…Midnight is a very free-willed cat and if she's taken a shine to you it is likely you will see more of her," Abigail said. At these words the cat, Midnight, rubbed against my legs, purring.
"Now, now, Midnight, let these kids get to bed," Abigail said in a scolding voice. The cat rubbed against me once more and then obliged the Wild mage.
"Thank you, Madam," I said to her.
"Call me Abigail, please, and you are most welcome…Feel free to come and speak with me at any given time," She said to me. She disappeared inside her room and I followed Jack down to the page's wing.
Chapter 5
I awoke the next morning to an unnaturally loud bell. I dressed quickly and heard a knock at the door. I hurried to open it with a hairbrush in one hand.
"Good morning, Page Raven," Jack said with a laugh. I stared at him bleary eyed and exhausted.
"Time for breakfast," He said, still laughing. I tossed the hairbrush onto my bed and followed Jack to the dining hall.
"The king will come and speak to us after dinner…he always does," Jack told me, shoveling bacon into his mouth.
"Why?" I asked, startled.
"I dunno…Because he wants to see how we are doing?"
I made a face at him and he rolled his eyes at me. Uncle Seeley approached the podium and all the pages fell silent.
"Pages, today we will begin the day with a little swordsmanship…For those of you who don't know, our Weapons Instructor is Sir Lyle. He will meet you on the grounds behind the school after breakfast," Seeley said, then left the podium. The low murmur of talk began again.
"I can't believe he's really your Uncle," Jack muttered to me.
"Yeah…I for one am glad he was never around when I was a child," I muttered. I heard footsteps and looked up to see the pages from yesterday, Nathan and Allan, standing before me.
"Well! If you're such good friends with Alexander of Malian, why did he not sponsor you?" Nathan said mockingly. My face took on a calm appearance, but inside I was seething with anger.
"At least I didn't rely on my cousin to sponsor me when not a soul else would," I replied coolly. Nathan's face flushed a deep red.
"You'll pay for that one, girl," He sneered.
"Is that supposed to frighten me? Calling me a girl?" I inquired.
"You don't look like you'd know a girl if you saw one," Jack said to Allan who stood smirking. Allan flushed an even deeper shade of red and together they retreated.
"You could've entered sooner," I said to him.
"You had it under control," He said defensively.
The pages met Sir Lyle on the grounds after breakfast. Sir Lyle was an older man with short blonde hair. His brown eyes looked intelligent as he looked over the pages.
"Well, I suppose there is no better way to start than to see what you can do! First-year pages over here, older ones over there," He said, pointing to the places he'd indicated. I followed the other first-years to a spot near the gardens and waited for Sir Lyle who came a moment later bearing a bucket of wooden swords.
"Everyone get a sword and break into pairs," He ordered. We all obeyed and I was paired with a boy who looked twice my size. He appeared to be twice as strong too…but looks can be deceiving, I told myself.
"All right! On my whistle! One, two-" Sir Lyle began. He blew a whistle and the boy I was paired with attacked. I blocked him with ease and pushed his sword back upon him. He moved his arm down and went for an underhanded attack which I knew only too well as one that Alexander used. I stepped back and brought my sword down upon his with a strength that surprised the larger boy. Where the older pages were I spotted Alexander a distance away fighting with a boy slightly shorter than himself. I smiled as he blocked a blow from his opponent which drew me back to the reality of my own situation. The boy I was sparring with hit me in the back of my shoulder and I responded by whirling around hitting his wrist with the broadside of my own sword. He dropped his sword in surprise and Sir Lyle blew his whistle. There was a final clash of wood-on-wood as the others continued to fight for a few seconds then all was silent as Sir Lyle walked towards me.
"That was a very good bit of swordsmanship, young one. May I inquire as to where it was learned?" He asked. I glanced at Alexander who was looking pointedly away from me.
"If you please, sir, I taught myself," I said ashamedly.
"Well, then you've done a very good job…You are Raven of Malian, are you not?" He asked.
"Yes sir," I said.
Sir Lyle glanced at Alexander, obviously recognizing the town we both came from. He cleared his throat and addressed all the pages.
"I want you all to begin again, and watch Raven," Sir Lyle said to them. The pages obeyed grudgingly. Inside I felt ashamed and angry. The pages all glared at me with evident dislike.
Why is he playing favorites with me? I thought to myself.
After a few more minutes of swords fighting Sir Lyle blew his whistle for us to stop.
"We are going to start on jousting tomorrow…I think that today, the lot of you that don't already have horses, should go claim one from the pages stable," He announced. The pages were excited as they rushed off towards the stables. The king hadn't provided a horse for me to keep, so I would have to get one from the stables as well. I ran to catch up with the boys, and one of them, I believe it was Allan of Hendrix, pushed me over. We had been running up hill at the time so I went tumbling down. I made sure to land on my hands as I began to roll and was able to stop myself and leap to my feet at the same time. I started up the hill again, eager to hit the page who had pushed me.
"That was very impressive, Raven of Malian," Said a voice from behind me. I turned to see Sir Lyle not far behind me. I grunted and hurried up the hill, not eager for a confrontation with someone who had made me a very unpopular page.
Chapter 5
By the time I got to the stables there were only three horses left. A silver mare who had a scar over one eye and not much muscle on her body- but then, I was a girl and I didn't weigh much, a white stallion who had a multitude of scars covering his body, and a black stallion who was fat and disinterested in anything that was happening. I walked over to the silver mare. A stable hand watched me, bemused.
"She can be mean-tempered that one…but she may be the better of the three," He said to me. The horse flicked her ears towards me as I approached, ignoring the stable hand. Contrary to what the man had said the horse snuffled my hand and allowed me to pet her muzzle.
"What is her name?" I asked the stable hand.
"Kyra…" He replied, staring at the horse. I grabbed her lead rope and began to lead her outside.
"If she misbehaves, tell her 'Mikhail said to behave' …that's my name, ayup," Said the stable hand. I nodded, grateful for his advice, but doubting I would need it. I led Kyra outside where the other pages waited with their horses.
"Is that even a horse, Raven?" Sneered Nathan as I walked out. I was about to retort when Kyra struck out and nipped Nathan hard on his shoulder.
"Ouch!" Nathan yelped, moving away.
I kept my face expressionless, but I patted Kyra on the nose.
"Your horse is wild! It shouldn't be allowed around children!" Nathan shouted.
"Oh, are you still a child, Nathaniel? I was under the impression you were a page…how silly of me," I said coolly. The other pages snickered softly, then fell silent as Sir Lyle approached us.
"Has everyone got a horse then? Excellent," He said, surveying everyone's horse, oblivious to the argument that had been about to erupt into a fist-fight.
We mounted our horses and followed Sir Lyle's directions to see how well we could ride. We had just put our horses in their stables when the bell rang for the next class.
We had History class next and I followed the other pages to Jefforey's classroom. Jeff winked at me as I entered, but otherwise said nothing to exempt me from the others, for which I was grateful.
When the lunch bell rang a few classes later, I met Jack in the dining hall.
"So, how has your first day been going? I saw you get singled out by Sir Lyle," He said with a smile. I shrugged my shoulders and sat down. The other first-years appeared exhausted, although I felt nothing of the sort…It was just like any other day with the exception of teachers and horses.
"You don't look a bit tired," Jack said as if reading my mind.
"I practiced like this everyday for as long as I can remember…me and Alexander," I said, nodding to my old friend who was, instead of eating, reading a book.
"Alexander is a very odd person," Jack said with difficulty.
"He used to be my best friend," I said shortly. He shrugged his shoulders.
"Eat your vegetables," I reminded him. He shrugged once more and poked at his peas.
"Just think, you'll have to go through four years of this…then four years as a squire, before you can become a knight…Do you think you will make it?" He asked with a dry grin.
"Of course I will!" I said indignantly.
Jack decided to change the subject.
"I heard you picked that killer horse," He said bluntly.
"Kyra is a sweet horse! What do you mean by killer?" I inquired sharply.
"The last person to ride her in a jousting match got thrown and trampled," Jack said carelessly. My face paled and Jack realized the significance of what he'd just said.
"Not to worry! Ever since Abigail the wild mage came, all of our horses…well, no one's been thrown in years," He said hastily. I felt a slight pressure against my foot and looked down to see Midnight the cat rubbing against my foot. I reached down and picked her up.
"You…You're not supposed to be here," I said softly, but I fed her some of my fish all the same. She purred and lay in my lap.
"That cat has really taken a shine to you," Jack said. I nodded my head in agreement.
After lunch we had a mathematics class, which I wasn't too good at. Jack grinned like a fool when our teacher, Sir Honea, asked me a question when I was not paying attention. Nathan answered with the correct answer and smiled smugly at me. As class continued he passed me a note.
"Meet me outside the castle at a quarter till midnight…we can settle our competition there."
I read the note a few more times before crumpling it up and throwing it away. I would meet him, because I didn't want to be outdone by him in anything, and I hated the way he was so smug to me. He caught my eye and nodded. I nodded back.
Chapter 6
By dinner-time I was tired. Not so much as the other pages from the looks of things, but still pretty tired. Jack smirked at me as he watched me fumble with my spoon and drop it into whatever it was we were eating.
"Tired, huh page?" He asked, grinning like an ass. I glowered at him and shook my head. I lifted my spoon again and this time managed a bite.
After eating all the pages remained seated and watched King Theodore stand at the podium to address the first years.
"Greetings pages…I won't keep you long. If I recall correctly your bones are sore and you'd most likely enjoy a nice bath and a good nights sleep…which you probably won't get if the sparrows are still here," He remarked. A few people laughed, but I didn't understand the humor.
"Anyway, I hope you all have a very good year and will become great knights of the realm," King Theodore said.
When the other pages were dismissed King Theodore asked me and Jack to stay behind. We did so, watching the smirks of the other pages as they passed. King Theodore addressed us together as Uncle Seeley watched, annoyed, as he spoke.
"So, how are you Young Raven? Enjoying your first day as a page?" The King asked.
"Yes, sir. Very, much, thank you," I said to him politely.
"And you, Jack? Are you still happy to sponsor her?" The King asked, turning to him in turn.
"Very much, sir."
"Good. There haven't been any problems, have there?"
"No sir," I answered. Jack glanced at me with a frown, but said nothing.
"Good. Well you two can go now, get some sleep for tomorrow," The King siad. Together Jack and I walked back to my room.
"Why didn't you tell him about Nathan and Allan?" Jack demanded when were out of hearing of the king.
"I can take care of myself. I found no need to tell him about Nathaniel," I retorted.
"Suit yourself. See you in the morning, Raven," Jack said as we reached my room. I nodded to him and then went inside.
I lay on my bed without undressing and conked out. When I awoke a few hours later it was nearing midnight. My clothes were stiff with dried sweat. I changed into fresh clothes and then walked outside. There was no sign of anyone as I made my way outside and down to the grounds. I looked around, but saw no one…Nathan had tricked me! I heard approaching footsteps and ducked into the shadows as a night-watchman passed me by. I cursed silently and slipped out of my hiding place after he had walked away.
On my way back up to the castle I heard a soft crying noise. I frowned and followed the sound towards the forest. As I approached the sound lessened, then ceased altogether.
"Who's there?" I whispered. There was a rustling sound, although I suppose it could have been an owl or something.
"Are you alright?" I asked, slightly louder. There was no reply. I took a step closer into the woods when I was hit from behind. I fell to the ground, stunned. I saw a flash of metal in the moonlight…and then I breathed what would've been my last breath.
The girl laying on the ground awoke with a start to find Midnight the cat leaning over her. Three or four other cats that she could see surrounded her. It was still night, but she could see clearly…impossible to explain to someone who has never seen it. Something moved to her left and her ears caught the sound of a faint clicking. She pounced on the thing without realizing it and captured a small beetle in her paws.
She devoured the beetle and followed Midnight and his friends farther into the forest for a hunt. By the time the sun rose she would be back in her bed and Midnight would be back with Abigail.
When I awoke the next morning it took a while to get adjusted to the sunlight…Had it been a dream? The dirt on my clothes told me otherwise. What had happened? I remembered…or at least, thought I remembered, waking up outside, but before that, everything short of yesterdays dinner, was blurry.
As it approached noon that day colors started to blur together and change. Jefforey pulled me aside after history class and asked if I was okay.
"Yes. I'm good," I told him, although truthfully I felt very weird, uncertain of what was going on.