Chapter One
Cat stared at the marketplace in awe. It was huge and there were so many people. A young boy winked at her as he walked off with some noble mans purse. Cat started as she sensed something at her side. Without even looking, she reached down and grabbed a hand that was about to grab her purse. She narrowed her eyes at the handsome face that belonged to the hand. She broke his fingers without even looking down. He scrambled away before she could do anything else.
"Cat! I told you to stay close, we have to get to the palace by sunset!" Cat's teacher, Orn, frowned at her.
"I'm sorry," she told him. "It's just that the Shang compound is so much smaller than this."
"I know, but you'll get used to it." Cat rolled her eyes and ran to catch up with her teacher. Before long, they came to a huge pair of gates. Orn reached into their single horses saddlebags and pulled out some documents. The soldiers at the gate crossed their spears to bar their passage.
"Who're you?" One soldier said, he had a thick beard and he leered at Cat, she narrowed her eyes at him. Orn shot her a look and she smiled at him.
"I am the Shang Gryphon, and this is my apprentice." Orn motioned towards Cat who smiled at the guard, he looked at her nervously.
"Ok, go on through." Cat led the horse while Orn strode through the gates. Orn motioned Cat over.
"I want you to take the horse to the stables, get the saddlebags, and meet me at the training yards."
"Why the training yards?" asked Cat.
"Because we're here to help train the pages and squires, remember?" Cat smiled sheepishly and led the horse to the stables; she only had to follow her nose to find them. As she stepped inside, a potbellied man ambled forward to take the horse. She grabbed the saddlebags and watched as he led jouer (the horse), to a stall.
"Um, could I ask you something?" Cat looked at the hostler hopefully. He just looked at her. "Where are the training yards?" The man smiled and shook his head.
"He'll show ye," He pointed to someone behind Cat. She spun to face a boy who was, amazingly enough, taller than her. The boy nodded and smiled at her. She just narrowed her eyes at him. She followed him out of the stables, taking the saddlebags with her.
"So how old are you anyway," The boy looked at her curiously.
"Almost fifteen."
"Are you with that man that just came in?" Cat just nodded; she didn't like strangers, especially not male strangers. "Well, these are the training yards, there's the guy you came with, over there. And, you might want to stay away from the action," He looked at her condescendingly. "Among all the fighting and weapons, you might get hurt." Cat grinned at him and laughed. She had been handling weapons and learning to fight, ever since she could remember. She strode across the yards towards Orn. Some boys looked at her and laughed, she glared at them and walked faster. She reached Orn, just as a short, muscular man rounded the corner.
"Orn! You're here!"
"Why Lord Roth, how you've grown." Orn grinned at the short man and winked.
"Orn, you dog.
How've the Shang been treating you?"
"Not bad, not bad."
Cat watched all of this and rolled her eyes. Lord Roth saw the
movement and frowned.
"Why'd you bring a servant Orn? We have plenty here."
"Servant?" Orn
looked puzzled and then he remembered Cat was there, he laughed.
"That's No servant, Roth, you're looking at one of the most
deadly Shang trainees in the land." Roth laughed and looked at Cat.
"If only Keladry were here, but she's off traveling."
"Who's Keladry?" Asked Cat, speaking for the first time.
"She's one of the
two lady knights in the realm, she just left for a short visit home,
but enough chit chat. Let's get you to your rooms." He led them
across the courts and to a long building. They were led to two rooms
on the first floor.
"Do you have any bags?" Roth said,
looking at the saddlebags that Cat still carried.
"They are coming tomorrow."
"Okay, then I'll see you tomorrow morning on the courts!" With that, Roth strode away.
"Did you hear that?" Said Cat as she looked at her teacher excitedly, "the lady knight Keladry was hear! That means she could come back soon!" Orn grinned at her.
"Sure, you'd better wash up for dinner, we're going to eat with the other training masters in the pages dining hall." Cat pulled her small pack out of the saddlebags, and then handed them to Orn.
Her room was simple, yet large. Good, thought Cat, I'll have room to practice in here. The room held a bed, a writing table, and there was a washroom off to the side. Cat eagerly washed off the dirt of the road and re-braided her long blonde hair. A small knock at her door, told her when Orn was ready. They walked down to the dining hall in silence. Another man met them at the door to the dining hall. He smiled and nodded at Cat and Orn.
"You are the Shang Gryphon I assume?"
"Yes, and you are the training master I assume?"
"Yes, I am Lord Julius. Roth told me all about you." Orn grinned. "You are⦠Cat?" Cat nodded, without meeting his eyes. You may eat with the pages, I am sure you would enjoy sitting with those your own age." Cat stared up at Orn in horror. She pleaded with her eyes for Orn to rescue her, but he just smiled and shook his head.
"You'll be fine, he whispered." Cat glared at him and followed the two men into the dining hall. As the two men strode up to the table at the head of the room, Cat grabbed a tray and some food from the tables by the door. She looked around and saw two long tables full of boys. She squared her shoulders and sat down between two groups of boys at the nearest table. Orn sat down, and Lord Julius said a short blessing. As soon as he sat down, the boys descended on the food. Cat only picked at hers. She was always a light eater, but being around so many strange people made her too nervous to eat. One boy, had been in a whispered conference with his friends, he looked at Cat, then back at his friends. They laughed and he smiled cockily. He slid over so he was next to Cat. She tensed her shoulders, but said nothing.
"So, what're you doing here?" The boy smiled at his friends who were watching intently. "You're not a new page are you?" Cat shook her head no.
"Good, because we wouldn't want a pretty thing like you to get hurt playing with the boys." With that he reached down and put his hand on her thigh. Cat slowly looked at him. He was smirking at his friends. Cat slowly reached behind his neck and grabbed two pressure points, at the base of the neck. His smirk was gone in an instant as the pain hit.
"One, don't touch me, two don't touch me, three, be careful who you mess with." Cat released the pressure points and stood up. "That goes for all of you." She looked at the boy's friends, as well as the surrounding boys. They had all stopped to watch. Cat walked out of the dining hall. She went to her room, and collapsed on the bed. She would have to make the boys listen to her; she was their assistant teacher after all. Cat sighed, and blew out her candle, within moments she was asleep.
