A/N: I'm completely new to this category, but I felt that the archive needed some femslash and a story about my favourite character. I'm not sure that this story is going to be any good as I've got kittens climbing all over my laptop and the added stress that my horse Shylo is on heat so she's had to separated from the others. It's also stressful because I've got to wait until the other mares are in season too and it should be any day now. STRESS! Reviews are like little rays of calm in my hectic life, please leave me some 3

Thanks to my Beta-Reader Shhh-Its-An-Alias 3 Love you girl!

Summary: What if Yelena was forced to remain at the Citadel and be instructed by Roze. Two incredibly strong willed women with a clear dislike for one another. What could possibly go wrong... Story contains: Graphic imagery and Yelena kicking some Warper ass :P

~Chapter 1~

~A Dirty Book is Rarely Dusty~

"No Irys, I can't and I won't"

"Please Yelena; it's the only way that the Council will let you remain here. You need to learn more about your magic and... well maybe this is for the best"

Yelena paced up and down, silently fuming. There was almost no point in continuing the argument. After all it wasn't like anyone was listening to her. The silence became slightly awkward and heavy. "I'm going to get some air", muttered Yelena and moved swiftly to the door, making sure that she knocked into Irys' shoulder on the way out. Purposefully Yelena climbed down the spiralling staircase that lead from Irys' tower, passing her own room on the way. It was strange that after all the effort it had taken on her part to be accepted (or as accepted as she could expect to be considering her abilities) that she was ready to throw it all away. She reached the ground floor, pushing open the heavy wooden door she exited into the courtyard. No friendly faces here either, just the glares of a group of Novices passing by the tower. As her friend Dax would say 'All this is just another point against you', the jealous glances that were now just another part of her daily routine had spawned from one thing: The fact that First Magician Roze Featherstone had demanded that she give Yelena private instruction. The other students were not to know that this was because Yelena was considered to be a danger, or that the only reason that Roze wanted to instruct her was because she wanted to keep a tight grip on Yelena's leash. Oh no, to them it was just another occasion where Yelena was given 'special treatment' and attention.

When the stares and whispers in the yard became too annoying for Yelena to bear, she set off towards the bath house; hoping that hardly anyone would be there so late into the afternoon. After a short walk she found herself outside the tall white marble structure, hastening into the shade and cool of the interior it took a minute for her eyes to adjust to the dimmed light. A few torches spluttered lazily in their brackets; the collective smell of soaps and incense filled the air making it feel almost like it had substance. Sighing to herself Yelena found a bench and began to undress, peeling off the layers of her clothes. She was down to her undergarments when she heard muted giggling. Perplexed she quietly crossed over to the opposite wall and peer tentatively round the corner. The centre piece of the main hall was a large sunken area of the floor, tiled with an intricate array of mosaic patterns. Despite being outshined by the huge bath at the heart of the room, the walls weren't without charm. A variety of bright murals and a display of frescos bloomed everywhere that eye could wander. Yelena had always thought it strange that the insides of the bath house had been given such attention when being built; perhaps it was to try to distract patrons from the fact that they were essentially naked with a bunch of people that they saw on a regular basis.

The tittering had come from a group of girls that were sat at the furthest end of the room, perched upon a raised platform that was designed so that people could sit and converse with friends without having to actually get into the water. Now that she was closer, Yelena could hear exactly what was being said.

"It's so unfair. Two from the same family, talk about favouritism"

"I know. Most of us have at least as much talent as she does"

"Well it's not like she's after her for her magical ability", a girl with curled blonde hair stated smugly. The other girls gathered around her waiting for her to continue. Pleased that she seemed to have her friend's undivided attention, she continued, "Well you know what they say about the First Magician, don't you?"

There was a chorus of 'No's and shaken heads from the group.

"That she's one of them", there was a stunned silence that followed. A few girls glanced at each other, unsure whether or not the other knew what the blonde girl was referring to.

"One of what?", asked a girl also with blonde hair, although it wasn't quite as eye catching as her friends.

"She likes women", stated Blonde Girl 1 looking a little annoyed when the others still just stared perplexed, "As in she 'like' likes women". This statement was also met with a collective air of 'not really knowing what on earth she was talking about', "Eurgh, you really don't get it do you? She likes to fuck women"

There was silence before the girls began to giggle again, one of them turned to her friend and asked, "How do women, erm well...?"

"Well I'm not going to know am I? But probably with their fingers and maybe even with their tongues", she stated with relish, loving the shocked reaction that it provoked from her friends.

"Poor Yelena Zaltana doesn't know what she's letting herself in for. It's probably going to be quite difficult for her to learn anything with her mentor trying at every opportunity to get into her –"

Yelena never discovered what came at the end of that sentence as she turned on her heel and shot back to where she had left her clothes, pulling them on quickly and making straight for the door. She only slowed when she was at the base of Irys' tower once more. Surely there wasn't any truth in what those girls had been saying. They were just jealous, and making up spiteful rumours. Yes, that had to be it. Calming herself with this reassuring thought she let herself into the tower. Taking the stairs two at a time until she arrived at the second landing. This was the floor that she had chosen as her own, even though Irys had given her three floors of the tower to do whatever she pleased she didn't have enough furniture to fill the space. Collapsing into a chair she caught he breath. Just rumours, that's all. She repeated, like a mantra. Just rumours, stupid hateful rumours. Roze wouldn't, no couldn't like... No it was just a rumour. Just a rumour. Just a –

"Yelena? Are you alright?", the calming voice of her mentor, 'ex-mentor' she corrected herself drifted in from somewhere to her left, "You're flushed, out of breath. What happened?"

"Nothing", was Yelena's curt reply, she was still flustered but as her breathing steadied she began to feel better.

"Yelena. You don't burst into your room, collapse in a chair red faced and breathing heavily for 'nothing'"

"I was just spooked that's all", she muttered lamely. It wasn't like she could actually tell Irys what she had overheard, she would tell her to stop being ridiculous... or would she confirm her fears.

"Spooked? Yelena just because I'm no longer your mentor doesn't mean that you can't confide in me. I'm almost certain in fact that you'd rather disclose your private thoughts and feelings to me rather than Roze", Irys chuckled, knowing of the burning hatred that Yelena regarded the woman that was soon to be her full time tutor.

"Just some girls being petty. 'Nothing' that I can't handle"

"Oh Yelena, why must you always try to be so brave", Irys smiled and touched her hand against Yelena's shoulder, "At least you don't have to move into Roze's tower"

Well at least that was something, Yelena thought with a wry smile. Taking this as a sign that Yelena was ready to be left on her own again Irys took her leave. Ascending the stairs with a well practised grace, leaving Yelena alone with her thoughts.

Just a rumour. Were the words that Yelena repeated to herself for the rest of the afternoon and when she climbed into bed later that night.

Just a rumour...

-PAGE BREAK-

Yelena was awakened early by the sound of birds cooing in the trees outside her window. She listened to them for several minutes, basking in the feeling of calm. After quietly dosing to the best part of ten minutes Yelena climbed out of bed. Grabbing a brush from her chest of draws she dragged it through her unruly hair, yanking at the knots and tangles. Seeing as she forwent her bath the day before, that was the first thing on her to-do list. She selected a plain white blouse and a dark blue skirt that fell to just above her knees. Pulling her bath robes from a hook on the wall she strapped on her sandals and headed downstairs. The courtyard was blissfully empty and thankfully so was the bathhouse; pulling her nightgown over her head she clambered into the water. Methodically she began her routine; she washed her hair quickly and then moved onto her face, arms, torso and legs. Satisfied that she was squeaky clean she pulled herself out of the water feeling the cool air hit her wet skin making it feel several degrees colder than it actually was. With her bathing robe on, drying off was something that took little time at all and soon she found herself fully clothed and on her way to the library. She wasn't sure whether there would be a book that contained what she wanted, but she had to find out.

The library wasn't quite as empty as the courtyard; there was a junior reading a book entitled 'Focus Your Mind: A Practical Guide' and an Apprentice reading a book on advanced elemental control. Yelena looked around idly, pretending that she wasn't looking for anything in particular, just some good reading material. There were thousands of books to choose from, stacked high on shelves, thick leather bound volumes and velvet coloured tomes the majority covered in dust. She plucked several books from their perches and absent-mindedly began to flick through them, humming to herself and trying her best to look vaguely interested in whatever the volume she picked up contained. Every few steps took her closer to her destination: The Adult Material section. It was strange and a little funny that even here at the Citadel, a place of learning, there was a section in the library dedicated to the art of sex. Be it slushy romance novels or erotic encounters, every situation you could conjure up in your head could be found here. Glancing around to make sure that the other occupants weren't looking at her, she darted through the golden gate that separated this section from the rest of library.

On first glance the books in here looked no different to the ones in the other area of the library; it was only on closer inspection that it became clear. The titles of the books were anything but subtle. Yelena began to search for what she was looking for, 'Sapphism Through the Ages'. Anxiously she pulled it off its shelf, a slight smile twitched at the corner of her mouth when she noticed that this book wasn't coated with dust. In fact none of the books in here had anything resembling it; apparently these books were actually read instead of just being left on shelves as dust gathers. It seemed that the Magicians here had a fair bit of free time after all, either that or they had a hard time repressing their urges. With her heart in her mouth she opened the cover of the book, the first image that greeted her was that of a woman lying naked on a bed, the only thing covering her modesty being a thin linen sheet. Taking a deep breath Yelena began to read.

Please leave a review. Constructive criticism is welcomed.