Chapter Two: A lot alike

Atia sighed heavily when she finally finished her vow to the Guild. She looked around at the pale faces around her and made out a small laughter which she quickly changed to a hoarse cough. She wasn't the only one nervous about the ceremony, this was a relief to her, like a knot being tied up inside her so she could breathe normally again. For every pale face she saw the better she felt, but this feeling of relief did not last long. She narrowed her eyes against her mother and expected just the slightest smile, nothing more, but no… Her mother always had an intense look, which was annoying, maybe she couldn't lie to her mom even though she still tried, but she could lie to almost everyone without getting caught at it!

But this time her mothers gaze was so intense, so passionate. Her heart began to race. Her breathing came in disturbingly short hard breaths.

"Yeh okay?" Atia turned to look at the speaker. It was a kyralian boy, not the richest she'd seen among the new novices.

"Yes I'm fine… thanks though" when Atia turned back to meet her mothers gaze, she was eased to see that her mother was talking with Vinara.

"When are they going to start?.. It's after the summer right"

Rothen took a yellowing piece of paper from his inner pocket. "Yes yes when the summer starts, and now while we're at it, why haven't you learned Atia a trick or two. I know she'd asked, she even asked me but I refused to help because you said I shouldn't"

"That's because it's cheating. She will not have any advantages that the other novices do not have that's why I did not take her guardianship and asked the other teachers not to either"

"But Sonea, she is nervous she's got a lot to live up to and this summer she could assist you at the Medic Houses?"

"Rothen! What would people say if I taught my daughter tricks under the table? If I did not have a high position, yes I would help her, but that is not the situation now!"

Rothen chewed on this on the walk in the gardens; he'd never heard her use that tone to him but this time it was Atia they were talking about.

"I guess you're right, though I am not much to admit it."

"But it would be healthy for to be on the Medic." the smugness was all over Sonea when she parted from Rothen to enter the former High Lord residence which now was the Black Magicians residence.

"So, Atia did you go behind my back and asked Rothen to help you to learn a bit before the university starts!"

Though Atia knew it was useless "No, I didn't gobehind Rothens back"

"Ah I see" the pleasure was all over Atias face. This was something that could not be hidden "Rothen said." Atias cheeks flushed in a vivid red. "That snake! He is not to be trusted."

Sonea could no longer hold the mask and then began to laugh amused at the situation she was in.

"What the?.."

"I got you there didn't I? You always wanted to work a bit on the Medic, isn't that right?"

"Yes but…" still stunned by her mothers outrage.

"Don't hate Rothen; he just talked me over to get you as my second assistant this summer so you can learn a little"

Atia was speechless; a single tear evaporated on its way down from her still hot cheeks.

"Oh you!" Sonea stepped over to her daughter and gave her a warm hug"