The next day...
Matt strugged with lacing his shoes and trying to run at the same time down the several corridors he had to take in order to get to the Huntsclan Academy courtyard.Glancing hastily at his watch he noticed it was nearing a half an hour at his proposed time he had told the younger girl,Rose he recalled vaguely,that he would help tutor her with some of her work.Though he wasn't looking forward to it,he was never one to break a promise.Ever.
The beams of the noon sun blurred his eyes at first,as he came to a staggering stop in the middle of the courtyard while trying to catch his breath,surveyed the fairly spacious garden-like enclosure that was seemingly devoid of any person other then him.Curious,he took the cobble stone path and started down,catching the sight of patchs of exotic flowers and a murky pond over a ways.Feeling minorly displeased,he was about ready to turn around and go back in when he felt small hands clasp him around the wrists directly behind him,dragging him down at first.
"Lesson one,"a familiar,self-assured voice spoke from a lower height level."Never let your opponet attack from the rear,especially when he or she is set on making you pay for what you did to them just yesterday."It was Rose.
Rolling his midnight blue eyes,Matt directed a mock defeated grin down at her."Oh?So you have."he then hooked his leg up and around the middle of her back,propelling her in front of him and gaining a hold on her wrists."Lesson two kid,never be too confident you can outdo someone who just happens to be half a decade older then you."
Although she didn't fight him,her glare was full of daggers."At least I'm on time unlike some doofs.Now,let me go!"
"Loosen up,will ya?"He gave a good-nautred laugh."You act like we were really in a combat session."
"If we were,"she moved forward and grumbled sourly under her breath."I would have kicked your sorry butt."
Jerkingly,she withdrew herself the moment he released her and tucking her arms around her,led him to where she had arranged a studying area.A large,smooth tan boulder appraised his vision and though was going to suggest a different location,silently gave up when he saw the girl resolutely plop down in the center of it.Blowing up at a lock of his slightly untidy brown hair forever hanging in his face,Matt started over and sat crosslegged down beside her.
With an indurate breath,he picked up her opened text book."All right,now as you've learned the fundamentals-"
"Drop it!"Rose demanded abruptly,delivering a fretful slap to his much larger hand."I might have agreed to let you help me with some of this hard stuff,but that doesn't mean you can use my things without my permission first.So..."
Matt frowned,somewhat offended as he rubbed hand."So what?"
"Ask next time."She told him shruggingly,as if it didn't matter or he was too narrow-minded to understand."Start."
Several more arguements followed,but finally they managed to compromise for the most parts and within forty five minutes Rose had learned enough to comprehend most of the basic accient coding.Inhaling in the crisp spring air when the breeze picked up a bit,Matt fell to his back in a sprawled position and shut his eyes.He could perceive her staring at him oddly but remained motionless,letting the high arisen sun bath his face in flooding gold warmth.
"Uh...we have to get going pretty soon."Rose reminded him,a hint of akwardness in her voice."Or we'll be late."
"Be quiet,"he told her in a hushed voice,patting the space beside him."We've been frying our brains for almost an hour trying to prepare you,sometimes you've gotta learn not how to work but how to take things in the slow lane."
"You don't understand."She persisted plaintively."I've never been late.The Huntsman'll be furious if I am."
"What'll he do?"he inquired lazily."Ground you from work?"
It wasn't that Matt wasn't concerned with what she said,it was just that he felt it didn't make sense for a person to study out their heart and not take a break.Though the idea of the Huntsman breathing down Rose's neck about her possibly being a little late made him wonder.He,himself,had never offically spoken with the head of the Huntsclan.
"Are you always this careless or is today just a special occasion?"Rose finally groaned."We need to go in now."
Matt waved away her concerns."You worry too much,kid.We've got another five minutes to kill."an idea surfacing in his mind that made him sit up and inquire with a glint in his eye."What do you say we have some real fun?I've got to go get ready to track down one of those dragon beasties but that don't mean I can't show a pretty little lady a good time."he slipped his hand into his pocket and brought out a small black remote that had color coded buttons.
"Do I even want to know?"Rose said uneasily,taking a few steps back as if she were about ready to flee.
"Well,I certainly would."He grinned as he confidently tossed it in the air and caught it while pressing down on one of the buttons at the same time."Although...you might want to watch where to stand.You know,just in case."
She lifted a thin brow."In case what?"
The humming noise of what sounded like it could of been a geneator of some type filled the air,as a slick ebony board glided swiftly,making smooth turns downward until it came to a cool standstill between Matt and Rose who was gawking at it like she had never seen anything so impressive.Her blue eyes skimmed the shiny surface,as she rubbed her small hands up and down it a few times,then turned to look up at him with awe etching her features.
"These boards are so hard to find,"She exclaimed in a mersmeric way,her eyes widening with lust."Can we...um...?"
"...go for a ride?"Matt finished,his voice and eyes marked by knowingness."I don't see why not.Ok,first off you'll need to get on and find a good footing."he said instructively,coming over to her side and slipping his hands under her underarms,lifted the surprisingly non-protesting child up onto the hovering board."Good,spread your legs a bit."
He went along coaching Rose as she stood in an off balanced,warbling posture as it started shifting unfavorably from left to right.Immediately,he grabbed onto the edge and lowered it to get on himself.It took a little reassuring but as he managed to grasp her bony shoulders and stay in control at the same time,the two were finally airlifting up a few feet and once he was sure she was secure yet still a little shaky,Matt let the board zoom off up into the vast blue hyaline.
"Oh,gosh..."Rose gasped in brief panic,squleching her eyes shut and letting herself purposely fall into him more.
Looking down at her,he laughed lightly and helped balance her out."Just relax,Rose.You kinda have to become one with the board.Let yourself go but always make sure to concentrate on what you need to get done.That's the key."
"O-okay."she replied stutteringly,gulping in the swooping fresh air currents when she opened her mouth to talk.
Soon,they both were nearing some scattered cumulous clouds.Matt leaned in a bit and telling her to stay as she was,he reached up and let his hand move through the misty haze.Water vapor spritzed his hand and felt like harmless iced pelts.When he caught her staring up,he smiled and picked her up above the hips lifting her up just enough so she could try it also.At first she was tentative,groping to put her hand up.But finally let it move up and a streaming part formed and left a trail.Exhilarated,Rose threw her other hand up and nearly vanished up into the clouds herself.
"Whoa,"Matt spoke hinderingly,bringing her back and setting her down."Come back down to earth,I wouldn't want to loose you up there.What would I tell...?"his sentence trailed off as her condition registered.Yikes.I'm dead meat.
By the time he had managed to return the board to the ground,the nine-year-old was soaking wet and shivering.Her damp attire clinging to her small framed body and her arms wrapped.Worriedly,he was about to move her into the direction of the dormitorys when he heard someone rushing up towards the two of them in a quickened pace.
"Matthew!"Amber's familiar voice sounded,only it was clenched with tension."What've you done?She's sopping wet and could have a fever."she and another girl around her age were beside them in seconds."Besides,it's very late."
The girl beside her removed her mask and taking Amber's offered one,began to pat Rose down."She'll be fine."she told them with conviction,picking her up into her warm arms."Just a shower and a quick change is all she needs."
"Sorry."He apologised,his manner geniune."I was just helping her with some of her work and I lost track of time."
"What did you do?"Amber inquired sarcastically,giving him an incredulous shake of her head."Throw her in a lake?"
"No."A small,calm voice spoke up suddenly in his defense."He took me up flying and to see the clouds but I sort of got too caught up with myself."she managed the barest,meekest smile."Don't go too hard on him,he's pretty okay."
When she stopped trembling,the other woman stood and both exchanged corresponding looks."Go on then,"Amber ushered him away,sighed patiently."Go meet with your master and see if you can make up for lost time,Matt."
Her eyes were grave for some reason,making him realise something was out of the ordinary."Yes ma'am."
Sending the younger girl a grateful look,he took the board under his arm and hightailed it in the direction of when he had first entered the courtyard.Both not thinking of anything else but making up for lost time and not taking notice as he dashed in through corridor's entrance,the large figure that entered from lurking in the shadows of a nearby corner.
"Amber,"His crisply accented voice accosted her as the other one had taken Rose off into her domitory,watching as she swiftly turned around on a beat and slightly bowed her head in response."Care to explain what you're doing?"
"One of the new apprentices was helping a trainee with some work and forgot what time it was."She confessed in a amenable tone but tried her best to make the incident seem as innocent as she could."It was just an accident,sir."
The Huntsman's eyes narrowed slowly,seekingly."The only accident is my niece and that boy making contact."his words reflected such a deep,hidden message that Amber almost felt compelled to ask why."Have I made it clear?"
"If I may,Master,"she worked up the nerve to ask carefully."What's wrong with it?They're both alike and it makes-"
"I have my reasons!"He lashed out,his temper hot and heavy.Yet,it wasn't enough to make her shrink back.
Instead,she averted her beige colored eyes."Yes,Master."she told him,without reluctance."I'll keep them apart."
"See to it that you do."His voice was once again composed but still harboured an uncalled for bitterness to it.
But strong desire to fire back that it he should stop intervening soared through her veins,though she bit her tounge as she often did to hold back rebellious words and once she sensed he had left,she turned to see some of the her class glaring expectantly at her.The call of duty glided over her wonderment on why the Huntsman was so set on to forbid simple socializing between two ordinary kids and nodded,following after them as they all went back inside.
It looked to me that was the first time the young girls been happy.She thought with a smile.What should I do?
To Be Continued...
A/N:Next chapter,yeah,more danger ensues...
LP
