Apparently, it could get MUCH worse.

The angry RA gave Nadia a haughty look as she strode back out of the office seemingly hours later. "The headmistress wants to see you," she sneered at the puffy-eyed girl. Nodding, Nadia stiffly rose to her feet, wiped her eyes, and knocked hesitantly on the door. It was opened by an elderly lady with sharp features wearing a plum colored robe over her nightdress. She walked back around to her desk and settled herself in the chair, looking up at Nadia over her reading glasses.

"Natasha," she began.

"Ma'am," interrupted Nadia quietly "My name is Nadia."

The woman glared at her. "Don't interrupt, Nadia. Now, you've caused quite the disturbance recently, keeping everyone awake with your selfish screaming. Don't you understand how you are hampering your friend's abilities to learn? If they can't sleep, they can't learn well. Because of this, it has been decided that you will be move to Discipline in the morning. As for the remainder of the night, your friends need their sleep. You may sleep outside my door on the bench. After the breakfast bell you will go collect your belongings and wait at the front doors for someone to escort you to Discipline. That is all. Good night."

"Good night, ma'am," whispered Nadia, her voice hoarse with tears. This was awful! She had hurt her family and now she knew they had every right to be angry with her. She never meant to harm them, but she had with her nightmares. Quickly she slipped out the door, quietly shutting it behind her. Then she collapsed onto the bench in tears. This was absolutely awful!

The night passed excruciatingly slowly as Nadia twisted and turned, trying to become comfortable enough to fall asleep. Every time she would begin to nod off it she would jerk awake at a rustle of a leaf or the scurry of a mouse. When morning came she had bags under her eyes and her hair was a rats nest. Yawning Nadia allowed herself to stretch as she waited for the breakfast bell.

DONG!!! Standing up she hurried down the hallway, hoping to remember how to get back to her section of the dorm, which by now she knew quite well. Around her the last few sleepy stragglers of the breakfast crowd were stumbling dazedly down the stairs. Passing them at a brisk walk she found her way back with only a few wrong turns. Opening the door she stepped into the deserted room. Her bed was exactly as it had been when she left it a few hours earlier. Mechanically she began to remake it, an odd sense of dread and sorrow filling her chest. It would probably be the last time she made this bed. Would it be the last time she saw her family all together? She didn't know how far away this 'Discipline' place was. Would someone tell them where she'd gone? From her pillowcase Nadia took her only possessions: a spare hair ribbon and two coppers.

Her ribbon was tied in her hair and she clutched the coppers her fist. All set, she patted her pillow a final time and strode from the room, not knowing what the future would hold.

As it was, Nadia quickly found herself standing on aching feet just inside the front door. Breakfast had come and gone, and still no one had come to take her to Discipline. She was just about to sit down when a boy in a kitchen apprentice uniform came rushing into the entrance hall. "Are. You. Natasha?" he panted, his hands on his knees, head bent, chest heaving as it gasped for more air.

"I'm Nadia. Are you here to take me to Discipline?"

"Yeah," he was stopped gasping for breath. "Come with me!" he called over his shoulder before bounding out the door, as if he'd never been tired in the first place. Quite startled, Nadia jogged after him. "Sorry for the rush," they were now hurrying along the dusty road, dodging the occasional robed dedicate. "But Dedicate Friar needs me back pronto. We're working on a new experiment, see?"

Not having the breath to spare in a reply, Nadia merely nodded. "Here it is!" exclaimed the boy, pointing to a little house surrounded by a white picket fence. At the gate he waved good by, and Nadia was left to catch her breath alone. Wiping her sweaty hands on her dress she pushed open the gate. Out of the house came a woman. Smiling she called out, "Good morning!"

"G-good morning, ma'am." Nadia stammered. "I am sent by the headmistress to Discipline."

"Oh! I'm sorry, we hadn't heard! Here, here, come in!" chatting quite nicely she led her through the door. "Where are your bags?"

"This is all I have, ma'am," Nadia murmured, looking down. "The house burnt down…" she offered as an explanation. "We just haven't had the time yet. With all the chaos…" again her voice trailed off.

"Take a seat, I need to go speak to Rosethorn for a minute alright? I really am sorry, we just had no idea…"

"It's alright ma'am. Really. I am very thankful." Lark bustled out of the room, and Nadia took a seat.

"Lark, we don't have another room!" cried Rosethorn. That was true. Discipline was filled to the brim with students already. Paige and Amaya had to share a room already, the noble Jayde would throw a fit at the very idea, Thomas and Seth hated each other and it wasn't even considered that Nadia would room with a boy or sleep on the floor! "I'm sorry, but we can't take another student!"

"You're right, of course, but where can she go? I'm not going to go tell her she's not wanted!"

"Lark-" growled Rosethorn exasperatedly.

"I wont! Who else can take her in?" they sat in thoughtful silence for a long time. Their brains skimming through their mental lists of everyone one in Discipline. Then suddenly they looked at each other.

"Daja!"