In the upcoming weeks Alanna settled into a routine. Once she got over her own stigma against the lady-like courses she found that the material wasn't overly stuffy and that most of the girl s were nice. There were some, however, that weren't so pleasant. The Jewels everyone called them because their names were Pearl, Amethyst, Garnet and Sapphire. Much to Alanna's surprise they weren't related in the least but the general consensus was that they should have been.
However, in the end, Alanna remained on good terms with just about everyone and best friends with her dorm mates. Just like promised Faye was rarely in class and could often be found in the Convent sick room, helping First Daughter with paperwork or gardening. Dance was just about the only class that the order girl ever seemed to make to regularly.
When asked about it Faye would shrug nonchalantly and reply that she knew most of the material as she had grown up hearing about it. The reason for that was something Alanna had been curious about and it wasn't until a few months that she was able to gather the courage to ask.
The day had been an unusually rainy one and because the afternoon lecture was to have been on gardens, herbs and their various uses it had been canceled. As this gave everyone an unexpected day off the girls had decided to not waste it by doing homework but instead to curl up with mugs of hot tea in front to the library fireplace. Sitting on cushions they had told each other ghost story after ghost story until Alanna asked for a different sort of tale.
"Faye, how come you grew up here?" Alanna asked.
The silence that followed was interrupted only by the falling rain outside. Faye sighed as she put her cup down and her eyes seemed to look off someplace far away.
"I don't know," she finally said. Looking out towards the glass paned windows Faye began her tale.
"The day had been rainy and the night was stormy. Mother—or First Daughter as you know her—was going throughout the castle making sure that everyone was inside and that all of the windows and doors were shut. She had just finished doing that and was organizing some papers in her office when a banging was heard. It was as if the main door was being opened and closed and it must have been some loud banging because at that time her office was further away then it is now. Anyway, she wasn't sure who would want to stop by but as First Daughter she went to investigate it. The foyer was dark and as she walked closer she saw that the other Daughters had also gathered around the door. Gathering close they approached the door and just as they got close a baby cried. There on the carpet, soaked completely through, was a baby. Picking up the infant the First Daughter saw that it was a girl wrapped in a thin blanket. The Daughters had gathered around to check the infant but as she was squalling nothing could be decided until she was quiet"
Faye paused in her story to take a breath and drink of her sweet tea. Alanna, although she was dying to find out what happened after, did not say anything. Sooner rather than later Faye was ready to continue her story.
" After the child was fed, cleaned up, cooed over the Daughters got together to decide what to do. She could always be given away to an orphanage or one of the families that worked for the Convent but that didn't seem like the right option to them. Instead it was decided that they would all raise her and that when she was old enough to she would either marry or join them as a Daughter to the Goddess."
"And so I stayed," Faye finished her telling.
"Why did they call you Faye though?" Alanna asked.
"Because it was as if the Fairies had decided to drop me off with them," Faye laughed a little. "But no, I don't know where I came from."
"So that means you could be anyone," Alanna said.
"Pretty much," Faye laughed, "When I was younger I pretended that I was a lost princess or fairy. I loved that no one could really correct me—after all, who knows the truth?"
Alanna nodded but her mind was going in a million different directions. Delia, however, had moved on and was now telling a story about one of the ghosts that resided in her parent's linen closet.
When asked what she thought of the situation Alanna had to shake herself sot that she would pay attention. After that the rest of the evening was spent with laughter and stories.
Yet, as she lay in her bed Alanna kept turning Faye's story over in her mind. There was something about it that unsettled her but as sleep claimed her decided it would be best pondered on another day.
That other day turned into another day, and then week and then month and before she knew it Alanna had celebrated her first year in the Convent.
Her brother wrote to tell her of how he hoped that it wasn't overly terrible and that he was progressing well in his studies. Knight training is hard, he wrote in one letter, and we don't get much rest but in the end it should be worth it.
My sentiments exactly, Alanna thought as she read the missive. She however, didn't have time to be philosophical as she was due in the dance classroom for practice.
Putting the letter away she smoothed out her hair and made her way towards the classroom. Things progressed as usual that afternoon until a rumor was heard that the last lesson was to be cancelled. No one really believed it as the last lesson of the day—deportment—was rarely cancelled unless the Daughter was sick and even then a substitute was often found.
However, much to the delight of Alanna and Delia, the rumor proved true. Instead of listening on just how terribly they were conducting themselves the girls were all aloud to pick an outdoor activity. The choices were tennis, riding or simply strolling along the gardens. Much to Alanna's surprise most of the girls picked either tennis or riding. Delia—who wasn't surprised—snickered at that.
"Oh, sweetheart, you really ought to know by now that just because we all look delicate doesn't mean we are," she gently chided.
By that point the group had made its way to the stables and Alanna was too overwhelmed with longing to pay much attention to Delia.
"Here, this one," Faye guided her towards a palomino mare, "Her name is Moonlight."
Moonlight was a breathtakingly beautiful horse and Alanna was almost reverent as she went to pet the animal.
"Do you think she remembers we exist?" quipped Delia. Her comment may have been sarcastic but her smile belied it.
"Probably not," Cythera smiled. "Which horse do you think I should ride Faye?"
Faye smiled and lead her two other friends to horses that best suited them. For herself she chose a massive Clydesdale by the name of Rowan.
Riding out for the first time in over a year Alanna realized that not only was she sorely out of practice but that she would be quite sore the next day as well.
"Why don't we do this more often?" she asked Faye.
"There's too much to learn," Faye replied, "and the Daughters have only so much time to teach everything. First Daughter has been thinking about adding riding to Sunday's lessons though. What do you think?"
"Really?" Alanna was breathless from the possibility, "That would be wonderful."
"I think it's a good idea too," Faye said, "but who knows? There have to be enough people who want to for there to be a class in it."
"How many would be needed?" Delia wondered.
"Usually ten or more," Cythera replied.
Looking around Alanna saw that there were about thirty other girls on the trail. "Do you think?" she trailed off but the idea had taken root.
"We can try," Delia said, "Gods know we don't get out as often as we ought to. What if we did a sign up sheet and see how many would want to join us?"
"I think it's a good idea," Cythera said, "Besides, it's a skill that will never hurt to have."
"I agree wholeheartedly," Delia nodded vigorously.
Alanna laughed at Delia's enthusiasm and the ride continued from there.
That evening a sheet went up asking all those interested in Sunday afternoon riding lessons to sign up. In the end Alanna and Delia were able to get their class as more than thirty girls had signed up.
"Who knows, maybe we'll even be able to get some fencing lessons," Delia joked.
Alanna smiled at the thought. It would be nice but she was under no delusions about it. Much to her surprise she found that she didn't quite miss it as she had thought she would. Every once in a while there was pang for a dream that could have been but as the second anniversary of her coming to the Convent approached she found herself appreciating her current life more and m ore.