For spazzysassyangel, xDarklightx, and HPLUVR71495, and xMxRosex. Thanks for the reviews!

The rest of the weekend passed by quietly. Literally. After asking questions and receiving no answers, Herne and Devin were quickly put out with their stony friends. Meals were eaten in silence and nobody gathered to study in groups. They were all still shaken by the fight, the curse, Alex's help, Perci's reaction, and the Lioness' appearance. That one Saturday morning had proved itself quite eventful, and the pages were still awestruck by how the day had turned out.

Come Monday morning, the tension had reached new heights. Perci hadn't responded to any of his friends, with the sole exception of Simon. It was obvious that Simon was still as loyal to Perci, and that he had stayed by his side after the incident. He was a tranquil and obedient boy, and Eleni figured that was why Perci was so close to him, because he didn't ask questions.

Breakfast was awkward again. The only nosie at their table was the sound of cutlery moving around on plates. They were all tired of the silence, especially those who had not witness the scandal.

"I say we take flowers to Mistress Anne."

Eleni, Warren, Simon, Devin, and Varick looked up from their plates and stared at Herne. That single sentence was a code they had arranged. It meant that it was time to initiate their scheme, the one they had concocted only a week prior. One by one, the pages subtly nodded their agreement, until only Simon was left. Hazarding a glance at Perci, he decided that his friend could use a laugh. He nodded as well.

"Excellent," Herne exclaimed. "Remember what we each agreed to take." Another round of nods and Herne was positively gleeful. Finally, the gloom was gone from their group. A new victim had been signalled out, and Master Radzimierz was the sacrificial lamb. If the loon's hair had to be green for a while, Herne figured it was a small price to pay for the sake of friendship.

The seemed to go by at a pitiful pace. Lord Padraig had chosen that Monday to personally overview their weapons training. His hawk-like eyes raked over the poor pages, barking whenever any of them did something wrong. He never took note that Sir Asher did the barest of instructing and that Sir Morven was the one doing the real work. Staff work, archery, wrestling, on and on it went. Lord Padraig found faults in everyone's aim or stance, something was always less than perfect.

Needless to say, it got annoying. Eleni's grip on her staff tightened to the point that her knuckles blanched. Warren recognized the white knuckles for what they were: the signs of bubbling agitation.

"Hey," he whispered loudly. He was willing to risk being yelled at, if it meant keeping Myles calm. Eleni gave him the most minute glimpse. At least he was going to listen. "Keep your head, Myles. Lord Padraig will do worse than Sir Asher if you cross him."

Eleni knew his words were the truth, but her sense of justice was raging. The men in charge weren't worth their weight, much less capable of pulling it. Wretched Sir Morven didn't have the courage to stand up for himself and took it all in stride. Just what were these men supposed to teach the young boys who wanted to become knights of the realm? Obtain rank, if not obey it? Pathetic!

By the time that archery practice was over, Warren was keeping one eye on the outraged redhead, and he wasn't the only one. As they parted for lunch, none of the boys called Eleni back when she ran off to her room. They figured Myles needed to cool down on his own. The bath help loosen her tension. Lokejo noticed that his little chick was happier than she had been in quite a while.

"Made up with your friends?" he asked. She was in front of her mirror again, reassuring herself that she looked like a boy. Never mind the fact that she was fussing with her hair again.

Eleni hand never missed a stroke. "Kind of. We have something uniting us again." A devious smile formed on her lips.

Knowing what that smirk meant, Lokejo dropped the subject. Last time he badgered her about pranks, he had woken up to an ice cold bath, and that was not an easily accomplished feat in the Isles. Eleni Crow was a little trickster, and he would not stand in her way.

"Don't muss your clothes, whatever it is that you're going to do."

"Don't turn into a mother hen without warning." Tit for tat, and Eleni was happier than ever. Master Radzimierz would never know what hit him.

To Eleni the classes flew by, but not quickly enough. The subject matter that the priests taught she had already learned before. She was able to read as well as any University student, but was subtle in her superiority. The last thing she wanted was the attention of coveting priests, eager for a mind to "mold".

The empty time she had begun to fill with musings, usually about some shiny bauble or other her grandfather had hidden away among her things. Today, though, her mind wandered to her friends.

Were their troubles forgotten so easily? She, at least, was still wary of Schuylar. A boy of ten spelling a man like Lokejo was impossible, but Eleni had seen the proof herself. Schuylar had the makings of a powerful mage. And he was annoying. A tiny part of her mind reminded her that he had only cast the spell, because he had worried about her safety. Brushing the thought aside, Eleni added impudence to the list of faults she was keeping.

Any way, had any of them known that Schuylar was that powerful before Saturday? She was sure that no one had informed Lord Padraig of the matter, but it couldn't be ignored. Schuylar was a danger to everyone in the palace if he continued to go around uninhibited. She didn't want to fight with the boy, but she couldn't deny the live tension between them. They hadn't spoken to each other, even after Herne had broken the newly formed ice.

"Pirate's Swoop," the Mitran priest interrupted her thoughts. "Solve the algebra problem on the slate." Not a single "please" from the ancient man. If Eleni hadn't beem raised to respect the elderly, the man would have found mice in his precious robes.

Slowly rising from her desk, Eleni made a show of thinking before roughly writing out the solution. "Is this it?" She hadn't taken too long this time, the charade of ignorance was already boring. One day she might just show them how educated she was.

"Very well done," was all the man said. Just like that she was dismissed back to her thoughts. How she longed for the challenges of her old tutors.

All involved found it very difficult to stay still during Master Radzimierz's lesson. After introducing his lilac handerkerchief to the class, he spent the better part of the hour prattle on about social reforms of Kyprish Isles, playing with his flaxen hair the whole time. On and on, he went, boring the entire class with his pretentious monologue. His only pause was to made to retrieve a hairbrush. A brush! The dandy was a vain one, that was for sure.

Not for long, thought Eleni. Soon, you'll be dashing to hide that silly braid.

When class ended, the plan went into effect. Herne ran out of the room, Devin and Varick right after. Simon had been chosen to distract Perci from the plot. Warren was in charge of keeping Schuylar away from Radzimierz. Eleni envied the boys' assignments. She had drawn the short straw, and Radzimierz was all hers.

"Master Radzimierz," she hailed. The fool twirled on the spot and Eleni swore he had waited all day to pull that move. "I have some questions about cattle laws." She let him explain for a second time, at a very painful length, the way Rittevon rulers had revised cattle and poultry laws over the centuries. At wit's end, she saw Herne reappear in the doorway, the sign that the mission had been a success, It was time to leave. "Thank you ever so much, Master Radzimierz," she gushed, cutting him off at mid sentence. At least, it would have sounded like gushing if anyone had known she was a girl. "I completely understand now!"

As the remaining pages trickled out of the room, they couldn't help but feel superior to the blonde man. Tomorrow would be a very good day for them, and they just couldn't wait for classes to resume.

Thanks for the reviews and suggestions! I'm always willing to take suggestions, just because it makes me laugh while considering them. I have a little something on my profile page. Consider it a peek into my head as I write the story out.

Oh, by the way, I was reading some forums in which Pierce shared some wonderful information. Devin of Disart's mother is related to a rather well-known knight. I'm interested in reading your guesses. My only hint is this: Devin tends to be a tad dramatic, just like his uncle.