I don't own anything in here except Kaia and Dennith and those guys. Thanks all you who R/R. I'm really slow at updating, but I do try. *sighs * Anyway enjoy!!J
Kaia stood as Lord HaMinch finished speaking. She could hardly believe her luck. The King had told her that she would not be on probation, but she had been afraid that at the last minute the training master would change his mind. And he had been so surprised when he had seen her. She wondered for a moment if he had known she was a girl.
Sharm, the training mster of Golden Nest stood also. They respectfully left the room, and once outside, Sharm pulled her to one side.
"Listen my lady, you are not to get involved in the old business here. Unless Jarel or his lads come after you, you are to do nothing about him or the rest of them. It was a mistake, my lady, getting mixed up with the likes of them, and I still don't know how you kept it secret for so many years, but its in the past." She nodded, and he patted her awkwardly on the head. "You've been like my own daughter, and its been a pleasure to teach you, even if I did have to share you with that Shang. You show them all." He patted her head again, and she blinked furiously.
"I'll miss you too Sharm," Kaia struggled not to cry," "Don't let Mother bully Father, and keep Randell safe."
"That I'll do my lady." He smiled. "Farewell and Goddess bless."
He strode away, and Kaia wiped her eyes. Looking around, she could see no one, but her sensitive hearing told her someone was approaching from a corridor to the left. She turned in that direction, her body ready for an attack without seeming to be. She tensed, then relaxed as a motherly looking woman bustled down the hall towards her.
"You must be the new page," said the woman brightly. She wore a servant's uniform with silver braid edging her collar, which meant she was higher ranked than the boy who had served the training master. "I'm Selma, and I am in charge of the page's wing. If you will follow me please?"
Selma turned and walked away down the long hallway and after a minute Kaia followed her. Selma turned a corner and began to talk. "We had no idea that you would be a girl, but I can get you the usual protections placed on your room if you'd like. Believe me, the boys can be…less than friendly to girls. You would have a special lock that would answer only to you. Anyone else entering without your permission, and they'll be sprayed by skunk scent. Believe me, they'll think twice." She looked over her shoulder at Kaia. "Unless you'd rather be the same and have them all wreak your room?"
Kaia shook her head mutely, and Selma laughed. They turned into another corridor, and were now walking down what Kaia presumed to be the page's wing. The doors were all shut, but as they approached, one opened. A boy about Kaia's age stepped out. He closed his door and turned to look at them. His mouth fell open and he seemed to be trying a credible imitation of a landed fish. After they passed, Kaia glanced back, and saw him knocking on another door. She turned around again, uncomfortable. She hated being the center of attention.
Selma looked down at her and smiled. "Don't worry my dear. You're a novelty right now, but it will end when they realize that you aren't that much different from them. But if anyone gives you trouble, you can come and tell me."
Kaia smiled up at her, but she knew she would never ask for help. She had been told over and over that a page's duty was to take everything and say nothing. She let out a small sigh.
Selma stopped in front of a door like the others. "I'll get that lock for you soon my dear. Supper is at the next bell. Have you been briefed of the schedule?" Kaia nodded, and Selma gave her a last smile. "You can go and get changed. Don't be late." And with that she bustled away.
Kaia stood for a moment outside her room for a moment, then as more and more boys came out of their rooms to stare at her, she opened the door and stepped in.
Closing the door behind her, and locking it, she turned and looked around. It was a large room with a high ceiling. A comfortable bed stood in one corner, and a large fireplace opposite it. The shutter was latched against the rain, and the fire glowed giving the room a homey feel to it. Her bags lay on a desk and her clothes had been put away in the large wardrobe. She walked across the room and opened the door at the other end. Inside was a small room, with a large bathtub, blessedly full to the brim with steaming water. Kaia locked the door and stripped off her mud stained clothes. Sinking into the water with a sigh, she just lay there for a moment, then remembering dinner, she began to scrub furiously. She had just finished dressing when the warning bell for dinner rang. She checked herself one last time in the mirror, then opened the door and stepped into the hall.
Lord HaMinch stood in front of two clusters of boys; one tall and confident, the other small and rather scared. When he saw her, he motioned for her to come and stand with the smaller boys. She could see the older pages looking at her, some with badly disguised curiosity, others with open hostility. She ignored them and turned coolly back to the training master as he began to speak.
"For those of you who are new here," he looked at her group, "We are not planning to leave you lost and defenseless. You will each have a sponsor, an older boy who will look after you and help you find your way around for a time. Now, shall we get started?"
The older boys nodded and Lord HaMinch announced "Fairom of Dragon's Cove." A trembling boy with dark brown hair and freckles stepped forward. "Who will sponsor him?"
"I will." Called out a tall boy with curly golden hair and blue eyes. He put his hand on Fairom's shoulder and smiled at him. Fairom smiled back, much relieved to have been chosen. Lord HaMinch nodded. "Very well Reldan of Naxen."
"Gordlon of Queen's Wood." Another boy stepped forward and was chosen. After three more people were gone, Lord HaMinch said "Kaia of Golden Nest." Kaia wasn't sure if it was her imagination, but he seemed to look very pointedly at one boy in particular who stood near the back. The boy sighed and stepped forward. "I will." He said in a rather bored voice.
Kaia felt as though she had been slapped in the face. Lord HaMinch hadn't thought that anyone would choose her, so he had picked her sponsor himself. The boy didn't want to do it, and she felt like crying. She saw Lord HaMinch look at her and from the look on his face, she could see he knew she knew. He cleared his throat. "Very good then, Dennith of Pine Falls." He nodded just as he had to the other boys. But it isn't just like the other boys, she wanted to cry out, it's different, and it's not supposed to be. But instead she stood quietly a few feet away from her sponsor and tried to keep from hitting something.
The others were chosen and they each stood with their sponsors. "You all have tomorrow to learn the ropes and then we start classes." he nodded to them all and then turned and walked briskly down the hall. The other boys walked off with their sponsors until it was just her and Dennith standing there looking at each other. Finally Dennith spoke.
"Well then, we'd better get off to supper." He turned away and started down the hall.
"He made you do it, didn't he." Kaia said in a very flat voice. Dennith stopped and turned. He looked at her in a measuring way. "Yes."
Kaia looked right back at him the same way. Then she said, "You go on ahead, I'll find my way myself." When he didn't move, she made to walk past him, but he caught her arm. She paused as her hidden knife dug into her arm.
She concentrated on watching for a tensing of the muscles that would give away a move, like a punch or a kick. He dropped her arm and asked "What's in you sleeve?" She grumbled mentally about stupid time wasters, but kept her face impassive as she pulled the knife out of the special release sheath.
He looked at it in slight surprise. Then he asked "What do you use it for?" He seemed a bit incredulous. What he really means is can I use it, thought Kaia angrily, he just doesn't think I can use it. And I think he needs a lesson. She snapped her hand back and with a quick flick she sent the knife two inches into the wall less than and inch from where he stood. He froze for a moment, and then relaxed. She walked it over and tugged it out of the wall. Sliding it back into the sheath, she studied him. There was a respect growing in his eyes, and a thoughtful look on his face. Finally he seemed to decide and he took a deep breath. He let out a sigh, and said "Come on, it's time for dinner, and then we'll have just time to look at the practice courts."
He turned and walked off down the hallway, and she followed, satisfied that he had accepted her for herself. Suddenly, the world looked a little brighter.