Thanks to all the people who reviewed. Kaia will have a fault, it just hasn't come up yet. I don't own anything in this except for the plot and any characters not in TP books. Please continue to R/R
The table that Dennith led her to was fairly empty. She tried not to notice as some of the boys slid down to the opposite end of the table, but it hurt. She sat quietly as more boys filed into the large room. As the last entered, and sat down the room became very quiet. Several people shifted uncomfortably. Sharm had told her that they always had to wait for the training master before eating, but she was so hungry. Finally Lord HaMinch walked into the room, followed by the King. Everyone stood, as the King walked up to the dais at the front of the room, where he nodded for them all to sit down. Everyone sat, but the King remained standing. Lord HaMinch stood beside him, and they looked carefully at everyone in the room. Finally the King spoke.
"We are glad to see so many people so eager to start your training. We need every one of you after our recent war with Scanra. We lost many brave men, and although we have attained peace, it will be hard to keep it. In fact, as we speak a new threat arises. The government of Saran has finally reorganized itself, and they're in great political turmoil. Having desolated their lands, they believe that they need more, and as a result, they are turning to their neighbors. And once they notice us, we will be hard pressed to stop them from attacking us. We shall need all of your skills and all of your strength to keep our country from harm. So please try your best to learn and train, and we will help you as best we can to be prepared. Thank you."
He nodded to them all and before they could stand he left the room, leaving them all feeling as though something large had just happened to them, but they hadn't quite realized it yet. Lord HaMinch stood on the dais and raised his hands.
"We thank you, Bright Mithros, Great Goddess, we thank you for our safty and our food." He bowed his head and sat don in a chair. Immediately a page rushed to serve him. The rest of the boys set into their meals with a good will. Dennith did as well, and after thinking about the King's words for a moment, Kaia picked up some bread with butter and bit into it. She could tell Dennith was looking at her curiously. Finally he got up enough courage to speak to her.
"So you're from Golden Nest?" she nodded. "I'm from Pine Falls. That's up around the same area. My father died, and my mother runs the fief. Well actually my older brother does, but officially, it's my mam." He bit into some meat. She watched him for a moment, and then decided that he wasn't going to make fun of her. Yet.
"Golden Nest is fairly small." She said. "Not really fancy. Hardly a village on our property. My parents were rather happy to get rid of me. One less mouth to feed." She shoveled some more bread into her mouth.
"I can't imagine why," he said grinning. She grinned back tentatively. She had never had a real friend. And he wasn't being mean to her, or wanting her to do anything. Yet. She couldn't trust him yet.
For the rest of the meal she listened to stories about his odd brothers and sisters and the trouble they got into. She finished her dinner at the same time he did and they took their dishes to the kitchens, and then he took her out to the practice grounds and stables. Before long it was dark out, and they had to go in. She walked to her room, very tired, and planning to go to bed early, but she decided to explore just a little before she did.
She walked down the hall, silently as she had been taught, and looked into all the rooms she came to. None seemed very interesting until she found one with large portraits in it. The lamps were still lit in there, so she walked in and started walking along the walls, viewing each painting thoroughly before moving on. She was just looking at a picture of King Jasson, when she saw movement reflected in the glass. She didn't give any sign she had seen, and instead moved to the darker painting to her right. In this one's glass she could see reflected the room behind her, which now included three scowling boys creeping towards her. She studied them in the impromptu mirror. They were obviously ready to beat her up, show her her "place." She smiled mentally, and it was not a nice smile. They were going to get a surprise.
Just as the fist one drew up behind her, and brought back his arm, savoring the moment, she lunged, spinning around to grab his wrist and send him flying into a table. She backed up from the others, buying herself time as she took inventory of her weapons and situation. They were confused, but that was wearing off quickly. She lowered herself into street fighting stance and let the knives in her arm sheaths drop into her hands. Taking inventory she found she also had two hidden in her boots, and another at her belt. The one in the spine sheath she had left in her room, but this was enough if they decided to get too violent.
Having recovered, they now advanced on her, slowly moving to encircle her, leaving no escape. She put her wrist knives back. They weren't armed, so she wouldn't be either. Suddenly the ones on her left and right lunged. She ducked from in between them to hit the middle one in the chest, and knocking him over. The other two crashed into each other, and pulled back, rubbing their heads. The one she had hit growled and punched the side of her head as she rolled off him to meet the other two as they attacked from behind. They each got in hits, but she managed to shove one of them away from his friends. Lightning fast, before the others could react, she put one arm around his neck to hold him still. At the same time she pulled a dagger from her boot. Reversing it, she hit him with the pommel, just behind the ear. He dropped like a stone, and she turned to meet his friends who rushed towards her at that moment. Hitting one in the nose, she heard a slight crunch as bone broke. The other hit her in the ribs with a well placed kick. She fell back as he hit her in the side of the head with a powerful punch. She grimaced. It was time to deal with him. She knocked him over, and put one hand at his throat. As she cut off his air supply, she took another knife and rapped his skull with it.
As he fell into oblivion, she stood and turned to find the other boy. He sat on the floor, cradling his broken nose in both hands. She looked at him in disgust, and then turned to leave the room. There was no point in getting him too, and besides, her head was really starting to hurt. It was time to get some of that tea she had brought.