Kaia woke up early the next morning with her mind decided. She would have to tell someone about her
secret. It was just to much to be kept secret for long, and she was sure that it would come out, sooner rather
than later. Then everyone will find out that I lied to them, she thought miserably. They'll never trust me
again. She took her time getting dressed, and then she practiced the hand fighting pattern that her teacher
had taught her. She was surprised while she was drying off her sweat by a knock at the door. It was still
drk out, and the bell would not ring for a long time. She walked over and opened it, and was surprised to
find not one of the boys, but a tall woman with short brown hair. Kaia recognized her immediately as
Keladry of Mindelan, the second female to be knighted. Kaia hurriedly bowed, and then stood speechless,
gawking like an idiot at the legend before her. Keladry was the first to speak, smiling slightly at the look
on Kaia's face.
"May I come in?" she said quietly. "I would like to talk with you, but not arouse attention."
"Y-yes." Stammered Kaia. She stood to the side, and let the knight walk in past her. She flushed
as she saw how her room must look. The bed unmade, the clothes on the floor, a few leaves blown in
through the open windows were strewn across it all. She opted not to run around tidying up. She would
just look flustered. Well I am flustered, she thought. "Please sit down," she said, pulling out the chair from
under her desk where her class assignments were neatly stacked. She felt a little proud at how calm she had
sounded, when in reality, she was so nervous that her hands were shaking. She took a deep breath, and by
exerting all her control, she managed to make them stop. Another deep breath calmed her nerves, and she
felt some of her initial shock die away. Keladry settled back in her chair, and studied Kaia closely. Kaia
felt a great urge to squirm under this scrutiny, but she forced herself to stay still.
"So," said Keladry after a moment, "You're the one who studied with the Shang Falcon."
"Yes, umm," Kaia paused, unsure how to address the knight. Keladry must have seen her
uncertainty, because she laughed quietly.
"Just call me Kel," she said, grinning, 'It's much quicker than any title." Kaia nodded her head.
Kel looked at her for a moment more, and then said "I'm sorry if I disturbed you, but this had to be secret.
It was the same with me. I couldn't meet the Lioness until I was a squire, and only then in a huge banquet
in front of about a hundred people."
"Why?' asked Kaia, confused.
"Well," said Kel, "She was a mage, and Goddess touched. Half of Tortall believed that she had
cheated in her Ordeal. Everyone would have said that she was giving me some sort of assistance, magical,
mundane, or divine."
Kaia nodded. She could see how people would doubt and disbelieve. Kel continued.
"Even though I am not a mage, I could still tell you things. Such as how to get through the
Chamber of Ordeal.'
Kaia felt defensive. " I don't need any help." She said hotly. "I can do it myself."
"I don't doubt your ability to." Said Kel, "I can tell that you are well trained just by looking at
you. It's visible, you know. The way you move? You have perfect balance; like an assassin." She paused,
and smiled. "Or a Shang. Even I didn't have balance that good, and I started when I was three."
"Thank you, my lady." Said Kaia, shyly. She had never heard so many good things said about her
in such a short period of time. "I started when I was seven. I was a fast learner, my teacher said."
"Your teacher was right." Said Kel. "I hope that you do as well in your years here as I think you
will." She looked out the window at the false dawn. "I had better go now before anyone comes. I hope that
I see you again, Kaia of Golden Nest." Kaia stood as Kel did, and they bowed to each other. Kel held out a
stone jar. "The Lioness sent this to you with her good wishes. It's a balm, like the one she gave me when I
was a page. Good for bruises, and you need only a little, so it lasts a long time. She said that if you ever
need more, or if you ever need anything at all, you can give a note to Stephan the groomsman. He'll see
that she gets it." Kel smiled, then walked quickly to the door. She opened it silently, and left, shutting it
with a decisive click behind her. Kaia watched her go, and then stood there for a few moments afterwards.
It all seemed like a dream. The only real thing remaining was the jar of bruise balm on her desk.
She pushed up her sleeve, and rubbed a small amount on the huge bruise encircling her forearm
where one of the boys had grabbed her in the fight. The ache went away, and the bruise faded some before
her eyes. She pushed the jar under her mattress, where she would be sure it wouldn't be found. Four years
of caution were hard to break. She had had more things stolen then she could count, and she wasn't taking
a chance with this one. She looked around her room. There were no personal decorations to be seen, only
the original tapestries. She had gotten into the habit of only having the bare necessities, and a few things
she could sell. Sighing, she decided to write home for a bit of money for some more furnishings. She was
going to be here for awhile, so she might as well be comfortable.
She gathered up her classwork and looked over it. She had stayed up late finishing it, and risking
the fact that she would be punished if someone saw the light from her candle. A shirt stuffed in the crack
under the door had mostly solved that problem, but she had been so jumpy that every noise from the
corridor, or from the boys in the rooms next to hers, as they turned over in bed, caused her to make a blot
on her paper. She looked at it. It was slightly messy, but legible, and her writing was neat enough. She
sighed as the first bell of the day rang out loudly over the palace grounds. The quiet knock on her door that
was the servant sounded, and she went over to admit her. A short time later, she left her room for
breakfast. She sat down at a table and was joined shortly by Liam. He looked slightly worried.
"Where's Sam?" she asked him. He glanced around to the door, and watched the small trickle of
boys entering the hall.
"I left him at his room," he said, playing with his spoon, "He told me to go on without him, and
that he'd be along in a little while. His voice sounded odd."
Dennith sat down next to Kaia. She said a cheerful good morning to him, and got a growl in
return. Obviously Dennith was not a morning person.
"What's the matter Den?" asked Liam cheerfully, "Someone put a pea in your mattress?"
Dennith only glared at him, and Liam laughed out loud. His laugh died away as Sam set his tray
down on the table.
All three stared at him. He carefully avoided their eyes, and carefully lifted a spoonful of porridge
to his mouth. However, he had a bit of a hard time getting it in. His lip was swollen so much that the
spoon would barely fit. His eyes were both surrounded by colorful bruises, and he could hardly see. There
was a scabbed cut on his forehead, and bruises covered his arms. He winced as he finally got his mouthful
of breakfast, which had caused his lip to split open again. A small trickle of blood ran unnoticed down his
chin as he set down his spoon. Finally Kaia handed him a napkin, and motioned for him to wipe off the
blood. Then after a few more moments of silence, she spoke.
"Who? And why?" He didn't answer for a moment, and she thought he wasn't going to, but then
there came a small whisper:
"I fell down."
At this Dennith snorted, "Oh, come on Sam m'lad. We're none of us the training master. We
don't have to take that answer. And besides that, we're not going to." Sam looked up at him.
"Den's right Sam," said Liam, "We won't take that answer. We are going to get the truth out of
you. Sooner or later, you'll give it away yourself, and we, as your friends would rather that you just told
us."
Sam glanced at Kaia and away. But she understood. "It was because of me, wasn't it?" she asked,
"Because you're friends with me?" Sam nodded silently, and she sighed.
"Its not your fault," said Dennith, and Liam and Sam nodded.
"They were just using that as an excuse!" he said as cheerfully as he could, but Kaia shook her
head.
"You guys shouldn't hang around me," she said, "It'll just lead to trouble."
Dennith shook his head, and so did Liam. Sam piped up, "I haven't known you very long, but I
like you already. You seem like a nice person. Why should I let them tell me who I can and can't be
friends with?"
"Because you'll get your face broken?" she said. He glowered at her, and she sighed. "Fine, stay
around me. But don't blame me if people try to hurt you."
Dennith grinned. "I don't think anyone will be hurting Sam, or any of us for that matter. I have
the idea that they'll leave us alone if we can teach them a lesson or two. But first," he looked at Sam, "We
have to know who did it." Sam sighed.
"Okay, okay, here's what happened…"
secret. It was just to much to be kept secret for long, and she was sure that it would come out, sooner rather
than later. Then everyone will find out that I lied to them, she thought miserably. They'll never trust me
again. She took her time getting dressed, and then she practiced the hand fighting pattern that her teacher
had taught her. She was surprised while she was drying off her sweat by a knock at the door. It was still
drk out, and the bell would not ring for a long time. She walked over and opened it, and was surprised to
find not one of the boys, but a tall woman with short brown hair. Kaia recognized her immediately as
Keladry of Mindelan, the second female to be knighted. Kaia hurriedly bowed, and then stood speechless,
gawking like an idiot at the legend before her. Keladry was the first to speak, smiling slightly at the look
on Kaia's face.
"May I come in?" she said quietly. "I would like to talk with you, but not arouse attention."
"Y-yes." Stammered Kaia. She stood to the side, and let the knight walk in past her. She flushed
as she saw how her room must look. The bed unmade, the clothes on the floor, a few leaves blown in
through the open windows were strewn across it all. She opted not to run around tidying up. She would
just look flustered. Well I am flustered, she thought. "Please sit down," she said, pulling out the chair from
under her desk where her class assignments were neatly stacked. She felt a little proud at how calm she had
sounded, when in reality, she was so nervous that her hands were shaking. She took a deep breath, and by
exerting all her control, she managed to make them stop. Another deep breath calmed her nerves, and she
felt some of her initial shock die away. Keladry settled back in her chair, and studied Kaia closely. Kaia
felt a great urge to squirm under this scrutiny, but she forced herself to stay still.
"So," said Keladry after a moment, "You're the one who studied with the Shang Falcon."
"Yes, umm," Kaia paused, unsure how to address the knight. Keladry must have seen her
uncertainty, because she laughed quietly.
"Just call me Kel," she said, grinning, 'It's much quicker than any title." Kaia nodded her head.
Kel looked at her for a moment more, and then said "I'm sorry if I disturbed you, but this had to be secret.
It was the same with me. I couldn't meet the Lioness until I was a squire, and only then in a huge banquet
in front of about a hundred people."
"Why?' asked Kaia, confused.
"Well," said Kel, "She was a mage, and Goddess touched. Half of Tortall believed that she had
cheated in her Ordeal. Everyone would have said that she was giving me some sort of assistance, magical,
mundane, or divine."
Kaia nodded. She could see how people would doubt and disbelieve. Kel continued.
"Even though I am not a mage, I could still tell you things. Such as how to get through the
Chamber of Ordeal.'
Kaia felt defensive. " I don't need any help." She said hotly. "I can do it myself."
"I don't doubt your ability to." Said Kel, "I can tell that you are well trained just by looking at
you. It's visible, you know. The way you move? You have perfect balance; like an assassin." She paused,
and smiled. "Or a Shang. Even I didn't have balance that good, and I started when I was three."
"Thank you, my lady." Said Kaia, shyly. She had never heard so many good things said about her
in such a short period of time. "I started when I was seven. I was a fast learner, my teacher said."
"Your teacher was right." Said Kel. "I hope that you do as well in your years here as I think you
will." She looked out the window at the false dawn. "I had better go now before anyone comes. I hope that
I see you again, Kaia of Golden Nest." Kaia stood as Kel did, and they bowed to each other. Kel held out a
stone jar. "The Lioness sent this to you with her good wishes. It's a balm, like the one she gave me when I
was a page. Good for bruises, and you need only a little, so it lasts a long time. She said that if you ever
need more, or if you ever need anything at all, you can give a note to Stephan the groomsman. He'll see
that she gets it." Kel smiled, then walked quickly to the door. She opened it silently, and left, shutting it
with a decisive click behind her. Kaia watched her go, and then stood there for a few moments afterwards.
It all seemed like a dream. The only real thing remaining was the jar of bruise balm on her desk.
She pushed up her sleeve, and rubbed a small amount on the huge bruise encircling her forearm
where one of the boys had grabbed her in the fight. The ache went away, and the bruise faded some before
her eyes. She pushed the jar under her mattress, where she would be sure it wouldn't be found. Four years
of caution were hard to break. She had had more things stolen then she could count, and she wasn't taking
a chance with this one. She looked around her room. There were no personal decorations to be seen, only
the original tapestries. She had gotten into the habit of only having the bare necessities, and a few things
she could sell. Sighing, she decided to write home for a bit of money for some more furnishings. She was
going to be here for awhile, so she might as well be comfortable.
She gathered up her classwork and looked over it. She had stayed up late finishing it, and risking
the fact that she would be punished if someone saw the light from her candle. A shirt stuffed in the crack
under the door had mostly solved that problem, but she had been so jumpy that every noise from the
corridor, or from the boys in the rooms next to hers, as they turned over in bed, caused her to make a blot
on her paper. She looked at it. It was slightly messy, but legible, and her writing was neat enough. She
sighed as the first bell of the day rang out loudly over the palace grounds. The quiet knock on her door that
was the servant sounded, and she went over to admit her. A short time later, she left her room for
breakfast. She sat down at a table and was joined shortly by Liam. He looked slightly worried.
"Where's Sam?" she asked him. He glanced around to the door, and watched the small trickle of
boys entering the hall.
"I left him at his room," he said, playing with his spoon, "He told me to go on without him, and
that he'd be along in a little while. His voice sounded odd."
Dennith sat down next to Kaia. She said a cheerful good morning to him, and got a growl in
return. Obviously Dennith was not a morning person.
"What's the matter Den?" asked Liam cheerfully, "Someone put a pea in your mattress?"
Dennith only glared at him, and Liam laughed out loud. His laugh died away as Sam set his tray
down on the table.
All three stared at him. He carefully avoided their eyes, and carefully lifted a spoonful of porridge
to his mouth. However, he had a bit of a hard time getting it in. His lip was swollen so much that the
spoon would barely fit. His eyes were both surrounded by colorful bruises, and he could hardly see. There
was a scabbed cut on his forehead, and bruises covered his arms. He winced as he finally got his mouthful
of breakfast, which had caused his lip to split open again. A small trickle of blood ran unnoticed down his
chin as he set down his spoon. Finally Kaia handed him a napkin, and motioned for him to wipe off the
blood. Then after a few more moments of silence, she spoke.
"Who? And why?" He didn't answer for a moment, and she thought he wasn't going to, but then
there came a small whisper:
"I fell down."
At this Dennith snorted, "Oh, come on Sam m'lad. We're none of us the training master. We
don't have to take that answer. And besides that, we're not going to." Sam looked up at him.
"Den's right Sam," said Liam, "We won't take that answer. We are going to get the truth out of
you. Sooner or later, you'll give it away yourself, and we, as your friends would rather that you just told
us."
Sam glanced at Kaia and away. But she understood. "It was because of me, wasn't it?" she asked,
"Because you're friends with me?" Sam nodded silently, and she sighed.
"Its not your fault," said Dennith, and Liam and Sam nodded.
"They were just using that as an excuse!" he said as cheerfully as he could, but Kaia shook her
head.
"You guys shouldn't hang around me," she said, "It'll just lead to trouble."
Dennith shook his head, and so did Liam. Sam piped up, "I haven't known you very long, but I
like you already. You seem like a nice person. Why should I let them tell me who I can and can't be
friends with?"
"Because you'll get your face broken?" she said. He glowered at her, and she sighed. "Fine, stay
around me. But don't blame me if people try to hurt you."
Dennith grinned. "I don't think anyone will be hurting Sam, or any of us for that matter. I have
the idea that they'll leave us alone if we can teach them a lesson or two. But first," he looked at Sam, "We
have to know who did it." Sam sighed.
"Okay, okay, here's what happened…"