1 Chapter Two- Off to Corus

"You WHAAAAAT?" Mirane yelled the last half of her question in shock. Lorelei gazed evenly at her mother with no sign of yielding to the matter.

"I wish to go to Corus to become knight. I don't want to go to the covenant." She repeated. Beside her, Hewitt nodded his encouragement, having discussed the matter with her and Jaims the night before.

"And have you killed in battle as well? No! I won't have it!" Mirane's eyes were still red from weeping and lack of sleep. Hewitt put a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"My dear Mirane, it is what the girl wishes to do. I know you are grief- stricken, the same as all of us, but Lorelei has made a decision. Try to be fair, here."

"No! I want her here…not off fighting more of those cursed wars…"

"Mirane, Lorelei would have had to leave for the covenant anyway. Besides, Eleina will be here for you. At least think about this, please…"

Mirane swallowed and took a deep breath. Lorelei stepped forward to hug her mother, but Mirane moved away. Lorelei fought to keep from showing the pain from her mother's rejection.

"Fine!" Mirane swallowed, glaring at the pair. "Go on! Leave me here! Go get yourselves hacked up by the enemy. I don't care. Once you leave, you're as good as dead to me anyway." She spun around and stormed out of the room, tears streaming down her face. Lorelei kept her face stony, with only a small quiver in her lip betraying her feelings. Hewitt sighed and turned to her.

"Lori, let me go talk to her. She'll have calmed down in a while, and I know she'll behave reasonable. She really does care for you." He smiled sadly. "Now, go pack your things. We're leaving in the morning." He turned and followed Mirane out the door.



Lorelei trudged up to her room, heart heavy with sorrow. Jaims was waiting for her, sitting on her four-poster bed.

"Well?" He asked softly.

"Well what?" She snapped. Immediately she felt sorry, and she joined him sitting on the bed. "I'm sorry Jaims. It didn't go very well. But I'll be going." She informed him glumly.

"That's great! I mean, that you're coming, of course…" He looked at her seriously. "I'll help you, you know. In the palace, I'll help you. We can both help each other. It'll be fun! That is, unless your facial features change to something other than a toad caught in a rainstorm." His eyes twinkled, giving her a playful shove. She grinned, feeling better.

"Sure. I could use a lot of help." She looked at him sheepishly. "Jaims, I don't even know what we do!"

Jaims laughed. "Well, it's basically like the covenant school. Except it's the male version. Your dancing would be our sword fighting. Your curtsies would be our bowing. See? Except that lessons will be the same. You'll still get mathematics, history, etiquette…the whole lot. Do you have the Gift?" She shook her head. "I do, so I'll have a class for the Gifted ones, just like the covenant would too. Don't worry it'll be easy. I think. I hope, really. Don't forget Lori, I've never been there either."

Lori nodded, absently wrapping a strand of hair around her finger. Jaims noticed, and his expression was that of amused dread.

"Uh oh."

"What?" She asked, alarmed.

"Your hair."

"What about it?"

Jaims winced, as though she might hurt him if he mentioned it.

"You'll have to cut it."

"WHAT?"

"That's right." A deep voice from the door way startled them. It was Barlom. He was grinning. "You'll have to cut it. It will get in your way, hinder you, and not to mention it's easy to grab in a fight."

Lori groaned, grabbing a handful of it and pressing it to her face. Realizing what she was doing she let go of it quickly, cheeks burning in embarrassment.

"Well, fine then, has anyone got some shears?" She announced bravely, though it may have been a bit squeaky. Barlom gave a deep laugh and stood.

"Follow me."



***



Lori stared at herself in the mirror. Her long, silky hair was now mid-ear length, giving her an entirely different appearance. Disappointment of the loss of her hair was long forgotten, and Jaims gave her a hearty pat on the shoulder.

"You look great Lori! I mean, not that you didn't before-" Lorelei gave him a hard push that half sent him sprawling. Barlom grinned, putting away the shears.

"I look so…different…" Lori said slowly, unused to the breeze that tickled the back of her neck. Then she grinned. "I feel better though." She shook her head from side to side, her hair following her without getting into her eyes. She smiled. "I like it!"

"Good. Now let's go show your mother."

***

As Hewitt predicted, Mirane had calmed down and was thinking rationally once more. Looking at her daughter's short, neatly cropped hair, she gave a quivering smile.

"And you're sure this is what you want to do, right dear?"

"Yes mum. I really do want to do this. Please…" Lorelei gave a slightly pleading look. Mirane swallowed and beckoned her daughter into her arms. Lorelei hugged her mother tightly, squeezing her eyes shut. This was her last night at home.

"Well," sniffed Mirane, finally releasing her daughter. "You can't leave without one of my special feasts, right? We can't have that. Excuse me while I crack the whip in the kitchen." She gave her daughter one more hug before waddling back into her kitchens.

Lorelei slumped on the couch.

"Jaims, I don't know if I'm doing the right thing."

Jaims sat down beside her. "Sure you are. It's what you feel is right, right? It's what you want to do, right?"

"Yes, but is it the right way to go?" Her lip quivered, but she stilled it.

"Well no one knows if they're doing the "right" thing until they've done it. I say go for it - then you can kill yourself later if you've done the wrong thing. Or, you might be pleasantly rewarded for having followed your heart, hey?"

Lorelei felt better immediately, but Jaims ruined the quiet moment by ruffling her hair.

"Let's go eat! Your mum can sure cook. And after supper, father and I have a surprise for you."

***

Supper, if possible, was even grander than the previous night's. Lorelei had waited anxiously all through the dessert to hear anything about the surprise, but both Hewitt and Jaims kept it to themselves. Now that dessert was finished, Lori squirmed excitedly in her chair. Hewitt put down his fork and got up, motioning to the group to follow.

Hewitt led them to the stables, smiling happily.

"Now, Lorelei, if you are to travel with us in the morning, you need a proper mount. I hope this will suffice." He brandished the light of the torch in front of a stall, revealing a white mare, strong and sleek. She gazed at them with a proud indifference, tossing her mane expectedly.

Lorelei's smile grew until it covered more than half her face. She loved horses, and by the looks of this one, the white mare was an excellent mount. Taking an apple from Jaims, she went over to the beautiful beast and offered the fruit. The horse bent her slender neck and took the offering.

"I hope you like her. Father went out yesterday and bought her, for me. But I like Sir Rillion just fine, and Lady Adele seems to like you." Jaims said, matching her smile.

"Lady Adele… pleased to meet you." Lorelei curtsied to the mare. The mare's reaction was to blow at her, sending bits of the offering her way. Jaims broke out laughing, and Lorelei sniffed indignantly.

"Well, there'll be no more apples for you, Milady."