DISCLAIMER: I do not own the characters or anything like that. All credit goes to Tamora Pierce when it comes to Keladry Mindelan and a lot of names I use in this story. I used some ideas from the book also and placed them inside this chapter.
A/N: Hello! This is a story that is done on behalf of my friend, night writer. I do hope you like the way I'm writing it. Advice is taken with the utmost respect and a special mention…just so you know. My email is: kay_harakuwa@yahoo.com, so please email me whenever you want to. I'll try to reply ASAP.
This chapter is special to me and I worked very hard on it…okay, I just had this moment of girl power in the chapter. It's relatively short, I'm sorry. According to the word count thingy, its 1,954 words long. Whatevers, really. Okay, right back to the important stuff.
I have certain parts of the chapter written in the Guy's POV. This will give hints on who I am setting her on. I will be using this POV sometimes in future chapters. Also, check on the CHS Information Page (Ch.1) to see the excerpt from the next chapter. I don't know when it's coming out, I'm sorry.
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Corus High School
- CHAPTER FOUR -
By night writer
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I've met a lot of people in my life, but none quite so…enchanting as Her. She's different from all those other girls. She doesn't seem like the type to giggle mindlessly at stupid jokes, but she seems to have a sense of humor. Her looks aren't exactly goddess-like, but she's not ugly either. She may be a bit too tall, but I like that. Her shoulders may have been a bit too wide, but she moved her body so fluidly…so gracefully, it really didn't matter. Her eyes may not have been anything special if it hadn't been for that spark in it. It was that spark that drew me to her at first…
Mithros! I feel like a fool…falling for a girl I hardly even know! Next thing I know, I'll be writing poetry or making up songs about her. Why me?
I watch her from my seat in the back of the class and I doubt she even notices that I'm in her class. She looks so beautiful as she concentrates solely on what the teacher is saying while every once in a while jotting down a few notes. I couldn't care less about what the teacher is saying. I'm more interested in watching as she tucks a stray hair behind her ear and jots something down. Every once in a while, I see her glance outside the window and look dreamily at the clouds as if…I don't know...but maybe one day she can tell me…
I'll be waiting for that one day…
***
Advanced History and Law of Tortall was definitely not what Kel expected it to be. She always thought of history and law as subjects that completely bored her, though it was mostly because the teachers couldn't really teach it so that it was interesting. While Mr. Lindhall Reed's class was fun and entertaining, Mr. Myles Olau puts something into his lectures that makes you want to have been there. Well, almost.
Right now, they were talking about a time in history where there were knights and some say…magic. She wondered what it would have been like to live back then…
"The times during the reign of King Jonathan III and Queen Thayet were considered a time of great change in the Tortall. We will find ourselves this immersed in this time for the rest of the semester, most likely." Myles Olau was the adoptive father of Alanna Trebond and was said to be a highly valued secret agent for the President. When Kel saw that she was to take his class, she almost died in happiness and barely fought back the urge to squeal. She remembered smiling so much that day that even when her brother, Conal, had decided to mess with the temperature of her shower (making it come out either at a freezing cold or scalding hot temperature) she had only been angry for a moment before resuming her moment of glee.
Mr. Olau was a small, chubby man with long hair and a beard. He favored dark blue and gray colored clothes. His green-brown eyes were sharp as he scanned the large group of students sitting before him. "Right now, we will concentrate on what is known as the Immortals War. Can anyone tell me why it is called that?"
No one spoke up.
Mr. Olau raised his eyebrows and sighed. Picking up a chart before him, he scanned the paper before speaking. "Nealan Queenscove, why don't you give the question a shot?"
Kel glanced around the classroom and spotted the guy with the wicked green eyes who had given her directions before. She blinked in surprise, not having noticed him inside the classroom earlier. She scanned the rest of the class and was surprised to see a lot of other people she knew…there were Roald Conte, Faleron King, and Lalasa Isran…and sitting in a corner was Joren Stone…
Kel shook her head and decided to pay more attention to those in her class, after all, how else would she make friends in this place? Tuning in back to the lecture, she found that they had moved on past the name.
"Roald Conte," the teacher called. "Tell me who was involved in the war."
"The Scanrans, Copper Islanders, and Carthaki renegades, sir." Roald ducked his head a bit, but answered in a clear voice.
"Yes,
that is what the textbook says, doesn't it? Can anyone tell me, though, who
else was rumored to be involved in the war? Nobody?" Mr. Olau sat at the end of
his desk patiently waiting. "Keladry Mindelan. Why don't you try the question?"
Kel tucked a lock of hair
behind her ear as she thought. "…I believe it was more of a what, sir. There
are accounts of there being things called immortals involved in the attack."
"For instance?"
"For instance, orges…um, and things called stormwings, spridrens, and hurrocks."
Mr. Olau clapped happily. "Exactly. History of every country or culture involves magic, monsters, and other things that cannot be explained scientifically. If you are taking Myths and Legends with Mr. Tkaa or Mr. Olinger, then you will be going over some of those things. But let's move on…who can trace their ancestry back to the reign of King Jon the III?"
A lot of the class raised their hands including Keladry.
"Interesting…well then. For those of you can trace their ancestry back to then, I would like a paper on one of your ancestors. Just start doing the research for now and I will give you more details next class. The rest of you will have to see me sometime later, so I can assign you someone to research." The bell rang just as he finished speaking. "Well, class dismissed!"
As she was walking out she was surprised when Mr. Olau asked her to stay back for a moment. They waited until the room cleared out before he motioned her to sit in a seat positioned next to his desk.
"I heard that you are taking Combat Arts. Is that correct?"
Kel looked at the man in surprise. "I am."
Mr. Olau
chuckled. "Hmm…Wyldon isn't one for changes and this one is a pretty big
change. I admit to being skeptical when I heard about his decision to allow a
girl in the class. Are the boys teaching you all right?"
"They seem okay so far, but I
have only been with them for a day," she replied cautiously.
"They will make it hard for you eventually, you do know that, Keladry." Mr. Olau spoke with a worried tone in his voice.
She made her face as passive as possible, fighting down emotions. "I do not like to assume the actions of other people. I can only hope for the best."
"You are a born politician, Keladry." He sighed. "It is my misfortune that I am surrounded by a bunch of stoic fighters."
"Sir?" Kel asked in confusion.
"You remind me much of my daughter, Alanna. She was very determined to become what she is today on her own. I wish you the best of luck, Keladry. If there is anything I can do to help, please let me know." With that he stood and shook her hand.
"Thank you, Mr. Olau," she said with a smile. With a final wave goodbye, she walked out of the classroom with a strangely lighter heart and mind. You remind me much of my daughter, Alanna playing out in her head over and over again.
***
Later that night found her walking around campus. The day had been filled with events and they eventually led her out of the loud dorm (which mostly due to a fierce argument between Kally and Salma over who's turn it was to do the dishes) and into the quiet of the night. She still had a pile of homework leftover even after working all day since she got back from Customs (Mr. Oakbridge's class made her feel as if someone had sat on her head the whole period). She was just so tired after such a hectic, but short, day. So she welcomed such a quiet and calm refuge from what she knew would become the chaotic dorm room when the clock struck seven, which was when the television would be playing a very loud and scary movie.
As she walked down the pathway under the night sky, she felt the cool breeze penetrating her thin jacket. She reached under her shirt to feel the necklace that was situated there. Its only special feature was the jewel situated in the center of the necklace. The jewel itself could turn many colors and brought a feeling of peace whenever Kel touched it.
Kel continued to walk and dreamed of the lands far away where she had spent most of her life. "I wish I cou –" She never got to finish her thought as hands pushed her roughly against a large tree.
A rough voice reached her ear as the owner spoke, "Now what do we have here…"
***
Keladry Mindelan seemed to just jump into my life and swirl it around until I had no control over it. She seemed to be in a majority of my classes and so avoiding her was not possible. She seemed to ignore her classmates, though, and focused completely on the teacher. Only once in Mr. Olau's class did she happen to scan the room once. When her eyes had stopped on me, I felt my heart pound and I felt breathing was going to become an issue if she didn't get her eyes off of me. Lucky or not, she had only kept her eyes on me for a second before moving on.
So here I was now, walking around in the dark because I couldn't concentrate on homework. All because of her…
I sighed and slammed my fist against a tree in frustration. I could almost hear her musical voice right now…
Wait a moment!
It was her voice and she didn't sound too happy. "What do you want?"
A deep voice spoke with amusement. "What do you think I want?"
I felt my hands curl into fists at the guy's tone of voice. I knew what he wanted all right, but I would make sure he wasn't going to get it. Quietly, I snuck towards the area where the voices seemed to come from. I saw there a huge figure holding a slightly smaller figure against a tree.
Keladry spoke, "I'll give you three seconds to get your hands off of me."
A growl. "Or what?"
"Or I make you move your hands."
"Little girl…little girl…hmmm…I like feisty chicks."
I was just about to move to tackle the guy for saying such a thing, but she beat me to the punch. Literally.
Her moves in Obafem's class were amazing, she had moved so fluidly that I could hardly disguise one move from another. This time, though, she just simply went with a girl's instinct. She kneed him where it hurts.
Ouch. That definitely had to hurt.
***
Kel had been upset many times before in her life, but this had to take the cake. Her eyes burned with a fierce flame and rage pumped throughout her body. Of all the swamp-sucking, pig-headed…erg! The nerve of this creep! Calling her a chick?! He would pay…
She smiled as sweetly as she could and then brought her knee up swiftly. She watched in satisfaction as he released her immediately to double over and grab his…lower region.
Bending over a bit so her face was level with the scumbag's she spoke softly yet clearly. "Never. Ever. Call. Me. A. Chick." With a swift roundhouse kick, the guy was out like a light.
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A/N: I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Spoilers and such are located on the CHS Informational Page (Ch.1). Also (because I forgot to mention in the earlier A/N), the responses to your reviews are located at the bottom of the CHS Informational Page also.
Naomi's on vacation and so she didn't have a chance to comment on the chapter. Everyone go YAY!!! LOL.