*All characters except the servants and family of Highridge are sole
property of Tamora Pierce, and the author of this story makes no attempt to
claim them as her own.*
Jocelyn gasped as she saw the inside of the Great Hall. In sharp contrast with the rest of the convent, the Great Hall was beautiful. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceilings; their light highlighting the elegant stained-glass windows, depicting scenes from famous stories about heroes and gods of old. At least 100 students, both boy and girl, were seated at four huge, wooden tables. Most were dressed in their finest and already had their food, yet none were eating.
Jocelyn noticed that there were two lines, one for girls and one for boys. She took a tray from the servant passing them out and went to the back of the line. She felt left out from the others. Being on of the last to arrive, she'd not had time to meet anyone yet and dreaded having to find a seat. What if she was turned away? Or worse, what if she never made any friends?
Just then, Jocelyn was nearly knocked over when the girl behind her rammed into her. She whipped her head around, glaring at whoever had hit her.
"Oh my dear Mithros. I'm so sorry," a light voice breathed. "There's a groove in the floor and I didn't see it. Are you alright?"
Jocelyn nodded, while taking in the person belonging to the voice: a rather round girl with big blue eyes and stick-straight blonde hair. She had a Scanran look to her, the many freckles that dusted her cheeks stood out against her very pale skin.
"I'm Melina of Pebbled Cove," the girl said, naming on of the smaller fiefs a few days north of the convent.
"Jocelyn of Highridge," Jocelyn replied. "And I truly am fine."
The look of concern that had remained on Melina's face faded away. "I don't know anyone else at the convent – I had to stay in my room unpacking for most of the day," she announced.
Jocelyn smiled. "I've not even begun to unpack. I just arrived about an hour ago."
Melina and Jocelyn both got their meals; neither of which looked very appetizing. They found two seats across from each other and looked around, wondering why no one else was eating. Melina poked the girl next to her and asked.
"Sister Rhykon hasn't come to say the blessing. Ever since she took over, the convent's become more and more like the training for knights," the other girl said, sighing and rolling her eyes.
Jocelyn had heard about the training master, Lord Wyldon, from her youngest brother, Alden, who was a senior page in the palace at Corus. Lord Wyldon was supposed to be quite a difficult training master to please. Alden had also spoken scornfully about "The Girl", Keladry of Mindelan. He was one of the boys who disliked her for trying to earn her shield, however Jocelyn secretly admired Keladry. Even if her brother thought she'd not make it through the Chamber, Jocelyn cheered every time Keladry passed a final exam.
A hush suddenly fell over the Great Hall as Sister Rhykon walked through the main doors.
"Good evening, boys and girls. I trust you are all doing well on this fine evening."
"Yes, Sister Rhykon," the Hall said in unison.
"Very good. Let us say a prayer to the Great Mother Goddess. Mother, we thank you for allowing our students to arrive safe and whole. We ask you that they are diligent in their studies and bring honor to themselves and their families. Thank you. And with that, let the feast begin!"
The room filled with the noises of glasses clinking, utensils banging on the plates, and people talking.
"So, tell me about Pebbled Cove," Jocelyn said to Melina.
"Well, um, it's close to the Tortallan-Scanran border, so they are a lot of times when we've got the army in the castle, what with the Scanrans on the move. My family's got Scanran heritage, but I guess you could see that. We raise cattle and goats that are shipped all over Tortall. We might even be eating one of the Cove's cows right now," Melina said smiling. "What about Highridge?"
"We're a vineyard barony. We make some of the finest wines in the Realm. My two older brothers are becoming knights, and I've got two younger sisters who are still living in the nursery. My mother is ½ Yamani. She was born and raised in the Isles. Her father was a Tortallan noble, but then he met Mother's mother and had to go back to the Isles with her," Jocelyn said, obviously enjoying telling the story. Melina had stopped eating and was intently listening.
"So then what happened?" Melina asked.
"Well, they got married, and Grandmother had Mother. But she got sick shortly after Mother left for the Imperial Palace to receive training to become a noble lady. She died just after Mother got to the palace."
"How sad!"
"Yes. Mother doesn't like to talk about it," Jocelyn said.
*Help! I don't know where to go next! Should I stop dinner here? Should I keep it going? Review and let me know!*
Jocelyn gasped as she saw the inside of the Great Hall. In sharp contrast with the rest of the convent, the Great Hall was beautiful. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceilings; their light highlighting the elegant stained-glass windows, depicting scenes from famous stories about heroes and gods of old. At least 100 students, both boy and girl, were seated at four huge, wooden tables. Most were dressed in their finest and already had their food, yet none were eating.
Jocelyn noticed that there were two lines, one for girls and one for boys. She took a tray from the servant passing them out and went to the back of the line. She felt left out from the others. Being on of the last to arrive, she'd not had time to meet anyone yet and dreaded having to find a seat. What if she was turned away? Or worse, what if she never made any friends?
Just then, Jocelyn was nearly knocked over when the girl behind her rammed into her. She whipped her head around, glaring at whoever had hit her.
"Oh my dear Mithros. I'm so sorry," a light voice breathed. "There's a groove in the floor and I didn't see it. Are you alright?"
Jocelyn nodded, while taking in the person belonging to the voice: a rather round girl with big blue eyes and stick-straight blonde hair. She had a Scanran look to her, the many freckles that dusted her cheeks stood out against her very pale skin.
"I'm Melina of Pebbled Cove," the girl said, naming on of the smaller fiefs a few days north of the convent.
"Jocelyn of Highridge," Jocelyn replied. "And I truly am fine."
The look of concern that had remained on Melina's face faded away. "I don't know anyone else at the convent – I had to stay in my room unpacking for most of the day," she announced.
Jocelyn smiled. "I've not even begun to unpack. I just arrived about an hour ago."
Melina and Jocelyn both got their meals; neither of which looked very appetizing. They found two seats across from each other and looked around, wondering why no one else was eating. Melina poked the girl next to her and asked.
"Sister Rhykon hasn't come to say the blessing. Ever since she took over, the convent's become more and more like the training for knights," the other girl said, sighing and rolling her eyes.
Jocelyn had heard about the training master, Lord Wyldon, from her youngest brother, Alden, who was a senior page in the palace at Corus. Lord Wyldon was supposed to be quite a difficult training master to please. Alden had also spoken scornfully about "The Girl", Keladry of Mindelan. He was one of the boys who disliked her for trying to earn her shield, however Jocelyn secretly admired Keladry. Even if her brother thought she'd not make it through the Chamber, Jocelyn cheered every time Keladry passed a final exam.
A hush suddenly fell over the Great Hall as Sister Rhykon walked through the main doors.
"Good evening, boys and girls. I trust you are all doing well on this fine evening."
"Yes, Sister Rhykon," the Hall said in unison.
"Very good. Let us say a prayer to the Great Mother Goddess. Mother, we thank you for allowing our students to arrive safe and whole. We ask you that they are diligent in their studies and bring honor to themselves and their families. Thank you. And with that, let the feast begin!"
The room filled with the noises of glasses clinking, utensils banging on the plates, and people talking.
"So, tell me about Pebbled Cove," Jocelyn said to Melina.
"Well, um, it's close to the Tortallan-Scanran border, so they are a lot of times when we've got the army in the castle, what with the Scanrans on the move. My family's got Scanran heritage, but I guess you could see that. We raise cattle and goats that are shipped all over Tortall. We might even be eating one of the Cove's cows right now," Melina said smiling. "What about Highridge?"
"We're a vineyard barony. We make some of the finest wines in the Realm. My two older brothers are becoming knights, and I've got two younger sisters who are still living in the nursery. My mother is ½ Yamani. She was born and raised in the Isles. Her father was a Tortallan noble, but then he met Mother's mother and had to go back to the Isles with her," Jocelyn said, obviously enjoying telling the story. Melina had stopped eating and was intently listening.
"So then what happened?" Melina asked.
"Well, they got married, and Grandmother had Mother. But she got sick shortly after Mother left for the Imperial Palace to receive training to become a noble lady. She died just after Mother got to the palace."
"How sad!"
"Yes. Mother doesn't like to talk about it," Jocelyn said.
*Help! I don't know where to go next! Should I stop dinner here? Should I keep it going? Review and let me know!*