Bronze letters spelling out the title "Firestorm" were slowly
peeling away from the leather bound book to which they were pasted. Saphri
was tucked away into a small corner of the palace library, her private
place to escape from her problems. But this time she wasn't eluding them.
She stared mutely at the cover, taking in none of her surroundings.
The question Valem had asked only just that morning echoed in her mind allowing her to think of nothing else. Recently she had been speculating whether his feelings toward her remained brotherly has they had been, or had they changed into something more? It seemed Valem did see her more than a talking companion, but what could she give? He knew that Saphri saved her every minute to be with Kataya. She highly doubted they were lifebonded as many of their friends teased; there was the simple fact that everything just seemed to right itself around her Herald friend and the Companion. All the same....
Problems cleared up around Valem as well. Saphri never gave a second thought to the times when others Unaffiliates ragged on her for having a Herald Trainee as a best friend. She never felt self conscience living among Healers as long as Valem spared time to give her a smile.
Someone placed a hand upon her shoulder that resulted in pulling Saphri out of her daze. Kataya sat down in the seat next to her friend at the table. She gave an encouraging smile which was accompained by a hug.
"Are you alright?." she asked quietly.
"How did you know I was here?" asked Saphri with surprise.
Kataya shrugged her arms. "I just knew. Something happened this morning, otherwise you would still be bleaching bandages with the other Trainees. Do you want to talk about it?"
"It was nothing."
The young girl picked up the unopened book from the table and looked at the title. "If it was 'nothing,' why aren't you reading your favorite book?"
Saphri didn't answer. Instead, she kept her eyes on the table top.
"Silence is not a good thing. You realize if you don't tell me what happened, I'll go up to Valem and demand an explination. Then I'll come back and torture your side of the story out of you. Lavien says he'll back me up when I have to explain to the Dean why you and Valem are in the critical injury wards." threatened Kataya with earnesty.
"Valem asked me who I had to love me." The words were forced out of her mouth in a soft whisper. Her throat swelled as she fought back an onslaught of confused tears. "I told him we were busy, with exams and with your Whites."
"Loverling, you can't put everything on hold for me." said the Trainee in an exaspherated tone. "I love you with all my heart and you know that. I will never leave you. I don't expect you to leave someone wonderful in the dirt because I need you. Other people need you to. Valem does."
"I... I had to leave because... Oh, Kataya. I think I hurt him with my answer. I didn't mean to! He caught me off guard. We were just supposed to be washing bandages." cried Saphri hopelessly.
Kataya let the Unaffiliate sob into her shoulder, rocking back and forth. "Shh. I know, it's alright. Valem understands what we mean to each other. He is not trying to intrude on our friendship. The last thing he'd ever do is keep me away from you."
The afternoon bell chimed. The two girls pulled away and sat back in the spindly chairs.
"We're going to be late for our classes." Saphri murmured.
"Then we should be on our way, shouldn't we?"
Both climbed to their feet and left through the large library doors. Afternoon sunlight poured through the windows, so sign of the previous night's storm clouds. Students clad in various uniforms jostled each other on the way to class, dropping books or passing notes.
An odd sniffle caught Saphri's ear. She looked about her and over her shoulder before realizing that the person sniffling was none other than Kataya. Frowning, she asked, "Spring fever?"
Spring fever was common among the students. The weeds that popped out of the ground right before the summer season was the cause of irritation of eyes and nose. As far as Saphri could remember, Kataya had never been allergic to the spring plants before.
"Nothing I won't get over soon." Kataya told her, .
It dawned on Saphri almost immediately, who stopped dead in her tracks and accused, "You got caught out in the rain storm on the way back to the Collegium! Because I kept you out until the bell!"
"It's not your fault." she replyed, turning about to face her. "I groomed Lavien longer than I should have. I wasn't expecting it to storm like it did when it started to rain."
"If your cold becomes any worse, you could catch pnemonia." Saphri exclaimed, her expression a serious one. Many of the city folk had to be brought up to the Healer's Collegium when pnemonia was diagonosed. Not all of them made it.
"If you're so worried, I'll go to the Healer's later tonight and take something for it." Kataya said.
She gave a cold laugh in response. "Like hell you will. You don't think I know you well enough to know that you would rather swallow live maggots than take syrups for your throat?"
"I promise I will. Look, everyone is already at class." The girl waved her hands at the empty hallways around them. She sighed and walked off in the opposite direction. "Tomorrow then?"
"You promise?" Saphri shouted after her.
"YES!"
She relented and called back, "Tomorrow then!"
Five minutes later, Saphri slipped into her desk by the door, hoping not to draw the attention of the Master who taught the class. Her hope was in vain as her tardy arrival brought along the whispers of her classmates, most of whom were dress in pale blue.
The teacher turned from writing on the board and looked down her nose at Saphri, who succeeded in turning a bright red for the second time that day. She managed to not look down at her notes, surveying the elderly man with a steady eye. His gray hair untidy as usual, looking as though he had taken a kitchen knife and sliced it off without a mirror. Thin-rimmed spectacles sat upon his nose, which twitched with annoyance.
"Fenbrooke. You do realize this is your third tardy this month?" he inquired sternly.
Sniggering echoed around her seat as she replied, "Yes, Master Pierun."
"Hmm." He glanced down at his notes that sat in stacks up his table. "Then I will ask you to read chapters five through seven tonight and be prepared to give an oral presentation tomorrow. Consider it your discipline. Please refrain, next time, from long conversations with your young Herald friend." Master Periun returned to his board.
A quiet but audible laugh came from the opposite side of the room. Saphri resisted the urge to throw her schoolbooks in the Unaffiliate's direction. Justice was redeemed when the master said in a loud voice, "And you may also have the priviledge of joined Fenbrooke in that assignment, Havenson."
The boy also known as Fachin quickly shut his mouth and glared directly at Saphri. She pulled out her paper and ink to copy notes, ignoring his expression outwardly. On the inside it hurt. Unaccepted as she was for the long amounts of time she spent with Kataya and her room in the Healer's Collegium, Fachin and his comrades made life painful for her in any way they could. Most of the time they kept to rumors or loud insults when she was in ear shout, though there were occasions when they stole her notes or tripped her when passing by. Saphri had always been given advise to stay away from people such as him, the high born nobles who believed anyone of lesser blood to be below them.
The times are changing, she thought. One day Fachin will turn around and find no one supporting his old fashioned thought. And then where will he be?
-~-
The candle light flickered as Saphri strained to read the pages of her physics book. After dish duty that evening she had hurried back to her room, partly to finish her assignment from Master Pierun, partly to avoid the presence of Valem. She turned the page, yawning with the effort to stay awake. There had been no time to begin reading after class, but as fast as a reader as Saphri was, she was only nearing the end of the fifth chapter. Her head drooped as she shut her eyes for a moment. Oh, how wonderful sleep sounded...
Sharp knocks jerked the Unaffiliate out of her doze as her arm slipped off of her desk and she hit her elbow against her chair. The odd sensation spread through her arm as Saphri made her way over to her door. Whoever was calling was calling late and she was already dressed in a light pair of pants and a shirt to study.
It was Valem, still dressed in his uniform and looking fairly uncomfortable. He glanced at Saphri with his dark blue eyes and asked quietly, "Can I come in?"
She bit her lip and fumbled with the doorknob. "I'm studying for class. A discipline assignment."
"You were late to class again?" She nodded, and he sighed. "Can it just be for a minute? I promise I won't take forever."
"I... alright." Saphri took a step back and left Valem enter her room, which she was embarrased to realize looked worse than a pig sty. He didn't seem to notice as he took a spot on her bed. She sat back down in her desk chair.
"Saphrimienelle..." he began, taking a deep breathe to calm his nerves. She noticed with some amusement that he was wringing his hands. "I want you to know that I'd never come between you and Kataya. The world would have no meaning for you without her, and the same for her."
"Valem..."
He held up a hand. "No, let me finish. Please. I never meant my question to catch you off guard. I only wanted to know that there was someone who loved you and would always be here for you other than Kataya. I realize you have exams soon, and that Kataya is working on her Whites and needs all the support she can get, but I am here to tell you I will wait until you are ready for me to be another part of your life. Not just as a friend."
The talk that afternoon with Kataya had given something for Saphri to think about while washing dishes. She whispered, "I know. And I think I'd like you to be."
The Healer Trainee's face lit up was surprise, then joy. "Are you sure?"
She nodded, then smiled shyly. Valem strode across the room and gathered her into his arms, spinning her around. Saphri laughed, keeping a tight grip around his shoulders so she wouldn't fall. When he set her back down, he glanced at the book on her desk.
"Physics?" he read.
"Yes, I - " A yawn punctured her sentence. "I have to give an oral report on it tomorrow."
"You're tired. Why don't you go to bed and do this tomorrow morning?" Valem asked her, concerned as he saw dark circles forming under her eyes. "Breakfast duty." she said simply.
He picked Saphri back and this time settled her back into her bed. "You get some sleep. I'll take whatever chores you have tomorrow morning for you. But you owe me."
"Yessir." yawned Saphri.
Pulling up the covers over her small figure, he leaned over and kissed her upon the cheek. "Good night, my lady blue."
She was already fast asleep. Grinning, Valem blew out the candle on her desk. He walked out, remembering to close the door lightly.
The question Valem had asked only just that morning echoed in her mind allowing her to think of nothing else. Recently she had been speculating whether his feelings toward her remained brotherly has they had been, or had they changed into something more? It seemed Valem did see her more than a talking companion, but what could she give? He knew that Saphri saved her every minute to be with Kataya. She highly doubted they were lifebonded as many of their friends teased; there was the simple fact that everything just seemed to right itself around her Herald friend and the Companion. All the same....
Problems cleared up around Valem as well. Saphri never gave a second thought to the times when others Unaffiliates ragged on her for having a Herald Trainee as a best friend. She never felt self conscience living among Healers as long as Valem spared time to give her a smile.
Someone placed a hand upon her shoulder that resulted in pulling Saphri out of her daze. Kataya sat down in the seat next to her friend at the table. She gave an encouraging smile which was accompained by a hug.
"Are you alright?." she asked quietly.
"How did you know I was here?" asked Saphri with surprise.
Kataya shrugged her arms. "I just knew. Something happened this morning, otherwise you would still be bleaching bandages with the other Trainees. Do you want to talk about it?"
"It was nothing."
The young girl picked up the unopened book from the table and looked at the title. "If it was 'nothing,' why aren't you reading your favorite book?"
Saphri didn't answer. Instead, she kept her eyes on the table top.
"Silence is not a good thing. You realize if you don't tell me what happened, I'll go up to Valem and demand an explination. Then I'll come back and torture your side of the story out of you. Lavien says he'll back me up when I have to explain to the Dean why you and Valem are in the critical injury wards." threatened Kataya with earnesty.
"Valem asked me who I had to love me." The words were forced out of her mouth in a soft whisper. Her throat swelled as she fought back an onslaught of confused tears. "I told him we were busy, with exams and with your Whites."
"Loverling, you can't put everything on hold for me." said the Trainee in an exaspherated tone. "I love you with all my heart and you know that. I will never leave you. I don't expect you to leave someone wonderful in the dirt because I need you. Other people need you to. Valem does."
"I... I had to leave because... Oh, Kataya. I think I hurt him with my answer. I didn't mean to! He caught me off guard. We were just supposed to be washing bandages." cried Saphri hopelessly.
Kataya let the Unaffiliate sob into her shoulder, rocking back and forth. "Shh. I know, it's alright. Valem understands what we mean to each other. He is not trying to intrude on our friendship. The last thing he'd ever do is keep me away from you."
The afternoon bell chimed. The two girls pulled away and sat back in the spindly chairs.
"We're going to be late for our classes." Saphri murmured.
"Then we should be on our way, shouldn't we?"
Both climbed to their feet and left through the large library doors. Afternoon sunlight poured through the windows, so sign of the previous night's storm clouds. Students clad in various uniforms jostled each other on the way to class, dropping books or passing notes.
An odd sniffle caught Saphri's ear. She looked about her and over her shoulder before realizing that the person sniffling was none other than Kataya. Frowning, she asked, "Spring fever?"
Spring fever was common among the students. The weeds that popped out of the ground right before the summer season was the cause of irritation of eyes and nose. As far as Saphri could remember, Kataya had never been allergic to the spring plants before.
"Nothing I won't get over soon." Kataya told her, .
It dawned on Saphri almost immediately, who stopped dead in her tracks and accused, "You got caught out in the rain storm on the way back to the Collegium! Because I kept you out until the bell!"
"It's not your fault." she replyed, turning about to face her. "I groomed Lavien longer than I should have. I wasn't expecting it to storm like it did when it started to rain."
"If your cold becomes any worse, you could catch pnemonia." Saphri exclaimed, her expression a serious one. Many of the city folk had to be brought up to the Healer's Collegium when pnemonia was diagonosed. Not all of them made it.
"If you're so worried, I'll go to the Healer's later tonight and take something for it." Kataya said.
She gave a cold laugh in response. "Like hell you will. You don't think I know you well enough to know that you would rather swallow live maggots than take syrups for your throat?"
"I promise I will. Look, everyone is already at class." The girl waved her hands at the empty hallways around them. She sighed and walked off in the opposite direction. "Tomorrow then?"
"You promise?" Saphri shouted after her.
"YES!"
She relented and called back, "Tomorrow then!"
Five minutes later, Saphri slipped into her desk by the door, hoping not to draw the attention of the Master who taught the class. Her hope was in vain as her tardy arrival brought along the whispers of her classmates, most of whom were dress in pale blue.
The teacher turned from writing on the board and looked down her nose at Saphri, who succeeded in turning a bright red for the second time that day. She managed to not look down at her notes, surveying the elderly man with a steady eye. His gray hair untidy as usual, looking as though he had taken a kitchen knife and sliced it off without a mirror. Thin-rimmed spectacles sat upon his nose, which twitched with annoyance.
"Fenbrooke. You do realize this is your third tardy this month?" he inquired sternly.
Sniggering echoed around her seat as she replied, "Yes, Master Pierun."
"Hmm." He glanced down at his notes that sat in stacks up his table. "Then I will ask you to read chapters five through seven tonight and be prepared to give an oral presentation tomorrow. Consider it your discipline. Please refrain, next time, from long conversations with your young Herald friend." Master Periun returned to his board.
A quiet but audible laugh came from the opposite side of the room. Saphri resisted the urge to throw her schoolbooks in the Unaffiliate's direction. Justice was redeemed when the master said in a loud voice, "And you may also have the priviledge of joined Fenbrooke in that assignment, Havenson."
The boy also known as Fachin quickly shut his mouth and glared directly at Saphri. She pulled out her paper and ink to copy notes, ignoring his expression outwardly. On the inside it hurt. Unaccepted as she was for the long amounts of time she spent with Kataya and her room in the Healer's Collegium, Fachin and his comrades made life painful for her in any way they could. Most of the time they kept to rumors or loud insults when she was in ear shout, though there were occasions when they stole her notes or tripped her when passing by. Saphri had always been given advise to stay away from people such as him, the high born nobles who believed anyone of lesser blood to be below them.
The times are changing, she thought. One day Fachin will turn around and find no one supporting his old fashioned thought. And then where will he be?
-~-
The candle light flickered as Saphri strained to read the pages of her physics book. After dish duty that evening she had hurried back to her room, partly to finish her assignment from Master Pierun, partly to avoid the presence of Valem. She turned the page, yawning with the effort to stay awake. There had been no time to begin reading after class, but as fast as a reader as Saphri was, she was only nearing the end of the fifth chapter. Her head drooped as she shut her eyes for a moment. Oh, how wonderful sleep sounded...
Sharp knocks jerked the Unaffiliate out of her doze as her arm slipped off of her desk and she hit her elbow against her chair. The odd sensation spread through her arm as Saphri made her way over to her door. Whoever was calling was calling late and she was already dressed in a light pair of pants and a shirt to study.
It was Valem, still dressed in his uniform and looking fairly uncomfortable. He glanced at Saphri with his dark blue eyes and asked quietly, "Can I come in?"
She bit her lip and fumbled with the doorknob. "I'm studying for class. A discipline assignment."
"You were late to class again?" She nodded, and he sighed. "Can it just be for a minute? I promise I won't take forever."
"I... alright." Saphri took a step back and left Valem enter her room, which she was embarrased to realize looked worse than a pig sty. He didn't seem to notice as he took a spot on her bed. She sat back down in her desk chair.
"Saphrimienelle..." he began, taking a deep breathe to calm his nerves. She noticed with some amusement that he was wringing his hands. "I want you to know that I'd never come between you and Kataya. The world would have no meaning for you without her, and the same for her."
"Valem..."
He held up a hand. "No, let me finish. Please. I never meant my question to catch you off guard. I only wanted to know that there was someone who loved you and would always be here for you other than Kataya. I realize you have exams soon, and that Kataya is working on her Whites and needs all the support she can get, but I am here to tell you I will wait until you are ready for me to be another part of your life. Not just as a friend."
The talk that afternoon with Kataya had given something for Saphri to think about while washing dishes. She whispered, "I know. And I think I'd like you to be."
The Healer Trainee's face lit up was surprise, then joy. "Are you sure?"
She nodded, then smiled shyly. Valem strode across the room and gathered her into his arms, spinning her around. Saphri laughed, keeping a tight grip around his shoulders so she wouldn't fall. When he set her back down, he glanced at the book on her desk.
"Physics?" he read.
"Yes, I - " A yawn punctured her sentence. "I have to give an oral report on it tomorrow."
"You're tired. Why don't you go to bed and do this tomorrow morning?" Valem asked her, concerned as he saw dark circles forming under her eyes. "Breakfast duty." she said simply.
He picked Saphri back and this time settled her back into her bed. "You get some sleep. I'll take whatever chores you have tomorrow morning for you. But you owe me."
"Yessir." yawned Saphri.
Pulling up the covers over her small figure, he leaned over and kissed her upon the cheek. "Good night, my lady blue."
She was already fast asleep. Grinning, Valem blew out the candle on her desk. He walked out, remembering to close the door lightly.