Authors Note – I decided to put notes to reviewers in the story after some appreciated advice. So,
Anonymous reviewer – Thanks for the tip. Replies to reviews will be posted in the story from now on.
Peachblossomluver – Thanks and by Miss Priss I assume you mean Shannonia?
Genevieve – Thanks but I don't think I'm quite up there with Tamora Pierce yet. In reply to your review of "The Balcony-A Cut Scene", try reading the preceding story "Twisted Hearts" you might enjoy it. (That was a shameless plug by the way!)
Anastazia Silverwind – Thank you. I got my Dad to read through a few chapters for me but to be honest he doesn't make a very good editor. He tries to change my style too much; he's very traditional although he does fix any glaring grammatical errors.
Rose – Wait and see. Although you might be surprised at what's to come. I've got big plans for Ebony.
White-wolf – Thanks and I hope your not too tired lol.
Lady Wild Rose – Thanks and actually I quite agree. She wasn't meant to get hurt so much but I added in the bad shoulder thing because the story needed something exciting early on. It was getting mundane. Me too. I hate spiders and that's why I have such a disliking for spidrens.
And now a question to you all. I feel as I'm writing that Ebony's character really isn't developing. In fact I feel that all my characters aren't developing. There is a lot more to come, which will give me a chance to really bring out Ebony, but at the moment I just don't think I'm building a loveable character. Any comments/ideas on this would be greatly appreciated.
And now on with the story after my rambling's.
Ebony to Knighthood
Chapter 7 – Walking into Second Year
Ebony lurched forward. Arms outstretched she staggered toward the chair, the next object she could lean on safely.
Justard had set out a course for her, targets to reach each day in her attempt to walk again. She had so far managed to walk un-aided into the middle of her room, but had promptly collapsed onto the cushioned chair Justard insisted on pushing round behind her.
It took a lot of effort to move. She was in pain, mainly from her back, but she was determined to walk into her first classes as a second year Page. She knew Justard suffered too. She had seen him coming in from training practice outside, clutching at his chest while he laboured to breathe. It hurt to know it was because of her.
"A few more feet" he called encouragingly. She lurched again, making for the chair.
Her door swung open and an excited looking Taylor crashed through it. Ebony's knees buckled from under her with the shock of the sudden movement and she collapsed into a heap.
"I'm leaving," he cried, rushing over and picking her up off the floor. He placed her onto the chair before he continued on.
"Sir Callard's taking me up to his Fife for the rest of the summer." He looked nervous for a moment but carried on, his voice subdued, "There's been spidren attacks on the villages around there. He and I are going up to protect them. I'm going to get some real fighting practice."
Ebony choked, "Spidrens?" she whimpered.
"Taylor buried a hand into her locks, "I'm going to be fine" he said, "I won't be stupid, I'll be careful. And I'll have Sir Callard with me. He'll look after me."
"Did they say what spidrens?" she asked. She began to panic. "Did they mention a silver one? A large silver one?"
He shook his head. "Silvershot's not up there. They are small groups, ransacking villages. But they're carrying away a lot of the people. Hadrick's up there already, so we'll look after each other."
"When are you leaving?" she said, but in heart she already knew.
"Tonight" he replied.
Ebony gave him one last hug before he swung into the saddle. She had insisted and forced her body to do it but she'd won.
She had stood up from the moment she had arrived in the courtyard. Justard and her Father were on hand to catch her if she toppled but for the moment she was steady on her feet.
Taylor guided his horse over to where they stood and leant out of the saddle over to Ebony.
"I'll always be there for you," he whispered. She smiled at him. He clasped Justards hand in a farewell gesture. Sir Callard called him.
"See you soon" he shouted over his shoulder as they galloped away.
Ebony's legs collapsed from under her.
A month later and Ebony was walking short distances. She could get from her room to the mess hall without collapsing and had once managed to get to the classrooms and back. Stairs were proving to be quite a problem though.
She had to struggle up them, and the Palace was full of long staircases. Her back ached as she moved each leg, going up each step one at a time, stopping after each one to lean on the cool wall.
"How are you doing?" called her Father, where he sat reading on the top stair, "Need any help"
"No" she called between deep breaths; "I'm nearly there. And do you know what I'm going to do when I get there"
"No" he called.
"I'm going to throw you down them"
He laughed and scooted down a few more steps on his bottom. "Sorry. I feel a bit mean sitting up there while you struggle"
"So you should," she muttered, good-naturedly.
She groaned as she reached him and sat next to him on the cold stone.
"How am I going to be a Knight, Father?" she said, dropping her head onto her hands. "I can't even climb a flight of stairs properly"
He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "I know sweet, I know. It's hard now but Duke Baird said you're completely on the mend and he's very happy with your progress. He said he has some new healing spell he wants to use on you to."
"So that's why you're dragging me up this never-ending flight then. Well come on, let's get moving. Anything's worth a try."
Duke Baird's new spell was helpful. It didn't cure her but it made stairs a lot easier to face. In a three hour-long procedure he replaced two of Ebony's damaged vertebrae with un-damaged bones.
"It's less painful," she told Justard that evening, "But I still haven't got a full range of movement."
"Did the Duke say he could replace any more bones?"
"No. He doesn't think he can. Something to do with the strain on my back or body or something."
"Yes of course" Justard replied, "If he replaced two many then your back would reject…"
Ebony let her eyes close as he began to drone on.
Three weeks, two weeks, one week, one day. Ebony counted down until the beginning of her second year as a Page. Nothing could be more eventful than the last year she hoped.
It certainly began eventful though.
Shannonia breezed into Ebony's room the night before they began training, hand in hand with Rickad. Justard fell off the desk in amazement. Ebony's mouth fell open and stayed there.
Shannonia beamed. "It just so happens that my parents fife is nearby Rickad's and we began to meet up to train. And slowly we fell for each other"
Ebony's mouth moved, although nothing came out. Quiet, serious Rickad had fell for the loud, flirty Shannonia. She never would have believed it if they weren't standing in front of her.
"You, you, how long have you?" Justard could hardly control his laughter. "Rickad you never told us"
"I didn't know what a amazing person Shannonia was until this summer. I really got to know her"
"I'm just going to tidy my room, darling" she gushed at him, kissing his cheek. She skipped out of the room, humming away to herself.
"Go on" he said, "Say it"
"Say what" said Justard breathless. He couldn't hold on any longer though. He broke out into huge, racking guffaws. Rickads face was less amused.
"I knew you would laugh" he said, obviously hurt. "I thought my friends would understand"
"We do," said Ebony, more kindly, "But Rick, we had no idea you felt for her in that way. You never mentioned anything like that."
"I didn't feel like that about her until the summer" he said, "Until I really got to know her"
He left to the sound of Justards guffaws.
"Your evil, do you know that" she shouted at him. "If Rickad loves Shannonia, then he loves her. At least she won't be fawning all over you anymore. Now out, I've had enough of you"
And she shooed him out of her room. Slamming the door shut she sank down onto the floor.
Weapons lessons were upsetting for Ebony and Justard. They weren't allowed to join in the harder and more complicated moves their year mates were learning. They joined in with the new first years, practising their easier moves to build up strength. Ebony could barely lift her sword to spar, never mind move with it. Lord Padriag finally decided that she should replace her sword lessons with unarmed combat with her teacher, Eda Bell. Lord Padriag said he would rather she built up her range of movement and strength before she began to wield a sword again, and this was the best way of doing it. Ebony was glad of this because she wasn't brilliantly skilled with a sword.
Both Ebony and Justard began to train more using the lighter weapons, staffs and spears. They sparred often, spending the axe lessons sparring with staffs and not axes. Horse back combat was another problem. Justard got on pretty well with it, he could lift his weapons and being on horseback took some of the pressure off his lungs. Ebony found as weeks went by horseback archery got easier, and her back strengthened because of it but she still could not properly lift her axe or sword. Then they began jousting.
Lord Padriag called the Pages to him.
"Today will be both a rewarding and demanding lesson" he began, "Today we are finally going to began to learn the art of jousting. I expect none of you to be excellent when we begin, but I expect all of you to watch carefully and respect my rules. Jousting may be fun, but it is also extremely dangerous. We will joust using the training equipment for now, and maybe toward the end of your final year as Pages I will consider a small tournament."
He demonstrated the jousting position although he did not move with the lance. He pointed to the barrel of lances on the field and each Page picked out their own. He asked them to demonstrate their grip, going in turn to each person and correcting any errors. When he arrived at Ebony his face contorted.
"Page Salmalin, that is a poor excuse for a jousting position. Can you not lift the lance?"
The pain in Ebony's back told her to nod but her resolve said to hold on.
"I can cope," she said between gritted teeth as she hoisted the lance to its correct height.
"Better" he said, "Watch that shield arm, its slipping low. Keep the lance steady, bring your hand slightly forward, it will help. Lean forward more into the saddle. Good, well done. Now put that lance back down before you drop it."
Erone neighed angrily and stamped her hooves as Ebony dropped back into the saddle. She trotted over to the barrel and replaced the lance. Turning to watch the other Pages she heard Lord Padriag tell them to line up for their first ever joust. Ebony trotted over to near the front of the line so she could get a good view, she new Lord Padriag would refuse to let her joust.
She was shocked to see Justard had joined the line.
"J, J" she called in an undertone, "J," She shouted to get his attention.
"What?" he called back, deliberately not looking at her.
"You can't joust. You'll get hurt"
"I won't get hurt. Anyway look its my turn now."
He rode to the starting line. He listened to Lord Padriags instructions, nodding his head. His eyes stayed fixed on their target though.
Ebony was not at all happy about this. She really did not think it was wise for Justard to put himself under so much strain. She drew a sharp intake of breath as he began. He speeded up his horse, as he got closer to the target. Ebony stopped breathing. Closer, closer, and he missed. Missed by metres.
Ebony began to breath again. He turned his horse around and trotted back on the outside of the lane. The next Page trotted up to the starting line.
"Page Sarbrook" called Lord Padriag, "Don't lean so far back into the saddle. Come further forward. Keep that lance steady. To the back of the queue for another practice"
"That was good for a first try," said Ebony as he passed her.
"I'm going to hit that target today" was his answer.
Ebony hoped the bell for lunch would ring before he got his next go but it didn't. He took his place on the starting line and began his joust. His lance was held higher now and he was galloping toward the target. Her breathing stopped again.
"Further forward" called Lord Padriag, "Further forward"
Ebony watched Justard's weight shift in the saddle.
"Perfect" called Lord Padriag, "Now wait for the impact"
The impact wasn't' a strong enough word for what happened. Justard's lance hit the target and snapped in half. He was thrown form the saddle, turning in the air. He landed feet away from the lane and didn't get up.
"Erone move" said Ebony, steering her into a gallop. She reached him in seconds, behind Lord Padriag and threw herself down at his side.
"Justard?" she called, "Justard?"
She went to grab him but Lord Padriags hand blocked her.
"Don't touch him," he advised. "Page Adrin, run to the castle and get help, we need a healer. Tell them what happened and about Page Sarbrook's lungs if they do not already know. And hurry"
Ebony choked back the tears. Her voice shook with emotion as she whispered to him, "Justard, J. J please, please J. J?"
Authors Note – Ok it was bad. I'm having a small case of writers block, i.e. I can't see where the story is going until Ebony becomes a Squire. Then everything becomes clear. Until then I'm in murky waters. But anyway read and review please.