Readers: sorry this has taken so long...I was just enjoying my spring vacation, and I suppose I forgot my duties towards my Fanfic for a moment...sorry.

Someone pounding on their door startled Alex awake again. He looked over at Tom, and when Alex realized that Tom had no intentions of getting up, he forced himself out of bed, pulled some clothes on, and stumbled sleepily over to the door. He fumbled with the doorknob then slowly opened it. Phi immediately grabbed Alex, yanked him out of his room, and quickly lead him down the hall to the armory, "Come on Alex!"

He yawned and rubbed the sleep from his eyes with the one hand she wasn't yanking and glared at her, "What's with you anyway?"

She looked back at him strangely, "What do you mean?"

He stared at her, "Yesterday during training you couldn't wait to get out of the program!"

She stopped momentarily, "I dunno...mood swings or something I guess...besides, that was yesterday! Today's a whole new day and if you don't hurry, we'll be late again!"

He sighed as they picked up their pace and rolled his eyes, "Girls..."

Phi tugged on his arm and he almost tripped, and he spent the rest of the way muttering under his breath.

When they reached the armory, Lord haMinch (A/N: if you don't like his name, or you think it is wrong, let me know what you think the right name is and I'll switch it...I'm pretty sure this is right though...) was waiting for them, "Good to see you on time! Today, you and the pages will be working on your classroom studies for a change of pace." Phi's jaw dropped and Alex seemed to pale at the mention of "class". "Now up you go! Don't be late or you'll get more work afterwards!"

Phi tried desperately to get away, but Alex grabbed her by the collar of her shirt and led her up the stairs with the rest of the pages. Alex turned to her and shrugged, "...it can't be all that bad..."

The first classroom they were ushered into was filled with desks, chairs, old maps, and books. The teacher, or who they thought was the teacher, urged them all to sit down. He was a short, plump, balding man with a beard and a certain twinkle in his eye that Alex prayed was kindness.

Phi and Alex rushed to the back to claim their seats, but were surprised to find that most of the pages were sitting up front willingly. Alex turned to Phi with a questioning look on his face, "Do you think kids here really like school?" Phi gave him a sideways glance and he replied, "If so, this place is creepier than I thought!"

As the lesson started, it soon became clear to Alex and Phi that it wasn't that the kids liked school, they just liked the teacher.

He walked up to the front of the room and cleared his throat. The conversations stopped almost immediately and pleased with the class's response, he continued, "Good morning class! Although most of you already seem to know be, I still feel the need to introduce myself." He glanced casually at Phi and Alex who, even though they were in the back row, where a head taller than everyone else and very noticeable, "My name is Sir Myles of Olau, and throughout the year I will be your history and political teacher. As I say every year, I wish for you to have a good time in this class, but the rules of the palace still stand even in this room and I have no patience for foolishness." The pages all nodded silently.

Sir Myles took another glance around the class and continued to speak, "Before the real work begins, I would like to do a round of introductions so I can learn your names faster", a chuckle ran through the class. Obviously Sir Myles wasn't famous for his fantastic memory of his students' names. "So we will begin in the front of the class with you," he pointed at a first year who stated his name and his land or whatever it was, his fief. Devic was next, but after that, Phi completely zoned out and looked instead at the old maps on the wall, which she found tons more interesting.

Finally, it was Alex and Phi's turn to speak. He elbowed her in the stomach and said, "I am Alexander of...um...California," and Phi cut in, "and I am Phiona of..." she looked at Alex strangely, "...California."

Myles looked inquisitive but shook it off and the introductions continued. Phi turned toward Alex, "California? Don't you think that's a pretty big chunk of land for you to own?"

He looked over at her mischievously, "I was going to say the Americans, but I thought that would be a little overboard...besides, your family doesn't have to own California too!"

She stared blankly at him, "Well what was I supposed to say, 'I am Phiona of Oregon?'"

"Hey! You got something against Oregon?"

"What!?! No! It was just the second state that popped into my head, but that's not the point!"

"Rhode Island's smaller than California, you could've said Rhode Island..."

"ARGH!" she turned from him and massaged her temples. He grinned happily and settled back into his chair.

***

Later that morning, Phi came storming out of the manners, or whatever you want to call it, classroom fuming. The nerve of that teacher! If he weren't an authoritive figure she would have killed him! Alex followed her laughing, "That was great! You should have seen your face when Master Oakbridge said all girls are good for is dancing and hosting parties! I swear laser beams shot from your eyes! Man, if looks could kill, that guy would be dead about fifty times over!"

She growled, "I don't want to hear it..."

He came over and but his arm on her shoulder, "And then when one of the first years needed a dance partner for an example, and he picked you because you where the only girl! And you didn't know how to dance the way he did! Ah, that was priceless..."

"Shut up and tell me where we get tortured next..."

He quickly became serious, "Well, make up your mind! I can't shut up and tell you our next class at the same time!"

She swallowed a scream and rounded on Alex, "Just tell me where we go next!!"

"Okay! Sheesh...Calm down, you're creating a scene!" he took out a folded piece of paper that he had scribbled their schedule on while they were in Sir Myles's class, "All right...we go to...um...biology with Lindhall Reed..."

She moaned slightly and together they walked towards the classroom, trying to quiz each other on what they learned in Biology last year, or for Alex, two years ago.

***

As they walked into the new classroom, the two teenagers stared around in wonderment at the odd collection of weird things that were in their new Biology room. The walls were lined with well-kept cages of lizards, snakes, rats, and who knows what else and the room itself smelled a little like a zoo.

Their teacher came and introduced himself and just as the class was getting settled, something flew in from the back room and perched itself on top of Lindhall's desk. The teacher, started and turned to the creature, "Why hello Bonedancer, your not supposed to be out here..."

The class just stared. The thing that he had called Bonedancer was a skeleton...except it was moving. Alex leaned forward in his chair (Phi and Alex had managed to get stuck in the front row) to get a better look and Phi said out loud, "Is that a bird skeleton?"

Lindhall stretched out his arm and Bonedancer hopped on it, like a parrot, "Actually, this is the fossil of a archaeopteryx, a dinosaur bird, and...um...one of my mage colleges brought it back to life...He was supposed to stay in the back room until a later time, but since he's out now, he might as well stay that way..." Bonedancer ruffled his 'wings' and flew over to the corner of the classroom and landed on a perch that seemed to have been put out for that very purpose. Lindhall cleared his throat, "Now then class...I don't teach Biology to first year pages, but the other teachers and I thought that it would be a good idea to let you become aware of what your later years in this program will bring you. Normally during this period, you would go to your mathematics class...so next time you have classes, do not come here, go there."

During the rest of the class, he Lindhall talked to the pages about science and how much it has changed in the recent years. Alex and Phi listened on with interest, because it was amazing how advanced these people were compared to their own world during the middle ages.

Finally, the teacher cleared his throat and the pages quieted down, "For your next class, some of you will be going to learn about the Gift, others of you will be going to study with Tkaa, our resident immortal."

Numair walked in, followed by Tom. Phi waved and he grinned back. The mage walked over to Phi, who was sitting in the seat nearest the door and announced, "I will be filling in for Duke Turomot today and will be testing you for the Gift. Please don't talk and remain still while I am checking you. I promise you won't feel a thing."

He turned to Phi, giving her a friendly smile, and spread out his hands in front of her face. She flinched, remembering what happened last time he did that, but relaxed as she recalled that he had asked her to remain still. A soft glow of black light seemed to seep from his very skin and sink into hers. He frowned and the light sucked back into his hands and he looked down at her, "You don't have a single speak of the Gift, completely empty." Lindhall frowned too, and seemed to zone out thinking, heavily about something. Numair turned to Alex, "All right Alexander, your turn, please don't speak..." Alex had begun to open his mouth, but he quickly shut it again. Numair reached his hands back out and the light went into Alex's skin, and after a while came back out, "Hmm...very interesting...you are empty as well..."

He moved onto Devic, who was sitting next to Alex in the front row and conducted the same procedure, "Well Devic, you seem to have the Gift." He looked up and addressed the rest of the class, "If you have the Gift, after I am finished testing for it, please follow me and I will take you to your classroom." Devic looked surprised and Numair moved on to the next desk.

In the end, thirteen people had the Gift and twelve didn't. Of course, not all of the thirteen people had a strong Gift, but it was enough to get them into the class. The pages went into their different classrooms accordingly and their next lesson began.

A/N: Sorry if that seemed a little rushed, but then again, I was rushing so ya...this isn't my best chapter, but oh well...