Hey, I'm soooo sorry I haven't been able to update. I wish I had another brilliant excuse like Maths coursework or French Orals, but I'm afraid I have been really boring, and revising during the crucial time in which I must face the blackest of nightmares! EXAMS IN 6 WEEKS!!!!! *Screams uncontrollably like a banshee*! I will make this a resolution to all my reviewers. I will try to update my story within one week, every week until exams start in May (May 22nd is my Latin exam! Ahhhhhh!). I will count this a relaxation time.
Belated lent vow. (Oh wait lent is denial, k so this can be a denial of disorganisation that benefits others)
I will try my hardest to stick to it although I never stick to other stuff like that. My vow to renounce chocolate failed, as did my rigorous revision timetable. Oh well, I will do my best and that's all I can promise. Here is chapter 9!
Thank you to all my new reviewers (and of course the original ones) I'm so happy! (Don't take much does it)
Rheia: Thanks for reviewing! So happy you did now I know of someone else reading it, I am not a lost cause! I'll try to write as fast as I can, but must keep reviewing!!! Thanks!
Hey Doughnuts… mmm: thanks for reviewing again I will try my hardest to refrain from neglecting my story starved reviewers! Dain and Dahlia Are meant to get together, it will happen, sometime in the near future…I hope! ;-)
Graffiti: hey TJ, I WILL review your story I just have been banned from the internet at home (coz it deters me from revising and I tend to spend hours on Fanfic.net) so it's been hard reviewing and even uploading my chapters. But I think you are doing a great job wit the sorcerer story, at least you update more quickly, I envy you I do, but thanks for reviewing mine. It IS appreciated. Love ya girl! J
Hey Janie, always glad to meet a new reviewer. If ya give me your email I'd be happy to swap tips, if you think mine are worth having. And yeah, French does suck, was gonna take German but was put off by a heinous teacher. But at least I get writing coursework in French, can't in German. So I have officially completed 50% of my exam already, just the reading and listening to go! Keep reviewing coz I like to hear from you. =)
Thanks Shadow ninja, everyone loves praise, I'm no exception! Thanks I do like to write in a lot of detail, sometimes I think it' a bit much but am delighted you like it. Carry on reading coz there is more to come. If I can hold myself down long enough to get my story out of my head and on to paper! ^-^ *Smile*
Forest elfin: totally agree wit you on the maths French thing. But hey after GCSE's I'm never gonna touch the stuff again! EVER! *Take that Mr Alpress!!! * (My maths teacher!) Dain cute! Course he is, that's why he pisses Dahlia off so much, she just can't resist him. Which is what makes her so cranky! Its all part of the plot derived from the deepest inner workings of my cluttered mind! Sometimes I think of myself as a tortured genius, then I realise I should I think about counselling.
K folks, on with the show!
They were formed in rows, each with a staff. Dahlia faced the front and saw no one but Nagini. The training master was calling out words in an ancient Egyptian language that was taught to them all as soon as they joined the brotherhood. They were command words for different stances, and they all moved fluidly as one to the directions given. All but a few newcomers, such as Dain and the two other girls that had arrived with him, were keeping up with the fast pace of movement.
Dahlia chanted the words and movements to herself in her head; the rhythm of Nagini's stick was drumming in her mind. These routines were very familiar to her and she was going through the motions without even thinking. Unwittingly, she allowed her mind to wander, her eyes moved to the girl next to Dain. She thought she heard someone call the tall blond Isla and the other girl with brown mousy hair was Codi.
They were struggling with the fast pace of the exercise. Beginners were supposed to practise every spare moment until they could do it, it was a test of determination and character, but she could see that Codi would fail. She was getting frustrated and embarrassed. Dahlia noticed then that Dain was trying to help her, showing her ways to move with the beat of Nagini's stick as it tapped steadily.
He was failing miserably, and she felt the need to help him and the girl, but the urge was soon quashed by years of denial and training. He could learn how everyone learnt, how she had learnt, the hard way.
After an hour or so, Dahlia felt calmer, guarded and in control; she began to dissect the day and it's events as she walked to the room in which she would practise her ninja skills with Samoya.
A few things struck her as strange that day. Dain was to be a druid. They didn't tell her, why? And today he had come into her class even though he was at least two years older than her. He should be a senior at around 16 years of age. Perhaps it was a trial, to see if he needed to learn at a school. They had done that to her in the beginning. She was given the choice to go to school, and of course as any sane person would she chose not to. But they put her on trial and discovered that she had more focus when she went to school among strangers, maybe with Dain it was the same thing.
And of course there was this thing that kept happening between them. She just didn't get it. She knew she ought to have asked Master Nagini after training, but when she had walked up to him, she found that she didn't want to. It felt…too private to share; and she believed she would have felt uncomfortable discussing it with even him.
She had reached her destination and so stored her reservations and uncertainties for another time. It was time to fight and Samoya always gave a good fight. She was the best next to Dahlia herself. Striding into the room she was faced with Samoya stretching out her limbs on the mat.
'Want to warm up Dahlia?' Samoya questioned while flexing her calf muscles. Dahlia moved towards her and started to warm up. They faced each other and bowed.
They stood completely still, waiting fort he other to make the first move. The both had poise and control but only one could win. Three falls and one loses. Samoya swivelled round with a jump and attempted to kick Dahlia in the face. While she dodged Samoya kept up a series of kicks, leaving Dahlia distracted by blocking with her arms. Dahlia realised what was happening and allowed Samoya to somersault forwards and push her off her feet, but sidestepped just in time to snap kick Samoya to the floor. Samoya was up within seconds. Dahlia wasn't sure but she looked upset, perhaps she had hurt her.
Dahlia moved forward with her hands to ask if she was injured but before she could say a word, Samoya grabbed her hands and tossed her to the floor, but Dahlia landed on her knees, and that was acceptable in Ninja terms.
'Hey Sam, take it easy, I thought you were hurt,' Dahlia called, breaking the rule of no speech during combat.
Samoya did not answer but circled her while Dahlia remained still. Then Dahlia felt the rush of air behind her as Samoya jumped her from behind and Dahlia twisted in her grip. Punching her elbow into the air she swirled in Samoya's arms and swapped positions. She was holding Samoya now, with her arm at an angle behind her back. Samoya tugged at her trapped arm, threatening to wrench it and consequently break it.
Dahlia held fast and then pushed Samoa onto the floor with her body holding her down. 'What's the matter?' she asked with concern. It wasn't often she showed emotion but when it concerned her friends or family. She didn't stop to think that a druid has no family and was always alone, but waited for Samoya to reply.
'It's nothing, I'm just a little tired and I didn't want it to show.' Her voice sounded sincere so Dahlia let her up and stood. 'Don't push yourself, if your tired we wont fight.'
Samoya nodded and said, 'Sorry I just, didn't want to let you down. You really looked like you wanted to hit something when we were in the hall.'
'You weren't supposed to be looking at me Sam, you were supposed to be concentrating,' Dahlia chided.
'Yeah but how can I concentrate when I know all the stuff he's saying. OH by the way I wanted to ask you something. You seemed to be a little distracted yourself. Any particular reason, like maybe…' she paused hesitantly and Dahlia said,
'Like what?'
'Like that new boy they're training. I'm sorry it didn't work out for you. I know how hard you worked.'
'Nah I didn't really work that hard at that. I was kind of a natural so I didn't have to. It was the Ninja stuff I had to really train for. I didn't even realise the reason I wasn't progressing as fast as I could was because of my… defect. Other than that you know, I could have done it, without minimum work. But now it's changed.'
That's what Dahlia liked about Samoya, you could just talk business with her, no personal feelings or her intruding in private thoughts, she just says it like it is.
'Well, still. Don't worry about it. You're still the most talented person here. The masters adore you. You'll do all right. I'm gonna get some sleep. Bye.'
Dahlia watched her go. Perhaps now is the perfect time to practise what I was trying to do earlier.
She positioned herself in front of the mirror covering the lower wall of the room and concentrated. She wanted to change her hair colour brown. Nothing too hard yet, she needed to start small.
Several minutes passed by and she stood in complete silence and stillness. She could feel the roots of her hairs moving. Her body was finally responding to the command.
Brown, brown, brown, brown, brown. She repeated over in her head, she thought of nothing but that. She could see in the mirror her roots beginning to get lighter, it may have been the lamp in the room but she thought she could feel it happening. Suddenly her eardrum detected a loud bang. She completely lost focus and broke contact with the mirror. Jolted out of the trance she recovered and turned ready to hurt whoever had interrupted her at work.
Surprise, surprise, it was Dain. Like a mantra in her head she repeated a new set of words to prevent herself from losing what little control she had.
Don't get mad, don't get mad, don't get mad, don't get mad, you are a druid, and they can't get mad. Calm think of ripples, wind, fire, you are not a mindless uncivilised human; you are a druid with complete control over her emotions and actions.
'WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?? I am in the middle of something incredibly important and you just wrecked it. Please leave before I induce bodily harm on you.'
Yeah way to go Dahlia. Your control and poise there was admirable!
'Um,' the startled yet seemingly not frightened boy replied, 'I'm really sorry I ruined er...whatever you were doing I just came to look for you, er you know to help me with that thing.'
Oh God I sound like a reprimanded school kid. Get a grip Dain! He was mentally flogging himself.
'Well I'm rather busy so if you'll excuse me.' Dahlia responded in her iciest voice.
Mentally she was trying to remember what thing he was talking about.
'Well I was kinda asked by Master Takeno to find you and ask you to help me so I'm not sure that 'no' is an option.' Said Dain trying to regain some of his composure.
'Well I guess you're kinda gonna have to wait!' retorted she, mocking his earlier words.
He opened his mouth as if about to speak, then thought better of it; he sat down on the mat floor against the wall.
'What are you doing?'
'Sitting down and waiting, what does it look like. I thought you were supposed to be observant.' He'd had it with her outbursts. He knew it was his own fault she couldn't concentrate but as neither of them knew exactly why, then she had no right to blame him.
Dahlia seemed to sense his annoyance so she turned around and tried to concentrate. She found she couldn't, not with him watching her. He was right there in the corner looking at her try to do something she was obviously incapable of doing. She didn't enjoy looking incapable.
As if reading her mind, Dain got up and stood behind her. Now what? She thought exasperated.
'Close your eyes,' he whispered in her ear. She was trembling, he was so close, he was almost…almost touching her. Again thoughts came from that unknown place to make her do and say things that were totally uncharacteristic. Urges to lean back into him, talk to him, get to know what he was really like.
She didn't understand, and when she got flustered she fought. It was her nature and she couldn't help it.
'I don't take orders from you. Now get away from me or I'll–'
'You'll what? Kick me? No you'd have to catch me first. Just trust me okay?'
Even though she would deny it if asked, she did trust him. She just didn't know exactly why. So instead of rising to his bait, she complied and shut her eyes.
She heard a strange noise, a kind of low rumbling noise, she was about to open her eyes but Dain had put his hands over them touching her and creating a flurry of sparks.
Keep your eyes closed okay?
What's happening though? What's that noise? Even as she said it she realised, that it was singing. A deep soulful kind of song and Dain was the source of it!
It was beautiful and completely calming. She felt herself relax into his arms and allowed him to probe her mind. She found a sensation far more intense than she expected but it was not agonizing, it was tender and it felt good.
Now try to complete what you started before. Dain coaxed her mind from its languid state and Dahlia felt refreshed.
She focused on her hair and pictured herself in the mirror without actually receiving any optic impulses. She willed her hair to turn brown and could actually feel the individual hairs obey. They were transforming into a deep coffee shade from her roots to the end of her wild curls. It was an exhilarating experience. Suddenly she felt the withdrawal of Dain's mind and body form hers. She was leaning into air, snapping her eyes open she balanced herself before she could fall and glanced at herself in the mirror. She had the brunette curls she wanted. Feeling a tiny smile tug at her full lips she instantly suppressed the action.
Remembering Dain she turned to meet his eyes. He looked…expressionless but she had a feeling he was a little embarrassed. She should say something.
'That was…'
'Yeah…' he finished for her.
She found she couldn't say anything else. Dahlia just stared at him until the familiar part of her mind that had been formed with meticulous instruction awoke and buried the new feeling that was forming in her heart. Just as Dain started,
'Look Dahlia I– '
'We better get to the library, we can start working on…um what was it you wanted to work on?'
He paused for a moment to think about it. He had been trying to muster the courage to tell her what he felt for her and couldn't form much other thought. He was very aware that she was waiting.
'Oh translation!' he cried with relief.
'Right then,' she finished briskly, 'We'll get started.' She didn't move though.
'I just want to say thanks.'
'For what?' He feigned ignorance.
'You know what.'
With that she walked out of the room. Dain looked after her for a while, and then followed smiling inwardly. He had a feeling that something was going to happen and he was going to like it. He was going to like it a lot.
All right, so what? What do ya think???? Good? Likey? Tell me so I can write more for you all!
Please, please, please, please, please, (politeness is supposed to get you what you want), please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, review if you read my story! I just love to go on to the computer to find that someone new has read what I've written. This is how happy new