"Are ye' awake Miss Alanna??" asked a small voice from the other side of her door.
"Yes, unfortunately" she answered and let the maid in.
The maid giggled a little, "not much of a mornin' person are we, lady?"
Alanna looked at the girl, she was about 2 inches taller than her, looked to be about 16 with her dark hair pulled into a tight bun at the top of her head. It was her eyes that caught Alanna's attention though; they were the darkest colour green she'd ever seen. "Alanna please, and no not a morning person at all actually. And you are?"
"Nadia, Nadia Meadowlark. I'm to be your humble servant durin' yer stay here at the Great Cage –as many o' th' students here prefer t' call it." She answered as she mockingly bowed to Alanna. "I like yer eyes! Are they magiked?" Alanna shook her head. "There nice.. but anyway don't think I'm the one ye order 'round, I'm just here to make sure yer rooms are clean, ye're fires lit and that ye ge' up in the mornin'. I also fix yer clothes… until ye learn to mend 'em yerself that is."
"Wonderful, another thing to look forward to for the next 6 years."
Nadia looked at her funny… "Ye mean ye don't want t' be here?? Most young noble lasses dream o' the day they enter to learn about a Lady's life, even if being presented at court is the real excitement, pritty soon em'll realize its no picnic here. Them teachers make you work and work til ye got everythin' down perfect, and if you mess up ye're just in for more work. It's not easy bein' a Lady. I'm glad te say I don't have t' do it meself." Nadia said the last part proudly, raising her chin.
Alanna met her eyes and smiled. "I think I'm going to like it better with you here," she decided, and left Nadia to her room as she walked down the hall. Then quickly re-thought and turned back, poking her head through the door, "Hey," she said, obviously startling the maid, who jumped, but turned to look at her "leave the clothes under my pillow alone, please?" Nadia gave her another funny look but shrugged as Alanna left again, this time closing the door behind her.
~
The hall Alanna walked down was long, and the middle of it there was a staircase that fanned out into three directions. One way it led to the classrooms and the cafeterias, where Alanna would be spending most of her time, once you walked through the classrooms you left the building into a large field where they would learn to ride a horse properly. If you keep following the staircase forward, you reach the main entrance and the main offices of the teachers. Going right meant that you would go to the servant's quarters, the kitchens, pantries, laundry room, and storage rooms. Alanna went left, to the cafeterias, for her breakfast.
The room was full of young women, all at long tables that reached from one end of the room to the other. She saw a girl ahead of her and copied what she did: looked for her name on a long list on the wall she walked passed when she walked in, and found the table number that corresponded with her name.
ALANNA OF TREBOND ~ TABLE 19
She looked around the room, table 19… where is table 19? She thought as she looked around the room. 16…17…18…ah! There it is! 19! Alanna walked across the room, and saw a space between 2 girls, one was tall, with chestnut hair and almond shaped eyes, and just by looking at her, Alanna could tell she was very noble about herself. She also looked a year older than Alanna.
The girl on her right had long strawberry blonde hair with curls trying to come loose of their ties. She seemed to know how to talk well enough, chatting the ear off of the girl to her right… and the one across from her.
She will be the annoying one Alanna thought and grumbled, why do I have to start the day like this? And she settled her place beside the two girls. The first, like she had thought, snubbed her right away, and the second, seeing a new girl seated next to her, and not the mean one that had not seemed to take an interest in her adventure arriving at the place, turned to face her. And as it looked the other two seemed a little relieved, looking at each other with a look of Thank You Mother in their eyes.
"HI!!!" she exclaimed. "I'm Katariina of Hollows Wood!! But you can just call me Kat, I like it better, who are you??!"
Alanna, a bit aback by the forwardness of the girl answered "A-Alanna, of Trebond."
"Trebond eh? Where's that about?? Hollows Wood is a ways in the east, about as far east as you can go and then farther!! Yeah it sometimes sucks being so far east, but one can manage when one's lived there all their life! Like me! I would usually just run off and play with the locals, much to my parents frustrations, man did I ever get on their nerves most of the time, I suppose that's why they sent me to this silly place a year early! Just wanted me out of that dratted old stinky castle. But luckily for them they still have my two little brothers and even younger sister. I hope I taught them well enough to get on my parents nerves as much I did!" she stopped to chuckle, and Alanna thought she was going to stop and eat like they were supposed to. But no she just opened her mouth and kept on going "Yes, but oh! You must think I'm horrible for not introducing my friends here!!" She blushed a little, and then pointed out the girls she was first talking to "Adrianna of Goldspeak, who we all call Andy, Christa-ly nn or Chris, of Hummingbird Falls, and this here's Lyla of Meadowsplain. Girls, this is Alanna of Trebond, if you didn't hear the first time. We're all second years at the cage," she said to her "although I should only be a first year but since my parents wanted to get rid of me quicker they begged the Mother Superior to let me in early, I suppose it was for the best though because now they have to take care of my younger siblings…." The three other girls rolled their eyes and went back to eating. They've heard it all before I suppose. Thought Alanna. What interesting years I'm going to have here.
~
Breakfast done, Alanna and the four girls walked to their first class, where as Alanna realized while they were walking, she had no idea where she was supposed to go. "Hey.. Um Katariina?"
"I told you call me Kat."
"Right… Kat?"
"Yes Alanna?"
"Where am I supposed to go?"
Kat giggled a little, she seemed to giggle a lot, "oh yes! First years…alright I'll tell you the ropes of the cage alright?" Alanna nodded. "First of all, the cage is what we call this place, it keeps us here until we're allowed to leave, so don't try escaping because it won't work – trust me. Secondly don't listen to anyone I haven't cleared first, and by cleared I mean people I say you can listen for help about. Now that might sound like I'm all high and mighty but for real, listen to this advice. There's many a young lady here who likes to trick first years, making them feel all embarrassed and such. Why last year when I was just a first year I think they played every joke in their sick little minds on me! It was horrible, but now looking back I suppose it was rather humorous, why this one time, they told me to go down a staircase that was a 'faster' way to the classes, which is right there, when really it turned into the servants bedchambers… and not just any servants the MENS bedchambers and worse than that it was right after they had come in from their dirty work outside which means well I think you know what it means… I will never ever look at half of the men here the same again let me tell you and another time-"
"Kat! Stop! Story time is later, I still don't know where I'm supposed to be!"
"Oh right.." she said blushing again. "I'm sorry I talk too much, I guess it's something that I won't grow out of! I think as far as I can remember I just like talking, why I think even my first words were-"
"KAT!"
" Oh right… he he… classes, lets see first years… I believe you're supposed to be in the main classroom to get schedules and such. The main classroom is the largest one here, it's the middle one in this hallway, here I'll walk you to it. When you get there, they'll call your name, and the name of the one who's to show you around, usually a third or fourth year, since us second years aren't trained enough I supposed, and the fifth and sixth year are too busy. So you just go on in there and sit yourself down. It shouldn't be too long now. I'll see you after the bell. Today will be a shorter day so you can get to see around the building. I think I shall tag along with you and your sponsor today, I've nothing better to do I'm afraid!" and so off went Kat, to her room down the hall, leaving Alanna alone again and in front of the big doors that led to the main classroom. She pushed one open and slowly walked inside.
Much to her embarrassment, Kat's talk had taken up too much time, and most of the ladies had already settled down and were listening for their names. Alanna turned a bright shade of red and huddled to the back of the room, ignoring the giggles from the other girls.
~
"Alanna of Trebond!" boomed the voice, Alanna stood up as the other girls had and walked to the front of the room, standing next to the Lady who called her name. "Cordelia of Goldenlake!"
Cordelia was a very tall young lady, with dark hair that curled only at the ends and large pale-green eyes. She had a slender waist and walked to Alanna very gracefully. She smiled, "hello there!" Alanna looked into her eyes, and her smile faded for a moment, "your eyes! Their purple!" she said, perhaps a bit too loudly, as a few of the young girls around her smirked, giggled or were awed. Alanna glared. Cordelia, noticing how upset she had made Alanna, put her arm into Alanna's and took her out of the room. "Sorry about that" she apologized. "I was just shocked that's all."
Of course Alanna couldn't be mad after an apology, and tried to smile. "Its alright, most people are shocked."
"So what would you like to see first? I'll show you the classrooms and such if you like."
"Could we wait a moment? Kat – Katariina of Hollows Wood said that she would like to join us." Cordelia's smile faded.
"I wouldn't befriend an upstart such as she… She will only get you into trouble that one. She's been a pain for her entire stay here, getting her nose into others business, her stories! Goddess her talking! She could talk an ear off of the most patient Mithran Priest, I swear! And after all the pranks pulled on her last year, she's still as snobby as ever! Didn't even shed a tear for her own humility – in fact, she laughed! Laughed at us that pranked her, and her own gullibility, some people are too noble for their own good."
Alanna frowned, Sound like good traits to me, but she kept it to herself. She didn't know the people here very well and it wouldn't do to make an enemy so early in her stay. Cordelia didn't notice her frown, or if she did chose to ignore it, and dragged Alanna by the arm down the hall.
She showed her the many different corridors of the manor, the easiest way to the classes and the quickest ways to the cafeteria. She showed her the servant's quarters and the tailors and the kitchens. She pointed the direction to the beginner sorcerer's rooms, a door that Alanna hadn't even noticed before, and was warned not to venture pass it. "They say that the younger sorcerers can't control their magic sometimes and if you open the door, it could turn horrific for us on this side."
The part that mostly intrigued Alanna, much to Cordelia's obvious disgust, was the field in which they would learn to ride. Well not the field itself, but the fact that a small corner of it was dedicated to the men-at-arms that watched the building for intruders – and those young ladies or young men for that matter, that tried to escape. That got Alanna's gears moving… if I could get a hold of a sword… or, or maybe a man that would show me how to wrestle? A staff, a sword, hand-to-hand combats, fighting with weapons such as maces, axes and staffs, archery! Anything would be a break from a place like this!
By that time Cordelia had showed her most parts of the manor, and since it was close to lunchtime, she quickly pointed out the teachers offices and the Mother's Office. Then directed her to the cafeteria once again.
"Do we sit at the same table again?" asked Alanna.
"No, unfortunately it changes every day. Well in some cases its fortunate, the teachers believe that if we sit differently every meal, that we will get to know more ladies and better our social and people skills, also hone our abilities to judge character. It helps us achieve our personal bests, in the most efficient way possible." Cordelia said the last phrase in a low, melodic voice, mocking the etiquette teacher that Alanna had met earlier that day.
Alanna smirked. "Thank you very much, Cordelia of Goldenlake."
"You're very welcome, Alanna of Trebond. I hope to see you during your stay here on a less formal occasion perhaps?"
"I would love to." She answered, and walked to her new table group, almost prepared for the next 6 years.
~
~CJ~
