Song of the Stars
Chapter II
Leianna sighed, sinking into a cerulean damask chairs in the students' dormitory and mentally congratulating herself for surviving yet another morning of combat practice. Just thriving was enough for her. She had succeeded thus far, ever since leaving her native land, the Yinhai Isles, and settling in northern Maren to learn this ancient and sacred art. Now, at twelve years old, she was a shen, the last- and most challenging- rank before becoming a master.
Briskly, the girl wiped beads of sweat from her forehead and leaned toward the mirror to see what another morning's workout had done to her.
The small looking glass was ancient and cracked, clouded from the fog drifting in from the open window, but Leianna examined herself critically. A slender, ivory-skinned girl looked back at her, thin lips quivering from weariness. The large, pensive black eyes of her reflection stared levelly at her, hidden behind a curtain of long black lashes. Her nose was long and thinly bladed, nostrils flaring at the incense perfuming the room. High cheekbones accented cheeks rosy from exertion while sweat-soaked black hair cascaded from its restraining pins. Leianna sighed. This was not the picture of a warrior.
"I look like a weak merchant's daughter or some scholar-in-training," the girl observed quietly, resentfully. "But I suppose that's not far off since half my family are mages or scholars, and before Shang training I would have rather read than fight. I was better at it, at any rate."
"Talking to yourself again?" a wry voice asked behind her.
"What? Corryn!" Leianna spun to face Corryn Diamondstrike, her best friend and fellow shen. Corryn grinned sardonically, twisting one shining chestnut curl around a callused finger. Unlike Leianna, she was tall for her twelve years, broad-shouldered and full-chested, one of the best staff fighters of the shen. Her face was naturally pale, gilded by the faintest hint of a summer tan and accented by soft, full lips and a dusting of cinnamon freckles. Her eyes, set under arched brows, were as large as Leianna's, but they were brown velvet to her friend's black liquid. Fawn eyes, made sharp by the humorous sarcasm glinting in them.
Corryn struck a pose, hands waving dramatically, then leaned against the wall, still smiling ironically. "So, complaining about your heritage again?" she asked cheerfully. "My folks are Tortallan rogues, and you don't find me grumbling."
Leianna sighed. "I wasn't complaining. You know I'm proud of the mages and scholars in my family, and there's my great-grandmother-"
"Leianna Everborne, the phoenix of Shang," her sharp-tongued friend interrupted her. "You were named after her. You told me. So, what's wrong?"
Leianna dusted off her brown tunic, rising to stand beside her friend. "Nothing, really. I was just wondering if I'm, you know, cut out for this."
"What, you mean for Shang? Don't worry about it," Corryn arched an eyebrow fractionally. "You may not be much of a staff-fighting, but you're still a good swordsmen. There's hope for you yet!" The Tortallan girl grinned mischievously. "Of course, you can't hope to compete with me."
Leianna snorted. "Thanks ever so, Corryn. Come on, we're going to be late for breakfast."
Disclaimer: All familiar characters, locations, concepts, etc. belong to Tamora Pierce. The plot, as well any of the above that are unrecognizable as mine,