A/N Yes, yes.I know it's been awhile. I can only say sorry for my
absence, and I'm trying to get back in the swing of things, probably why
this chapter is so short. Please tell me if I've made any character
errors. I don't think I have but I've just picked up typing this story
again, so I might have forgotten a few things. One more tid bit.I've got
another story in the General Section so check it out! With out further
ado..chapter four.
As luck would have it her page training kicked in and she automatically elbowed her father in her stomach and wretched away from his grip when it loosened. She turned just in time to see two more men run from the corner and grabs Smith's arms. He struggled as hard as he could to get away but both of the men, whom she didn't recognize over powered him.
"Let him go!" she cried.
Her father grabbed her by the shoulder and squeezed as he turned her around to face him. "Only if you give us the opal!" he snarled in her face.
Aurora just stared at him, a plan slowly forming in her head, "I'll get it for you.I just.I need some time." she told him. Her father gripped her shoulder harder causing her to wince.
"You'll bring it tonight. Or you won't see your friend over there again," he said smiling maliciously at her. She glanced at Smith and saw his eyes widen in fear but he shouted at her, "Don't ye dare give it up! You hear me Aurora don't ye-" he was hastily cut off mid shout by a hand to the mouth.
"You bring it to the house. You understand me girl?" She nodded and her father and his men disappeared in a blink, taking Smith with them.
Aurora raced back to the palace as fast as she could. Breathing heavily, she entered the servants' door and sped down the corridor until she reached the magic training rooms. Taking a quick glance around she slipped in the empty room, glad that classes had just let out. Her heart pounded in her ears as she swiped a small plain rock from it's sitting place on one of the tables. Carefully she opened one of the windows and slipped the rock in place to prop it open a crack. Then before anyone could see her she hurried back to her rooms, washed up and ran to the evening meal, slipping into her seat just before the bell.
Damion studied Aurora as his friends talked in conversation around him. Something was up. She was picking at her food and not talking much, not that she usually did, but it was even less than usual.
"Hey," Cherdain asked her as he placed a hand on her shoulder which Damion noted caused her to practically jump out of her skin, " Are you feeling better? I didn't mean to make you sick with all that dancing."
"Oh no..I'm fine, thank you," she replied. Cherdain looked as if he were waiting for her to say something else but he finally shrugged and turned back to his conversation with Riarch.
After supper Aurora made her excuses to avoid studying with the boys and quickly made an escape to her room. She changed into the street clothes she'd brought with her to the palace and sat at her desk to do some of her work. Not much was accomplished because she kept eyeing the time candle waiting for just the right moment. She struggled through the math problems. Two candle marks left.
On with the philosophy questions Sir. Myles had asked them about in history. Only half a candle mark had gone by!
Three times her quill tips cracked, from the stress she was forcing on them as she completed a biology chart. Finally the candle flame sank to its mark. It was time to go.
Silently she slipped out of her room. Avoiding open doors where people were studying she took the back corridors until she found a servants door and slipped outside. Creeping close to the castle walls she made it to the classroom section. Slowly and painstakingly so as not to make a sound she removed the rock she'd stuck underneath the windowsill earlier and pulled the window open further. Taking a deep breath she grabbed the ledge and boosted herself up and over into the room, sighing in relief as her feet touched the floor.
Carefully she worked her way across the floor, as quietly as possible until she had reached the worktable where various sorts of low-level mage potions and stones were kept. Her hand, shaking a bit as it reached for a vial was stopped as cold fingers shot out and clamped down over her wrist. A scream ripped through her throat only to be stopped by a hand over her mouth.
"Just what do you think your doing in here?" a harsh voice demanded.
With a sinking feeling, Aurora realized it was Julian.
As luck would have it her page training kicked in and she automatically elbowed her father in her stomach and wretched away from his grip when it loosened. She turned just in time to see two more men run from the corner and grabs Smith's arms. He struggled as hard as he could to get away but both of the men, whom she didn't recognize over powered him.
"Let him go!" she cried.
Her father grabbed her by the shoulder and squeezed as he turned her around to face him. "Only if you give us the opal!" he snarled in her face.
Aurora just stared at him, a plan slowly forming in her head, "I'll get it for you.I just.I need some time." she told him. Her father gripped her shoulder harder causing her to wince.
"You'll bring it tonight. Or you won't see your friend over there again," he said smiling maliciously at her. She glanced at Smith and saw his eyes widen in fear but he shouted at her, "Don't ye dare give it up! You hear me Aurora don't ye-" he was hastily cut off mid shout by a hand to the mouth.
"You bring it to the house. You understand me girl?" She nodded and her father and his men disappeared in a blink, taking Smith with them.
Aurora raced back to the palace as fast as she could. Breathing heavily, she entered the servants' door and sped down the corridor until she reached the magic training rooms. Taking a quick glance around she slipped in the empty room, glad that classes had just let out. Her heart pounded in her ears as she swiped a small plain rock from it's sitting place on one of the tables. Carefully she opened one of the windows and slipped the rock in place to prop it open a crack. Then before anyone could see her she hurried back to her rooms, washed up and ran to the evening meal, slipping into her seat just before the bell.
Damion studied Aurora as his friends talked in conversation around him. Something was up. She was picking at her food and not talking much, not that she usually did, but it was even less than usual.
"Hey," Cherdain asked her as he placed a hand on her shoulder which Damion noted caused her to practically jump out of her skin, " Are you feeling better? I didn't mean to make you sick with all that dancing."
"Oh no..I'm fine, thank you," she replied. Cherdain looked as if he were waiting for her to say something else but he finally shrugged and turned back to his conversation with Riarch.
After supper Aurora made her excuses to avoid studying with the boys and quickly made an escape to her room. She changed into the street clothes she'd brought with her to the palace and sat at her desk to do some of her work. Not much was accomplished because she kept eyeing the time candle waiting for just the right moment. She struggled through the math problems. Two candle marks left.
On with the philosophy questions Sir. Myles had asked them about in history. Only half a candle mark had gone by!
Three times her quill tips cracked, from the stress she was forcing on them as she completed a biology chart. Finally the candle flame sank to its mark. It was time to go.
Silently she slipped out of her room. Avoiding open doors where people were studying she took the back corridors until she found a servants door and slipped outside. Creeping close to the castle walls she made it to the classroom section. Slowly and painstakingly so as not to make a sound she removed the rock she'd stuck underneath the windowsill earlier and pulled the window open further. Taking a deep breath she grabbed the ledge and boosted herself up and over into the room, sighing in relief as her feet touched the floor.
Carefully she worked her way across the floor, as quietly as possible until she had reached the worktable where various sorts of low-level mage potions and stones were kept. Her hand, shaking a bit as it reached for a vial was stopped as cold fingers shot out and clamped down over her wrist. A scream ripped through her throat only to be stopped by a hand over her mouth.
"Just what do you think your doing in here?" a harsh voice demanded.
With a sinking feeling, Aurora realized it was Julian.