Georgina paced up and down the corridor, anxiously waiting for any news of
her missing sister. Every few minutes she rushed to the window and peaked
outside, hoping to catch a glimpse of Alanna.
After what seemed like hours later, Georgina's luck changed as she noticed two dark figures on horses strolling towards the convent in the distance. Convinced that this had to be her troublesome sister returning from her journey, Georgina raced down the flights of stairs, almost ripping the hem of her dress, and swung the door open with an almighty bang.
Surely enough, Alanna and her friend Dana were trudging up the path towards her, after leaving their horses in the stables. Georgina looked down her nose at them both in disgust as she walked up to them. Not only had they run away from the convent without permission, they were wearing old breeches and loose shirts. To make matters worse, their poor behaviour had gotten her into trouble as well!
"What were you two thinking," she screamed at them from the top of her lungs, "leaving the convent without telling anyone? I've been out of my mind worrying where you'd got to! Skipping music and writing classes, the priestesses are going to kill you! And now I'm going to be punished too, for not telling them you'd gone..." she yelled before taking a few breaths and lowering her tone to a soft whisper. "Alanna, I thought you were going to behave yourself here. Obviously I was wrong, I have never been more ashamed of you in my life. Please do try not to cause anymore trouble, I can't cover for you again..."
Pausing briefly, she realised their eager faces and smiles had turned to frowns and were now staring hard at the ground, obviously aware of the mess they'd made. Knowing she had gotten through to them, she turned on her heel to walk back inside, but instead found Priestess Achenar blocking the doorway.
"Could you girls please accompany me to the head priestess office."
It was a not a question, it was an order, and so all three silently followed her, not wishing to contemplate the punishment in store for them.
A few hours later, Thom was back with his friends in Jon's chambers, discussing the events of the day.
"There is no way I can finish all the work the mithran priest gave me today! I'm already behind as it is. Plus I have that essay on the civil war to complete. Do they ever give us a break!" groaned Raoul as he slumped against Jon's bookcase
"Well If you got your act together Raoul and actually did something, you wouldn't have such problems" smirked Alex from his chair on the opposite side of the room
"Not all of us are teacher's pets Alex, although you have to wonder how Thom managed to get off so lightly, he has less work to finish than all of us!" complained Raoul yet again.
Grinning at Raoul's last comment, Thom realised he was right. All his teachers had been delighted to find he could read and write, and were clearly impressed by his wide range of knowledge. He was rather exceptional in maths and knew many dates of famous tortallan battles. Having a scholar as a father had at last proved to be useful.
"Do you have to exaggerate everything so? I still have a lot" he said with a smile.
"Well hopefully you aren't so excellent in wrestling, archery or sword fighting, or we're going to look pathetic next to you!"
Grimacing at this, Thom thought that they couldn't be any closer to the truth. Sure he had a good mind and could calculate figures well, but any form of fighting and he was hopeless. He could hardly string a bow, let along shoot it, and his ability in a sword ring was enough to make a grown man cry. What was even worse was the fact that he had his first sword lesson tomorrow morning. Nothing could have dampened his mood more quickly.
Excusing himself from Jon's room, he slowly made his way back to his own. Not having the energy to get changed, he flopped down on his bed and snugged down deep in the covers. For the first time since his arrival, he was starting to regret his decision not to swap with Alanna...
A few hours later, Alanna stomped into her room and collapsed in a chair. Her feet were aching and her hands were red and sore. Priestess Rigel had been deeply unimpressed with Alanna and Dana. After a full on lecture on "the proper behaviour for a lady " they had been punished with hours of mucking out the stables and cleaning the halls and corridors. Alanna did not see how this was making them more ladylike, when it was the chores the maids usually did.
Alanna hadn't actually mind the work so much, it was just that it it hurt more to see Georgina being subjected to the same punishment when she had done nothing wrong. She hadn't said a word to Alanna the whole afternoon and acted as though she didn't exist. Alanna was used to Georgina sulking or cracking a tantrum but had never seen her so helpless and sullen looking. Even Dana seemed forlorn and was unwilling to speak to her. She had never felt so alone in her life.
Drowning in her misery, she suddenly remembered her meeting with Sir Antony the next day. Could she still go? Would it be possible to leave the convent unnoticed? Getting out her chair she slumped in front of her trunk and rummaged around in the mess to find her timetable. Glancing at the next day's events, she had dancing lessons then scripture classes in the morning and a music lesson in the evening, giving her a three-hour break in between. Seeing as this was her only chance to get out of the convent tomorrow, she decided that would be the time.
So with thoughts of swords and dashing knights running through her mind she hurriedly dressed into her nightgown and fell asleep before her head even hit the pillow
After what seemed like hours later, Georgina's luck changed as she noticed two dark figures on horses strolling towards the convent in the distance. Convinced that this had to be her troublesome sister returning from her journey, Georgina raced down the flights of stairs, almost ripping the hem of her dress, and swung the door open with an almighty bang.
Surely enough, Alanna and her friend Dana were trudging up the path towards her, after leaving their horses in the stables. Georgina looked down her nose at them both in disgust as she walked up to them. Not only had they run away from the convent without permission, they were wearing old breeches and loose shirts. To make matters worse, their poor behaviour had gotten her into trouble as well!
"What were you two thinking," she screamed at them from the top of her lungs, "leaving the convent without telling anyone? I've been out of my mind worrying where you'd got to! Skipping music and writing classes, the priestesses are going to kill you! And now I'm going to be punished too, for not telling them you'd gone..." she yelled before taking a few breaths and lowering her tone to a soft whisper. "Alanna, I thought you were going to behave yourself here. Obviously I was wrong, I have never been more ashamed of you in my life. Please do try not to cause anymore trouble, I can't cover for you again..."
Pausing briefly, she realised their eager faces and smiles had turned to frowns and were now staring hard at the ground, obviously aware of the mess they'd made. Knowing she had gotten through to them, she turned on her heel to walk back inside, but instead found Priestess Achenar blocking the doorway.
"Could you girls please accompany me to the head priestess office."
It was a not a question, it was an order, and so all three silently followed her, not wishing to contemplate the punishment in store for them.
A few hours later, Thom was back with his friends in Jon's chambers, discussing the events of the day.
"There is no way I can finish all the work the mithran priest gave me today! I'm already behind as it is. Plus I have that essay on the civil war to complete. Do they ever give us a break!" groaned Raoul as he slumped against Jon's bookcase
"Well If you got your act together Raoul and actually did something, you wouldn't have such problems" smirked Alex from his chair on the opposite side of the room
"Not all of us are teacher's pets Alex, although you have to wonder how Thom managed to get off so lightly, he has less work to finish than all of us!" complained Raoul yet again.
Grinning at Raoul's last comment, Thom realised he was right. All his teachers had been delighted to find he could read and write, and were clearly impressed by his wide range of knowledge. He was rather exceptional in maths and knew many dates of famous tortallan battles. Having a scholar as a father had at last proved to be useful.
"Do you have to exaggerate everything so? I still have a lot" he said with a smile.
"Well hopefully you aren't so excellent in wrestling, archery or sword fighting, or we're going to look pathetic next to you!"
Grimacing at this, Thom thought that they couldn't be any closer to the truth. Sure he had a good mind and could calculate figures well, but any form of fighting and he was hopeless. He could hardly string a bow, let along shoot it, and his ability in a sword ring was enough to make a grown man cry. What was even worse was the fact that he had his first sword lesson tomorrow morning. Nothing could have dampened his mood more quickly.
Excusing himself from Jon's room, he slowly made his way back to his own. Not having the energy to get changed, he flopped down on his bed and snugged down deep in the covers. For the first time since his arrival, he was starting to regret his decision not to swap with Alanna...
A few hours later, Alanna stomped into her room and collapsed in a chair. Her feet were aching and her hands were red and sore. Priestess Rigel had been deeply unimpressed with Alanna and Dana. After a full on lecture on "the proper behaviour for a lady " they had been punished with hours of mucking out the stables and cleaning the halls and corridors. Alanna did not see how this was making them more ladylike, when it was the chores the maids usually did.
Alanna hadn't actually mind the work so much, it was just that it it hurt more to see Georgina being subjected to the same punishment when she had done nothing wrong. She hadn't said a word to Alanna the whole afternoon and acted as though she didn't exist. Alanna was used to Georgina sulking or cracking a tantrum but had never seen her so helpless and sullen looking. Even Dana seemed forlorn and was unwilling to speak to her. She had never felt so alone in her life.
Drowning in her misery, she suddenly remembered her meeting with Sir Antony the next day. Could she still go? Would it be possible to leave the convent unnoticed? Getting out her chair she slumped in front of her trunk and rummaged around in the mess to find her timetable. Glancing at the next day's events, she had dancing lessons then scripture classes in the morning and a music lesson in the evening, giving her a three-hour break in between. Seeing as this was her only chance to get out of the convent tomorrow, she decided that would be the time.
So with thoughts of swords and dashing knights running through her mind she hurriedly dressed into her nightgown and fell asleep before her head even hit the pillow
