The bell at the Hub rang early the next morning, pulling many a weary
traveler form their bed before they would have liked to be up and about.
The cottage was quiet, no one except Lark was awake, and certainly not out
of their rooms. Lark smiled lightly, humming softly, she started the
porridge. A soft noise behind her made her turn Sandry smiled.
"May I help you Lark?" she asked.
Lark glanced around the kitchen, and then looked back at her student. "If you're willing to cut fruit, and set the table, I'd appreciate it."
Sandry nodded and began to get the dishes out. She pulled the benches from under the table, and neatly began to set the dishes.
"Here," said a voice, taking the dishes from her. "I'll set the table, you go make breakfast."
Sandry smiled at Daja. "Thanks," she told her sister.
"So, what do you know about these people coming?" Daja asked as Lark shooed them into the sitting room. "I'm guessing you've heard about it from your uncle?"
Sandry shook her head, her braids lightly slapping her cheeks. "This is the first I've heard of it."
"Surprise then for all huh?" Daja asked.
Sandry nodded. "I guess. I'm anxious to meet these people."
"Yeah, we've never really had much to do with Tortall, I mean we know it exists, but that's about it."
"I've heard stories, but I don't know how much truth they hold. Maybe Tris would know more," Sandry offered. "I'll bet she's read a thing or two on this place."
The chatter of girls came to the older mage's ears, and both smiled. "They seem to be getting along all right," Daja said.
"Yes they do," Sandry agreed. "Lark? Is breakfast ready?" she called.
"Anyone want to come eat?" Lark called.
Daja and Sandry were first to the table, the others joining them quickly.
"How'd you two get here so fast?" Briar demanded.
"We, unlike some of you, actually got up and out of bad at a reasonable time" Daja scolded her brother.
"Ha, well, some of us have spent days and nights for the last year chasing down a certain student of mine who would not listen to me and Rosethorn saying she had magic and had to be taught," he retorted.
A knock at the door ended the conversation at the table. Lark rose swiftly, and opened the door. "Dedicate Moonstream," the others heard her exclaim. "Please, come in, we are eating, if you'd like anything."
Moonstream smiled. "No need for me to go eating anything, you'll all need the energy for the party tonight. You're all invited; it's to welcome the delegation from Tortall. It's all night, for the most part, and you can come and go when you will. No showing off, obviously, and have some respect. Very few Tortallans have ever been here."
"Of course, they'll all be on their best behavior, "Rosethorn promised, with a glance at the children.
"We can do nothing more than try," Sandry joked.
Even Rosethorn smiled. "She's got a point, seeing as how Briar is here, and probably already creating schemes."
Briar rose, "I'm going to go continue my planning, that you have now discovered," he said, pretending to be mortified that anyone had discovered what he had supposedly doing.
Lark laughed. "well, seeing as how breakfast in over, and I believe that this group of mages has some cleaning of house and home to do, before anyone is here."
"well, best hurry up, they've arrived, and are waiting for the Duke to finish welcoming them," Moonstream said.
Instantly the mages flew into action. Tris and Nia took over the kitchen, sending Lark out to give Rosethorn a hand.
"SANDRY!!" yelled Evvy from upstairs.
"BRIAR! GIVE ME THAT BACK," came Daja's voice and the sound of running feet.
"Nia," Jory gasped as she flew into the kitchen. "Tris, you both need to get dressed, we're due at the gate in ten minutes."
Tris and Nia looked at each other, then back to Jory. "We're gone," they coursed, racing to their rooms.
"May I help you Lark?" she asked.
Lark glanced around the kitchen, and then looked back at her student. "If you're willing to cut fruit, and set the table, I'd appreciate it."
Sandry nodded and began to get the dishes out. She pulled the benches from under the table, and neatly began to set the dishes.
"Here," said a voice, taking the dishes from her. "I'll set the table, you go make breakfast."
Sandry smiled at Daja. "Thanks," she told her sister.
"So, what do you know about these people coming?" Daja asked as Lark shooed them into the sitting room. "I'm guessing you've heard about it from your uncle?"
Sandry shook her head, her braids lightly slapping her cheeks. "This is the first I've heard of it."
"Surprise then for all huh?" Daja asked.
Sandry nodded. "I guess. I'm anxious to meet these people."
"Yeah, we've never really had much to do with Tortall, I mean we know it exists, but that's about it."
"I've heard stories, but I don't know how much truth they hold. Maybe Tris would know more," Sandry offered. "I'll bet she's read a thing or two on this place."
The chatter of girls came to the older mage's ears, and both smiled. "They seem to be getting along all right," Daja said.
"Yes they do," Sandry agreed. "Lark? Is breakfast ready?" she called.
"Anyone want to come eat?" Lark called.
Daja and Sandry were first to the table, the others joining them quickly.
"How'd you two get here so fast?" Briar demanded.
"We, unlike some of you, actually got up and out of bad at a reasonable time" Daja scolded her brother.
"Ha, well, some of us have spent days and nights for the last year chasing down a certain student of mine who would not listen to me and Rosethorn saying she had magic and had to be taught," he retorted.
A knock at the door ended the conversation at the table. Lark rose swiftly, and opened the door. "Dedicate Moonstream," the others heard her exclaim. "Please, come in, we are eating, if you'd like anything."
Moonstream smiled. "No need for me to go eating anything, you'll all need the energy for the party tonight. You're all invited; it's to welcome the delegation from Tortall. It's all night, for the most part, and you can come and go when you will. No showing off, obviously, and have some respect. Very few Tortallans have ever been here."
"Of course, they'll all be on their best behavior, "Rosethorn promised, with a glance at the children.
"We can do nothing more than try," Sandry joked.
Even Rosethorn smiled. "She's got a point, seeing as how Briar is here, and probably already creating schemes."
Briar rose, "I'm going to go continue my planning, that you have now discovered," he said, pretending to be mortified that anyone had discovered what he had supposedly doing.
Lark laughed. "well, seeing as how breakfast in over, and I believe that this group of mages has some cleaning of house and home to do, before anyone is here."
"well, best hurry up, they've arrived, and are waiting for the Duke to finish welcoming them," Moonstream said.
Instantly the mages flew into action. Tris and Nia took over the kitchen, sending Lark out to give Rosethorn a hand.
"SANDRY!!" yelled Evvy from upstairs.
"BRIAR! GIVE ME THAT BACK," came Daja's voice and the sound of running feet.
"Nia," Jory gasped as she flew into the kitchen. "Tris, you both need to get dressed, we're due at the gate in ten minutes."
Tris and Nia looked at each other, then back to Jory. "We're gone," they coursed, racing to their rooms.
