Chapter Seven

Sophie awoke to the bell that rang throughout the palace. The stone floor was frosty beneath her feet as she reluctantly got out of bed. There was a knock on the door and Sophie answered it after putting her dressing gown on. It was a servant with a bucket of hot water.

"Excuse me, miss. But I have your hot water here." He said.

"Thank you …"

"Jim, miss."

"Thank you, Jim. But from now on you don't have to bring hot water. I believe that cold water would be sufficient."

Jim looked a bit shocked bit nodded and brought her water into the side room before leaving quickly.

Sophie proceeded in getting ready for the day. After washing herself, she put on her new page clothes and headed down to the Mess Hall where she found the Prince already eating his breakfast.

After collecting some porridge and toast she went to sit next to him and the slow gathering of friends that was building up around him. They were talking about the day ahead and the start of classes.

Soon after breakfast the pages made their way to their first class, mathematics.

As Sophie exited out of the Maths classroom she was loaded down with an extra five problems to finish before the next class tomorrow. Sophie came out of reading and Writing with a chapter that was to be reported on the next day. After that it was time to go to History. Everyone seemed to hurry into the History classroom.

As Sophie entered she found the room to be filled with maps of countries around the world and sheets of blank paper stuck to the front wall to write things throughout the lesson on. Everyone had been seated for a good five minutes before their teacher entered the room. He put the books that he was carrying down onto the desk that was meant for him before turning around to face the class.

"My name is Sir Myles of Olau and I'm your teacher for the subject called history. We will be studying about what has happened in the history of Tortall and maybe some other countries if you are interested. For the next couple of weeks we will be focusing on the reign of King Jasson II* or as he was more commonly known as, the Empire Builder. Can someone tell me how he achieved this great feat of defeating the lands that we now call our own?"

No one but Prince Liam put his hand up. Myles ignored him. "I am sure that someone knows how. Come on boys." Still the boys were hesitant. Myles continued to ignore Liam so the prince started to wave his hand around. Myles tried again.

"I am sure that at least two people in here know why." He commented patiently. Sophie raised her hand from the back of the room where she was sitting next to the impatient Prince. Myles nodded at her.

"King Jasson achieved defeating these lands by making treaties with those that he could and defeating those that refused to accept him as king."

"Very good, Page Sophie. I knew that someone knew how he did it. Now boys I want you to tell me ..." the class continued and Sophie found out that this was one of the better classes as it was both interesting and entertaining.

The other classes flew by and before she knew it, Sophie was told after everyone had eaten their lunch in the Mess Hall to go back to her room to change for the training down at the courts to begin. As soon as she had changed there was a knock on her door. It opened to reveal the prince grinning evilly at her.

"Come on, Lady Page. It is time to start your real training." He said leading her down the corridor and outside.

This should be interesting, was the only thought that Sophie could understand as she made her way down to the training courts, following Liam.

The first fighting lesson was hand-to-hand combat. Shang Warriors, the Shang Horse and Wildcat taught it. All the pages lined up at one end of the court as they saw the two Shang talking to someone else at the other end. It looked like the adults agreed on something and shook hands. One of the men walked over to them, while the other man and the woman were still immersed in what they were talking about.

"Good afternoon, boys. It is good to see that you are back from your holidays safe and sound. As well as having the Wildcat and I you lucky boys will also get training from Jared. He's the Shang Dragon who's technique in fighting is very different to what most of you are used to as he has travelled plenty around the world, especially in Élan." He announced as the other two adults made their way over to the group of pages.

The Shang Wildcat spoke this time. "Now I want you all to show the proper respect for the Dragon. It is not often that he would take the time out of his busy schedule for boys like you and I hope that you don't disappoint the Horse or me with your actions." She let this sink in before moving on to say, "Now I all want to pay attention to the Dragon as he will be taking you through the warm up. And with that statement both the Horse and the Wildcat went back to set on the fence on the outside of the training court to watch the pages start.

The Dragon looked at all of them in turn, penetrating them with his eyes. He did this for a long time, starting to innerve the pages that were standing in a line when he suddenly and sharply said, "Everyone is to do at least two laps of all the courts. Fourth Year Pages, I want you doing three. Now off to it and no complaining."

The pages slowly started to run around all of the training courts as their teachers sat back and watched. It was twenty minutes later after most of the first, second and third pages had finished and were bent over breathing heavily that the teachers came back to the court.

The Shang horse said to everyone, "First years come over here and Jared and I will teach you how to fall properly. The other years the Shang Horse is wanting to see if you have improved on your high and low punches." The First years moved over to the two adults as the other boys started their exercise. It could be heard from the other side of the courts, the Shang Horse asking each boy rather loudly as to why their high punches were situated somewhere near the chest and their low punches to be in roughly the same spot.

The first years stood and listened as the Dragon explained to them what they were planning on doing.

"The aim of this activity is, when someone pulls you over the head, to land on your feet and not slap the ground with your body as this achieves less time in trying to get up again. But we first need to know how to fall properly before we do this, so I want you to watch carefully at what the Wildcat does as I send her flying."

With that he took hold of the Wildcat's hand and sent her flying. The Wildcat twisted in the air and slapped the ground to break her fall.

'Now, kids. Let's see what you can do..."

Up next was Staff fighting. They were to pair up with someone else in their year level after watching to of the older boys showed them what they were to do. Then it was archery, followed by riding and sword fighting. It was dark by the time Sophie trudged up the steep hill to her room to have a bath before dinner.

The water that the servants had filled up for her was scalding hot and Sophie sank into its warmth gratefully.

It was about fifteen minutes afterwards that she reluctantly got out to get ready for dinner. Wearing just a simple white linen shirt with a brown tunic and breeches, Sophie was plaiting her hair when a knock signalled that someone was at the door.

Finishing off her braid and tying it together with a leather thong, she answered the door. The Prince was standing out the door waiting for her so they could go down to the Mess Hall.

"Ready to go?" Asked Liam.

Sophie nodded and came out of the room, locking the door behind her. Both of them proceeded to the Mess Hall, looking forward to dinner.

End of Chapter

I have no idea how many Jasson kings there have been but I'm going to presume there was one before Jonathan's grandfather.

AN: I know that all the ages are not the same as those of Tamora Pierce's but I'm not going to change them now.

Thank you to all those who have been reading this story and for your patience. Summer Holidays are coming up so I will, hopefully, have more time to spend on these chapters. The exams have also finished as well.

I won't be here next week though as I have camp to go to.

Thank you again for all the reviews, they have really been appreciated.