The loud, cheerful chime of bells rudely awakened Caelin from a pleasantly dreamless sleep; ironically, the first night Caelin hadn't had nightmares since leaving Harowyn was interrupted much too soon. Caelin fumbled her way out of the many blankets and the haven the comfortable bed had provided and was met immediately by Baron. He launched himself across the room and accosted her ear, obviously starved and horribly mistreated.
"Drat you, bird, I'm trying! I'm new here too, you know. And I think you're just going to have to go see Daine to get some breakfast, or hunt for your own. I can't have you coming into breakfast with me, not today at least. Imagine what an impression that would make."
Baron glared at her indignantly with golden eyes before ruffling his feathers in her face and flying out the slightly cracked open window, drawing whistles of complaint from the sparrows nesting outside. Obviously, he didn't care much about first impressions. Moaning again, Caelin fumbled around the room until she found her new uniform; tan leggings, tanned leather boots, cream shirt, and blue tunic to go over it all. It took her longer than usual to dress as she tried to figure out the proper way to wear her new attire. By the time she was satisfied with her clothes and had tied her hair away from her face, she could hear boys calling out to each other as they rushed to breakfast.
Caelin gathered her courage and stepped outside the comfort of her room, looking around for any sign of pranks or traps; Salma had warned her of the pranks that would be played on her, and she just hoped she could get through the first day without any mishaps. Caelin didn't need to remember how to find her way to the students' dining hall; all she had to do was follow the stream of boys all dressed in either page, squire, healer, or mage uniforms.
Once she had reached the dining hall, she was quick to take in her surroundings. Everywhere, boys were gathering in groups determined by age and the color uniform they wore. Most were staring at boys who followed a different discipline with scorn or dislike. In the center of the hall, a small group of girls looked around eagerly, giggling together. They all wore healing green, and were nobles from their manner. Mixed in among the pages were two girls with hair cropped short and dressed the same as the other lads. The younger of the two stuck close to the elder, and seemed to be unsure of her companions, but the older of the two moved with experience among the boys. She had obviously been a page for some time, and was comfortable with the boys.
Caelin surveyed her options grimly. The noble healer girls would never allow her to sit with them since she was only a poor commoner. The female pages were sticking close to the other pages, and had just as much dislike for their new peers as the other pages. The only other group she could consider joining was the knot of a dozen boys in midnight blue tunics identical to her own, and Caelin didn't have enough courage to approach them. Doubtless they would be less than pleased with the new addition to their ranks.
Sighing, Caelin positioned herself in a corner and watched all the young people milling about. She had never seen so many youths her own age before, particularly boys, and it was interesting to watch the way they interacted. Even among the pages, for example, there seemed to be a pecking order. The youngest pages were jostled about, although none of them were actually physically hurt, and the eldest kept a tight rein on their younger cohorts. There was camaraderie among them that was a pleasure to watch, as if they knew their place in the world and were happy the way they were.
I wonder if I'll ever feel that way.
Gradually a hush fell over the hall as a man wearing worn practice clothes walked into the hall, flanked by two other attendants, one in green and one in blue. The first man had dark, chestnut skin, darker eyes, midnight black hair, and moved with a lion's grace. His face was stern, but not without compassion, and his mouth was quirked in a half grin. He surveyed the students surrounding him, searching among them for the pages, who would be his responsibility. Once he had reached the raised table where nobles and instructors sat, Padraig haMinch cleared his throat and the rest of the chatter ceased.
"I understand that for you older students, this is a bit of a change," he began in a deep, smooth voice, "but we ask that all of you cooperate to make these changes a success. Be assured that those who don't will find themselves knee deep in punishment work. All of you are here to develop your own specific talents, and to learn how to work with others to best serve your kingdom. Learn to live with your fellow students, whether they study the same discipline as you do or not, because your life and the lives of your friends will most likely one day depend on your learning and theirs."
The man took a breath and looked at the pages. "First-year pages, step forward." Once the pages had complied, Lord haMinch looked at them critically, but not unkindly. "You will be receiving a sponsor from one of the older pages. They will look after you and teach you about life in the palace. Give your name, and then I ask that one of you older pages volunteer to sponsor. Remember, sponsors are excluded from some chores as they teach the younger pages."
As the first-years began announcing their names, there was no lack of volunteers among the elder pages to sponsor them. Even if they the older pages didn't get out of some of the normal page's chores, sponsoring pages from other noble families was an easy way to make friendships and alliances. Caelin was most interested in listening to the names of the new pages; to her, hearing names of the oldest noble families in the realm spoken as if they were commonplace astounded her. When Thom of Trebond, Olau, and Pirate's Swoop, the eldest son of the Lioness agreed to sponsor the last new page, Caelin couldn't help but stare at the brilliant redhead. He seemed normal enough, but anyone that had such famous parents was probably either ridiculously talented or arrogant beyond belief.
Once all the new pages had been taken care of, Lord haMinch turned his attention to the other students. "I expect the older healers and mages to look after the younger students as well. You will attend classes with the pages, and then go to your respective areas of the palace. All chores and punishments apply to you, and any miscreants will answer to me. Be a credit to your teachers and your families; that is all we ask." Lord haMinch then clasped his hands together and asked Mithros to bless his charges with compassion and understanding. Once the prayer was over, the students wasted no time in beginning their breakfasts.
Caelin reluctantly moved out of her corner and hesitantly sat at the far end of the table filled with mage students. Her arrival was greeted with scornful silence as the boys reminded her who she was by moving away from her and otherwise completely ignoring her presence. Warmth flooded Caelin's cheeks, but she refused to allow them to see how upset she was. Even though the fruit she was given had the most soft spots, she was given the crust of the bread, and the cheese had a small spot of mold on it, it was still the best food she'd ever eaten, she was determined not to utter a word of complaint.
As the boys worked hard at ignoring her, Caelin studied them from beneath the cover of her long eyelashes. The age of the students ranged from a very small twelve-year-old to a group of four young men who had to be around seventeen or eighteen, and probably in their last year of studies. She knew that every student at the table had a powerful Gift, and every one of them came from the most powerful noble families in the realm.
Caelin looked down at her work-roughened hands and sighed. There was nothing she could do to make them accept her, so she would just have to learn to live with only Baron as her friend. At least he only complained about being hungry and neglected; he had a generally low opinion of most humans in the world, which meant Caelin was a step above the rest.
Half an hour after Lord haMinch had said the blessing on the meal, a bell tolled signaling the end of breakfast. Caelin followed the rest of the mages as they dropped their trays off at the end of the table and then trotted to keep up with them as the students bunched together in a mass exodus out of the dining hall. As Caelin was trying to pay attention to where she was going, she didn't notice the booted foot stuck out in front of her. Suddenly she was flying through the air, and would have landed in a lump on the ground if a pair of steady hands hadn't caught her.
Breathing heavily, Caelin looked up into dark gray eyes and an extremely handsome and oddly familiar face. He was about seventeen and dressed in the garb of a squire. Caelin waited for an insult or a glare, but neither was forthcoming. The young man simply nodded and smiled slightly before slipping back into the crowd. Caelin had no time to wonder about the event, because the students had reached the classrooms, and were being greeted by harried looking Mithran priests. The priests managed to divide the students into groups by age, and Caelin was ushered into a large classroom filled with books and desks. In the front of the room, a priest was opening up a book and peering at the students with rheumy eyes. He looked to be around eighty years old, was completely bald, and his back was hunched over from a lifetime of carrying heavy books.
The priest delivered a dry speech on the importance of mathematics for people, be them warrior, scholar, or healer, and then set the students to working on complicated problems involving supplying armies and villages. It had never occurred to Caelin that mathematics went beyond adding and subtracting, and she was surprised to find that she was actually interested in the scenarios. There was just one small problem; from the very first, she was completely bewildered by the long sets of numbers and complex procedures needed to find the right answers. The students were supposed to finish five of the problems by the end of the hour, and Caelin hadn't been able to get past the first.
When the bell rang to signal the end of the class, the priest called the students up to the front to deliver their work and pick up their assignment for the night, which was four more of the supply problems. Caelin waited until the rest of the students had left before approaching the priest, filled with shame by her ignorance. "Well, did you complete your problems?" The priest asked in a crotchety voice when Caelin didn't hand him her work right away.
"No, sir," she responded, trying to keep her voice from trembling. "I have only learned how to add and subtract, sir. I don't understand these problems."
The priest frowned and looked more closely at her. "Oh yes, I heard about you. The commoner trying to be a mage. Obviously, you haven't been educated; what commoner has? From now on, you will study with the youngest group of students when coming to learn mathematics. We will build your knowledge from there. Doubtless," he continued in his dry voice, "the other teachers will order similar changes. Go on, I expect you have another class. It would not be prudent of you to waste my colleagues' time," he admonished in a way that suggested she was already wasting his precious time.
Caelin bobbed her head to the priest and tried not to scowl as she exited the class amidst the trickle of new students entering the room. Luckily, the teacher for her next class was waiting outside the classroom, and ushered her in the door with yet another frown. He was the teacher of deportment and etiquette, and once he had welcomed the class, he had the students work on the proper bows for nobles of different rank. The students were put into groups of four to practice.
Minutes into the practice, Caelin still hadn't found a group, and realized that she was the odd number out. As she trudged again to the front of the class, wondering if the blush on her face was going to be a common occurrence, the teacher, Master Oakbridge, noticed her and sighed in annoyance. "I was wondering when I would have the pleasure of meeting you. Obviously, you won't have learned any of the most basic manners essential to life in the palace. From now on, report to my class with the youngest students, and take this book. I expect you to read a chapter of this every night and be able to report on it to me in the mornings. You may begin reading the book for the remainder of the class."
Did all teachers enjoy the word obviously? Again schooling her face to not reveal the resentment burning inside her chest, Caelin returned to her seat with the book. It seemed to her that everyone in the palace, with the exception of Daine and Numair, believed commoners to be ignorant, incapable, utterly undeserving of their attention and concern. Caelin stuffed down her anger and satisfied it by imagining Master Oakbridge mucking out the palace stables.
Thinking like that will get me nowhere, Caelin thought to herself as she opened up the book. I should just get used to the fact that no one will ever accept me and try to learn as much as I can. I've never had friends anyway, so why should I need them now? Still, the thought rang hollow even in her mind.
The rest of the morning passed in a similar fashion; as the priest teaching mathematics had predicted, every single teacher ordered her to begin her studies with the youngest students. Finally, only one class remained before the end of the morning. Caelin entered the room dejectedly, expecting yet another stern priest. Instead, she found an older man with a shaggy beard and a kind face. He introduced himself as Sir Myles of Olau, which Caelin decided was probably for her benefit, since the other boys obviously knew Sir Myles and were excited about his class.
Sir Myles taught about the history of Tortall, including important battles, famous kings, and foreign diplomacy. Most of the names and places were completely new to Caelin, but Sir Myles always made sure to point places out on the map and explain in detail the important people the class was discussing. If she kept her attention focused, she was able to follow most of the topics, and mercifully, Sir Myles refrained from calling on her.
At the end of the class, though, the teacher asked her to stay behind for a moment before going to lunch. The boys snickered as they exited, probably glad that they would be rid of her in all of their classes. Caelin approached Sir Myles and wound her hands behind her back, waiting for the usual 'obviously' and dismissal. Instead, Sir Myles motioned for her to sit down and looked at her with kind eyes.
"I can see from your face that you expect another set of reprimands, but fortunately, you won't be finding them here. I would just like to welcome you to the palace, since I expect no one else has thought to do so." He nodded ever so slightly when he saw the expression on Caelin's face. "I wish I could teach the boys here humility, but I'm afraid they wouldn't listen to anything I told them. Battles and important events are all very well, but as soon as I talk about chivalry and a noble's responsibility..." he sighed. "You'll have to prove to them through hard work and determination that you are worthy of their friendship and trust. It won't be easy, but it can be done. All I want to do is help you on your way to achieving that respect."
Caelin's mouth had formed a slight 'o' of surprise. She had never expected such an offer, and especially not from one of the most powerful and rich nobles in the realm. Myles chuckled quietly at her expression and folded his hands on his desk. "I don't know if you are aware, but my adoptive daughter is Sir Alanna, the King's Champion. I am also friends with Sir Keladry, and have been doing my best to make the acquaintance of Fianola and Ravara, the two female pages. Some of my closest friends are thieves, including my daughter's husband, George, who used to be the king of thieves. I don't hold your birth against you, and I believe that if you truly want to, you will achieve great things. If you ever need a friendly ear or help with your studies, don't hesitate to come and find me; generally, I'm hiding in my rooms nursing a glass of wine in the evenings or with my wife, Eleni. Now run along, you'll need lunch if you want to have a hope of making it through your afternoon classes."
Stammering a few words of thanks, Caelin dropped a wobbly curtsy before rushing from the room, completely stunned by Sir Myles's generosity. At least she had one friend now. Lunch passed in much the same manner as breakfast had. Once half an hour had passed, the students separated to go to their respective classes. The pages filed out with dejection, facing hours of grueling work with weapons and riding. The older pages especially were dreading the workout, since they had all been loaded down with lead weights. Caelin kept close to the group of students in blue as they passed down through the palace halls. Caelin had to force herself to keep walking when they passed by Numair's suite of rooms. Eventually they reached a set of classrooms located at the far end of Numair's hall. A tall man wearing dark blue that had been standing with Lord haMinch in the morning was waiting for the students; as soon as they reached him, he ushered them into the room, waving a hand to indicate that they should sit.
Caelin took a seat in the back of the classroom as she had in the morning, and studied their instructor. The man had muddy brown hair and a pale face, but his eyes were sharp and watchful. He was about forty years old, and whipcord thin, without an extra ounce of fat on his body. Behind him were two other men in dark blue, probably his assistants. One was in his late twenties, with gray, sallow skin and an irritable expression on his face. He surveyed the students with critical eyes that seemed to find them all wanting in one way or another. The second was none other than Prince Roald; apparently, he had never taught the mage students before, because his appearance was the source of many whispers among the waiting boys. Eventually, the first man lifted a hand for silence.
"Welcome to your first day at Magewinds. For those of you that are new here, I am Lord Pyrmon of Malia, and will be your main instructor in the magical arts. Siryan of Queenscove is my assistant, and I expect you to treat him with as much respect as you should treat me. Also, Prince Roald will be helping teach for a few weeks, just until the rest of the teachers return from their respective posts. Today will be a fairly easy day; you will be split into groups, and one of us will test each of you. For the older students, this is to see if your Gifts have increased or changed in any manner over the break. For those students that are just joining us, we will ascertain the strengths of your Gift so we may concentrate on training you accordingly. Realize, all of you, that training to be a mage is not easy work. You will be just as tired and bone weary as the pages for all their crazy weapons training, and some of you may not succeed. The life of a sorcerer is dangerous, especially when you tamper with forces no mortal should control. Control and realizing the limit of your abilities is essential. But for those of you who do succeed, be assured that you will be among the finest sorcerers in Tortall, and well equipped to serve your king and fellow countrymen."
Lord Pyrmon sighed, and Caelin got the feeling that he meant his warning, and was expecting some of the students to fail. She was determined not to be one of them. The students were split into groups, and to Caelin's distress, she was placed with the mean-faced Siryan. She couldn't believe that he was related to Dom in any way. The hours ticked by slowly with no one to talk to, as one by one the students were called into a separate room to be tested.
Caelin was aware that several of the boys were staring at her with curiosity. She would have talked to them, but she was determined not to be the one to make the first move. Nobles were supposed to be more polite than commoners anyway, although she suspected that she had more manners than most of them put together. Lady Seldina had made sure Caelin was always polite and considerate to others, no matter what they did to provoke her. Of course, at the palace there was no Lady Seldina to make her watch her manners, and Caelin wondered how long it would be before she lost her temper and told one of the high and mighty nobles exactly what she thought of them. Looking at the other boys, she could take pride in the fact that at least she could remain still and quiet while they fidgeted.
"Caelin of Harowyn? Come in." The barely hidden disgust in Siryan's voice made the other boys giggle behind their hands. Caelin ignored them and walked into the small room set aside for testing. Siryan was sitting at a desk, and Caelin employed the empty chair across from him for her own use. As soon as she sat, Siryan said, "Since you haven't had any proper training, you obviously won't be able to perform even the simplest spells." Obviously. I really could learn to hate that word ."Can you do anything at all?"
"Sir, I'm afraid I can't do anything until the shields Master Numair put on my magic are taken off."
"Oh, give me your hand." Siryan took Caelin's hand and sat for a good five minutes with his eyes squeezed shut, a look of deep concentration on his face, which only made him more dour and unattractive. No matter how hard he tried, Caelin didn't feel the touch of another mind on her own, which she had felt when Numair placed the shields. For that, she was thankful, as she had no desire to come into any more contact with Siryan than she needed to. Finally he let go and gave her a look of embarrassment mingled with extreme dislike. "I can't take Numair's shields off, they're too complicated. Report to Lord Pyrmon when the bell rings."
Siryan swept out of the room, his robes billowing behind him, and immediately began harassing the chattering boys, who had given up trying to be quiet. Once Siryan dragged off the boys he suspected to be ringleaders, Caelin left the room and returned to her seat. Clearly, the boys wanted to know what she had done to instigate Siryan so much, but since they still refused to actually acknowledge her presence, Caelin decided smugly, she wouldn't tell them a thing.
Once the bell rang signaling the end of their afternoon studies, Caelin approached Lord Pyrmon. When she coughed nervously, the man looked up curiously, wondering why one of his young students had remained behind. "Please, sir, Instructor Siryan told me to come to you to have Numair's shields taken off and to be tested."
"Oh yes, I should have remembered that at the beginning of the afternoon. Why didn't you speak up, girl? This will only take a moment." Lord Pyrmon set down the papers he was looking through and frowned in concentration. This time, Caelin immediately felt an alien presence in her mind. The invisible barriers came down one by one, and the feeling of standing on the edge of a cliff returned in full force. As Lord Pyrmon withdrew from her mind, Caelin began to tremble. What if she lost control again? It was only a matter of time.
"You're worried that you'll use your magic to hurt someone again, is that it?" Caelin looked up from the ground into Lord Pyrmon's concerned eyes. "I imagine that without any control over your Gift, life can be somewhat interesting at times. Am I correct?" Caelin's red face was answer enough for the instructor. "I may be able to help you gain some control over yourself, if you don't mind giving up some of your free time before dinner to learn."
"Would you? I never know when I'm going to lose control and blast someone. It never happened before that night, but now that I know I can do it, it could happen any time, I think."
"This won't be an easy solution," Lord Pyrmon warned her, "it takes time and dedication. You need to practice this every night, or you're never going to succeed in controlling your magic. I'm going to teach you how to meditate. Meditation helps you clear your mind when you need to, and you learn how to keep a mental control over your Gift, as opposed to just acting based on need. Sit down, close your eyes, and breathe in for five counts, and then out."
Caelin obeyed, wondering how breathing exercises would help give her control over her Gift, but she didn't question Lord Pyrmon. After several minutes of slow breaths, he said, "Now I'm going to help you do this the first time; after that, you'll need to learn how to work this yourself. Usually, meditation is just a relaxation technique, but it can also be a very useful way to organize the mind."
Abruptly, it felt like a pair of guiding hands had entered her mind. Caelin followed the hands until they reached the very core of her being, where a pool of turquoise blue fire sparkled and leaped. With every jump, the fire splashed around, melting into other parts of her mind. The hands showed Caelin how to form a barrier to keep the blue fire where it belonged, so it couldn't explode without her consent. The shields wouldn't impede magical work when she needed it, but they would prevent dangerous accidents.
Caelin blinked and opened her eyes when she felt the hands leave. Once again, she felt like she had when Numair had put the shields on the day before, but this time, there was no taint of foreign magic left behind; just Caelin. A bubbling feeling pervaded around her, and she puzzled over it until she realized that it was pride; pride in her accomplishment.
Lord Pyrmon refused to accept Caelin's heartfelt thanks. "Helping you if part of my duty, youngling. One who has such a powerful Gift, and has been through so much, deserves any help I can give. Now go on, I'm sure you have plenty of work to catch up on from this morning." Lord Pyrmon mock frowned and waved her away with a long, pale hand.
Caelin grinned and trotted out of the room, feeling much better than she had all day. Already she had learned her first piece of useful magic. As she walked down the hall towards her room, Caelin wondered what the future would bring to her in the palace.