Disclaimer: I own nothing but my pink Pj's and Devon!
Alanna and Devon stared wide eyed at the many both and vendors that lined the streets. Some stared as wide eyed as them, others shoved their goods under peoples noses shouting at them to buy.
"Watch your purses" Coram said loudly "there are some who would steal from their own mothers!"
The comment seemed directed at a tall young man of about 17. The young man grinned at them.
"Who me?" He laughed and blended back into the crowd.
"Devon" Coram said, "Alanna and I are going to the palace. I'll meet you at the palace gate in three and a half hours. Go and see if you can find information on the Shang."
With a nod Devon watched them ride off before leading Red to a stable. After dismounting she handed her money to a thin boy with messy brown hair and pale brown eyes.
"Do you know anything of the Shang?" Devon asked hesetently
"Sure do miss," he said blithely "The Shang Wolf visits here every two or three months when he doesn't have students. He's an odd one, lives in the city sometimes. Usually he spends time in his cottage in the royal forest. He took on a student not long ago. A little city lass."
Devon praised the gods silently for her luck. "Where can I find them."
"Like I said miss they live right on the edge of the royal forest." He looked thoughtful. "The girl comes into town to get milk and bread every day. Wait around that stand over there."
"Thank you." Devon said
"Not a problem miss." He smiled "I like you. You got this look to you. Like you're a step ahead of the rest of the world. My name is Noah"
"I'm Devon," She said with a smile
"If you ever need help look me up, miss Devon. Any of the stable folk will know me"
With a nod he set about his work.
Devon waited for two hours at the milk seller's stand. It was nearly 2 hours after noon when a small blonde girl walked towards the stand. She was slender and tall for a girl. Her eyes where dark brown in contrast to her pale blonde hair. She had a small button nose and a mouth made for smiling. She carried a basket with some bread and other various items in it.
Devon watched as she paid for a bottle of milk and turned to leave
"Excuse me?"
The blonde turned and looked down at Devon. She was almost 5 inches taller than Devon and she didn't have and extra 2 inches of boot like Devon did.
"Yes?"
"I was wondering if you could tell me where to find the Shang wolf"
The girl raised and eye brow
"I could tell you" She said "But I won't. He's my teacher."
"I'd like to now if he could teach me too."
The girl frowned and looked at Devon closer. After a moment she nodded.
"Where are you staying"
Devon thought for a moment
"No where for now but I'm going to the palace" She answered
"Fine than meet me in the yards after dark."
Without another word she turned and walked away.
Devon walked down the hall toward where the nice servant, Timon, had said she would find the pages wing. She heard screams and ran closer. Just in time to see a tall blonde boy push Alanna into a wall. She screamed in rage and butted the blonde boy in the back. Grabbing his hair and going down on top of him. He pushed her off and she fell back into a basket of laundry that was waiting for the maids to take and get washed. Peeking out she saw Alanna charge the boy and get pushed off.
"What's this?"
The voice was young and male. Many of the pages that moved to make way for the dark haired boy and his friends bowed. The blonde boy looked up.
"Highness, this boy was acting as if he owned the palace," He whined "King of the castle he was and he insulted me"
Devon threw a dirty shirt at the blonde boy. His head shot up and he looked around. A few boys giggled but none spoke.
"I didn't speak to you, Ralon of Malven, I believe I told you never to speak to me at all."
"But-"
"Shut up, Ralon" Instructed one of the boy called Highness's friends. He was tall with tightly curling brown hair and coal black eyes. "You've got your orders"
The boy who looked to be in charge looked around with calm blue eyes. "Douglass?"
The stocky blonde boy stepped forward with a frown. "He quickly explained what happened, but his attention seemed divided. While the others spoke to Alanna and the boy who she know knew to be prince Jonathan asked if anyone would sponsor her, the boy called Douglass turned and looked in her direction. She met his eyes from over the edge of the basket. Devon stared at him steadily; he looked from her to Alanna but said nothing. As their group turned to leave he nodded and smiled. Alanna looked at her too, however she was frowning. Devon had a feeling she would hear from her sister tonight, and none of the words would be thanks.
Alanna and Devon stared wide eyed at the many both and vendors that lined the streets. Some stared as wide eyed as them, others shoved their goods under peoples noses shouting at them to buy.
"Watch your purses" Coram said loudly "there are some who would steal from their own mothers!"
The comment seemed directed at a tall young man of about 17. The young man grinned at them.
"Who me?" He laughed and blended back into the crowd.
"Devon" Coram said, "Alanna and I are going to the palace. I'll meet you at the palace gate in three and a half hours. Go and see if you can find information on the Shang."
With a nod Devon watched them ride off before leading Red to a stable. After dismounting she handed her money to a thin boy with messy brown hair and pale brown eyes.
"Do you know anything of the Shang?" Devon asked hesetently
"Sure do miss," he said blithely "The Shang Wolf visits here every two or three months when he doesn't have students. He's an odd one, lives in the city sometimes. Usually he spends time in his cottage in the royal forest. He took on a student not long ago. A little city lass."
Devon praised the gods silently for her luck. "Where can I find them."
"Like I said miss they live right on the edge of the royal forest." He looked thoughtful. "The girl comes into town to get milk and bread every day. Wait around that stand over there."
"Thank you." Devon said
"Not a problem miss." He smiled "I like you. You got this look to you. Like you're a step ahead of the rest of the world. My name is Noah"
"I'm Devon," She said with a smile
"If you ever need help look me up, miss Devon. Any of the stable folk will know me"
With a nod he set about his work.
Devon waited for two hours at the milk seller's stand. It was nearly 2 hours after noon when a small blonde girl walked towards the stand. She was slender and tall for a girl. Her eyes where dark brown in contrast to her pale blonde hair. She had a small button nose and a mouth made for smiling. She carried a basket with some bread and other various items in it.
Devon watched as she paid for a bottle of milk and turned to leave
"Excuse me?"
The blonde turned and looked down at Devon. She was almost 5 inches taller than Devon and she didn't have and extra 2 inches of boot like Devon did.
"Yes?"
"I was wondering if you could tell me where to find the Shang wolf"
The girl raised and eye brow
"I could tell you" She said "But I won't. He's my teacher."
"I'd like to now if he could teach me too."
The girl frowned and looked at Devon closer. After a moment she nodded.
"Where are you staying"
Devon thought for a moment
"No where for now but I'm going to the palace" She answered
"Fine than meet me in the yards after dark."
Without another word she turned and walked away.
Devon walked down the hall toward where the nice servant, Timon, had said she would find the pages wing. She heard screams and ran closer. Just in time to see a tall blonde boy push Alanna into a wall. She screamed in rage and butted the blonde boy in the back. Grabbing his hair and going down on top of him. He pushed her off and she fell back into a basket of laundry that was waiting for the maids to take and get washed. Peeking out she saw Alanna charge the boy and get pushed off.
"What's this?"
The voice was young and male. Many of the pages that moved to make way for the dark haired boy and his friends bowed. The blonde boy looked up.
"Highness, this boy was acting as if he owned the palace," He whined "King of the castle he was and he insulted me"
Devon threw a dirty shirt at the blonde boy. His head shot up and he looked around. A few boys giggled but none spoke.
"I didn't speak to you, Ralon of Malven, I believe I told you never to speak to me at all."
"But-"
"Shut up, Ralon" Instructed one of the boy called Highness's friends. He was tall with tightly curling brown hair and coal black eyes. "You've got your orders"
The boy who looked to be in charge looked around with calm blue eyes. "Douglass?"
The stocky blonde boy stepped forward with a frown. "He quickly explained what happened, but his attention seemed divided. While the others spoke to Alanna and the boy who she know knew to be prince Jonathan asked if anyone would sponsor her, the boy called Douglass turned and looked in her direction. She met his eyes from over the edge of the basket. Devon stared at him steadily; he looked from her to Alanna but said nothing. As their group turned to leave he nodded and smiled. Alanna looked at her too, however she was frowning. Devon had a feeling she would hear from her sister tonight, and none of the words would be thanks.