Thom comes on "Thank you for the reviews, if you reviewed if you didn't" he cracked his knuckles.
"Oh like you actually hurt someone" Morgan comes on closely followed by a surprised and annoyed Fearless Lioness, hits Morgan at the back of head, who disappears muttering I'll be back.
"Wow this is this longest chapter yet, please review, tell me if you have a suggestion or if I've missed something, or you want someone I haven't put in the story"
Silver eyes
The tall man watched Thom from the shadows he looked at his companion, the fiery woman next to him watched the boy her eyes drinking him up. "He's not going to die" she whispered to him.
The man looked at her "isn't that what I said" he hissed annoyed. The fiery woman looked at him her fully white eyes looking into his soul, she said slowly and softly "neither of them are going to die"
Silver eyes met her white ones in a challenge of some sort, "What do you see?" he asked after there staring contest.
Her white eyes glowed with the sight she hesitated "nothing, Ciaran" she whispered. Ciaran's silver eyes menacingly lent over hers "if your lying I'll know"
"I'm not" she squared her shoulders, "I have to go, now" and she disappeared in a fiery display of lights.
Ciaran watched the boy and shrugged he disappeared as well in display of bright lights.
After a week Alanna found herself constantly in trouble. She was untidy, she was too lazy, her dresses weren't right, her posture was incorrect.
The three other teachers which she had, ignored her after she said a few carefully chosen words. The only one who took notice of her was Lady Acton. At first she asked Alanna questions she didn't know, on the second day she made her sit on her own at the back. On the third lesson she put a piece of sharp holly on her collar, "It's to keep your head up" she had sneered.
On the fourth day she made them write a seven page essay and then tore Alanna' up sprinkling the scrapes onto her head.
On Saturday Alanna awoke early because of an open window, the cold air flew in, shivering she had turned her back on it but to no avail.
Alanna slowly crawled out of the hard bed. She pulled on a jumper because her father hadn't given her any money to get a night gown. Grumpily she stomped to the window, her brow furrowed. She pushed the shutters even wider and leaned out, the red head gasped, her mouth hanging open at the sight. Thick white mist hung almost solidly in the air obscuring anything further than an inch away . Alanna's fingers itched to touch the white fog. Listening she couldn't hear anyone awake and threw on clothes before swinging her legs recklessly over the window sill. Only then did she remember she was on the third floor.
Alanna pulled herself up and balanced precariously she looked around. Hesitantly she used a spell to see through the heavy mist. Along the side of her room drainpipes. The girl gripped them and climbed seemingly fearlessly up the building.
At the top Alanna took a breath, her knuckles were white with cold and the vice like grip she'd used.
"Who's there!" demanded a quivering voice.
Alanna spun her fists at once coming up, the tall, slim graceful girl appeared through the fog.
"Alanna?" she asked her eyebrows raised in surprise.
"Yeah what are you doing here?" demanded Alanna
"I don't…" Anna trailed off she pressed her thin lips stopping the sentence "I wake up early" she added before turning and walking silently back. Alanna ran after her, the roof was made up on four large sloops which they'd been talking on. Before they seemingly met in the middle.
Anna walked to the very top, there was a smallish square almost cut into the middle of the roof, she slid down the side, her head hidden.
It was like a pit, but there was soft material under Alanna's sandals.
"What this stuff on the floor?" asked Alanna
"Grass" said Anna gently but sounding slightly annoyed. Alanna looked around the square grass pit went on for much more than she'd expected it went right under the roof being short she didn't have to bend her head like Anna would have to. The grass stopped as soon as the roof covered the ground. Anna was sat cross legged in the middle, the first rays of dawn falling on her dark closed lids.
Alanna looked around the place, there was bed in the corner and pictures of plants and gardening books lying scattered everywhere.
Her fingers brushed over the papers pilled dangerously high on a small course wooden table.
"Awful that people use wood for tables and paper" said Anna as if she'd felt Alanna's pale fingers skimming her arm or face.
"yes…" Alanna trailed off as she caught sight of a colourful poster, she grabbed it and looked it over, there was pictures of woman and men, some balancing on a tight ropes some riding large animals. All in bright costumes, but Alanna was grazing at the woman who was smiling broadly, controlling two long curved blades.
Alanna hugged the picture, she wanted so much to be that woman.
Anna watched her with interest "You can have it you want" she told Alanna. Who gapped at her openly "But why would you give me this for free" she demanded perplexed.
Anna shrugged "It's only a poster of a circus, I would have thrown it away but what would happen to the paper?"
Alanna eyes her suspiciously "Well shall I mind it for you?"
"No keep it"
Alanna bit her lip, her terrible pride getting in the way "I'll watch it for you until I can give you something" she told her before folding the piece of paper neatly and tucking it in her jumper.
"Your ok, kid" said the graceful fifteen year old as Alanna jumped up out the pit.
Thom excelled in anything academic, soon much older students were asking for his help. Morgan finally made it known that he was Thom's sponsor so only he could give him answers, not that Thom minded much. He was very much against people coping his work, even if Alanna wasn't.
The only person who challenged him in any way Alex and only in maths.
Alex had more than a little respect for the quiet little red-headed boy being the best at work than anyone he knew.
But Thom dreaded the part of the day when he had to go outside and practise. His shot was ok, but not accurate and his reflexes were nothing to brag about. When he first started to use the staff, he broke a fingers and tears fell down his checks making everyone laugh at him.
Thom spent most of the outdoor lessons humiliated and sore.
One night as he sat furiously studying their was a knock at him door.
"Thom?" asked a calm voice.
"Go away" he snapped automatically.
"Thom, I got something for you ,now open this door!" said the calm voice, flared with anger yet sounding like glass in cold water , sending shivers down his spine. Thom put his books down and opened the door.
Thom peered out there was no body there, he swung it open wide and called down the corridor. Then he looked down, on the ground were three thick books, all bound in old worn leather, with yellowing crinkled pages. Thom's face split into a huge grin. He grabbed them and pressing them against his chest he went back into the small room.
The first book covered small spells, protection circles , charms, the second was half healing magic, and half curses and rather black magic. The third black book was the smallest out of them all, explained summoning and controlling demons. Thom found he couldn't read the black book for long with out his fingers turning cold. He spent the entire night reading before he fell asleep his violet eyes closing with exhaustion.
The next day Coram gruffly woke him up, Thom picked up his blotted half finished work and crawled to lessons. The masters looked surprised at him and his work. Thom was pale and quiet. His eyes had large dark bags under them his red hair stood violently out against his pinched skin.
"Are you ill?" asked Morgan impatiently waiting as he exited the classroom.
"No" croaked Thom yawning "just tired"
In the outside archery courts, a charm suddenly came to his mind. Thom eyes flew open, he looked around and as he drew his unsteady bow, he sharply and neatly drew the charm mark in his mind. The arrow sailed smoothly to the target, it hit the black dot perfectly in the middle, the arrow feathers unmoving in breeze, stiff and hard. Thom went to get his arrow in shocked silence. On his way back, Morgan clapped him on his back, sniffing he said half heartily "well done annoyingly perfect"
Alex lips curled over, he smiled at him from over the other side of the courts and Thom smiled just as subtly back.
After the day lessons Thom made his way to the Library he would have to hurry because he waited on Sir Myles.
Thom found what he wanted almost immediately, almost unnerving so. The couple of books that he got out were magic books on charms for weapons, then he hurried to dinner
As he sat in his room, Thom took his bow and started to put simply charms on them, in water that quickly dried out, so it couldn't be seen. But was an element so it would last for mush longer than a mind printed charm. He put several carefully chosen charms on the bows, it seemed stronger and just the right weight when he'd finished, it was steady and fitted perfectly into his palms. Smiling Thom slid the books under his bed as well as the bow, before starting the mounting homework.