Disclaimer: I don't own any of Tammy's characters. Mungt is mine though…
A/N:
Flower Kid- Good now? I'm very sorry, I'll update more often…
Dom's Lover- Me too! Neal's great… YAY! My characters are in character! Kel and Neal… sorry, I had to cut to the chase. That's not my main plot line, although they'll come up again for sure! (and thank you for my first review!)
Goddess of Muffins- Owen is so awesome, don't worry… it'll all be jolly…
Malinear- Training Master… hmm, yup. Actually, he was the first person I thought of, so I thought hey, why not?
Trickster-812- Thank you!
4. Chapter IV
Pushing on the door, it creaked open. The hall was empty. Yhani realized she didn't have any idea where Sir Owen could possible be in a place like this. Finally she decided to start down the hallway and ask someone.
She could hear her echoing footsteps on the stone floor. She'd only seen the entrance hall and could already tell that the Palace was huge. There must be at least four stories.
A boy who looked to be about Yhani's age was walking a ways ahead of her. He was dark and had dark hair, probably of Bazhir ancestry. He was dressed in a pages outfit and seemed oblivious to his surroundings because of the paper in his hand that was holding his attention.
"Excuse me?" Yhani said softly after she caught up. He wasn't expecting anyone and jumped in surprise.
"Whoa!" He turned and glanced at the Yamani girl standing beside him. "Who're you?"
Yhani returned the glance blankly. "Yhanisi of Queenscove. I'm trying to find Sir Owen. Do you know where he is? And who are you?"
The page snickered. "What do you have, flowers, or something? I'm Page Huk'kam Mungt of the Sun Sparrow tribe, since you asked."
"Well, Page Mungt, if you even deserve to be called that, will you tell me where he is? Or not? I could always ask a more—capable someone," Yhani forced out.
"Hm. No, I'll tell you, I guess. Can't imagine why you need him, though… Continue down the hall, you'll see a staircase; go up it and turn left. You'll see a row of doors, it's the green one at the end," Huk'kam Mungt instructed. "Would you like an escort, Lady Yamani Yhanisi?"
"No, if you haven't noticed, I do have two legs of my own and a pair of eyes. And a brain… I am completely capable," she told him. "What year are you?"
"What? Sudden change of topic… First," he finally gave in. "Why would you care?"
Yhani groaned. There was no way out, she'd be training with this rude Bazhir for the next eight years. "Just wondering if I'd be lucky to not have to see you anytime soon, but looks like I was mistaken. I will, unfortunately, see you later, Mungt." With that, she followed his directions, sincerely hoping he hadn't been lying to her.
"…What?" The young page was very bemused. He thought of forgetting about ht Yamani girl, resuming his stroll to his room, and got back to reading the letter. It was a good idea; he decided to stick to it.
Owen of Jesslaw was sitting at his desk. He'd only been Training Master for a short two months, and he didn't think he was terribly good at it. Why did I let everyone talk me into this? I'm doomed! He couldn't help thinking, but a loud rasping on the door interrupted him. Sighing, he said, "Come in."
Pushing the heavy green door ajar, Yhani peaked in, and finally entered. "Sir Owen?"
Nodding, Owen looked up from his desk. A girl stood in front of him. Black hair cut short, the face reminded him of someone, but he couldn't place it Green eyes, a would-be smiling face if it hadn't been for her Yamani-ness. She was very pretty for a little girl.
"Yes? What do you need?"
"I'm Yhani… of Queenscove," she said. "I told father and Kel to leave, but maybe you needed to see them? I'm here about page training?"
That was it. Neal. Why hadn't he thought of that? "Oh… no, that's just jolly." He really had wanted to see some friendly faces, but you played with what the gods gave you. "You want to train as a page…?"
"Yes. That'd be why I'm here. Not, as a certain page would put it, to 'give Sir Owen flowers.' Honestly…" Yhani really couldn't believe how anyone could stand that lad! Who knows… I haven't met anyone else… she told herself. "Um, I brought a note from my father…" She took it out of her pocket an handed it to the knight before her.
(Sir) Owen (of Jesslaw)-
Long time, no see! My daughter, Yhanisi, wants to try for her shield. I, of course, thought it was a wonderful idea and sent her packing straight away.
Yuki and I send our best! –Neal(an of Queenscove)
"He didn't really send you packing 'straight away,' did he?" Owen found it hard to believe… and after what Kel had said years before the child-seer had said…
"Of course not! KEl helped me talk him into it." Yhani found a chair at the side of the room. "So, will you consider?"
"Consider?" Owen sounded perplexed. "What's there to consider?"
Yhani's hope fell. He wasn't going to let her stay. She'd be stranded at the Palace, watching that Mungt lad learning until someone came to get her. Then she'd have to face all the girls in Queenscove about her dream not turning out. She'd be criticized. No more girl pages, Kel had been the last. It was over. She might as well go to the Convent. Maybe she'd become a housewife or a cook so she wouldn't have to leave Queenscove…
"Yhanisi—Yhanisi! Where are your things?" Owen asked, breaking her unhappy fantasizing.
"Oh, no, I left them with my horse, Ervin!"
"Don't worry, I'll have someone go get them a maid will show you to your room in the pages' wing." He told her a list of rules, obvious ones she already new there'd be. After he was done, he said, "Well, let's go find someone to show you your way…" and stood up.
Yhani couldn't believe what had just happened. She almost laughed aloud at her folly. Rushing out the door, she followed the knight to the servants' wing. There he rapped on a door labeled "Imra Valesworn." A short lady opened it, surveying the two before her. "New page, Imra," Owen said.
"What do you know? Welcome, miss…" she stopped, realizing she didn't know the girl's name.
"This is Yhanisi of Queenscove."
"Oh! Not Neal's daughter!" she groaned. "Nothing against you, miss, but I had the—experience of meeting your father." She beckoned Yhani to follow her and waved to Owen with a sly look on her face. Owen was already over half way down the hall.
They came to Yhani's room at last. Yhani was startled to see a young page standing in front of her door. "Oh, no. Not you again!"
Huk'kam Mungt turned to face the two girls; he had had his back to them. "What are you doing here?" he asked. "Sir Owen found me on my way to my room and told me to go to the stables and get the new page's things… No way!" He stared at Yhani in disbelief.
"You're wrong in two cases…" she said. "First, you obviously got the bags, as they're right next to you. Second, yeah, I am the new page."
"Here are the keys, miss," Imra said, handing two sets to Yhani. "It's nice to see you've made a friend already." She took off just as Yhani and Huk'kam both bellowed:
"We are not friends!"
They glared at each other.
"Excuse me, Monk Mungt, you are blocking my rooms," Yhani said, moving closer and grabbing her bags.
"Well, sorry, Capable Queenscove. Too bad I'll be seeing you later at dinner…" He stepped to the side, allowing her to pass, and stomped off. "Friends…" he said under hs breath.
Yhani found the key and placed it in the lock. She strode into her new room—in the pages' wing. She was here at last, one step closer to her shield.
A/N: You like? Review! I'll update more often. Sound good?
