Disclaimer: Emelan and all characters you may recognise belong to Tamora Pierce. Issabél, her family and the city they live in are mine. Enjoy reading -)
Author's Note: Sorry if this chapter looks the same as the chapter 2 up earlier - it is. I had some problems with loading, and instead of trying to fin them I just took the chapter down. Oh well. Hop you like this chapter!
Winding Circle, Emelan. Twentieth day of Goose Moon, year KF 1036
A small riding party entered through the gate of Winding Circle. It was comprised of a blue-robed man, two guards, and brown haired teenage girl with stiking emerald colored eyes. Those eyes were wide with wonder, sparkling with attentiveness, and shining with intelligence.
The owner of the emeral eyes, Issabél Saienn, was sitting straight-backed in her saddle. As the party travelled slowly around the winding road of the temple community, circling toward a center tower, she took in her surroundings. Gardens were in full bloom, and men and women in yellow, red, blue and green habits walked among them, talking to each other, running erands and lecturing the younger, unrobed children and teenagers also present. On the three day ride from Ivelle to Summersea, Issabél had learnt about Winding Circle, and so knew the robed adults to be dedicates, people who had pledged their lives and service to the gods and elements that their habits represented – either air, fire, water or earth. She also recognised the dedicates' helpers, novices robed in white. All the others she knew were youth like her, who came to this place to be educated, and to learn about magic and the worlds beyond Emelan.
Soon the horses reached their destination. Dismounting with the other three riders, Issabél recognised it as the Hub, the central belltower of Winding Circle. She strained her neck to look up, up up… The Hub is just like dedicate Orrin described it! she thought, referring to the water dedicate who had escorted her from Ivelle. And I thought my hometown was big! This place is at least twice it's size! And with so many bulidings too!
Dedicate Orrin interupted Issa's thoughts, ushering her into a smaller building beside the Hub, with a door marked ADMINISTRATION. Following the man, she walked into the main room, only to be bowled over by an angry looking water dedicate marching forward a plump, freckled girl with a mass of bright orange curls.As soon as she was sure the red-haired girl was seated, the dedicate stormily barged into a nearby office, right next to the one that Orrin had entered only a moment before.. Startled, Issa took a seat as far away as possible from the red-head. She didn't think that the other girl would be happy for company. But she was curious. Was this girl in trouble? What for? She exmined her for a while, but got bored of watching her sulk. Intsead, she tried listening to the conversation taking place in one of the offices. It wasn't hard : someone was praticaly screaming.
"But dedicate Moonstream, she's a danger to the other girls! She's crazy!"
"Dedicate Staghorn, surely Trisana –"
Crraaaacckkkk!
Startled by the flash of intense light and the loud boom behind her, Issabél whipped around. Just outside the red-haired girl's window, a small sapling was smoking, completely burnt up. Judging by the large stormclouds overhead, it had been hit by a bolt of lightning.
Thinking that maybe the dedicates knew why lightning had struck so close, Issa turned her attention back to the offices, and saw a tall, black-haired man walking into them, answering to the call of his name: "Niko, I need you right now!" No sooner the office door closed, another blue-robed Dedicate marched in, this time leading a small, well-dressed and blonde-haired child by the arm. It's so busy! Issa marveled. Everything happens at once! And aren't temples supposed to be quiet and peaceful? If life at Winding Circle is always like this, I'll never be able to sleep!
Suddenly dedicate Orrin emerged form the office he was in, closely followed by the blue-robed woman who had brought in the blonde girl. "This is dedicate Quail, head of Pearl Cup, the water temple's girl dormitory. She's going to take charge of you now, and make sure that you get settled in." Issa nodded. Curtsying to Orrin, she followed dedicate Quail outside, walking westwards. Her gray-streaked blond hair was pulled into a severe bun, her brow creased with frown lines. She looks like she has something sour stuck under her nose thought the girl, but kept her opinion to herself as the dedicate started lecturing through tight, pursed lips. "Pearl Cup is the most elite of dormitories, accommodating only gentle, well-mannered and well-bred young ladies. No ill behavior or comments shall be tolerated, and all must act according to their station. Am I clear?"
Again Issa nodded. Great, so I'm stuck with up-their-nose nobles! The Saienn merchants had not always been so prosperous. It was only in the last four years that the family had starting making money on trades, importing new spices and cloth. Issabél's younger siblings, ages twelve, ten, eight and three, grew up with wealth, but Issa's own childhood had been spent as just another commoner. She always felt a bit uncomfortable among the high-class, remembering her low-class roots. And she wasn't the only one who remembered them – other rich ladies of her age looked down on her, knowing that she was, unlike them, not born a noble.
Before long, Dedicate Quail reached a large building made of stone and lined with many windows. Issa followed her inside, down many corridors, past many, many doors. The sounds of teachers talking, girls laughing, and the scratching of chalk on slate met her ears. Occasionally blue-robed dedicates walked by, or girls of various ages. All looked inquiringly at the newcomers. Finally they reached a door. The bronze plaque mounted on it contained he words Dormitory II. Five other doors just like it spanned down the hall. "Dormitory two has an empty bunk, righ near the entrace. Go settle in, while the other students finish their morning classes" ordered dedicate Quail.
"The bell strikes at free time, and then you can socialize with your companions. Ask one of them to show you around, and accompany you through your day. I'm sure one of the girls will be willing to oblige." Issabél blinked at the woman. "You may go find you bunk. And make sure not to cause any trouble! Your parents would be most displeased if they heard that you were disagreeable on your first day at Winding Circle." With that, the dedicate walked away. Slowly, Issa opened the door and walked into the plain dormitory lined with beds. She found her bunk, and settled in to what was going to be her new home.
Author's Note: Well, waddaya think? Sorry if there wasn't much action ...I'm getting to it! It just takes a while to set the scene, and to show where this story is in relation to the CoM books. Next chapter should have morestuff going on...so keep reading!
