AN- I wanted to make a quick note on Amberlee and the Alagondar family. Amberlee's parents are both Shamans ( I like Shamans…not as much as bards but their cool) and she has a basic knowledge of shamanism…this has nothing to do with this chapter but I wanted to get that out early. She hasn't decide to become a paladin yet either but you'll notice many…paladin-esque characteristics.
WitchWolf- I'm a horrid, horrid grammaticismist (not a real word). I'm sorry. The worst part of all of the grammar problems is the fact that I'm good at editing but I can't edit my own stories because I keep getting ideas and stuff when I do it. I'll fix my problems and I'll try harder nd type slower…but you should have seen my first story…it was horrible (grammatically.) But thanks for telling me…I should know better. I agree with Jude's grade too since I knew what she was going to get the whole time. :-) And the story is better than you think, really. I think you'll like it. Hey, Meris is a testament to your blood taintisn't an excuse campaign. And yeah, if guys haven't tried to kill one another than they aren't really friends.
Firilya- you'll learn more about all of it…and I like gloomy days too and nights people hate me because of these things. But I hate it when it's cold…I'd probably hate living in Neverwinter. I was glad that you didn't disagree with Punkin's grade…I thought you would but you like Jude when he's mean anyway. So here comes the Amberlee, here comes the Amberlee…
Chapter Seven
One phrase could easily sum up my entire second semester of school…and of all people Sharwyn started it…
"You know, I think you're truly something special, there really isn't anyone like you around," I looked around the empty cafeteria but I still felt my head swelling with my own ego, "I heard you did pretty well last semester."
I unleashed my most angelic smile hoping she wasn't bring up my mounting absences, "All 5's except for my magical arts class." I was praying that Sharwyn wasn't trying to force me into some grueling program for the better students. It would be easy to prove that I wasn't being challenged.
"Oh yeah with Master Takrath," she patted my shoulder, "I heard no one got a 5 from him and he only gave out one 4…"
"Yeah Meris got it, actually."
"Really, I knew he was a good mage but I didn't know that he was that good. But I should have except that kind of result from an astute and proficient individual that he is." Was she trying to say I wasn't…well can't argue with the truth.
"I know. Call it bard intuition but I see him going places…great places." I said playing with one of my braids.
"What are you taking this semester?" Sharwyn asked. Here comes the axe.
"I have to finish up my core courses, Lit, Number Theory, History and Geography, nothing special. I'll get high marks in them though, okay."
"I'm sure you will," She said as I exhaled and stopped thinking about excuses to get out of advanced classes. The Headmistress changed gears; "I wanted to actually talk to you about my wedding."
"So you finally got the ole dog to stroll down the aisle…" I said. Apparently Sharwyn had lost her sense of humor since she got engaged.
"He's not that old." She said.
"He was adventuring before I was born…"
"So was I," Sharwyn spat out then stopped trying to make sure she didn't let me know exactly how old she was and added on, "Of course it was just small stuff like the stuff you're doing now." Now, did she know about my raiding of the old Helm's place?
"I'm not adventuring now," I smiled even larger.
"I didn't mean now…never mind, let's pretend I never mentioned it." Sharwyn said.
"Okay. What about the wedding? I have no experience in that area but if you want my opinion on colors I'd suggest lavender and pearl…they seem lovely for a late spring…"
"Lavender," Sharwyn's eyes squinted, "That would never do. I've already got someone planning all those things anyway. I need someone to sing at the wedding…" HERE COMES THE LINE, "I need someone like you."
"So let me get this right, Shar. Neverwinter's most famous bard wants me, a lowly bard in training to sing at the most majestic event in Neverwinter in the last three and half years…"
Sharwyn pulled out a list and looked at it carefully as she pulled out a writing utensil, "I'll just as the next person on my list…"
"I'll do it, don't go asking less qualified people." I said.
Sharwyn turned the blank scroll around, "There weren't any others anyway." That sneaky, good-for-nothing…but hey I'd get to sing in front of a bunch of people.
"So when's the wedding…"
"That's the other problem…" Sharwyn said slowly.
"What, no date?"
"That's not it. It's two days after the last day of class this semester…"
"So, that's a problem?" I asked trying figure out what date that was.
"…May 18th…" Sharwyn said and a slight frown came across her face.
"May…oh, that's my birthday…"
"If you have plans than…" Sharwyn said.
"I don't have any plans…"
"I just thought a girl would have something already planned for her sixteenth," Sharwyn stopped remembering that she had already gotten the singer she needed, "Thank you for doing this for me, you don't know how ecstatic this will make me. Other than myself, you're probably the best singer in the entire town."
"I still want a present," I said with a smile.
"The same goes for me as well," Sharwyn smiled, "Now if I find you skipping again I'll have to give you restroom duty for a month." Crap, I knew she'd notice.
It's funny how time ebbs and flows. I could swear that I was present between that moment and the week before the wedding but I have little memories of what happened. I knew that I saw little of Meris between it because we both were studying so hard…of course he harder than I.
I was a t the first wedding session when I found out the I was not only the savior for Sharwyn but also many more…more than I rather wanted be…
"Hiya," a coy, near-angelic voice said for behind me, "Punkin's your name?"
"That's my name…" I said.
"Don't wear it out." The girl giggled as she finished my sentence. I looked her over trying to jolt my memory. Who was she?
She had doughy skin, milky and nearly perfect, her face featured seven freckles; three on each cheek and one on her prissy nose, right on the tip, all in varying sizes. She had a pair of owlish, reddish-brown eyes with green flecks in a few spots and bouncy chestnut hair that was in pigtails and sat on her shoulders off of her oval head. She smiled as I looked her over some more revealing her straight pearly teeth that sat so close air couldn't even penetrate and she had deep girlish dimples under her freckles as well as Cupid's bow shaped lips. She was thin, lanky with long legs and arms. I bet she could slip through a flute without sounding a note. But I had to admit she was cute.
"I don't remember…have I meet you?" I asked exhausted mentally.
"I'm Cami, one of Kyra's friends," I've never heard anyone call Akyrra by that name before…I heard Dense and Dim but not Kyra but her face reminded me of my death march or run I had at the beginning of school.
"Oh yeah, you're one of the monks that my roommate trains with…"
"Yeah, I had really cute bangs back then but Sharwyn said I had to lose them if wanted to be her flower girl." She was young but I'd guess 12 at the youngest.
"Sharwyn is making you the flower girl?" I asked.
"Yeah she said she hates little kids and that I was the cutest girl she'd ever seen and she wouldn't have to worry about me doing something stupid because I was small enough to bully but old enough to harm if necessary." That's sounds like Sharwyn.
"She's so droll…" the girl looked at me as if I explained equilibrium, "SO, Akyrra is a real…unique person, huh."
"I know. I want to be just like her in a few years…I hate only being 12, I don't get to do anything, she gets to go on her chakra quest this summer man, and I wish I were 14. But she's the best monk in the academy hands down and next year she's going to be my Monk Mama…" My mind lose track of what else this girl was saying…and people say I'm talkative.
"Okay mates, the somewhat honorable Reverend Grin is now in the auditorium, the wedding is now able to commence," said the halfing in a cleric's get-up. Reverend and Grin should never be said in the same sentence.
I whispered to Cami, "I want to see his credentials, I wonder what Sharwyn was drinking to allow him to do her wedding even if he has that paper saying he's allowed to marry people…"
"I know Mr. Undergallows is soo cute. Look at his hair, owww, I hope that he's single when I'm done with my celibacy test…cause if he's not I'm going to be Misses…" and she could go on and on…I know that I wasn't this bad.
Sharwyn appeared, "People…people we have a wedding to practice. No time for Tomi-foolery…" no one laughed at the bad joke and Sharwyn huffed as she handed out the instruction of how the wedding was supposed to happen. I would sing at the beginning, three songs of my choice as everyone settled and then the rest of the boring stuff happened. After the old maid and her older chap said their I do's and rode of into the sunset I would sing one last song, also my choice, as everyone exited. This was going to be the best wedding in the world…of course until Meris and I got married. Of course.
We went through everything we could, since most of the wedding party was still traveling here, mainly Nasher family. No problems appeared until after we were done with the rehearsal…
Linu looked at me as I prepared to leave…I knew I should have just left her green elven eyes drew me to her, "Did you want something, Linu?"
"Yes…well it's not really my place to ask of you but…" she fidgeted a bit.
"Don't worry unless you want me kill somebody or something." I said.
"No, it's nothing that major but I…well, no it's not a thing I should speak with a pupil about."
"I'm not really a pupil…I'll never make a decent cleric. I'd rather be eaten by a dragon…not that I don't like clerics…I'm just not…you know."
"I understand. It's about Jude Takrath…"
"Yes, what about him. Did he make you cry?" I asked.
"No, nothing like that but he kind of hinted around going to the wedding with me but I'm not sure if he was joking…"
"JOKING!" I laughed so hard I fell to the ground.
"So…you think he's being serious."
"Let's put it this way…I think he lost his funny bone."
"That's not very funny, Punkin." Linu said, "Anyway, I was also supposed to ask you if it was okay if a few people stayed at your house for the wedding since it's so big and you're there all by yourself." She smiled.
"Sure, a few people would be okay…" I should have specified what 'few' was. Stupid me.
XOXOXOI never thought a mansion could have too many people in it but I was proven wrong after at last count 79 people crammed into my family's three-story home. Since I was only used to living by myself or with Akyrra at the dorm this was hard to handle but at least I had my room to myself until they arrived…the world's most dysfunctional family. The family Alagondar…the Celamn branch that is.
I was trying sleeping a day before I had my last day of class when I heard a hard thud on my door which lead me to find her…my best friend I'd ever know.
"Okay, if you people don't understand keep it down…" I said as I swung my door open to find a girl, youngish probably a little younger than me. She had cerulean eyes, large and piercing that along with her milky skin with the thin, long midnight black hair tossed around along the ground, she seemed like a restless ghost.
"I'm sorry," her voice was pure and had no sense of temper behind it, "My family just got here and they said to sleep somewhere…I wasn't trying to wake you up."
"It's no worries," I said and held my hand out, "The name's Punkin Capernum, I know I'll regret it later but you can sleep in here."
"No, my parents said all the beds were taken…"
"This is my house…I think I know if there's room or not." I said with a smile.
"This is your house…I've never seen anything like this." Okay girl, have you been drudging through the Silver Marches since you were born.
"My parents and I just came from the Silver Marches," okay I guess so, "and we're her for my uncle's wedding."
"I know, I'm the wedding singer," I said as I grabbed an oversized blanket and sprawled across my favorite armchair…of course it was purple and at least four times my size.
"You're going to let me sleep in your bed?"
"Sure, you're a guest, right." I said.
"Oh, I guess I'm not use to hospitality. Anyway where are my manners? I'm Amberlee Alagondar, daughter of Celamn and Celeste. So what songs are you going to sing at the wedding?" You had to bring that up.
"Well, I haven't had much time to…"
"We could stay up and figure out. I'm not tired…I was going to sleep because I was bored but if you want me to help you." She was really growing on me.
"Okay, let's do it…let's rock Neverwinter like it's never been rocked before." I said with a small grin. She returned me a long sheepish smile that burned in my memory forever.