Adrienne was running through the palace halls of Queen Dove. It was night, and she was looking from something or someone. She met no one, but then she suddenly came around the corner and a dark cloaked figure was gliding towards her. She couldn't see this persons face, but evil simply radiated off of it. Adrienne was now cowering back against a wall. The figure started to pull back its hood when…

Adrienne woke with a start from the dream. It always ended like that no matter what. She was never allowed to see who it was. Rubbing her eyes she fumbled with her messed up covers and stumbled into the dressing room/bathroom. A tub of hot water was waiting for her. As she was just getting in the bell overhead did a big gong and Adrienne winced at the loud sound.

She was soon out of the tub and changing into the attire for schooling, when a knock came on her door.

"Just a minuet!" She said finishing tying her boots.

She went to the door and sprang it open. Sam dressed in the same clothing smiled down at her.

"Lets eat." He said with a little too much cheerfulness. Adrienne grimaced yet again at him. Sam just smiled at her and went off down the hall.

Breakfast went relatively fast. Then came lessons.

"So, first we are to go to reading and writing, its my very worst subject." Sam commented as they weaved through the flow of pages hurrying to their first classes of the day.

"Oh I already know how to read and write." Adrienne said dryly remembering her mother making her learn how to read all different kinds of codes and write them as well. Adrienne looked up at Sam to see his response was one of interest. He had obviously seen something in her facial features that he thought was quite amusing.

"What?" Adrienne stated innocently. Sam smiled and shook his head and led her into their first class of the day.

Adrienne soon found out that the teachers were mostly Mithran priests. Men dressed in orange robes that were very sharp in making sure everyone was staying on task. Adrienne quickly decided that she liked her mother better as a teacher.

Next came mathematics. Though Adrienne could do them easily she hated it beyond reason. Sam just laughed at her, and then scowled when he saw she was already finished for that day.

After that, came the class of manners. This again was easy for Adrienne and her brother Daniel, because their mother worked for the Queen Dove so they both had lived at court their whole life. Adrienne had mostly learned what a young girl at a convent would learn, while her brother was taught in the basic arts of weaponry.

The rest of the morning classes went very easy for Adrienne she finished her class-work in all of them. That meaning she would not have to do any work that night. Lunch was a blessing. Adrienne sat down across from Sam and was accompanied by Charlie and Daniel, and Daniel's sponsor, Sahir. They were all bent over work and eating at the same time. All were being very careful not to spill anything on there work. Adrienne shook her heads at them and grinned. She was known by her family, as the fastest one to complete work efficiently. Daniel looked at her with pleading eyes.

"What do you want dear brother?" She asked with all the sweetness she could muster up.

"Your brains." He said before hitting his head down on the table.

After lunch the boys put their work away and Sam guided them down to the practice courts. Adrienne gulped and looked over to her brother who was beaming. He would be, she thought. Daniel had clearly caught the scent of his sister being disgruntled for he came and stood next to her.

"What's the matter?" HE asked in a whisper voice, for he knew his sister would not like him telling the world something was brothering her. She glanced at him then back to ahead of her.

"I can't do anything to do with weapons, you know that. People have tried to teach me daggers, sword, bow, lance, and I'm just completely helpless." She said worry fully visible in her tone. Daniel didn't say anything for a minute.

"You will do fine." Daniel said, but Adrienne could hear the doubt in his voice. He knew she couldn't do anything. But he still smiled at her and gave her a nudge with his arm before he went off to join his sponsor.

They had just finished lance, and Adrienne was rubbing her back from the impact of the sand bag on her back so many times. Daniel had gotten it on his third try.

"Its ok I mean no one gets it on there first day unless they've studied it before." Sam said trying to be encouraging. Adrienne frowned not looking at him.

"Yes, but I cant do exercises well, you saw me miss the target every time with the bow, I fell off the horse like five times and I cant even hold a staff right." Adrienne said getting louder with every word tell almost everyone surrounding them was quiet. But Sam did not respond to this at all. He just walked on ahead of her. Charlie came and stood next to her. She gave him a side smile that didn't really appear as a smile.

"You ever think that maybe weaponry isn't your kind of skill?" He said not looking at her. Adrienne sighed heavily and stopped in her path. Charlie did the same.

"Yes, Charlie I have noticed I'm not good for anything!" She said acting as if she were two feet taller. Her face was red from embarrassment and anger. She would surly show everyone how there are only special girls who can fight. She would just give them an excuse not to let girls come.

Charlie said nothing as he saw she was battling herself inside. Finally she seemed to calm down a little bit.

"What I meant was, you could be good at hand-to-hand combat." Charlie said then walked away as if the conversation had never taken place at all. Adrienne thought about this as the two Shang teachers walked up to the pages.

"Hello everyone I am the Shang Cougar, and this is the Shang Griffin." The Shang Cougar said motioning to the women beside him. She had blond hair tied up in a bun and a short muscular form. Her small, black eyes wandered over the newer pages. Adrienne suddenly drowned out the Shang Cougar's words and continued watching the Shang Griffin. Finally, her eyes landed on Adrienne, and their eyes locked in an almost staring contest. For some reason Adrienne could not look away the women's eyes were so entrancing. After a bit the women nodded her head with approval and looked back at the man. Adrienne suddenly jerked back to life and looked at the man as well.

Soon Adrienne found herself falling onto the ground and hitting it then rolling with good form for a first year page. All to soon that class was over and Adrienne found herself heading up the hill again to wash and change for dinner.

Dinner also went by quickly the boys talked over the day events and Adrienne just sat there thinking about the day. The Shang Griffin had nodded her head in approval at her. The prophecy stated that the person would have the wit and learning of a spy. Adrienne had that, she also, in a dire situation could have the full courage of a Knight, but she didn't have Shang training. Suddenly a idea struck her, but a voice broke into her thoughts before she could put the idea through her brain.

"So, Adrienne I was wondering would you mind helping me with math tonight I do not get it at all?" Charlie said leaning on the table and looking down at her. She nodded her head to let him know she would. He smiled.

Shortly, after dinner Adrienne found herself walking down the hall to Charlie's room to see if she could help him with his math. But while walking down Adrienne heard voices coming from the opposite direction from where they were headed.

"Um, Charlie you go ahead I'll meet you there in a second." Charlie looked hestitant, but he nodded his head and headed off down to his room. Once Adrienne was sure he was gone she set off in search of the voices. She couldn't really understand why she wanted to know what they were saying, but she did. In the end she wished she hadn't.

"SO, you're sponsoring the girl. I here she's a pretty one." Someone Adrienne didn't recognize said. She couldn't see them, but she was good at telling who a person was by their voice.

"Yes, I am. Yes she is pretty, but if you ask me she belongs in a convent. She's a horrible fighter, weak, and well very like a convent lady." Adrienne knew this voice immediately. Without thinking she dashed around the corner to find five or six boys walking very, very slowly toward her. The ones that had been laughing stopped as soon as she came into sight, and Sam turned whiter then a ghost. The tears that were welling up in her eyes she blinked away. Everything was silent; no one seemed to know what to do. Adrienne took a few steps toward them and Sam looked as if he was about ready to get blown up.

"So, Sameth, that's all you think I'm good for?" Adrienne said disgust and anger overflowing in her voice. " To look at and to be a lady? I've been told my whole life not to befriend people, and right when I actually begin to, you go and blow it for me." With that Adrienne gave him a 'how could you' look and marched off down the hall she had come.

As she walked away she heard a few words out of Sam's mouth that sound like 'wait', 'I'm sorry', but Adrienne didn't care she forgot about Charlie and went to her room, and through herself down her bed and cried.

She cried herself to sleep that night, and when she woke she heard a sudden knock on her door.

Well my fellow people I thank you for reading this. IT is a pleasure to write, hopefully for your enjoyment. Please if you liked it, or hated it or just don't know what to think, Review. IT keeps me writing your reviews and comments do so please, do so! Thanks.