A/N: Hello my wonderful readers and reviewers! AnimeChick009: thanks for the review! I will try to update as soon as I can. :) Evilone33 and RunnerNDA: Thank you! I never understood why Tamora Pierce never had a procrastinator because so many people (including myself!) have incredible bouts of laziness. ;-) What better way to make my character real than to give her real traits? Evilone33, there will definitely be surprises. ;-) And RunnerNDA, you're right about drama in Corus! KingsLioness: yes, Kimi will be a squire, or I hope so, anyway. ;-) luvklm1991: I will have someone with Kimi eventually, but right now she's much too young, she's still only 10! And thank you, SylRose! I always like praise. :-)
"Are you ready for this?" Jonathan asked.
Kimi tried her best to hide a yawn. They were dressed in their best page outfits and outside the chamber where they were to be tested.
Jonathan saw the yawn and frowned at her. "You should have slept instead of studying math all night." He gestured at the dark smudges under her eyes with concern. Kimi tried to stop another jaw popping yawn.
"I needed to study," she explained as she rubbed her eyes.
"Right, so when you fall asleep during your math problem then it'll all be work it?" he asked sarcastically.
"Naturally." Kimi frowned. "What's wrong with you?"
"I'm just nervous, I guess," he said and shuffled his feet.
"Then you should have stayed up all night studying. I'm so tired I'm not nervous at all."
"I'm not like you. I need my sleep or I don't function at all," Jon said which a tinge of jealously in his voice.
"Funny, neither do I," she grinned at him and he cuffed her arm lightly.
"It's time," Lord HaMinch said as he came up to the first year pages. They filed in after their training master and the boys tried to remain calm. Kimi yawned.
"Page Kimiko of Queenscove?" Kimi stepped forward and placed herself in front of the table of judges.
"What is the Capital of the Copper Isles?" the first judge asked.
Kimi blinked. She wasn't sure if the man was serious or not. "Rajmuat?" she said timidly. Maybe it is a trick question, she thought.
"Correct." Kimi couldn't help it, she turned around and stared at Jonathan so she could share her disbelief with him. He gave a small smile, and the corners of his Yamani-like eyes crinkled to show his amusement at her reaction.
The questions continued to be called out to her from the line of judges. They were very easy, in her opinion. I didn't even need to read the Etiquette book, she realized. That thought annoyed her and she made a face at Ulric when she returned to stand with the other first year pages. Ulric looked like he tried to swallow an entire apple and it got caught in his throat. He was a reddish purple color that contrasted sharply against his white blonde roots. Kimi gave him a little pat on his shoulder for support. The questions to the other pages were also very simple, and all of them passed.
"I feel like I've wasted my time," Jiri complained as they made their way down to the practice courts. He was a light skinned and dark haired little boy who looked like someone splattered brown paint on his face and neck. Jiri said he didn't mind his excessive freckles because his mother could never tell if he was dirty or not and so didn't make him wash his neck and face as much as his freckle-less brother. Jiri was an all right fellow, but Kimi was not friends with him.
"Me too," Ulric added. He was slowly returning to his original color.
"I wonder if it is harder for the other pages." Jonathan inquired to no one in particular.
"I hope not," Kimi said fervently. "Now all we need to do is a little jousting, some basics of fencing, a little archery and a little combat and we'll be done."
They were stumbling down the hill towards the training courts when they were accosted by all the other pages. Gary, Theo, Patrik, and Furtan ran up to Kimi and Jon while the other pages approached their own first year friends.
"How did you do?" Gary asked.
"Was it simple?" Patrik wanted to know.
"Who were the judges?" Theo demanded with eager bright eyes.
The pages were no longer allowed to watch the tests after a few years ago some of the pages had figured out a way to cheat. Those pages were kicked out and the rules were changed.
"We all passed," Jon answered.
"It was disappointing, actually," Kimi admitted. "I mean, they asked such simple questions. Unless someone lived under a rock his whole life, then he wouldn't be able to pass."
"I can't remember who was judging," Jonathan answered after Theo prodded him. "My mind was on other things.
"Um, that one Baron from Tameran," Kimi remembered, and her face contorted as she tried to recall the others.
Theo sighed. "You all are useless to me, did you know that?"
"What difference does it make?" Kimi demanded. In her mind it was an unimportant detail.
"Because it shows who the king is favoring," Theo explained with an impatient air, "who he trusts to see the children of the nobles are well educated and worthy of continuing this great education."
"They asked what the capital of the Copper Isles is," Kimi said flatly. "Obviously they don't see this education so highly if they think we can't answer a question harder than that."
Theo shook his head. "You don't understand politics."
"We're just glad you passed," Furtan said to change the subject.
"We've got to go," Jonathan said. He understood politics, but he didn't like discussing his grandfather's policies. "We're going to be late to the practice courts." He grabbed Kimi's arm and dragged her away.
"See you soon, boys!" she called and waved.
"Good luck!" the boys yelled back.
The practice courts tests were just as simple as the academic ones. "Well," Kimi said when they were brushing their horses afterwards, "with tests like these, anyone can be a knight."
"You forget one thing," Mortimer piped in, "the Chamber of the Ordeal. My father says it's the hardest thing he ever had to suffer through."
Kimi sighed. "Good point. I don't want to think about that until I'm a squire."
"Nor I," squeaked Ulric. His face was an unhealthy white.
"Are you well?" Jon asked the pale boy.
"Yes, Your Highness. I'm glad this is only once a year though. I don't like going in front of people." Ulric gulped thickly at the thought.
"Isn't that the point of being a knight?" asked Jiri. "You're supposed to go in front of people and give them orders and things."
"I plan to learn how to fight and then follow a commander's orders, then go home and rule my fief," answered Ulric confidently.
"Remind me to never give you a leadership position," teased Jon. He finished brushing his horse and put the brushes away.
"That I will," said Ulric, and he gave his prince a salute.
Three days later at dinner the buzz among the pages was louder than usual. All the pages had passed the End of the Year Tests and now the newly made squires were going to leave them to join the other squires.
Ana wasn't sitting with the pages for the first time; instead she was waiting with the other squires for Patrik and Furtan to join her.
"I'm going to miss you boys," Kimi told Furtan and Patrik. "Who will I joke with in Etiquette class?" she said in a teasing manner to Patrik, but her heart was breaking. Things would never be the same again after Patrik and Furtan left. "Who will keep the peace so we don't kill each other?" she turned to Furtan who was sitting on the other side of Gary.
Furtan gave her a gentle smile and touched her arm in a brotherly way. He understood that she was upset even though she was trying to hide it. "We'll visit often, you'll see," he told her.
"We're not leaving yet," Patrik informed her. "In fact, we're going to be stuck here until some knights choose us to squire for them. It's going to be a long summer."
Kimi wished her face wasn't so expressive. Everyone sitting at the table could tell she was upset. "I know you'll visit soon and often," she said. She was determined to be brave, but it was hard. Patrik and Furtan were the first to really befriend her, and if she was honest with herself, she was very attached to them. Although unaware, she counted on them to always be there and watch out for her.
Lord HaMinch walked purposefully toward the High Table and ignored the pages who scrambled to their feet. "New squires, you are seated in the wrong place," Lord HaMinch spoke the customary words. Patrik and Furtan and the four other former pages picked up their trays and moved to sit with the other squires. A feeling of great loss settled on Kimi that she couldn't seem to shake loose. She cheered half-heartedly with the other pages and squires and watched as Patrik slid onto the bench next to Ana and Furtan sat down on the other side. The couple shared a warm smile and Kimi felt a pang of jealousy that Ana got to sit with Patrik and Furtan and she didn't.
"All will be well, Kimi," Jon assured her. He slid closer to her now that the seat was vacated. "After all, you still have me," he joked and smiled at her.
"And me," said Gary.
"And me!" cried Theo. "And do I have some news for you. It is official; Sir Myles is finally retiring this year."
Gary's face fell. "What are we going to do without him? Sir Myles is the best history teacher that ever passed through here. Now we'll get some dull Mithran Priest who has no appreciation for current events."
"We might get someone good," Jonathan said vaguely.
"Do you know who it will be?" Kimi turned to Jon. He was a wealth of knowledge, but he often kept it to himself. Theo and Jon were not the greatest of friends for that reason, but they respected each other.
"No," answered Jon slowly. "I just overheard my father and my Lord HaMinch speaking about it, and they are planning to choose the next one carefully. Apparently they feel history is an important subject."
"I could have told you that," said Gary.
Kimi pushed her vegetables around her plate. "I'm not hungry, so I think I will go to my room and pack," she informed her group of friends and stood up to leave.
"See you later then," Gary said, and returned to Theo to get more news.
Kimi carried her tray across the room to put it away. As she passed the squire tables she overheard Ana and Patrik talking.
"Did you even eat any of it?" Patrik asked. On Ana's plate was a piece of meat the size of her hand. It looked like a little piece had been sawed off the end of it.
"Yes," she replied.
"A bite maybe," Patrik countered. He had fears about Ana's eating habits that were well grounded.
"So? I ate my potato." Ana looked down at her plate and pushed her red hair behind her ears.
"Oh, well, if you've had starch, who needs protein?" Patrik said, sarcasm dripping from his voice.
Ana laughed a clear and pretty bubble of sound. "I ate the bacon on it," she claimed.
"And little strips of fried fat are great sources of protein." He gave her no nonsense and serious face that startled another laugh out of her.
Kimi passed out of earshot of the couple and left the Mess Hall. They seem to be getting along well, she thought as she returned to her room. It made her smile a little. Patrik deserved some happiness, and if he received it through Ana then that made Kimi happy too.
Kimi managed to finish most of her packing before feeling pangs of hunger rouse in her stomach. She cursed herself lightly for not eating her dinner and for finishing her emergency snacks the night before. She was going home tomorrow and she needed to finish, but at the moment her stomach seemed more important than being prepared.
She snuck out into the hallway and snuck quietly through the palace to the kitchens. She knew Patrik smuggled food out of the kitchens all the time, so how hard could it be? She managed to grab an apple before one of the kitchen maids caught her and shooed her out. She chewed the juicy fruit happily as she returned to her room. It was almost time for lights' out, so she checked corners for people who might report her to the training master. She managed to avoid all people until she checked around the corner to the Page Hallway. She saw a sandy-haired head sticking out of one of the doors and spying on a young couple standing outside of Patrik's room. Quietly she slunk up to Theo and tapped him on the shoulder. He jumped a foot in the air before recognizing her, and then he placed a mischievous finger to his lips.
Kimi rolled her eyes. "It's not polite to spy or eavesdrop," she told him in a whisper.
"I know, but it's the only way I can find out what's going on! No one trusts me to tell me anything anymore," he whispered back. Kimi shook her head at him and moved past him to return to her room. He grabbed her arm and pulled into his room. "Don't, they'll see you and stop," he hissed at her. He stuck his head out the door and beckoned for Kimi to do the same.
At the moment, Ana and Patrik were kissing. Kimi didn't understand what Theo found so exciting about kissing until they broke apart.
"It's the only way," Ana told him. Despite her desire not to listen to two of her friends' private conversation, Kimi leaned forward to hear better.
"No, it's not," Patrik replied fiercely. "Just because you're leaving tomorrow doesn't mean we can't still be together." Kimi glanced at Theo and half expected to see him drool. He loved this kind of drama and was drinking it all in.
"I'm sorry, I don't want to come back and find our feelings have changed. I'd rather put a stop to this now." Ana shook her head and Kimi could almost hear the tears start to brim in her eyes.
"Nothing will change between us, Ana. Can't you see that? I love you." Kimi leaned forward more to look down the hallway. Patrik tried to kiss her again, but Ana pulled away.
"It's over, Patrik. We need to concentrate on our shields right now. It could be years before we see each other again. I love you, but we're both so young. I can't…" she faltered, and Patrik kissed her again.
"We can write letters, and think of each other. Please, I don't want to lose you again." His voice pleaded with her.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, and before Patrik could stop her, she turned on her heel and ran off. Kimi and Theo snapped their heads back into the room and froze as the female squire ran past. Wow, Kimi thought, and then an idiotic thought entered her head, Ana's a fast runner. But the more she thought about it as she returned to her room and prepared for bed, the less idiotic her thought seemed. Ana was a fast runner, and she ran often, especially from love.