Gary the older - when he was younger.
Gary gasped, and nodded vigorously. The training master, Lord Harise, dismissed him with a wave of the hand. The new page's briefing was over. It was time to start his time as a page.
'It'll be hard, but you'll get through, because the gods are counting on you.' Belatedly the boy remembered the blessing his father had often whispered over him before the boy fell asleep.
"Come on, boy. We have to get you ready for tomorrow." The maid's voice was quiet, but Gary obeyed her anyway. There was no point getting into trouble, and he probably wouldn't get teased toomuch.
Wrong. Sooo wrong.
"Ohh, the new page is baby!" That was another page, Gary could tell by his clothes. Although he looked slow and stupid, Gary was secretly as sharp as a sword. He was good with those, too.
The other boy approached him menacingly. Gary could tell he was a leader, by the way the other boys gathered around him. Gary clenched bruised fists and waited for the worst. He hoped the older boy didn't have the wrong idea about him.
"Following a maid around isn't the kind of thing us pages do!" The boy snapped. He walked over to Gary. "You obviously aren't a page, street rat!" Most of the boys were sniggering now. The maid was nowhere in sight. Great. Gareth crossed his arms, fitting his two thin bladed daggers into both fists. He prayed he wouldn't need them.
"Page's can fight, street rat! So I guess you can't. What a pity. You've annoyed me, streetie!"
"For your information, I can fight perfectly well, and I don't mind if you check!" he was in for it now. Gary uncrossed his arms, showing daggers. He didn't care if they were banned at the moment. The boy had a couple of daggers, too. The other boys had clustered around the pair. None of the nobles were around. No help there.
The boy slashed forward, but Gary dodged, using the balls of his feet to propel himself sideways. He jabbed forwards, using the flat of the dagger to send the boy flying. He landed against the ring of pages and squires, who stepped aside and dropped him. Gary walked over and checked the boy wasn't hurt, then went to find the maid. He didn't think anyone else had seen, but he ran quietly in case. He would be punished if anyone told, but he didn't think they would. No one told on anyone in the Palace. No one liked you if you did.
The rest of the day passed in a rush. He was nicknamed 'Naxen Boy', found an old boy to show him around, and went for fittings. He had most of the clothes he needed already, from his brother Colelin. Colelin had died a year ago, having taken suicide in the Chamber of the Ordeal. The thought made Gary stiffen. What was in that ghastly place? What had made his big brother die in the stone tomb-like Chamber? What would happen to him in there?
At last Gary was shown to his room by the maid, who was called Maginta. She was beautiful. Rosy cheeks, lively eyes, a stunning smile which lit up the room when she used it, which was often. Gareth of Naxen fell into a deep, warm sleep.
Maginta woke him the next day. It was sunny, which was cheerful. Magnita smiled when he woke, and gave him a glass of water. He sat up and smiled at her. And thus the courtship began, with a simple smile.