Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own this stuff any more than I did yesterday night. But I definitely own Treet, Lirain and all associated people. All mine!

I forgot to do the hundred review dance last chapter. I'll have to do it now. Thanks everyone! Couldn't have done it without you all! Speaking of reviews, lets get there quickly so I can stop procrastinating and start writing.

Tenshi: Snuggling romance…-grins at new evil ideas- Must make time for lots of that before the end of the story!

Fireblade: Thanks! I got it from that part in Arrows where Talia stops having nightmares that one night she sleeps in a cot with those Army Healers. At least, I think I got it there. It's so hard to tell sometimes.

Wizard: Yes, I decided to let him live. After reading my story over, I also decided to like it again. Goodness all around.

Oceanmate: Thanks! I felt that I took my last story too fast, so I'm trying to focus on the characters this time.

Crinzin: Thanks! Don't worry, he'll figure it out eventually.

Silentstream: Actually, I'm not. On the surface, they seem like similar people, the shyness, the Empathy, but they're really very different, or so I hope, because if they aren't, I haven't been doing my job well enough. The only thing I got from Arrows was the general description of the Holderkin. And Treet isn't going to be a Mindhealer, by the way, don't know if I mentioned that.

Violet Rush: Thanks! I looked back on it and I can see what you mean. Maybe that's just the way he is. I wouldn't want all my characters to be impersonal and the same all the time. Still, thanks for letting me know. He'll disappear in a while, but I'll bear that in mind in future. I seem to be thinking of Treet a little in terms of a child, which he certainly isn't, except in a few ways because of his upbringing. Actually, I'm a high school sophomore –grins-

Actually, on that note, will you people let me know if I seem to be/have been getting into an Arrows sort of track with this story? I don't really want to go there.

Anyway, you people will have to kick me back on track, because I'm liable to keep procrastinating for the NEXT month, and poor Treet'll be stuck in limbo. I'm going to kick myself now and get on with the chapter, so enjoy!

Sorry the chapter's short and it took so long. I seem to have pretty much constant writers block. Hopefully it'll get better and I'll be able to update more regularly.

Chapter 16: Classes

Treet edged into the dining hall, nerves still afire and twanging from his near miss with Healer Josh. He was hoping to avoid the crush, maybe grab some food and sneak it into a quiet corner.

Focusing all of his attention on his need to not be seen, he edged along the wall. As soon as he had gotten his food and was looking for a convenient corner to lurk in, he heard his name shouted over the crowd. He jumped as though someone had set fire to the hem of his tunic. Somehow, he managed to trip over his own feet on the landing, somehow ending tangled up in a sprawl on the floor in an extremely undignified position.

In the few seconds he had to ponder it, he braced himself for the inevitable laughter and kicks that he was sure would be his lot for the next few minutes. When his muscles and eyes started to ache from being held so tight and with no kick forthcoming, he opened his eyes a little to see a large Trainee looming over him, smiling broadly but offering his hand.

Dazed, Treet took it and allowed himself to be hauled upright and patted on the shoulder by the older Trainee. Treet turned bright red and started to mutter an apology, but the Trainee interrupted him.

"Don't worry about it, really. Happens to everyone," the Trainee said affably, before turning back to his friends.

Treet was happy enough never to see that particular Trainee again, so he turned and disappeared into the crowd as fast as he could. He wasn't quite sure who it was that had called his name, but given that there was an emerald haired Trainee jumping up and down and waving in his direction, he could have made a fairly good guess. Grinning to himself, he threaded his way towards her.

Without Treet even realizing it, a large smile had appeared on his face and he felt like a spring too tightly coiled. If Lirain had looked good red and puffy eyed from sleep, she looked even better now. Treet could barely take his eyes from her.

Lirain waved enthusiastically. This wasn't unusual for her. Although she had learned when it was a good idea to mute her motions and actions, when she was with her fellow Trainees, she did everything with enough vigor for two fully Gifted Bards on the scent of a new ballad.

Treet tried to casually insinuate himself through the crowd, with mixed results. He breathed a sigh of relief when he found himself safely seated next to Lirain at one of the long tables that held whatever full Healers could find time for a bite and most of the Healer Trainees.

"So, how was Orientation?" Lirain asked casually.

"Well, I learned a good deal about what happens if this war with Karse finally erupts onto the border and I get captured by a mad priest," Treet said jokingly.

"So glad your morning was useful. I guess they taught you to shield properly?"

"They did. I never realized how much I was picking up until I wasn't anymore. It was like a constant headache in the back of my head."

Lirain grinned. "A headache? In a building full of Healers? You may be one of the first to manage that particular feat. Speaking of headaches, have you seen that Herald of yours? She'll have a monster of one when she gets around to noticing it."

Treet's face fell. "I haven't seen her anywhere. I thought maybe she'd at least say goodbye before she left again, but she just disappeared."

"I'm sure she'll show up." Lirain would have said more, but the other Trainees involved her in a spirited discussion of the relative merits of two of the herbs used in a common headache potion, and Treet was too happy just listening to her voice to interrupt.

As the warning bells rang throughout the Collegia, Lirain turned back to Treet. "What're you doing this afternoon?"

"My schedule says I have independent study for most of the afternoon, so basically, I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing." Treet said with a little self-deprecating laugh.

"Independent study? That's simple enough. The Healer's Collegium is different from the other two in that there aren't many actual classes as such. For as long as you have Orientation, you'll have independent study in the afternoon, and a half Candlemark talking to a Healer from one of the specialties until you find the one that you are best suited to. I'll come and find you later today and we can arrange that. Once Orientation ends and you find yourself a mentor, you'll have one afternoon a week of independent study, and the rest of the time, you'll be with your mentor. Practical skills in the afternoon and theory, which is basically book learning and which you get to do mostly on your own, in the morning. Plus, of course, Weaponswork right after lunch. All Trainees take at least a year of that, no matter what Collegium."

"Weaponswork?" Treet asked curiously. He was no stranger to weapons, although he was no fighter either. He was competent with a bow and arrows and had expected to be taught to use real weapons some time in his fifteenth or sixteenth year. Herald Karissa, of course, had had other ideas that most decidedly did not involve the Hold. He smiled a little at the thought.

"Yes," Lirain said. "Every Trainee is required to know how to defend themselves or a person under their care, in our case. Healers are held largely immune, but not entirely."

Treet nodded. "That makes sense. Is it hard?"

"It may seem hard at first, but once you get used to it," she smiled. "I actually got to like it a little, but my duties don't leave much time for any more classes. There are so few MindHealers."

Noticing for the first time since she had seen Treet the steady stream of Trainees rushing off, she swore. "Speaking of duties, I'll be late to my afternoon work if I don't hurry and I have after lunch chores in the animal pens. Library's straight on your left, in the Heraldic building, that's the big one in the middle. Look for your Yearmates or your Orientation teacher. I'll see you later!" With that, she rushed off like a whirlwind, gracefully threading her way back through the Trainees.

When Treet finally arrived, he saw that most of his Orientation class was already there, sitting around Healer Josh at one of the larger tables. Before he went towards them, however, he simply stood in silence admiring the majesty of the library. Wall to wall books, of every conceivable title, size and color. The room was filled with Trainees in various colors, all reading.

Treet slowly walked over to where his Yeargroup was sitting and took a chair in between a tall dark haired girl and a boy that he recognized vaguely from that morning. When Josh saw him, he smiled and called the class to order.

"Now that everyone's here," he said, "I'm going to tell you how you'll be spending your afternoon, and many like it, over the next few years. All of you should have marked 'Independent Study' for the next few periods for this day and time. Now, as you may know, Trainees from all three Collegia are required to learn about the basics of Valdemaran law, Geography, Mathematics and Literature. Because our full Healers are needed for duties other than teaching, for the most part, you will be learning these subjects by yourself. All the books you could possibly need are here, and any of the older Trainees will be happy to help you, in fact, it's part of their duties, some of them. As your mentors may have told you, after independent study each day for the rest of this moon, you'll be meeting Healers who specialize in various areas, such as Mindhealing, Trauma injuries and others. Pending approval of the Dean, the choice of which area you want to study is all yours. You'll find that, although the Healing Gifts are all similar, you'll have a decided affinity for one of the types of Healing."

After answering a few questions from the Trainees and pointing out roughly where the books on different subjects were located, he reminded them that a report on their studies would be due in a moon and left them to explore on their own.