Disclaimer: I don't own it. Unless I want to I am not going to repeat this from now on.
A Page Sponsor
Ria looked into her clothes, trying to decide whether she should wear her kimono or breeches and tunic to her first dinner as a page. Would it be better to sink in with the boys and hope to be unnoticed, or try to remind them that she wouldn't be pushed over by some boy?
She looked again at the kimono, and picked up the breeches and tunic. She was already nervous enough, and it wouldn't help that she would be nervous about her clothes, too.
She pulled on her breeches, and tugged on her tunic with sweating hands, and fastened the tunic with a belt her mother had given her. She brushed her hair, washed her face and hands, braided hair, took it out of the braid, and did the braid again. Why was she so damn nervous? A bell rang, and it was loud.
She looked at herself in the mirror one last time, sighed, and walked out the door to stand in the doorway.
It was a very long hallway, with rooms across from each other all along the way. Sir Douglas was walking down the hall, and after he passed each door a page followed him down the hall, and started softly talking with the other boys. One of the boys talking was a redhead who Ria knew to be Cleon's son, Micheal, who was talking to a tall, kingly looking boy with the Conté features of coal black hair and sapphire eyes, who Ria guessed to be Prince Jonathan. She also recognized Raoul and Buri's son, Pathom (A/N: everyone remember Buri's brother?), who was laughting silently; with a tall, brown haired boy that Ria didn't know.
Finally, Sir Douglas stopped at the end of the hall, where six pages, including Ria. Ria bowed, in time with all of the other pages, although one page was a few seconds slow. Sir Douglas looked at each of them in turn, and then spoke.
"All of you will have trials this year, whether it be with the lance, the sword, or your studies, your trials will be unique and shall differ between each and every one of you. You will not be allowed to laze, and you shall work hard, from the first ring of the bell to your supper at sundown. If you are exceptional in your studies I might grant you the day of in the city, or an afternoon of free time. Now," He looked at Ria, "Name and fief."
He did not state if as a question. Ria swallowed. Sir Douglas was direct and thorough; he didn't look as if he appreciated any jokes that she might make.
"Crealaine of Queenscove and the Yamini Isles, my lord."
"Who would like to sponsor Crealaine?"
A muscular, tall boy took one look at Ria, shook his head in disgust, and said, "She looks like she wouldn't last a day, like any other slut of a girl who would come to the palace to try to be a page." He said it quietly enough so that the training master could ignore it, but Sir Douglas did not.
"I think you might have said that any woman was not fit to be a knight, am I correct, Torren of Meron." Again, it wasn't really a question.
"Y-y-yes, m-my lord." Torren stumbled.
"The Lioness has come to visit Corus for a few days, in fact, I think she would be at the Noble's mess hall right now. If you truly believe in the comment you just made, would you like to walk down the hall and repeat it to her?"
Torren's silence was enough of an answer. Everyone knew what the Lioness's answer would be, and Ria would like to be three kingdoms away when she made that answer.
"I thought not. Next time, instead of making sly comments, you should think about whom you would like to sponsor, for as a second year page, you have a choice to sponsor someone. Three weeks doing laundry. Now I repeat, whom would like to sponsor her?"
Ria looked and saw both Pathom and Micheal start to raise their hands, but before them, a boy with musty brown hair, hazel eyes, and an open face (A/N: I couldn't find Sir Gareth or Gary's description so I guessed it, if anyone can tell me what they look like, plz plz tell me) raised his hand.
Sir Douglas turned to gaze at the boy. "You, Damon of Naxen."
The boy made a half bow. "Sir, my academics are exceptional, and my outdoor activities are not needing much work."
Sir Douglas gave him a disapproving glance for the compliments, but said, "Very well, though your tongue still needs some work."
"My lord." The boy bowed, this time, fully.
Sir Douglas moved onto the next boy, a small, dark, black-eyed Bazhir named Kihan.
By the end Pathom had chosen a tall boy named Orion of Legann and Micheal had chosen the Bazhir boy, Kihan.
Damon signaled Ria to follow him, but Sir Douglas stopped them.
"And let us not forget, Prince Alexander of Conté," Sir Douglas gave him a small bow, which Alexander returned with a nod, and than Sir Douglas continued, "Whom will sponsor him?"
Prince Jonathan stepped forward.
"Your lordship, I would be honored to sponsor my brother," Declared Jonathan with noble bearing.
"So it is. You may sponsor him."
Sir Douglas turned towards the pages. "You have one more day to laze, and the day after tomorrow I expect you to be ready."
A/N: Sorry this was so abrupt, but I really want to hurry it towards the next chap, so have fun!