ok I have updated huzzah.. sorry this took a while...
Oh yeah I edited chapter 1... Jzeliet's 15 it's like two years later...
nativewildmage: I'll have to keep that in mind.. I was never that much of a speller to begin with..
USNA:yeah Yuki's dead ((sniffle))... but hey they can't all live.. jk... thanks for the review..
Nessanina: yeah I'm sure Jzeliet can handle the training.. she's a shang right.. how hard could it be ((smirk))... we'll just see... "the road of life is littered in surprises"- Lady Knight PoTs.. oh yeah I couldn't leave out the horse blood part.. my beta reader was against it but I won...
sirladyknight: I know it's all original, but who could live without corn... I know I can't...
On top of cloud 9: thanks... I like not being grilled once in a while... oh and I did read your fanfic before... I just forgot to review it.. whoops (smacks forehead)
queen-of-sapphires: yeah you were right so I decided to wait two year for her to become a page... People I DO LISTEN TO YOUR SUGGESTIONS! please I need them...
maliaphire: as I said before to queen of sapphires.. you people are right... so I made Jzet become a page at 15 not 13 (like her dad... "cough")
Sorceress Shadow Rain: I know laguna beach in 4 days.. this is probably my last update till then... thanks for the review.. much appreciated..
so now people get it right.. Jzeliet is now like 15.. read the end of the last chappie please.. it explains a whole lot... Thank you xoxoxo caiti
disclaimer: yep still don't own anything...
It had been two weeks since her father sent the letter to the training master Lord haMinich. She was anxious; any Yamani could see it on her face.
That morning she decided to go outside to the gardens to meditate and pray to the Yamani gods when she heard a faint cry. She crept around the corner to see a man forcing a woman with a knife poking it at her back.
"Unhand her you prat." said Jzeliet her Yamani face smooth maybe a little too smooth for the seriousness of the situation. The man smirked and then rashly lunged at her with his knife. The lady ran away screaming at the top of her lungs towards the castle. Jzeliet quickly took a step back just missing the knife piercing her side. I'm getting rusty. She thought.
"What's your business here in Queenscove?" she managed to ask before the man managed to take another stab at her. "And why were you hurting that maiden? Don't make me hurt you." Again the man made no reply and swung at her, this time he just grazed her arm sending blood trickling onto the dirt below her. She cursed in Yamani. Now it was personal.
She acted quickly grabbing the man by the arm before he could take another stab at her with the knife. The man tried to yank away and yowled as she sent her fingernails digging into his skin.
"Why were you hurting that maiden? Tell me now or it will hurt must worse." said Jzeliet in a whisper. Still the man remained silent, to Jzeliet's unease. She had no other options than to render him unconscious. She pinched the man's vein in his wrist causing him to drop his weapon and then spun his arm around to his back. She now faced his back and pressed her thumb on the back of his neck for two seconds. The man slowly drooped unconscious, hitting the ground with a thump.
Jzeliet then cursed and tended to her arm which now was heavily bleeding. She grasped it tightly putting pressure, hoping some one would come along and find them because she herself was too tired to move, to tired to think, to tired to do anything but slouch on the ground.
Five minutes later the maiden and some guards from the castle returned armed and wary. One of the men that Jzeliet knew as Duard Hemingway helped her up and took her to the infirmary without saying a word. She waited there silently, mediating until her father barged in looking furious.
"What were you thinking Jzeliet?" asked her father in a shout.
"Well that lady was in trouble and I wanted to help her!" Jzeliet shot back. I guess I spent too many years in Tortall, because I think I'm losing my Yamani mask. She was angry at her father's sudden outburst, but knew he meant well. He was just worried about her safety. "Isn't that what being a knight is all about? Knights do not ignore a cry for help." She added in an afterthought. "Isn't that the reason, father that you became a knight?"
Her father seemed to be lost in thought and guilt shone on his face. "I guess I never thought of it that way Jzeliet." said her father thoughtfully. "I just thought I was keeping up the family tradition." He looked sad to Jzeliet, almost disgruntled at his own self.
"Um father could you heal my arm?" she asked feeling faint. "I feel really dizzy."
"Oh yes, of course," he said his voice shaky. "How could I forget?"
After he healed her arm he marched her up to bed. But Jzeliet didn't go to sleep easily. Instead she spent her time tossing and turning in her sleep.
She was running through a dense thick forest. She could feel scratches on her face and the smell of blood was all too real. She then stumbled across a ditch saving her self with one quick step from falling in.
She then looked down and saw a boy her age there slumped over unconscious. The boy had dark brown hair and a small delicate nose that blood seemed to be pouring out of. His eyebrows were curved gracefully. He was very skinny, but then well built. He had a dark blue tunic on, a shirt that was stained with blood, and breeches that were ripped at the knees.
She panicked and slid down the ditch, dirt coming up into her face, blinding her. She ran towards the boy and threw herself down on him. She whispered something and her finger tips turned green. He was breathing slowly and steadily to Jzeliet's relief.
'How do I know so much magic? I can only heal small cuts.' She wondered inside her dream. 'Was this a dream or a vision of something to happen in the future?'
She began to heal the boy's nose and scrapes. Wet tears could be felt on her skin that was covered in blood and dirt. The boy slowly opened up his eyes, which were a deep grey.
"Jzet, I knew you would come for me." he croaked. "I need water." She opened up her flask and helped the boy shove the water down his bone dry throat.
Suddenly she could hear noise, grunts of men and barks of dogs.
"Do you think it could be them?" the boy asked trying to sit up.
"No they are speaking in Carthakian." Jzeliet wiping her sweat off her forehead. "We need to hide."
"I can't walk Jzet, you have to leave me and save yourself." said the boy. Now tears were falling from his eyes.
"Nonsense, I would never leave you." she said feeling afraid. "We'll hide in the ditch. It's dark now. They might not even see us." She felt uncertain.
"Or we can hide behind that bush over there." said the boy pointing to a large bush at the edge of the ditch. "But you'll have to carry me I can't walk."
Jzeliet got up and slung the boy over her shoulders. Even in the dream she could feel his weight almost crushing her. Her bones felt on fire, protesting every little step. Finally they got to the bush and Jzeliet put the boy down, and then collapsed exhausted.
"If we make this out alive I will carry you up the palace wall." joked the boy. Jzeliet sighed inside her dream.
It seemed like they waited hours for the men to come up to their hiding space even though it was only a couple of minutes. Even inside her dream she could feel the bugs biting her and the stickiness of her skin from the humidity.
Then they heard the rough voices of the Carthak's. Even thought she could not speak Carthakian she could understand it perfectly inside her dream.
"I smell blood commander." said a tall man. He had purple hair and red eyes. This caught Jzeliet off guard causing her to gasp. The man had the looks of a killer and she didn't think he was human. "Obviously some one is close by. I can sense it."
The other man a regal looking man with white hair and a firm face turned to him and spoke. "It could just be the animals Xanto. But I shall send men out anyway."
He gestured for three men to take a look around before they began moving again. They came so close to Jzeliet she could smell their foul odor and hear their heavy breathing.
"There is nothing here commander." bellowed a man in a deep voice. The commander motioned for the men to continue on.
Jzeliet woke up with a start. Her body was drowned in sweat. That dream seemed almost a little too real. She got up and threw open the shutters, biting her lip from the pain in her right arm. It was still very early. The sun would be coming up very soon so she decided to not try and go back to sleep. She took a hot bath to calm her nerves, and then got dressed into her favorite dress, which was emerald green with long sleeves, and white stockings.
She ran down to the kitchen to eat a quick breakfast when she saw Renee the housekeeper and a man she did not know sitting at the table. The man was in his early twenties and had ebony-red hair and steady hazel eyes that had grey specks in them.
"My lady," she began bowing. "This here is Aaron. He has a message from Lord haMinich for your father concerning your training." Jzeliet's face lighted up in excitement. She curtseyed and then asked sweetly:
"Could I read it Aaron?"
The man hesitated, but handed her the letter anyway. "As long as Sir Nealan gets it in the end my lady, I guess you can read it."
She began to read it. It said that she was welcomed to train, but then began complaining about how old she was to just start now. She ignored these harsh words and began to smile in spite of herself. She was now a page in the realm of Tortall. She was sure in the Dark Realm somewhere her mother was smiling. She could just feel it. (A/N ahh cornyness... but you've got to have it sometimes.. it's too fun to leave out).
Her father read the letter later when he woke up. If he was displeased, he did not show it. Instead he ordered Renee to help her pack for the long trip to Corus.
The next morning they left for Corus. It was cool and a sudden breeze chilled her. Fog settled in covering the valley and beyond. Her father and she traveled four days to Corus. It was a nice ride. Her father kept her entertained and happy.
They reached the palace by mid afternoon on the fourth day of traveling. A servant named Blair took her bags and then led them to Lord haMinich's office. He knocked on the door.
"Come in," said a voice behind the door. Blair opened the door for them and then left without a word.
"Sit down please." said the man Jzeliet presumed to be the training master. He had short cropped dark ebony hair, which had streaks of grey running through it and pale blue eyes. He had a stubborn mouth and a chin with a cleft in it. He had a beard that was short and curly. He wore a pale green tunic with a shirt and breeches.
"Jzeliet isn't it?" asked the training master. Jzeliet nodded her facial expression hidden under her Yamani mask. "You have an interesting story Jzeliet. A Shang is a much respected title."
"Thank you my lord." she said taking in the compliment.
"But I expect you would not like any of your fellow pages know your past. Am I correct?" he said twiddling his thumbs.
"Of course my lord." she said meeting his cold gaze directly. She couldn't think of what would happen if her fellow pages knew her past. She might scare them with her abilities.
"According to your father's letter he also says you possess the gift, but could not learn to use it because of the Shang's resent against magic." he said reading of a piece of paper his eyebrows rose. "Strict people the Shang,"
"Yes my lord you are correct." said Jzeliet.
"Then here you will have lessons in controlling your gift." said the training master. "I know you come from a long line of healers am I correct?"
"Yes my lord." said Jzeliet remembering that her father and grandfather were famous healers of the realm.
"Further more, you do understand that I will not tolerate flirtations or anything of that type as long as I am alive and well?" said the training master curtly his eyes narrowing. Jzeliet nodded knowing the seriousness of the situation. But she knew she would not be caught dead flirting with boys younger than her.
"Then Blair shall take you to the palace tailors for measurements and then up to your room so you can unpack Page Jzeliet." said Lord haMinich standing up. He saluted her father and then sat back down. Jzeliet knowing this was a dismissal got up, bowed to the training master, and then followed her father out of the room.
"Be good Jzeliet." he said kissing his daughter on the forehead. "I don't want my lord writing to me about your behavior."
"I will strive my hardest to behave oh father of mine." she said sounding almost a little to much like her father. He chuckled and then they hugged one last time.
Jzeliet followed Blair down to the palace tailors. The tailor measured her quickly and then handed her a page's uniform, practice clothes, and clothes for leisure. Jzeliet hoped she could use the leisure clothes much more than the rest, but knew that wasn't the case.
Blair then took her up to the Page's wing. Her room was farther down the hall. She knew when they reached her room, because her name was written in chalk on a slate. She looked to see that her neighbors where 'Brandon of Tarside' and 'Audrey of King's Reach'. Blair then bid her fare well and then she walked into her room.
She unpacked slowly since she had a lot of time on her hands. She hung up a picture of Queenscove above the mantel of her fireplace and began rearranging her desk to her pleasing. She put on her desk parchment, ink, and books that her father gave her to read. She then made a special corner for her glaive or naginta as the Yamani's called the weapon.She then put her clothes in the wardrobe, which was located in the changing room. After she was done she threw open the shutters to let some air in and sunlight. She smiled in spite of herself and then asked the maid, Cora to fill her tub with hot water.
She climbed into the tub a couple of minutes later feeling satisfied with herself. But the fifteen year old knew she had a lot of work cut out for her.
After bathing she put on her favorite long sleeved green dress and her white stockings. She then pulled her long brown hair into a horse tail, so it wouldn't get in her way. She inspected herself in the mirror taking in her reflection. It's always nice to make a good first impression. She didn't want the boys thinking she was a wild woman from some fief in the north. She wanted them to respect her, even like her if possible for who she was.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a loud bell. Well I guess it's time to go. She thought straightening her dress once last time. She then stepped into the hallway which was now filling with pages. They began to chatter until Lord haMinich stepped in wearing the same pale green tunic from before.
"Welcome to all of you new comers," said the training master surveying them through his cold, pale blue eyes. "And welcome back to everyone else. It's good to see you alive and well." A few boys chuckled. "Now shall we begin finding sponsors for the first years?" Lord haMinich pointed to a boy with sandy colored hair that was cropped short, and had deep, dark blue eyes. He was small and scrawny and his face was lightly dusted with freckles. "Name and fief,"
"Brandon of Tarside" answered the boy bowing slightly.
"Now who would sponsor Brandon?" asked the training master, his hand gripped on Brandon's shoulder. Four boys raised their hands.
"Nolan of Darroch will sponsor Brandon." said Lord haMinich. Nolan was a muscular boy around the age of thirteen; he had fine auburn hair that was cropped right below his ear, brown eyes and had a square chin. He wore a red tunic with gold trim and a pair of dark brown breeches.
Brandon quickly stood next to Nolan with a look of anxiousness in his eyes. Nolan reassured the ten year old by putting his hand on his shoulder.
"You boy name and fief." snapped Lord haMinich pointing his long boney finger at a boy with curly reddish brown hair. The boy was short for the age of ten and had limpid blue-grey eyes. He had so many freckles; Jzeliet could hardly see his ghost, pale white skin.
"Aidan of Hollyrose," squeaked the boy.
'Now who will be Aidan's sponsor?" asked the training master his gaze narrowing down upon the crowd of pages. Terrence of Golden Lake and Malories Peak sponsored Aidan. Terrence was a big burly boy about the age of thirteen, with lightly tan skin, and black beady eyes that shined with mischief. He also had dark brown hair that was cropped short, and a pleasant smile. Jzeliet looked over at Aidan who seemed to be overcome by fear of the large boy.
Dylan of Tirrsmont was taken under by Prince Jonathan V of Conte, twelve year old heir to the throne. Danrizh, a Bazhair was sponsored by a fellow Bazhair, Faris.
"You girl name and fief." snapped the training master to a young girl at the age of ten. She was thin and even smaller than Aidan. She had wide blue eyes, and wavy golden hair that was in a braid.
"Audrey of King's Reach." said the girl her voice was steady and calm. She seemed to Jzeliet the only one who did not fear the training master.
"Now who would like to sponsor Audrey?" asked the training master. His voice so cold it seemed like frost was flowing from his mouth.
One hand shot up. "Michael you would like to sponsor your sister?" asked Lord haMinich.
"It would be rude not to my lord." said Michael. Jzeliet took one look at Michael and her heart skipped a beat. It was the same boy from her dream. She suddenly felt a cold rush fall upon her like some one was dumping ice water on her without warning.
"Mithros help me." she whispered under her breath. She felt like she knew Michael without even ever speaking to the boy.
"Ok Michael you shall sponsor her." said Lord haMinich. He then turned and faced her. "Name and fief,"
"Jzeliet of Queenscove my lord." she said her face Yamani smooth. She pursed her lips together. She didn't like the awkward silence or that the fact was that nobody raised their hands.
"No page can go not sponsored," barked the training master. A boy with mouse brown hair and deep hazel eyes raised his hand. Jzeliet could sense something amiss by the way the other boys smirked and snickered.
"Luke of Grotten you wish to sponsor her?" asked the training master suspiciously.
"No my lord I'll do it." a boy protested. The training master rolled his eyes and so did many pages around him.
"Anyone else besides Kearney of Mandash?" said Lord haMinich. Jzeliet looked at Kearney. He was a small boy of eleven. He had light brown hair that was cropped short and grey-green eyes. He had a stubborn chin and a hooked nose. His eyes shined with youthfulness and glee and his smile was silly. He was dotted with freckles on his cheeks and on his arms. His eyebrows were straight and firm and he had dimples when he smiled.
When no one else responded Lord haMinich sighed. "Kearney shall be your sponsor Jzeliet."
Jzeliet didn't know how to feel towards the annoying eleven year old. But she was grateful none the less, because she knew that Luke kid would have thrown her out in a week.
When all the other pages went down to the mess hall Jzeliet talked to her sponsor for the first time.
"Who am I to you?" she asked intently. "We are no kinsmen and I don't even think Queenscove is on that friendly term with Mandash." Kearney shrugged.
"I just don't like Luke that's all." he said. "I knew what he was going to do to you so I decided to oust him and snag you from his hands."
Jzeliet laughed at this. The kid had a sense of humor, but it could easily get him into trouble.
"It's Jzeliet right?" he asked as they walked down to the mess.
"Yep,"
"Jzeliet's too long so I decided to call you Jzet." he declared. She opened her mouth to protest she liked Jet better, but kept quiet. She wanted her own name inside the palace and she guessed Jzet would fit her perfectly. She remembered Michael had called her Jzet in the dream so she must stick with it.
In the mess hall Kearney grabbed soup off a tray and led her to the end of a table. Jzet guessed Kearney didn't have much friends or everyone didn't like her.
After dinner Kearney showed her around the castle being careful to point out the classrooms and practice courts. They were just about to leave the practice courts when they bumped into Luke, Faris, Danrizh, and a boy Kearney called Craig of Marti's Hill.
"Ah I see your showing the wench around the castle." said Luke. "You'll pay for out doing me Kearney."
"Oh yeah Luke bring it on. I'm not afraid of you." retorted Kearney fists raised. Kearney lunged at Craig, but Craig was quicker, grabbing him by the tunic and threw him into the stone wall.
Jzet knew her small, loud mouthed friend was out of action after hitting the wall. Even her Yamani mask couldn't hide her anger. Kearney stuck up for her and defended her and she just let these boys throw him into a wall.
She ran at Craig in frustration and dodged his punches swiftly. She grabbed him by the arm and swung him over her shoulder causing him to hit the ground with force.
"Who's next?" she asked panting.
Luke and Faris jumped at her. Faris tried to sock her in the jaw, but she intercepted his punch in the palm of her hand and pushed his wrist back hearing the bones crack in the process. He screamed grabbing his wrist. She knew it was broken, but said nothing.
Luke was more cautious. He tried drop kicking her, but she did a back flip onto the fence crouching there like a tiger ready to strike. She jumped and brought her foot down upon his face. Luke stumbled back banging into Danrizh. Then they ran off followed by Faris and Craig who were shouting curses at her and did rude gestures.
She rushed over to Kearney who was bleeding who was bleeding at the head. She thanked the gods for her father teaching her some healing magic and then a green light flared in her fingertips. She touched Kearney's head where the cut was, feeling numb.
Kearney slowly became conscious. After he stood up he thanked her about a thousand times. They then walked back to their rooms when they were confronted by a servant.
"Lord haMinich wants you both to his office, now." said the servant. "It concerns the fight you had earlier with Page Luke of Grotten and his friends."
"That unchivalorous jerk," Kearney ranted to Jzet as they made their way to Lord haMinich's office. "The other guys won't like it when I tell them he tattled on us. I'm sorry Jzet I got you in trouble on your first day." he added in an after thought.
Jzet smiled at her small friend and laid her hand on his shoulder.
"It's ok Kearney, I can handle it." she said. Then muttered under her breath: "I hope."
"Come in." barked Lord haMinich after Kearney pounded on the door. They let themselves inside without another word. "Sit." he added. It seemed like frost came out of his mouth.
"Pages Luke, Faris, and Craig are in the infirmary. And it's very amusing that they all have the same story. That you, Shang, had beaten them all up." Jzet sighed. Now Kearney knew her secret,
"What do you mean by Shang, sir?" Kearney asked wide eyed. Jzet looked at the training master her eyes pleading that she wouldn't give up her secret. But Lord haMinich showed no mercy.
"Jzeliet is a Shang master." replied the training master coolly. Jzet couldn't look at Kearney or the training master, she just wanted to curl up into a corner and die.
"Whoa! That's so cool!" Kearney exclaimed. "Why didn't you tell me earlier Jzet?" Jzet smacked her forehead in frustration. Doesn't he know when to shut up! She thought grimly.
"Well anyway Page Kearney, you and Jzeliet have pot scrubbing duty for two weeks as your punishment." concluded the training master his gaze steady. "You are dismissed."
Jzet got up from her chair furious. How could he do that to her? How could some one be so cold to tell another person their secret?
"It's ok Jzet the Rattler always was very cold to begin with." said Kearney patting her on the back after they returned to the Page's wing.
"The Rattler?" Jzet asked with her hands on her hips. "Who's the rattler?"
"Oh yeah your new here, I forgot. The Rattler is the nickname for my Lord haMinich. The other boys call him that because he's so cold like a snake and sharp with his tongue." Jzet laughed until she was out of breath.
"Well don't say that around my lord or you might not see another day." joked Jzet. "Well see you in the morning." Kearney jogged down the hall to his room leaving Jzet sitting on her bed thinking of the day's events. She also knew in the back of her mind that she needed to find out more about that boy from King's Reach. The gods had something destined for them, she was sure of it.
Another chapter done.. so lay the criticism on me... because you know that wasn't really that good... Please review.. I appreciate your oppinions... and if I like your ideas enough I might even write them in this story... Well I want you people to know that I'll probably not update in two weeks... I'm going to California in 4 days... then I have a butt load of school work to finish... and plus soccer with some Holland dude trainer... I swear if I here Yah one more time I'll kill myself..
Oh yeah last night I wrote the last chapter of the story of Jzeliet or Jzet.. plus epilogue.. It's pretty good... oh and for you people wanting to know why I changed her nickname from Jet to Jzet.. I just really never liked the name Jet.. thank you and good night...
Review for me!I wish you could see I'm making my biggest puppy dog in the history of the universe... so don't let me down... -cAiTi-