A/N: Okay, this chapter might turn out to sound a little repetitive, but that's okay. OH, and I'm sorry this has taken so long to get out. Enjoy!
End of chapter 7: Of course, how was the young Sarralyn to know, as she extinguished her lamp, that the heir was so very near, falling into a fitful sleep, worried sick that someone may find out his secret? Simply put, she couldn't. So as the disguised Salmalin girl wished her roommate goodnight and closed her eyes, she gave up her thoughts for the night and surrendered to a dreamless sleep, knowing full and well the surprises that tomorrow would have in store.
A New World
Sarralyn awoke the next morning before dawn and groaned, attempting to will herself back to sleep. Today was her first day as a page! She needed as much sleep as she could get! After about ten minutes of trying to control her breathing, however, she gave up and rolled silently out of bed, dropping to the floor without a sound, amulet swinging around her neck.
"Sarra? Are you awake?" Sarralyn was shocked to hear Kira's voice so early in the morning- surely the entire palace must still be asleep!
But the dark-haired head that poked into Sarralyn's room said otherwise. Kira opened the door that connected the two female pages and joined her roommate. The blonde wildmage realized she was sitting on the floor, but didn't get up to sit on her bed.
"What-" "How-" The two said together. Sarralyn looked to the floor, embarrassed, as she heard Kira chuckle.
"What do you think of these things that they're doing to us? With the special rooms and the new uniforms? It's like they're trying to make us stick out, don't you think?"
Sarralyn's head shot up; she couldn't agree more! "Completely! I didn't come here to be treated differently; I just want my shield like all the other boys!" the testy girl's voice came out as a low growl and she looked over at Kira apologetically. The sapphire-eyed girl was smiling again.
"That's precisely how I feel!" she exclaimed, her strong voice quiet. Sarralyn felt a broad grin spread across her face. It looked like she and Kira were going to get along just fine.
"So, Kira, tell me about your family. Who are your parents? Do you have any other siblings besides Jasson?" Sarralyn was itching to find out more about her new friend.
Kira looked at her "A curious little thing, aren't you?" She said, cocking an eyebrow. Sarralyn noticed the guarded look in Kira's eyes and wondered what was wrong. "My father is just another knight of this wonderful realm. He and my mother met when he was a squire; she'd come with the Yamani ladies. I don't know my Yamani grandparents, but my grandfather on my father's side is a knight as well, and my grandmother comes from Saraine, like yours." Sarralyn was startled that Kira had already heard of her, or rather, Sarra. Hardly anyone knew of Sarra's Saraineian origins. "I don't have any siblings besides Jasson. My mother can't bear any more children, so we're all my parents have. As for my home, my family lives at the palace almost all of the year, so we say that we're of Corus."
Kira paused, open-mouthed, as though she just realized she shouldn't have said something. Sarralyn didn't ponder it; she was too busy preparing herself for the question that was bound to come next.
"And what about you, Sarra? What's your story?"
Sarralyn breathed out, trying to calm herself. "I never knew my siblings, but my mother and father lived at Caramein in Scanra, as you know" she began, the well-memorized lie tumbling from her lips. "They did... but they were killed almost three years ago now because of their alliance with King Jonathan." Sarralyn paused dramatically, as if about to become emotional. "They told me to come to Tortall before they died, to see Alanna the Lioness and have her teach me magic. Lady Alanna taught me to heal. I looked up to her, and wanted to be just like her. So, I'm here. I'm not sure if this is what Ma and Da would have wanted, to have me killing and such, but-" Sarralyn was surprised when she realized that there were actual tears swimming in her eyes. She hated lying to Kira, but it was no use.
The young Yamani girl patted Sarralyn on the arm sympathetically. "Let's not talk about this. It's past dawn so why don't we get dressed and hunt down our sponsors?"
Sarralyn was quick to agree with this idea, relieved that she wouldn't have to lie some more. Kira ducked back into her room as the blonde girl changed into a caramel-colored shirt and dark breeches. She turned this way and that in the mirror, loving how she looked feminine but strong in the casual clothes. The stormy-eyed blonde wasn't afraid to be who she was- or who Sarra was in any case. The girl shook her head, confused.
She didn't ponder it for long, as Kira reappeared, clad in a light blue shirt and black breeches. A glowing smile lit upon the other girl's features and Sarralyn realized that her roommate wasn't just pretty- she was beautiful. From the straight nose to the full, red lips to the deep blue eyes, the Yamani girl was easily the loveliest child Sarralyn had ever seen. Something like recognition tugged at the back of the Gifted wildmage's mind, but as soon as it surfaced it was gone.
"Let's go" Kira's voice was soft as silk as she took Sarralyn's hand and marched her out of the room for breakfast where their sponsors would be waiting.
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"Fancy seeing you two here."
Sarralyn and Kira stopped dead at the sound of the icily handsome voice that called to them. They were halfway to the mess hall, taking some sort of shortcut that Kira had apparently found years before. They hadn't expected to meet anyone.
"Well don't just stand there, turn around."
Hot adrenaline flowed through the young wildmage's body as that voice called again. She shot a glance at Kira and saw that the Yamani girl's face had gone blank as stone. We're in trouble Sarralyn thought, panicked as she watched her new friend look her way as well. The girls' eyes met for a fraction of a second before they turned, still holding each other's hands.
But it wasn't a Palace serving man that had caught them.
It was a boy, a page.
Sarralyn's sigh of relief was halfway out of her mouth when she felt Kira squeeze her hand. That's when the young mage actually took a look at the one who had called out to them.
The boy looked to be no more than thirteen years old, with hair just a shade lighter than Sarralyn's though with the same skin color. A huge grin was splayed across his narrow face, stretching out his lips. He was rather handsome, if a little thin. He doesn't look that bad the disguised girl thought as she looked the new boy over. Then she met his eyes and fought to stifle a gasp.
They were grey, steel grey, colder and harder than ice. Sarralyn felt the overwhelming urge to step back, away from his sharp gaze. Suddenly, she recognized him. This was Jaden of Steel Valley, the one who had rolled his eyes at Lady Knight Keladry.
Jaden caught the look in the girls' eyes, Sarralyn's shocked, Kira's fierce, and his grin widened. "Pleased to meet you, you're Sarra of Caramein and Kirei of Corus, are you not? My name's Jaden."
Sarralyn felt more adrenaline rush to her brain at the tone of his voice, hardening her eyes, setting her jaw. She opened her mouth to speak, but someone else spoke first.
"I know who you are, Jaden of Steel Valley." Kira's hiss pervaded through the deserted corridor, setting the hairs on the back of Sarralyn's head on end. She knew without looking that the expression on the Yamani-child's face would be just as cruel as the sound of her voice.
"Testy, are we?" Jaden's eyes only flickered with amusement at Kira's sharp response. "Calm down, I just wanted to let you ladies know something."
The Salmalin child stood stock-still as Jaden leaned down until his face was on the same level as hers. For a moment, Sarralyn felt the overwhelming urge to spit in his face as she narrowed her flaming eyes.
"Women weren't meant to be knights, girlies. You're going to fail, just like Lady Knight Shara of Stone Mountain failed on that silly little raid. So do yourselves a favor and quit now while you still have a chance."
The page of Steel Valley grinned evilly at Sarralyn, focusing his entire cold stare on her. She couldn't look away, couldn't breathe. Far away, a hand squeezed her own and a familiar tingle crept through her arms.
"Shara of Stone Mountain" Kira's voice was hard and loud, snapping Sarralyn back to reality as it rang through the hall, "was a hero. She died doing her duty as a knight of this realm, and if I ever hear you speak ill of her or any other Lady Knight again, I'm going to let Sarra take that magic that's dripping from her fingers and throw you through a wall. If you'll excuse us, we're late for breakfast."
And with that, the two first-years left a shocked Jaden behind them.
Sarralyn was still staring at the hand not being squeezed to death by Kira when they reached the mess hall entrance. Had her Gift really released itself like that? The young mage winced as she realized how much her control must have withered during those months that she hadn't used it during training at Pirate's Swoop. At least it's not black Sarralyn thought as she shook away the remaining golden glow. So far, the amulet that Alanna magicked had worked perfectly. The Salmalin girl sighed with relief and headed for the mess hall doors, only to be held back by Kira.
"Sarra, wait." The voice that had been so unbelievably cold was now blunt and smooth as a Yamani mask extinguished all her emotions."Sarra, don't tell the boys about our… encounter with Jaden. They'll just fuss and ask questions or think we're telling tall tales." Sarralyn watched as Kira's dulled eyes flashed with unchecked emotion.
She's afraid, the blonde thought as she promised not to breathe a word of the incident and Kira cracked into a smile that didn't completely cover the slight worry etched into her porcelain face.
The Yamani girl was definetly scared, Sarralyn knew, as the two entered the over-crowded mess hall. But as they strode over to the almost-full table where their sponsors sat, she couldn't help but wonder why.
"Sarra! Kira! Good of you two to join us!" Caidon called from down the table as the girls took their places next to Zanen and Nazir.
"Good to see you too, you big oaf" Kira laughed, punching the older boy softly in the arm.
Sarralyn giggled with the rest of the table before she saw the very slight resemblance between her roommate and the Queenscove boy. They had the exact same slant in their eyes.
"Don't tell me you two are siblings as well?" Sarralyn's voice dripped cheerful sarcasm as the other pages at the table glanced at each other, smiling.
"Not exactly" A voice directly behind Sarralyn said, making the girl jump. She whirled around in place to meet an overwhelmingly familiar face. Jasson grinned at the surprised look in his friend's smoky eyes. "Caidon's mother came with the Yamani ladies just like ours did. We're more like cousins." Behind Sarralyn, Kira flashed an angry warning at her twin.
"If Jassy there and 'Rei were really my brother and sister, my parents would have fits! They've already got their hands full with the seven of us. It's only by the grace of the gods that father has the humor and mother has the patience to deal with us." The older pages roared at this, looking around at the others through teary eyes. Sarralyn had an inkling that an inside joke played a part in their amusement and couldn't help but feel left out.
That's when she first heard his voice.
"Don't worry, Sarra." The sound that reached Sarralyn's ears was like nothing she'd ever heard before. Suddenly the rowdy pages and the crowded mess hall seemed a million miles away, buzzing on the corner of the girl's subconscious as all her attention turned onto this one perfect voice. "You'll get used to it soon" it continued, like a comforting lullaby "Heaven knows I did."
Slowly, very slowly, Sarralyn turned her head in the direction that the angel's voice had come from and gasped as she met a new pair of perfect chocolate-brown eyes.
In that instant, Sarralyn knew that time had stopped. This one- this boy was something completely foreign and entrancing. Her eyes locked onto the silky bronze hair and traveled down, taking in the smooth, lightly tanned skin, sharp cheekbones, and strong jaw line. She saw a small smile etched into the proud lips before her gaze was drawn back to those hypnotic eyes with their full lashes that would have looked feminine on anyone else. As it was, they just made the entire spectacle all the more impressive. Sarralyn was positive that she must be staring into the face of a god.
It may have been only a few moments that Sarralyn's world seemed to freeze around her, but it felt like much more time had passed before things seemed to spring back to life. Either way, Sarralyn was immediately aware of someone far too close calling her name.
"Sarra, are you alright?"
It took the disoriented girl a moment to remember who was speaking. "I'm fine, Jasson, thank you, I'm just a bit impatient to get started around the palace."
She'd chosen the perfect response, as Nazir and Gary began fussing amongst themselves about where they would take their first-years. Sarralyn noticed that Zanen, who hadn't spoken a word since Kira had taken a seat next to him, didn't chatter along with the others as he kept an impenetrable Yamani-mask on his face. There was also an obvious tension between the older page and his charge which made the young wildmage wonder once again what was going on with them.
"Sarra, are you sure you're okay?" Jasson's whispering tone was concerned as the older pages continued going over their game plan. Sarralyn could only smile at her sapphire-eyed friend and assure him that she was alright.
"I'm just excited" she said, her smoky eyes large and innocent.
Jasson cocked an eyebrow, searching her face, as if trying to tease the truth from her listless expression. He looked as though he wanted to say something else, but it was at that moment that Gary slammed his hand down on table.
"All right!" Gary said with a huge grin on his face as the first-years' eyes shot towards him. "We've decided where we're to take you youngsters."
The sponsors explained that they would be staying together as they showed their young charges around. They'd start with the uppermost floors and work their way down so that they didn't miss anything, and so that they'd know where they were going during classes tomorrow.
Sarralyn pasted an interested look on her face as she stared through the older pages. Her body itched with the urge to get up and sprint out of the mess hall, away from the bronze-haired boy whose chocolate gaze she could feel on her back. She was oblivious to everything else, including the deep blue eyes that were still upon her.
An eternity later, the group of pages took their leave. Sarralyn burst out of the mess hall, and gasped a much-needed breath, not realizing that she'd been holding it in the first place. Somewhere close behind, she heard a low chuckle and straightened before her new friends could see her. It wouldn't do any good to have them thinking her a silly bedazzled girl on her first day of page hood!
"All right there, Sarra?" Caidon said cheerily as he emerged from the mess hall "Haven't seen a lass run like that since that time that Sir Neal put spiders in Lady Knight Alanna's bed!"
Several chuckles mixed with Sarralyn's own as the other boys and Kira appeared as well. The blonde page breathed a sigh of relief as she saw that the page who had so entranced her was not among them.
"Emmet can't come with us right now" Caidon said in response to the searching look in his new friend's eyes.
Sarralyn nodded, and looked towards her sponsor, who was now several pages ahead of her. She sighed deeply. Today was going to be a long day.
They started with the uppermost floors of the castle, Nazir pointing out the room and corridors in especial detail to Sarralyn. None of the new pages would have to come to these floors until they were squires at least, but Gary assured them that it was important to learn the entire castle early on. Sarralyn smiled at this. It was precisely what her father had said when he first toured the castle with her. Of course, Nazir thought she was a foreigner, so she just went along with the routine.
"This here's the Knight's wing"
They'd gone down about five floors from the very top of the castle and now were only two levels above the ground. This was the place where Sarralyn's godmother Alanna's palace rooms were, as well as the chambers of the many knights that came to court. The Salmalin girl read the names on the doors to herself as Gary and Caidon took turns reading them aloud.
"Sir Nealan of Queenscove"
"Sir Cleon of Kennan"
"Sir Merric of Hollyrose"
"Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan"
"Sir Owen of Jesslaw"
The next name plate was one that greatly interested Sarralyn. Her footsteps slowed as she viewed the title that gleamed against the bronze on the door. Oblivious to their friend's stop, Caidon, Nazir, Gary, and the twins continued on ahead.
Alone, Sarralyn ran an unfamiliar hand over the plate.
Lady Knight Adele of Dawn's Peak
Many stories had circulated about this particular woman. She had passed the ordeal only four years ago, making her the youngest Lady Knight to date. She had been the squire of Sir Faleron of King's Reach and had excelled in the art of archery. On horseback with a bow, Adele of Dawn's Peak was said to have been just as deadly as a man with a lance or sword. And gods was she fast unarmed… Before her, all the lady knights had been given titles befitting them; Alanna the Lioness, Keladry the Protector, Miriam the Desert Rider, Rochelle the Bright, and Adele the Seer. What many, including Adele herself, did not know was that the reason for Adele's sharp eyes was her magical Sight.
She was only a half year away from her Ordeal when misery struck her.
The true tale is unclear, but it is known that the Seer was on a mission to exterminate Spidrens from some town, near the borders of Scanra. When the attack came, the Spidrens fought back and overwhelmed the party. Two were killed immediately, but three others, including Sir Faleron, were taken. Alone, Adele fought back against the Spidrens and single-handedly defeated them. But during the course of her battle, one spidren attempted to stop her, shooting its poison straight into her famed eyes.
The Seer was immediately blinded.
However, she fought on and saved the three soldiers as well as a dozen villagers found to be still alive in the Spidrens' lair.
This story ran through Sarralyn's mind as she touched the name plate.
"You seem very interested in Lady Adele"
The Gifted Wildmage whipped around, little hand balling up into a fist as she spun. Her eyes met the blank orbs of none other than Zanen, Kira's sponsor.
"Oh, Zanen I thought everyone'd gone ahead already."
The Yamani page shrugged slightly, the small lift in his shoulders barely noticeable. "Call me Zane, Sarra. We're to be friends, are we not? Lady Adele is a very kind woman, and a very fierce warrior. I find it interesting that you would look up to her; however, it is not unexpected. Perhaps you too have a secret you do not understand locked in you like the Seer." Zane chuckled.
Now it was Sarralyn's turn to shrug, a slight blush on her cheeks. Zane was sharp, she'd give him that.
"We need to get back to the others, Zane, I'm sure Kira is looking for you."
The page of Auran's dark eyes grew slightly at the sound of the other female's name, before being replaced by a smooth Yamani mask. "Yes, let's go." And he hurried ahead, Sarralyn close on his heels.
Before long, the entire group (including Zane and Sarralyn) found themselves on the main floors, where the mess hall and the page's wings were. The first years were shown the training grounds and the stables, where Sarralyn's Starlight was. The wildmage said a quick hello to her steed before following the party out again. The next floor down was where the commerce of the Castle was. There were the tailors and the servant's wings and every kind of shop that one would ever need. As usual, Sarralyn was struck by how vast the castle really was, almost like a small city in itself.
"You see" Nazir explained, looking at the shops "these are here for the nobles who don't wish to go into the City. Pages aren't allowed to come down here much." Again, Sarralyn nodded.
Down two or three more floors they went, Sarralyn, Kira, and Jasson following obediently behind their sponsors. But at the second to last floor, Zane suddenly stopped.
"This is as far as we can take you." The Yamani boy said, face smooth. Sarralyn noticed that the sharp static crackle between Kira and the older boy had rekindled the moment he had returned to her side. What could be going on with the two of them?
It was this question that Sarralyn puzzled over as she climbed back up the flights of stairs. She was shocked, upon reaching the main floor, to see that it was already dark. Pinpoints of stars shone through the many towering glass windows, signaling that it was time to retire.
The seven walked back to their rooms in silence, knowing only too well that their day of relaxation was over. Tomorrow the real training would begin.
Okay!!! Next is Sarralyn's second day as a page and a little beyond. I'm really, really sorry that this has taken so long.
Syril Silverleaf- Eh, the good parts will come. A budding rivalry with the Page of Steel Valley is already underway.
Miss Lyss- Yeah, I thought I'd better add that tidbit at the end last time, to make sure you didn't think that Sarralyn was mental.
Ama-chan 13- I'm really glad you're still reading! And again, I'm sorry for the wait.
Sarralynsalmalin- Hehehehe… that's for me to know, and you to find out… soon
Lady Queria- Thank you! Your wait's done now. Sorry I prolonged it so much!
KD- Wow, thank you! That's quite a compliment. I'm just glad you like the story.
Sun Doll- Yeah, it's irony I guess, since the readers know it but the characters in the story don't… I dunno. I think that's what my English teacher said : P