The next week was a flurry of activity, with every free moment filled with planning and packing. Lila insisted, unlike the older lady knight, on bring every dress she owned with her, as well as the few cosmetics she had. Added to that, were her new training breeches, boots, shirts, bandages and salve for the inevitable cuts she would acquire, and anything else she would require. When the day came for them to finally leave, Lila was up before dawn to change into her new clothes and head down towards the stables.
She entered the stables to find a wide awake Kel already there, having done her morning exercises and now strapping her saddle bags onto her horse. She mounted up easily, earning many quiet peeps of disapproval from the sparrows sleeping in various nooks and crannies on the gentle horse. Lila followed suit, more clumsily than she would have liked.
As she was steadying herself on the much too large horse, a very sleepy Dom walked in, grumbling curses about wives who got up early and dogs who drag him out of bed.
"Don't worry, as soon as we set off you can sleep in your saddle," Kel teased her sleep deprived husband.
"Can we go now?" Lila bursting with excitement asked, earning her a sharp glare from Dom.
"I think if we did our fellow traveling companion would be left behind," Kel said, motioning to Dom. "We will have a quick breakfast and then leave once the sun is fully up," she reassured Lila.
Time seemed to drag on as they tied their horses near the gates and went inside for a quick breakfast. Lila was unable to contain her excitement as they finally left after a teary goodbye from Neal and a hug from Yuki.
The journey there didn't much excite Lila, she had traveled much around Tortall as a young girl before going to the Yamani Islands. They rode for a week, staying at inns in towns along the way. While they traveled, Kel taught Lila about how the page years worked, the classes she would attend, the training she would be taught, and assured her that no body finished their homework.
Finally, after too many long days of hard riding, the capital Corus came into view. The lower city a maze of tangled streets with vendors along the main rode existed seamlessly with the glistening temples that stood at the base of the hill. As the slopes rose, the palace started with the stables and training yards, with the servants quarters and baths off to the side, giving a perfect view of the awe striking building that would be her home for the next four years.
They entered the palace gates late in the afternoon to be greeted by an excited Tobe who arrived a few days before and took up his usual position as palace stable manager.
"Hullo milady, you took your time getting here," he joked with Kel as she slid off Sarunia.
"Don't be pert Tobe, we had a little more luggage than you," she retorted, gesturing towards the excited girl tugging Dom towards the palace proper. "Can you tend to our horses? I think if we leave her any longer she'll run away from us."
"Of course milady, you can help the young Queenscove sprout," he said affectionately with a little bow before turning the horses towards their stalls.
As they walked up the hill, Lila asked all sorts of questions about the palace, forgetting Kel had told her the answers on their trip there. She energetically bounded up the hill Kel had spent afternoons slaving away with lead weights on. They eventually reached the pages wing and took Lila to the training master, Padraig haMinch's chamber.
"Can't you come in with me?" Lila pleaded, her eyes full of fear.
"For someone who was so keen to start her training you seem awfully intent to avoid it," Dom pointed out, his voice even though his eyes sparkled with wicked humor.
"I'm not avoiding anything," she assured him, and walked bravely up to the door and knocked three times.
"Come in," was called from inside and with one last look Lila entered the room.
Lord haMinch was a kind looking man. He wore a light un dyed shirt over tan breeches and comfortable boots, he was dressed for practicality rather than looks. His thin shirt saw hard muscle, formed by many years of intense training and practice that moved easily as he did. His face was handsome enough, with gentle brown eyes and a soft chin. His nose, though clearly broken, did not detract from his attractiveness, though made her painfully aware of his strength and power.
Lila strode confidently into the middle of the room, her Yamani mask hiding her fear and the churning in her stomach.
"My lord my name is Lila of Queenscove and I am here to begin training as a page," she said loudly and strongly, though her nerves felt otherwise.
"You are indeed Lila," he said softly, his eyes twinkling with amusement at the young impressive girl. Gesturing to the chair in front of him he said, "please, have a seat and we can talk about how the next four years will be."
She breathed a sigh of relief and jumped into the chair he suggested. He read over the letter that had been sent ahead quickly then looked up at her, noticing with amusement that despite being tall for her age, her feet did not touch the ground when sitting on the high chair.
"It says here you lived in the Yamani Islands for five years," he noted, continuing after her nod of agreement. "Now you understand that the next four years will be hard. There will be tough training, strict rules and very little rest."
"I know," she said softly, remembering her conversations with Kel.
"You will not get any special for your gender. This includes the hours you train, what you train, the tests that you will get or how you are treated by your teachers." He spoke gently, but Lila could tell he was willing to enforce it should she disagree. When she didn't he continued, "you will not get a probationary year like Lady Keladry did, however like the male pages, if we deem you unfit for knighthood, we reserve the right to stop your training."
She nodded fiercely, "I don't intend on letting that happen," she said confidently, then after a moments hesitation she added "my lord," and let her eyes drop to her lap.
He smiled in amusement, "very well then page Lila, you may go now and be shown to your room." He gestured to the door behind him as she breathed a sigh of relief.
That wasn't as bad as I was expecting, she thought to herself as she walked out. As the left the room she noticed Kel and Dom had disappeared, instead leaving a very handsome boy around a year older than her leaning casually against the wall.
"You the new one?" he asked simply, earning a quiet nod from her. "Don't worry, we'll have you toughened up soon enough," he said playfully, putting a comforting arm around her shoulders and leading her down the hallway. "I'm Inness, Inness of Kennan," he said warmly, guiding her towards a door.
As they approached the door he let go of her, searching all over himself for something that was causing him a lot of frustration. Eventually he found what he was looking for, a tiny key that was wedged between the top of his boot and his breeches. He gave the key to her, and after she simply stared at him he said "well don't you want to open the door?"
"Where does it go?" she retorted, ever suspicious of people trying to trick her into looking like a fool. "For all I know you could be leading me to a dungeon to rot away."
He laughed heartily, staring at the strange girl with bright green eyes that looked not at all amused. "That's your room," he said, once he had caught his breath. "I'm not here to lead you into a dungeon, I simply wanted to say hi, our parents were friends so I volunteered to show you around."
He smiled so honestly that she decided to believe him. She slid the key into the lock and carefully turned it, she had heard too many nasty stories of pranks that had gone wrong to simply open it up boldly for the first time. After she was confident that it would not explode, she entered her room and looked around.
It was simple enough, a bed, a desk underneath a window, a basin for washing her face and a wardrobe by the wall. Her things were put neatly at the foot of her bed for her to unpack. She smiled with satisfaction; it was finally starting.
"Dinner is in an hour, I'll come and get you to show you where to go," Inness said nicely, leaning on her doorframe. "Now get ready lady page, the hard work starts tomorrow."