A/N: Just to let you know the situation with the royal family in this story (thanks Mage of Dragons for pointing this out to me!). It goes Roald (19 at the beginning of the story), Kalasin (16), Paul (13), Nimeera (10), Jasson (6), Lianne (5) and Liam (5). Also Gary is the son of Gary and Cythera (thanks yet again to Mage of Dragons), I don't know if they had any children and if so what they were called, it just made sense to me.
Disclaimer: Opps, I forgot to do this earlier, I own nothing, Tamora Pierce does
Patterns
The large bell clanged the dawn bell jolting Aly out of her slumber. She groaned loudly and rolled out of bed. She heaved herself off the floor where she had landed, she was not a morning person. She scrambled to put on breeches and a shirt. Hurriedly she splashed her face, tidied her hair and cleaned her teeth. She shot out of her room, pausing only to lock her door, to arrive at the mess hall on time.
She sat down at a table where Gary, Paul and Nimi were already seated. She glanced around the room and was relieved to find that several others had still not arrived. She picked up a plate and waited until she could be served.
"Good," Paul said "I was worried that you would be late and the last one to get here."
"So I'm not late?" asked Aly in amazement.
"Surprisingly, no." replied Nimi.
During this the last pages had arrived and servants had begun to serve breakfast. The pages listened to Lord Wyldon's thanks for the food and then dug in. Many, including Aly, ate as if they were sleepwalking. A few groans sounded as the pages stood and went to the outdoor practice courts.
They began with hand to hand combat with the shang warriors, Eda Bell, the wildcat and Hakuin Seastone, the horse. Senior pages began routines under the strict eyes of the wildcat, whilst the new pages were shown basic throws and defences.
Hand to hand combat was followed by archery. The archery teacher assessed there skill and set about improving stance and aim. Then they were sent to the stables to saddle their horses. Nimi saddled her horse Ember, a red brown mare with who answered to few, whilst Aly saddled hers, a lively gold brown mare called Noon. All they did that first day was walk, trot and canter around.
Nimi and Aly collapsed when they reached the mess hall, Gary and Paul just sat down, obviously more used to the pace than the other two. The hall fell silent for a while as the pages began to eat, but then the noise rose.
"I am sooo hungry," Aly exclaimed "I haven't fought for so long in ages!"
"Ahh, the appetites these younglings have nowadays," Gary said.
"Gary!" all three of the others exclaimed.
The bell rang to signal the end of lunch and all four rushed to collect books before heading to their lessons. The started with mathematics which nearly sent the class to sleep as the mithran master droned on and on. Then they were forced to endure an hour of etiquette, learning bows and the like. Then they're day brightened slightly, history, that lesson did not send any of them to sleep. Many found it interesting and at the end did not want to leave for the literature lesson they had next, but they had to. Yet again it was a lesson which nearly sent them to sleep.
They trudged to the mess hall, Nimi and Aly completely worn out. They listened to another of Lord Wyldon's prayers. All of them ate like ravished dogs. Once they were done they left to finish any work they had been set. Aly, Nimi, Gary and Paul met in Paul's room to complete it.
"I am so tired, and who would ever want to read a chapter on 'The varying status of nobility throughout the past 600 years'?"
"Well obviously Master Saiyun wants us to, and that does mean we have to do it," said Paul.
"I know I have to do it but that doesn't stop me from moaning about to you lot," retorted Aly.
"Shut up you two, I'm trying to do a quadratic equation!" cried Gary. The others, after a few moans, did agree to Gary's request.
This continued for a while, gradually getting harder as time went by, forming the pattern of their lives. The time flew by, service at the midwinter came and went with no mishaps, though both Aly and Nimi were a bundle of nerves beforehand. They easily fell into the rhythm of training, though occasionally their lessons changed as they progressed. All the pages were quickly covered in bruises, some even suffered broken bones. Etiquette did not improve and all the new pages quickly began to resent the hours they spent with Master Saiyun. But always looming in the back of the pages minds were the forthcoming examinations.