Disclaimer: Champs isn't mine, nor are Valori. Darklings, however, are.
Note From The Shadows: Alright, I admit, the *main* reason this was late is because I couldn't find a title.
[Chapter Four: If one dream should fall and break to pieces...]
Lana, for once, was the first one awake. She carefully slipped out of Serdurni's bed, feet dipping silently into the odd ground. She wiggled her bare toes, crouching down, then reached back up, scooping Kit into her arms. The tabby stirred, then settled, returning to sleep as she tucked him into the little pocket of her blanket, snug against her chest. She pulled one arm into the blanket, holding him close, fingers curling into his plush fur, a content smile coming to her lips as he purrs. FInally, she made her way to the door.
Lana poked her head out, glancing around, then pushed to door just enough open to slip out. Bare feet padded across the tile floor as she snuck towards the dining room. Whispered voices caught her attention, and she froze, one hand resting on the door. Her ears twitched as she strained to listen. She could only catch small snippits of conversation, not enough to piece together what was happening, but she listened, all the same. Perhaps she would learn something interesting, or fun?
"-all here?" This voice was new, male and prideful. "Yes- -suspect nothing- -one week-" This voice was familiar, but Lana, mind foggy with sleep, couldn't quite place it. The young girl dismissed this fact as insignificant, since, after all, she couldn't place it. "Good. Start the- -moment their- quickly." The voices started to get fainter and fainter, the owners walking off. Lana sat by the door, blinking sleepily as she tried to process what she had just heard, then yawned widely, getting to her feet and slipping back to Serdurni's room.
Maranka muttered sleepily and sulkily, sipping at the coffee in her hands as she sat on the couch, Lana curled up beside her. Across from her sat Serdurni, the tiny little fairy sitting on her shoulder, rubbing at her one remaining eye blearily. Jonathan entered with a broad smile, holding something behind his back. "Goooood morning, how are we today?" Mara lifted her head, narrowing her eyes. "I hope you know, human, that it is illegal to be that cheerful at this ungodly, early hour." Across from her, Serdurni nodded in agreement.
Jonathan laughed. "Yes, yes. I have been informed of your night owl tendencies, Maranka." He set the object- or, rather, objects- in his hand on the table, and Lana sat up a little to look. Lying in plain view were four notebooks, rather nice- One a deep purple, one a dark aquamarine, one a shifting rainbow, much smaller then any of the other notebooks- fairy sized, pretty much- and the final one a dark maroon. Lana looked back at Jonathan, blinking. "Go on, take one. They don't bite." Lana looked to Kit, hesitantly reaching out and grabbing the purple one when he nodded.
Lana didn't really notice everyone else taking one, opening the leather journal. A purple pen, decorated with violet butterflies, fell out into her lap, as she ran a finger along the crisp pages. She turned her attention to Jonathan, blinking. "These journals are yours to your name in them, and we can get started on the days activities."
'Your's to keep.. Your's... Mine... What price? Always price, what price here?' Lana's mind bounced around as she lifted the pen, clumsily inking her name into the crisp paper. "Good, now flip to the first open page. I want you to think on the words 'if one dream should fall and break to pieces'. Start with that, and then continue the journal entry as long as you need to, but finish the sentence. Alright? Okay, then you may begin."
Lana hunched her shoulders, looking at the paper. Kit hopped up. "Go on Lana, let's get started." She nodded, carefully starting to write. 'If one dream should fall and break to pieces,' Lana paused, uncertain of how to finish. 'If one dream should fall and break to pieces...' Again, she paused, glancing up and looking around. Maranka had yet to start writing, chewing on the end of her aquamarine pen. Neadasyrek appeared to be having trouble holding her pen, tapping the tip on the paper, while Serdurni wrote silently, free hand running through her hair, biting her lower lip. Lana looked back to her own paper, absently doodling in the corner of the page while she thought about what to write.
Half an hour passed, and still Lana had barely begun writing. She glanced around again, and pouted, tucking the pen into the journal. She shut it carefully, scooping Kit up and petting him gently. She looked at Jonathan, blinking a little. Over the course of the next ten minutes, everyone else began closing their journals and looking to the man, expectantly. The man smiled politely. "Done for now, then? Very well, there's breakfast waiting for you in the kitchen, if you want it."
Though the others may have hesitated, Lana didn't. She bolted off to the kitchen carrying Kit- years of hunger had taught her to never, ever, turn down a free meal. She pulled herself onto one of the taler chairs, sitting carefully, as straight as she could manage. The fairy fluttered in after her, soft clicks coming from her mechanical wings. Lana edged over in her seat, patting the table to motion for the fairy to sit. The fairy looked up at her, waving a little, and then sat where she had indicated. Serdurni entered next, pulling Maranka along to sit by her, and Lana turned her attention to the table.
There was a bowl of fruit, and several boxes of cereal, both sugary and bland. There were waffles and grapes, bottles of honey and sugar. For drinks, coffee, milk, and fruit juice were readily available. Neadas fluttered over to the grapes, grabbing a couple . Lana got two bowls, and poured some of the cereal in one. She hesitated, then at Kit's stern look, tapped the darkling woman on the arm.
"Hm? Wha? Oh. Hello. What?" Maranka, apparently, wasn't fully awake yet. She already had another cup of coffee in her hands, laden with cream and sugar. Lana hesitated again, then asked quietly, "Milk too heavy, miss help Lana pour milk please?" Lana looked up at the woman, purple eyes wide and hopeful. Maranka sighed in a long suffering manner, standing and picking up the jug of milk, pouring it over the cereal. She looked at the empty bowl in confusion. "For Kit," Lana explained. Maranka sighed again, filling the bowl. Lana looked up at her gratefully, hugging her legs.
Serdurni laughed softly, covering her mouth and setting her waffle laden fork on her plate. She laughed harder when Maranka glared viciously at her, and Neadas laughed into her breather. Maranka rolled her eyes, sitting back down to sip at her coffee. They ate in silence. Lana finished around the same time as Neadas, settling back into her chair, holding Kit close. Serdurni smile at the two, and Neadas fluttered over to sit on Lana's shoulder, eliciting a giggle from the young girl as she reached up to pat the fairies head with a finger.
Evidently, the writing assignment was all the the man- Jonathan- had planned for them for today. Once everyone had finished eating, he informed them that they were free to wander as they wished. Lana chewed on her lower lip, looking around, then sneaked off to her and Serdurni's room.
As he had promised, Jonathan had evidently arranged for someone to bring in a small, child sized bed for lana. Well, it wasn't a bed, not exactly- it was a hammock, made of the same, watery seeming stuff as the floor. It was low enough down for Lana to be able to climb into it with ease- and she did, pulling herself up and landing in a nest of very plush blankets. She sat up, looking at the dark purple and green quilts. A faint smile crossed her lips, and she burrowed into the quilts, popping her head out to rest her chin on the pillow, which was the same material as the hammock and floor, dark purple with green swirls. Lana curled up, settling, and pulled out her notebook, thinking quietly, tapping her pen against it. After a moment, she started writing, Kit climbing up beside her. A look of contentment crossed her features, and she reached over occasionally to pet the orange tabby kitten, who stayed silent as she wrote, for once offering neither advice nor snarky remark. It was nice, while it lasted.