A/N: Hope you enjoy this, I'm seriously hoping that I don't get writers block with this story again....please review!
Aurelia stirred her food around her plate absently, trembling with fear. Rothen watched her curiously, Sonea with worry.
"Aurelia, are you alright?" Sonea asked eventually. Aurelia looked at her nervously, letting go of little Lorkin's hand, which she had been squeezing extremely tightly.
"No. Can't I stay here with you? You can teach me everything I need to know, I know you can! I really, really don't want to have to meet all the other novices. Mother said they'd all hate me because I'm stupid and silly and vain and my Uncle was a traitor – " she stopped, blushing, "Not that he was a traitor, I know, but...that's what she said. I'm scared!" she wailed. Sonea and Rothen stared at her in surprise. They hadn't realised the depth of Aurelia's shyness. And it seemed that it was all her mother's fault, poisoning her with wicked words.
"But Aurelia, you must go. Sonea was only taught separately because of her late arrival and strange amount of ability" Rothen said gently, "And what your mother says is not true. You're a lovely girl and I'm sure you'll make lots of friends. We all care for you already, and I'm sure others will be the same"
Aurelia still wasn't reassured, "No, they won't. Mother's right. They'll hate me"
"Aurelia, you're almost twenty. You can't keep on like this" Sonea added urgently, "Anyway, I'm sure you'll be a favourite with the boys"
Aurelia blushed, "I don't think so. Please, Sonea. Please, Rothen, I really don't think I can do this –" her lower lip shook and she started to cry. Rothen and Sonea looked helplessly at her.
Just then the door burst open and Dannyl appeared, looking bright and cheerful, "Morning, everyone! I came to wish Aurelia luck..." he trailed off, "What's going on?"
"Aurelia doesn't want to be taught with the other novices. She's worried about what they will think of her" Rothen explained briefly, but the look he gave his former novice was a cry for help.
Dannyl's heart melted at the sight of a tear-stained, terrified Aurelia. He walked over to her and smiled.
"What's this?" he laughed, teasing, "I didn't expect you to be the cowardly type"
It worked as he had hoped – her whole body straightened and she looked him right in the eyes.
"I'm not a coward" she retorted, slightly angry and very defensive, "Not at all"
"Then why are you making such a fuss?" Dannyl continued to taunt her. Seeing the anger in her eyes made him want her in a way he had never felt before.
"I'm not now" she corrected him coolly, "See? No fuss at all"
"I'm not sure I believe you"
"Well, you'll just have to, won't you?" she paused, "Why are you here, anyway?"
Sonea and Rothen watched in stunned confusion as Aurelia regained every ounce of the confidence and dignity that they never knew she had. Dannyl grinned at her.
"I bought you a good luck charm. I thought you'd be nervous"
"Oh, did you now?" she scowled, but then her face was taken over by curiosity, "What is it?"
He handed her a pretty clip he had found in his mother's jewellery box (he never understood why she had left that to him instead of his sister). It was a purple butterfly made of pretty gemstones, with silver backing to tie it into her hair. He didn't want to explain to her that he'd thought of her as soon as he saw it. That would just sound strange. It sounded strange even to him.
"Do you like it?" he asked anxiously. Aurelia beamed at him, remembering her plan with sharp intensity.
"I love it. Thank you" she looked over at Sonea, "Will you pin it into my hair?"
"Of course" said Sonea slowly, taking the pin and twisting it into her novice's hair with a little smile. She didn't know what was going on with Dannyl and Aurelia, but she knew that Dannyl certainly wasn't prepared for Aurelia's smooth charm, or the way that she made him feel.
Dannyl was beginning to realise that too.
"What do you think?"
Aurelia looked up to see a slim, pretty girl with mousey brown hair and big black eyes standing beside her desk at the back of the room. She frowned.
"About what?" she asked warily, wondering if the girl was going to play a joke on her.
"The boys, of course" the girl giggled, sitting down beside her, "None of them are very handsome, are they?"
"I wouldn't know" Aurelia shrugged, but she smiled, "I'm Aurelia"
"Gabrielle. But everyone just calls me Elle" the girl introduced herself, "And what do you mean, you wouldn't know?"
"I'm already planning to get someone to fall in love with me. If I start looking at the boys here it'll just mess up my plan" Aurelia explained in a whisper.
Elle squealed, "Ooh! Do tell" she pleaded, leaning closer. Aurelia laughed, turning her head away from Elle's eager gaze.
"I can't tell you today. Learning control has given me a terrible headache" she said sweetly. Elle laughed scornfully.
"Oh, what rubbish! Come on, I won't tell anyone"
"Oh all right" Aurelia turned back to her new friend, "Do you know Lord Dannyl?"
"I don't think so. Who is he?"
"The Guild Ambassador to Elyne"
"Him?" Elle gasped, almost falling from her chair, "You want to make an Ambassador fall in love with you?? Isn't that just a tiny bit ambitious?"
"Maybe" said Aurelia, with a small smile and another shrug, "But yes, that's my plan"
Elle giggled, "Can I help?"
Aurelia surveyed the girl for a couple of moments. She seemed friendly, trustworthy, and she was the only person who had bothered to come over and talk to Aurelia. So she nodded.
"Yes" she agreed, "I would love it if you helped me"
A/N: Please review!