(-a/n- Why hello again! ONE HUNDRED REVIEWS FOR FIVE CHAPTERS!!!! I'm so unbelievably happy especially as it's Christmas in under ONE WEEK! And then after Christmas I'm going skiing over New Year in France!! I'm so excited :D So I'm going to try to update a couple more chapters this week, then I'm afraid you'll have to wait a while for me to come back from skiing and visiting relatives. Then I'll continue to update but I have mocks –groans- so I'll be pretty busy. But I'll try not to have too many delays…Anwyay…now I've waffled away… Peppermint creams and lots of yummy Christmas food to all of my wonderful reviewers :D Happy Advent!)
Sarra's wildchild, dancerboy8, l8dyshadowknight, Erytha, Misled Nymph, manicpony24 & tdk99992000.
shamrockgirl07lol mean lady! Only some chapters will have songs depending on whether the chapter is inspired by the song. But don't worry I have a long list of songs…It's just that I've a feeling this is going to be a very long fic and therefore most of them will come later on.
Spy In TrainingVery long (but hopefully it will stay interesting…) but as it does span a long time period, some chapters might move the time on very quickly because I don't see any point in babbling on for thousands of words so convey some completely irrelevant details…
oirishgoddessI had to have a little rebellious moment from Kel :D I love happy endings :D
katiebug123Sorry if some of the sentences were a bit muddled…I probably got distracted by something (seriously I am terrible at concentrating on a computer…there is always something to look at :D…) hehehe. Thanks for reviewing :D
On top of cloud 9lol! Disney is wicked :D I don't even own a dress…eugh…icky things hahha
Mrs. Dom Masbolleyou're so observant! No she won't use it for that reason…but it will come in handy in about eight chapters time or so…(I won't disclose the actual use of it…that would just be giving too much away…haha got you guessing?)
x17SkmBdrchiczxxHappy Christmas to you too! Thanks as always for your reviews :D
queenoftheostlersHi!!! Long time no see :( We need to meet up before Christmas…Anyway…I'm wearing my slippers too! Go fluffy slippers! There will be some more Spirit music sometime…anyway mon amigo…
Confusedknight xxx
Kel kept her head cast down as she followed the mass of chattering girls down into the dining room. The room was much smaller than the Palace mess hall and contained a long buffet where they could help themselves to several varieties of meat, potatoes, vegetables and puddings.
Having collected her meal Kel was at a loss of what to do or where to go. The tables were all smaller than they had been at the Palace, so that the table's occupants could sit in smaller groups and interact with one another.
This unfortunately made it difficult for Kel to spot a place where she could sit without intruding into a group of friends and their high-pitched conversation. Kel spotted a half full table, and made her way over to it, telling herself inwardly to stop comparing everything to the Palace.
Kel sat and began to eat, feeling extremely uncomfortable, she would just have to eat quickly and return to her room. Having come to the conclusion that she'd never be able to introduce herself to anyone over the hubbub of talk, let alone finding someone who would be in her classes. She would just have to hope that she could make a friend, or an acquaintance at the very least the next day when classes started.
She had bought the timetable she'd been given, so that she could examine it while she was eating. Kel looked at her schedule, which seemed to be the same every day except Sunday, which it seemed was a free day.
7.30 – Wake-up bell
8.00-8.30 – Breakfast
8.40 – Morning prayers in the Temple of the Great Mother Goddess
9.00–10.00 – Embroidery
10.00-11.00 – Etiquette class
11.00-12.00 – Literacy
12.00-1.00 – Lunch
1.00-2.00 – Music class
2.00-3.00 – Dancing lesson
3.00-4.00 – Self-Improvement
4.00-4.30 – Social Instruction
4.30-5.30 –Dinner
5.30-6.00- Free time in which the baths may be visited
6.00-7.00 – Interaction
7.30-8.00 – Assembly of First years
8.00-9.00- Free time
9.00 – Corridor curfew
9.30 – Lights out
'Are you new then?' asked a voice behind Kel.
Kel looked up to see a girl with black hair and beetle-black eyes addressing her.
'Yes,' she mumbled.
The girl smiled and sat down next to Kel, beckoning that her friend did the same.
'It must all be a bit daunting for you, that's the way it is for everyone when they first arrive, but you'll soon settle in,' she said amiably.
The girl's sympathy annoyed Kel slightly, but she didn't say anything as the girl chatted blithely on.
'Every girl has a different timetable depending on what they need to learn. When they have mastered a subject then it is dropped from their timetable. When they have no more subjects left, that's when they leave and go to the Palace. Meals are at different times for each year, so that the Dining room doesn't get too crowded. First thing in the morning you'll get up, get yourself dressed and made up for the day, then you'll have breakfast at about eight,' she said indicating Kel's timetable.
'Then you'll need to walk up to the temple, it only takes about ten minutes, but apparently the fresh air is good for us, and then pray for around five minutes or so. It's a silly custom I know, but the Sister's insist upon it and if you don't go they'll know as they take a register see…Oh, and you also have to pray at some time on a Sunday, though that's alright, because we get the whole of Sunday off.'
'So what do you have first thing, ah embroidery, well that's pretty straightforward. Then etiquette class, that's learning the proper way to behave at court and other social functions, the way to address people and such like. Literacy is basically checking that you can read and write in a ladies script. We also have to read poems and other literary works to 'educate' us.' She paused for breath.
'Music class will be in a smaller group, you'll either have to learn and instrument or sing. Dance, again straightforward, you'll learn Waltz's and many other dances too. Self-improvement is where you have a bit of freedom, some people draw, others prefer to sew or learn another instrument. Really it's just trying to expand our horizons and make us more eligible candidates for future husbands.'
'Social instruction, is similar to etiquette, although it involves learning about certain fiefs, how old they are and suchlike, just making sure that when we go to court we are a bit wiser as to the positions of the people around us. Then Interaction is when we are paired with a different partner each night, and we just have to talk to them for an hour, find out about them. It means that we all get to know each other a little better and improves are ability to talk to people who we're not familiar with.'
Judging by the way that this girl had nattered on, Kel thought that this black-haired girl did not need to improve her ability to talk to unfamiliar people.
'Finally your assembly will be more prayers, but led by a Sister and a talk from one of the Sister's or an older student. In your free time you will carry out any homework you are set…'
At last the girl seemed to have run out of things to say.
'Thanks,' muttered Kel awkwardly.
'Oh it was no trouble at all,' gushed the girl. 'My name is Leanna of High cove.'
'Keladry of Mindelan,' said Kel.
'I'm Kaylie of Golden-cross,' said Leanna's quieter companion.
It looked like Leanna was about to start another speech so Kel hurriedly stood up.
'I really must be going, I need to unpack,' she lied, 'And I've had such a long journey I really must get some sleep before tomorrow.'
'Where have you travelled from?' Leanna asked interestedly.
'Corus,' said Kel gathering up her plate and cutlery.
'Really, I've never been to Corus, but in a year or so…'
Kel would've rolled her eyes, could this girl talk about anything? She just can't stop herself, Kel thought irritably.
'I really must go, goodbye,' said Kel and left hurriedly.
'Strange little thing isn't she,' said Leanna, staring confusedly at Kel's retreating back, wondering where she had heard the name 'Keladry of Mindelan' before...
Kel meanwhile hurried down corridor after corridor until she found her room. With a sigh of relief she let herself into her room and feeling particularly miserable she changed into her nightclothes and climbed into bed. She lay there staring at the ceiling, gripping the duvet tight between her fingers, as though if she let go it would be torn away from her just like everything else in her life had been.
She heard sounds of girls clattering up the corridor and calling out to each other as they entered their rooms. It was all so feminine. Kel had gone from being surrounded by boys, sensible but fun-loving boys. Neal, Merric, Seaver, Cleon, Roald…To girls, voices high-pitched, full of false conversation and silliness. A lump appeared in her throat as she thought of what her Page friends might be doing at that very moment.
Never had Kel disliked her own sex as much as she did right now. Leanna had been just the start, a typical convent girl and Kel wondered, would a noble man, say Merric or Esmond or any one of her friends care if their prospective wife could sing or embroider? The answer would be most certainly no, and Kel now realised that this year would be wasted. OK, so Kel had expected to be taught how to dance and etiquette, but 'Social interaction', singing and praying had not been on her her list of things to do this year, and she began to regret her hasty decision.
Still, she thought, not that much can be done about it now. I will face the oncoming with the steely calm and reserve of a true Yamani Warrior. I will not let them have the satisfaction of seeing my true feelings. I will rise above my troubles and face life, however hard it may be, with the dignity of a Warrior. She ended her half-prayer with the Yamani phrase; May the God's make it so.
And curling up into a tight ball, she fell gently into the peaceful bliss of ignorance that was sleep.
(-a/n- Again, many apologies for the shortness, I just wanted to introduce Kel's timetable as that will make it easier for me to proceed with the next few chapters. Please review and you might get a few more updates before Christmas.)
Confusedknight xxx