“Let it go?”
“Passions and feelings, can give us strength, but they can wreck havoc if they are not controlled. You need to learn when it is unacceptable to let your passions get the better of you. Also, we need to work on your reflexes.”
“My reflexes?”
“All this training, and you slapped him?” Eric quirked an eyebrow. “I’m not sure if I would have felt better or worse if you had tried to incinerate him with a bolt of lightning.”
“I did less harm this way,” said Lucy, glad she had not tried to incinerate him.
“True, but in my experience, women generally tend to slap when they feel personally betrayed. Had a random student slapped your derrière, you would probably have decked him over the head with the nearest chair. Your reaction was not impersonal.”
“We are friends,” said Lucy defensively.
“Precisely, but if the argument had been with Maya, you most likely would not have slapped her.”
“I guess not.”
“I don’t think you would have slapped Gavin either. Foolishly challenged him to a battle at dawn maybe, but not slapped him.”
“Partially true, but I might have an advantage with the early challenge, I’m not sure Gavin believe that dawn exists.”
They both smiled at the thought of Gavin getting up to fight at dawn.
“My point is, like him, don’t like him, sleep with him if you want to, I don’t care, but try to always be able to work with him. You seem to do well together, and I’d rather not have to replace either one of you nor have the school torn apart if you start launching boulders at each other.”
Lucy blushed but nodded. “I owe him an apology.”
“Yes. Now, I know you’d like to ask more questions, but for now know that there is a purpose, more answers will be coming, and we are impressed with your progress. Now, go eat lunch and make it to your next class.”
“Thank you.” Lucy got up and moved to the door.
“One more thing,” he added, and Lucy turned. “Good luck in the team competition. I expect your team to win by a fair margin,” he smiled.
Lucy smiled back and left.
Eric had given her a lot to think about. She was hungry, having skipped breakfast, but she wasn’t sure she could get through the rest of the day without apologizing to Justin, and she didn’t want to do that in a crowded Dining Hall with Maya and Gavin listening in.
“Justin?” she called tentatively.
“Yes?” he replied just as tentatively.
“Could you meet me at the practice ground again? I promise not to get violent.”
“I’ll be right there.”
Lucy didn’t sound angry, but he still had no idea what to expect from a confrontation. Nor did he have any idea what Eric may or may not have told her, which put him at a distinct disadvantage. She was sitting on the wooden fence surrounding the practice yard facing away from him. He climbed over and sat beside her, holding out a bulging napkin.
“What’s this?” she asked curiously.
“Food. You didn’t eat breakfast and you might not have time for lunch so I brought you some bread, cheese, and an apple. Not much, but enough to make it to dinner.”
“Thank you,” Lucy replied taking the package without looking at him. She didn’t want to see the mark she may have left on his face, although he had probably healed it by now. She took a bit of the bread and chewed.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
“Don’t worry about it,” he waved it off, slightly uncomfortable, but trying to appear nonchalant.
“Are we ok then?” she asked.
“That’s hard to say, considering you won’t even look at me,” Justin said lightly.
Lucy looked at him, her blue eyes full of confusion, embarrassment, and hurt. She tried a half smile. Justin didn’t want things to be like this so he did the only thing he could think of. He pushed her off the fence. Lucy gasped as she tumbled to the ground, landing in the dust.
“Thanks a lot,” she intoned, making a motion with her hand that bucked him off the fence to land beside her.
“See, your reflexes are getting better already,” he teased, and she laughed.
“So good that you’ll still allow me to be the fourth person on your team?”
“Of course. We’ll all have to practice to be ready, but we wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“I suppose Gavin is excited,” said Lucy.
“You have no idea. Maya kept teasing him that he would not have time to eat enough to make it to the next meal if he didn’t stop talking.”
“Did it work?” asked Lucy, laughing.
“Not really. It only encouraged him to talk with his mouth full.” Lucy laughed even harder. “He’s already talking strategy and extra weapons practice.”
“As long as there is not a group archery part, I think we’ll do fine,” said Lucy.
“So, I can write the four of us up and submit us?” asked Justin getting up.
“Yes,” Lucy replied, still on the ground.
“Good, because I already did,” he said with a smile that quickly turned into a grunt as Lucy swept his legs out from under him and he landed in the dust again.
“Of course you did.”
“I was counting on your reflexes getting better,” he teased, and they both laughed.
“Let’s get to class,” said Lucy getting up and holding out her hand to help him up.
Classes went well, and at dinner, Lucy got to witness Gavin’s excitement. They spent the evening thinking up what the challenges might be and what kinds of things they should work on to be ready for them. They wondered if there would be restrictions on magic or consequences. Maya was going to check the library to see if there had ever been an event like this before and what that had entailed. Gavin was insisting on extra weapons practice. Justin was researching group spells. Maya was insisting they work on their potions skills. If she woke up one morning poisoned, they couldn’t expect her to walk them through how to save her. Justin thought they should all work on healing skills for the same reason. He was also trying to think up any possible injury that could occur to see if he imagined up anything he didn’t know how to heal. Lucy’s only input was to agree to learn anything they wanted her to. All in all, an enjoyable evening with Maya and Gavin none the wiser of her and Justin’s earlier debacle.
Justin walked her to her room as they practiced magically juggling balls of water. If nothing else, it helped hand eye coordination. He wished her goodnight and left for his own bedroom. Lucy closed her door and found the second announcement of the day lying on her bed.
The team competition will culminate in a formal dinner and dance. You are required to wear the dress and follow the formalities of your chosen world and will be judged on such. If you do not have a world, choose one for the evening and dress accordingly, or choose a dress style you like and learn enough about the world to get by. You are not required to attend the function as a group. If you wish you may attend with another student as your date, however you must still dress according to your chosen world of study. We hope you will enjoy this event.
Well, wasn’t that wonderful news, thought Lucy sarcastically as she dropped the announcement to the floor. There wasn’t an occasion that existed that made Lucy more self-conscious than a dance. She would rather enter an archery tournament. Both the pain and the embarrassment level would be about the same. At least Justin could heal a bleeding arm. Lucy didn’t know if she would rather go with or without a date. She did not intend to be the one doing the asking, that was for sure. Darren asking her was potentially problematic for any number of reasons. It had generally been a horrible day. Lucy collapsed onto her bed, willing herself to fall asleep so nothing else could go wrong in one day. Surprisingly enough she fell asleep quickly.
Chapter 26
Lucy woke up the next morning feeling good. She was ready to face the day and whatever physical endeavor Orin put before them. She met the others for breakfast where
the entire Dining Hall was buzzing about both the competition and the dance.
“Want to go dress shopping tonight?” asked Maya excitedly.
“I don’t even know if I’m going,” said Lucy.
“Of course you’re going,” Maya replied with a wave of her hand. “I’ll help you pick out the perfect thing. Not only will it be at the height of Kinowenn fashion, I’ll make sure you look gorgeous.”
“Ladies, we have better things to do tonight than shop,” said Gavin in exasperation.
“Good, you do them then because you aren’t invited to go with us,” said Maya. “I’ll help you pick out something later. Tonight is for us girls.”
Lucy hadn’t done many girly things, and she was decidedly nervous about the prospect, but Maya wouldn’t hear anything to the contrary.
“Who are you going with?” Lucy finally asked. Lucy had been so absorbed in her studies, she had not bothered to notice if Maya was seeing anyone.
“Three people asked me before breakfast. I intend to go with Jared,” she indicated a blond haired boy two tables away, “but he hasn’t gotten around to asking me yet. He has until lunch or I’m choosing someone else.”
Lucy was surprised at how casual she sounded about the whole thing. She decided that having Maya help her pick out a dress could be a very useful thing.
“You could always ask him,” suggested Lucy.
“Certainly not,” replied Maya looking appalled. “Don’t you dare go around asking anyone either. Let them come to you.”
“That doesn’t seem fair,” said Gavin.
“Perhaps not, but it works. Who have you asked?”
“Gina,” Gavin replied promptly, waving at a petit girl with dark skin and waist long black hair. “She’s in my horsemanship class and rides well.”
Justin raised an eyebrow, Lucy suppressed a smile, and Maya flat out choked on her toast. Gavin looked confusedly at them for a minute and then caught on.
“Hey, don’t get any dirty ideas!” Gavin looked offended.
“Rides well?” asked Maya in between coughs.
“Yes, she has skills.”
They all burst out laughing.
“Stop it! I mean it completely innocently. She is a pretty girl, who I’ve had pleasant conversations with in the past. I was letting you know how we were acquainted and complimenting her horsemanship ability. I didn’t mean to imply anything sexual.”
“Well and thoroughly put,” said Lucy. “I, for one, look forward to the coming introduction and am glad you had the forethought to include a piece of background information. Now, I can ask her about her horsemanship class to start a conversation.”
Maya looked like she too had a few select comments to make, but between laughing and coughing she couldn’t seem to get anything out.
Justin had been suspiciously closed mouthed during the entire discussion. Before Maya could turn the conversation his direction, it was time to go to class.
Lucy arrived at the practice yard to find that Darren had beaten her there.
“Good morning,” she said and began to stretch out.
“Morning,” he replied. “I suppose you, Justin, Gavin, and Maya are a team of four.”
“Yes, Justin submitted our names minutes after the announcement was made,” she said with a smile. Then it faded, “I’m sorry, if it was a group of five, I’m sure we would have asked you.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Darren shrugged. “I was making sure because Chloe, Grant, and I are a team so far. We wanted to make sure you were taken before we started asking around for a fourth. We’d hate to have found a fourth and then found out you didn’t have a team.”
“Oh, thanks. If I wasn’t already committed I’d definitely be on your team,” Lucy replied honestly. They were all great people with reasonable skills. She would have had fun being on their team. At the same time, she couldn’t help but be glad that she was on a team with more experienced people.
“I guess you already have a date for the dance then as well,” Darren said, blushing slightly and looking down.
“No, not yet. No one has asked me.”
“No one’s asked you?” Darren looked up in surprise.
“Nope,” replied Lucy turning sideways and stretching her back.
“Will you go with me then?” he asked hopefully.
Lucy turned to stretch her back the other way, partly because it was her habit to be thorough when it came to stretching and partly because it turned her away from Darren. What on earth was she supposed to do? The last thing she wanted was some messy relationship. Besides, she didn’t feel like that towards Darren.
“As friends, I mean,” he added quickly. “We are all so busy here that it would be hard to maintain a relationship. I thought it would be fun to go together since we get along and could at least talk about classes or the competition so we wouldn’t be sitting there at dinner in awkward silence.”
Lucy wasn’t sure if he meant all that or if that was his way of trying to get her to go by lessening the apparent pressure and expectations of the evening. She would like to go as friends with someone; that would make the evening more enjoyable for her. However, would Darren change his mind by the end of the night and do something ridiculous, silly, and bothersome, like invite her back to his room or try to kiss her? If she held that stretch position any longer, he was going to think she was avoiding him. She smiled as she turned around.
“I would love to,” she replied. Then, feeling like she should take the opportunity to further specify, she added, “I always get so nervous at events like that. It’ll be fun to be there with a friend.” Lucy hoped that would be enough.
Darren grinned back at her and looked much relieved. The rest of the class arrived, and they started hand-to-hand combat. Orin paired them up by size and approximate weight to begin with, telling them they could pick their partners next class. Lucy did reasonably well against Chloe. They not only learned blocks, punches, rolls, kicks, and throws, they did them as well. Near the end of class, almost everyone was rubbing some part of their body, and there were a few bloody noses, black eyes, and split lips.
“Now you see why we wait for hand-to-hand until you’ve gotten tougher, your reflexes have improved, and hopefully you’ve been paying attention in your healing classes,” said Orin as he assessed their various injuries. “I think it’s important to learn what it feels like to hit and be hit. I suggest anyone who didn’t like getting hit, learn to move faster.”
Lucy smiled at that then winced due to her split lip. They made a ragtag group walking back to Dining Hall. Lucy felt the need for copious amounts of pasta so she loaded up her plate and went to the usual table.
“I see you started hand-to-hand combat,” said Maya sympathetically. “That was my least favorite training.”
Justin turned towards Lucy, “May I?” he asked motioning towards her split lip.
“Please,” responded Lucy and leaned towards him.
He touched her lip gently, and the throbbing lessened. She smiled, and everything felt back to normal.
“Thanks.”
“Anything else hurt?” he asked eyeing her with concern. He remembered his own hand-to-hand combat training.
“Nothing too serious. Mostly bumps and bruises,” Lucy shrugged and started in on her pasta.
“Justin,” said Darren’s voice from behind, “would it be asking too much for a nose and eye fix?”
“Is the nose broken?” asked Justin.
“I don’t think so, just bleeding more than anything should while a person tries to eat,” he responded.
“Here, here,” toasted Gavin with a turkey leg of large proportions.
Justin fixed the nose and eye. Darren thanked him and went to get some food.
“So, did Jared ask you?” Lucy turned her attention to Maya.
“Naturally. I told him I would go with him and told the others no.”
Lucy nodded, still impressed with Maya’s self confidence. Lucy finished her pasta and we
nt to the stables to collect Ash.
“You don’t look too hurt,” said Ash with a shake of her head.
“Should I be?”
“I heard you started hand-to-hand combat, and that usually leaves its mark on students.”
“Yes, Justin healed a split lip for me at lunch.”
“That was kind of him.”
“Yes, it was. Do you know what we are going to be doing today?”
“I believe we are racing.”
“That sound like fun. Are you ready to run?”
“Always!” replied Ash, pawing the ground with her hoof. “Are you ready to ride?”
“I try to be,” Lucy smiled and rubbed Ash’s nose before leading her out of the stables.
They won of course. Ash was fast, and Lucy was quickly becoming an accomplished rider.
Lucy showered and ran down to the Apothecary.
“Good afternoon,” she greeted Ted as he finished helping a customer.
“Oh, yes, good afternoon. What can I help you with?”
“Actually, I think I should be asking what I can help you with,” said Lucy slightly confused.
“Help me…help me,” he blinked at her confusedly. “Tuesday? Is it Tuesday?”
“So I’ve been told.”
“Oh, good. I was thinking I could use your help earlier you see, but then I was sad that you wouldn’t be coming in because it was Monday, but you are here because it is Tuesday, and now I don’t remember what I wanted your help with. It is good that you are here though. I’m sure it will come to me. I’ll be right back with something you can do in the meantime. Tuesday. How interesting. I was sure it was Monday. I’ll have to do something about that.” Ted continued talking to himself as he left the room to get whatever it was he was going to get.
Lucy was getting used to this behavior by now, and it did not bother her that she could not hear what he was saying. He usually didn’t ask her to comment, and if it was something important he was likely to repeat it. He returned moments later with a box full of Tinctus rocks.
“These need to be separated by size and put in their appropriate jars. Try not to lose any of the dust. There is a dust jar you see, and we need to put the dust in it. Dust is important. So many things can be done with it. Always remember that dust is important.”
The Eye of Elicion: The Kinowenn Chronicles Vol 1 Page 18