"Well Garth, I now have a better idea of what classes to put you in." He waved for me to fall into step with him as we walked back into the main building. "I think we can exclude Wizards Through the Ages, what with your Jaunten knowledge."
"Actually, no sir, we can't." I sighed ruefully when he gave me a perplexed frown. "Jaunten have little dealing with magic, sir. I know little more about it now than I did when I started the journey here."
"Oh." That threw him for a moment, but with a quick shake of his head, he recovered and continued to walk. "Well then, we shall have to enroll you. Your timing is good, Garth, as we're only a week into the quarter. You should be able to catch up quickly enough. Now, besides the history, you'll need Shielding and Spellwork." He was ticking off classes on his hand as he went. "We can skip Potion Making, seeing as how you'll never use it. Do you know anything about Magical Creatures?"
I shook my head no.
"Ah, then we'll have to sign you up there too. You'll need Weapons too, of course, although I expect that will be an easy class for you." He winked at me and chuckled, appreciating his own joke.
I wasn't so sure about that. I had learned (the painful way) the difference between knowledge and experience. Did I know how to fight? Yes. Would my body respond correctly when threatened? Maybe. All in all, it was probably very wise to be enrolled in Weapons.
"Well, that gives you five classes, and I think that is a good number to start with. You'll be adjusting to Hainian culture too; we don't need to overload you. Now, I have a class to teach in a few minutes. I'm going to turn you over to one of my aides. She’ll help you get all of your robes and books and supplies."
I really hoped that what little money I had on me would pay for that. Of course, I probably needed to visit a money exchanger first and trade in my Chahiran coins for Hainian.
Maybe Doss reads minds. He started shaking a cheerful finger at me. "Now don't you worry about paying for anything! Haben told me before he left that King Guin is paying for your education."
That was both a relief and yet…not. When people extend their generosity, they usually expect something back. I didn't think the King would abuse the situation, but… I blew out a breath and just resigned myself to accepting it. I hardly had a choice in the matter, after all. I had to pay for my schooling somehow. And if the King demanded my services in restitution of that payment, then I could hardly argue.
We went up a flight of stairs to what I assumed to be Doss's office. It was a cluttered place, filled with odd knick knacks of every imaginable shape and size that seemed to take up every available surface, and a few unavailable ones. It was like they had suddenly flowed out of some broken vessel; there didn’t seem to be any logic to their resting places. In the middle of this chaos was a girl. She was roughly my age, with thick black hair falling to her waist, and golden brown eyes. She was rather attractive and dressed in black robes.
"Chatta!" Doss gestured her out of the chair she had been sitting in. Miraculously she somehow moved from behind the desk without knocking anything over, and approached us. "Garth, this is L-Chattamoinita Delheart, Witch Third Class and my most lovely and able assistant. Chatta, this is Rhebengarthen, recently from Chahir. He's a new student here, and I need you to help him find all the right books and get outfitted for robes. You know the drill."
She dimpled a smile, making her even prettier. "Of course, Professor."
"He's to use account sixteen; just charge it there."
Her eyebrows rose sharply kissing her hairline, but she only said "I see. What classes will he be taking?"
"Wizards Through the Ages, Shielding, Spellwork, Creatures of Magic and Weapons."
"No Potions?"
"He's a Mage," Doss explained cheerfully. "That class would be pointless."
"Oh." That seemed to impress her, and the glance she gave me was very curious. "Right, then we'll be off."
"Get some regular clothes too," Doss called after me as L-Chattamoinita led the way out of the office. "And get everything a little too big. I'm sure you're not done growing yet!"
I can only hope…both of my brothers are taller than I am, and it grates a little that I haven't caught up yet. A familiar sadness swept through me at the thought of my family, but I firmly crushed it. It was dangerous to send any messages to them, considering what I was. It would endanger my whole family if they were tied to me now. There was a part of me that wondered if I couldn’t at least send one message that I had arrived safely. Surely that wouldn't be enough to condemn them?
I shoved the thought out of my head, determined to think about it later. Maybe if I talked to Haben, he could give me an understanding of the dangers involved.
"How do you wish to be addressed?"
Blinking back into focus, I turned to look down at L-Chattamoinita. "Pardon?"
"Well, Professor Doss introduced you as Rhebengarthen but he also called you Garth. Which do you prefer?"
"Garth, please."
"Then call me Chatta," she requested with a slight smile. "L-Chattamoinita is a mouthful, and something that my parents cursed me with at birth."
There was something about Chatta that was very likeable, and I'm not saying that just because she was pretty. There was a grace about her that was easy to relate to and she was certainly charming. "May I ask questions?"
"Of course!"
"Can you explain the different colored panels in the robes?" I knew that black was probably a Witch or Wizard, but the other colors were a mystery.
"Ah, well black is either Witch or Wizard. They have no special affinity for anything, but can do a little of everything."
Ha, knew it!
"Blue means they have an affinity for weather or air, green for plants, and white for metal or rocks. You'll be wearing brown, for earth in general."
Interesting. "And the ranks?"
"First rank means that you're a beginning student, second that you're in your second year, and then there's third which is the last level before you graduate. I don't expect for you to be here that long. Mages don't have to commit to memory nearly as much as a Wizard or a Witch. You just have to learn control, and that, according to everything I’ve read in the history books, never takes three years."
Better and better. "How long does it usually take?"
"A few months. I think the longest was six months."
Less than six months sounded really good to me. The longer I stayed here, the more I indebted myself, and I would like to avoid that as much as possible.
We quickly left the school grounds, and headed down a side street filled with shops. Chatta led me into a clothing store first, helping me choose "normal clothes" as she put it. I didn't get much, just a few pairs of pants, shirts, and one jacket. Some of them needed to be adjusted, but the clerk assured us that they would be ready in two hours. We went out of that store into the next and ordered my school robes. Miss Crobin, the owner of the store, was astonished that I needed brown robes; apparently she hadn't had an order for that since she opened the shop.
Miss Crobin took my measurements and began outfitting the rest of my school uniform. She kept chattering about how "rare it was to see a Mage these days" and "an Earth Mage too, how exciting!" Call me cynical, but I just knew that by the time the day ended, the news that there was an Earth Mage in the Academy would be all over the city.
Even the basic school uniform had to be modified a little. The black pants and white shirt were all right, but there was a light overcoat that went with it that was supposed to be the same color as the robes. Miss Crobin assured me that she would have them done by the end of the day. My robes, along with the rest of my gear, would be delivered directly to the school for me. I didn't care as long as it meant escaping her high pitched, ear piercing, never ending monologue.
As soon as we cleared the door I let out a sigh of relief. Even the noisy street was better than Miss Crobin. Chatta snickered beside me, trying to hide a smile behind one hand.
"She is annoying, isn't she?" Cha
tta observed with a broad grin.
"Isn't there anyone else we could have gone to?" I didn't like the idea of having to visit that shop again.
"Unfortunately not. Come on, let's get lunch. I'm starving."
I wasn't particularly hungry, but I could probably eat something. I let Chatta pick where to eat, since she knew the city better than I did. Just off the main street we settled in an open café that served something hot and spicy. The aroma was thick in the air, something outside of my experience. Squinch, my Jaunten side said.
After we had both ordered, Chatta propped her head up with one hand, leaning on the table's surface. "May I ask something?"
I had been asking her questions for the past hour; so it was only fair she ask some too. "Go ahead."
"I heard a rumor that you are Jaunten. Is that true?"
"Yes." It was somewhat amusing to see her jaw drop at that simple answer. With a slight smile I told her the story, and it was perversely satisfying to see her progressively dumbfounded expression as the story unfolded.
When I was finished she let out a low whistle. "You seem to have a knack for getting into the thick of things."
She had no idea. "My mother claims I have a natural talent for getting into trouble."
"After hearing that story, I believe she's right. It explains why everything you bought today is being paid for by the King. So your hair actually changed to white overnight?"
I nodded. "I'm thinking about dyeing it back to blond."
"I wouldn't count on that," she countered. "When magic changes a body like that, you usually can't change it back. I'd be willing to bet that the dye won't hold no matter what you try. Besides, why let it worry you? Its unusual, and you look really good like that."
A slight heat rose to my cheeks and I just knew that I was blushing. Curse it. "Um, thanks," I muttered.
She grinned at me, but thankfully didn't comment. Our food arrived a moment later, and my stomach was very happy to see it. Apparently I was hungrier than I thought.
"Let's eat up, and then go get your books next."
I nodded in agreement and started in on the very appetizing food with enthusiasm.
Chapter Four: All Things Magic
The shopping trip had somehow gained me a friend. Chatta made sure to give me a tour of the school, once we were done purchasing everything I needed. She showed me where my classes were, introduced me to everyone that she knew—and Chatta knew practically everyone. She made sure I was familiar with the complete layout of the Academy. By the time I went back to my room, my head was swimming with names, faces, and places.
I spent a few minutes putting everything away. Then I decided that it would probably be a good idea to read at least the first chapter of every text book, so I wouldn't be caught completely flat footed tomorrow. I had barely read the first paragraph of Wizards Through the Ages when there was a knock on my door. "Enter!"
Chatta's head popped around the door, and she grinned at me. "Some of your classmates are in the library, and they've volunteered to help catch you up, if you're interested."
I'd be an idiot to turn down an invitation like that. Grabbing up books, parchment and quills, I followed her out of the room. "Did you set this up?"
"Well, I might have wandered by and mentioned something about a new student…" She grinned up at me unrepentantly.
I owe this girl a major favor. Maybe someone can tell me what her favorite sweet is so I can say a proper thank you. "You are a jewel, Chatta."
She beamed at me happily. "I do my best. We go this way."
I have no idea who designed the buildings for the school, but they were blind, demented, crazy, and scatterbrained. The hallways meandered like a drunken, one-legged sailor. I admit that I’m terrible with directions, and by the time we reached the library, I was a hundred percent sure I would be completely lost trying to find my way back to my own room. Maybe they would have a map of the building in the library.
Chatta led me confidently to a back table nestled next to the very tall library shelves. I tried not to gawk too badly, but it was rather difficult. I'd never seen so many books in my entire life, and we had one of the largest libraries in all of Chahir, in Tobadorage, my home town.
There were three people sitting around the table; two girls and a boy. One of the girls was in black robes with green panels, but the other two were in pure black. They looked up with expectant faces as Chatta stopped beside the table. "Everyone, this is Rhebengarthen from Chahir. Just call him Garth. Garth, this is Polie Dobbin." A petite girl with dark curls and big black eyes smiled up at me. "Vevcor Baurn," a rawboned boy nodded in a friendly manner, "and Sajen Jward."
Sajen looked so much like Chatta that for a moment I could swear they were sisters. "Forgive me, but are you two related?"
"Third cousins," Chatta confirmed as she took a seat.
Ah. Well, that explained the resemblance. I gave them a polite bow before I took the nearest chair, setting my text books and parchment on the table.
"We've copied all of our notes from Wizards Through the Ages," Polie volunteered. "That will be much faster than trying to read the first three chapters in the book."
She passed me several pieces of parchment, and I was glad to see that the notes were neat and easy to follow. This certainly would be better than to read all three chapters tonight. "Thank you."
"I'm afraid we can't do much to help you with Shielding and Weapons," Vevcor noted dryly. "Those are all practical classes; we rarely have any book work in them. But I do have a list of all the major magical creatures which should help you a little."
I accepted the next parchment he handed me and scanned it quickly. The handwriting wasn't as neat, but I could still make it out. "I really appreciate this. All of you are saving me a lot of reading."
"I'd still read the book," Polie disagreed. "But you don't have to do it all tonight."
"Since you can't read about Shielding," Sajen smoothly picked up the thread of conversation, "I've been volunteered to at least explain the basics so you have some idea to work from."
For the next hour I sat there and learned how to ground myself, how to focus, and how the shield would protect me. It was all very interesting in theory, but I had this feeling it would be much harder to put into practice.
It was late when we called it quits for the day and split up. I was very grateful for Vevcor's presence because I could just follow him to the boy's dormitories without having to admit I was afraid of getting lost.
On the way he warned me of some of the finer details that living on campus entailed (like getting to the mess hall early if I wanted to eat something decent for breakfast). I tried to memorize everything he told me. By the time I reached my room I felt like my head was crammed full of information—and leaking at all of the seams.
My head barely touched my pillow before the mattress reached up and swallowed me whole.
~*~
"Garth?"
Nuuuh.
"Garth? Hello? You need to wake up."
I could hear the words, but they didn't make a lot of sense. I was comfortable, so why would I want to wake up?
There was an exasperated sigh. "I hope you're not always this hard to wake up…Garth!"
I winced when my name was yelled into my ear. Owww! That was my eardrum. Cracking open an eye, I turned to see what misbegotten idiot was attempting to disturb my peaceful slumber.
Vevcor?
His expression was teetering between a smile and a frown. "Well, his eyes are open at least. Garth, are you with the land of the living or do I need to dump some water over your head?"
I wasn't entirely awake, but the idea of a wet head wasn’t too appealing. "I'm awake," I grumbled.
"I doubt that seriously, but I'll give you a few moments to prove me wrong. You better shake a leg because breakfast is going to be served in about fifteen minutes, and you want to beat the rush."
''Shake a leg?'' Hainians had the weirdest expressions.
It took
effort; it took discipline; it took grim determination! But I finally managed to extract myself from the death grip that my bed had on me. Once I was moving, Vevcor was satisfied that I could maintain my momentum. Before leaving, he said (threatened?) that he'd be back in five minutes to get me. I stumbled into my uniform and dragged a comb through my tangled hair, leaving a fair share of it behind. With a Herculean effort, I valiantly shoved all of my books, plus some parchments, and quills into a book bag, before Vevcor was pounding on my door again.
Don't ask why, but getting dressed somehow makes me wake up, perhaps because I always make it an adrenaline sport. Vevcor was pleasantly surprised that I was almost alive, and dragged me out of the room.
The hallway was more crowded than I had anticipated considering how early it was. Once again I was the focus of curious looks and whispers. I felt like a large boulder in a riverbed with the water flowing around it on all sides. They didn’t mean any harm, so I chose to ignore it. It was just something else I’d have to get used to.
The mess hall was very crowded by the time we arrived. It wouldn't have surprised me to learn that most of the school was currently present in this room. I joined a line that seemed to head in the direction of the food, and patiently gravitated towards it. After a few minutes of slowly inching my way along, I decided to put the time to use, and took out the notes on Magical History.
The next thing I was aware of, besides the parchment, was a hand waving up and down in front of my face. I looked up and grinned. "Good morning, Chatta."
"Good morning. Studying already?"
"I'm behind," I reminded her.
"Not that behind. Put it away. You need to focus on food soon."
Without my noticing, I had moved much closer to the serving line. There was no Chahiran food on display, but I wasn't really expecting that. The trouble was that my Jaunten blood could tell me what the food was, but not how it tasted. I wasn't sure what I'd like and hesitated before choosing an assortment of things.
There were several women on the other side of the table helping to serve up the food. I think the one directly across from me, a matronly woman with flaming red hair, took pity on my obvious confusion. She took the time to point out some of the better choices. I smiled at her thankfully before I gathered up the plate and utensils. Juggling plate and bag, I snagged a glass of some kind of juice (at least, I think it was juice) and stepped away from the line.
Jaunten (Advent Mage Cycle) Page 5