Common (The Lora Fletcher Chronicles Book 1)

by Andrea Irving

  “How many others are staying?” Genea asked.

  “Less than ten.”

  “Oh.”

  “You’ll be sparring with our teachers!” Catty was dismayed. “I’m so sorry! You’ll probably be broken to bits when we all get back.”

  Lora rolled her eyes. “Thanks for the vote of confidence. Anyway, I have to look at it as an opportunity to improve my fundamentals and technique. Or so Cousin Allistair said in his letter.”

  Catty and Genea hugged their friend. “Promise you’ll write!” they said in unison.

  Lora did, in fact, write to them. At least once a sevenday. And they wrote her in return. The boys were not such faithful correspondents, but no one expected them to be.

  She practiced her fighting skills every morning when it was still cool out. She found that she was learning to appreciate the sword. Lord Leonard tried to get her to use a rapier, but Lora found she liked something with a little more substance. She also liked throwing knives with Lord Sebastian. There was something very satisfying about how a knife sounded when it hit a wooden target. Thunk! She felt a little badly that she was ignoring Lord Nestor, but she just didn’t have the size or strength to swing around a mace or a flail. She thought perhaps when they started fighting on horseback.

  She practiced wielding every afternoon. She was now able to call on all five elements with some effort. She couldn’t do much with any of them except fire and sometimes air. Lords Michael, Robert, and Jeremy rarely agreed on anything, but they all agreed that she should spend her summer concentrating on water, earth, and her own essence. That way they would know where she was truly strong or weak, not just a guess from Lord Jeremy’s assessment. They told her this was particularly true for her essence. She would not know exactly what she could do until she had practiced what they called opening up her center. It sounded like a lot of rubbish, but Lora spent a lot of time doing that too.

  In the evenings, Lora read. She had long since finished her book of fairy tales. She had moved onto and finished a book of fables by the end of the school year. Now she was free to read what she pleased. She attempted a novel, but gave up after the first chapter. Genea eventually loaned her one of her own books, which was far more to her liking. She also read whatever she could on history and diplomacy. She sat with Mistress Diana and Mistress Flora at meals to practice her etiquette, and they made her follow the same rules her group had established after the winter holidays. Lora hated it, but it kept her in practice.

  Genea was true to her word and saw Lora often before she left for Azure Shores. They both missed all of their other friends terribly and compared letters from each of them. They laughed for hours when they found that Dain had simply copied his letters and sent them to each girl. A quick request to Catty in their next letters to her confirmed that she indeed was receiving the same letters, too. As retaliation, they decided to just send him one letter with all three of them signing it. To continue the good fun, Dain sent three different replies. The three replies made up only one note with each girl only getting every third word. They had to combine their letters in order to decipher the whole thing. They had barely gotten Catty’s letter when Genea had to leave.

  Lora was quite lonely after that. Her only companions were about ten students who stayed through every holiday, and most of them kept to themselves. She knew Susan of Round Lake a little bit and had seen Lucas of Green Meadows in passing, but she was not friendly with either. She saw plenty of Bobby, who was beginning an official apprenticeship in the stables. He was eager to help her saddle and care for her horse, even though it was part of her duties as an Academy student.

  One day after Lora had finished riding, she asked, “How do all of the other students not forget anything if they all go home for the summer?”

  Bobby was currying the horse in the next stall over. He paused, stood up, and looked at her. “Why, they practice their swordsplay with the men-at-arms in their family keeps. Or they practice wielding with someone in their keep or village. They have libraries in their keeps, too.” He paused. “Don’t you?”

  Lora flushed. “I did not live in the keep,” she spat out. “I lived in a house in the village. I don’t think Cousin Allistair would like me bothering his soldiers if I were able to go home. He says it’s easier to keep me here—and sending me home is not worth the expense. I’m actually probably better off staying here. I’m behind enough as it is. He sponsors me here, so I have to do as he says.”

  “He sounds like a very honorable man,” Bobby said. She did not have anything to say after that, so she sat watching him until he shooed her away.

  The summer holidays were over soon after that. Genea returned first, quickly followed by Peter. Catty and Dain arrived on the same day. Regan made an appearance after that. Lora realized that even though they had both been in Glimmen all summer, they had not seen each other at all. His royal duties would always take precedence over socializing with friends. The group reunited in the dining hall. They all had exciting stories to share except for Lora, who just listened politely.

  Regan had spent the summer training with the palace guard and helping his father make important decisions for Ydris. “Perhaps we’ll discuss your contributions to society in our diplomacy class,” Catty teased.

  “Cruel,” Regan replied with a sigh. He put his hands behind his neck and his straight blond hair flopped into his eyes. “So cruel to mock my moment in the sun. But seriously though, when I turned sixteen he made this big fuss about me starting to learn by doing. It’s scary, making decisions that affect everyone’s lives.” He paused. “Well, maybe not any people’s lives, but the lives of some very grateful sheep.”

  No one wanted to know exactly what that meant.

  Genea had discovered a talent for healing. While at Azure Shores, she said she had an epiphany and was able to call on her essence to heal. In order to stay well rounded, she worked with some of the traditional healers and started learning some herb lore. “I’m not sure what my strength and skill in it will be, but it’s always good to be prepared for what you might not be able to help with just wielding,” she said. She was always very shy about her accomplishments, and Lora thought she ought to be less so. Genea was very sweet and deserved all the credit she could receive.

  “Arbor Cove is unchanged,” Catty declared as she flung her long, dark brown braid behind her shoulder. “And so am I.” She went on to describe how her older brother was now taking on much of her father’s responsibilities since his bout of apoplexy, but she was confident he would recover enough to take them back. “My brother, George, does not need anything else to inflate his ego. This summer, he was insufferable.”

  Laughing at Catty’s description of his friend, Dain added, “That sounds like George alright.” He cleared his throat. “Father thought he’d found a nice girl for Phillip, but he found out her family’s political leanings didn’t align with ours.” When the rest of them looked confused, he rolled his eyes. “Shaadi sympathizers. I guess her grandmother was from Shaad, so they tend to turn a blind eye. A little more than turning a blind eye, as a matter of fact.” He shrugged. “Phillip’s not really the marrying kind anyway. He likes his single life.” He nudged Regan in the rubs and chuckled.

  Peter groaned. “Much like here, nothing happened at Lone Pine,” he said with a nod at Lora. “One of the cranks in one of our smaller saw mills broke.” He shrugged. “Does reading a lot count? Or practicing? I tried, but I don’t think I can best Lora at archery yet.”

  A loud and unbecoming sniff was heard. Their heads turned toward it. Princess Sylvane tossed her blonde hair behind her shoulder. “I don’t know why they bother teaching us these common weapons. The quarterstaff. The longbow. So unrefined.” She sniffed again, beckoned to Genea who blushed and went to her friend, and the pair of them left.

  There was an awkward pause, and then the boys took off to discuss Dain’s upcoming assignment, which left Catty and Lora alone. “Still wearing the walnut, I see,” Catty teased as they
began the walk to their dormitory.

  Lora held up her arm to show off her threadbare elbows. “I haven’t grown any more, but these dresses are ready to retire. Cousin Tiana wrote that she would be here before classes started, but… As you see, she has not arrived.”

  “Has the orange nightmare been retired?”

  “Yes,” she admitted. “When I noticed them getting threadbare in spots, I wore that one the most so I’d be rid of it quicker. More quickly, I mean. The graying egg yolk is my best. It’s almost as bad as the orange though.”

  “How is the rose?”

  “I haven’t worn it all summer,” Lora admitted. “It felt strange without you all, and when I noticed my everyday dresses starting to wear, I was glad I hadn’t, even though I’m sure I’ll hear about it from Regan and Dain. I guess it’s fortunate I haven’t grown.”

  “You haven’t grown?” Lady Tiana echoed as she strode into the dormitory. “Hmmm. I guess you haven’t. Let me look at you.” She reached for Lora’s hands and frowned. “Will you never stop, cousin?” When she sighed, Catty curtsied and half ran out of the room. “Well, let us to Mistress Bethany’s. You can’t go around in that. I suppose the others are much the same? What about your dinner dress?”

  Lora tried hard not to hope that her new dresses would be nicer than her old. “That dress is fine. I didn’t wear it this summer at all. The others are like this one. Worn out.”

  Lady Tiana clicked her tongue. “Well, I suppose you are still a child,” she said as she shook her head. “Ah, here we are.”

  Lora broke away from Tiana as soon as they entered the tailor’s. She browsed through the more sensible fabrics on this visit. She hoped that there were either some ready-made things or that her “cousin” would be a little more generous in her choices of fabric.

  In the end, two ready-made pieces were purchased, and two custom made dresses were ordered. The ready-made pieces were serviceable enough. Tan and dark blue. Plain. Not an orange nightmare in sight. It was already a winning situation, as far as Lora was concerned. She was presently surprised when a sevenday later, a wine colored dress and a dark brown dress were sent to her. Neither one itched.

  She grinned at Mistress Bethany who winked. Lora hoped beyond hope that she was a kindred spirit who at the very least felt sorry for her while at the same time hoping to sell a more expensive garment. “Thank you, Cousin Tiana,” she said. Her guardian was staying in town for several weeks and so was able to return to the tailor’s with Lora when the dresses were finished.

  Tiana nodded. “Just continue to improve in your studies, and you will be fine,” she said. “Oh, did my brother write to you this summer? He has finally chosen a wife. Some Frances of Windy Heath. Even smaller than Haven Dale, I hear.” She chuckled and shook her head. “Either she’s uncommonly beautiful or her father is richer than he appears.”

  Lora nodded and followed Lady Tiana back toward the Academy. “When the time comes, Lora,” she said, an awkwardness to her words, “because of your studies, you should marry well. Even though your birth is low, your accomplishments here will be enough for many families to want to associate themselves with you. So, excel in all things.”

  She did not know what to say, so she was silent until Lady Tiana left. Lora hoped she would be able to go back to her village and live her life once she was done training. She was beginning to feel like that wasn’t going to be possible. She found Catty and explained, “She thinks I’ll be able to marry better than I normally would. Do you think so?”

  “You’re not even fourteen,” Catty replied. “You have lots of time to think about what kind of match you’d like your father—or cousin—to make for you.”

  “Girls in my situation marry much younger than you’re used to,” Lora told her. “At sixteen, even fifteen sometimes.”

  Catty’s eyes grew wide. “That’s as young as commoners marry,” she pointed out. “Surely that wouldn’t be in store for you. Especially considering training isn’t finished here at the Academy until, well, nineteen here and twenty one or twenty two out on assignment.”

  Lora frowned. “That seems ancient.”

  “I suppose it’s not,” Catty said with a sigh, “or else girls wouldn’t be allowed to train so long. Our fathers would be busy trying to marry us off. Maybe we wouldn’t even be allowed to train anymore at all if we were supposed to marry so young. I mean, I guess girls who don’t train here marry a little younger. But not at fifteen. Ugh! That would be in a year for me!”

  They vowed never to speak on this topic again. It was too embarrassing for both of them. Lora could not share her situation with Catty, and Catty would not share her situation and aspirations with Lora. They both secretly thought that the other would be ready to continue the discussion in another couple of years.

  CHAPTER 13

  Lora was upset that even after an entire summer of practice, she was still not reading what the others in her literature class were reading. She knew that they all, including Catty, thought that she was stupid. Catty was just too polite to say so to her friend. Mathematics, as ever, was a sanctuary. They were delving into areas Lora had never even known existed, but the concepts were not too difficult for her. It made her happy that others struggled. Not because she was trying to be mean, but because it meant that she was good at something and that her background had not kept her from everything.

  Her biggest delight was history class. Her reading had improved sufficiently enough, and she had spent enough meals listening in on the teachers’ discussions to nearly be on the same level as her peers. Lora suddenly found the once intimidating subject to be exceedingly interesting and made her rethink her opinions on things she had taken for granted growing up.

  She wondered if anything could make diplomacy tolerable. Lora’s only positive thing to say about it was that because her reading had improved, it might cut down the time she spent on that class enough that she could work on others. Lord Cedric, who had been absent all summer at his estate in Horn Peak, quickly found her in the library, and they resumed their old study sessions. He seemed pleased with her progress and started to give her more complex topics to think about and discuss.

  Etiquette had gotten better throughout the preceding year; however, new topics were being brought up. Dance was going to be a focus, which most of the students groaned at. A few of the girls squealed in the delight, but once they realized they wouldn’t be dancing waltzes with young men they admired, they sobered up. Master Franklin came to help teach the nuances and subtleties involved in traditional dances of other countries where duty and obligation might take Academy graduates.

  “Learning these dances properly,” he droned on in his nasally voice, “will show your respect toward the country you are visiting. It shows a respect for their culture. Think if a contingent from… Erasteen came and would only dance to their own music. We would think them terribly impolite and it a great slight upon us. So learning these is of utmost importance. We will start with the gentle dances of our southern neighbor, Anouria. Next sevenday, we will move on to their fire dances.”

  Peter and Lora exchanged glances. They were usually partnered up in etiquette. Neither of them minded, as they got along really well, and where one struggled, the other was usually a help.

  “I hate dancing,” Lora groaned as she stepped on Peter’s foot. Again. She had, in fact, forgotten how many times she had done it. “Give me a reel. That I can do. I’m not meant for all this hopping and arm waving. I’m not coordinated enough.”

  “It’s no different than weapons,” Peter said after a moment. “Except this way, you know what your opponent, or partner rather, is going to do. You move around each other and anticipate.” He shrugged.

  She frowned. “I never thought of it like that. Maybe I’ll stop trying to lead then?” She grinned at him.

  Peter chuckled. “One can hope.”

  The following sevenday, Dain got his assignment. When Academy students turned nineteen, they were assessed by the staff
and then assigned to a person or place depending on their abilities and the needs of various nobles at the time. Being a swordwielder, Dain was in high demand. His strengths in wielding were in water, air, and distance hearing, and he was good with an axe. He was to be sent to James Lake, where skirmishes with the Korlisseans had increased. He would be relaying messages back to Glimmen and using the lake as a weapon in his arsenal if it became necessary.

  “I thought we were at peace with the Korlisseans?” Lora asked. “Lord Cedric arranged all of those treaties…” Their group was walking toward dinner after a long afternoon of swordsplay.

  Dain scratched his head and stopped just before the entrance. “We are at peace, but border territories are always tricky. They’re easy to rile up. Too much bad blood, I guess. I’m just glad I’m not doing any negotiations or anything like that. Not one of my strengths. I do some pretty good negotiating with my axe, but that doesn’t help in the long run. Have to live together, and the axe, well, only one person lives in the end during that kind of scenario. I’m not invincible, so I’d hope it were me. You just never know. So, negotiations. I’m there for backup.”

  Catty chuckled. “I’m going to miss you, Dain. No one talks as much or as fast as you do.” Dain flushed and she laughed harder. “It’s not a bad thing. It’s you.” She shrugged.

  “My father was glad to have you as a resource,” Regan said. “He always says that he wishes he could use his swordwielders in more peaceful situations, but he says it seems like you exist only to be weapons.” He scuffed his toe on the ground. “I’ll think of something different for you when I am king.” He sighed and offered his arm to Catty.

  Dain winked at Lora before he took Genea’s arm. Lora scowled. She did not like being winked at. “Why does he do that?” she asked as she linked arms with Peter. “He knows I hate it. I’ve asked him to stop I don’t know how many times.”