School in Hastelan, chapter 49. (Patreon)

Here we go, let the stories for the month begin! A bit of a short one here, next one should be longer. As always, please enjoy.

I sighed and leaned back; my letter completed. I had risen early in order to write it, in order to see it sent as soon as possible. The Count had offered his services, after all, and he was one of few I could trust. After all, he and his men had come for me when I was I danger, and why would he or they do such a thing in order to commit murder now?

I could only hope that once this letter flew on swift wings to the grounds the Count kept in the capital, it would find his eyes soon after. I was no fool, and knew the Count had returned home.

However, I found myself distrustful of my letter finding the man at all should I go through the normal messenger service. I was wrong, surely, and yet... I would trust myself and take no chances.

Even so, I must make haste to ensure the letter was taken with the others this morn, or it would be taken in the even instead!

I was dressed and ready, so I opened my chamber and peered out carefully. no one was present to see any lack of dignity.

I could still run, it seemed, the moons of soft living seeming to have done little to remove that basic energy all of us younglings had.

I reached the silver plate in the front hall even as the side door began to open, and the runner slip through. I was able to hand it directly to the man, and with no sign of anything amiss other than some slightly uncouth breathing on my part.

There was no worry now, I had done all I could. The Count and his men would certainly be better able to find some assassins than I.

The first set of scullions entered, their loads of refreshing water and heated teas upon the cart behind them. The first bell rang as they stopped, and began loading the far table as was their duty.

I had some time yet, almost a full turn of the glass. I had prepared, of course, with a book. One of those among us from the past had used large amounts of water to combine with her earth gift to great effect, and caused much mayhem among the kingdom's enemies. It was an easy thing to do, it seemed; simply swirl the water of streams among the earth by moving its paths, then use the watered earth to fly quickly among the routes one could normally make dirt travel.

It borrowed the power of water to create speed for the earth, and gain the force capable for both. I knew I had the power to replicate it. The only thing that would stay my hand was that it was a clearly destructive war use of the gift the Goddess blessed me with.

The Goddess did not seem to care about such things, judging from this book alone if naught else, yet I found that I did.

Even so, I would do as I must; my life alone was also a gift, and one I should work hard to keep.

My peers soon began trickling in, as drops of rain to the earth itself. It was a wonder, how many of them made an effort to be so early. I should gain my drinks of choice, as I had managed as much myself this morn. To let others beat me to the best juices when I had been here this long would be a waste.

The book went back into the hidden pocket of my robe; I would not leave such a valuable thing alone, even on our table.

With liquids thus secured, I returned to find our table half filled with those I knew, and somewhat filled with others who even now did not speak to me; not from anger or spite, but for the same reason I did not speak to them - they were oft talking among themselves and seemed not to wish any...distraction? A word like that, yet not that exact word, mayhap.

"Good morn, lady Serapis, lady Istha, and lady Delia."

"Good morn," lady Serapis intoned as the others waved.

It was too early yet to ask how the day found them, I knew. Should I do so, lady Serapis would tell me so in no uncertain terms. If she did not, then lady Delia or lady Nells might instead.

Good manners was more of a challenge than it seemed at first, when all my friends made up so many laws of their own.

"So, what shall we do today?" I asked, as if my friends might have a better answer than myself.

"Same as yesterday," lady Delia sighed out. "We shall stay within these hallowed halls and learn, even should it kill us. Of course, that is to avoid someone out there in the city killing us, so one must pick one's poison."

"I prefer hemloken," lady Serapis intoned.

I gave her my best incredulous look. "You've never had such a thing, how can you prefer it?"

"It is the poison used to put the brightest minds among us to death in the past," lady Serapis intoned, as if telling us it were raining outside.

Lady Nells approached us as I pondered this and sat. "Good morn all, and yes, lady Serapis has a fondness for old dusty men who spout truths of questionable correctness."

"Just because you do not understand those truths spouted does not mean they are not correct," lady Serapis said with a sniff. An actual sniff, with her nose firmly in the air!

Lady Serapis did not jest often, so when she did choose a time to do so, the moment was all the more meaningful. Not that she was wrong in any that she had said. Lady Nells shrugged the thought away as if to agree with my thoughts, and sat.

The others joined us soon after, as was their will, and together we waited in some form of dignified silence for the start of our meal.

The meal was porridge this time, with some dried meats and fruits - winter had truly come. There were eggs, of course, so I had those, and mixing the fruit with the porridge added some flavor to it. At the very least, there was plenty of it; enough for all, and even in the darkest days, this would be so.

There was little chatter among us... there was little to speak of from what we knew, and the rumors of the day seemed to be nothing new. Dreams and portents were still firmly in the minds of those around us, and I heard many a surmise on what we had seen could mean and where this fabled tree might be hiding itself.

I had my own thoughts, and sleep had only settled those. The tree could only be where none knew of it, and that meant it would be nowhere in the kingdom; as such, I should have to settle for playing the long game and quest for it once I had passed into the order of the Goddess itself.

As such, there was no need to worry over it for now. We had more pressing concerns.

"I think I shall read today." I said, more to start a talk than any deeper reason.

"You read every day," lady Nells answered. "You read so much, you might become as lady Serapis."

"She should be so lucky," lady Serapis intoned, her nose now firmly in a small book I hadn't noticed on her person before.

"We could all use more knowledge," lady Delia opined. "After all, should we not understand the world around us, we will stay here, unable to leave. Surely you wish to leave these august and hallowed halls at some point lady Nells?"

Lady Nells gave a full body shudder. "I should like little more. Even the thought of those years I must stay here even now cause sleepless nights and fevered introspection."

She said as much, yet I could tell her heart was not truly in it. Like many of us, she liked it here, or at the very least, did not loathe it. The only ones I knew to hate this lot of ours were but three tables away, of course, minding their own and eating with more silence than we, now.

Two of those still wore the swords of nobles, and with no censure from above. If I knew how to use such a thing, I might do as much myself, yet I would be far more likely to hurt myself with a long blade.

I did have a knife, as we all did, and that could be used as a resort, but I knew; the most deadly skill I had was simply to drop the earth away from an attacker's feet. So long as I could know them and where they were. Mayhap that was why the arrows sent at me had seemed to come from atop shops and houses, and not the crowds as I thought before? Could my enemies be more aware of me than I thought?

We would see, in the fullness of time.

The meal ended, as was its wont, and we retired to our chores, as was our wont. Nothing seemed different today other than words spoken, and there was some comfort in that. Not that I would say such aloud.

Even so, while there was comfort, there was also madness. I ached to be outside, to smell the smells and feel the wind of the season upon me, no matter how cold it might be. The cloistered life of a holy man was not for me; I would choose the out of doors if the choice were given to me.

I would speak to lady Matrona; mayhap she would allow us to take lessons outside, as we had before. If not, I should have to wait afore I was allowed into the garden. Surely that much was safe, was it not?

My pots scrubbed to a mirror gleam, I went back to my room to grab my learning supplies. Joining the crowd, I was treated to such mundane subjects as clothing and fashion, and what paints one might use to grace a canvas, and the best and worst traits of each.

The class was all but spread before me when I entered the great hall, with others already sitting and the rest preparing to. Lady Matrona almost seemed to be holding court, with her larger chair and those of us scattered around her.

"Lady Matrona, if I might... "

"You may, lady Katerine. What vexes you?"

"I should like our class to be held outside, so long as none take issue. Would it not be possible to learn in the garden? The day seems nice enough."

Lady Matrona seemed troubled, but if she was, she said naught. "Just the garden should be safe enough. Do any wish to stay?"

My peers were silent. Many of them bore smiles, and those few who were seated began to rise after but a moment.

"It seems the matter is decided. Of course, the fresh air may do us all good," lady Matrona said, rising herself and striding off to lead the way. She opened the door, and a refreshing breeze wafted in..along with more than a few fallen leaves.

She paid them no mind, of course, looking forward. Her hand flashed, and while I knew not what signal she sent, I knew from the way the knight beyond her moved that he understood. He moved with some alacrity in the direction of the front gate.

Those same walls beyond him had knights along them, looking outward with what could only be fierce eyes and stern faces. I could not see beyond, yet it was easy to think of those, the commoners beyond, shrinking away from such signs of hostility.

I stepped into the sunshine, enjoying the breeze and swirling leaves as both battered my form. There were some scattered clouds, but few to break the golden light. The heat was less, of course, as was its wont, but the light was what I desired most.

Lady Matrona also seemed to enjoy the light; she turned into the wind herself and shook her hair free of the confines of her robe. The long locks seemed to float with each gust.

The others? They looked to and fro, to find a place we might use.

"Come, there is an open area where we all might read and write. Though this small breeze might make the latter difficult." Of course, lady Matrona knew where we best might learn.

She led us... out front, and sat down without a care upon the flagstones where the carriages were normally brought so that we might climb aboard them. Naturally, with no one leaving, there would be no reason for carriages or horses here, and any from outside would be made to drop their wares or people outside the gates, for now.

I would read today, no matter the wind. Unless lady Matrona wished otherwise. I thought writing in my journal was going well for practice, and so the time to learn would be welcome.

The book for the day was one on the nature of earth itself, a form of treatise that was some part philosophy, some part musings of the Goddess, and some part human knowledge. Written by a noble who was well blessed with a strong mind, it explained how the earth itself and that which grew from it fit within the plans of the Goddess, and what mechanism was used to that end.

I understand little now, yet I felt I would in time.

With my finger placed on each page and the book placed upon my lap, the words 'the earth holds all' were easy to make out. As were the next passages, detailing that the earth could also bridge all things, even fire and water.

How this was so when they did not mix, and indeed fought each other openly, I did not know.

Lost, I pondered this.

"Alright class, the session is over. I hope you all enjoyed the time outside; not all days shall be as pleasant as this."

I closed my book to find that while I had been battling both wind and thought, lady Tirude was by my side, now lifting herself from a series of letters etched onto the flags.

They were crude, yet there was an elegance to them that spoke of repetition, of being done many times.

"Ah, lady Tirude. I am sorry, I did not mean to ignore your presence."

Lady Tirude shook her head in a flash. "You need not apologize, lady Katerine, you seemed lost in thought."

Then she muttered, just over the noise: "Most lost in thought."

"Even so, this book is most difficult. The meanderings of the author seem to make little sense."

Even so, I knew there was truth here. I just had to know to find it.

Lady Matrona peered at the now closed font of knowledge and read the title. "Ah, his work. He was known for his ability to pierce the veil to the very foundations of the world itself. I am glad to see you have taken one of my suggestions."

Even so; lady Matrona was the one to blame.

"Come lady Katerine, walk with me but a moment," she continued, and swept past us.

What could I do, save fall in beside her?

She led me deeper into the garden, away from all others. She even looked about to make certain none were close.

"I should like for you to resume your duties with the earth. There are others who need your unique assistance."

There was no need to hesitate. "Of course, as the Goddess wills. Should we leave now?"

"No," lady Matrona denied in a rush. She seemed relieved - as if she expected my own denial? "We shall depart at night; we do little when the sun sets, so it shall not be expected. We shall use the cloak of darkness to steal a march upon your enemies and fulfill our duties."

The Goddess willed, so she would protect. Or she would not, and so call me home. Even so, there was no need to make it easy upon anyone. "As you say. What time should I be ready?"

"At the new hour. I shall amend your personal bell in order to give you the time to prepare. Thank you for agreeing; you may go. And of course, speak of this to no one. We need no flapping gums to reveal our plans."

Of course. I bowed my agreement and left.

I'd not been out in the city at night, I was most looking forward to it.