2 - Of Stones and Books

As the rest of the students file out before me, I gather my thoughts. Even now I can sense my bridge channels repairing, the Falkid cants Devlos taught me showing their worth immediately. But that may not be a good thing as they are also part of what I can show Headmaster Vencine.

I reach in my pocket for my sendstone, wait where did I -?

I glance over the classroom desk and see it amidst my ink-tools and papers. Not for the first or last time I bemoan the loss of my sending ring, the security of this Primary is taken way too seriously when we only have one class of brats that need watching.

Picking up the sendstone I send in my mana and select the Headmaster's sigil, thankfully he hasn't closed his off. As the sendstone lights up to receive my message I take a deep breath.

"Headmaster, this is Novice Annalise Sovoth. Something has unbound during my noon instruction but there is no damage or etheric changes I can sense. Please advise me on the next course of action."

Nice. Deferential, to-the-point, and professional. I remember when Novice Sajiin made the mistake of dropping decorum with Headmaster Vencine during our staff introductions last week before all the students arrive. We all were made to remember that not all Magian are equal. While in Aldor some of us novices can match up to the newer Magians in our specialized facets, Vencine isn't from Menur Tower Aldor. He hails from the Great Silver Tower. He was the second detachment after the Brindlestone War and his charge was to clean up some of the rot that had sunk into the complacent menurians. From what I gather he's not even a standout Magian of the Silver Tower, but he's easily worth 3 or 4 of the Aldor Magians that's for sure.

In fact, this could be a good opportunity. I grin. Getting on the good side of a Silver Tower Magian is a one-way ticket to some of the greatest scholastic and magical circles I would ever have access to.

The sendstone lights up and shakes me out of my thoughts. One more pulse of mana and it spits out its terse message.

"Report to my office".

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All my classmates go straight to the mess hall for food. What a weird name for a kitchen. Mess hall. Is it messy? But there are many weird things in this place. Many weird people. My classmates are all not like normal kids, but I think I am not normal any more too. The teacher is weird too. She speaks like a man. She is loud and looks very noble and pretty. Her hair is so smooth. Not like mine. But my hair is now much better than before. Last week they showed me the bath room. The lady clerk, the adults in the green robes, she showed me how to use a tub to wash. Way better than the barrel back home. She showed me soap for my skin and oil for my hair and now I love to take baths and smell my hair, maybe soon it will be smooth and pretty like the weird teacher.

Yeah. Weird teacher. Weird papers on the walls with magical symbols. Weird food to eat, lots of meat, I never had meat at home before. Weird clothes to wear, but I like them. I feel my robe, yep, way less scratchy than my shirt at home. Weird words to learn, but Tayin says I learn fast.

But weirdest of all are the books. Before she died I remember mama told me that books are food for my head. Tayin laughed when I asked her how my head can eat the book. She told me that was why me, Farnoth, and Altvin and his brother Kedelus had to come before the other kids, so we could learn to read.

Reading is hard, there are so many new words, but I can always ask Tayin and then she tells me and then I can add to how many words I know. Sometimes now I am able to add words by myself, because sometimes what I read shows me the new words meaning, I think this is because my head is getting better at eating. Tayin thinks so too.

She is nice. I am happy the weird man who is master of our heads let Tayin help me. She sings me songs like mama did, with words my head can't eat but my heart can. I wish she could sleep with me too. She says only the clerks who wear the green robes can help us in our rooms. But they don't feel warm like my family, or like Tayin. It makes me sad that I am alone now in my room, but Tayin said its not good for me to cry so I can't cry anymore.

But books help! That is why, even if I am hungry now, I will go to the library. My tummy has been eating for many years but my head has never eaten before so it is very hungry. I can eat so much in the library, the books feed me new words and can feel my head growing and also more inside growing. Not my heart, but my head of my heart is growing. Heart head. I will look for a better word, these books were cooked, wait no, wrote by many very smart people like teacher and Tayin, so I will eat them and then I will be smart. And pretty. Teacher is smart and pretty so maybe these books will help me be pretty like her too! She must read lots of books.

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As I round the corner near the mess hall I see my classmate Chelsea grinning as she skips down the hall to the library.

She's probably the youngest one here, although the fat kid Deanon is probably pretty young too. She was with me and the brothers here early for scholastic training but she was assigned to a nanny being so young. I don't know her too well.

She sure does like to read though, I think she goes to the library several times a day. But the books did help her to stop crying so I guess its good.

As I walk into the mess hall I spot Altvin and Kedelus and sit back down by them.

"I will never understand how you eat so quick Farnoth" Altvin grins as I sit down.

"I had to eat fast cuz I've been waiting to poop all day!" I laugh back.

All of us in the mess hall are seated at one long table so I can see the look I get from Cyncthe and Iltad. Oops.

That doesn't stop Kedelus from spitting out his food and for Altvin to howl loud enough with laughter that the clerks around look on disapprovingly.

"You guys are gross" Cyncthe complains as she takes her food and heads off, probably to her room to eat and study in peace, her blond hair swaying behind her. Dang. Out of the corner of my eye I can spot the dirty look Iltad gave me. Whatever, bet he's never even seen a naked girl before.

Forgetting them, I turn back to the brothers.

"I think our teacher got in trouble" I whisper in a secretive manner.

They both give me curious looks.

"Yeah, when I was coming out of the bathroom she was headed to the Headmaster's office and she looked like she'd seen a ghost".