Chapter 7
Grandma woke us up at Skyler’s place and I told him and the rest of the guard that I would see them tomorrow. I got into the front seat and Grandma started driving again. I looked at her, “So, where are we gong?”
“You will see when we get there.”
I gave her my best smile, “Please tell me?”
“Please huh? Well, how can an old lady argue with that. I guess the only way to do this is to make you guess. I will give you a hint. It is something you neglected to do before you left.”
I gave her a blank look. She laughed, “Is it my fault that you can’t work with the hint I gave you? No asking Skyler either, not that he would be able to guess anyway.”
I sat and thought about it while Grandma drove into town. I thought about everything that was going on before I left and could not figure out what she was talking about. She pulled into a parking lot and put the car in park. “Figure it out yet?”
“No, can you give me another hint?”
“Ok, but just one more. We are here.”
I looked around and saw the sign for the MVD and it took a few moments for it to sink in. “Bloody hell, my driver’s license. I completely forgot about that.”
“You haven’t forgotten how to drive have you?”
“No, I still remember how to drive.”
“Good, because you will be taking yourself to school from now on.”
I smiled, “That’s fine with me. Of, course I may need gas money.”
“Then get a job.”
Grandma was smiling when she said it so I shook my head, “I have one. It’s kind of a pain, but they won’t fire me. I guess I can ask them for a raise.”
“Ha! As if that old buzzard even pays you.”
I laughed, “I’m going to have to remember that next time I see him. So, are going in?”
“Just waiting on you.”
We got out and went inside. After a four hour wait for a ten minute test I finally had my license. We got back to Grandma’s house and I sent a message to Sasha to bring my stuff.
I had barely finished the thought when I heard from the basement, “About time. I was beginning to think you had forgotten about me. What the hell is this? A wooden house? I can’t step through this crap. You are grabbing the other end of this damn thing. I don’t care who you think you are. I am not dragging all your damn clothes anywhere without you helping.”
“Hi Sasha, been waiting long?”
She gave me a look accompanied by a few choice words that I chose to ignore. I grabbed the other end and helped lug the crest upstairs.
“Gods Sasha, what did you put in here? Your favorite rock collection?”
“My second favorite actually. The best ones I left back at camp. Although I do have a very nice selection of granite in here.”
I raised an eyebrow and set the chest down on my bedroom floor. I opened it and saw a smaller box sitting on top. I sat that one on my dresser and opened it while Sasha started unpacking the clothes and putting them in my closet.
“These are only you second favorite?” I asked as I held up a very beautiful polished granite necklace.
“Yeah, these will do for everyday. The other ones will be for special occasions, like if you ever throw a ball, or attend one, or go on a date with Sk` Yler.”
I looked at her feeling the blush start to creep up my cheeks. She cracked a smile and kept unpacking.
“What gave you that idea?” I asked, trying to sound a casual about it as I could.
“Oh, not a lot. Just the way you both stare at each other. The way he insists that I make sure you are safe when he isn‘t there.”
I smiled, “He does, does he? Well, that’s what his job is, you know. Protecting me and stuff.”
“It’s the way he insists on it though. He says, ‘make sure she stays safe’ as if he would personally skin you alive with his fingernails if even a hair gets out of place on your head. It’s almost romantic.”
“Which part? The insisting I stay safe of the skinning alive?”
She sighed dramatically, “Take your pick.”
I laughed and closed the lid on the smaller box. I heard Grandma shout up that supper was ready so we went down to eat.
Supper was one of my favorite meals. Chicken smothered in bacon bits, cheese, and a mushroom sauce with garlic mashed potatoes. With peach cobbler for dessert. I gave Grandma the details of the summer. I told her about the fight to be the heir and how I was able to call in traditional armor. I told her about how we were reopening the underground city and about the silver we found in it. She thought it was quite comical that more then five thousand Kier were opening a city deep in the Empire. After a while she sent me to bed, telling me that I had a big day of impressing people tomorrow.
Sasha and I went back up to my room. I got ready for bed and laid down on my bed. Sasha laid down next to me and said, “There is no way I am sleeping on the floor so If you don’t like it you sleep on the floor.”
I smiled, “It’s ok. I snore anyway and tend to throw my elbows.”
“That’s fine. My knees tend to spasm near kidneys when I get an elbow shot.”
“Well, then we should either get along great, or wake up covered in bruises.”
I woke up the next morning without any bruises and made my way to the shower. I got back in my room and Sasha had one of my dark green dresses that was slit up both sides to the waist laid out with some loose black pants to wear under them. It had a black belt with a emerald studded silver buckle. She had also set out a pendent that had my Clan device set in emeralds that hung from a silver chain and small emerald stud earrings. Some low heal black leather boots were sitting on the floor next to the outfit. I noticed that the inside supports looked suspiciously like knife sheathes and discovered that there were throwing knives in each of the sheathes.
I got dressed and started brushing out my hair when Sasha walked in. She raised an eyebrow and held out her hand for my brush. I looked at her, “I am perfectly capable of brushing out my own hair.”
“Sure you are, but you are getting hair all over your dress so unless you want to look like you just skinned something and draped it over you then turn over the brush.”
It doesn’t look that bad.” I said as I handed her my brush.
“Of course not. Now sit still.”
She finished brushing it then braided both sides separately then into a single braid down my back. I forced myself to sit still while she put makeup on my face. It’s not that I don’t like to wear it, it’s just that there really isn’t a point in it. As far as I can tell the whole point in wearing makeup is to make yourself more attractive to general society. As I don’t really care what general society thinks I don’t really see the point in wearing it. Half an eternity later Sasha said I was presentable so I checked the mirror.
If the person that I saw hadn’t dropped her jaw at exactly the same time I did I wouldn’t have thought I was looking at my refection. The lady I saw looking back at me seemed to posses the natural grace you would expect from royalty. I checked my full reflection and noted that I had somehow picked up the casual arrogance that the rich girls in school seem to radiate without trying to. I saw a confidence in my stance that wasn’t there before. It’s not that I wasn’t confident before, it’s just now my body seemed to say, ‘Notice me. I am someone important.”
I looked at Sasha who grinned and asked, “Well? What do you think?”
“Your hired.”
She laughed, “I was already hired. I take it you approve?”
“Most definitely.”
“Good. Now go get some breakfast so that I can get ready.”
I went down stairs to eat and Grandma did a double take. She shook her head and set a plate down on the table for me, “For a moment I thought you were your mother come back from the dead. It must have been some summer. I sent up a girl and got back a young lady.”
“It was quite a summer, but you can blame the look on Sasha. She was the one who did the makeup and picked out the clothes.”
“It’s not the clothes and makeup that gave you that look Yari. You can dress a turd up to look like a rose, but it is still a turd. No, that look you have comes from inside of you and radiates out. If you were dressed in rags people would still sit a little straighter around you. You’ve changed, Yari. You carry with you an aura that screams, ‘I am a leader.’ It’s something that you can’t help but notice.”
“Well hell.”
Grandma smiled and shook her head, “It’s not a bad thing. Just different.”
“Well, it will lend more credibility to my story. I never did ask how your summer went.”
Grandma smiled, “I spent it getting reacquainted with myself and some old friends of mine.”
“Oh? Do tell.”
“Maybe later. Right now you need to leave for school if you are going to stop by and pick Skyler up first.”
I finished eating then went back upstairs to get my stuff for school. I sent a thought to Skyler telling him that I would be there to pick him up in a little bit then went looking for Sasha. I found her just coming out of the bathroom dressed in a black skirt with a crimson top and a silver undershirt. I looked her up and down and sighed, “I suppose you are going to insist on carrying my school stuff too?”
She smiled and took my bag, “Your job is to impress people and graduate this place so you can focus on your real job of establishing and running a city to prepare for governing your people. My job is to make sure you make a good impression on those people.”
“I guess I can live with that. I suppose I am going to have to have a chat with the principal before class so we have to leave. I still need to pick up Skyler.”
We went down stairs and I told Grandma bye on my way out the door. I stopped at Skyler’s place and was glad the I was driving a vehicle big enough to fit every body. Skyler was the only one that wasn’t obviously wearing a uniform. Ja` Lynn and the others weren’t wearing their armor, but they were all wearing their uniform depicting their rank. Skyler was dressed in black that looked like it was a uniform, but he had his duster over it and you couldn’t tell.
I smiled at Skyler when he got in, “It seems as though I am going to have to have a talk with Mr. Stensen when we get to school. You up for tagging along?”
He smiled back, “Always. Besides, it’s not as if I have anything better to do. In fact I can’t think of anything more amusing then watching Mr. Stensen stutter.”
“You’re horrible.”
“You know it.”
I shook my head and looked in my rear view mirror, “You all know that you don’t have to wear your uniform all the time right?”
One of the other guards, Ra` Tain, smiled, “We know. We just like what wearing them represents.”
“What does it represent to you?”
“That we have someone to protect that is worthy of that protection.”
I smiled, “Well, then I will do my best to not let you down.”
“I know you will.”
I drove to the school and parked in the office parking lot. We all got out and the boys took a six-point guard position around Sasha and I. Luckily we had gotten there early enough that no one noticed us get out. We walked into the office and I walked up to the aid.
I smiled at her, “Excuse me, but is Mr. Stensen available? I need to speak with him for a moment.”
She nodded and closed her mouth, “Yeah. Um, let me get him for you.”
I smiled again, “Thank you.”
Less then a minute later Mr. Stensen was hurrying out of his office to where I was waiting. He stopped short when my guard surrounded me. I shook my head, “It’s ok. This is Mr. Stensen. He is the one I came here to talk to.”
They gave a short bow and stepped back, but didn’t relax.
I smiled at Mr. Stensen, “Good morning, Mr. Stensen. Sorry I’m late getting back to school. You would not believe the summer I’ve had. Can we speak in your office?”
“Yarianna Sorensen? I barely recognize you. Yes, step into my office. All of you.”
We walked into his office and I sat down. I gave him my story that I had gotten an invitation to visit with my mother’s people at the end of last school term. I told him that they used to be nobles in the former kingdom of Solstice and that they still considered themselves as such. I told him that my grandma and I were inline to inherit the titles they had and that Grandma waived her right to inherit, leaving me as the heir to the family. I told him that Sasha had been assigned to me while I was there and when I left she followed me home. I explained that as the heir my personal guard refused to leave me unprotected so they came with me also.
I finished my story and I could see that he was considering not letting them stay so I gave him a look and said, “Mr. Stensen, I can see that you don’t want them here because of the distraction it would cause. Let’s be honest with each other on this though. You would much rather know that they are openly here then know that they are here, but you can’t see any trace of them. To tell you the truth I would rather they stay back at my house then follow me to school, but I know they would just follow me anyway so I let them come. It would be wise of you to do the same.”
He sighed, “I suppose you are right. Fine, They are all authorized to stay and your absence from class is excused. Skyler, on the other hand…”
“Was with me and is the Captain of my Guard.”
Skyler took off his duster to show that he was wearing the rank of Captain then put his jacket back on.
Mr. Stensen looked at me, “I’ve half a mind to reconsider letting them stay young woman.”
I leaned back in my chair and smiled in a not so friendly way, “If you tell them to leave that you will show that you have even less of a mind then that.”
We stared at each other for a few minutes before he finally looked away, “You remind me more of your grandmother every time I see you.”
“I will let her know that you mentioned her.”
“That won’t be necessary. Skyler’s absence is excused as well. All of you get out of here.”
I stood up and smiled, “Thank you Mr. Stensen.”
He muttered a reply as we walked out the door. I gave Skyler my keys for him to park my car in the student’s parking lot then headed toward the commons area. It didn’t take very long before people started noticing us. I saw my friends sitting at their usual table and headed that direction. Skyler caught up with us before we got there.
I smiled at him, “Took you long enough.”
He grinned, “It took me a bit of talking to convince one of the seniors that he really didn’t need one of the closer spots.”
“Talking huh? I bet. Will he heal?”
“I didn’t leave a mark.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
“Yes. He will heal.”
“Good.”
My friends must have heard our voices because the suddenly turned toward us. I watched curiosity turn to shock when they saw who it was walking in the middle of the guards. Almost as one they got up and started rushing toward me. The guard reacted and had daggers out and ready before my friends realized they had moved. I could feel Skyler’s amusement and shot him a look.
I touched Ja` Lynn on the shoulder, “They are safe.”
Daggers went away and I stepped around my guard and my friend Mary Ann looked me up and down, “Oh, my God Yari, What the hell happened to you over the summer? You left as a quiet girl and came back, like, royalty.”
I laughed and gave her a hug. “I don’t think of myself as royalty, though these guys seem to.”
“Well, you will just have to sit down and tell us all about it.”
I let her lead me to the table and launched into my story of visiting my mother’s family. By the time I finished it was time to go to class.
Class was as unproductive as I imagined it was going to be. The girls in the class wouldn’t stop staring at my guard and the guys, for some reason, wouldn’t stop looking at me and Sasha. The teacher finally got sick of people not paying attention and called me into the office.
I took a seat and asked, “Is there a problem Mrs. Applegate?”
She raised an eyebrow, “Is there a problem? Of course there is a problem. You and your guard are the problem. Can’t you send them away or something?”
I laughed, “ Believe me when I tell you that I Would rather they have stayed home, but they explained it rather politely by saying that they would just follow me anyway. I am assuming that Mr. Stensen explained to you why I have them here?”
“Yes, he did.”
“Then what would you like for me to do? I cannot be anything less then what I am.”
She sighed, “I was hoping that you would say that you could send them away, but I guess you can’t can you? I guess we are just going to have to get used to them being here. Can you at least ask them the discourage the looks?”`
I smiled, “That I can do.”
I walked out of the office and looked at Ja` Lynn. I nodded to him and sent the thought, “I know you all are basking in the attention, but I’m going to ask you to discourage it without revealing your better nature.”
He bowed and smiled, “With pleasure.”
I sat down at my desk and felt the aura of menace that started radiating off of my guard. Not a lot at first, but a steady build that felt rather comfortable to me. The rest of class wasn’t nearly as comfortable. The girls got quieter until they weren’t making any sound at all. The guys hunched down, focusing on what they were doing. It was like everybody was too scared to breathe too loud. I caught Sasha’s eyes and saw a gleam of mischief flash across them. She shifted one of my books so that it would drop it she lifted her hand and gave me a questioning look. I considered it for a bit them smiled and looked toward the front of the classroom. Mrs. Applegate saw the smile then looked at Sasha. Her lip twitched in a repressed smile so I sent Sasha the thought, “Now.” The sound of the book hitting the floor barely registered before it was drowned out by the sound of several very high pitched screams, most of them from girls, and students falling out of chairs and over desks.
I looked at Sasha, who bowed her head to cover her grin, “Apologies, my Lady. It must have slipped out of my grip. It won’t happen again.”
“We will discuss this after school.”
“Yes, my Lady.”
The bell ringing and the mass exodus from the classroom saved us from any of the normal hostile looks we would have gotten.
Mrs. Applegate shook her head and chuckled, “This is going to be an interesting school year.”
I smiled, “I sure hope not. I decided to have an interesting summer and came home with guard and an attendant. I would hat to see what would happen with an interesting school year.”
I smiled, “I sure hope not. I decided to have an interesting summer and came home with guard and an attendant. I would hate to see what would happen with an interesting school year.”
She laughed, “Well, then. Let’s hope for an uneventful year shall we?”
“Yes, I had better get going or I will be late for my next class.”
Thanks to my guard I wasn’t late for my next class, but only barely. That class was less eventful then the last one and consequently more productive. By the end of the day I had managed to get called into two more teacher’s offices and threatened with detention in two others.
I met Skyler after school before the mob known as my friends descended on us. I saw them approaching and sighed, “Is it too late to go invisible and just leave?”
Skyler looked over his shoulder and saw my friends, who had noticed us and were making there way toward us. He smiled at me, “Don’t worry. I’ll protect you.”
I punched him in the shoulder, “You had better. I don’t pay you to just stand around you know.”
“You don’t actually pay me either.”
“Sure I do. The check is in the mail.”
“Isn’t that a line from a really bad movie?”
“Probably. Ask me if I care.”
“Do you care?”
“Nope.”
“Didn’t figure you would.”
I talked my friends into meting us at the local ice cream parlor. Afterward Sasha, my guard, and I all went back to my Grandma’s house for supper. I told Grandma about the day and we all laughed about the panic in the classroom. I took Skyler and the guard back to his place.
He invited me in and I smiled, “Way too tempting. Especially after today. If the rest of the year is going to be like this I am just going to talk Grandma into home schooling me. It would make everything so much easier.”
“Yeah, but when have you ever done anything that was easy?”
I grinned, “I trained with you. That was pretty easy.”
“Ha! Says the girl that wanted to kill me when it was over.”
“You did have it coming, calling me common and such.”
“So, about coming in?”
I sighed, “Another time. We need to have a conversation that we don’t have the time to have before I can go in.”
“I understand. Well, then good night Yari.”
“Good night, Skyler.”
I got back to Grandma’s house a little later then I had planned. Grandma was waiting in the living room when I walked in. She gave me a look and I sighed then went in and sat down.
She didn’t say anything for a while. Finally she looked at me, “Yari, how are you doing?”
I looked at her, “I’m doing fine. What’s going on?”
“I’m just worried. I worried that you are getting in over your head.”
“I worry about that too. I’m just a kid really. What do I know about running a city? I can barely remember to clean my room and do my homework.”
“Although that is another good point, it is not what I was referring to. I’m worried that you are getting in over your head with Le` Than. He can’t be trusted.”
“What do you mean? You haven’t even met him.”
“Please just watch your back in your dealings with him.”
“I get that. I just want to know why you are talking about him as if you knew him.”
She sighed, “I did know him. A long time ago.”
“Why did you lie to me then?”
“I didn’t lie to you. Skyler was the first of your race that I have seen since Le` Than left.”
“It’s you race too and what do you mean by that?”
“It’s not my race and I mean exactly what I said.”
I got up to leave then heard Grandma use a tone that I have never heard come out of her mouth, “Yarianna Nicole Sorensen, you will sit back down this instant or so help me I will ensure you regret it.”
I don’t know if it was the threat itself or the authority in her voice, but I sat down and looked at a stranger standing over me. She was still wearing Grandma’s face, but I didn’t recognize her. There was a fierce, almost ruthless, authority in her posture. For a moment I swear I could see a crown on her head. I looked up at her and even my other side felt like a small child again.
Grandma lowered her head and when she looked back up she had tears glistening in her eyes. She took in a deep breath and slowly released it. She looked back at me, “Yarianna, I did know Le` Than personally. I am not your grandmother. I am Valora.”
