Chapter 8

What a fascinating school. I must have someone investigate it further. Someone whom I can trust, who will blend in seamlessly, who will look the part. Or should I just befriend one of your newly acquired friendships? Hmm, so many possiblities. And who's to say whether I won't examine them all. After all, savoring one's eventual victory is paramount to one's ultimate enjoyment, isn't it?

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Donna slipped away to finish up her chores and Tristan stood near the doorway of the kitchen taking then entire site in. To her right was the gates and past that were the stables. Almost directly across from her, just off center rose one of the stairwells up into the sky, only this one was larger than the other two. In between all the arches, a triangular platform, the first of six, rose a few feet above the ground. Five steps leading up to the platform surrounded it and on the platform, about two dozen girls were practicing with long sticks.

Agatha emerged from the kitchen and headed towards the large arch. "Don't let Miss Donna talk you into anything that you're unsure about. That ol' Donna, she's a charmer and well, just don't let her okay?" Tristan nodded quickly then asked, "Why is that one larger?" She pointed at the approaching arch. "Patience. That's something you should learn, then teach Donna."

"Ah, Cece's finally arrived." Agatha waved to Cece who looked tired. Clucking, Agatha took the cloak off Cece's sweating back, "Next time Remy and I want to drag you hiking, you'd better go. Look at you." Panting too hard to reply, all Cece did was glare at Agatha. Without a further word, she led the way into the large arch.

Tristan blinked hard when she entered. She had expected it to be dark inside since no sunlight seemed to penetrate the walls but it was quite bright. Cece noticed her astonishment and pointed to slits along the walls. She went over to take a look. The walls were about a foot deep and the slits were about six inches wide. There were enough of them to let sunlight pour in and since the walls and floor were made of marble, the reflection illuminated the shadows.

They had walked into a small receiving area where muddied boots lined up one wall, clean ones lined another. In the corners were stands for umbrellas and raincoats. Agatha explained. "Each arch has a room like this. It rains quite often but usually only one third of the student body are outside. So, on rainy days, the ones slated to be outside grab the clean ones, then assigned students take the muddy ones and clean them putting up on the clean shelves. That way, the ones who couldn't afford boots could still have them during rainy days."

They walked through the reception area into a landing where a large staircase rose around the center, following the perimeter. Tristan stood in the center of the landing and looked up at the semi-spiraling staircase rising up above her and she twirled around, dizzying herself. "Wheeeee! Hey! One side leans into the opposite!" She peered up trying to steady her gaze. Cece finally caught her breath and said, "This is an arch, remember? At a point up there where the arch curves steeply, it becomes just one long stairs instead of four along the edges." "OH!"

Cece beckoned Tristan from a doorway opposite the one that they had entered. Walking through, Tristan found herself in a large hallway with two rows of marble columns down the middle. The walls on either side of her still contained the slits for windows, but the front third of the room was encased in windows. At the very front, a few steps let up to three gigantic chairs of the same proportions. Agatha clucked and said, "Yeah, ridiculous isn't it. The architect said in order for the people in the back to see us, the chairs had to be humungous. But Cece is the only one of us who even passes for not shrunken when we sit in those chairs." Agatha walked away clucking to herself.

"What is this room?" Tristan twirled around in the middle looking up at the very tall ceiling noticing the complex crystal chandelier hanging down from the ceiling. A trio of girls came in and started to unwind the ropes that held up the chandelier. "Ah," said Cece. "It's getting near dark. We'd better head on up. Oh, hmm, perhaps we should eat first then climb those dagnit stairs." Cece stood under the descending chandelier, pondering.

"Umm, Cece. You might want to get out of the way. Unless you like wax drippings." Agatha smirked. Cece looked up and nonplussed, she moved slightly away and said, "Yes, dinner first. Shall we let the lamb loose around the wolves or hmm Tiny. Tristan, go get Tiny and show him where the kitchen is. I think you and he should enjoy a moment of solitude before setting on your separate paths." A cluck of agreement came from Agatha.

Tristan shot a grateful smile at their consideration and ran off. If she remembered correctly, the stables should be slightly to the left as she left the arch. Dashing over, the odor confirmed her bearings. She found Tiny looking on with fascination as a large burly man stood pounding a bar of iron into a horseshoe. She was thankful they were in an open area since the heat off the furnace assumed a physical form.

Nudging Tiny, she grinned and said, "Whatcha learning?"

"Look, Tristan. It's really skrim! When Giorgio - that's him, Giorgio -" and Giorgio nodded a greeting. "- when he hits that rod.. Yeah I know it's a bar now, but it started off as a rod! ANYWAY, when he hits it, it bounces. He makes it bounce where he wants it to go! AND he's going to teach me how to do it!" Tiny's eyes underscored his excitement. "Tristan, this is the best thing that ever happened to us!"

Tristan gasped as Tiny bearhugged her, then spun her around. "What've you been doing?" he queried.

"C'mon, let's go get food. I can't stand this heat anymore. Giorgio, want us to get you anything?" Giorgio seemed surprised by the offer but shook his bald, beardless head. "Nah, Tiny. You eat good. Be giant in mind and body. Yah." At that, the two dashed off past the gate. Tristan pointed out all she found out earlier but found that Tiny was only paying attention to the rumblings his tummy was making.

A line of girls stood waiting for their turn at the table. Tristan and Tiny joined them at the near end. Neither was sure which of the duo drew the most looks. A familiar freckled face fell in behind them. "Hey Tristan," grinned Donna. "Who's your bud?"

"He's Tiny." Her eyes twinkled.

Donna shot her a look, then looked at Tiny up and down, and grinned at Tristan. They both shouted simultaneously at each other, "I know he is, but what's his name!" and both collapsed in laughter on the ground. Tiny just rolled his eyes. He harumphed, "A new friend?"

Donna stood up first, wiping her eyes and she stuck out her hand to Tiny. "Name's Donna. Very new friend, and if you can take her humor, you can take mine. So, I guess you're going to be stuck with me." She grinned irrepressibly at Tiny. Tiny surrendered and shook her hand. "Tiny and don't ask what my real name is. I don't remember." She nodded.

"I might as well go for seconds. Where were you two? They started serving half an hour ago." Donna rubbed her tummy.

"I was looking for him. He's going to be apprenticing at the smithy's and he was watching Giorgio at work. - Eh, what's that?" Sounds of instruments being tuned drifted by. An string instrument started a tune, then a drum joined setting the rhythm, followed by several flute-like instruments.

Smiling, Donna explained, "There's a couple of us who's music-mad and so every night, they usually get together after supper to play and practice. Others who need practice join in, so usually there's two or three regulars with a bunch more just playing with them. And sometimes... sometimes, they get the Trio to join in." Donna beamed. "You just have to hear for yourselves."

"Oh, has anyone explained supper to you?" Both Tristan and Tiny shook their heads. "Not much to explain. Just a few things. First off, you can go up for food up to three times. All food product left over, if edible gets put on the cart. If inedible, they get tossed into the garden. Aggie figures what doesn't get turned into fertilizer will attract the birds. Better they eat the leftovers than what's growing.

"Also, you can eat anywhere you want. The dining room's also the assembly room. You've been there, right Tristan?" Tristan murmured an agreement since they had arrived at the table and she was piling her plate full of potatoes, beef stew, and peas. Both Tiny and Donna grabbed a similar amount.

Tiny and Tristan followed Donna up onto the triangular platform. No one ate where mats were laid in the middle, but along the edges on a six foot wide path were groups of girls, most looking their way. Donna plopped down near four girls who grinned greetings at Donna. Tristan and Tiny sat down as Donna pulled out utensils for all of them. "You two looked as if you never saw food like that before. You guys just walked right past these. Here."

With the two devouring their food, Donna continued, "Okay. Food fights. Only one place allowed and that's the garden. That's usually where I eat, but I figured you two didn't need to experience that on your first night."

"They allow that?" Tristan managed to sputter that out in mid-swallow.

"Yeah! How skrim is that? They told us that they know some of us need to blow off steam physically, in a fun way. If you have a food fight elsewhere, then it's judgement time." Donna shivered.

"They beat you?" Wouldn't be so bad, I've been beaten before. Tristan stopped eating to look hard at Donna.

"Oh no. Nothing like that. They want you to learn from your mistakes. With me, they figured out that if they have everyone give me the silent treatment, it drives me nuts. I hate it enough that I won't break the rules." Donna shivered again. "So, is it true that you two came from a slave camp?"