Chapter 4
1584 Words
Surprises all around...
“Faith, I like you, but I don’t like that you’re an early riser,” Melody whined.
Faith had been trying to be quiet but still made quite a bit of noise as she was getting ready for the start of her day.
“I know, I’m sorry, I’m no good at stealth.”
“Why are you up so early anyway?”
“Um… Melody, I hate to break it to you, but it’s 7 o’clock.”
Melody squeaked when she realized that she needed to get ready for the start of her day as well.
“Good god Faith, why didn’t you wake me up??” Melody said miffed.
“Um… didn’t know I had to?” Faith smirked.
As both girls ran out to the Dining hall to receive their respective schedules, they barely made it before the doors closed behind them. Everett and Edric both waved to let them know they had saved them seats.
Magically a schedule appeared right in front of Faith and she grabbed it and started it reading but was soon interrupted by Professor Geniason.
“As you can see by the schedules in front of you, your courses have been selected for you based on your applications, interviews and general consensus of your realm’s counsel. If you have any questions to the curriculum at hand, I suggest you make an appointment with me to explain discrepancies or requests for changes. Change requests will not be made lightly so please bear that in mind.”
Professor Geniason looked around the room and his eyes seemed to again land on Faith.
“You are all dismissed to your first classes after breakfast!”
The room buzzed with excited conversations and whines as Faith quickly eyed the curriculum before her.
Faith had classes four days a week, with Wednesday left as a free day. Each day she had the same classes it appeared.
9 o’clock – Spell casting Level 1
10 o’clock – Spell casting and Enchantments – Level 1
11 o’clock – Casting for Healers – Level 1
12 o’clock – Physical training – Level 1
1 o’clock – Lunch
2 o’clock – Study Hour
3 o’clock – Historical Knowledge
4 o’clock – Critical Research
5 o’clock – Government Fundamentals
Faith looked at her curriculum and stared down in disbelief. What the hell was this? Her face must have shown her stupefied reaction which slowly turned livid as both twins and Kyle looked at her with raised eyebrows. Everett grabbed Faith’s schedule and quickly looked it over.
“What the hell is this? Why are you in Level 1 curriculum? With what you’ve already learned you should be in Level 2 with us at least,” Everett said huffily.
“What?!” cried Edric, who was next to grab the schedule from Everett’s hands.
Kyle didn’t know Faith that well so he didn’t really have a chance to respond.
“Faith, you need to speak with Professor Geniason, pronto!” Edric said frowning.
“There has to be a mistake or something… and I thought you wanted to be a warrior!?”
Faith was lost for words. She didn’t know what had happened but just hoped that it was just a mistake and that she could rectify her schedule as quickly as possible.
*some time later*
“Ah, Ms. Geniason, I thought I might see you here,” Professor Geniason said quietly.
“Um, yes sir, I was wondering if there might have been a mistake with my curriculum.”
“I assure you my dear, there was no mistake.”
Professor Geniason looked like he wanted to say something and then changed his mind. Instead he looked at her with mirth in his eyes. Suddenly those eyes narrowed as they looked at her and waited for her response.
“Sir, I asked to have warrior curriculum in my schedule. It is my greatest wish to be a warrior. I also believe that with the amount of spell casting training I’ve already received I should possibly be at Level 2, certainly not Level 1.” Faith’s response was calm and composed without any excitement which impressed the Professor.
“Yes, I recall reading that. However, those of greater influence changed those requests.”
Faith’s eyes widened as she heard those words. Who would do such a thing?
As if hearing her thoughts, the Professor answered her, “General Colvine Geniason made these change requests.”
What? Her Uncle changed her curriculum? That made no sense! Why would he do that, what right did he have to do that?? Faith felt her anger rise as she made herself count backwards from 10 to calm down.
“Sir, I’d like to request the following changes immediately. If these changes cannot be addressed, I will have no qualms about quitting, today.”
Faith looked at him with bold confidence but Professor Geniason only looked at her with amusement and said instead, “I will speak to “your Uncle,” but for the time being, I suggest you get to your classes. If the instructors believe that you should be in the next higher levels, I will allow those changes. As for the warrior curriculum, I will have to see what else we can change as the other course work you have is pretty well set in stone. All will be revealed to you in time.”
Professor Geniason spoke to Faith as if almost talking in riddles, but she understood that this was the end of their conversation.
Faith turned to leave, but then hesitatingly asked, “Sir, your last name, are we of any relation?”
Professor Geniason looked at her as though she finally asked the right question.
“Yes, I am your grandfather’s brother.”
----------------------
“So what happened with your schedule? Asked Melody.
All eyes at the lunch table went right to Faith. Faith shook her head as if she didn’t quite understand it herself.
“It was the weirdest thing. Professor Geniason said that it had been changed at the request of my Uncle Colvine.”
“Huh? Why would your Uncle have any influence over what you did or what classes you took?” said Edric.
“Yeah, I thought you hadn’t seen him in a few years anyway,” said Everett.
Faith didn’t get it either.
“You’re not wrong, I haven’t seen him in about six or seven years.”
Faith was about to say something more when Kyle came running in, completely out of breath.
“Everett, I think you might want to get out here, Selena is… well… yeah… come see for yourself.” Kyle spoke quickly through gasps of air.
Our entire table quickly went outside to the courtyard in front of the Gallows. There we could see a small Undine, Nami, or maybe it was Navi – it was hard to tell which one, but Selena was on top of the small Undine waving her hands at her while Navi looked like she was turning blue and unable to breath.
“Selena!” It wasn’t Everett who spoke but rather Jacob. He looked at her with fury in his eyes and looked like he was communicating with her without speaking out loud.
Selena’s eyes quickly shifted from Jacob, to Everett, to Faith and then landed back on Navi. She closed her eyes and released the hold that she had on Navi. Navi slumped down on the ground grabbing at her neck as she struggled to inhale lungfuls of air. Nami quickly went down to her and gave her a hug.
“Selena, a word!” Jacob was angry and agitated. It showed through the narrowed eyes that threw daggers at Selena silently.
Selena slunk off following Jacob quietly as she turned to look at Everett one more time.
“What is going on with you two?” Faith asked.
“Nothing really, I thought she was cute and she’s from my neighborhood and so we hung out a little,” Everett said shrugging.
“Yeah, uh huh, I told you she was bad news Everett,” said Edric indifferently.
“She was fun for a while,” Everett said again casually shrugging.
Faith shook her head at Everett. She knew he wasn’t malicious but he must have let Selena believe that they were something more than he had intended.
Faith knew whoever Everett was going to be unioned with or for lack of a better word, married to was not going to be solely his decision alone. Actually, all the children of council members knew their future unions were in the balance. Faith just hoped her father would not choose someone unworthy for her. She knew she had a lot of time before she had to worry about those things though.
Faith and her friends walked back into the Dining hall and finished up their meals. Everyone lost in their own thoughts based on the awkward scene they had just witnessed.
- Writer
