Hi everyone! Italics isn't working, so I am using * * to indicate thoughts, sorry. To the few people who have actually read this: thank you! It makes my day even to see just a few reads :) Enjoy and I'll try to actually update before another decade passes.
*Ugh... don't tell me that I have to listen to Will and Horace argue all through dinner- yes, I know that Will doesn't have an official last name, I was here before him. And yes I also know that you are being stupid, and I also know that Will is not going to fight back. There's enough on his mind without you adding to all the things that "aren't good enough" about him.* Alyss was very tired of all the bickering going on. She realized that Horace was probably nervous, as was everyone at the table, but he didn't have to take it out on Will. Alyss tried to divert the argument saying "How about we enjoy a nice, quiet, civilized meal?" Of course it didn't work. All it did do was to make Alyss nervous as she rethought her sentence, and started to wonder if it was diplomatic. Tomorrow, when the craftmasters chose who was fit to be their apprentice of the castle wards, she would try to get into the diplomatic and courier services.
Jenny tried to help Alyss with distracting the argument, saying, "That would be lovely. Oh, and Will, I realize that your probably not very hungry, but you still should eat something to keep up your strength for tomorrow."
Suddenly, and to most everyone's displeasure, George started ranting, "Nerves, I imagine. Dreadful thing, nervousness. It can freeze you up so you just can't think, can't eat, can't speak."
Of course, Will wasn't about to admit to being nervous, especially with Horace around. "I'm not nervous" Will scoffed back at George.
George replied, "Hmmm. On the other hand, a little nervousness can actually improve performance. It can heighten your perceptions and sharpen your reactions. So, the fact that you are worried, if, in fact, you are, is not necessarily something, in itself, to worry about -- so to speak."
At this point, Horace again started taunting Will, asking "Still planning on applying for battle school Will?" By now Alyss had stopped paying attention to the conversation, and started thinking about the choosing tomorrow. Lady Pauline had all but said that Alyss could have a place in the courier service. She was also quite confident that Jenny would get her wish of helping in the kitchens, and anyone who thought that Horace wouldn't get into battle school was crazy. George was also likely to get his wish of joining scribe school. The only one who didn't know what they were going to do, or if they would even get apprenticed was Will. She felt bad for him, but she also knew that showing pity would just make Horace taunt Will even more. She figured that Will probably could stand up to Horace more, but it was probably safer and easier to just endure him. It was also good that they didn't both constantly have bloody noses and black.
Alyss had been about to start a conversation with Jenny about if there would be anything that they would miss about the ward, when Will jumped up and ran from the room. After Will had left she asked, of no one in particular, "What happened?"
Jenny replied, as politely as she could, "Horace's taunting was too much for Will, and he chose to leave. We should go look for him when we're done eating to make sure that he's ok."
For the second time that night, Alyss wondered is what she had said was diplomatic. After a second she decided that it really hadn't been diplomatic at all, as she should have been paying more attention to the conversation even if she really didn't care, or if it was a stupid conversation. *Just think,* she told herself: *what if, sometime, I have to listen to people discussing whether they should send two people or three people on a mission that one person would be perfectly sufficient for one, and then they ask me if I want to go. What if I said yes, thinking I was going to, for example, a different fief, and they really wondered if I wanted to go Skandia. That would be so embarrassing, and.... Well it would just be bad. I'll have to watch my tongue a lot.*
After Horace had finished eating and left the table, Alyss turned to Jenny, and suggested, "Why don't we go look for Will now? He shouldn't stay out there all night."
"That would be good. If you find him, just remind him that, no matter what, he'll still have us as friends," Jenny requested.
"Ok Jenny. I'll see you in a little while." Then Alyss got up, and walked out the door, hoping to find Will. As it turns out, she could have seen Will if she had looked up after she walked outside, but she didn't. She wanted to help, but she wasn't sure if Will wanted help at that moment, so she didn't look to hard. She also knew that he would come back when he was good and ready.
Jenny spent a little longer. She walked to the edge of the courtyard where they had used to play when they were younger, calling Will's name occasionally. He heard her, but he chose not to respond until a little while after she went in. Even though he never told Jenny or Alyss, he was glad that they had looked him, even if it was just a quick glance.
When Jenny went back to her room, which she shared with Alyss, she inquired, "Any luck?"
Alyss tried to reassure Jenny, "None, but this isn't the first time it has happened. I'm sure he'll be ok. All we need to do is get some sleep, and be ready for the choosing tomorrow. No matter how sure we are of our position, sleep will do us good."
Jenny nodded acceptingly, saying, "I suppose your right. Good night, and good luck tomorrow. I'll see you in the morning."
