Mount Asteria

Chapter Eight

The first day passed by in a whirl for Alexandra. After a short assembly in the lecture theatre, the different year groups split into their respective classes. Alexandra stuck tightly to Hestia and what other fourth years she could find when it came to the time to change classrooms. There was a lot to take in; the teachers and their personalities, the students and their personalities, trying to remember the way to the various rooms and keeping track of her timetable. By the end of the day she scarcely recalled anything they had done in the actual classes. They'd had English and maths all together first, then Alexandra's timetable had directed her to history with Ebony and Bláth, followed by a physics class with Bláth and Hestia. Her last two classes were Irish and chemistry. They were not given any homework, fortunately, and she was able to take a moment to rest and appreciate the fact she would have a free evening.

They had lunch at one o'clock for an hour, during which time they returned to the dining hall for soup and sandwiches and were then free to do as they liked.

"What's our first class after lunch?"Alexandra asked Hestia as she and the other fourth year girls lazed in the sun on the green in front of the school.

"Religious and Cultural Studies," Hestia replied, sounding less than excited.

"And tomorrow we have P.E. all afternoon," Bláithín added, grinning. Alexandra recalled Ebony mentioning her being one of the sportier students.

"All afternoon?" she asked, a little crestfallen. Physical education had never been her strong suit. "How long is that?"

"Don't look so sad!" Bláithín laughed."It's only an hour. And it's fun, you'll see."

Alexandra gave her an uneasy smile.

"And Thursday we have I.T. all afternoon; you'll like that," Hestia supplied.

"Oh! Do we always have an hour-long class in the afternoon?"

"Yep," Bláth said. "But they're more practical classes, so it doesn't matter that we have them for so long."

"Oh, cool. In my last school, we had classes from half eight until half four, then prep from seven to nine."

Thea, a Greek girl, grimaced. "Really? That's horrible. We're free to do whatever we like after three. There are loads of different activities - choir, music lessons, hockey or tennis, horse riding, fencing, rock climbing, additional languages, free experimentation in the under - "

"Thea!"

It was Ebony who had called out, a threatening tone in her voice.

"Uhh, yeah, free experimentation. But you won't be into that," she added hurriedly. "You're not sci-tech, are you?"

"Sci-tech?"

"Science and technology. You know, the three options for our senior years? Sci-tech, international relations or field-ops."

"Oh yeah. Ms de Lacy tried to explain that to me earlier."

"Do you get it?" Bláth asked.

Ebony laughed. "She might need to go over it a few times."

Alexandra shot Ebony an annoyed look. "No, I don't really get it," she admitted.

"Okay." Bláth took a breath. "Well, today you had a pretty mixed timetable, right? Things like English and history with chemistry and maths."

"Yeah."

"So, in fourth year you're allowed mix around your subjects if you want. For example, I'm doing mainly field-ops –so half my classes are things to do with physical education. Then the other half I've decided to split between communications and science.So, I do some history and languages and culture, et cetera, and some maths, biology, chemistry and physics. Make sense?"

Alexandra nodded slowly. "Okay. I think so."

Bláth nodded along with her, as if it would help her process the information. "Hestia,on the other hand, has chosen to do all science. So while we're in history class, she's off doing bio-chemistry and nuclear physics."

Hestia frowned. "We don't start nuclear physics until fifth year."

"Okay, okay, I'm only making my point. Anyway," - Bláth reached out her hand - "Give me your timetable for a second?"

Alexandra passed it over.

Bláth nodded. "It looks like they decided to split you half and half – communications and science. No field-ops, unfortunately."

"Why... why is it called field-ops?"

"We do things like self-defence, survival skills – things to prepare us for the field."

"But 'the field' is what?"

Bláth glanced at Ebony, who shrugged. "Well,"she began uneasily. "After school, a lot of Mount Asteria girls pursue careers in governmental and non-governmental investigation services, which can be dangerous."

"Investigation services?" Alexandra repeated.

"Poor Alexandra," Claire said sympathetically. She leaned into the group and said in a conspiratorial whisper,"What Bláth is trying to say is that some of us become spies."

"Claire, remember the clandestine part of of being a spy?" Ebony exclaimed.

"Wait, what?!" Alexandra ran a hand through her hair. "You're training to become a spy?"

"Now look what you've done," Ebony complained to Claire who shrugged nonchalantly and returned to her conversation with Thea.

"Are you guys serious?" Alexandra looked to Hestia, only really trusting her.

Hestia smiled. "There's no way I'm going to be a spy."

"Claire obviously has a flair for the dramatic," Ebony said. "Look, Alexandra, it's true that some of the girls here go on to work as secret agents, but only a small number. The girls who choose to major in science and technology, for example" - she waved in Hestia's general direction - "often go into research for large companies and... yes, governmental organisations." Seeing Alexandra looked as bewildered as ever, Ebony continued, "Such as ones you may have heard of, like MI6 and the CIA."

That got a reaction.

"Seriously?"Alexandra exclaimed.

Ebony nodded."And communications majors might also work in research – of a different kind, of course - or out there, in the field,as Bláth says, but as different sorts of agents. A lot of communications majors actually go on to work as political advisors and diplomats."

"Ah." Alexandra couldn't find the words to say much more. Maybe that was why she had been sent here - to follow in her parents' footsteps.

"Really, Mount Asteria is designed to train girls to be at the top of their field,whatever that may be," Ebony said.

Alexandra nodded dumbly, mind reeling inside. At just what point had her entire life become so very, very unusual?

***

Author's Note

Last of the dedications - for the time-being - to @samfparker . Thank you so much for being a wonderful person to betaread for! I have loved every minute of it!:)