Oracle (Book I)

Fahim

     A handwritten note was stuck to Professor Volkorn's schoolroom door that morning.

Meet me at the waterfront. Lessons are outdoors today.
                                                                               —Professor Volkorn

"That's odd," said Nezzle while Caprice's class gathered around to peer at the note. The murmurs of speculation started as several students turned and headed back towards the Hall of Halls for the nearest route that led onto to the grounds near the lake.

"What?" Caprice said. Nezzle had walked her to her lesson again. Bossa was still in bed, breathing soundly but in a sleep to rival death.

"Professor Volkorn has never held lessons on the grounds before. It's not like he teaches Herbology or magical creatures, you know."

"You're right. I wonder what we're doing today." Caprice imagined a lot of students staring off into the clouds or outright falling asleep under the open sky while listening to the professor lecture in that dry voice of his.

Dawn was slow to clear the clouds still darkening the sky like twilight. They were the first to arrive at the waterfront, using Nezzle's knowledge of the school's shortcuts. Out on the serene waters, a fairly sizeable ship bobbed.

"The day I set my cauldron up here, I thought I saw white sails among the clouds over there." Caprice gestured around the island of basins where the lake continued.

Nezzle nodded, "The Mederi takes his ship around the cascading basins and out into the other side."

"Looks like it belongs on the ocean. What's it doing on the school lake?"

"I've wondered what a ship like that is doing here myself."

A shirtless Mederi Redbeard appeared from the cabin. He snatched off the floppy nightcap with the ball on its pointed end and grabbed the mop from its bucket. Even from a distance Caprice couldn't help but notice that he had a number of scars and tattoos as well as a fine physique.

"Nice morning, yea," Caprice said faintly as she watch him work the deck.

"Indeed," Nezzle said absently as she also politely stared.

Something occurred to Caprice and she balked.

"The Hospital Wing is a ship?!"

Nezzle just nodded at first, still watching the Mederi.

"Mm-hm," she cleared her throat, "I'm don't know the whole story but there you are. It's not as shifty as it looks. They have ways of getting injured students there instantly. Otherwise, what's the point of having an infirmary no one can reach."

Caprice nodded. "Right." All the while she tried to figure out exactly how people got onto the ship if they needed a doctor.

Mederi Redbeard paused in his mopping and waved at them.

As they waved back, Nezzle said, "Hmmm...I think I'll stick around today."

Someone butted between them.

"Me, too," Bossa said. "I mean, what does a lesson outside on the grounds with Volkorn look like, right. That sounds too much like...Vacation Volkorn. Which is impossible because there's no such animal. Plain never-has-never-gonna. Is he really trying to spice it up?"

"Bossa," Caprice said, surprised. "You're up."

"Good morning, ladies!" She hung her arms around their shoulders and squeezed them to her in a hug. "I thought I'd catch you two at Volkorn's but there was that note on the door and no one was there. Once I read that note, I knew I had to come."