The Secrets of the Aorta Ruins

Chapter Seven

Becca sat in the new Headmistress's office, already feeling like she was in trouble. The island of Shadefall itself was a lot more beautiful than she had been guessing based on its name; smaller too though. A major portion of the island was taken up by the school at its center, but it still left plenty of room for major cities all around the outside of the island. Of course, traveling to any of these cities alone, even during free time was forbidden she had already been informed. The Headmistress was still reading over all the information she had on Becca, occasionally sighing. She had tried to tell the woman, who had introduced herself as Davina, that she would help inform her of anything she needed to know.

Already Becca had seen many creatures she had never seen back home in Aldenmoore. Some she was able to recognize from what she had believed to be fairy tales, but others she couldn't even begin to try to guess at what they could be. Davina was very obviously a Dark Elf. Her skin was a very dark purpled color, and her hair was silvered with age. Or maybe it was a Dark Elf thing. Becca wasn't sure, but she definitely was staring. Her eyes were the same purple as her skin. Becca couldn't help but stare as hard as she was trying not to; Davina was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen.

"Rebecca! It isn't polite to stare. Is there a problem with the way I look?" Apparently, Davina had been trying to get her attention for several minutes already. Becca watched as the Drow put on a pair of reading glasses and began to look over some paperwork.

"N-no. Sorry. You're very beautiful. I'm sorry," she said, suddenly feeling embarrassed.

"Now, as I was trying to figure out. These papers simply cannot be right," Davina said, confused.

"What's wrong?" Becca asked equally confused.

"You're from Aldenmoore? And your paperwork says you've just turned 13 and were half way through 8th grade which is the same as here... but then it also says you've barely studied any history other than Aldenmoore history?" Davina said disapprovingly.

"That's all correct," she confirmed, "Is that bad?"

"Well...maybe not bad...but it certainly isn't what we would like. You're severely behind our other students, and I'm sure you're aware that this already a school for those with...disciplinary problems.... such as yourself," she said. That explained why she had been being so cold to Becca so far. She thought she was another problem student.

"No no no, actually I didn't know that and I'm not difficult or anything. I did get in the occasional fight to protect my brother but that was it. Otherwise I was never in trouble in school," Becca said quickly. Davina looked over the files she had while Becca talked surprised to see the girl was telling the truth and that her grades were even half way decent for the little bit of information they had bothered teaching in Aldenmoore until she got to the more recent sections of file.

"I see that. Until recently. From what I'm reading, those in Aldenmoore may not have been able to detect it...but you used your magic to burn several students and to burn your family's home to the ground?" Davina asked peering over her silver half-moon glasses.

"I did not set that fire, and I'm tired of telling people that," she felt herself getting angry and her hands warming up as a result. And she then felt Davina gently touch her hands.

"You did. On accident. You're young, lived in a world that ignored magic, and you were scared your brother was missing, correct? You lost control over something you don't yet understand. But now that you're here you can learn. The remainder of your 8th grade year will be spent trying to catch you up to Ravenwood Academy's standards for high school students, and since we don't have any middle school students you will be taught in private, which will likely not be a problem for you?" Becca nodded her head.