Athrym almost ran to the cafeteria. One of the students in her first class for the day had been talking about a circus in Vienda. Tomorrow. It seemed like the best idea in the world. She might be a cold hearted chrove, but she still wanted to go to the circus.

Pushing through the doors, she made her way directly over to their regular table and sat down, waiting impatiently for the others.

Nauleth casually wondered who'd end up at his once regularly abandoned table. After surviving the lunch line and walking to the back of the cafeteria away from the normally boring crowd of students, he was content to find Athrym sitting there already. He grinned a little as he set his tray down and sat next to her, lightly brushing her shoulder with his on purpose as he did so.

"Hey," the boy said with teasing nonchalance. He noticed the blond seemed excited about something, and there was a small part of him that hoped it was because he was there.

Fowler looked up from his book. That blond girl had come into the cafeteria, heading to her usual table, across the aisle from him, and she seemed to be in quite a rush. She was then joined by the tall boy with the white streak in his hair, and they both looked quite excited. Fowler looked back down at his book, then back up at the table, and sighed. There were two other girl students who usually sat with them, one younger than the other two and one who was about his age. She's kinda cute, he thought, and blushed a little.

Just once, he thought, I wish I had friends like those instead of my plants...

Alisoina was in a much better mood today. She had finally taken Athrym's advice (as well as Naul's) and talked to her tutor about not wanting to be in perceptive magic after the lawn incident. Miss Rosthren had been very understanding, though she did try to continue the push into perceptive magic. Quantitative magic went so well with perceptive, that having a strong basis would help her a great deal. So, she was taking an advanced perceptive class to match her advanced quantitative. All seemed right with the word.

Walking into the lunch room, she looked around for the empty place she'd been sitting since Naul had accosted her in the garden. Although she could have sat with Athrym now that they were friends again (for the first time? before they'd been... friendly enemies of a sort), Ali hadn't liked thinking of the sparks and drama that being in the same room with an upset Naul and Athrym would cause.

However, today she was hungry and wanted to talk and gossip. It was the weekend, and she wanted contact. So, looking around, she saw Athrym at a table... and Nauleth. Again. Oh. Sighing, she wondered if she sit somewhere else anyway. Then she saw the look that passed between them, that playful, we're no longer pretending look. Something inside Ali broke, and then healed with a clean scar. Her first crush, now someone elses.

I need to deal with this on my own time, I am friends with Athrym and I'm happy for her. So, with a small, triumphantly defeated grin, she meandered to her table, and sat across from her blonde friend.

"Hello, Athrym!" She said cheerily. Looking at the boy, she made herself smile. "Hi, Naul! Food any good today?"

Without warning, Fowler felt something very small and bony knock into his back, pushing his nose down into his book. At the same moment he heard an apologetic squeak.

"Oh, sorry, sorry," said Ellie, nervously stepping back. She was jostled forward again by a burly sixth form boy who was in far to big a hurry to get some scalloped potatoes from the lunch line. "Ah!" she cried, almost trampled by the sudden rush of students.

"Trying to...get...over..." The little girl had seen Athrym and was trying to make her way to the older girl's table, certain that some company would do her good on this dreary day. She blushed at Fowler, realizing he was in her year, a form she had almost completely ignored since coming to school.

((eep sorry for ignoring RE, you just mentioned ellie coming along in chat))

((eep! i dont know what a RE is!!! i though it was HEY YOU GUYS+open! i am removing RE)

She grinned back at him and tucked her hair behind her ear.

"Hey. I have something cool to show you, soon." An mischievous look came to her eyes.



Athrym grinned at Alisoina and pulled out a notepad and quill.

"Hey Ali! Hey, have you seen Ellie yet?" She looked around and noticed Ellie and a young boy seemingly collided together. Putting down her stuff, she put a hand on Naul's shoulder.

"I'll be right back." With that she slid out of the chair, fringe fallen back over one narrowed cold eye. Walking through the students, she made a clear path from their table to Ellie, glaring at the sixth years that were josting her.

"Watch it you fools." She said in a cold, flat voice to the boys. Leaning over, she took Ellie's hand, ignoring the boy in front of her.

"Come on Ellie, I have something to show you."

Nauleth's grin widened with curiosity, not really sure what he should be thinking about such a statement when followed by such a look.


Alisoina arrived just as the boy was coming up with a coy response, forcing him to keep it to himself for now. He let his grin become something more sarcastic as he glanced from the girl to his tray and back to the girl, "That always depends on what you're eating." He chuckled, managing to put away awkwardness in a genuine attempt to be friendlier, as if he wanted the girl to see that both their situations had vastly improved since earlier in the week, "But it looks safe to me."


If Ali was looking, she would have noticed a bit of warm color rise to Naul's cheeks as the blond touched his shoulder. He didn't change his expression or blink, but he watched her brave the younger students to fetch Ellie with a strange, uncharacteristically entertained look in his eye.

It was short-lived, however, for the boy caught himself in the moment and put on a more serious face, scowling menacingly at the impatient sixth year students as if to add additional threat to Athrym's words.

((p.s. RE i am guessing means restricted - like in the formal dinner thread on the 28th. Naul is 8th year, so it's restricted to him and Edguard. this thread is mostly open. mostly. since we are plotting to be naughty.))

Nathaniel was late for getting into line early to get the food in the best condition, but he guess that in the grand scheme of things, he'll eat the food anyway.

Eventually, after getting a heaping tray of food, he walked towards the general middle of the cafeteria and stopped. After a moment of scanning, Nathaniel easily spotted the older salt-and-pepper-haired boy, Nauleth. And he wasn't alone. He was completely surrounded by girls. He reconized Athrym Bruthgrave, a girl that terrified almost everyone he knew. Even she made him a little uneasy with how frigid she was. There was Alisoina from earlier that morning, who accompanied Nauleth and Nathaniel to the infirmary with the unconscious boy.

Speaking of which, I wonder if he's awake yet. I hope he isn't too pissed off at me. Yikes, and I only managed to make it this far in Brunnhold without making enemies, he thought glumly.

And then there was with them a girl far younger than any of them, listening attentively to the table's conversation.

Wadding through the throng of students, Nathaniel made his way over to the table.

"Hey Nauleth," said Nathaniel loudly above the din of the cafeteria. "May I sit here?"

Fowler returned Ellie's blush. "It-it's ok-k-kay. Th-there's a l-l-lot of p-p--" The boy couldn't finish his thought, as he was equally almost squashed. One student elbowed him in the ear, another in the cheek, and at least seven people stepped on all ten of his toes. "Ow! H-hey! L-l-look out!" Not that it'll do much good, nobody pays attention to a first year, especially one with a stutter...

Fowler looked back at Ellie, and sighed. "C-c-can I s-sit with y-y-you? Th-there's nowh-wh-where open in h-h-here."

The blonde! She comes! Fowler watched Athrym lead Ellie away, feeling crestfallen. He had been so close!

The boy followed after Ellie and Atrhym for a few steps, just enough to get into the open space of their wake. At least I can take advantage of the gap she made in the crowd...

((we can also use my place (also in Vienda), if your house gets too hot from family feuding))

Athrym pulled Ellie over to the table and then stopped. And turned. There was a boy standing here.



The blonde narrowed her cold eyes, she didn't think Naul actually had any friends, this was definitely a new development. And if he was indeed Naul's friend, what kind of girlfriend would she be if she told him to go die in a fire? There was a snap of frost in her voice as she spoke slowly.

"I'm alright with it if you are." She said shortly. Beginning to usher Ellie to a seat, she stopped again. And turned the other way, and looked down the way they had come. There was another one! Her temple throbbed a little. He was watching Ellie. Sighing, she turned to Ellie.

"If he belongs to you, he can come, otherwise you tell me and I will make it so he never see's the outside world again." With that she let go of the girl and sat down beside Naul, pulling her notepad close. Writing, she spoke.

"So I was working on spell's the other day, and I wrote out this one, wanna have a look guys?" Pushing the paper into the middle of the table, she sat back and smirked.

If they looked at the paper, it would read:

Wanna see the circus? Meet me tonight, at midnight, school gates. Newbies can come, if it keeps them quiet. Anyone squeals I will hurt them. Don't say anything. Edguard can't find out.

Alisoina grinned genuinely at that, and managed to think of him as Athrym's boyfriend and her friend. It was kind of easier to think of him that way. Watching Athrym parting the seas of whimpering children was hilarious, especially to rescue the dear little Ellie. She was about to make some sort of quip about the boy from earlier (who had been rather handsome in an almost universal way), when she hard a voice rise from the crowd.


Alisoina flushed crimson. It was him! Thanking Alioe she had not opened her mouth, she stared down at the shiny new table top, noting that ever her reflection seemed to be chastising her.

Come along now, just got over one and already after the next, eh? Simmer down, boys just aren't worth it. Or so she repeated to herself as Nathaniel waited for a reply. Ellie was sitting next to Athrym, and Nauleth was on the blonde's other side, which left... Alisoina feeling very much like a hingle trapped between a child and a cook.


Looking up at Athrym, Alisoina's electric eyes were sparkling with mirth. Yes, the circus! I've always wanted to go! She grinned up at Athrym, totally exuberant and adoring. This young woman, Alisoina's friend, made things happen. I am so clocking glad we were able to make up.

"Oh, what a marvelous turn of phrase right here! However, I think this part has a slight misspelling..." She took the paper, and wrote in the small margin.

What about the Matrons? They're bound to notice something. It was written as peon needing guidance from authority; Alisoina was no longer vying for position with Athrym, and it showed in her completely earnest and friendly demeanor.

Nathaniel expected this, with her infamous demeanor. Still though, he couldn't help but feel a little offended. After all, he was only being friendly. However, there seemed to be more to Athrym than what initially met the eye, lying just underneath the surface. He shelved his curiosity for later. Right now, was hardly the appropriate time. Judging from the wry smile flitting across his face, Nauleth seemed to have no problem with his company.

Maybe she gets friendlier as time goes on. After all, she's got a group of friends, thought Nathaniel as he took a seat.



Poor kid, he got it even worse than me. Nathaniel set his tray down, noticing out of the corner of his eye the scarleting hue of Alisoina's face. Bringing out an grimoire, and taking a bite out of his potatoes, he pretended to be engrossed in his Level Two Static schematics and not see.



Nathaniel did a double take. Seriously? The circus? Wow! I love circuses! Mom and Dad took me to a circus when I was - Woah! Wait a minute, where is this circus? How will we get there? I dunno, I'm not worried about me getting in trouble with skipping, but I'm not so sure if the rest will be able to handle the trouble. But then again, she looks pretty confident. Ugh, my life was more simplified before this, until today. Hmmmm.....



Looking at what Alisoina was doing, Nathaniel caught on to the innuendo quickly.

"I don't know, I think the syntax should be a little more polite to the Mona. Here...." he said politely.

Taking out a pen, he wrote underneath of both girl's handwriting:

It depends, where's the circus at?

((we will wait tif! ))

The older student's eyes narrowed a little as he looked up at the younger boy, obviously surprised but mostly caught off-guard. Though not embarrassed, the whole friendly-social thing was still slightly out of his comfort zone and it showed at the corners of his mouth, one side at a time.


Nauleth was about to speak up to make a comment to Nathaniel when another, smaller, younger boy shuffled between the crowd of students behind Ellie and Athrym. For a moment, he was only slightly overwhelmed.

Since when was I clocking popular? This is ridiculous ... I'm not–


The older boy blinked, looking up at the blond with what could almost be an expression of apology. Sudden interest in his person lately was really disconcerting, but he was comforted by the realization that at least Athrym had his back. He smirked at her response and returned his gaze to Nathaniel, sneering a little through his bangs, "Alright, since you seem to have a pair for just showing up ... go on and have a seat. Just remember, at this table, the only person allowed to set things on fire is me." He wasn't joking.

He waved a hand across the table with mocking invitation, briefly noticing Alisoina's reaction to the boy closer to her age without revealing it on his face. He then collected himself and glanced down at whatever Athrym had in writing.



Nauleth read, all expression fading from his face at first. He arched his right eyebrow curiously, sly, lop-sided grin slowly forming on his face. He had heard a bit of talk about the Circus and knew that it involved travel and most likely missing classes on the first of Bethas. Surely Athrym knew that, and the boy found it, well, rather exciting that she'd consider something so adventurous. It made his mischievous heart warm a little.

He read Alisoina's concern as she wrote it, realizing that the younger students would be at a bit more risk with curfew and all. It was still do-able, in his mind, however.



Naul chuckled, hissing sarcastically, "Gods, not another stickler for politeness. Here's to hoping something rubs off one day ..." He reached for the paper with one hand and playfully snatched Athrym's quill with the other, writing as his grin widened,

Vienda, of course. That's quite a trip. You know it means missing class on the 1st ... Transportation?

He realized wordlessly that he hadn't been home in two years. Not since his accident had he spent a single break or weekend anywhere near his family or Vienda. He still had his house key, his guest house key, and hopefully the banders still loved him. It could be an interesting trip after all.

The boy handed Athrym's quill back, letting his hand linger as he did so, continuing the ploy of conversation to cover their plotting, "I see I missed out on something when I skipped Golightly's class on the 26th, huh?"

Fowler paled, as usual, and stared with wide eyes at The Blonde. "W-w-we're b-both in f-f-first f-form! We've h-h-had some cl-classes t-t-together."

If sitting at a table with Ellie hadn't been exciting enough, this most certainly was! A circus! Egads, that would be amazing! Fowler had never been to a circus before, but he'd certain read about them. Flying people? Men who could lift houses? This I must see!

Skipping class? The boy furrowed his brow in thought. He'd never really considered it before. It sounded like a terrible idea, what if his teachers covered something very important? Fowler cast a sidelong glance at Ellie...and nodded his head resolutely. Closing his book (he had lost interest in it the moment Ellie had bumped into him, actually), Fowler pulled out a quill and wrote across the top of the page in small print "I'm in. I'll be as quiet as a mouse and I won't say a word to anybody." Looking up at the older students across the table from himself, he flashed a smile. Please don't let them kill me...

Nathaniel turned slightly red at the comment. No matter what kind of politeness I use, it always seems to put people at odds. It's not THAT bad to smile and actually be nice. Thoughts quickly pushing such an insignificant event out of his mind, he weighed the risks of sneaking of for the first time EVER to go to the circus. It ultimately came down to the consequences of his behavior fighting against his glorious childhood memories of the circus.

The circus won without contest.

Nathaniel made his decision.



"Don't worry," Nathaniel continued the charade. "I'll fill you in later on. Oh! I screwed up, it's not this. Let me fix that..."

You know what? Screw the risks and consequences. I'm coming. Nathaniel scribbled immediately after Naul's entry.

Nathaniel sat back, satisfied with himself. He could hardly contain his newfound excitement for the circus. Things were happening so fast today!

Athrym nodded to the girl, she had a plan for that. It was a simple one.



The blonde's temple throbbed and she glanced at Naul for a moment, it was a look that seemed to say as-soon-as-you-say-the-word-I-will-hurt-him. Her eye's spoke in bitter icy tones.



She had a plan for that too. It was quite possibly one that would get her in a world of trouble, but who cared! It was the circus! And a trip to Vienda!



It took a moment for the blue eyed girl to realise he had actually said a sentance. She raised an eyebrow and felt her temple throbbing again.



Athrym gave the boy a little nod, noticing the way he looked at Ellie. As long as the young girl kept him in line, she would tolerate him. Rubbing her temple with two fingers, she wondered how this table had suddenly become so popular. When had she become so tolerant. Narrowing her eyes, she looked around at the group. It was going to be a little harder sneaking out six instead of four. But as long as these newbies didn't screw anything up, it would be ok. If they did, she would see too it they regretted it for the rest of their lives.



Twisting her quill in one finger, Athrym narrowed her eyes.

"I didn't realise my spell writing left so much to be desired." She said cooly.

"So, if I change this bit here, will you all be clocking happy?" Reaching out, she wrote on the paper.

Ellie and Ali, inform your matrons that you are invited to a sleep over. At my dorm. I will inform my own. Dump your stuff in my dorm if you need to, but let them know I have prior engagements and have asked you to meet me in the library. Make your way to the gates from there. If they refuse, sneak out. When we get out of the gates, we will head to Brass Uncle, where I will be hiring three moa's. Two to a bird. We will ride through the night. Once we reach Vienda, we shall find accommodation, then in the evening, make our way to the circus.

Sitting back, she twirled the quill.

"And that is how you write a Pain spell. End of story." She lay the quill down and crossed her arms.

The boy shook his head in wordless response, strangely amused by the persistent, spirited boy who seemed to find Naul worth hanging around.


Nauleth choked on a laugh, placing both hands on the tabletop with a grin that was a disturbing mixture between sly and humored. Then, he realized that he had no desire to volunteer to be an excuse for getting out of curfew for the younger boys; no one would believe that in an instant. He looked between Fowler and Nathan thoughtfully, grin fading a little.

"Coming from your hand, Athrym, it must be quite the spell, then." His compliment might have been genuine, but it wasn't referring to the pretend spell at all. He borrowed the blond's quill again, glancing at her sideways through his hair, voice taunting, "However, I am still left unsatisfied."

He wrote with a smirk,
Just to state the obvious, but there is no way anyone would fall for the same suggestion from me. You boys would be better off sneaking out or trying to get a library pass for the night.

While we're in the habit of plotting trouble, I know where we can stay ... but won't be discussing that now.

Not everyone knows how to ride, I'm guessing?

The older boy returned the quill and poked at his lunch, thoroughly enjoying the way way things were shaping up. It was an excitingly dangerous idea, one that may have made his heart race more if it wasn't for the small lump in his stomach. It was a lot to organize, and he was only slightly concerned about managing the younger students. It felt like having siblings again ... and while that was something Naul felt confident he could handle, it was still a little intimidating.

Part of him gladly would've taken Athrym alone to the Circus, but he knew he could no longer bring that up as an option. While not offended, he mused uncomfortably into his vegetables about the whole sudden influx of students into his previously non-existent social life.

Alisoina laughed quietly to herself, shaking her head. Nathaniel was something else alright. Of course, Ali hadn't cared about the consequences; she was back to being the firey, impulsive fourteen year old that had dared to punch the eigth year in the gut. She but her lip to keep from giggling; oh Naul's face had been priceless. Pulling out an apple from her bag, she munched on it quietly.


The redhead nodded, smiling, crunching on her apple, until she heard the next part of the blonde's speech.


She slowly took the fruit away from her lips, placing it quietly down on the table. She felt a numbness spread over her skin, like a blanket of cold. What little she had eaten in the past day churned in her gut, clawing it's way up her throat.

...a Pain spell?


Standing up from the table, she covered her face, her voice strained. "Oh... um good to know proper details. I have to go... get food, be back in a moment." She stumbled away, unwilling to let them see the tears that were threatening. Alisoina tried to move towards the line gracefully, but she just couldn't seemt to control the motion of her feet. What was it, seven days? Almost a week. But her brain still supplied the memory, still made her body jerk. She had to say it- had to say pain.

She looked at her shaking hands, feeling pathetic and angry at herself. She wouldn't eat the food she was getting. She wouldn't sleep tonight. And just when things where getting better. She released a shuddery sigh.

Athrym read Naul's script and scoffed. If someone didn't know how to ride, they were going to learn, fast. Taking a second to consider that, she watched Alisoina as she moved.



The blonde frowned and looked at the others.

"I'm getting food. If any of you have anything to add to Naul's change in the spell, do it." Sliding out off the seat, she walked over to Alisoina and linked her arm in the younger girls.

"Ali, are you okay?" Her voice was quiet and soft, and she gently guided the girl to the lunch line.