Last to come in the door, Cori was certain she was late and would be told to march all the way up the stairs and all the way back home. I would die, she thought. She was not late she found but the instructor, Journeyman Tepal, motioned for her to come to the front of the room.
"This is the novice class you will be joining. None have been here longer than two seasons." Tepal explained as she looked at the two dozen or so novices seated at their individual desks. They were not the heavy desks like in their rooms. Very plain and just enough room for a page, an ink well, sand, and the leatherbound book that sat identically on each desk. The other novices were still, quiet, and looking at Cori. She folded her hands in front of her and straightened her back. "Please, introduce yourself to the class."
"This is the novice class you will be joining. None have been here longer than two seasons." Tepal explained as she looked at the two dozen or so novices seated at their individual desks. They were not the heavy desks like in their rooms. Very plain and just enough room for a page, an ink well, sand, and the leatherbound book that sat identically on each desk. The other novices were still, quiet, and looking at Cori. She folded her hands in front of her and straightened her back. "Please, introduce yourself to the class."
"Hello, I'm Cori. I came here from the Clausiana Highlands." Cori said clearly but then looked to Tepal for affirmation. Tepal made a subtle gesture for her to go on and for a moment she felt confused then embarrassed. "I'm Cori, she/her, please." Immediately the novice left most stood and introduced himself and then the one next to him stood and did the same and so on until at last all twenty three of her classmates had introduced themselves. All of them were from cities and towns though Cori didn't recognize the names. No one was from the Clausaiana Highlands or even the Avialae Lowlands. The names were nearly all forgotten as soon as the next one was spoken leaving Cori only with the name Argemony, the young woman that was seated in the last row next to the last empty desk.
"Morning classes will be spent waking our bodies and minds for the rest of the day. First we begin with posture, as key an element to scrivening as any other tool or body part. Then we will begin our little stretches starting from the fingertips and moving all the way to our shoulders. Then we will begin on language and writing theory until the mid-day break." Journeyman Tepal demonstrated what she called little stretches and the class mimicked her in near silence. Someone was whispering but Cori did not know whom and tried to ignore it. This was wholly unlike the school she attended as a child, most likely because they were all adults here. Young, but adults nonetheless.
"You can have a look at my notes if you like. It's not too hard to catch up, I promise, I've only been here a week myself." Argemony whispered offered a thin stack of papers.
"Thank you." Cori whispered back and too the sheets covered in loose and flowing hand.
"And don't worry about those whispers. Age ent shit for maturity and the Journeymen don't mind where we come from." Argemony said with a hint of northern accent. The reassurance almost caused Cori to laugh but she was glad it cut through her growing anticipation of being an outsider.
***
"Morning classes will be spent waking our bodies and minds for the rest of the day. First we begin with posture, as key an element to scrivening as any other tool or body part. Then we will begin our little stretches starting from the fingertips and moving all the way to our shoulders. Then we will begin on language and writing theory until the mid-day break." Journeyman Tepal demonstrated what she called little stretches and the class mimicked her in near silence. Someone was whispering but Cori did not know whom and tried to ignore it. This was wholly unlike the school she attended as a child, most likely because they were all adults here. Young, but adults nonetheless.
"You can have a look at my notes if you like. It's not too hard to catch up, I promise, I've only been here a week myself." Argemony whispered offered a thin stack of papers.
"Thank you." Cori whispered back and too the sheets covered in loose and flowing hand.
"And don't worry about those whispers. Age ent shit for maturity and the Journeymen don't mind where we come from." Argemony said with a hint of northern accent. The reassurance almost caused Cori to laugh but she was glad it cut through her growing anticipation of being an outsider.
***
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