AN: First things first. I need to thank Guan (also my beta) for allowing me to use his character (and saving my nights of headaches trying to come up with a good teacher) Jude Takrath. I promise that I'll keep him in character and I won't let him die or anything. I also promise he won't be involved in any type of criminal activity that I am accustomed to write about and that he will not be possessed by any demons or principalities. I also don't own Neverwinter or anything else...blah, blah, blah. Anyway, I own Punkin, Meris, Akyrra and any other characters you've never heard of. So now...on to the show...

Why Love Is Purple

Chapter One: School Daze

Neverwinter has always been my home. I was raised here as it grew in power. I also saw it crumble at the hands of the evil queen of the creator race. But today was the celebration of a new chapter of the Neverwinter Empire. Three years of tireless toil went into the construction of the 2nd Neverwinter Academy. Though it still was situated on its spot in the Beggar's Nest, its entire appearance was different. The dark walls were replaced with white stone slates. With the addition of more windows it seemed more like a dazzling castle than an institution of learning and gave the entire district less of a murky appearance. It was much taller as well, towering above twelve stories to accommodating all the new recruits for the Neverwinterian Army.

"Punkin!" said the heartwarming voice of my former partner and now the Headmistress of the Academy, Sharwyn soon-to-be Alagondar, "Are you here to enlist in the Academy?"

"Of course. I vowed I'd defend this city, remember?"I replied.

Sharwyn smiled as she looked down on my five-foot frame, "You are aware that the gates aren't going to be opened until morning."

"Yeah, I know." I said as I showed her my bedroll and pillow, "I really want to make sure I'm the first to join," and I sat down Indian style on my throw cover.

Sharwyn touched my shoulder, "Come on. You help save this city from destruction, I guess it would be fitting that you'd get to enter the halls as the first student." I grinned as I stood up and Sharwyn opened the gates and we walked through…to my new home.

It looked more impressive inside. The walls must have climbed to over three times my height and were made of pearly white sandstones. The doors were wood lined with gem covered silver slips. It all even smelt new. It reminded me of the way the early morning air smelled after a midnight shower.

Sharwyn gazed at me as I searched over everything. I seemed to have transcended into another plane but she interrupted my inspection, "So what have you been doing these last three years?"

I scratched my head, "Other than grow an half an inch, I've been reading a lot…"

"Really!" Sharwyn exclaimed, "So what did you think of my book?"

"Ah…" Crap how would I tell, My Headmistress this one… "I kind of haven't been reading…adventure stuff."

"Oh, well that's good because it is a major part of the curriculum, so you won't have an advantage over the other students."

"I see that you haven't changed much." She smiled and I continued, "I've been reading about bardic lore. I'm sure you know much more than I have learned but I'm really intrigued by the whole thing. I never really know how much work went into becoming a decent bard. I thought all I needed was a good voice and a sharp weapon…"

"And what have you found?" Sharwyn asked.

"Bards are responsible for the knowledge of the past to reach the present. They are messengers to the commoners, celebrities to the middle class and prophets to the kings…"

"You really have been studying. I was wondering…" Sharwyn green eyes darted to the left side of their sockets, "Exactly what did Ash give you when she left?" Sharwyn had been given the bow from Ashmorlenna the heroine of not only Neverwinter but also her homeland. She was my inspiration. I was destined to become like her. I grabbed the hilt of my blade, the Patheon. It was beautifully made. The tip to the hilt was enclosed by a two-inch layer glassteel, an Avariel material of highly pressed glass that becomes as strong as steel. Inside adamantium blood flowed through its veins. The forte near the tip on the false edge side was slightly serrated and the edge was angled so faintly that it seemed to meld into the rest of blade. The hilt was also adamantium but was wrapped with black mesh leather and the bottom of the handle was a replica of a dragon's mouth. At times I felt a great energy flowing from it and when Ashmorlenna was its master it even glowed a bright red light but it hasn't blessed me with that capacity…yet.

"She gave you that!" Sharwyn stood with her mouth open, "Didn't she…"

"Kill Morag with it. Yes, and she told me that I was the only other person that it seemed to like so she gave it to yours truly," I smiled and put my rapier away, "So, where's my room at?"

"I don't know I'll have to check my records. I believe you'll be on the tenth floor but let me check. Follow me to my office," Sharwyn said almost professionally.

As she opened her office we saw a shadow figure in her seat. Sharwyn quickly lighted her torch as I pulled out my blade and placed it between the eyes of the trespasser.

"This is how you treat your betrothed?" Spoke the crackly voice of Nasher Alagondar. He was well built for a man nearing his twilight years with a rim of gray hair on his head and a slight arch in his back from the many decades of unrest place on the shoulders of the ruler of Neverwinter.

Sharwyn hugged him from over her table, "I didn't expect you back so soon. How are the Uthgardt Tribes doing?"

Nasher rubbed his half-bald head, "They are as stubborn as ever. They say they see little advantage in siding with us and that our quarrel with Luskan needs to drop. They claim that this is a mere cold war. Balderdash, I say. I know that the Luskans are planning to assail us while we are in shambles…"

"They are into rumbles as well…" I said and he gave me the ugliest look I had ever gotten and I've been sent some unsightly ones in my day.

"You know little of what goes on in Luskan…"

"I went there, remember. I fought inside the tower," I said as I slammed my fist on the table, "I saw the city. They are in no condition to attack. You're just a paranoid old man."

"Punkin." Sharwyn scolded, "That's no way to talk to…"

"I talk how I wanna to talk. He just wishes to see more of us die. We aren't pawns. If it wasn't for him than Ash would have stayed here but his…"

"Punkin," Sharwyn said as she grabbed my shoulders and shoved me out of the door, "That's enough. Your room is 1005. Here's your key," she handed me a silver key, "Go and get settled in." With that she slammed the door and I was left with only one option. Walking up to my new room. I turned, started towards the stairs and saw him. He was gray haired but not to the extent of Nasher and his even had some life left in it. He seemed well learned and carried himself accordingly.

"Hiya," I greeted with a wave.

Methodically he walked over to me, meet my eyes and said, "You are not one of the instructors, are you?"

"No, why do you ask?"

"I was just told that I was going to be youngest and you seemed…"

"Thank you for the compliment," I said and held out my hand, "Punkin Capernun, Bard Extraordinaire."

"Jude Takrath," he held his hand out and a gap between his glove and sleeve revealed his bone forearm.

"You are a Pale Master!" I exclaimed.

"Surprised to see one teaching…"

"I'm surprised to see one alive. I always wanted to meet a Pale Master," I opened my pack and showed him my list of people I'd love to meet.

"I'm right up there with Drizzt Do'Urdan, Blackstaff and a Daemonfey, huh." Jude said as he looked at my list, "I was told by Sharwyn that this student body would be…different but I didn't think she meant this kind of different."

I didn't know if that was a cheer or a jeer. So I changed the subject, "What do you teach?"

"The Magical Arts with an emphasis on Necromancy." As he spoke, a small pixie came flying across the hallway with a bag three times her own side. She dropped it on the ground near the foot of Jude but missed as she smiled at us.

"So, I guess you aren't the youngest teacher." She teased Jude, "And the whole way here I had to hear, 'I'm going to be the youngest instructor. I'm going to go down in chronicles. The whole student body will know me…'"

"River," Jude said with a smirk, stroking his small goatee, "She's a student. Punkin Capernun, this is my friend, River."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." My curiosity was killing me, "Why are you carrying all that stuff?"

Jude said casually, "We flipped a coin and she lost."

River shrugged her shoulders and said, "Tails never fails…"

Jude interrupted, "Except for the fifty percent of the time when it does." River huffed and grabbed the bag. Jude looked at me and continued our former conversation, "What did you say you were planning on concentrating on?"

"I'm a bard. I want to train in everything. I love shadow skills and close combat. But I have a passion for spellcraft and ancient lore as well. Maybe I'll be your pupil," I said as I held my hand up for a high five.

Jude looked at my exposed palm like it was a peacock flying into a glass window, "I'll see you around."

XOXOXO

My room wasn't anything special, very small probably twenty-four by twenty feet with one window that looked out to the gate and two beds. I unpacked my things; purple robe, lavender cloak, violet boots... I had never noticed until that night that I had a fixation with purple. Never would I have thought that this obsession would grow as far as it did. I looked out my window and squinted to see small line of students that began to gather by the gates. The first was very peculiar indeed. He was dressed in a plain commoner's outfit but anyone who looked at him knew he was far from 'common'. His most distinguishing feature was his silver horns, small and slightly curved that situated themselves a few inches above his eyebrows. It might have been the night sky but I swear that his eyes, hair and skin were colored purple but I shook the idea out of my head. It most be the distance and the night's cloak, I thought. I could tell that he was over a head taller than most of the other that stood there and estimated his height at just under seven feet. Although he was tall, he appeared to lack a great deal of muscle tone on his body. I tried to wipe my mind of his figure but I couldn't prevail and I fell asleep with my mind's eye gazing upon him all night long. So that night, my first of many in my new home I went into the land of slumber fixed on meeting this strange new person that I stared at from high in my lofty getaway…

XOXOXO

It was the blasting beam of bright daylight that dissolved my dreams and startled me into existence. The sun sat high in the morning sky. It must have been midmorning.

"That means I'm late. Why didn't I hear the morning bells?" I screamed as I jumped out my bed and grabbed my clothes tossing them on quick as possible and raced down the now crowded halls. I darted down the stair with my lightning speed to get to the opening ceremony at the inner courtyard. I forced my way against the grain through the entryway and out to the courtyard.

The first person I saw as I entered the green lawn filled with lightweight chairs lined across it was my Purple Guy.

He raised his eyebrows as I approached him, I guess he'd never seen someone as pretty as I.

"What type of armor is that?" he asked looking down at me.

"Ah, leather. Why?" I replied.

"Well, I'm not positive but I believe that you may be bearing it in an incorrect manner."

"Huh," I said and looked down and saw that it was backwards, "Oh, this is how we wear it from where I'm from."

"And that would be?"

"Well, ah okay. I'm from Neverwinter but I was in a rush to get out here before the morning ceremonies and I put them all wrong but I wouldn't have if it wasn't for you…"

"Me?" He looked astonished, turned and walked away, "Blame it on the guy with horns."

Sharwyn walked across the podium, "This day, three years, two months and four days after our greatest enemy has been destroyed, we embark on a novel crossing, one that will challenge not only our strength and swords but as well as our spirits and acumen. This is a glorious day in the land of Neverwinter, a new beckon of light has been borne and we are her children. You are to be know as the first of many to be called Neverwinterian Warriors."

The crowd screamed at this statement and Sharwyn leaned back away form the podium for showmanship. As the cheering subsided she moved back and continued…

"This is the Neverwinter Academy, the second of its kind."

More cheers exploded.

"Welcome to your new home. You are the first one thousand that will train and develop into great warriors, eminent leaders and gifted scholars."

More cheers came as Sharwyn stepped away from the pedestal and Lord Nasher Alagondar marched up to it.

"As Lord of this city, I have seen us caught unprepared once. I shall never again be so unsuspecting of our enemies. You are to be the protectors of this land. Many of you have traveled from afar to come here. My…gratitude goes out to you. This is an immense opportunity for you to become somebody but let me say this- THIS IS NO CAKEWALK! You are here to work! You are here to fight for this territory and anything less will be…unacceptable."

A still hush fell over the crowd as Nasher search over the crowd with a callous glance.

"Do not forget why you are here."

XOXOXO

I received my course schedule after I heard teacher after teacher explain their lives in a nutshell. I had Alchemistry with a Mr. Jansen, I guess that I should have paid attention to the teachers as they spoke but hey, I was going to have to listen to them for four months straight so it really didn't matter. Second I had Basic Combat with Minsc, he was a former Ranger that had a friend named Boo but I don't think he came with the tall warrior. My third class was Vocal Accompaniment with Lady Tibitha of the Blacklake District, she was a large lady and a former great Opera star. My last class was Magical Arts with Mr. Takrath. I smiled as I looked at his name. He was going to pay for that little comment or non-comment he made. I would put all his other students to shame.

I went back to my room and was meet with the face off a black haired girl sitting Indian style on floor in the center of the room.

"Ah…I think you've got the wrong room…" I said walking in and sitting on my bed.

The girl just sat still.

"Hey Dali-Llama, scat before I have to make ya."

So didn't budge.

I stood up and put my hands on her shoulders. With speed like I've never seen before she grabbed my arm and kung-fu tossed me over her head. She jumped up as if she saw what happened instead of was the person that put me on my back, "Omigod, I'm so sorry. I was meditating and I probably like zoned out…"

"Don't worry." I said as I slowly stood up, "But I think ya may have the wrong room."

"Nope, 1005- South Quadrant. We're roomies, girl." Damn I thought I got two beds because Sharwyn liked me.

"Roommates?"

"Yeah, almost every student has one. It's so cool that you're mine," she said as she stood up.

"You've heard of me?"

"Who hasn't heard of Punkin Capernun, one of the heroines of Neverwinter. I even remember seeing you once in my hometown of Port Llast…"

"You're from Port Llast…"

"Born and raised." She held out her hand, "Akyrra Yomo, it's a pleasure to meet you."

I returned my hand, "Punkin Capernun, Bard Extraordinaire. What in Helm's Hold were you doing down there."

"Like have you heard of Feng Shui?"

"Is it a fighting technique?" I asked.

"No," she laughed so hard that the straps of her brown and gold tank top began to slid off, "It's like a modus operandi that engenders the energies and spirit of the room to generate a peaceful, harmonic sensation…it totally rocks."

I nodded my head as if I understood a word she said, "Okay…finish Feng Shui in the room. I'm going to take a nap."

"Its like noontime…don't you sleep at night."

"LIKE," I mocked, "I'm tired and I don't got anything else to do." I said as I plopped down on my purple blanket and tossed my big purple pillow over my head, "Nighty night."

XOXOXO

He stood there in front of me, violet eyes sparkling in the bright red sun as we stood between a pair of giant moss-covered boulder on either side of us. The short green spikes beneath of our feet seemed to lift us of the terrain. I ran my fingers through his purple hairs…

"Your so beautiful…it's the truth…I feel so weird just looking at you," He said as I pulled closer to him beckoning him to pull me up to him, to his moist lips. He pulled me up and our lips meet and we exploded…I felt like air. My feet tingled as I stood there in his embrace…

"Punkin."

XOXOXO

"Punkin," I familiar voice interrupted my thoughts, "If you don't get up I swear I'll put my foot so far…"

"Shar." I said as opened my eyes to only see a purple realm.

Sharwyn grabbed my pillow from my arms, "Get the hell up, you're going to be late for your first class."

"Oh crap, what time is it?"

"It's only one. I came to see if you had lunch yet but I see that daydreaming about boys is more important, huh." Sharwyn said as she started to walk out of the door.

"I wasn't…I mean…I'm not…"

"Awww, my little girl is growing up?" Sharwyn taunted, "Get dressed and get to Jansen class, alright."

"Let me change and I'll be down."

"I see that you still have that thing for purple."

"And I still see that though you're engaged, you still need to meddle in the affairs of everyone else," I told her as I closed my door and began to figure out what I wanted to wear. This was going to be my first formal appearance. I opened my closet and saw the thin frame of Akyrra lolling across the wooden floor inside of it.

I began to say something but decided that it was probably best to just leave it alone. I grabbed one of my long dresses, purple of course. It lacy on sleeves and the overskirt was of the same material. The body of the dress was made of thick fiber, probably panther pelt or something closely related. It was my mother's. I hadn't been able to fit into it until recently, seeing as I began to have the chest to keep the composition up but the past year I've started to fill out so all her clothes began to fit me perfectly.

I closed the door and heard a small yelp from the dweller. I put on the dress and looked into my full-length mirror. I really was starting to look like my mother. My curly blonde hair with the bronzed highlights, my full cheeks and slender neck were just like hers. I felt a tear began to form.

"Don't cry," I heard from the closet floor, "Like we don't want to throw off the flow of the room do we." Even though I still didn't understand what she was speaking of, her tone comforted me. My mother and father died for me. They loved me and I vowed to not let their sacrifice go in vain. I stood up and marched out of the room and went down the ten fleets of stairs to my first class.

XOXOXO

"Hurry in kiddos," Mr. Jansen said as we all settled into our seats. "I'm Mr. Jan Jansen…"

A boy, human, in a green cloak raised his hand quickly.

"Yes, ah…" Jan looked at his list of students.

"Kalgar McMillen, I wanted to know how the last Ice Age was…" the brown haired boy said as he snickered.

Jan smiled, "It was very comfortable especially with the weather flogging away all the obtuse people other than your maternal figure."

Kalgar looked confused.

"No comeback?" Jan shook his head, "Sit down, now. Any other students have any wild comments." I looked at the six other students and none said a word. "Alright, as I was saying…I'm Jan Jansen and I'm here at this school teaching you rascals because the Misses thinks that the adventuring lifestyle didn't have all the glamour that I claimed."

We all laughed.

"So, I saw the ad in the paper and I thought to myself 'J.J. you can risk your neck trying to make ends meet or you can go wipe a few kids noses and get a cool thousand goldies a month. Can anyone guess what I picked?"

Kalgar stood up again with a huge grin on his face, "Your nose."

Jan walked over to the student and put his arm around his shoulder, "Do you know what a Rhetorical Question is?"

"Rhetoro…what?"

Jan smiled, "Come with my boy, you're going to be my 'Special Assistant.'" Jan set up some type of chemical set in four breakers and started to tell us the basics of chemical analysis. "Remember, never mix primary colors together. Assistant could you take the yellow and the red liquids."

A female halfling questioned, "But aren't those…"

"No, of course not." Jan smiled, "Now pour them both into that bowl," As Kalgar did this a small spark bubbled up.

The girl asked another question as she (and all the rest of us) rose up and ran to the opposite side of the room, "Is it going to…"

Just as she reached the wall with the rest of us, the bowl exploded into a multicolored sphere and made a sound so loud that it cracked the window above us.

"Good thing that those windows are unbreakable…" Jan said staring at the dazed student.

"Huh," Kalgar said.

"CAN YOU HEAR ME?"

"Huh."

"Class," Jan motioned us closer, "Let that go to show you what happens when you mess with a guy that's deaf."

XOXOXO

My next class I prayed was less exciting and since there would be no explosives I figured that it couldn't be. I was mistaken.

"I am Minsc." The tall ranger said as he held a small rodent in his hand, "And this is my assistant Boo."

I raised my hand.

"Yes, the little human girl in the flowing purple dress." Minsc said.

"Ah…Punkin Capernun. I was wondering if you know that your assistant was…well a rodent."

Minsc shook his index finger, "I see you are smart one but slightly mistaken. Boo happens to be a minuscule giant space hamster that's here to protect the world from evil with the aid of his most trusted companion…ME!"

I looked at my fellow students with the world's most confused look. They just shrugged their shoulders. "I'm sorry I asked…"

"Do not fret, there are no dumb questions but the one not asked, right?"

I shook my head. With these kind of teachers, I couldn't wait to get back to my room and have a sane conversation with Akyrra.

"Does anyone have any knowledge of weapons?" Minsc asked as I raised my hand high into the air. "What do you know?"

"I'm an expert at close combat," I said as I unsheathed my Patheon, "I was trained by the Hero of Neverwinter." Everyone gasped even Minsc.

"So you would be able to name the parts of your weapon…"

"Hilt, forte, foible, tip, edge, false edge, ricasso, tang and on the blade you have quillons, cross guards, counterguards…"

"Boo says he is in the presence of a weapon master. Why are you in the beginner's class?"

"Are you kidding me? Daelen teaches the advanced classes, if someone makes it out of his classes alive it will be a miracle." I said as he handed out the textbook we were going to train out of.

"The Art of the No Sword?" We all cried out.

"Yes, Boo says that before you can master the sword one must master one self."

I looked at the thousand-page tome, "Boo must have looked at the sleeve inside the cover."

"He did! How did you know?"

I rolled my eyes and said, "No reason."

XOXOXO

"DO-ME-FA-SO-LA-TI-DOOOOO!"Screeched the Tibitha, my vocal teacher as a dozen girls stared at her intently trying to figure out if she was trying to show them what they could become or if she was attempting to make them quit singing all together. "If you want to BECOME a GREAT vocalist akin to MEEEEE! My instructions you'll have to LEARN to CONCEDE!"

She started to lecture on vocal range or something but I couldn't pay attention. I took out a scroll and began to draw my Purple Boy. He was so handsome and seemed to be sweet. I wondered why he looked the way he did?

"Miss Capernun," Tibitha called me out of my thoughts, "If you're going to ignore me while I teach you could at least have the courtesy to at least pretend to remotely interested."

"I was interested." I lied.

"Really, what was I talking about?"

"Ah…well, I said I was interested. I wasn't really listening to the lecture."

"Well, I'll let you know that you have a performance at the end of the week," Tibitha handed me a sheet of music.

"WHERE HAVE ALL THE COWBOYS GONE!" I screamed as I looked at the music sheet, "This isn't even in my range. I'm a first soprano and this is in baritone plus I don't sing songs with long notes and beat of this song is pathetic…"

She smiled, "I guess you'll have to study, huh."

XOXOXO

My last class and it was getting late. On normal days I'd be done with class by 2 in the afternoon but because of the morning festivities it was six when our last class started. Good thing that the next day we had off to get our materials we would need for the semester. My final classroom had two other students when I enter. A very tall girl that I found out was an half-orc named Treva. The sorceress had long pink hair, which I think was dyed and hazel eyes. She was talking to a dwarven mage named Yandor. He was short and stocky with gray-black hair and brown eyes.

"Is Jude here, yet?" I asked as I entered the room.

"Jude?" Treva snarled.

"You mean Mr. Takrath? In the Mage Department, we respect of teachers. I.E., we don't call them by their first names." Yandor informed me as I rolled my eyes and looked the room over.

"So is…Mr. TAK-RATH here?"

"No, he had to go to get some more textbooks. He'll be back. He said not to touch the things on his desk," Treva said pointing to the three scrolls and the wand on his writing table.

I walked up on looked at the wand. Just a Wand of Missiles, I've seen a million of those. And the first scroll was a Knock spell. 10 gold pieces at the Starry Night and I'd have one. The other scroll was an Animate Dead spell but I've seen skeletons summoned plenty of times.

The last scroll looked interesting. I had never seen one like it before so I looked around and saw that the two students were paying no attention to me. My hands began to sweat as I contemplated what to do.

I was just going to look at it. That WAS my job anyway… to learn about everything I see, right? I would just slide the ring off it and gaze at the words. It won't hurt anybody, right?

I grabbed it quickly and unsealed it.

Fire, fire everywhere

Bursts of flames without a care

Never quenched in their lair

Fire burn without a snare

A hand touched my shoulder. I jumped as high as I was tall and swore as I pushed the hand away.

"What are you doing," I turned and saw my Purple Boy, "Master Takrath wouldn't take kindly…"

"So now he's a Master." I said a bit frustrated.

"He is a Master in the Necromancy art of Pale Mastery," Purple Boy said as he picked up the scroll that I dropped. At that moment, Master Takrath walked through the door.

"What in the hell do you think you are doing? Are you aware of what you are holding?"

Meris shook his head no.

"That is a scroll for one of the most powerful evocation spells known to man. You could literally burn this entire Academy down in seconds if you learn to master that spell." The Master said as he walked to the front of the class and turned back around looking at Purple Boy still holding the scroll, "Meris Sesbane, put my scroll away and if I see you touching my things again, I'll see that Linu gives you extra chores."

"But I…" Meris began but stopped as he looked at me twirling my hair, "I apologize. It will never happen again…"

"That's right. If you do it again I'll make sure that you don't have fingers to ever touch anything again, understand?"

"Yes sir," Meris said as he looked over at me as I sat down and prepared for Master Takrath's lecture.

"Magical abilities are both a blessing and a curse," The Pale Master spoke as his small class of four superior students listened, "A small select few are capable of handling high level magic. With it you can literally change the world from controlling seasons to resurrecting the dead to even manipulating time itself. But there is a cost for everything that you do, especially if you don't concentrate, control and concede your own mind. You must…"

I rose my hand, "I don't understand, what do you mean by it can be a curse?"

"Magic can be controlled or it can control you. I have many acquaintances that cannot change their garbs without the use of a divination spell or cook without evocating elements. It has become a crutch. But it also can corrode one's mind. Let me rephrase that…it will corrode your mind. It probably already has begun."

"I don't think you can get destroyed by your own magic." I said.

"It happens all the time. Mages must have complete control at all times. They must be as monks at times of great distress because of the great power that exists inside the heart of them. The tales of great mages cast powerful and suicidal spells is evidence of these things…"

Meris stood up and said, "How do we counteract these state of affairs?"

"Unexamined history always repeats itself…" Punkin looked over to the purple tower as Master Takrath continued, "Careful study of spell crafting is vital. One must know where magic comes from, goes and what's power is used for."

Punkin's eyes grew close together, "That sounds like a lot of work."

"As usual, a bard is one hundred percent correct." He said as he handed out their oversized books and revealed their assignment, "Treva and Yandor you are two write a three page essay on what magic is and where it comes from," Then he turned to the standing pair, "Meris and Punkin you two are to write a three page essay on what should magic be used for. Due date is in five days "

I blurted, "Single-spaced."

"Of course and none of that calligraphy crap…it gives me a headache. Class dismissed." He said as the three mages slowly walked out of the classroom with their heads down.

Meris stopped just outside of the corridor and watched as I flailed her arms as if they were the snakes on a medusa's head at the back of Master Takrath's head. I noticed Meris' mouth begin to stretch as I turned and stormed toward the door.

"What are you smiling at," I spat as I brushed passed him.

Meris quickly stepped following me, "Has anyone charged you with having a quite pleasant countenance while articulate annoyance."

I closed my eyes, grinned and smiled, "I'm sorry I don't understand teacher's pet."

"What?"

"You're-A-Teacher's-Pet,"I said pointing into his chest.

"And you're a derelict…now that we've assigned our titles let's figure out how we are going to get this essay done."

"We'll I can't write it because Master Takrath says that he hates Bardic script…"

"Well write normal."

"Look at me," I said and wrapped my arm around his waist, "When have I done anything that's normal."

"What's with the arm?"

"You're my Knight in Shinning Armor, right. You saved me from the wrath of a great and powerful Pale Master…"

"Is this that new thing called sarcasm," jabbed Meris as he tried to pull his arm away.

I heaved him closer to me, "Walk with me to my room, alright"