Ptica tossed her datapad on the lectern, stared at the class for a few seconds, then began, "There's still a lot to cover this new semester, so I won't bother with an introduction. We don't have time to waste if we're going to finish everything before the end of the academic year, thus, we'll start immediately."

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Thursday April 11 In The Year 726 After The Founding

Bored... Bored...bored, bored, bored....BORED!

"Ah geez! This totally sucks!"

Stavros threw his hands in the air and continued pacing back and forth in his room. It had been almost six months since Genie and Mario had arrived in The City with the orphans from Metz and La Grande, and things had calmed down so much that Stav had almost nothing to do but study, read, and eat.

Certainly, he had a number of male friends, but, after all that he'd been through in the past year, what they considered "fun" were things that he now thought of as incredibly childish. Lacking their company as an outlet wouldn't have been a problem in the past as, for years, his primary means of avoiding boredom had been to poke into this and that and get into trouble with 'Suela. Sure, their mother and Mimi had always found out what they'd been up to, somehow, but even being punished for their misdeeds was better than having nothing to do, and that was the problem.

In the back of his mind he'd known that someday he and 'Suela wouldn't be together all day, every day, but he'd never expected it to happen so soon or so quickly. Except for at school and mealtimes, he hardly ever saw her any more. She was spending all of her free time out somewhere or other with Brigid and Heidi, and even at home she and Heidi were always together.

That too was part of what bugged him. He absolutely hated not knowing what was going on in The CIty, and, lately, 'Suela never mentioned anything that she and the others were up to. All he ever saw was the occasional wicked giggle when they came home. The few times he'd managed to talk to 'Suela when Heidi wasn't nearby, or it was safe to speak in "twin", she'd refused to say anything other than that what they'd been doing was "girl stuff". Then she'd grin at him and flounce away somewhere, clearly insufferably pleased with his mounting frustration.

For a couple of weeks he'd managed to distract himself by helping with training Tabitha, Sergeant Rivers' youngest, adoptive daughter, who was studying to be one of his mother's teen informants. However, once she'd completed her training -- which had been undertaken with the Sergeant's gleeful consent -- she'd made it clear that she preferred to work solo. It wasn't exactly that she disliked his company, but, rather, it was that she'd chosen to work on tasks involving gleaning information in places that were frequented primarily, or only, by women. So, after his part in her training was finished, he'd once again been at loose ends.

Well, for tonight at least he'd have 'Suela's company. Heidi and Brigid would be with Sara as she continued to help them get caught up with their studies, while he and 'Suela finished up a joint school project that was due in the morning.

They headed straight to his bedroom after dinner and immediately dived into polishing their presentation. It had taken longer than planned, as they'd unexpectedly disagreed on how to wrap things up. They finally agreed on presenting both of their ideas. They'd preface the ending with: "There are two possible conclusions that can be drawn from the data. Rather than choosing one of them for you and, thus, leaving you ignorant of the other, we've decided to tell you about both and then let each of you decide which one you find most reasonable."

Besides being true, for the most part at least, they figured that, if they did it that way, Mr. Hooper might sorta, maybe, forget that he'd told the class that one of the reasons for the groups was to give them practice in negotiations and compromise. They were supposed to come to a firm, joint conclusion.

Friday, April 12

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The twins' worries turned out to be not such a problem after all, as, at the beginning of Homeroom, Miss Falco said, "I have a surprise for you. It's very unusual at this time of year, but we should all remember that unusual things happen now and then. So, I have the pleasure of introducing a new classmate to you."

A buzz of murmured conversations filled the room as she turned to the door and said, "Come on in dear."

The door slid open and there was absolute silence as their new classmate entered. It wasn't that all the kids were being polite; they truly weren't mature enough for that. It was rather that they were shocked into insensibility.

The person entering seemed more to flow in rather than walk. Or perhaps she glided in. Then again, maybe she stalked into the room. When they all had a chance to discuss the situation later, nobody could quite come up with a word that described it adequately. What they all could agree on was that she was unlike anyone they'd ever met before.

Her skin coloring was beyond unusual, being almost the same shade as ripe wheat in the late afternoon. Beyond that, what was decidedly more odd was that the color of her clothes matched that of her skin so closely that it was hard to tell where one began and the other ended. The only thing that everyone did agree on was that she was, probably, somewhat on the slim side.

She was also taller than most of the girls in the classroom, and, for that matter, most of the boys as well. But, as everyone was either 11 or 12, it wasn't all that strange for a girl to be taller than the boys, who hadn't entered their teen growth spurts yet.

Even with all that, the most compelling thing of all was her hair. It was white, with scattered, honey-blonde streaks, the most prominent being one about two cm wide that began almost directly above her left eye. The way she wore her hair was, in a word, intimidating. From ear to ear her hair stood up about four cm at a 90 degree angle to her scalp, then swept back, coming almost to a point directly above the nape of her neck.

The overall impression that she gave was more like that of a lion rather than a human.

Once she reached Miss Falco, she turned to face the class and, in a deep, almost raspy voice said, "I'm Danica Karongo. I'm from the Kingdom of Alodia."

Seeing blank faces, she added, "You probably refer to it as Nubia.

"My parents, my brothers, and I have moved here to join my uncle and his family. We're all silversmiths. I'm fifteen years old. We've been traveling for nearly three years, so I've not been able to attend school. We just arrived two days ago."

Then she smiled, and it drew everyone's attention like a magnet. "It's been exhausting, but we're here, and I can't wait to begin learning all about your city. I haven't seen much of it so far, but what I have seen is thrilling. Discovering its secrets is going to be soooo exciting!"

She turned to Miss Falco and bowed slightly to indicate that she was finished speaking.

"Thank you Danica. That was an excellent introduction. Now, let me see...."

She turned to the class and surveyed the empty desks. "Stavros Donetti, put up your hand.

"Danica, choose the desk to either side of Stavros there. He'll assist you in finding your way around the school and will also be available to help you find your way to the various shops and such in The City until you feel comfortable on your own."

Seeing his mouth open, probably to protest, Miss Falco fixed him with a sharp gaze and quickly added, "Given recent events, I'm sure that he'll be most pleased to help you. Isn't that right Stavros?"

Seeing the fierce look on Miss Falco's face, and remembering certain unfortunate incidents at school in the past month, that he's been at least peripherally involved in, he closed his mouth, stood, and bowed. "Yes Miss Falco, I'd be honored to assist Miss Karongo in learning her way around."

She smiled, nodded, and gestured to Danica. "Please be seated, then we'll begin Homeroom."

Conseula had been shocked when Miss Falco had "asked" Stavros to be Danica's guide...at least until she saw the look on Miss Falco's face and Stavros' guilty swallow before he'd consented. It seemed that he'd been a naughty, naughty boy, and whatever it was, she had no inkling of it.

That was when she also realized what he had the previous month. Their lives were diverging. It was inevitable, and, truthfully, entirely expected, but it was also painful. The act that they'd put on at Mario and Genie's wedding reception nearly two years before was becoming reality.

She turned to him, smiled softly, and said, "I love you you idiot brother," then turned her attention to Miss Falco.

As he was at that moment scooting his desk over next to Danica's so as to share his textbook with her, and because of the shock of 'Suela's surprising declaration, he didn't answer.

Instead he whispered to Danica, "Do you read Italian?"

She whispered back, "Yes, at least tolerably. Once I was certain that we'd be able to complete our journey, I started practicing again by reading some books an Italian merchant in Soba gave me; so for about a year. Even so, I'm sure I'm going to need some help."

With that, she too turned her attention to Miss Falco.