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Chapter 9 Character Study - Coggle Diagram

- - - - The week's punishment left everyone too worn out to do anything but classwork. Kel knew that was temporary.
  - - - "I think of it as combat exercise," Kel replied with grim good humor. "And I'm learning new ways to do combat all the time. So if we're all finished here?
  - - - "How dare they say the Lioness cheated!" growled Kel. "Great Goddess, she fights ogres and spidrens and armies all the time!"
  - - - "Will he report us?" Kel asked."
  - - - Not that I'll have to worry, Kel thought dully as she picked up her staff. He knows I'm afraid of heights now. He can say if I'm afraid of heights, I can't keep up with the boys, and I'll be out on my ear.
    - - Kel's ears roared; she could not catch her breath. The broad moat that passed in front of the wall was a long drop below. She heard nothing, did not feel hands prying her grip from the stone. The fear gripped her as tightly as it had on the day
  - - - He crossed his arms over his chest. "Oh, wonderful. You're on a hero's quest to get rid of bullies."
        Kel glared at him. "Someone has to!"
  - - - "I keep telling you, these tests have to be easy enough that even a noble with ogre blood could pass," Neal informed her at supper that night.
        Kel grinned, but said, "You know, ogres only sound stupid. Most are pretty smart."
  - - - Kel planted her fists on her hips. "Because I had no reason to think I would get it!"
  - - - He looked down at her for a long moment. "You're the oldest ten-year-old I've ever met," he said finally.
        Exasperated, Kel put her fists on her hips. "What is that supposed to mean?"
  - - - "He's Daine's" Kel started to say "lover," but didn't when she saw Neal frown. "Friend?" she supplied hastily.
- - - - "Waiting bores me!" she heard Wyldon roar from the open door above. "Get those legs moving!"
  - - - "You run like a lamb, probationer!" The boom of Wyldon's voice in her ear made her jump.
  - - - "Very good, probationer." Wyldon sounded as if his teeth hurt to say it. The other pages had all stopped what they were doing to watch her last three passes. "You are released for the remainder of the morning."
  - - - You would never be seen again," Wyldon informed them. "Probationer,
        how would you attack this wall? You must survey the ground before you reply."
  - - - If you throw up, do it outside of the wall - the wind can't blow it back in your face."
    - - Wyldon demanded an answer from Kel when she was still thinking.
        
        Our attackers have already overrun the city and put it to the torch, girl," Wyldon said over-patiently. Kel heard the other pages snickering. She was taking too long. "How must they come at us?"
        
        Wyldon motioned for her to step up to one of the square notches between the tall stones in the wall. "Before we grow old, probationer."
- - - - "You're not fooling me, you know," he informed her. "Every night you put on a dress for supper. That's to remind us you're a girl and you're not ashamed of it. Fine. I understand perfectly. But some nights, when you don't have punishment work and Jiren and his pack are being rowdy? You go and change into your fight clothes," he waved at her shirt and breeches, "and you take a little walk. Sometimes you come back just fine, and some nights they haul you and whoever you mixed it up with before the Stump. You go looking for trouble!" "Neal," she said nervously, "keep your voice down." "Why? You don't seem to care if you get caught!" It was an accusation, but he lowered his voice to say it. His face turned red with the effort. She sighed. "That's not it at all." "Then what is it?" he demanded holy. "Are you some kind of-of tavern tough that likes to brawl?" Kel shook her head. "Not hardly, since I lose every time." "Then what is it? I want to know!" cried Neal, his voice cracking. "I'm your friend and what you're doing worries me sick!"
  - - - He crossed his arms over his chest. "Oh, wonderful. You're on a hero's quest to get rid of bullies."
  - - - The sound of applause made her turn in the saddle. "Huzzah, Kel!" Neal cried gleefully. "Huzzah, huzzah!"
  - - - Neal thrust his hands into the pockets of the breeches he wore at night. "It means I'm trying to justify to myself the fact that the best lesson I ever had on chivalry came from someone five years younger than me. When you put it that way, well, I guess I'd better help."
  - - - Kel stared at him. "What do you think you're doing?" He looked down at her for a long moment. "You're the oldest ten-year-old I've ever met," he said finally. Exasperated, Kel put her fists on her hips. "What is that supposed to mean?" Neal thrust his hands into the pockets of the breeches he wore at night. "It means I'm trying to justify to myself the fact that the best lesson I ever had on chivalry came from someone five years younger than me. When you put it that way, well, I guess I'd better help."
  - - - "He's Daine's" Kel started to say "lover," but didn't when she saw Neal frown. "Friend?" she supplied hastily. Neal sighed and nodded. "He's too old for her, you know."
- - - - Suddenly fighting or even speech was an effort. Slowly the five pages looked toward the stair. A tall man - a very tall man, Kel realized - with tousled black hair and large, dark eyes stood there, hands braced on either side of the door frame. He was dressed in a flowing white shirt and black breeches. The sparkle of magic glittered in the air between him and them.Suddenly fighting or even speech was an effort. Slowly the five pages looked toward the stair. A tall man - a very tall man, Kel rea
  - - - They were at Neal's door when he suddenly turned cheerful. "At least Joren won't stage any of his little scrambles near the teachers' quarters again," he pointed out. "He's probably thinking right now he's lucky Master Numair didn't turn him into a tree."
        "Oh, as if Master Numair could," retorted Kel. Only in stories did mages turn people into things, and she had noticed such stories always took place in the very distant past. In real life it was supposed to be impossible.
  - - - Neal chuckled. "Master Numair? I doubt he'll remember why he left his workroom, once he gets back to it. That must be a sensitive spell, though, if we affected it."
- - - - The next morning, Kel rose at her usual early time. She gave her sparrows one "You stay out of trouble," she ordered them as they pecked at their seed. Salma was to look after them while she was gone.last feeding.