Knight of the Black Rose

by Nissa Gordon

  "That...that was cool," Troy said in stitches.

  "I didn't even know they could do that," Jess said not sure if she wanted to laugh at him, or to be nervous herself.

  "It probably was his attitude," Selena said. "Libby, it's not going to hurt you,"

  Libby shook her head. "I would have believed you more, if you would have said it, before I saw that,"

  Selena shrugged, there wasn't really much she could say to that.

  "I'm pleased to see that quite a few of you have managed to call your brooms," Norvin said as he walked along in front of them. "Now for the rest of you, there's nothing to be afraid of,"

  "It hit him though!" Libby said pointing at Reagan, who was glaring at her, and more people started to laugh at him.

  "That's because he basically screamed at it," Norvin told her airily. "Think of it like a pet; you wouldn't scream at you pet to do something. No, you would speak to it normally, and they can also pick up on how you’re feeling. Just take a couple of deep breaths and call for your broom; we're not going to be doing anything dangerous today, just getting you used to the basics."

  Libby slowly nodded as she stepped back over to her broom, she closed her eyes as she took several deep breaths; a couple of the Disa lot sniggering at her, but she ignored them. She held out her hand and opened her eyes. "Up!" The broom rocked a little, as though it was reluctant to move, but then it slowly rose up off of the ground and up into her hand.

  "What the hell!" Reagan shouted.

  "That's five points from Disa," Norvin told him sternly. "And this isn't a competition,"

  "She's from a human family though!" Reagan shouted at him outraged.

  "I don't care what sort of family she comes from, everyone here is equal," Norvin told him. "If that is something you can't except then perhaps this isn't the place for you after all,"

  Everyone fell silent as they looked along the lines at him; he was furious, but he somehow managed to keep whatever he really wanted to say to himself.

  "It's fine," Reagan said through gritted teeth.

  "Good," Norvin said. "Now, it's your turn; call for you broom,"

  Reagan faces was blotchy red with his embarrassment, but he still held out his hand. "Up!" It didn't even move. "UP!" It rocked to either side and then shot up to his hand.

  "Good, just remember in future, not to be so aggressive; that may also help with some of your spell casting as well." Norvin told him as he turned around to make sure that everyone had a broom in their hand, before he went on with the basics.

  Chapter Sixteen

  It was Saturday morning and hardly anyone was still about as Lucy and Jess ran along the path to the carriages, as they were running late for the first Firmasca match of the season; Cadell was playing against Disa, something that neither of them wanted to miss.

  Lucy pulled away slightly in front as she rounded the corner. "Come on Jess, we're going to miss..." Lucy cut off as she ran straight into someone, almost stumbling back but was caught just in time.

  "I'm coming...." Jess said as she rounded the corner after her, then stopped dead breathing hard as she tried to catch her breath.

  "Good morning," Hunter said pleasantly smiling slightly as he helped Lucy to stand properly again.

  "I'm so sorry Professor Hunter; I didn't mean to run into you," Lucy said her face burning red with embarrassment, not wanting to look at Norvin either who was stood with him.

  "That's alright, just don't make a habit of it," Hunter told her. "You better get on the last carriage,"

  "Right, yes...sorry again," Lucy said nervously as she walked around the two of them, and then she and Jess rushed over to the carriage climbing on board, dropping into the first empty seats that they came to, which were pretty close to the front as there weren't many people on this one.

  Norvin climbed on first, looking somewhat distressed. "I don't understand why a senator would be complaining about me,"

  "That's why I wanted to talk to you," Hunter told him as he directed him to sit behind Lucy and Jess.

  "I don't even know any senators," Norvin said blankly.

  Lucy didn't mean to listen to their conversation but it wasn't as though they were actually keeping it to themselves, as she turned around.

  "Miss Shepherd?" Hunter said questioningly.

  "You know Reagan sir, his mum is a senator," Lucy told him, as the carriage jolted forward and they set off. "Though that would also mean, that he went crying to his mum because he couldn't call a broom and he got told off for being racist,"

  "Well...err..." Norvin speechlessly.

  "Well, that answers my questions," Hunter said smiling slightly. "What did he say?"

  "He was upset because Libby's broom came to her first and she was terrified," Jess told him.

  "He was shouting at his, and it actually hit him," Lucy told him. "He was upset that a human who didn't come from magic managed to do something before him,"

  "I took five points from him, telling him that we don't except behaviour like that from anyone here," Norvin told Hunter.

  Hunter nodded as he took in everything that they had told him. "Well thank you for informing me what went on. Norvin you did and said the right thing. I'll contact his mother and also have a word with him myself,"

  Norvin relaxed back against his seat. "Good...I was a little worried there; I had no idea what I could have done wrong,"

  "That's because you didn't do anything wrong," Hunter told him. "And thank you, you two,"

  "No problem," Lucy said smiling as she turned back around.

  Jess and Lucy looked at each, wanting to talk about what had just happened but knew they couldn't until later when they were alone; so instead they looked out of the window, as it wouldn't be long until they arrived at the stadium. The tree line broke a couple of minutes later, and they could see the outline of the stadium as they travelled closer, and this time went right as the road spilt and into the hanger where the rest of the carriages were located, parking in the only free space left.

  Lucy and Jess were already on their feet before the door had even opened, they waved goodbye to Hunter and Norvin as they practically ran out, they already knew that they hadn't missed the beginning because Norvin was actually the referee.

  "So how are we going to find the others?" Jess asked concerned as they walked through the dimly lit hanger.

  "Just follow me," Lucy told her as she headed to the right for the lifts.

  "I hate it when you say that," Jess said, though she also knew that she always somehow managed to find whoever it was that they were looking for.

  The lift was already open as they got inside and Lucy reached forward and pressed the number 6 button, before the doors closed and it started to move.

  "How would even know that?" Jess asked her, hoping to get an answer this time, considering that she didn't normally answer her.

  "They said that they were going to be on the right side of the stadium, and on the sixth level," Lucy told her smirking. "The real trick, is actually finding them once we get out, considering how many people they're going to be,"

  "Oh...okay then...they are saving seats for us right?" Jess asked, somewhat excepting her explaination as it sounded resemble enough, and at least she actually got an answer this time.

  "Of course," Lucy said as though this was obvious. "They wouldn't dare not to,"

  "Right, because you're all best friends," Jess said pouting.

  "You're my best friend Jess, they're my friends as well, but you're my best," Lucy told her.

  "It's just some times you seem to spend more time with them, than you do with me," Jess told her.

  "I don't really mean to...but some times...I don't know..." Lucy really didn't know what to say to her, without upsetting her; yes they were best friends but they didn't have everything in common which was why she also spent so much time with the guys.

  The lift binged and the doors opened onto defending screams and shouts, and a rushing wind as they stepped out into the s
tadium; they could see over the railing to students below them and then the lake that Firmasca was played over. As they walked along the seating they looked for their friends, knowing that they would be here somewhere among the rows of students on this level.

  Lucy tried to focus in on Will, thinking that it would be easier to find just one of them, instead of trying to find them all, and they had told her that they were going to be sitting together anyway, so if she found him then she would find them all. Most of the students were fine about them moving along in front of them coming so late, though there were a few of course that complained, but Lucy chose to ignore them as she made her way along; that's when she felt him, he wasn't that far ahead of them.

  "Will!" Lucy shouted hoping that he would hear her over the crowd.

  "Did you see him?" Jess asked over her shoulder.

  "I think so," Lucy said uncertainly.

  "Lucy!"

  Lucy looked over the heads of those in her way, she recognised the voice even through all of this noise, she knew that it wasn't Will. She moved quicker, keeping a tight hold on Jess’s hand so that they wouldn't be separated and then waved at Troy when she finally spotted him stood up waving back at her, and smiling.

  "About time, we were about to give up on the two of you," Troy told her grinning broadly.

  "The seats as you asked for," Alex said pointing to two empty seats next to him.

  "Thanks guys," Lucy said as they squeezed through them, Jess sitting next to Alex and Lucy next to Will. "Guess what we found out?"

  "Something actually happened on your way here?" Troy asked as though he didn't believe her.

  "Reagan had his mum complain about Norvin, because he got told off in class," Lucy told him.

  The three of them look at her as though they didn't believe her, even Eddie and Methos turned around from the seats in front.

  "He actually went crying to his mum about that?" Eddie asked amused.

  "Well I'd have to say that was so worth getting up early this morning to hear," Methos said smirking.

  "He actually got his mum to complain about Norvin," Jess told them.

  "That would explain why the match is running late," Will said.

  "We told Hunter what really happened, and he wasn't at all pleased," Lucy told them.

  "That means that Reagan's gonna get it," Eddie said pleased.

  "Welcome to Burnaby’s first Firmasca match of the season," a male voice boomed over the crowd. "I'm your commentator for the year, Si'wun Tu'kon. Today's first match is between Cadell and Disa, and of course we all know who we want to win; but I can't say that aloud,"

  Everyone cheered and screamed for Cadell on their side of the Stadium.

  "The team line-up is the same as last year, except that Liam Potior is the Rumsca for Cadell; youngest member of the team in years. And now give a warm hand to Norvin Veniamin, one of our favourite teachers and the ref for our Firmasca games."

  The stadium went wild as Norvin flew out of the changing rooms on the right centre corner of the stands, obviously Si'wun's statement about him being one of the schools favourite teachers was true, and Lucy had a feeling that it wasn't just because he played for a national team, he was good at what he did and he also stood up for what he believed in. Lucy cheered along with the rest of them as she watched him do a complete circle of the stadium before he hovered just out in the centre over the main island.

  "And now for our two teams, Cadell and Disa!"

  The stadium erupted again as the doors flew open to the changing rooms on either side of the stadium, and the players flew out upon their brooms, and in their estate colours, as they did a circuit.

  "Conductions are good today for an extraordinary match!"

  Lucy shivered as she pulled her jacket closer around her. "Do you feel that?"

  "It's just cold, but it is the end of September," Jess said off handily.

  Will was on his feet staring down at the lake, and he wasn't the only one as he pointed down to it. "Do you see that?"

  They all looked to where he was pointing, not sure what they were looking for at first, but then they saw it. The water actually seemed to ripple somewhat, as a wave of black washed over the surface.

  "Oh...my...goddess! Do you all see this...the lake...its turning black!" Si'wun shouted somewhat alarmed. "It's like in the papers...hay! What're you doing? Give me that back!"

  Screaming and panic broke out through-out the stadium, as students started to push their way along the seats to get to the exists.

  Another voice came over the speakers and the screaming, this one commanding and in control. "Stop!” Hunter, taking charge of the situation. “I need everyone to stop and calm down, or someone will end up getting hurt! I want you all too calmly make your way to the exists; no pushing or shoving as you'll all get out of here. The carriage drivers have been instructed to let more of you on board so that we can get you back to school quicker. I'm sure that you can all do this, without harming another or yourself. Now, calmly to the exists!"

  The panicked screams had subsided, but people were still rushing to get out of the stadium as quickly as possible, going both ways towards the lifts and stairs.

  "Well I feel better just hearing him," Lucy said, he had nice calmly and commanding voice.

  "Which way do you think would be better?" Troy asked as he looked both ways.

  Will nodded to their right. "This way would be better, we're closer to these,"

  "You do know that we'll never be able to get the lift down," Jess said holding onto Lucy's arm tightly as they followed after Will.

  "We'll have to take the stairs then," Will told them.

  "You do know that it's going to take ages to get down there, we're on the sixth level," Troy told them next to Alex closely following behind Jess, not letting anyone get past them and break up their group.

  "At least the carriages aren't going anywhere until everyone’s on one," Eddie said loudly over all the noise.

  "They don't have to go far either to drop off," Methos added.

  Libby turned around from in front of them. "You don't really think that this has anything to do with what was going on in the city...from your papers I mean?"

  "I think it does," Will said even though he didn’t really want it to, but it seemed the same.

  "So it's got onto the island?" Lucy asked, not sure if she believed it or not as she didn't really sense anything strange, just the cold before the lake turned black. The only thing that she knew for sure was that her dad was probably going to call her later as soon as he heard about this, and grill her on what happened, and he was going to be so angry with her because she wouldn't have the answers that he wanted.

  Lucy stumbled suddenly on something that she couldn't see, she would have fell into Will if Jess still hadn't had a death grip on her; she carried on walking even though she could feel her face burning slightly, but it didn't seem as though anyone was going to say anything about her near miss, which she was pleased about.

  "I don't see how it could have gotten past all of the teachers," Eddie said confused.

  "It's gotten past all of the officers in the city, why wouldn't it have any trouble getting past a couple of teachers?" Alex said.

  "Because some of them used to be officers themselves," Eddie told him.

  "Your dad and Domnus did right?" Lucy asked.

  "How do you even know that?" Troy asked.

  "My dad," Lucy told him as though that was obvious, as they stopped because there was a queue to get down by the lift and even the stairs.

  They slowly edged forward, wanting to stick together but they told the others in front to just go whenever they got a break in the crowd and they'd meet back at the dorms or in the main common room. Selena and Libby disappeared with a couple more from their class into the crowded stair well, while they still waited for their opening.

  "You won't let go, will you?" Jess asked nervously as they slowly made their way forward.

  "Jess you have hold of me, and
I have hold of Will's jacket; we're not going anywhere without each other," Lucy assured her.

  "Should we hold onto you Jess?" Alex teased, as he and Troy were practically pinned against her because of those behind them pushing to get through.

  "You can do, as long as I don't get separated from you all," Jess told him, feeling better for once that they were at her back.