Disclaimer: I don’t own any of them, I’m not
making any money from them, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Summary: J.D. gains a friend and Vin tries to
lose a “girlfriend.”
T’anks go to my helpful beta-er and sister,
Heather, who stood over me glaring balefully until I was done.
The Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship
By: Heidi L. Lane
Vin came out of his bedroom and glanced around the hallway. For once he’d overslept and he was hungry. He noticed J.D. sitting in a nearby window embrasure.
“G’Morning,” he called.
“Hi, Vin,” the younger boy said softly without turning around.
“Somethin’ wrong?” Vin asked. The younger boy was still a bit shy around his fellow wards. His grades were excellent and all the teachers liked him; but he just didn’t seem to be making any friends.
“No, ‘m fine,” he replied, still not looking at Vin.
“Me’n Ezra are goin’ to the cafeteria for breakfast, it bein’ a weekend an’ all.”
“Yeah?”
“Mm-hmm… wanna come along?”
“Okay, is Ezra awake yet?”
“I don’t know. I jus’ got up m’self. Let’s go get ‘im.” The two boys crept down the hall to Ezra’s room. “Watch this,” Vin whispered, grinning. He softly padded into the room, gently reached down to the foot of the bed and untucked the sheets. Slowly he reached up and tickled one of Ezra’s bare feet.
With a gasp, Ezra sat up. “Really, Vin!” he exclaimed. “I’m going to start wearing shoes to bed. Why is it that every time you take it into your head to wake me, you tickle my feet?”
“Just to see that look on your face,” Vin said, with a smirk. He glanced over at J.D. and was pleased to see him grinning. The two boys left the room then and waited outside while Ezra dressed. Then all three went downstairs. “G’Mornin’ Mistress Nettie, Mornin’ J’siah,” Vin said. “Is it alright if we all go to the cafeteria for breakfast?”
“I suppose, you sure you don’t want to eat here?” Their Warden asked.
“What’s breakfast?” Vin asked in reply.
“Shredded wheat squares.” Josiah answered evenly.
“We’re sure,” Ezra replied before Vin could say anything.
“We’ll be back around lunchtime,” Vin called as they left the Wardery.
“If I must be up at this ungodly hour,” Ezra muttered as soon as they were out the door. “I require sustenance, for which a bowl of shredded wheat squares does not qualify.”
“What you said,” Vin agreed.
“Vin, you said we’d be back at lunchtime,” J.D. murmured.
“Yeah, that’s ‘cause we will.”
“But, lunch isn’t until noon. What will we be doing until then?”
“You’ll see.”
* * * * *
Vin saw Chris and the others waiting for him as he entered the cafeteria with his tray. “Howdy,” he said as he sat down. Indicating the two boys with him he asked, “Y’all remember J.D. and Ezra from strings right?”
“Yeah, Hello you two,” Chris greeted them.
“Hello,” J.D. replied softly.
“Hey,” Buck said enthusiastically by way of greeting. Looking at J.D.’s tray he asked, “What do you have there? Tea; fresh berry tarts… mmm.”
“They are good,” J.D. agreed. He looked down, then glanced shyly at Buck. “Would you like one?” he offered.
“Thanks! Donut?” Buck replied, proffering the sweet. The trade was made, and Vin smiled over at Ezra.
Ezra shrugged and said, “Gentlemen, Vin and I were intending to show J.D. the Gathering Place after breakfast. Would you care to join us?”
“Sure,” Buck said, grinning.
“What’s a Gathering Place? What’s that, um…refer to?” J.D. asked, looking up at the still grinning older boy.
Chris smirked and rolled his eyes suggestively, “That’s were all the apprentices go to… meet.”
“So,” J.D. said, shrugging, “I mean, we’re meeting here.”
“There are girls there,” Vin said. “Girls without teachers or… What do they call Wardens in the Dormitories?”
“Whatever,” Buck said, “Point is they aren’t supervised!”
“So?” J.D. persisted, “What’s the big deal about that?”
“You’ll see,” Vin said.
* * * * *
“Look, J.D,” Buck said pointing, “That one has her eyes on you.”
“That’s Casey. She lives at the Wardery with us.”
“She’s not marked as a ward,” Nathan said.
“She is not a ward. Her aunt is the Warden.” Ezra explained. Rolling his eyes, he added, “Need I remind you, I am not a ward and I stay at the Wardery.”
“I hate these stupid badges,” Vin muttered. Chris looked at him quizzically and, as the others continued into the grove, he went on, “It’s the first thing anyone notices about me. An’ they always ask about it. “Why are you a ward?” “What happened to your parents?” Do these people really think I want to go around sayin’, “Howdy, I’m Vin Tanner. My ma died when I was small an’ I never knew my pa.’ I mean, really Chris, no one asks you where your folks are.”
“Yeah. I can see how that would be aggravating.”
“Yep. Anyway… Mary’s lookin’ at you,” he said changing the subject.
“You think?”
“Definitely. Go on over there,” Vin said nudging him towards her. Once he was certain Chris was moving in the right direction, Vin walked across the clearing to sit near where some other apprentices were playing music and dancing. Not far away, he noticed Buck charming a couple of older girls and introducing them to J.D.
“Hey Vin,” called a girl from behind him. Turning around, he saw it was Charlotte. “Why haven’t you called me?” she asked.
“I’ve been a little busy, with the concert comin’ up an’ all,” he answered softly.
“Oh, I see,” she said, sounding slightly put out. “Vin, I thought you liked me.”
“I – I – aren’t you an’ Will – ,” Vin started.
“We’re dating, Vin. We aren’t married.”
“I don’t know, Charlotte. I mean, he’s pretty territorial and your parents – ”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake! He doesn’t own me, Vin, and arranged marriages are so… And Will’s so boring. You, you’re a Bard. You have a song that’s going to be performed for the Royal Family!”
“Charlotte…” Vin said, standing up, “I… I gotta go.” He walked away as fast as he could. Spotting Ezra, he hurried over to him. “Howdy,” he greeted, slightly out of breath.
“Vin,” the other boy said, sounding somewhat startled. “You crept up on me,” he accused.
“Sorry,” Vin said, grinning. “What are you up to? Writing?”
“Yes,” Ezra answered, setting down his pen and locking eyes with Vin. “What, may I ask, brings you scurrying over here?” Ezra inquired, glancing back in the direction from which Vin had come his eyes widened in comprehension. “Charlotte again? Doesn’t she have a boyfriend?”
“They’re practically betrothed. But she is real pretty.”
“Don’t go there,” Ezra advised, “It’s nothing but trouble.”
“Yeah, I know,” Vin said sitting down. “J.D. figure out what the point of this place is?”
“I believe Buck has explained it to him.”
“Nice how those two hit it off so well. Maybe he’ll settle in now.”
“Hopefully, my friend. Here they are now. Hello!” Ezra called to the boys.
“Hi,” J.D. called in reply. He bounded over and sat next to Vin. “So… the reason we have a Gathering Place is so we can socialize unsupervised and play whatever music we want?”
“Yep. ‘Cause the Masters would rather we play music for any performances we have coming up,” Vin said laying back on the grass.
“Ain’t it funny how some of the Masters think we’re having – like – orgies here?” Buck asked
“They do not!” Ezra protested.
“What’s an orgy?”
“If’n you don’t know, J.D., we ain’t gonna tell ya,” Vin said, blushing.
“I’m tellin’ you, Ez, Master Toby really thinks – ” Buck started.
“He does not, Buck! He was, at one time, young like us. He went to a Bardic Academy. He knows what Gathering Places are for. I have a paper due. I’ll see you two at lunch,” With that Ezra stood and stalked out of the clearing.
“What’s with him?” Buck asked.
“He’s a bit shy actually,” Vin explained, as he also stood. “I got a project in drawing due. Gotta go.”
“Besides, Charlotte’s hanging around,” Buck pointed out.
“That too,” Vin said, scurrying out of the clearing before the girl could spot him again. When he was safely away he slowed and thought about all that had happened that morning. He was glad that J.D. had found a friend in Buck. He only hoped that Buck realized how impressionable the young Norman was.
End