Snippet #2497413

Ariala turned at the voice of another woman. Hmm, being singled out to watch already? Problematic, but nothing she hadn't foreseen. Ariala noted that this templar was speaking to her with less venom than many of the templars Ariala had met in this country, and did not seem to fear her.
"I don't see any problem." Ariala responded. "Might I ask why?" If Ariala knew what had prompted the suspicion, perhaps she could make an effort to hide it, and eventually she would be accepted as a fact of life by the denizens of the Circle. She looked at the templar before her, and thought about her goals. Elf's secrets, Great Game... Hmm, she knew she couldn't easily leave the Circle now that she was in. Perhaps this watching would prove a blessing. Easy access to gossip and people from outside the Circle's walls, if she played her cards right.

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Rusty shifted, restlessly. She wondered if the Enchanter would notice her moving from her spot. She was surprised when a quick glance revealed that the Enchanter had moved, and now had her back to Rusty. Her mouth broke out into a smile, and she started looking for an expedient escape route. She looked a short ways to her right and saw a wheeled ladder up to the top of the bookcases. Her movement alerted some of the apprentices off to the side, but she put a finger to her smiling lips and mimed a stop signal at them. She went over to the ladder and scuttled up to the top of the bookcase. She reached up and grabbed the far edge of the bookcase to help her swing her leg up the final precipice.

A moment later, she was comfortably sat on top of the bookcase. However, by now she had made enough of a spectacle that mages that weren't involved in the class were starting to murmur and giggle, as well as the other apprentices. This prompted the Enchanter to turn and check where Rusty had been. The older woman turned a brilliant shade of puce when she realised where Rusty had gone.
"RUSTY REED YOU COME DOWN FROM THERE RIGHT NOW!" She bellowed, as she stood and started storming over. This prompted the apprentices to release their bitten in laughter, as Rusty, thinking quickly, kicked the wheeled ladder so that it rolled to the far side of the bookcase. She got her feet under her and stood up, her arms outstretched to help herself balance until she was completely upright. She grinned down at the Enchanter as the older woman continued to shout, halving her lecture between Rusty and the cacophony of laughter that the lesson had devolved to.