Elfhild and Elffled were quite grateful for the hospitality which Rufina and Nurma had shown them, for the kindness of strangers did much to alleviate the discomfiture they felt from being thrust into a new and unfamiliar place. Accustomed to life on the farm, the twins felt like a pair of fish which had been plucked unceremoniously from the water and left to flop around on the ground. While they knew that a school was a place of learning, they had difficulty imagining an entire institution dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge which also served as a home for its numerous students. Neither Elfhild nor Elffled had ever imagined that they would end up at such a wondrous place when they were taken in chains from the smoking ruins of their village.

At the conclusion of the evening meal, Nurma excused herself, for she had to run an errand for the Mistress of Weaving. "Come, I will show you the courtyard," Rufina announced, leading the twins across the great hall. "Many students gather here when they are not working or studying." Coming to an arched doorway at the northern end of the hall, the three girls found themselves standing in the midst of a long corridor. "This passage runs around the perimeter of the building," she explained, gesturing at their surroundings. "You will be walking this way quite frequently as you tour all the classrooms tomorrow." Cutting across the corridor, she led them through another doorway and into the large interior courtyard which lay beyond.

The building which housed the classrooms, workshops, kitchen, and infirmary of the School of Industry was enormous in size and rectangular in shape, with a large interior courtyard in the middle. A corridor wrapped around the outer perimeter of the building, allowing one access to the classrooms. Lattice-screened windows were situated at regular intervals on the exterior side, and many of the rooms had internal windows which faced the corridor to allow light to enter from that direction. Large, open windows had been built into the walls which faced the courtyard, ensuring that all the classrooms were brightly lit and well ventilated.

Elfhild and Elffled gasped in awe at the beauty of the courtyard, which was filled with small trees, flowering bushes, and beds of colorful blossoms. On the section closest to the kitchen and infirmary, there was a small plot for herbs and medicinal plants. A colonnaded porch ran around the perimeter of the courtyard, and students sat in the shade upon ornately carved wooden benches. Cobblestone paths formed by stones of contrasting colors wound their way through the lush garden, leading to a large open space in the center of the courtyard where a small pavilion had been constructed. While the sisters had seen their share of flower patches and vegetable plots, they had never been in a curated garden which incorporated both architectural elements and strategically planted greenery.

"This place is so lovely," sighed Elfhild.

"If you think that this courtyard is beautiful, you should see the garden which lies between the school and the manor house," Rufina laughed. "There is a huge pavilion and a watercourse which meanders through the grounds."

The courtyard was quite a lively place in the evening, with groups of students strolling along the colorful stone walkways or seated with friends on stone benches amid the flowers. Some of the younger girls were tossing about a ball, while others took turns chasing after a large hoop, using a stick to keep the wildly careening ring from falling to the ground. Several students were playing board games beneath the shade of the porch, while others read quietly from brightly illustrated books. A lute player and a drummer were practicing a new song, while the members of the dance team were going over some of the moves they had been learning in class. A pair of girls were sparring with wooden swords under the supervision of one of the guards. A small crowd had gathered around them, laughing and cheering on their respective champion.

Her eyes wide with amazement, Elffled turned to Rufina. "Slaves are allowed to fight? I had assumed that slaves would be forbidden from wielding weapons or defending themselves." She watched as one of the combatants parried the blade of her opponent. Having spent most of her captivity in a state of constant fear, she wondered if some of those fears would lessen if she mastered the art of the blade, or the strategies of grappling. Perhaps she would feel as though she had some power over what befell her, even if she only possessed that power at the mercy of her superiors.

"Slaves may do anything that their master or mistress permits them to do," Rufina explained. "Watching warriors fight each other in the pits, sometimes to the death, is a popular pastime in Nurn." When she saw the appalled looks upon the twins' faces, she added reassuringly, "Do not worry that you will be sent to the fighting pits! None of the students at the School of Industry would ever be chosen for such a fate. However, many students do spar and wrestle to keep their bodies hale. Mistress Juna says that participating in these sports helps improve one's concentration, as well as foster a sense of discipline."

"I am exceedingly glad that none of us will be fighting in these pits of which you speak," Elfhild remarked. She was not at all surprised that the people of Mordor enjoyed watching men kill each other for sport, but she still found the knowledge disturbing.

"They are brutal places, but some men – and women – seek their fortunes in the pits, for the rewards are great indeed. Slaves may earn their freedom through triumph or amass enough coin to pay off their owners, and those who are free and indebted to none may add to their growing hoard. Most of the time, a fight ends when the rival combatant surrenders or is knocked senseless, but some matches are to the death." A shudder rolled over Rufina's body and she shook her head to reorient herself. "There are no such practices in my land, and the customs of Mordor are still strange to me."

Elfhild knew well how it felt to be a stranger in a strange and brutal land, and she felt a profound sense of sympathy for Rufina. "Do you ever participate in the sparring matches here at the school?" she inquired, directing the conversation back to the lively contest that was transpiring before them in the courtyard. The initial sparring match had ended, but the two girls had decided to continue fighting in an impromptu best-out-of-three tournament. The guard watched on, critiquing the combatants' moves and giving them advice on improvement.

Rufina's long ginger tresses swayed about her as she shook her head. "Oh, no, I am an artist, not a fighter," she laughed, a tinkling sound like a cheerful brook. "Sword fighting and wrestling hold little appeal for me. Drawing and painting, now… That is another matter entirely."

"Art is definitely a more peaceful pursuit," Elffled remarked with a giggle.

Warming up to a topic which was dear to her heart, Rufina elaborated further. "I would have preferred pottery, but the School of Industry does not offer classes in that discipline, and the powers that be feel that my value would increase if I were trained in more graceful arts." She sighed despondently, for she knew that if she were plain in appearance, she would be allowed to continue doing the craft she loved. However, a pretty girl such as her was destined to be a bauble in a nobleman's coffer, and as such she needed to be an artist rather than an artisan.

Elfhild tilted her head inquisitively. "Why does pottery interest you so?"

"My family operated a pottery shop back in Rhûn, and I was an apprentice there. I would help my mother paint designs on the pieces before they were fired in the kiln, and I was working on mastering the art of shaping clay into objects of functionality and beauty. Sadly, my training ended when my town was put to the torch." Rufina's gaze dropped down to the pavement upon which she stood, and then she looked forlornly off to the side as though lost in a haze of memories that were too painful to remember and too difficult to forget.

"Did… did the orcs attack your town, too?" Elfhild asked hesitantly. Were not the people of Rhûn the enemies of her people? Who then had been responsible for the attack on Rufina's town?

"No, the raiders came from an enemy tribe from further East." Rufina turned back to the twins as though a spell had been broken. Noticing the confused expressions upon the girls' faces, she raised a questioning eyebrow. "What? Did you assume that all the clans and tribes of the Wagnsthiuda are a united people? I think we spend more time warring with each other than we do with our enemies, but what do I know?" She shrugged her shoulders. "I am but the daughter of a humble potter."

"We really do not know much about the people of the East," Elfhild confessed. Obviously the situation in Rhûn was far more complex than she had ever imagined, and she longed to learn more about this unfamiliar region. "I did not even know that Westron was spoken in Rhûn, but you have an impressive command of the language." For a brief moment, Elfhild's gaze was drawn to Rufina's deep coppery red hair, which was so long and luxurious that she could stand there naked and yet be covered entirely by her tresses. Once again, Elfhild wondered if the Rhûnian girl was of elven descent, because her beauty was almost otherworldly.

"The Wagnsthiuda come from many, and trade with all," Rufina explained, smiling. "By necessity, we must use Westron when bartering and buying goods with other tribes, but we have our own language as well. My tribe seeks to be neutral, maintaining peace with both Mordor and the peoples of Rhovanion, but being a friend to all is difficult in these troubled times." Rufina shook her head sadly at the sorry state of Middle-earth, and then continued to explain the political situation in Rhûn to the best of her knowledge and ability. "The tribes and nations which are allied with the Lord of Mordor pay tribute to show their appreciation for the favor that He has bestowed upon them. The Lord of Gifts He is called, but His gifts come with a heavy price which must be paid lest friendship turn to enmity and blessings turn to curses. Some tribes give up their own sons and daughters as offerings of gratitude, while others claim captives from their rivals to show their strength and prowess as warriors. That is what happened to Ahwahaims, the town from whence I hail. Our enemies sought to impress the Great Eye by setting fire to a rival town and bearing all those whom they took alive to Mordor as gifts."

Elffled nodded sympathetically. "So that is how you came to live in Nurn." How terrible it would be to be ruler of a kingdom indebted to the Dark Lord! But yet there did seem to be some benefit to such an arrangement. At least the kingdom would be protected from the hordes of Mordor and its allies, even if some of its subjects were doomed to be slaves. She could see why the enemies of Rufina's people raided Ahwahaims: so that they might fulfill their obligation to Sauron with little cost to their own tribe.

"The tale of how I came to be here is long and sorrowful, and the entirety of it would take too much time to tell this evening." Rufina gave the twins a sad little smile, and the look in their eyes told her that they understood. Despite the fact that they hailed from different lands, their tales were similar to hers. "After the sack of Ahwahaims, the raiders took the villagers whom they did not kill or claim as slaves south to the Mordorian outpost of Barzainzagh. The commander of the garrison awarded the raiders with gold in exchange for all the prisoners and loot from the village. The strongest men were taken to work in the mines and forges along the Ash Mountains. The rest of us were led away through Southern Gorgoroth, and through long journeys we came to Nurn. Because of my skills as an artist, I was chosen to be a student at the School of Industry."

"Our story is much the same as yours." Elfhild smiled gently at the Rhûnian girl, suspecting she was chosen more for her beauty than for her talent. Rufina was absolutely gorgeous, and Elfhild found herself trying not to stare at her long red tresses and delicate, elven-like features. It was a difficult task indeed to appreciate such beauty without staring overlong and coming across as rude! "We lived in Grenefeld, a village in the Eastfold of Rohan, the region which lies closest to the Gondorian border. The armies of Mordor attacked our country back in the spring, and we were taken captive when our village was raided by orcs."

Rufina let out a little gasp as a shiver rocked her slender form. "Orcs!" she cried out with disgust. "Those monsters scare me! When the captives of Ahwahaims were taken to Mordor, the caravan passed through several orcish settlements in the Ash Mountains. I was glad when they were far behind us."

"We have little love for orc-kind," Elffled confided, her gaze darting from side to side to see if anyone was listening. She was uncertain how the people of Nurn regarded orcs, and she wished to avoid quarrels with those who were sympathetic to them. "The fiends murdered our mother and left her and the family dog to burn when they set fire to our home."

"Oh, that is terrible!" Rufina's face was filled with sympathy as she clasped her hands to her heart. "I, too, know the pain of losing a loved one to the ruthless blades of the enemy. My father died fighting the raiders when they attacked our village. I watched him fall as I was carried away over the shoulder of one of the warriors." Her voice faltered as her throat tightened with emotion, and the pinpricks of tears stung her eyes.

"Then we have much in common," Elfhild remarked, her voice solemn. "We have all been taken from our homelands and lost many who were dear to us."

"I would rather have other things in common than tragedy," Rufina lamented, rubbing the tears from her eyes.

"Hmmm…" Elffled put her finger to her lips, reflecting for a moment. "While I do not have any experience with pottery, I suppose you could say that I have dabbled some in art."

"Oh?" Rufina's eyes grew wide with curiosity. "Do tell more!"

"Back when I lived in the Mark, I would take a charcoal stick and sketch designs on the walls of our home, and then color them with tempera made from eggs and whatever pigments we could come up with." Elffled was not accustomed to discussing her simple pastime with others, but Mistress Juna had emphasized the importance of skills and talents amongst the students at the School of Industry.

"I also created some of those paintings," Elfhild pointed out, glad for the change of topic. Conversations about the past often tended to turn morose when the participants were slaves.

"Then both of you must attend the art class with me!" Her face lighting up with excitement, Rufina took the two sisters' hands in her own. "We work on many projects there, and create works of great beauty. While some of the classes here at the school are mandatory – such as reading and writing, history, mathematics, and the textile workshop – you can choose others which interest you. This way, you can improve your skills or learn new ones. I certainly hope that both of you will choose art!"

Elffled smiled at Rufina's enthusiasm. "I certainly will consider it."

At that moment, a cheer rose up from the crowd, signifying that the sparring match was over. Rounds of congratulations went up for the winner, along with sympathetic condolences for the loser. With the excitement over with for the evening, the students began to disperse throughout the courtyard. Rufina led the twins around the grounds, giving them a tour of some of her favorite places. Once again, Elfhild and Elffled felt a sense of gratitude for the kindness shown to them by their new friend.

After the sun set and twilight descended upon the Western Province of Nurn, Mistress Juna and Mistress Akeya called for an assembly of the new students so that they might educate them upon the next part of their daily ritual at the School of Industry. It was customary to go to the bathhouse in the evening, she explained, informing her charges that cleanliness was considered a very important virtue in Nurn. Leading the new students through the corridors of the school, the headmistress came to a large building that had been built next to the kitchen. The Rohirric girls soon found themselves standing in the dressing room of the bathhouse, looking uncertainly at their surroundings. The bathkeeper, a short, plump woman whose hair was a cloud of perpetual frizz due to the humidity, introduced herself as Mistress Cheniri. All of the bathhouse servants and masseuses were present, for it was always an exciting day whenever new students were added to the school. Like many of Esarhaddon's servants, Mistress Cheniri and her assistants wore the green and yellow livery of the House of Huzziya. However, their uniforms, if uniforms they could truly be called, consisted of green and yellow striped towels wrapped tightly about their bodies. Upon their feet the women wore curious-looking wooden sandals set upon high platforms, making them appear taller than they really were.

Elfhild and Elffled glanced around the spacious dressing room, which was illuminated by the soft glow of lanterns hanging from the ceiling and lamps on tables situated in strategic locations around the chamber. Their gaze was immediately drawn to the lovely fountain in the middle of the large chamber. Constructed of highly polished marble in the shape of a seashell, the fountain boasted an intriguing sculpture of some sort of sea creature in the center. Water shot straight up into the air from the creature's mouth and cascaded back into the fountain. There was a large cabinet with many pigeonholes where guests could put their belongings whilst they bathed. Tall, leafy plants in cunningly wrought pots were situated near the screened in windows.

"Because the seven of you are new to the School of Industry, I have brought you to the bathhouse before the other students," Juna explained, clasping her hands together as she addressed her charges. "With over a hundred novices and apprentices living here at the school, students have to take turns and go in groups to the bathhouse. You are quite fortunate to be able to visit when the building is not so crowded."

"The bathhouse is quite a popular place," Mistress Cheniri added, nodding exuberantly. "There are public bathhouses in every city in Nurn, but this one is only for the use of the students and staff of the School of Industry. There is a separate, smaller facility which is reserved for members of Shakh Esarhaddon's household."

"Thank you for educating these new scholars on such matters." Mistress Juna gave the bathkeeper an appreciative smile. "They have so much to learn about life here in Nurn, and some of our customs and practices might seem strange to them."

"We shall endeavor to make the new students feel welcome and familiarize them with our ways." Mistress Cheniri turned back to the Rohirric girls. "The attendants will help you prepare for the baths."

"I am Nînzad, and I will be attending to your needs this evening," announced a cheerful girl with dark hair and light tawny skin. Like the other bathhouse servants, she wore a green and yellow striped towel. The cloth was wrapped about her middle, leaving her chest exposed. In one hand she carried a small basket of supplies.

"I am Hild, and this is my sister Fleda," Elfhild replied, gesturing towards her twin. She blushed softly as her gaze fell upon the girl's bare breasts, which were quite large despite her slight figure. The bathhouse servant gave no indication that she had taken offense at the awkward glance; in fact, she seemed so comfortable in her own nudity that she did not realize that anyone was staring at her.

"We have never been to a bathhouse before," Elffled remarked shyly. She looked around the dressing room and saw that the other Rohirric girls were clustered around bath attendants, most likely listening to the same speech.

"Well, I fear that you will have to wait a while before you go inside." Nînzad gave the twins an apologetic look. "First, I will be trimming your hair to get rid of the damaged parts and encourage new growth. Mistress Juna strongly suggested that I style your hair in different fashions, because it is so difficult to tell the two of you apart. Would you have any objections with this?"

Elfhild and Elffled looked at each other. They had never tried to resemble each other on purpose; they were identical twins, after all, and it was impossible not to notice their similarities. But, outside of their choices of clothing, they had never sought to appear different from each other, either.

"How would you make us look different?" Elffled asked, intrigued.

"Hmmm..." Nînzad studied the two girls and then picked up a section of Elffled's hair. "Well, I could dye your hair red while your sister's tresses remain golden, but I fear the henna might turn your hair into a brilliant shade of cherry." She giggled softly and scrunched up her nose. "I think we should settle for less drastic changes."

"But I like the color red," Elffled protested, wondering how she would look as an outrageous ginger. Perhaps she would look as pretty as fair Rufina.

"Then everyone would gawk at you and say, 'Oh, look at that strange foreign girl whose hair looks like a cherry.'" Elfhild shook her head. "No, I think Nînzad is right. Small changes are much better."

"Many Nurniag girls have hair which is cut shorter in the front," Nînzad informed them. "They then curl these sections into tendrils or leave them hanging in wispy strands about their faces. Others sport a light fringe of hair which falls over their foreheads. Braided styles are also popular, but I would not have time to arrange your hair in such a fashion this evening. If you allow me to trim your hair as I see fit, perhaps people will be able to see the subtle differences in your appearances."

"We are not familiar with the way the ladies of Nurn style their hair," Elfhild remarked shyly. "Please advise us as to what would look best." She did not want to stand out as a foreigner in her new home.

"Just make us look pretty and we will be happy," Elffled giggled, feeling adventurous.

Chuckling, Nînzad instructed the twins to sit down upon a cushioned bench. Taking two barber capes from her basket, she wrapped the wide swath of material around each girl's shoulders and then smoothed their hair down over their backs. Brushing and combing their tresses, she cut away the damage caused by the dry winds of the desert and the dust of the trail. She trimmed the hair which hung from Elfhild's temples until it fell in graduating layers from her cheek to her chin. The style she chose for Elffled was similar, but she gave her long, wispy fringes which fell to either side of her forehead to frame her eyes. When Nînzad was done, she held up a hand mirror so that both girls could see themselves.

"Oh, we look so different!" Elffled gasped, marveling at her new look, which she thought made her look mischievous and playful.

"You see, you do not have to dye your hair the color of cherries to change your appearance." Nînzad laughed as she removed the capes from around the twins' shoulders. "Now, come, it is time for you to go to the warm room. Here you will linger a while to allow your body to become accustomed to the warmth of the bath. Though you can bathe here as well, few of the girls do, save those who cannot tolerate the heat."

"How many rooms are in the bath?" Elfhild asked.

"There is the dressing room, which you have already seen; next comes the warm room, which you are about to see; and finally there is the hot room," Nînzad replied. "While the student bathhouse is large, it is relatively simple in design. You should see the facility which is reserved for Shakh Esarhaddon and his family! Now that is a grand bathhouse, complete with a heated pool."

"Bathing in Nurn is certainly a complicated affair," Elfhild remarked, her mind reeling at the discovery of so many strange new customs. Back in the Mark, she waited her turn to bathe in an old wooden tub, or went to the nearby stream when the weather was warm.

After giving Elfhild and Elffled long towels to wrap around their bodies, Nînzad instructed the girls to undress and put their personal belongings in one of the many cabinets which lined one of the walls of the dressing room. Both sisters felt somewhat uncomfortable undressing around strangers, but at least there were no men around. They had always hated the attention of the guards when they had bathed on the journey. Once the twins had secured their towels about their bosoms, Nînzad gave them each a pair of raised wooden sandals to wear.

"These are pattens, special shoes you wear in the bath," Nînzad explained. "Their tall platforms keep you from slipping and falling upon the wet tiles."

"They seem more dangerous than beneficial," Elfhild remarked, uncertain how she could ever walk in such strange shoes. She took a few hesitant steps, feeling disoriented by her sudden surge in height.

"At least they make you taller," Elffled giggled.

Nînzad ushered the twins through a wooden door, and they found themselves in a long rectangular chamber. Nînzad was not lying about the room being warm; almost instantly the heated air caused beads of perspiration to break out upon the twins' foreheads. Looking about their surroundings, the girls saw that the long room branched off into several smaller cubicles which were separated from the main area by semi-circular enclosures. The chamber was lit by glass domes in the vaulted ceiling, the muted light creating an ambience of tranquility as well as mystery. Slabs of gray and white marble lined the bottom half of the walls, while the upper half was composed of plastered stone; a row of blue and white floral tiles divided the two sections. The twins were reminded of the ancient ruins of Osgiliath, although the stonework in the bathhouse was in pristine condition and not crumbling and pitted with age.

Several rounded basins jutted out from the walls, and the twins gasped in amazement when they saw one of the bathhouse attendants turn a brass knob on the wall, causing a stream of water to shoot out of the marble and splash into the basin below.

"The wonders of magic," Elfhild whispered in awe.

"No," Nînzad laughed, "the wonders of plumbing."

"What is... plumbing?" Elffled asked, her brow furrowing.

"It is what allows this bathhouse and all bathhouses to function the way they do. A vast system of pipes runs under the floors and through the walls, channeling heated water through the bathhouse," Nînzad explained, gesturing around the room. "Unless you are both interested in becoming bath attendants, I doubt you would find a discussion of the system a very interesting conversation." Her light laughter echoed softly against the marble walls.

"I think magic makes for a more interesting explanation," Elffled giggled.

Nînzad led the twins to the entrance to one of the smaller stalls, and the three girls passed beneath the short ornate archway which served as the portal to the tiny room. Two long benches stood on either side of a marble basin which was surrounded by ornate flourishes in the stonework.

"Here you may rest for a while before going to the hot room," Nînzad told the twins before departing.

Elfhild wondered how much hotter that the bathhouse could possibly become, as both she and her sister were already sweating profusely. Of course, Nînzad had told them, that was the whole purpose of the bath, to allow the body to sweat out poisons and impurities. When Nînzad returned, she handed the twins a set of spare towels and then ushered them through a wooden door at the far end of the chamber. Warm, moist air greeted the twins like the slap of a drenched towel. A haze of steam hung over the room, making their surroundings seem smoky and surreal, like a foggy morning before the heat of the sun burnt the mists away. The pastel swirls seemed to shift and undulate as shreds of steam drifted past upon the currents of the air. A low hexagonal platform stood in the center of the chamber, where several of the new students were lounging upon towels. Some appeared to have fallen asleep, while others were being vigorously scrubbed by bath attendants.

Sunlight streamed down through glass domes in the vaulted ceiling, casting radiant star-shaped patterns of light upon the walls and floor. Billowy clouds of steam curled and writhed, drifting through the sunbeams like dust motes caught in the light of a sunny window. Both public and private, the chamber was exposed to the sky yet hidden from the world, a place of bustling activity which was, at the same time, paradoxically tranquil. The twins gasped with pleasure, for it was as though the stars of the heavens had deigned to show their faces in the daytime and dance through the steam.

Nînzad directed Elfhild and Elffled to spread their spare towels upon the stone and then lie down. She then proceeded to scrub their flesh like their mother scrubbed dirt out of clothes, and when she was through, she gave them a massage which felt more like a beating. The twins did not know that the diminutive bathhouse attendant was so strong, and they wondered if she practiced wrestling in her spare time. As she worked, Nînzad told the girls more about the various hygienic customs of Nurn. In the southern lands of Middle-earth, many cultures practiced the custom of body hair removal, for an excess of body hair made one hot and smelly, collected dirt and lint, and provided a breeding ground for lice. She strongly recommended that the twins abide by this custom, and request a hair removal session on their next visit to the bathhouse. After the girls were thoroughly scrubbed and massaged, Nînzad led them back to the warm room, where they lingered for a short while before being returned to the dressing room to await further instructions.

Darkness lay over the land of Nurn when Mistress Juna and Mistress Akeya returned to collect their charges and take them to the dormitory where they would be spending their nights. Many of the new students were beginning to get their bearings as they followed the headmistress back through the corridor that wrapped around the exterior wall of the school, and that which was so strange and alien before now started to seem familiar. Despite the twilight gloom, the girls were able to find their way easily, for brass lanterns hung from the ceiling and walls to illuminate the corridor. Upon reaching the great hall, Juna led the small procession up the nearest staircase to the gallery above. "The sleeping quarters for students are located above the great hall," Juna explained, looking back over her shoulder at the seven young women who were following behind. "The rooms on this gallery are reserved for novices, while apprentices are housed on the opposing side."

A wide balcony ran the entire length of the second floor, and the headmistress instructed the new students to stand before her. "Each one of you will be sharing your sleeping quarters with ten other students, but you will have your own sleeping pallets, pillows, and blankets." Her gaze focused upon the twins. "Hild and Fleda, you will be the first to be assigned to a room. Come forward and I will show you to your designated places."

Leaving the other students in the care of Mistress Akeya, Juna led the twins through the nearest door. The chamber into which Elfhild and Elffled were ushered was dimly lit, and it took a moment for their eyes to adjust to their surroundings. A single brass lantern hanging from the ceiling gave off just enough illumination to chase away the deep dark of night, but the room was purposely kept dim so that its occupants could sleep peacefully. On either side of the chamber was a raised platform upon which rested a row of sleeping mats. Gauzy curtains hung from the ceiling to ward away the night's chill, surrounding the platforms like the walls of two houses built closely together. A carpeted aisle ran between the two platforms, and in order for the sleeper to find her mat, she had to part the curtains and take a small step to the higher level. Walking down the short corridor was like walking down a hall formed of gauzy drapes, the sleeping quarters dim recesses behind the veil. Many of the wealthier homes in Rohan shared this style of architecture, but the sleeping quarters of the school had its own exotic mystique which was far different from the rustic wooden charm of the Riddermark.

"Above your sleeping spaces, there are niches in which you can put any possessions you might obtain during your time here," Mistress Juna explained, gesturing towards the alcove shelving above the beds which had been assigned to the twins. "While you have come here with naught but the clothing upon your backs, you will notice that your shelves are not bare. All of the new students have been provided with school uniforms, as well as various toiletries."

After she had finished speaking with Elfhild and Elffled, Mistress Juna departed from the room to escort the other five Rohirric maidens to their respective quarters. The twins found themselves alone for the time, as the rest of the students had not yet returned from the bathhouse. While they waited, they inspected their new beds and looked through the various items that they had been given. A stack of blankets lay in a neat pile at the end of each sleeping mat; atop the bed coverings lay neatly folded up nightgowns. In the niches above their beds, there was a comb and a brush, a small basket of toiletries, a paisley sack which was stuffed as full as a pillow with rolled up towels and cloths, several small pots filled with creams and unguents, and various other odds and ends.

As the twins began to unfold the bundle of garments that had been left for them, they found two identical outfits which they recognized as the uniform worn by novices at the School of Industry: a cream-colored chemise with elbow-length sleeves; a sleeveless olive-green overdress with a vee neck and buttons down the bodice; and white pantaloons. Though their new garments were in truth far from being new, and some showed obvious signs of wear, Elfhild nor Elffled cared not, for these gowns and tunics were far better than anything they had ever had back in Rohan.

After a quick change into their nightgowns, the girls settled into their beds, which they discovered, to their great delight, were quite soft and comfortable. The excitement of new experiences began to fade, and the quietude of the night caused them to feel the compelling force of sleep. They tried to stave off the exhaustion as best they could, though, for they wanted to greet their new roommates before retiring. This day had seemed to last forever, like an entire week packed into the span of fourteen or so hours. A myriad of emotions they had endured in that short time: horror at witnessing the slave auction; anguish at being parted from their friends; the dreadful anticipation of the long wagon ride to the villa; and amazement at all the wonders contained within the School of Industry. The morning had started out with heartbreak as all ties to their past lives were severed forever, but now they were forging new friendships and attaining a plethora of new knowledge.

Perhaps there was some light in the Land of Shadow, and not all was dark.