Sorry about the sporadic nature of the updates... my Muse is unfortunately one of the flightier sorts. Sometimes we have... er... problems.

GilraenFilassion: Thank you for reviewing! Unfortunately, Ella won't be making an appearance quite just yet (got stuck with the longer flight from RoseAirlines, lol). But don't worry! She'll be showing up in the next chapters, that is, if everything goes to plan... Hope you enjoy this chappie, anyways.

Promiscuous Geek: Hehe, me too. But then again, you know me and my ultimate weakness for arrogant, cold-hearted jerks. ...Well, at least in fiction! (Btw: Will be relying on you soon! Hint)

o O o O o

Chapter Five

”Fire and Ice”

o O o O o

'What a vividly odd dream I had last night. Ella is going to love hearing about this one!' was Jasmine’s first thought as she was awoken by the sound of birds chirping and sunlight dancing over her face. She was wrapped in silk and soft cotton – exactly the way she liked – snuggled deep and warm under heavy blankets.

‘Wait a minute… sunlight?’

Jasmine knew for a fact she would never, ever go to bed without tightly shutting her curtains… Eyes widening, and with growing horror, she sat up abruptly, realising that what she had originally thought – desperately hoped – was just an unusual dream was actually far, far too real.

She was lying on a luxurious four-poster bed in a fanciful, well-decorated room. Sunlight streamed from the large window on her right, from where she glimpsed the clear blue sky and rolling gardens below.

The room was a soft cream in colour, with heavy velvet curtains and draperies in rich purple. The bed was not the only ornate thing it contained, rather, everything it held seemed to be of polished, carved mahogany. Beside her bed there was a quaint little bedside cabinet and a beautiful vanity set, which complemented the round dining table and matching chairs towards the middle. Pushed to one side of the room was a large writing desk with a sturdy bookcase, while in the dark corner lurked a curious little cabinet and a tall, albeit somewhat dusty, wardrobe.

Her observations jolted her memories, and she groaned audibly as the events of the night before flashed before her eyes.

'Great! Instead of having a relaxing, quiet walk in the woods with Ella, I'm in some random place in who-knows-where, trying to save the world.'

A soft knock on the door interrupted her cynical musings.

"Come i..." she began, but stopped short when she remembered that she wasn't on Earth in the 21st century any longer.

"Oh, enter please." she amended quickly, hoping that no one had caught her slip.

A maid, whom she faintly recognized as the one who have served her the night before, entered meekly and shut the door.

"Good morning, miss," she said, while giving a deep curtsy. "Your breakfast is ready."

"Thank you, um..." Jasmine's voice trailed away when she discovered that she had no idea whom she was talking to.

The maid blinked and gave a soft gasp when she saw that Jasmine actually wanted to know her name, then rushed to speak. "Me, miss? I'm Leila."

Jasmine smiled warmly at her. "Good morning, Leila."

Leila blushed but continued. "When the morning tea bell tolls, Lord Adrian requests your presence in the Rose Parlour-"

"Not like I've got any choice on the matter." Jasmine snappily interrupted, muttering darkly to herself.

"- And, begging your pardon, miss, but your gow—um… clothes… are too ruined to wear... I have collected a few spares, but I’m afraid that they will not fit you quite right. Of course, miss, the palace seamstresses are available today should you wish to take measurements for a new personal set." As she spoke, Leila opened the wardrobe and pulled out a tea-gown of deep crimson which she quickly helped Jasmine into.

In the half hour that followed, Jasmine was brushed, groomed and basically dolled up to Leila's satisfaction, until she could finally turn around and see the final results.

‘Oh.’

To the chagrin and embarrassing disappointment of her inner romantic, there had been no ‘Cinderella’ effect. As she looked into the mirror, Jasmine saw the same pair of large chocolate-brown eyes with their dark, Asian-short lashes, the same button nose and pale skin, and the same smooth curtain of long black hair… in short, the same face mirrored back on any normal day. Only her clothing was different. The gown, after being subjected to Leila's ministrations, thankfully fitted slightly better than it had before – the bust area was still slightly loose, but below that, the newly gathered fabric clung tightly to her tiny waist before falling into the rich pleats of a rather longer-than-preferred skirt. Not exactly the most convincing image of a court lady of Itinaia… but it would do.

Breakfast was simple fare – Jasmine gulped down the light porridge, the two slices of what looked like plain brown bread, the fresh green apple, and the glass of warm goat's milk. Only when she started eating did she realise how hungry she really was – it felt like she hadn't eaten for days!

Just as she was finishing up, the morning tea bell rang and Leila led her out the room. They passed through the many corridors of the castle that were just as elaborate as Jasmine remembered, until they finally stopped by a heavy oak door. Leila knocked briefly, opened the door and ushered her in, before disappearing as quickly and quietly as a mouse, leaving Jasmine all alone to face the cold, phlegmatic Lord Adrian – the Royal Mage.

o O o O o

Stumbling a little on her skirt, Jasmine scanned the room briefly. True to its name, the Rose Parlour was a mirage of pink, the dream of femininity. It was decorated with lace and soft satin, roses placed upon almost every available surface, filling the air with their heady, fragrant scent.

She did not have any time to observe further, as her gaze was caught by Adrian. In the better light of day, Jasmine saw that he was, in fact, very striking. The sunlight danced over his smooth, pale skin, emphasizing the high cheekbones and softening the angular planes of his face. Rich hair, darker than midnight, swept across his forehead and gently brushed against his ears and the nape of his neck, contrasting sharply with the piercing sapphire of his eyes. He was dressed in what Jasmine believed to be a plain, black mage's robe, although it bore an important-looking emblem a little left from the centre, and the cuffs with embroidered with a strip of satin ribbon the same colour as his eyes. He could not be described as incredibly handsome, but there was an enigmatic aura about him and with his elegant movements and panther-like grace, he held a kind of aristocratic beauty.

"Good morning." Jasmine greeted cheerfully, giving a warm smile. She was hoping that her day could start on a good note, and that Adrian's coldness was only a temporary slip of the night before.

No such luck.

Adrian merely glanced at her, his face stony and devoid of any expression.

"Sit." he replied instead, his voice as contemptuous and commanding as Jasmine remembered. Jasmine raised her eyebrows, but did as she was told. ’So much for a good start’, she thought, her cheerful mood fading.

He did not speak for a long time, assessing her critically with an unnerving stare. The silence dragged on, and Jasmine began to shift uncomfortably in her seat. To her relief, he finally spoke again.

"The king does not deal lightly with spies."

Jasmine’s hackles rose. Was this man physically incapable of being remotely courteous? She had never met anyone else who could stoke her anger to such an extent by simply opening his mouth. "You think I’m a spy? Should I be flattered?”

He simply raised an eyebrow. "Well, explain, then, why a girl of your age would be alone out in the Lower City so late at night. Unless, of course…"

Jasmine was now livid; the implications of his comment none too subtle. She stood up abruptly to slap his irritating smirk off his face before thinking better of it. Her voice was deadly soft and shaking with rage as she spoke. "You assume too much."

He leaned back lazily on his armchair, completely unaffected by her fury, and waited for her answer.

Jasmine's anger immediately dissolved into panic. ‘Crap!! I haven't got an alibi!!’ She sat down again, her mind racing furiously over mental lists of pros and cons. Instantly she realised there really was only one option – weak as it was. Out of its own accord, as if sensing a decision made, her mouth opened and she began to speak.

“I… well, truth be told, I do not know myself how I got to where I was. I didn’t know that I was in the ‘Lower City’, didn’t know that I was in Itinaia… I only knew that I was in a strange, unfamiliar place – and most certainly not where I was supposed to be. Still frightened and disorientated, I was then attacked by two drunken men… but then, somehow, I don't know what happened... I think I lit them on fire..."

"I see. So an amnesiac Yang girl, with perfect Talin grammar and clearly at least some education, I might add, suddenly discovered she had a vast quantity of magic while being attacked by intoxicated Itinaian citizens late last night." he interrupted, skeptical. "I find liars very tiring."

"And I find it deplorable that the so-called Royal Mage cannot grasp simple truths!" Jasmine retorted back, clasping her sweaty hands tightly together so that they would not betray her with their nervous shaking. "Yang? Talin? How can I defend myself when I haven’t a clue what you are talking about?"

Under such duress, it was easy to produce the hopeless tears glittering in her eyes. She glared at him before quickly looking down, briefly speculating on how ironic it all was, being interrogated in a room meant for quiet murmurings and lovers.

“I do not know where I am. I do not know who I am. I remember nothing of my family, my past, my age… only that my name is Jasmine. If I were a spy, well then, tell me, what use now is one whose entire purpose has been lost? Furthermore, until the attack, I had known nothing of my recently discovered magic, and that is the truth, whether you believe so or not.” That having been said, Jasmine raised her eyes, and there was a clear challenge reflected in them. “Now then, will you subject me to torture, since I have not given you a correct, required or expected answer?"

A silence again, after her brief speech. Jasmine struggled to calm her racing heart, hoping fervently that Adrian bought her story. She was proficient enough at lying to fool most people (Ella swore she could easily make a fortune in poker), but Adrian was not ‘most’ people.

It seemed like an eternity had passed before Adrian abruptly stood up again, in the same tense, yet dangerously graceful movements of a hunting tiger. He faced the window, his back turned to her. "I suppose I will have to be your tutor, then." he finally said, sounding as if he hated the idea. The statement was so out-of-the-blue that it took all of Jasmine’s willpower to refrain from suddenly collapsing in a helpless bout of relief-filled giggles. "You may live in your current quarters, until your training has ended. You will awake when the dawn bell tolls, and come to my workroom when breakfast is finished. The time I tutor you will vary depending on the amount of time I have to spare but you are expected to finish your assigned tasks before the next day. I bear no responsibilities for your actions, and your well-being is not of my concern. We begin tomorrow. You may leave."

Jasmine blinked at his abruptness, her amusement lost as quickly as it came, hurt by his arrogant tone. By now, she didn't care about the importance of the prophecy, or what part Shorelai wanted her to play anymore – besides, there had to be some mistake! Apocalypse or no, pigs would fly before she would ever agree to work with someone as cruel and malicious as this Adrian!

"Just a minute, you arrogant prat! What makes you think I'm going to agree with this?! Just because I have magic doesn't mean I have to train with it, and even if I do, I still don't have to learn from someone as discourteous and heartless as you!"

Adrian stiffened and slowly turned around, eyes narrowed. Uh-oh. "No one speaks to me like that, if they value their lives." His voice was deceptively calm. "That was a warning."

"You think I want to tutor someone as lowly, as unclean as you?" He gave a chilling laugh. "Go on, leave then. Do not blame me when your unchannelled magic has wrecked havoc and caused damage around the kingdom, and when the people's blood is on your hands. Along with your own, of course."

"What do you mean??" Anger always caused Jasmine’s usually quiet voice to rise dramatically.

He smirked darkly at her. "You think magic can simply be left alone? Even a fool knows that if you do not learn to control your magic, it will control you. Objects will burn by your hands, and your power will cause chaos where ever you go. It will be even worse for you, as no one in the entire kingdom, excluding myself, has magic in the quantity you possess. If they attempt to teach you, your powers will overwhelm them, and they will be destroyed."

Jasmine turned pale when she realised he spoke the truth.

"FINE! As much as I hate it, I will be your student. Don't expect an easy time though; I am not one to be ordered around at your every whim."

Here she gave a small curtsy. "Have a good day, my lord." she said mockingly, before spinning around to leave, slamming the door behind her.

End Chapter 5