[h2]Astrid[/h2]

Astrid had been shown around the school by Katalina, but by dinner time, Katalina had decided to leave Astrid to her own devices. Apparently Katalina complained that she needed to go swim for a bit. So, Astrid had been spending the past hour in the front sitting room. She had been warned to keep her spear in their room, at least until all the teachers had left. They were all, as Katalina had said, and then Eleanor had scolded her for saying the word earlier, 'mundies.' Astrid understood that the word was not to be used, but she got why Katalina would use it. She had seen it with her parents. They didn't understand where she had gone, why she was different. They tried to help as much as they could, but they would never understand.

She heard the sounds of the dinner bell ringing and sighed as she realized that she better eat something, otherwise she was going to have a reaction later. She still had to speak to this 'Kade' fellow about her medicine. Eleanore had made it clear that Kade was to be asked about things like that, as well as medicine. She wasn't sure why, but Eleanore had just said: "Trust me," winked and then had walked off when Astrid had tried to ask her more.

She headed to dinner, deciding what she wanted was to be alone for the moment. The two girls from earlier had been too much, and she didn't know anyone other that Katalina really. She knew that she would meet more of them later, at the orientation, and she was fine with that. This was still so much to take in. A whole school full of people like her? That had gone to other worlds?

Yes, she had seen some of those worlds while she had been a Valkyrie. Collecting the souls of those that had died in battle had been her task. So many brave souls, so many people... and she found herself missing it. The halls full of laughter, no one ever sitting alone... it was a big party. She missed the smell of mead, the intermingling, the sounds of music... everything here was different.