Well, here I am.  I’m officially a Lycee student.  It was hard to say goodbye to my parents and my siblings this morning; my parents, especially, seemed sad.  I reminded them that I would be home at week’s end – that this was not goodbye forever.  I suppose all parents feel sad when their children leave home, no matter how long the absence.  I’m sure I will feel the same way when my children go off to Lycee.

But here I am!  The Great House of Equus is immense! It was designed by the first attempted Dragonhorse, Warlander, who was an architect and stone-structure engineer, and construction was begun on it over two thousand years ago, so it is ancient indeed.  It was finished over seven hundred years later, which seems like a long time, but it is the size of a city in and of itself, and carved from Equi Alabaster, the living stone of Equus, and the strongest,  which is a good thing, because this place is massive.  I think I said that.  I’m just so excited. 

Many of the academic halls are contained in one part of the Great House, surrounding the Great Library, but many are also spread amongst outlying buildings, depending on what one chooses to study.  My discipline lies here, within the main complex.  I will not have to brave rain or snow to get where I am going, since my room is also here, very close to the library. I was surprised to get it, since such convenient rooms are usually reserved for students finishing, not beginning, and I have a room to myself, which seems a little odd.  I hope my reputation as a troublemaker has not preceded me.  Ha!

The city itself is very crowded with people and vehicles, but here it is quiet.  I like that.  There is a place to stroll at the top of the hill, with lush gardens and a view of the sea.  I stood there for a few minutes this afternoon and strained to see my island, but it was far away in the mists and the miles. 

One of the things I do not understand is why I am not seeing any of the students with whom I went to Final Form.  At least four of us should have arrived together.  I know Ah’livia should have arrived today with her sister, Ah’lin.  And Dunlin.  My friend of many years, Dunlin, should be here.  Where is he?  I know he was coming.

This is my final entry for the night, and while this morning I was full of excitement, I am now confused and apprehensive.  I waited.  I did.  It was after dinner and still Dunlin was not here – the twins were not here, so I went and I asked the man who is in charge of getting all of us settled.  He asked me for their full names.  Then he gave me the strangest look, and said something even stranger.  He said, “No students with those names are enrolled here.  No Equi with those names in that order even exist.”

He is wrong, I know he is!  I grew up with those people.  Dunlin and I are … very close friends.  He and I have plans.  Tomorrow I’m going to go home and find my friends.  This school and this city can do without me for a day.  It is past curfew or I would leave right now, but that is against the rules, so I’m going to try to get some sleep.  Perhaps all of this will make more sense in the morning.