Girls were easier... or so she hoped.

[Jaycy Ashleana]

A slight shiver ran up Jaycy’s spine as she sat at the ancient mahogany desk, a pristine scrap of parchment waiting patiently on the cluttered workspace. Correspondence dotted the dark wooden landscape and mingled with books, vials of black ink and flecks of silver wax. She sighed, reaching up to tug the shawl tighter around her shoulders. “I already miss the summer.” Her green gaze turned to the stony, chilled bare walls of the manor and she shook her head. “Ugh.”

Movement to her left caught the gypsy’s attention and she turned in the chair, looking down. Her eight month old son turned his head once more as he slept within the portable basket. As the smile bloomed across her lips, her cheeks dimpled and her eyes softened. Her left hand drifted down toward his cheek. The back of her index finger brushed over smooth flesh with the slightest of touches. The baby boy shifted slightly in his bundle of blankets but did not wake.

Jaycy chuckled and faced the blank parchment once more. The intended note would be short and simple yet thus far it had failed to materialize. She understood why, too. Her first week with a new squire had been … exciting … to say the least and she was beginning to have fourth and fifth thoughts about teaching anyone else. She had offered, however. It was likely Maggie already knew that she would be starting lessons soon. Besides, she’d promised Rekah and Rekah needed a training partner. Maggie should be a good fit for that.

The Baroness sighed again. There was no getting out of this. Who knew; this might turn out much better than Sal was proving to be. Girls were easier. She grinned faintly and slid a glance at her son. “No offense, Jonathan.” The baby slept; he seemed unaffected by the insult given in her silent monologue. Rekah and Maggie needed to be taught on a much more basic level, anyway. Unlike Sal and Skid. She shook her head as she recalled their first display … admittedly, she had asked for it.

“I just hope Rhi doesn’t give Maggie a lot of sugared treats before lessons.” Jaycy grinned as she glanced down at Jonathan. “But if that’s the least of my worries then I should count my blessings, aye love?” It wasn’t surprising when the boy failed to respond. She chuckled and reached at last for the quill. “I should get this over with.”

The long feather was dipped neatly into a pot held a bit above the desk by a slender wrought-iron frame. A tea light candle flickered in a class case on the desk below the pot of ink. A drop of the warmed ink fell onto the parchment as the gypsy moved the quill through the air over the waiting strip. She quickly dabbed the drop with an errant scrap of paper with her left hand as her right set the tip of the quill to the paper in readiness. She tossed the newly stained scrap onto the mahogany once more and began to write.

Rhi,

I would like to start lessons with Maggie on Friday. If possible, I would like to begin lessons at noon that day and have a two hour lesson that day. After that, each day during the working week I would like to meet with her, for one and a half hours per day, at a time to be agreed upon between you, Rekah and myself. Rekah will be training with her during all sessions.

Maggie will need a wooden sword immediately. As soon as she can I would prefer she have light leather armor for sparring – I would think extra padding is not necessary as Rekah is sweet (and will be using nerf weapons anyway until she learns to control her attacks).

I intend to teach Maggie not only to duel but to defend herself in a real world situation, as I am sure you expect. I just don’t want there to be any confusion, especially if in the future my methods may seem a little strange coming from a dueling instructor. I have nothing specific that comes to mind right now but I am sure there will be something if she continues to study with me as she gets older.

If Friday is not agreeable or you or your husband needs to discuss certain other aspects with me, please find me either at the Seaside Manor or at the Arena. I am available any time either of you need me.

Jaycy

The gypsy set the quill down, the soiled tip resting on the ink-stained scrap of paper. She folded the letter to Rhi into thirds and sealed it with silver wax softened by the candle preventing her ink from freezing. She pressed her seal – a miniature winged tiger – into the four drops of wax dripped onto the topmost edge of the folded parchment, signifying the sender as well as ensuring the letter would remain closed until its recipient intended to read it. She stood, gathered the sealed letter in one hand and the handle of the basket in the other, and left the chilled office.

[Rhiannon D Harker]

Rhi smiled as she read the note and penned a reply.

Jaycy,

I'll have Maggie there and ready to go. I still have the padded armor I wore when I was in Rising Stars. With a little adjustment it should be just about right for her. We already got her a wooden sword. She's very excited about learning to duel!

She might not be ready for such long stretches. Her attention span is pretty good for a three year old, but I think an hour a day for the first month or so would work out very well. Better to have the shorter time with her paying attention than to have a longer lesson that doesn't sink in. I do understand and approve of your desire to teach Maggie to defend herself.

About the nerf weapons, I had originally planned to have Maggie start out with one, but to be honest, if she is going to take this seriously, she needs to learn that dueling can be painful. I probably sound like a bad mother, but my own mother taught me the same way. I suppose it's a lot like that saying about get off the porch if you want to run with the big dogs.

Thank you for taking Maggie on as a student.

Rhiannon

Maggie's big day came and she climbed out of bed before daybreak to rouse her parents from their slumber. Fortunately, Catie and Rick no longer slept in the alcove off their parents' room that had once served as a nursery. Pouncing on her father first the three year old yelled, "Hoppit Poppit!" Hop on Pop was her favorite book and it had become a battlecry of sorts for the little girl when she was going in for a tackle on her dear old dad.

"Ooof ... " was pretty much the only thing Dennis was able to say before a small hand covered his mouth.

"I get to go duel, Da!" Her hazel sparkled with delight as she jumped up and down.

"You be a good girl, Maggiebug," he said when she finally moved her hand.

Early mornings in the Harker's house were down to a science at this point. It was Bertie's day to sleep in while Dennis fixed breakfast and Rhi got Maggie dressed. The twins were apparently following Bertie's example and sleeping in a bit, too. Rhi was well aware that they'd be stirring soon and she needed to eat her breakfast while she had both hands free!

With the household's normal morning drill settled, Rhi went to help Maggie get her things together. They packed a small bag with extra clothes, the wooden sword, and the armor.

"Mama, will Catie and Rick get lesson, too?"

"Not yet, they are still working on learning to ride." Rhiannon smiled thoughtfully as she boarded the ferry with her daughter.

"I can do that!" Maggie squealed.

"Yes, you can, you little fence climber." She grinned from ear to ear as she recalled the first time she'd climbed on the fence and used it to mount up. Her daughter was no less adventurous.

Maggie answered that grin with one of her own. "Gran told me you did it, so I tried!"

Sapphire blue eyes looked over the child as Rhiannon remembered those infamous words ... I hope you have a child just like you. Rhi was suddenly glad she hadn't been a horrible preschooler, Maggie was a handful as it was!

Mother and daughter arrived at Seaside Manor. Maggie was allowed an orange juice box and trip to bathroom before things got underway. It was something Rhi had schooled herself to do when she was a girl; juice hydrated the body and the bathroom trip prevented embarrassment. Just before the lesson, Rhi crouched down to help Mairead don her padded armor. Much like her mother, the girl was not fond of it. It restricted movement, but it would keep her from being seriously injured while she trained.

[Rhiannon D Harker]

The lessons for Maggie had gone on for several weeks. The incident with the most recent Overlord challenge, however, had caused things to change. While it pained Rhiannon to write the letter to Jaycy, it was harder to explain to Mairead that she would be needing a new dueling instructor.

Dear Jaycy,

In light of the recent events surrounding the Overlord match between Anubis Karos and Teagan Rielea, I regret to say that Mairead will not coming to class anymore.

I sincerely wish you well.

Rhiannon Harker

Maggie frowned as she watched her mother.

"Mama, why can't we go no more?"

"Anymore, Maggie," Rhi corrected. "Because Jaycy did something that Gran and I don't approve of. I don't want you to learn to behave that way."

"Gran said that," Maggie's face scrunched, "Mama, what's a boral?"

"You mean a moral?"

"Yes!" The three year old nodded.

"Morals are what people live by, I suppose. Their sense of right and wrong. For instance, it's wrong of you to tell Catie and Rick not to steal cookies and then do it yourself. They learn from you, you know."

"No stealing cookies." Maggie waggled her finger and spoke sternly. "Can we have Hop it, Pop it, now, Mama?" The wonder of a three year old was that they bounced back quickly.

Rhi smiled thoughtfully. There was no need to tell the little girl that going against one's morals not only diminished them in the eyes of others but to themselves as well. Not yet, anyway.