I think this is going to be chaper 3 or 4 I haven't decided on how much story to put in between the first one and this one. But this was the next chapter I had mostly done so I thought I would go a head and post it.

It has taken us a month to get this far. Brode, my best friend, is standing with me on the bow of the trading vessel " Broomhilda" on which we have booked passage from the island nation of Pirth back to the mainland, the Kingdom of Arnum. We are silently waiting with bated breath to get our first glimpse in 5 years of the land we call home. Home. Even after 5 years I can still remember the last image I have in my head of Arnum, and the port city of Crund, with it's lights just starting to flicker on in the windows of houses and shops as it slipped away over the horizon behind us at dusk the night we sailed away from everything that was familiar and safe, into the open arms of the unexpected and unknown at the Academy. The Academy, I still can't believe it's over. The education it offered had been way more challenging and gratifying to obtain than I ever expected. I gorged myself on lessons of war tactics and strategies. Honed my body and mind on rigorous battle drills and fighting forms. I relished every obstacle the instructors put in front of me and cherished the feelings of triumph after overcoming each and every one of them and before I knew it, on a bright spring day only a month ago I found the headmaster knocking on my dormitory door just before the midday meal.

"Morac it's Drener. May I come it?"

I crossed the small room that had become my home slowly over the years and opened the door for the grizzled old soldier that all the students held in such high esteem.

"Headmaster Drener please come in..."

I step aside and invite him into the room as I turn around I realized there is no where for the retired general to sit. I scramble to clear books and stacks of paper off the one small chair in the room in front of the small old desk. I gesture to the now clean(ish) chair as I settle down on the one corner of the bed that isn't covered in dirty clothes. Drener settles into the chair then sits regarding me for a long moment before he starts to talk.

"How long have you been with us Morac?" "Just a little over 5 years sir. Brode and I arrived a few months before the great storm." "Ah that's right. You and young master Brode were on the last merchant vessel that arrived that season." "Yes sir." "It's amazing how quickly time slips away from us. It seems like only yesterday I was a Blue Guard General in your grandfathers cort.”

I was taken aback by this last statement. Forget that Drener knew my grandfather personally, what scared me was that he knew who my grandfather was at all. For the last 5 years Brode and I have guarded the nature of my true identity closer than anything else. It's not that I found any of the other students disreputable or untrustworthy for the most part, but with all the homesick letters that are sent to mothers and fathers it would only take one small slip to have who knows what kind of criminals or despots arriving to abduct or kill me. A princess could be a very valuable hostage, or even slave outside the borders of Arnum, or at least that was what my

father tried to drill into my head on the long sail down the Trent river from the Arnum Capital to the port of Crund all those years ago. To hear him tell it there should have been briggends around every rock.

"I'm not sure I know what you are talking about Headmaster. My grandfather was a midlevel merchant in Mort."

"Please, your Highness, I understand lying to your classmates and even your instructors was a necessary evil to help guarantee your safety, but it is not required on my account. I've known who you were since you stepped off the boat that first day. Anyone who has spent as much time watching over your family, your grandfather in particular, as I did would have known your lineage as soon as you were close enough for them to look you in the eyes. His eyes, your father's eyes. You know I was your grandfathers Master at Arms. I helped train both your father and uncle."

"If you have known all this time why have you never said anything or told anyone?"

"Firstly it wasn't my secret to tell, and second as a member of the Blue Guard, retired or not, it was still my first duty to protect you."

"​Was​ your duty?"

"Yes ​was​. You and the young master Brode will be leaving us in the morning."

"Your kicking us out? You can't! If this is about the lying about who we were as you said it was necessary security precautions. But I take full responsibility for it. Please do not punish Brode for a decision I made."

The wizened old warrior smiles and pulls out a long fabric bundle that I hadn't noticed him carry into the room."You misunderstand Morac. Your not being kicked out, your graduating. Usually there would be weapons presentation ceremony in front of the other students and a chance to celebrate your accomplishments but the sailing season is almost over and I suspect you are eager to start the next phase of your journey. So..."

He lays the bundle on the small desk and unties the twine holding it closed at each end. I leave my corner of the mattress to stand next to him as he unveils what is inside. I bend over to get a better look and as the last layer of cloth falls away my breath catches in my throat. It's a sword and scabbard. The hilt is wrapped in a fine silver wire that seems to almost be glowing and that matches the silver of the engraved crossguard. I take a closer look at the guard and can only make out a few of the old runes for protection and strength. An old prayer to the Warrior, armorers use to inscribe each weapon they crafted with one to protect the clansman who wielded it. On the pommel there is a deep blue polished piece of lapis with a carving of a bear that has been expertly set by a master jeweler no doubt. As beautiful as it is it isn't a ceremonial blade, I can tell it was made with great care and was meant to be used. Without thinking I reach out to pick it up but then remember myself and stop in mid motion to turn to the old Guardsman.

"May I?"

"Of course, it's yours after all."

I reach into the bundle and lift the sword out with reverence and care, like a mother holding her baby for the first time. I slowly unsheathed it to examine the blade. It's made up of what appears to be hundreds if not thousands of paper thin, undulating layers of blued and silver steel like the turbulent waves of the western ocean. There is a slight engraving down the length of the blade, at one time it might have been deeper but years of use have worn it down. I walk over to the narrow arrow slit in the was that passes as a window and tilt the blade to catch the noon sun to try and read it. Drener saves me the time.

"It says Ursus Azules. Do you know what that means?"

I think back to the lessons in the historical languages I had as a young girl. I've never been fluent in the old tongue but I knew enough to read some of the old books. I try to call up what I remember and then I think about the pommel inlay.

"The blue bear?"

"Correct. I'm glad to see they still teach the old language at court. The female bear is one of the fiercest protectors in the animal kingdom. I once saw a mother bear take on an entire pack of wolves and win in order to protect her cubs. Seems a fitting blade for you."

"Ursus? I've seen that used as a name before, but where...” I rack my brain to try and make the connection and it comes to me, “Ursus Dovana, she was Quintus's wife, and the first queen of Arnum"

"Correct again. Before the Elves left this land they made 2 blades for each of the 12 war clans. One for each of the leaders and their wives. Though at the time the clans didn't know that. They each thought they were special when in reality the elves were just trying to buy a little more time of goodwill from each of the clans to prevent any invasion until after they sailed away across the eastern ocean. They were a conniving and scheming race but their metal work is second to none. But that doesn’t matter now, what matters is that blade you're holding once belonged to Ursus Dovana herself."

"But where did you possibly find it?None if the legend blades made it through the dark age."

"Almost none. Quintus destroyed all the legend blades when he united the clans, except his and his beloveds. Your grandfather gifted Ursus to me on my knighting day. He said it was an old family heirloom but that he hated that it was sitting in a locked cabinet not being used for what it was intended for. Since my retirement here to run the Academy I’m ashamed to say it hasn’t gotten the attention it deserves. I think it's about time it went back to your family."

"Thank you sir. I'll cherish it."

"Good. Well go on then, strap it on."

I can hardly contain myself as I work the sward onto my belt. Once it is settled I rest my hand on the pommel just like it was always meant to be at my side. I think of my family as I softly rub my thumb over the blue bear inlay almost as if were already a habit. Master Drener stands up and looks me over.

"Perfect fit. Looks good on you."

"It's really over isn't it? It's time to go home."

"I'm afraid so. You have learned all we have to teach you. Now it's up to you to decide how you use that knowledge."

The headmaster starts heading for the door but stops and turns back to me. "When you get home give my best to your father. And tell him I said to keep his guard up."

I smile at the obvious inside joke between old friends. "I will sir. Thank you."

And with one last nod of approval the grizzled old teacher leaves. It's official, I have completed my training. Since there isn't going to be a party I can’t help feeling like showing off a bit so I put on my best black tunic, the one I keep reserved for weekly services, and a crisp pair of black breaches. I strap my new companion to my waist and find it a comforting weight. I take a quick glance at the looking glass in the corner to make sure everything is sitting just right, and the reflection catches my eye. I've never really taken the time to notice how much my own reflection has changed over the years till now. I almost don't recognize myself anymore, a muscular and poised long dark haired woman looks back at me. No longer the short haired skinny little girl I was when I arrived that always slouched and folded in on herself so as to go as unnoticed as possible. I can see a little of my natural dirty dark blonde starting to show at my roots. (Must remember to get some more dye when we make port in Crund.) I straighten the buttons of my tunic for the third time and when I'm finally satisfied that everything is in it's proper place I head out of my room and down the hall to the boys dormitory area.

Almost everyone has gone down to the hall for lunch but I know I will fine Brode in his room, most likely with his nose in a book. He always waits for me to come find him so we can go down to meals together, though I suspect it has less to do with his being a gentleman and more to do with a young serving maid that comes to clear dishes towards the end of the meals. The later we are the more time he usually gets to watch and pine. Thought he has never gotten up the courage to talk to her much past a polite hello. When I get to his room I give a quick knock on the door.

"Come in."

Instead of finding Brode with his nose in a book I find him looking at a short bow laying across his lap. It's made out of some sort of red wood with a gold vine and leaf pattern that wraps around the entire length of it. Next to him on the bed lays a red leather double strap quiver full of finely made arrows. While Brode can hold his own with a blade (At least for a little while) his true skill is in archery. He can hit a running rabbit through the eye at 150 yards. It's been said by more than one instructor that he is one of the most natural archers to come through the Academy in a long time.

"Wow that is a beautiful bow."

"I know right? I told Master Hix that this was too extravagant a weapon for me but he insisted that since they train the best archers in the world those archers should have the best bows in the world."

He finally looks up from the wonder in his lap and notices that I'm all dressed up, or as dressed up as I get any more. His eyes look me over till he sees the hilt at my waist.

"You got yours too as well I see."

"Yep, Headmaster Drener delivered it to me personally. It's an legend elf blade, one that belonged to an original Dovana. He also let me know that we need to leave first thing in the morning if we are going to make it off the island this sailing season, so if you want to rub it into the face of that little snot Villhelm that you are graduating a year early you better get out of those workout clothes and put something more respectable on."

"Why do we have to leave so soon? There is usually a party?"

"The summer tides are early this year. If we want to make it back to Arnum we only have a few weeks to catch a boat before we are stuck here for another 9 months."

"Of Course. Why is it everything you do has to be right now? We never get to just stop and enjoy our successes."

"Come on get dressed."

Brode reluctantly puts the bow down and gets up to cross the room to his chest of clothes and pulls out one of his everyday shirts. I put my head in my hand and let out a sigh.

"Oh come on Brode, this is our last day here pull out the whites you were for services. You aren't going to need them for a while and the bow and quiver will show up better against it."

"But that means I'll have to change my pants."

"So change them."

He pulls out his white tunic and breeches and then turns to me with a awkward look. "Would you mind?"He twirls his finger in the air and I get the idea. A little amused I turn around so my back is facing him.

"You know Brode most young men of your age and social class would be more than willing to drop their pants in front of me. I've seen you down at the lake swimming with your buddies, you have nothing to be ashamed of."

"I'm not ashamed, I was just raised to be a gentleman. It's not polite to drop trow in front of a lady let alone a princess and future Queen. Plus I would hate to come to court 20 years from now and the first thing you think about is the time I dropped my pants in front of you. It would be quite embarrassing... Ok you can turn back around."

I turn around just as he is doing up the last buttons on his high collar white tunic. He slips the straps of the quiver onto his shoulders and I help him adjust them till everything is sitting comfortably. Then comes the bow itself, slung over his head and across his back. I take a moment to take in the sight of him and I can't help but realize he has changed just as much as I have. He isn't the quiet timid boy that traveled with me across the southern ocean to this isle 5 long years ago. I don't know when it happened but he has become a confident self assured man. A change I'm not sure would have been possible if he had stayed in Arnum, forever in the shadow of his father and older brothers. But I can't help feel responsible for taking him away from his family for so long.

"Do you ever regret it?"

He gives me a confused look. "Regret what?"

"Coming with me, here to this place? Leaving your family and everything you knew behind?"

"I did a little in the beginning, especially those first few days on the open ocean when if I wasn't in bed I wrenching over the side of the ship. But once we got here and I saw how well you took to everything I knew I had done the right thing. You would never have been happy just being a lady of the court, and if I had refused your father's offer that is exactly what you would have become. And I would have lost out on the amazing experience of this place and a what has become for me a cherished friendship with you. Knowing how well you hold grudges I'm sure if I had turned down the King’s offer you would still be giving me the cold shoulder to this day."

I can't help but laugh because he is absolutely right. If I had lost the opportunity to become a knight just because he was afraid to leave home I'm sure my 16 year old self would have promised never to speak to him again, and my 21 year old self would have kept the promise just out of stubbornness and spite. I try to steer him towards the door.

"You look good, come on there are a pair of Villhelm brothers that could stand to be taken down a few notches."

"Just promise me one thing? Just don’t kill anyone. You know how Hans pushes your buttons and I would hate to get off of this prison of an island just to be thrown into another. One that won't be nearly as nice or comfortable." "I promise no killing the Villhelm’s, maiming maybe, but only if I have to."

The two of us make it down to the great hall. It's the biggest and most versatile room in the whole compound. Dining hall big enough to serve 200 meals 3 times a day, lecture hall, formal celebration venue, and for a while it was even used as a stable back just after we arrived because of the Storms that lasted for 2 weeks straight and washed the barn out. As we walk through the massive double doors Brode and I can hear whispers traveling through the room like a wave. At the Academy only instructors and students that have graduated are allowed to carry weapons openly so the steel strapped to my hip and the bow slung across Brode's back mark us as an unusual sight, and as having achieved what all of these students in the hall had devoted years of their life towards .

As we make our way down to the far end of the room there are "congratulations" and "well dones" along with handshakes and pats on the back as we move down the aisle between the long tables. We take our usual seats at the end of one of the long tables, fill our plates with a few of the lunch specials and we are just about to dig in when a lightning quick hand makes a grab for Brode’s bow, which he had laid down on the table between us to be more comfortable. The owner of the hand is fast but having been expecting something like this I am faster and manage to skewer the thieves sleeve to the table with the stiletto knife I keep up my own sleeve for protection. I pick up a chicken leg and take a bite. I know who the hands owner is and start talking to him without even turning around to look at him.

"Theft is a punishable offence Villhelm. In the old days they use to cut off the offending hand."

"I wasn't stealing anything, I just wanted to have a look at the crappy second hand bow they gave him."

"It's polite to ask before you pick up someone else's property, especially if that property is a weapon."

"And what would a low born bastard girl know about what is and isn't polite?"

I guess at this point I should go through the cover story Brode and I had come up with and have been living for the last 5 years. (Just so you know what’s going on.) Brode is the eldest son of a mid­level commodities merchant in Mort, the northernmost trading city in Arnum. Mostly inaccessible except by boat or a high and treacherous mountain pass. We picked it A) because the people who live there hardly ever leave and B) outsiders hardly ever go there because it's so hard to get to. The city also sits on the edge of Brode's real fathers governorship, so Brode has traveled there a number of times in the past and knows the city. If he and I were ever asked anything other than the most basic questions he would be more than capable of answering. The story goes that Brode's father had taken me in as a baby, the bastard daughter of a valued housemaid and a passing ship captain. My mother had died soon after childbirth (We thought it best to put as much truth in as we could) and I was raised as a member of the family. At age 16, having never developed any measurable skill at household work (Again a true statement) “ Father” paid the considerable tuition for me to attend the Academy with Brode. Mostly to be a friendly face for Brode, but also in hopes I might be able to learn some skills that would be applicable to the family business.

At this last statement both Brode and I turned around on our bench and look directly at the Villhelm brothers. Hans Villhem is a stick thin, craggy faced, rat of a boy. (Though they are both over the age of 21 they have the maturity of 12 year olds) Since they have many of the same archery seminars he has made it his personal mission in life to make Brode's time at the Academy as hard as possible. Though part of that is my fault. In one of my first bladed sparring sessions I was paired of with his brother Olaf, who is built like a massive tree log weighing 3 times what his brother does with his tiny head filled with only half the number of brain cells perched on top like a toadstool. During the match he tried to pummel me to the ground using his weight advantage and brute force. Now I being a thinker managed to quickly turn the tables on him and use his own attack against him. Long story short it ended with Olaf face down in a puddle of mud with my blunted sword tip pressed between his shoulder blades completely humiliated at being bettered so quickly. The fact that I was a girl just made it that much worse for him. Hans, knowing he was no match of me in a fair fight (It's kind of hard to draw an arrow and block a sword at the same time) was relegated to trying to verbally humiliate Brode and I when ever he could. His ammunition of choice is colorful remarks about our, (unknown to him) fake family. And the fact that I'm a bastard and not even a real member of our family is a old standard.

I can’t say that I really blame them, they have gotten the short end of the stick for most of their lives.The two eldest sons (after 3 older daughters) of a minor lord in Arnum. Both boys have a huge chip on their shoulder having to be behind their sisters in line for their fathers attention and favor. The oldest of their sisters is set to inherit their father's title and estate upon his death, and after marrying off his other daughters to the sons of a few other minor lords, along with the massive dowry payments that were needed to procure those marriages, Lord Villhelm drained a major part of his remaining coffers to send his sons here to the Academy. Not for their own benefit but in the hope that they might learn some well needed social and practical skills that might help attract a fortuitous marriage. Something their father could use to pull himself up a little higher on the social ladder. In the end it’s more than a little sad, but Back to the real story.

Hans has just pulled out his tried and true low born bastard insult to throw at me, and Brode being the gentleman and good big brother he is comes to my defence. "What have I told you about watching that mouth of yours Villhelm? That is my sister you're talking about. You owe her an apology and a thank you."

Hans dismisses the idea of an apology without a second thought but he’s confused about the last part of what Brode said. "Why in the hell would I thank her?"

I pull the stilleto out of the table and his sleeve and use it to clean my nail beds before slipping it back into it's wrist sheath. "Because I could have just as easily have put that stiletto through your hand, but knowing how important it is to you..." I mime a lewd gesture (Sometimes I love not being a proper lady)"... I thought I would let you keep it. We wouldn't want you to not be able to take care of yourself."

I can hear the muffled snickers go through the small crowd that had turned to watch the confrontation. People always like a good fight. I know I shouldn't have said it but after 5 years I just couldn't take any more of Hans's crap. I can see in his eyes seething with anger, I could also see that he realized, now that we had graduated, we wouldn't be taking his abuse anymore and that he was about to loose his two favorite verbal punching bags. We had started this little dance and he wasn't about to hold back any of his oratorical jabs. Meanwhile Olaf just sort of stands behind his brother grinning like he actually understands what's going on. (which I really doubt he does.)

"Yeah but you're not really his sister now are you? You two act more like young lovers than siblings, always spending time alone together when you're not in classes. I mean if I spent that much time with my brother people would start to talk. Ah... that's it isn't it? I can't believe it took me so long to figure it out." He turns to Brode. "Your daddy sent the bastard with you to be your own personal whore didn't he? This is a place of learning after all, how about it Morac? Have you taught him everything he needs to know about using the shriveled sword between his legs?"

Brode starts to jump to his feet but I stop him with a hand on his shoulder. He settles back down on the bench, content to follow my lead, but I can tell he is ready for a real fight. The snickering crowd goes silent and starts to gather a little closer eager not to miss anything. Hans, ever the sleazy showman, plays to the audience.

"See she won't even let him tarnish his honor by falsely defending her non­existent vertue. To think, your mother had the gall to name you after a princess. You know Brode now that you have graduated maybe you would like to lend your ​sister​ out. I'm sure there are more than a few of us that would like to show her our swords."

Han's is hoping to goad Brode into a fight, thinking he will be an easier match than I would be. I realize I've let this go too far and I'm going to need to end it, and quickly. I stand up and get into Hans's face.

"Brode has never had to think about stooping to the level of sleeping with me to find satisfaction." (I let the implication that Hans has go unsaid. See I know how to hold back.) "For as long as I can remember where ever we travel he has had the daughters of great lords and ladies falling over themselves to spend a moment in his company. Something, from what I understand isn’t a problem you have." (OK maybe I need to work a little harder on the holding back, sorry.) "As for myself I'm perfectly capable of defending my own virtue, and I would be more than happy to give you a demonstration." I let my hand rest on the pommel of the sword just to make sure Hans sees that I'm ready to use it. "I'm not sure what your deal is about referring to all women as whores but by the look of that face of yours I suspect they are the only ones you can get to touch you, at a considerable cost I'm sure, so it's an understandable mistake."

Furious Hans lashes out with a fist aimed at my face which I easily block, and I counter by landing one of my own to the bridge of his nose sending him reeling backwards into the arms of his brother while his own hands are holding his face trying to stem the tidal wave of blood that is gushing out from between his fingers. Before he can recover I draw my sword and have the very sharp edge of the blade pressing against his groin.

"As for what you can do with that little dagger in your pants, cough and you won't have to worry about it anymore, you'll be a eunuch."

Hans's eyes go wide with shock as he tries as hard as he can not to move.

"Now that I have your undivided attention you're going to listen for a minute. Just because you were born into one of the many minor noble houses it does not give you the right to torment those of us whose families have had to work for generations for every small comfort we have. Brode here has a gentle heart and is a peace loving man, so for his sake I've spent the last 5 years taking every hateful comment that has come out of your mouth and let it roll off of me but I'm tired of it.

I on the other hand, have never been referred to as having a gentle heart. I like sharp pointy things and seeing what happens when I get to use them. So if I were you I would try and learn some respect for your fellow man because if by the next time our paths cross you haven't it won't just be your little dagger you will need to worry about but your neck as well."

"Yo­-you can't threaten me. I'm a lord!"

"Well My Lord..." I give him a very deep mock bow ,"I, as you're so fond of reminding me, am a bastard so I don't give a flying cow turd who or what you are. And I promise you this, I know more ways to get rid of a body then you know ways to please a woman."

I turn to Brode, "Come on Brode lets go. For some reason I've lost my appetite."

Together we walk out of the great hall to a round of applause from all the lower born students, which is most of them. We make it out into the bright afternoon sunlight. I feel as though a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. We start walking down to the lower terraces.

"Morac, you know you shouldn't have done that right? He may be a member of a minor family now but the one thing I know about families like that, who think they are entitled to more than life has given them, is that they stop at almost nothing to try and get more, and they usually succeed."

"I know, you're right. You have always been the voice of reason Brode, and I the voice of haste, but I just couldn't deal with anymore shit from that little snot. Not after what he said about my mother. When they say breeding isn't everything they hold the Villhelm brothers up as an example. Besides what can they do to me now anyway? Expel me?"

I can tell Brode is frustrated with me. I've been quick to anger since we started this undercover charade. Going from a princess where everyone listens to you and does what you say to just another member of the huddled masses where people couldn't care less what you say and most of the time won't do what you tell them even if you pay them is hard. But even before all of this started I was known for my temper. Father said it was because I never had a mother and I picked up to many of his mannerisms growing up.

Brode and I walk around the academy grounds as I try to get my temper under control. The Academy had once been a seaside garrison, during the time of the great wars when Quintus Dovana still walked the earth. Perched on the northern most tip of Pirth and surrounded on 3 sides by sheer 100 foot cliffs, it made an excellent lookout spot to watch for the the raiding hordes from the mainland. But because of the geography of the area the dimensions of the grounds are stranger than most of the forts and garrisons I've ever been in. The main castle is at the north end, at the head of the triangular grounds with the other 2 corners taken up by the barn and the smithy. There are a number of terraces that are cut into the grounds to help create some level areas including a parade ground, archery range, and a small market area where local farmers and traders can do business. Around the barn there are paddocks for horses and pens for goats, pigs, and sheep. Across the grounds is the smithy that is almost as big as the barn, inside are 4 different full sized forges and a number of smaller ones for the Academy's blacksmith apprentices to practice on.

Brode stops in the middle of the gravel path and turns to me, I can see the frustration written on his face. "I'm going to go check on the horses and make sure they are ready to head out tomorrow. Why don't you take a walk over to the Smithy. You're going to regret skipping lunch, maybe Tara has something cooking over the fires."

"Sounds good to me, my stomach is already protesting the lack of food."

It doesn't take long after Brode and I part ways for me to make it to the Smithy. I always tend to walk faster when I’m alone, always in a rush to get to where I’m going. Of the 4 main forges only one is in use. Tara, the only female blacksmith I've ever met, is hard at work on a stack of horseshoes. She's shorter than I am by more than a head but with arms and shoulders thicker than any I've ever seen on a woman, yet she still seems to maintain a feminine look. I've known her since Brode and I arrived at the Academy. There aren't very many female students of any one kind so they lodge us all together in the same area of the castle. As opposed to the boys, who they group together by discipline. Tara had been the one to show me around my first week here. I can safely say that she is one of the only friends I have managed to make here at the Academy besides Brode. We have spent many a long nights talking over the things we have in common, mostly the loss of family. Tara’s father had been a blacksmith in a nearby village but when he passed away from a sickness that had swept across the island, Tara and her brother Joss were still both in their early teens. Headmaster Drener, having been a friend of the family, sponsored them to attend the Academy.  

As Tara dunks one of the shoes into a bucket of water to cool it off she sees me coming out of the corner of her eye and turns to wave. "Morac it's good to see you. I hear you knocked one of the Villhelm brothers out cold."

"At best it was only a broken nose but it only just happened how did you hear about it already?"

"Good news travels fast and a humbled Villhelm is the best news I've heard in months. Was it Hans? You know he was in here last week and and made us re-shoe his horse twice saying that he was going to stay and watch because the last time we did it we made his horse go lame. What’s more likely is his ridding the hell out of it and not taking proper care of that mare is what made her go lame. But Gods forbid it might be his fault that he couldn't go on the overnight training exercise. Joss is so upset by how Hans treats that mare he can't stand to be in the barn anymore when he brings her back from a ride. He's afraid some day he will just snap and run Hans through with a pitch fork."

"As entertaining as that would be it would be a waist for your brother to spend the rest of his life in a prison for murder. Especially over someone as insignificant as Villhelm. How is your brother by the way? Last chance you and I had to talk he had gotten kicked in the chest by one of the breeding stallions that wasn't quite ready to be separated from his ladies."

"He is doing much better, it only hurts if he takes a really deep breath now. The doctor told him to spend a few days in bed to let the cracked ribs have a chance to start knitting but you know him. He was back to slinging hay the next day. So I see by the steel you have hanging from your waist that you are going to be leaving us in the not too distant future. When is the party?"

"Yes Brode and I have finally graduated but unfortunately we have to ride out first thing in the morning, no party. It's too bad we can't stay around and say proper goodbyes but with the weather changing there aren't many weeks left in the shipping season and we are going to need those to get south. We would hate to be stuck on Pirth for the next next 9 months waiting for the tides to turn. We have places to go and people to see."

"Well congratulations to you both, graduating is a great honor and I'm sorry you won't get a proper chance to celebrate. So will you two be sailing all the way back up north to your father's warehouse?"

"No I'm afraid we don't have the funds for that long of a journey by ship. We will sail to Crund and ride most of the way. Father gave us leave to spend some time exploring  Arnum after we graduated so we are going to take our time. I was even thinking I might put some of these new hard earned skills to the test. This coming year is a King's year so the tournaments will be starting soon. I figured I might enter the first one, just to see how I would do."

Tara's face lights up, "Well if you are going to be entering tournaments you're going to need a suit of armor, not just that chest plate I made for you last year, or the mail shirt and leather jurken that the Academy lets you leave with. But a proper full suit of armor helmet and all. Let me make it for you. You know I can do it."

"But we are leaving tomorrow, you would have to leave with us. What about your brother and your apprenticeship?"

"Its not a problem, my apprenticeship has been completed for over a year now. The head smith lets me stay on to help out with the incoming apprentices, and to make the horse shoes and such. I think he does it out of pity, he knows none of the boys that graduate every year will take on a female blacksmith to help start their households. As for my brother he is more than ready to move on. He worked hard to get to his position as head of the stables, that's true, but he is tired of having to answer to 200 privileged brats. Present company excluded of corse. He has forgotten more about horses than most stable hands will ever learn in a lifetime, he would make a great tournament wrangle for you.  Neither of us has ever been to the mainland, it would be a great adventure. I'll make you the best suit of armor the King's tournament has ever seen and Joss can take care of your horses. A package deal. So what do you say? Can we go with you?"

"I think there are a few people we should talk to first." I point towards the front doors of the smithy at a pair of people walking towards us with a horse. It's Brode and Joss leading Brode's horse Dover. As they walk in I notice that dover seems to be limping a bit.

"Is everything ok with Dover, she's limping?"

"Yeah for the most part."

"What do you mean for the most part? Is she going to be able to be ridden tomorrow?What if..."

Brode throws his hands up urging me to hold my tongue for a moment so he can talk. "She must have kicked a rock last night while she was turned out because she has thrown a shoe. She's limping because she is uneven not because she’s hurt. The hoof has a small crack starting to form in the wall, but Joss here says if she gets a new shoe in it now she should be fine. We just have to keep an eye on it to make sure the crack doesn't grow."

"Well then I guess it's a good thing he is coming with us."

"He's coming with us?"

"Yes, if it's ok with you and him. Tara and I were just talking about it. She has offered to make me a suit of armor for the Kings tournament. But since we have to leave tomorrow she wants to come with us.” I turn to Joss,”And so as not to leave her big brother behind she has offered your services to be my tournament wrangler Joss."

"Oh she has has she? It was nice of her to talk to me about it first."

"Come on big brother, you were telling me just last week that you were ready for a change of scenery, and an adventure. What could be more of an adventure than going to the mainland?"

"I was thinking more along the lines of a hunting trip to Mid-isle lake for a few days, not a voyage across the sea. Tara think about it. Traveling costs money, something we have very little of. We have barely enough saved up to afford us a cheap room in some seedy Inn down in the city, much less book passage on a ship to the mainland. I'm sorry but the answer is no."

At this point Brode steps in.

"Is financing your only consideration Joss?"

"It's the only one that matters."

Brode claps him on the back. "Well then consider the matter settled, you're coming with us. Our family isn't rich by any stretch of the imagination but Morac and I have more than enough in our account in Crund to see us all housed and fed. The account was meant to see us comfortably on our journey home but we are more than willing forgo some of the niceties of travel if it means you two would be able to join us. We have spent the last 5 years without them why start now." 

"That is a generous offer but just because we are poor doesn't mean we take handouts."

I take over from here. "Who said anything about handouts. It will be an advance on services not yet rendered. We will provide you two with any equipment and supplies you require for the duration of our travels and in exchange you two will provide what ever metal work or equine assistance we may need along the way. Also including the occasional stimulating conversation, you have no idea how boring it can get on a trip with just two people, frankly I think we are getting a better deal here than you are. What do you think Tara?"

" Are you kidding? I'm in!! Joss?"

Joss takes a long time to think about it, all the while looking at his little sister. Just when I think he is going to try and turn us down again he relents to the unwavering stare down from Tara.

"Ok fine you win brat, pack your bag. We'll go."