...They caught up with Pyrte and the strangers just as the trio was approaching the Sword Master's practice yard. Even though it had been turned into a veritable swamp after the onslaught of rain, the Swordmaster had no intention of letting the opportunity to practice outdoors pass him by. Currently every student was sparring outdoors, absolutely covered - head to toe - in mud. Often times Kate had watched the boys at work, wishing she would be allowed to take part in lessons like the others could. Today, however, she was glad that she wasn't being forced to jump, run, tumble and roll around in the mud. Think of what ‘Tildy would say!

Before Eavan could raise her voice and get her husband's attention, Pyrte bellowed at the top of his lungs. "Stallen!" he barked, waving a hand. "New boy's here! Come and give me your opinion of him."

Kate watched as the Weaponsmaster pushed his way through the swinging wooden practice blades and managed to get to Pyrte without being hit once. He was red-faced from at least a candlemark of shouting over the clank of sword and shout of children, and there was a fine mist of sweat on his forehead. For a man who taught weaponry for a living, he was considerably heavy-set, and coupled with a growing patch of baldness on the top of his round head, he didn't seem altogether as intimidating to Kate as most of the fosterling boys thought.

"Stallen," Pyrte was saying, "This is Magnus Shonar. He's our newest fosterling." The smaller boy - called Magnus, Kate knew now - found himself thrust forward into the gaze of the Weaponsmaster, who asked him a series of questions about his experience with swords, bows, and various other tools a boy of humble birth might have been expected to know. In the end, Stallen seemed satisfied with what he heard, clapped Magnus on the back, and left the group to go back to his work. Eavan chose that moment to interrupt.

"Pyrte," she began, and then did not wait to be acknowledged, "Your daughter and I have come to greet the newcomers." And when it appeared that her husband was about to object, she added smoothly, "A terrible thing, if you forgot your manners and failed to properly introduce us, don't you agree?"

It would not take a mind reader to know that Pyrte was irritated, if not over his wife's interruption, but by the fact that she had been bold enough to remind him of his manners in front of company. He attempted to save face by replying, "Had I known our daughter was already finished with her lessons for the day, I would have brought the boys straight to you, my dear," and favored her with a not-smile that both women had come to recognize over the years.

To Kate, it was a warning that another misstep would earn her a hefty punishment. To Eavan, it meant there was going to be a ‘discussion' (that ironically involved not one shred of discussing) later.

Despite the baring of teeth, Eavan brought her daughter forward. "Introduce us, then." The look Kate's father shot at her mother made Kate cringe inwardly.

"Brendan and Magnus of Shonar," he half-growled, "I am pleased to introduce to you my wife, Eavan, and daughter, Kayatice."

Kate and Magnus were of a height with one another, and for a heartbeat they stared one another down. Kate mentally weighed him, calculated the odds that he'd end up being another bully to avoid while out of the direct supervision of the adults.

Magnus, however, was caught by the odd, piercing quality of the girl's eyes. He found himself wondering how a girl acquired such piercing silvery eyes, such a sharp gaze that it made him feel she was looking into his soul. He felt his skin sprout "pricklies" all-over, and had to look down at his feet before he could chase them away...

Read the rest at my FanFiction.net account: HERE