pauper?”
The other girl from Helden was one of Rebekah’s friends and also seemed to delight in Kayleigh’s situation. Fortunately, many of the other girls paid them little heed. Some were still struggling with reading and writing. Even more had been poor where they came from and understood poverty in ways Morganstern could never begin to. For every one that joined in laughter, there was another who rolled their eyes and went back to doing what they were previously occupied with. It was annoying, but for the chance to become a battle maiden, she could tolerate the sneering looks.
Kayleigh also found herself wondering what the duties and responsibilities of lead rider would be. It occurred to her that there could be several ways that she might be able to repay Rebekah for all her kind words.
“You read a lot,” Alicia commented while the wagon bounced along.
“My mother always encouraged me to read literature and poetry, but never much about history. What I know is based on growing up and moving around. It doesn’t come from books. So, I’ve got some ground to make up. I can’t keep it up for long. Eventually, my head starts to hurt, or Lieutenant Sheppard decides that we need to stretch our legs.”
“Don’t you like carrying the bag? You seem quite good at it.”
Most of the others snickered and tapped on the wooden sides of the wagon to ward against the earth maiden calling them out for another walk.
Kayleigh smiled and said, “Actually, I need to get my strength up and carrying ‘the bag’ is good practice. I don’t mind it so much. I get the feeling from the way she described the Trail of Pain that we’re going to be missing a few miles with a satchel of sand on our back.”
“Do you really think so?” Francine asked.
“We’re going to learn to fight with sword, mace, and ax, while carrying a shield. Those things get heavy after awhile.”
“Maybe we should take turns carrying the bag?” A blonde farm girl named Ellen said, already wary that she wasn’t a good reader and not wanting to give up an advantage of being one of the stronger girls in this wagon. Several others murmured in agreement.
Suddenly, everyone was eager to carry the bag. Fifteen minutes later, the recruits were ordered out to exercise. Instead of scurrying out, Kayleigh’s wagon was pretty orderly and since it was her idea, Ellen took the first turn with the bag. Walking alongside the wagon, the driver, an old man named Ben, caught Kayleigh’s eye and winked at her having heard the entire conversation. The man smiled a near toothless grin and threw his head back in laughter.
Perhaps she was wrong to convince the others that this really added to their physical conditioning. It might actually help. Either way, Kayleigh was just happy that she didn’t have to out maneuver a bunch of overly spry thirteen year olds or carry the bag for a change.
Things settled into a routine over the next few days. She got better at brushing Majherri – or he was lowering his standards. Kayleigh worked with Ellen and Francine to improve their reading skills, Most importantly, only every sixth time Lieutenant Sheppard called them out did she have to worry about shouldering the bag of sand and walking for a few miles. The five other girls in her wagon might be chosen for one of the greatest honors in the land, but for the moment, they were still young teenagers and much of their behavior, at least to Kayleigh, was somewhat predictable. There were silly jokes and stories from home. Kayleigh managed to tell a few of them without dwelling on her mother’s recent actions.
During the evenings, she had scrounged some parchment and a piece of drawing charcoal and occupied her time doing sketches. First of Majherri, but when the others noticed her talent, she drew the other recruits and their unicorns. It was an easy way to make friends.
Rider Welsh interrupted her lastest piece of artwork by calling all the girls around the fire.
“It’s
The other girl from Helden was one of Rebekah’s friends and also seemed to delight in Kayleigh’s situation. Fortunately, many of the other girls paid them little heed. Some were still struggling with reading and writing. Even more had been poor where they came from and understood poverty in ways Morganstern could never begin to. For every one that joined in laughter, there was another who rolled their eyes and went back to doing what they were previously occupied with. It was annoying, but for the chance to become a battle maiden, she could tolerate the sneering looks.
Kayleigh also found herself wondering what the duties and responsibilities of lead rider would be. It occurred to her that there could be several ways that she might be able to repay Rebekah for all her kind words.
“You read a lot,” Alicia commented while the wagon bounced along.
“My mother always encouraged me to read literature and poetry, but never much about history. What I know is based on growing up and moving around. It doesn’t come from books. So, I’ve got some ground to make up. I can’t keep it up for long. Eventually, my head starts to hurt, or Lieutenant Sheppard decides that we need to stretch our legs.”
“Don’t you like carrying the bag? You seem quite good at it.”
Most of the others snickered and tapped on the wooden sides of the wagon to ward against the earth maiden calling them out for another walk.
Kayleigh smiled and said, “Actually, I need to get my strength up and carrying ‘the bag’ is good practice. I don’t mind it so much. I get the feeling from the way she described the Trail of Pain that we’re going to be missing a few miles with a satchel of sand on our back.”
“Do you really think so?” Francine asked.
“We’re going to learn to fight with sword, mace, and ax, while carrying a shield. Those things get heavy after awhile.”
“Maybe we should take turns carrying the bag?” A blonde farm girl named Ellen said, already wary that she wasn’t a good reader and not wanting to give up an advantage of being one of the stronger girls in this wagon. Several others murmured in agreement.
Suddenly, everyone was eager to carry the bag. Fifteen minutes later, the recruits were ordered out to exercise. Instead of scurrying out, Kayleigh’s wagon was pretty orderly and since it was her idea, Ellen took the first turn with the bag. Walking alongside the wagon, the driver, an old man named Ben, caught Kayleigh’s eye and winked at her having heard the entire conversation. The man smiled a near toothless grin and threw his head back in laughter.
Perhaps she was wrong to convince the others that this really added to their physical conditioning. It might actually help. Either way, Kayleigh was just happy that she didn’t have to out maneuver a bunch of overly spry thirteen year olds or carry the bag for a change.
Things settled into a routine over the next few days. She got better at brushing Majherri – or he was lowering his standards. Kayleigh worked with Ellen and Francine to improve their reading skills, Most importantly, only every sixth time Lieutenant Sheppard called them out did she have to worry about shouldering the bag of sand and walking for a few miles. The five other girls in her wagon might be chosen for one of the greatest honors in the land, but for the moment, they were still young teenagers and much of their behavior, at least to Kayleigh, was somewhat predictable. There were silly jokes and stories from home. Kayleigh managed to tell a few of them without dwelling on her mother’s recent actions.
During the evenings, she had scrounged some parchment and a piece of drawing charcoal and occupied her time doing sketches. First of Majherri, but when the others noticed her talent, she drew the other recruits and their unicorns. It was an easy way to make friends.
Rider Welsh interrupted her lastest piece of artwork by calling all the girls around the fire.
“It’s
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