Disclaimer- I own nothing but the plot and Ubu.
An Acrobat's Class
Chapter 1 The New Class
"I told you to flip in the air as the horse tosses you!" snapped the Shang Wildcat at a first year page. Eda Bell, shook her head as she went over the exercise for the fiftieth time. "The Shang horse, Hakuin Seastone, will toss you. In the air, you will flip as you land on the ground. If you just flop like Page Owen did, then you will break something or worse!"
Eda Bell was tired of the accidents that kept happening because none of the pages had the flexibility, or air sense to do the basic Shang drills. As the bell rang, she rubbed her aching head. Later that day, the two Shangs made their way to the castle to talk to the King, Jonathan, about an idea that Hakuin had come up with.
They knocked on the door as they heard Jon say "Enter". He looked up from his desk as Alanna the lioness of Olau and Pirate's Swoop left. They could here her whisper "good luck" to them as she left. Jon was in a bad mood upon hearing that the Scanrans might be planning a war on Tortall. "Yes" he said a bit moody.
"If you haven't noticed, there are more and more accidents happening with the pages during our classes with them" the wildcat said. She paused for a moment to gather her thoughts. The king nodded as the horse took over. "It is my idea that a new class is introduced. One that will teach the pages the skills they need to know that will help them with their Shang learning, and help with agility, and such" he said.
The King thought about this for a moment before making a decision. "Fine, you find the teacher and arrange all the details and you may have your class. You may also inform the training master of my decision" he said as they left. Eda closed the office door and grinned evilly at her partner Hakuin. "I will find the teacher, and arrange the detail, you will inform Lord Wyldon of Cavall." she said laughing as they parted ways in the hall.
Lower City Same Day
A young girl at the age of fifteen made her way into the capital city of Corus. "Wow, it's so big" she said as she slowed her horse down into a slow trot. Her name was Ubu. Ubu was here to seek a job. She was what they called an acrobat. Like the Shang boys and girls were recruited in their fiefs and towns to train and learn how to flip and twist on different pieces of equipment
Most of the time it was girls that became acrobats, but occasionally, a boy would come. If a child had a gift or was a noble, it made no difference, they were treated the same. As long as they were willing to learn to read and write, it was alright. Students that were taken often excelled in studies and after training was complete either stayed at the school to teach, traveled, or became scholars.
All the students were close, they trained and lived together for years, so it was not uncommon for a noble to befriend a bunch of commoners. Ubu missed her friends, and her teachers, but knew it was her path to teach, and to travel, but where she did not yet know.
Eda Bell knew of these acrobats, but many others did not, for it was a secret. Knowing to what to look for, Eda made her way through the streets looking for an acrobat. "This could take a while" she said as she looked and only saw crowds of busy people.
Three hours later about to give up, she eyed a Ubu showing off her handstands and amazing back flexibility next to the street jugglers trying to earn a few coins. Eda waited until the act was over before going up to the girl. "You are just who I was looking for" she said taking the puzzled girl by the land and explaining things to her as they made their way up to the palace.
Back to the Palace, Lord Wyldon's Office
The Shang Horse explained a few things before waiting for an outburst at how the teacher would most likely be a female and a commoner. Ten minutes later, and a pounding headache later, Seastone left the office and lipped a few words that sounded like revenge and wildcat. Lord Wyldon sat at his desk. If there was going to be a new teacher, he would have to test her. She would have to pass with flying colors, and prove she could be tough.
The 5'5", hazel eyed, brown haired, acrobat made way through the palace. "It's so big!" she said as they walked through galleries of painting and passed many doors and wings until they arrived at the training masters office.
NOTES- That's it for chapter 1, if you like it please read and review. This is a completely new style of writing for me. I'm excited to write a fic about gymnastics and the Shangs : ) Anyways, please be nice any harsh flames should be e-mailed to me and not posted. This is my second fic so I hope you will be nice. And if you have any other ideas for my first fic "The Challenge" please e-mail me.