Jakin hid a yawn behind his hand as he slid onto the wooden bench in the small cottage. Mondays always made him tired for some reason. Maybe because he had just had another camping outing with Marion.
It certainly had not been as exciting as the time when they had been transported back in time to help save the kingdom from the evil magician Quinn. This outing they had amused themselves with going back to the same waterfall where they had been before. Jakin knew Marion was also disappointed when nothing exciting happened to them, but they still held onto hope as they remembered what Marion's pendant said. They had both gotten pendants from Eashoa, whom had given the pendants to them before they left the kingdom. Part of Marion's pendant had said, "Wait for My call." Now Jakin fingered his own pendant, remembering his friends Melech and Caspar. Both brave and loyal, they were the best friends he'd ever had. He missed them a lot. His thoughts were interrupted when someone slid into the seat next to him, and nudged his elbow. Wild red curly hair bounced around her face as Marion grinned at him. She knew he'd been lost in thought, and also knew that if their teacher didn't hurry up, she'd likely join him. Ezra Bumbly was the most boring teacher they'd ever had. He was nothing like Fagar, their science teacher, who was this term teaching them some few basic magic tricks. He was also nothing like Miss Brittillia, their history teacher. They loved hearing about past wars and battles, and the time when King Talcar beat the demons, and Romulus. Mr. Bumbly taught math, which in Marion and Jakin's mind, was the most boring, and useless subject in the world. Marion made a face at her brother, and then pushed her hand over her mouth as Jakin made a face back. But he didn't just make a face back; he proceeded to make fun of Mr. Bumbly, copying his dull face, and manner, mouthing the words as the man spoke them. Marion's face grew bright red as she struggled to keep the laughter from bubbling out, but after two minutes, she couldn't keep it in any longer. As she let out a burst of laughter, resulting in a look of shock in their teacher's face. All the students swung around to look at Marion, who by now had tears pouring down her cheeks from laughing. She struggled to control herself as she felt Bumbly tower over her, and after a few moments, only a few giggles could be heard.
"Are you quite finished, Miss Marion? I will not have you or your brother," here he glared at Jakin, "disrupting this class. As your punishment, you will please go outside, and strip a birch tree of one of the branches. Now!" Marion fumed silently inside, all traces of laughter gone. It was extremely humiliating for a fourteen year old girl to be whipped publicly in front of the whole class, and Marion knew she would never let him do it. So instead, she grabbed her skirts and walked quickly from the room, swiftly making her way home.
Jakin and the whole class waited silently for Marion to return. Jakin felt awful, and knew he couldn't let Marion take the punishment for his doing. He stood to his feet, and made his way across the wooden floor to where the teacher stood, waiting. "Mr. Bumbly, I was the one who made Marion laugh. Please, let me take her punishment. It was really my doing."
"No, young Jakin. Your sister is already too unruly, and needs to be taught some control. Go fetch her at once. She is stalling!"
Jakin walked out of the room, fists clenched. The mad was not going to touch his sister. That was for certain. He reached the tall birch tree that was already leaning, and quite bare of its branches. His sister was no where to be found, and Jakin knew his she would rather face their mother's wrath than be whipped by Mr. Bumbly. She ambled back toward the school cottage, enjoying the slight breeze from outside. Inside the house is was stifling hot, and it seemed as if it were hard to breathe. Stepping inside the cottage, he took a deep breath, and said, "She's gone home, Mr. Bumbly. You know she hates to be unfairly treated and whipped in front of the whole class. I'm going home too. I am also asking my mother if we may be exempt from your class for this year. I do not think that we should be present with someone who is unfair. Do you?"
Jakin did not think a person's face could get so red. But apparently Ezra Bumbly's face could get this red, for his face appeared to be the color of a tomato. Now the man reached behind his desk for a long yardstick that he kept for extreme occasions, and he smacked his palm with it saying, "I have heard quite enough, Jakin! I will not be talked to in this manner. As your schoolteacher, I may choose to punish you however I will! Now, come forward!" But Jakin had had enough. He was taller than Bumbly, and he ached to show the man who was stronger. But restraining himself, he merely walked to the door, deciding it was time to go home. But he stopped when he heard, wham! And the yardstick hit him in the back with a sharp pain. The man had turned the yardstick sideways, the edge catching Jakin in the shoulder. It felt like his shoulder had been cut, and Jakin wanted more than anything to turn back and show the teacher a thing or two. But after standing there a moment cooling off, he continued forward, out the door. Now he knew that Ezra could have an awful temper at times, but he hadn't expected the man to come after him, and continue to land blows on Jakin's body. But he did. He ran right at Jakin, whacking him for all he was worth. Jakin started to walk faster, shielding his face with his upraised arms. The blows came steadily faster and harder, making Jakin wince as his arms started bleeding from numerous cuts. Ezra was beyond control now, as he threw the yardstick down, and threw himself at the young boy. Jakin felt a fist connect with his face, and his head was jerked backward. Now he was angry. Jakin wanted to desperately fight back, to defend himself. When Bumbly hit him again in the face, this time hitting his nose, Jakin was about to defend himself when he heard a man yell, "Get him off, he'd going to kill the boy!" And then not four seconds later, he heard several feet pounding from different directions, and felt Ezra being lifted off of him. The man kicked and yelled, throwing weak punches at the men who had grabbed him, while two men hoisted Jakin to his feet, patting his back and asking, "Are you ok, Jakin? Tell us what happened here." For everyone knew everyone in the village, and Jakin and Marion were two favorite children. Marion was known for her spunk and wit, while Jakin was known for his friendliness, and lighthearted smile. Now the men took in Jakin's bruised and beaten face, and more than one man there wanted to defend Jakin like he was their own child.
"Well, I must be honest with you, Tom. (Tom was one of the men there.) Marion and I were quite bored in the room, and we were restless. I began to make fun of Mr. Bumbly, and Marion was having an awful time keeping in her laughter. Finally she couldn't take it anymore, and just had to let out and laugh. Mr. Bumbly called her to go get a switch, but she went home. She was just too embarrassed, and mother would have punished her anyway. So I told Mr. Bumbly that, and more, too. I told him he was unfair and mean, and then he got out his yardstick, and told me to come forward. But I told him no, and walked out. So he chased after me, and you know the rest. But I didn't hit him or anything, Tom! But I wanted to!" Here the men looked at each other, eyes smoldering. They knew children sometimes went a bit far with their joking sometimes, but the teacher had no right to handle it as he had.
"Go on home, and clean yourself up, Jakin. You were in the right this time. We'll deal with Mr. Bumbly." Said one of the men, and the others nodded in agreement.
Jakin faintly smiled his thanks, and stumbled towards home. Tom and the men looked after the limping figure, and each of them grew angry. They turned to the furious teacher who was breathing heavily, and had not a mark upon him. "There are some men here who are on the council of the city. I vote right here and now that you be removed of your position, Mr. Bumbly! Who is with me?"
"I am!"
"So am I"
"Let this man be gone!"
And so Mr. Bumbly was fired, and not soon after, he packed up his things, and left the small village. Jakin was soon cleaned up and bandaged by his mother, and laid on his bed, moaning. "I could have defended myself, I should have done something! He most likely thinks I am a coward, as do the men who came."
"You are quite wrong, Jakin. Those men spoke to me yesterday, telling me of your control, and bravery. You did right not fighting back, Jakin. I am glad you stood up for yourself and your sister with your words, and not your fists." His mother replied, sitting beside him, and wetting a bandage in water, then resting it on his swollen head. Jakin felt somewhat better with his mother reassuring him, but part of him still wished he had done something different. Now Elena smiled, and left the room. Jakin sighed, and wished Marion was there. She had gone on to school the next day, as if nothing had ever happened. She said she wanted to see who the new math teacher was. Jakin just wished there wasn't any new math teacher coming. He didn't want any more math!