It had been late in the afternoon when we had arrived, and I was so tired that I fell asleep immediately after Alanna showed me my room. It was in the children's hall, but I didn't mind, I knew Alanna wanted privacy and I was more than willing to give the temperamental knight all the space she desired.

The Lioness had told me she wanted to spend the summer at home with her family, for Thom was going to the university for the first time at the end of the summer. It would be the last time they would be together for a while.

"That does not mean," she told me sharply, "that you will not practice healing or training. Every morning at seven I will train with you, and then twice a week we will go to the village and I will teach you to cure every ill we find."

"Yes, Lioness," I said. "I look forward to it." I was being sarcastic, but only truly acting partially patronizing. Finally I would learn hands on healing.

I woke with little light streaming in through the shutters. I had an inside room facing the courtyard, which meant I had the pleasure of a window. There were no windows facing the outside. I now lived in a small but clean room with just enough space for me to take three steps to the door from my bed, though they were small steps. It wasn't too bad, I suppose, compared to the threat the Lioness had given me on the way to Pirate's Swoop that I was to sleep with the donkeys since I acted like one. I then asked her if, with that logic, she would be sleeping with the female hounds, and then she sent me out to dig trenches without a shovel or tool of any kind. I guess she cooled down later, for she gave me the room, or maybe she was trying to act like a real knight mistress.

Either way, I was now staying here for two months, but I was going to watch my mouth a little more carefully when her temper reared too. I was never going to admit it to anyone, but she was a little frightening when she was angry. Unlike the Stump, my father, or any other adult I had ever dealt with, she lost her temper immediately and lashed out with stinging insults, pure heated rage, and unfair physical labor. I had a feeling it was going to take weeks to get the dirt out from beneath my fingernails.

I dunked my head in a basin of water to draw out the sleep from my eyes. Mithros' beard, I hated mornings.

"Squire!" a voice hissed at me from the hallway. Three guesses as to who it was. "Are you up and ready yet?"

"Yes, Lioness." I opened the door and saw the sag of weariness in her eyes. She wasn't much of a morning person either.

"Well, hurry up, we don't have all morning."

"It's so nice to have people who are happy to see you," I muttered as I turned to gather my weapons.

She laughed. "I would be happy to see you if the phrase, "beauty sleep," actually worked on you, Squire."

"Ah, we agree on something at last," I replied. She grinned, looking more cheerful than I had seen her in days. Maybe this could work after all. I followed her down the hall to the main gate.

"Come on, Squire, if you work hard this morning and manage to stay on my good side, I might show you where the library is."

"See, Lioness, now you're catching on. Bribes are always good," I teased.

"I'm glad to be an apt pupil," she said dryly.

"You two are lookin' very cheery this mornin'," a familiar voice said from behind us.

"George," the Lioness said and she went up to kiss him. The man was leading a chestnut colored mare towards the stables. He looked tired and dirty, but still happy to see his wife.

"Where did you go? When I woke up you were gone," Alanna murmered.

George gave a meaning flick of his hazel eyes in my direction that Alanna caught and stiffened as a result, but to her credit, she didn't turn around and gape at me.

"I'm sorry, lass. I was out; I needed a ride to clear my mind. Go work with your fine squire there, and we'll talk later."

"Yes, we will talk," she said with a frown in her tone. She fingered a cut in his sleeve that was crusted with dried blood. "Extensively," she added.

"Come, Neal," she snapped at me. So much for her good mood.

"Good mornin', Neal," he wished me with a nod of his head and a charming smile.

I sighed. "It was until she saw you."

"Neal!" Alanna barked when she realized I wasn't following.

"Yes, good luck would be more appropriate now, I fear."

"Then good luck, Neal, if you will return the favor for when she hunts down me."

I looked him in the eyes where traces of a smile lay. "Then good luck, sir."

"Squire! Stop socializing and get down here!"

"Yes, Lioness, at once, Lioness."

"None of that tone! And since you are so eager, we begin with the sword!"

"Mithros help you, Master Neal," George said as he turned away laughing. "You will sorely need it when my lioness is in a temper with a sword."

"Thanks," I muttered as I jogged swiftly to the practice court. It was smaller than the ones at the palace or at my home by far, but it was still spacious enough for two people to par easily and move around.

She held the sword naked in her hand and was already waiting in the ready position when I arrived.

"So, Squire, you decided to show up."

My own anger began to rise to the surface at her words. I could only take so much verbal abuse before I snapped. My drowsiness had made my usual tolerance much longer than normal.

"It appears I have, Lioness. How gracious of you to wait so patiently for me to arrive."

"Draw your sword, Squire, and let's see how much training you recall."

I placed my collection of weapons in the far corner so I would not trip over them later. I retrieved my sword and returned to my lovely knight mistress. Perhaps both of us with weapons and in a temper was not the best idea, I thought as I got into the ready position.

She struck without warning, immediately forcing me to go on the defensive. Make no mistake, fencing is not a bad skill, and I am fairly good at it as fencers go. I am not the worst by far, but I'm scarcely the best by any stretch of judgment. Thus, it was unfortunate that I had to par against such an extraordinary fencer. It made me look bad. Well, to put it lightly anyway.

Within a few moments, my sword was in her hand, I was flat on my back, and a painful shallow cut existed on my cheek I was certain hadn't been there before.

"Pitiful, absolutely pitiful."

These words stung worse than the cut on my cheek. Despite the pain, I jumped to my feet and went to gather my weapons, fuming. She had no right to treat me like this.

"Wait, where are you going?"

"Back to bed," I snapped.

"We are not done here."

I turned and glared at her. "Yes, we are."

I walked halfway to the exit of the practice court before I dropped my things in a clattering pile on the floor and faced her. "And until you control your temper, I will not fight against you. I did not become your squire to be humiliated, nor did I become your squire so you could lash out your anger on me!" I flapped my arms around me in an irritated fashion to accent my point. "You said you would teach me, Lioness, not use me as a focus for your temper!"

"Of all the…" she trailed off with heat in her words. "If you leave, I will send you back to the palace and make sure no one else takes you."

"Please do," I said. "There are enough conservatives out there that would take me just because you told them not to. That is not a threat, Lioness, that is encouragement."

I walked across the courtyard and returned to my room to pack. There was a soft knock at the door after I started folding my tunics.

"Neal," Alanna said as she leaned against the doorframe.

"Yes, my lady?" I also did not rise from my position on the bed. I was feeling slightly vindictive.

She sighed. "Don't be ornery, I'm trying to apologize. It is hard enough without you testing my control." I stacked my tunics in the bag and reached for my shirts. "Oh, for the Goddess' sake, stop packing. You're not going anywhere and you know it!"

"Do I?"

She turned a deep red color. "I promise not to take my anger out on you on the practice courts if you promise to improve with your sword." I gave her a quizzical look and she explained. "I am known for my skill with the blade. If I have a squire who is mediocre or below average, it makes me look bad."

"I see," I said slowly.

"You promise, then?"

"If you hold your end to the deal, yes, I promise."

"Good." She looked mildly happier. "May I?" She gestured for the bed and I nodded.

"Now your balance is very good, but your defensive technique is lacking…" And she lectured me for an hour, gave demonstrations, and made me takes notes on it. It would have been funny that the Lioness was teaching me in a university style lecture if it wasn't so effective. She really did know what she was talking about when it came to sword fighting.

"I think it's time for breakfast, don't you agree?"

"Never with anything more in my life." My stomach had been growling painfully for ten minutes.

"I'm going to go wake up Thom and Alan, do you remember the way to the Dining Hall?"

"I think I'll manage not to get too lost," I assured her. We parted, her to the end of the hall while I headed in the general direction of the Dining Hall. I was nearing Aly's room when I heard voices.

"…Careful what you say. He's sharper than I'd thought he'd be."

"Yes, Da," Aly opened the door wide and walked into the hallway. Her face went carefully expressionless at the sight of me, and George followed her out and reacted the same way. He was the first to recover, and a split second later he broke into a wide smile.

"Good mornin' again, Neal. It's good to see you survived trainin'."

"Barely," I admitted. "I'm sorry, I just can't remember where the Dining Hall is." I gave them an embarrassed smile. It was the partial truth at least.

Aly snapped into a bright and cheery smile. "Silly Neal, it's not hard to find at all. It's through the second hall on the right, and just look for the statue of the cat."

"I was kind of tired yesterday, so my memory is a little faded."

"I'm surprised my mother didn't heal that," Aly pointed to my face. I reached up and touched the cut on my cheek. I had forgotten about it. "Ask her before breakfast," she advised me.

"No need," I replied and reached for my green magic. I let it flow from my fingers until the cut healed over into a clean scar.

"Impressive," George commented.

"Thank you."

"I can see why Alanna wanted you. She wished that she could instruct someone in the finer points of healing."

"It's why I accepted actually." It was strange, but I thought he would know something about my healing abilities. Maybe I misjudged him once more.

"Come on, Da, Cook will be angry if we're late again and the food grows cold." Aly pulled on his arm lightly.

"You go on ahead, Aly, we'll be there in a moment." I saw her eyes slightly widen but she obeyed her father and ran off.

George gestured me into Aly's room. I hesitated before following. "Yes?" I asked suspiciously.

"I don't want Alanna to see a particular cut, and I hope you could heal it for me. It would be a great favor, and I would be in your debt," he spoke rapidly and quietly. He lifted the edge of his shirt to a large bandage very hear to his heart. "If my lass saw I let someone get this close…" He left it unfinished. I saw how she reacted when she saw the shallow cut on his arm. "Please, Neal." I saw real pleading in his eyes.

I nodded reluctantly. "If she finds out, she'll kill us both, you know."

"Yes, but she still wouldn't know how deep it was," George hissed as he peeled the blood-soaked bandage off his chest. He was well muscled, a fighter's chest.

It was deep. I sighed. "You owe me."

He met my gaze with the most serious eyes I had ever seen. "No one hears of this, then yes, anything you need."

I nodded, and then reached deep inside for more magic. It took a long time, and by the time the skin smoothed, the room spun and I staggered away. George caught me before I hit the floor and sat me down on Aly's bed. I put my head between my knees and took deep breaths, willing myself not be sick.

He looked concerned but I waved at him tiredly. "I'll be fine as long as I don't heal anymore today." Something crossed his face and I groaned. "Oh, no. She's not taking me down to the village to heal today, is she?"

"Sorry, lad, that's what she told me last night."

I sighed and the bright colors of the room swirled.

"What will give you back your magic?" asked George calmly. He put his shirt back on and tucked the bandage away.

"Another strong healer's energy," I said. Salt water never worked for me, and truthfully, time to recuperate was the only real solution, but a healer's energy did help.

"Alanna?"

"Of course. Though she'll ask where my magic went."

"Your cut?" he suggested.

I just looked at him. "Yes, this will be a grand introduction to my Gift if I nearly pass out from healing a shallow cut." George put his hands up in surrender.

"I'll think of something, don't worry about it," I muttered. I sat up slowly and got to my feet. "Eating will help too," I added. It wasn't my nature to be optimistic, but when it came to my knight mistress' temper, I was interested in converting.