Chapter 7
"It's no use," said Petunia the next morning as she and Dakar headed down to the well. "It's no use turning me into a 'great artist'. I've no talent or any use for such things as singing and dancing and all that stuff. I already know what I want to do with my life!"
"And what's that?" Dakar inquired, each of his paws occupied; one holding a bucket while the other held onto his cane.
"I want to be a Long Patrol hare."
"Ah! A noble ambition," smiled Dakar. "I've come across a few of those types in my travels."
"You have?" cried Petunia, suddenly excited.
"Yes. I've done a bit of seafaring in my days and had to row ashore to mend my boat on one occasion. That was when I met them. They were patrolling the shores, as was their job. I believe they were–"
"Runners."
"What?"
"Runners. That's their official title. Or at least that's what I've heard from travelers and read in books. But go on, you were saying?"
"Well, I was saying, they were on the lookout for seavermin, and from a distance they couldn't tell if I was a rat or not. I offered my assistance by disguising myself as a searat and doing some spy-work for them."
"And did you?" Petunia asked, wide-eyed.
"At first they said this was Long Patrol work, and they wanted to keep as many beasts safe and alive as possible, but I insisted, showing them I knew how to wield a sword and fake a searat accent. So they dirtied me up and tore up my clothes so that when the corsair ship came ashore, I was prepared to come aboard and ask to join them. They believed me too."
"Did you ever get to fight alongside the Long Patrollers?" Petunia asked eagerly.
"Oh, yes indeed, little maid. There are few things as astounding as watching a hare fight. And there were two of them."
The haremaid sighed dreamily. "Oh, for as long as I can remember, ever since I first heard the word 'Long Patrol' I've wanted to be one of them. Uncle Markas told me some tales of them, and he said he would teach me how to use some of his weapons when I was a bit older – and when Merola and Lily stopped objecting to it."
They arrived at the well. Petunia tied the rope to her bucket and lowered it down.
"But before he could," she continued, "Uncle Markas left and hasn't been back for ten seasons." The haremaid sighed one again, less dreamily than before. "I used to imagine myself going of in search of him and rescuing him from a tribe of savage vermin that were about to cook him."
"Why would they cook him?" asked Dakar, furrowing his brow as Petunia pulled her now-filled bucket out of the well.
Petunia shrugged. "I don't know. I remember Uncle Markas as being a very fat sort of mouse. . . ."
"Ah. Say no more," laughed Dakar.
Petunia laughed as well, taking his bucket and lowering into the well. "But I have little hope of ever doing such a thing. I haven't the proper training, and the only training available are all these dance lessons."
Dakar smiled warmly. "As you may have forgotten, I'm a warrior too, just as your Uncle Markas was."
The haremaid looked up at the mouse suddenly, her eyes alight with hope.
"If your uncle isn't around to teach you what he promised, then I suppose I shall."
Petunia squealed with happiness and wrapped her arms around the mouse's neck.
"Whoa!" the two of them toppled over, laughing as water spilled all over them.
"So," said Lily as Dakar helped her ball yarn. "Petunia told me that you're to give her sword lessons."
"Does that displease you?" was all Dakar would reply.
"This is a peaceful place," Lily began, but was interrupted by Dakar.
"Yes, but that doesn't mean that trouble can't come to it. You never know what can happen in the future!"
"Well . . . nobeast really does know where Noonvale is, do they? I mean, Noonvale is practically hidden. Few even know of Noonvale."
"But there are some who do," countered Dakar. "Lily, Petunia wants to be a Long Patroller. It's not fair to deny her that sort of thing. She'll either hate you and grow despondent for the rest of her life or run away to fulfill her dream. Lots of young, aspiring warriors do that."
"Did you do that?"
Dakar was silent for a moment before replying, "Yes, I did."
Silence reigned once again as the two mice continued to ball yarn. Finally Merola came in, an empty laundry basket in her paws.
"Here, Mr. Dakar, let me take care of that yarn, and you can go and put the tea on for us, eh?"
The warriormouse smiled, took up his cane and did as the badgermum bade him. Merola slumped down next to the mousemaid and began to roll up some of the yarn.
"Well, what do you think of Petunia getting sword lessons?"
"I can't say I approve of it," Lily confessed. "But Dakar has a point. She wants to be a warrior, and if we refuse her, she'll probably run away. And I don't want that to happen, especially if it means she'll leave here hating us."
"Then let her have the lessons. She was miserable learning how to dance the other day. It's hopeless turning her into a lady. We might as well focus that kind of attention on the other two. Of course, I do wonder if a warrior with a bad leg should be teaching her."
"It's just my leg that's bad, Miss Merola," said Dakar, coming back into the room. "I can still hold a sword, and really, it's fighting in this sort of condition that a warrior must train for. And besides, my leg will get better, wait and see!"
Lily sighed. "Well, I suppose that's it, then! Though I still think Petunia ought to also continue her dance lessons with Madam Breeze as well. I don't think she should quit when she's barely started."
"Plus it might offend Breeze," added Merola, grinning.
Lily shot the badger a look, but nevertheless mentally agreed.
"Don't you think it'll be a bit much, though?" asked Dakar. "I mean, sword lessons, dance lessons, and math lessons all in a single day?"
"We can work it out," Merola said. "Ruri told me that Petunia is already so advanced with her math that there really isn't much point in further teaching her. And she doesn't have to take her lessons all on the same day. Perhaps one day she can take dancing lessons and the next day have her sword lessons. And perhaps during a few evenings we can give her a few math problems just to keep her mind sharp."
Dakar smiled. "Well, it's all settled then, isn't it?"
"Yes, I suppose it is," conceded Lily, who was beginning to feel rather excited about her charges' futures.
Meanwhile, over at the troupe's encampment, Primrose, Petunia, and Pansy were continuing the lessons from the day before.
Much like yesterday, Primrose enjoyed herself enough, Petunia was bored and awkward, and Pansy was blissfully serious. And much like yesterday, Madam's eyes would often rove over the elder two to rest on the youngest.
However, this time, Spiketipp sat nearby to watch. He had a stack of parchment next to him and a quill which he started writing with. And every now and then, his eyes would look up to rest upon the beautiful visage of Primrose.
