"Follow me please," the stable master said, "it is very easy to get lost here the first few days."
The stable master, Joba, was leading them to the main barn. All the school horses were kept here until a person was assigned to them, when they move into the stable that is the room of their rider.
Mika was in all of Tel's classes except for this one. Mika didn't like horses and jousting like Tel did, but Cole and Will were in this class. Tel was hoping to get a good mount, because the one assigned today was to be hers for the next five years.
"Cole, take lightning, Will, you've got Pilgrim," the stable master barked.
There were six kids in the class, and Tel was left last. The stable master looked her up and down.
"You a good horsewoman?" he asked.
"Yeah."
"Think you can handle a stallion?" he looked skeptical; she was the only girl in the class.
"Sure."
"Alright, I want you to take Dance Man, but he's very unpredictable, so if you cant handle him you can take Sprout here."
Well, Sprout looked like a ragged old deadbeat, no good for jousting. Tel walked in and haltered her horse.
"Every lesson, you are to come here and tack up your steed, bring them out, and wait for professor Greenwood to arrive," Joba instructed.
Joba then instructed them on how to saddle and bridle their horses, then how to put the protective gear on them. Tel was finished tacking up before Joba even got to her stall.
"Wow, I think I underestimated you Tel'" he praised, "Look how she has done this everyone."
Tel blushed at being complimented on her first day. After the stable master checked all the horses he told them to head outside, mount, and wait for further instruction.
Dance Man turned out to be O.K., he was a bit jumpy, but not bad. Professor Greenwood was a woman, and she paired riders for the day. She pared Tel with Cole.
"Scared?" he teased
"In your dreams," she replied coolly.
They parted to go to different ends, turned, and tilted.
Fear was the first thing Tel felt. Dance was fast, very fast. Before she knew it her lance struck Cole's shoulder, while his struck her mid- drift. It would have hurt, but Tel wasn't a newcomer to the sport, and she was tolerant to this kind of pain. Cole, however, wasn't as lucky. His shoulder was dislocated. Tel told him to hold still, and she used her magic to numb it and pop it back in.
The rest of the lesson went by smoothly, no one got seriously hurt. Everyone had five lessons a week, or one a day, that went from ten to three. After the lessons students have free time.
We find Tel and Mika in room four. Tel is sore from jousting, and Mika from Tai Kwan Do. Tomorrow both have archery, same on Thursday. Wednesday they have sword fighting, and Friday they have magic class. Saturday and Sunday are free days to all students, so Tel and Mika are planning a hike while talking.
"Man this place is so confusing, I don't know how I'm going to get to Sword fighting and magic, I don't know where the class rooms are!"
"I know, it took me forever to find the Tai Kwan Do class room," Mika said while rubbing her shoulders.
"Hey Mika, I think we should explore the school instead of going on a hike."
"Alright, but Tel, could we bring along Derek?"
"Sure, Cole can come too."
"Lets go to bed, it's late, and I'm tired," Mika complained.
"Kay, sounds good to me"
Both girls drift off to sleep, and about an hour later the boys come back from wherever. Cole pulls back Tel's curtain and kisses her softly on the cheek, then goes to bed.