" For the last time Serena, concentrate.'' Yelled Merlin angrily.
Growling I yelled back, " It's to damn cold to concentrate on anything, old man!''
Honestly the nerve of that man. He had gotten me up this morning while it was still dark outside, still dark! Then, still in my p.j.'s, he pushed me out of my room and dragged me out of the castle. When I yelled that I needed proper clothes he just laughed and said that no one would be able to tell the difference. He also said that if I wanted to wear 'proper' clothing I would have to be dressed before he got to my room, in the morning. Then he placed me on a horse, climbed on behind me, and we set off to wherever we were going at a ridiculously fast pace.
When we finally reached our destination, which turned out to be a river, let me tell you my legs were beyond sore. It took me about ten minuets just to walk right. That' s when he told me to go and sit in the water. Up to my neck! Freezing cold water up to my neck, right. I don't know about you but I fail to see the purpose of this training and told him so, but it only started an argument about how Arthur never gave him this much trouble.
Yeah, yeah Arthur.
In the end, as you might have guessed, I ended up in the water. I am still in the water. It's freezing. Can you get frostbite from water? You probably can't, but that still doesn't change the fact that I cannot feel any body part below my chin.
So what am I supposed to be doing? I'm supposed to be making the water go around me. But water from a river should probably already be doing that right? Well Merlin wants me to make the water go around me, about a foot length away from my body.
He's crazy! Everyone in this place is. First that whole pot thing and now this? I really could just cry.
" If you would just concentrate you could push the water away and it wouldn't be so cold anymore.'' Merlin yelled back.
Grinding my teeth together in frustration I closed my eyes and tried to do as the mighty Yoda commanded me to do. But it was just so cold!
O.k. you can do this Serena.
Yeah right, not in a million years.
Merlin had said to picture the situation in my head and push the water back with my mind and it would do that in reality.
Yeah, like anything was ever that easy.
" We're going to stay here until you get this. It's not that hard,'' said Merlin interrupting my internal conflict.
" All right, all right,'' I hissed at him, without opening my eyes.
Sighing I replaced the blackness in my mind with a picture of myself in the freezing, cold water, in my p.j.'s. Now this was the part where I was supposed to imagine the water a foot away from my body. Which I tried to do next…but I felt a resistance in my mind. Frowning I imagined the water a foot away again but felt the same resistance.
After three more attempts with the same results I opened my eyes and said, " I can't do this.''
Merlin, who had built a fire near by and was busy making something to eat, briefly glanced in my direction before turning back to his work.
" Try 'pushing' it away,'' was all he said.
Growling again in frustration I lifted my hand and sent the water splashing in Merlin's direction, causing the fire to flutter briefly.
" I don't have to feed you, you know. You could just watch Arthur and myself eat.
My head snapped up at that comment, " Arthur is coming here?''
" I invited him to come along. I think he could use some time away from the people of his court. But I doubt he'll come with all those people vying for his attention. So I took the liberty to invite him to all of your training sessions, hopefully he'll manage to get away from those people for a little while and spend a nice, stress-free morning without them.''
" Why did you have to go and do that for,'' I yelled in a strangled voice, "He seemed able to get away from his court just fine by himself two days ago.''
Merlin stopped what he was doing and turned to regard me in a scolding manner, "Now listen here young lady, I will not have you talk to me in such a fashion. Arthur needs more time away from those people and this is the perfect excuse, not many people enjoy being in the presence of magic. Now get back to your lesson.''
Angry I closed my eyes again but instead of going back to my 'lessons' like Merlin had said, I thought about what he just told me. Sure he just invited Arthur so he could get away from people. That old man was up to something. If Arthur really did show up each day there is going to be no way that I'm going to be able to learn anything. He's probably going to make fun of me every step of the way. How could—
" I don't feel you trying.'' Merlin called out, from his safe, warm spot by the fire.
Pushing thoughts of Arthur out of my head, I pictured myself in the water and started the whole process over again. After about two more tries of failure I stopped and tried to think about what I was doing wrong. Assuming that I could do it right at all.
The water just refuses to move. I imagined it away in my mind and the next instant it went right back where it was originally.
Well, maybe you should imagine pushing the water away slowly, said part of me.
Picturing myself again, this time instead of instantly imagining the water away I just sort of started to gently push the water away from my body. There was a sort of resistance at first but only at first.
" Good, very good.'' I heard Merlin say.
Opening my eyes I saw that the water was indeed about a foot or more away from me. With a shriek of excitement I shot up and was about to start dancing when some water hit me in the back and I went face first into the water.
Luckily the river wasn't a fast moving one, so I was able to make it to the surface with only the minimal amount of swimming skills. Making it to the riverbank I flopped down on my back, looking up at the sky with my legs still in the water.
I did it. I actually did it! This is unreal. One day I'm just shopping with my mom and the next I'm in the time of knights learning to move water.
At this point Merlin leaned into my line of view and said, "You did very good up until the point you lost your concentration. Had you remembered it you could have walked to shore without having to wade or swim. I thought that it would have at least taken you another hour to figure out how to do this. I'm very pleased that it did not. Now let us go eat.''
Standing up I followed Merlin over to his fire and sat down next to him.
Looking up at the sky I realized that it had been hours since we first came here. It was probably going to be twelve very soon.
"Merlin, can we go now?'' I asked as he handed me some meat, bread and cheese.
" After you finish eating you will practice three more times, then we will leave,'' He replied as he poured us both something to drink.
"But I have to be somewhere else by twelve. I understand how to do it now could we please not practice any more today?'' I asked between bites.
" Young lady you need practice and don't talk around your food, it's unlady-like.''
I just grunted in reply and hopped that Tristum would still have time to teach me after twelve.
" Where had you planed to go at noon? You haven't made many acquaintances who like you yet,'' Merlin said with a chuckle, as if the thought of me making friends was funny to him.
" I have made some friends,'' I said defensively.
"And if I may, who are they?'' Merlin asked smiling, "The only person you have been around long enough to become friends with is Arthur. Which I doubt he is to you.''
"I have made friends with Tess and Tristum,'' I stated triumphantly.
"You've made friends with a seamstress and an unmarried knight?'' Merlin said, all but laughing.
"Why, what's wrong with making friends with them?'' I asked angrily.
" Well, Tess is common born and it would be unsuitable in the eyes of society for you to be 'friends' with her. Also—''
"I don't care what society thinks.''
"Also,'' Merlin continued as if he had not heard my remark, "she is far to busy with other things to be a suitable companion to you. As for Tristum all that needs to be said is that he is a unmarried man.''
" Well, you're an unmarried man,'' I shot back.
" Yes but there is quite a difference between a old unmarried man and a young unmarried man. Now I'll ask you again where do you think you have to be by noon?''
" As a matter of fact I'm going with T—''
I had almost said his name. As angry as I was to tell Merlin that Tristum was going to be my friend no matter what I had almost done something very stupid indeed. I very much doubt that he or anyone else would approve of Tristum teaching me how to fight or being alone with him for that matter. Sure I could tell him that Tristum and I were going to be friends anyway and that he was going to teach me how to fight but it might get Tristum in trouble and that would end my fighting lessons before they even began.
It was a good thing that both there names started with a T let me tell you.
" Tess is going to take some time out of her busy day and show me how to sow.''
Merlin looked at me very suspiciously before nodding his head and saying, "We will try to hurry then, but I doubt that Arthur will approve of you making friends with a dressmaker.''
" But don't women just sit around all day and do nothing but sowing?'' I asked sarcastically.
" No they sit around all day doing embroidery. A very different branch of stuff.''
" Sure.''
" Stop questioning me and get back in the water. The sooner you finish the sooner you can be with your friend Tess.''