Chapter Four

"Damn" Ben swore. It was only after he got back to his attic room that he realised what he had agreed to. Sure it was normal practice for a master to eat with his student when that person 'graduated' or at least could no longer train with him. But that wasn't the whole story, DeVir's daughter was going to be there.

Ben had done a very good job of not embarrassing himself around her any more. He had been as civil as he could every time they had met. Whenever she had come into the hall to chase up her father for a meal he had bowed politely and found something else to do. Avoiding even looking at her. Much. Okay so maybe he had glnced at her a few times out of the corner of his eyes and maybe, just maybe he had caught her glancing back once or twice, but that was probably just to check he wasn't staring again, wasn't it?

"Arrrgh!" he shouted to the world at large, sitting heavily down into his chair. "Women!" he cried aloud. They always complicated things, just look at his father's experience. Add to that how much they cost, even his richest former friends had lamented the rate their girlfriends ate through their allowances. No, he decided, he would leave all that till he was better established. Far better to be a bachelor and keep what little he had.

"There he said" now dressed for the meal. He had put on his best suit, not that that was saying much, purely because it was the only one that was clean, not because he wanted to impress anyone. He had put aside all thoughts of that sort of thing, honest.

As it happened he needn't have worried the beauty in question was not there. A fact that the elder DeVir told him the moment he caught the young man looking around as he stepped into the house.

"She's staying away at a lady friend's house" DeVir told him, and tried not to laugh as the boy reacted with a face that was part relief and part disappointment. "Ah to be young" he mused, then he remembered the problems love had caused him and changed his mind. "I should warn you" he said with mock severity "she was very keen on Dooble-whatsit"

"No" Ben replied, almost mortified.

"Yes" DeVir responded, "When she was seven."

"Bastard" Ben replied grumpily. "Not that I would care mind you," he tried, only succeeding in making DeVir laugh out loud.

The meal was far from the fancy fare of the palace but it was hearty good food, and a lot better than Ben was used to eating. He dug in like a man possessed, much to his teacher's amusement, and eventually his. From there the evening went very pleasantly. They shared more than a little wine and compared historical fencing anecdotes and styles till the early morning. By the time Ben left he was not only thoroughly sizzled but also feeling the sort of camaraderie that he had not known since his time in the anti-orc patrols.

Needless to say he suffered for it something rotten the next day. Combined with the pain of his re-located shoulder and the throbbing of his inured leg a hangover made that next morning one of the darkest he would ever have. So instead of going and paying off his debts that day he stayed in bed.

As a result stories of exactly who had won the foot lists spread and when he did get up the next day there were more than a few invitations to visit all sorts of notables waiting for him. So instead of going around himself he was forced to send DeVir the money he owed him and spend his day answering letters.

With the sorts of gifts he was receiving he could not refuse the invitations and soon found himself attending one function after another. Fortunately for him, if somewhat embarrassingly, the hosts of most seemed to understand his lack of funds and nobody so much as sneered in his direction.

It was only later that he discovered that the reprieve was more to do with his dangerous reputation than any kindness on the part of his hosts. It might also be worth mentioning that he was under no illusions about this passing popularity and was more using it to restock some of his depleted reserves and get some free meals than actually believing the shallow city-folk had really taken a liking to him.

When he did eventually make it to the Hall it was on the way back from one such 'function,' this one had been at the college of artillerists and had been more than tedious. On the other hand they had presented him with a fine statue of a knight charging a cannon. He had recognised the jibe as it was, but had been far more interested in the resale value of the figurine than their message. After all nobody in their right mind would swap one of those smelly, inaccurate chunks of metal for a real weapon. The poor fools were exploring up a dead end and were to be pitied for it.

As he stepped into the Hall he spotted a lone figure going through their paces opposite the mirror. Assuming it was Master DeVir he had been about to ambush them when he noticed that the figure was nowhere near tall enough for the fencing master. He rapidly figured it to be one of the students, and a very advanced one at that, especially for their apparent age.

"You're too low" he said aloud, startling the student from their practice. They turned and he could practically feel the glare levelled through the mask. Even in the non-descript jacket and mask the unknown person was practically shouting hostility at him. "You're too low" he repeated adamantly, walking over. "That's fine if you are trying to tickle them, or even if you were fighting someone your age but you won't be." The kid rather than reply waved him off and went back to their practice.

Ben slapped the unknown student's sword aside as he came around them. "Don't be stupid" he commanded. "This isn't something you want to be stubborn about. Stab a man in the chest and you kill them, stab him in the gut and he still has enough time to kill you and seek healing. Now try it, and I'll show you what I mean." With that he backed off and dropped into a ready stance.

Indeed when Ben let the thrust reach him it did so into his belly. At which point he slapped his foil around his opponent's face. "See!" he demanded, "Now try again, higher!" This time he got his message across and his opponent did as they were told. "Now," he began "what are they going to do to counter?" he asked. The student demonstrated a high guard and he nodded. "Now let's add that and see where it goes shall we." Again the student nodded and son they were sparring across the hall. The fight was punctuated by barked commands as Ben corrected the various combinations thrown at him and only eventually stopped when they were interrupted by an oh so familiar slow clap.

"Well done" said Master DeVir "I think you have found the answer"

"What?" the two fighters replied in chorus.

"Ben," DeVir continued, "You shall join me here, and lead some of the lessons."

"And?" the young man asked.

"And" DeVir continued, "We shall take twice as many students and teach them between us."

"I don't follow where-" Ben replied, still coming out of his fighting mode.

"And that way" DeVir pushed on, "You shall earn the money to pay me for my lessons" he finished with a smile.

"Now hold on" Ben cut in "There's something-"

"Okay" DeVir conceded in mock reluctance "I'll train you after we finish with the students. That way you won't cost me too much money."

"Hang on" replied Ben, catching on, "Don't you mean that I'll train you? After all I am the Tourney champion here"

"Hah" replied DeVir jokingly, "We'll see about that." And with that he drew one of the practice foils from the stand and took up a stance. Soon the two of them were fighting across the floor, happy in their mutual competitiveness.

Unseen the young student slipped away.