A/N: I'm SORRY. I actually wrote this AGES ago, but lost the USB stick it was stored on. I finally uploaded and edited it now though, so R&R please!! Just a warning: it'll be a while before this gets anything done to it now!

The dining room was a formal room. The table was made of solid maple, and the floor was shining clean. Jazlyn and Mark walked in together but were seated opposite each other. Ernest was at the top of the table, Takumi was beside Jazlyn, and Isabelle was seated beside Mark. Joseph was at the bottom of the table opposite Jazlyn.

Dinner was delicious. There was tomato and onion soup, roast duck with rosemary and basil, and cheesecake with chocolate crumbs, strawberry sauce and fresh blueberries. The conversation, which included the whole table, ranged from business at Carlock's finery to Takumi's engagement and the plans for the future wedding. The one topic they did not discus was fighting of any type, and the fact that Jazlyn going to join the Riders was specifically avoided. It was said that it was not a topic to discuss over dinner and they would discuss it later.

As soon as everyone was done dessert, they all got up and went to the room that was used for weapons practice when it was raining, or dark outside. It was the perfect size for a pair to duel, and for everyone else to watch comfortably, without being in danger of getting hurt.

"So who's first?" Joseph asked with a malicious grin, but a sharp smile in his eyes.

Jazlyn almost volunteered but realized that someone else should go first so that she could change her skirt to trousers. Mark stood up and grabbed the blunt practice sword that Joseph tossed at him. Mark was good, but Joseph was amazing. He was faster and sharper, though not more forceful. After a couple of minutes, Mark was sweating buckets, and Joseph was getting damp, and Mark tried to knock Joseph's sword out of his hand, but he was so sweaty that the push forced his sword out of his hand. Joseph grinned and picked up Mark's sword and handed it back saying, "You've gotten a lot better. Just build up endurance. Try skipping rope like the little girls do for long periods of time. As you get good, swing it faster. Takumi you're next."

Jazlyn almost had her skirt fixed into breaches by this point. Takumi was at about the same level as Mark, and Joseph popped his sword out of his hold in 1 minute and a half with a fancy twist. He pinned Takumi to the ground when he tried to grab his sword to keep going. Jazlyn was completely done fixing her skirt now though Joseph hadn't noticed. As he was helping out Takumi, with his back to Jazlyn he said "So the people left are Ernest and Jazlyn but she can't fight in a skirt, come on old man."

Ernest stood up and expected Takumi to toss the sword to him but he tossed it instead to Jazlyn.

"What skirt?" She asked with a grin for her skirt was now trousers.

Joseph smiled and blinked in disbelief but quickly got over it and said, "Ok, you're up."

Jazlyn loved sword fighting and practiced for hours everyday, she would not get tired and sweaty as Mark had, and the trick Joseph used on Takumi was a simple one. But she hadn't fought her brothers in years and She had never fought anyone as good as Joseph.

Their fight lasted for much longer then the others. When they reached the three minute point Joseph started to look impressed because Jazlyn was no more tired than he was. It went on and on. Jazlyn blocking each of Joseph's attacks and he defended hers in turn. After ten minutes of steady attacks both of them were soaked through and concentrating extremely hard. Joseph started in on a complicated attack to disarm her, and Jazlyn defended a second too late. The sword went flying across the room leaving no hope of reaching it and being able to continue.

Joseph shook her hand looking amazed. "Congratulations!"

"Thank you, but why are congratulating me? I lost."

"That's the longest fight I've had in about eight years, and I've fought against some pretty hard people."

"Well, then thank you very much."

"How did you get so good? No offence meant at all, but I've gone up against most of the knights at court, and they're not as good as you are."

"Really?" Jazlyn said; she surprised and pleased. "Well, when I was younger, I umm… kind of took Takumi practice sword while he was still sleeping and did everything he had been drilled at." He brother was staring at her, so she continued, "I put it back before you woke up. I'm sorry."

Everyone laughed and Jazlyn continued. "Then I got old enough to learn I my own, and Kyle helped me make a really big, heavy on to practice with, for endurance."

Joseph looked puzzled, "Who's Kyle?"

"He's an old friend. He's about 3 years older than me, and his dad is the village smith, and he's his apprentice. He can pretty much make every thing himself, and he taught me how to make some stuff a few years ago, when I was 12, or so."

Ernest butted in politely saying, "Tonight sure is a night for confession, buy we are all tired and would like to go to bed, I'm sure. I think I'll have a go at you in the morning before you leave. "

"Thank you brother, that's much appreciated."

Takumi and Mark walked back to their rooms together, as they were all side by side. They were discussing Jazlyn's fight; rather Mark and Takumi were discussing the fight, while Jazlyn nodded every now and then.

"It's amazing you did so well."

"The longest fight in eight years, that's awesome!"

"If you can keep with him for that long, then surely you can beat just about anyone else!"

At this they reached their rooms and all said goodnight. They told Jazlyn to make sure that they were up before she left the next day.

"I'm not leaving till noon!"

"So make sure to wake me please." Mark said and walked into his room.