A World With/Out Home

Chapter 9: A long wait. (Part 3)

"Good keep it up!" Estile's voice carried over the yard where the children practised swinging wooden swords. "Keep your legs an even distance apart. Remember to shift your weight with the swing." It was her day with the children and they wanted to practice their swordsmanship. Not everyone joined in and many of them watched from the sidelines doing their own activities. The variety between their appearances was something hard to find in the one place even for the larger cities. Full blooded humans, elves, beastkin and even some rarer races and many more that were mixes in-between. They were the children who having no home were picked up by the Mercenaries, many of which would have been persecuted in their own lands for their appearance.

"Okay that's enough," Estile called out and the line of children heaved tiredly, some even collapsing to the ground. She grinned, "You all did really well today. Keep this up and even a trained knight would have trouble with you."

"Mother Estile," an older girl appeared from the edge of the yard. Though human in appearance her ears were that of a cats and twitched as she approached. Now that Callus was gone she was the oldest of the children.

"Yes Maxi?"

"Mother Karen is asking for you. She's in the bathhouse."

Estile nodded, "I'll be over in a minute. Do you mind wrapping things up here for me?"

"Of course," the girl smiled and clapped her hands. "Okay everyone let's clean up before we leave. Remember to put things away properly."

Seeing as they were in good hands, Estile made her way to the bathhouse. Being the middle of the day no one was using it and a large divider split the building between male and female. She stepped confidently to the female side and quickly found Karen who was lying with only a towel on a table.

"You made it," the red haired women smiled as she came in. "My mana circuits are all knotted give me a massage please!"

"Usually you'd ask first before you take off your clothes."

"It's because I knew you'd say yes."

"I haven't said yes," Estile sighed but went to wash her hands nonetheless and approached the women pulling back her towel. Her fingertips glowed lightly as she pressed her hands to Karen's back causing her to release a satisfied moan.

"You really do it better than anyone else. I can already feel all the pent up mana releasing." Fully relaxed she closed her eyes. "Last time I had someone else help, it actually hurt quite a bit and that women was a supposed expert. I'm so glad I recruited you."

"Recruited me?" Estile laughed. "If I remember correctly you were practically begging me to join."

"Are you sure that's right? It was a pretty long time ago, maybe you're all muddled."

"No I clearly remember you're crying face when I rejected you."

"I didn't cry," Karen said defensively. "We were still beginning back then anyway."

"Yeah... I'd like to say we grew up but we clearly didn't." Estile pushed down a little harder as Karen squirmed.

"No tickling."

"I can do what I wa-," in a sudden rush Estile threw the towel back over Karen's body and turned her head around sharply. Her senses spread out fully alert. "Riftin I know you're there! Get out before I make you. If you want to go sneak around I heard Arvel's making cookies." Defeated, the presence slowly ebbed away. Once it was gone Estile continued her work.