Kate and Sean

Untitled Part 12

The next couple of days Jocelyn spent cleaning up the square after school. The first day she picked up the litter and swept. The next day she mopped the upper landing and finished the work with some ribbons on a few of the pillars and the railings just to show she did not even regret the work.

Her friends were forced to watch still, as she completed the chores, then she was allowed to run off and play with them. Just after lunch, she went down to the courtyard to watch father train with the palace guards. She loved watching him work out. Not a single guard could best him and he often trained with two or three just to challenge his skills.

She was in awe of his speed and calculation, more than once she was sure he could not see a blow coming, only to surprise her by blocking it or using it to his advantage. When she was younger, he would take on Doctor Abbott but those days were long over. The doctor proved to be of little use when it came to combat and father grew bored trying to improve on his skills.

So now as she sat on the fence watching father plow through everyone at his disposal, Jocelyn wondered why Abbott was also now leaning on the fence beside her. She smiled warmly almost nervous for the doctor seeing how father was nearing the end of his session. Due mostly to the fact that he had worn everyone else out. Would he be resuming the doctor's training after all this time?

Mâvis sent Reagan to the ground one last time, he reached down to help his friend up then waived him off for the day. He paced the courtyard for a moment to cool down, and then stopped for a ladle of water.

Abbott hung his satchel on the post and climbed up to take a seat, "Ready when you are, sir." He had a rather curious smile on his face and Jocelyn wondered what he was up to.

The king nodded and pointed his spear to Jocelyn, "Come, cub. You wish to train, so you will train."

She sucked in her breath and lit up in a smile before hopping off the fence, "Really father? Am I really going to train?" She dashed over to give him a hug only to be met with the butt of the spear.

She stopped dead in her tracks right before running into it. He grunted and bit back a smirk seeing how quickly she took notice of it. He then pointed to a blade on a log, "Get to it and you will have a weapon."

She gaged the distance and thought quickly on what she would need to do before looking up the shaft of the spear into her father's eyes. She nodded signaling she knew what she needed to do and before she could make a dash for the blade, she was tumbled off her feet by the spear. Her thoughts were not on the blade anymore, now they were on her opponent. To get to what she wanted she had to focus on him not the blade. The next swipe of the spear butt she jumped over, landing on her feet she then crouched down and tumbled under him. He was too fast however and before she could get to her feet he dragged them out from under her sending her flat on her belly, hard.

He used the spear to flip her over and pin her to the ground, "How are you liking it, love? You ready to go in yet?"

Jocelyn only answered by bringing her feet up and kicking the spear off, he was impressed by the move and couldn't help but reward her action by releasing her. She threw herself further into the same move continuing until she was upright then she charged him and used the spear he held to leverage herself into a well meant kick to the knee.

Mâvis was grinning ear to ear, Jocelyn was good. Better than he was at her age, and he was fascinated. He had taught her since infancy to latch onto tree branches in order to hide from predators in their dangerous and unpredictable world. She could scurry along a limb almost as soon as she could walk. Now when they hunt she passes through the giant trees almost as quickly as she can make it across the ground.