Bec Durida was rather tall with broad shoulders and soft brown hair. She also had a firm demeanor and spoke the Gruman language fluently. She stood in front of the classroom and slapped the stick in her hand.
“Now then. Who can tell me the capital of Sycochang? You there.”
“Pintock!”
“Very good. And you. What is the capital of Welvale?”
“Willovale.”
“Excellent. And Carduan? You.”
“Cancaska.”
She nodded as another student raised his hand.
“You have a question?”
“Yes. My father said there was a group of rebels in the woods last year…and they came from the west.”
Bec raised an eyebrow.
“Well if they were from the west…where would they have come from?”
“Monlan…and Sonchia.”
“Very good.”
“But are you one of the rebels?”
Bec gave a laugh.
“I hardly think so. I’m here teaching all of you geography.”
“How did a slave wind up a teacher?”
Bec shook her head.
“Because before I was a slave, my family was much too poor to send me to school. My master has given me a wonderful opportunity by giving me an education I would not have had otherwise…which is something you need to learn to appreciate!”
She shook the stick at the students.
“You don’t know how fortunate you are to be able to go to school. I had to carry coal from house to house to earn a few copper pennies…and that wouldn’t even buy a loaf of bread.”
“Why are those other slaves rebelling then?”
“I don’t know. Perhaps they had masters who were not so kind and generous.”
The children looked at each other as Bec looked at the old sundial.
“You are dismissed for today. Remember the geography exam is tomorrow.”
The Gruman children filed out of the class and Bec went to her desk to grade their books. She shook her head as she did so, as most of them hadn’t bothered doing their work.
“Such lazy children. Don’t they know the value of an education?”
Bec graded the books until her master arrived, who was the one actually employed to teach the children. He took her log and shook his head, raising all of their grades so they would pass. Bec bit her lip, as she hated it that he always did this, but knew she would not be allowed to object.
“Come Bec,” he said. “I have a guest today.”
She nodded and followed her master home, where she busied herself serving the guest. He was a large and fat Gruman and wore a lot of gold, but also had a very cross look on his face. Bec went into the kitchen, but just behind the doorway so she could hear them.
“Those rebels will pay,” he growled. “They took my little black gold mine.”
“Well they had better not take mine,” said Bec’s master. “I would hate to have to teach the little brats myself.”
“Why I came to see you. Wanted to make sure you still had her.”
“She’s fairly well behaved.”
“So was the little drummer. But he still disappeared with mine. Should have figured they were lovers.”
Bec bit her lip and listened closer.
“I hear they also got rid of that pest in Clomang.”
“No they didn’t. He went to join the rebellion…and took those two hostages with him.”
Bec gave a gasp, but put her hand over her mouth.
“Are the two in Pintock still there?”
“Yes. The story was that mine was going there to perform for the governor. Seems it was a ruse.”
“Well those two in the tower are witches of some kind.”
“Witches!”
“They made this magic plant…that cannot be cut down. It’s still growing out of the window.”
“Have they escaped?”
“No.”
“What’s the use of the magic plant then? If they are witches, they’re not very bright.”
“I’m not sure. I just know the governor keeps asking for me to bring mine. He wants to ship them all off somewhere so they can’t join this rebellion.”
“Are you going to?”
Bec’s master laughed.
“Only if he provides another slave. One that can read and write and continue teaching my classes so I can meet with my mistress.”
YOU ARE READING
The Account of the Brides
AdventureBec is finally getting educated due to the Gruman occupation. But she realizes it's time to escape when she hears about the prisoners in the tower.
