The New Rangers

Chapter Three

Deva relaxed back against the tree and glanced at Holly where she leaned against her own tree. They'd been back home for a week and this was the first chance they'd had to have some time to themselves. The little clearing they sat in was near Deva's home and it had become their spot since they were younger.

They would come here to play when they were small and as they grew they would come here to sit and talk about all kinds of things. From boys to how annoying their parents were at any given moment.

They were beginning their training tomorrow morning. Their fathers had spent the week since returning to Redmont alternately badgering them about being ready and throwing out situations and seeing how they would handle them. This was their last day to laze around and relax and they were enjoying their last day of freedom.

She allowed herself a grin as she thought about poor Mitchell. He'd already started his classes at the Battleschool. They had spent some time leaning on the fence near the training field to watch him. They both had to admit he was rather impressive even with a practice sword.

She glanced at Holly again. "Do you think we'll be any good at it?"

Holly rolled her head against the tree until she was looking at Deva. "You seriously have to ask that?"

"You never know. Sometimes talent can skip a generation. We might stink at being Rangers." She shrugged.

Holly emitted a rude sound. "Please, we've been sneaking through these woods since we could walk. Uncle Gilan has been teaching us how to use a sword since we could hold one. We'll do fine."

Deva gave a small nod. Uncle Horace helped a bit with sword lessons the few times they'd gone to visit. She was still worried. She didn't want to disappoint her father. Both her father and Uncle Halt were legends. She wondered briefly if Mitchell felt the same. If he worried about measuring up to his father. A scowl crossed her face and she shook her head. Why was she even worrying about him? She couldn't stand the big idiot. She would admit he was good with a blade, but that's all she was going to give him.

***

Mitchell shifted in his seat, trying to pay attention to the lecture, but it was difficult. Not because he didn't understand it, but because he knew all of this already.

His mind began wandering as he worried about failing. He worried about the fact that he couldn't seem to get along with the other boys. He'd grown up in the castle and there hadn't been many opportunities for him to mix with a lot of children his own age. The only other children he'd spent any amount of time with were Holly and Deva. Those few experiences hadn't gone very swimmingly. They hadn't meshed well at all and ended up doing their fair share of fighting the few times they were together. There were many times when they'd played tricks on him or simply left him behind. The two girls were thick as thieves and he assumed they resented the fact that their parents tried to put the three of them together. They had one another and didn't want or need another person added to their duo.

Consequently, he was currently not having much success getting along with his fellow Battleschool students. They thought he was too stiff and formal. It was a side effect of living in the castle he supposed, even if his parents weren't formal all the time.

The other boys also thought he was too concerned with the rules. He'd stopped to lecture a few of them about rules he saw them breaking. He didn't mean to do it, it just sort of happened.

With a sigh, he shifted again refocusing his attention on the lecture. He'd heard all of this from his father already. Why had his father wanted him to come here? Oh, right, so he could spend time with young men his own age. Fabulous idea, Dad, he thought grumpily as he sank in his seat slightly.