Saffron's Fire

A Touch of Fire

The next morning Carrigan dressed in the same clothes she had worn the day before. Only adding a sweater as an extra layer. It was chilly, and as well maintained as the castle was, it was still drafty. She had completed her morning workout and mental exercises when she heard her door open.

She saw who she expected to see. Kiran stood in the doorway. His attire more relaxed than the day before. Today he only looked professorial with a sweater vest and blazer with Khaki slacks. He gave her outfit a questioning look. She replied, "these are the only clothes I have. Though I did find this sweater..." Find was a loose term. She had borrowed it from a laundry basket she raided.

Kiran, in spite of himself, laughed. "That sweater belongs to Mrs. Lofty. She would mind you helping yourself to it I'm afraid. I am sorry, I should have though of that."

Carrigan shrugged, as if to say any normal person would have come with clothes. She then pulled off the sweater and handed it to Kiran.

"I can at least go and get you an extra sweater from uniform storage. This afternoon, you can go into town with Gryphon and pick out clothes for yourself. I did think to bring you this." And he awkwardly handed her a bottle of liquid make up, the heavy duty kind that was for stage performances. "It's to hide...that" he nodded and Carrigan unconsciously touched the tattoo at the curve of her collar bone.

She refused to take the make up. Instead she told him, " I have an idea about that. It would be easier and less obvious to change the tattoo with sharpie markers. That way there is no danger of tell tale make up smears on the collars of my clothes. Anyway, aren't some artists covered with tatoos?"

Kiran nodded his approval and replied, "That is clever. Hiding it in plain sight. I will also get you a permanent marker . Give me ten minutes."

While he was gone Carrigan thought about how he had felt embarrassed that he had forgotten she came with nothing but the clothes on her back and a few personal belongings. He obviously didn't go around bringing Shirrees home.

Then she started thinking about teaching children. It had been a while since she had even seen children. Would they like her? What if she was a terrible teacher. Teaching is just your cover she scolded herself uncovering a snitch is your real job so don't get attached. You'll probably get returned as soon as you complete your mission.

Kiran walked in at that moment and caught her frown. "What's wrong with you?" He sniped.

"Don't you ever knock?" She asked angrily. He only chuckled and handed her a sweater and waited while she changed the tatoo of the clipped wing to that of a bird in flight. Kiran nodded his approval. Honestly he tried not to think about how lovely he though her bird tatoo looked on her graceful long neck.

Carrigan put on the better fitting sweater and waited while Kiran unlocked the door. Apartments up and down the corridor opened and closed as teachers in various states of dress emerged to begin their day. Most wore professional attire but there were some still in pajamas heading to the canteen, picking up mail, and other facets of their morning routine.

As Carrigan and Kiran passed, they all stopped and stared. The male teachers with admiration the female teachers with a range from jealous derision to curiosity. They left a whispering mass behind them. Carrigan wondered why she had caused so much interest. Maybe her tatoo wasn't disguise enough to hide her secret. She looked nervously at Kiran who without looking back said, "It's because you're new, young and very pretty. Stop worrying. Oh, have you been practicing Canadian?"

"Yes" she replied crisply her accent slightly French. "I 'ave been practicing." Kiran looked over and smiled with glee.

They walked down through the main hall and up the middle flight of stairs then through a corridor dotted with classrooms, broom closets, restrooms, and more classrooms. Then they turned left at the end of the corridor and went to a door that led to a spiral staircase. At the top of the staircase was a large, classroom. The whole wall of one side was Windows that overlooked the courtyard. She saw sleepy looking, uniformed children making their way across the courtyard lawn obviously heading toward the canteen.

He handed her a sheet and said, " Teach them about color today. Primary, Tertiary, ect. Tell them that you can use different tones of a color family to make shading. Then show them how to do it." The sheet had the pertinent technical definitions of color that she needed. He opened the cabinets lining the wall opposite the Windows. They were filled with paints, pastels, markers, crayons, pencils, water colors, every tool imaginable for an Art teacher to need. Then next cabinet was filled with paper, (colored and plain) parchment, canvas, card stock. The next cabinet was stuffed with odds and ends like buttons, ribbon, feathers, colored glass, beads, pipe cleaners and so on. It went like this for each of the ten cabinets. She had been well stocked. There was also a bookcase full of art books on another wall. And her desk was a drafting desk. Everything was clean, crisp and new.

"Who taught elementary art before?" She asked, amazed at the organization.

Kiran looked puzzled, "no one specifically, though it was integrated into their curriculum."

"So you did this for me?" She asked, astonished.

Kiran did not answer that question but instead changed the subject. " Do you have an idea of what your are going to teach your titchie's? The Kindergarteners and First Form will be here for their class this afternoon."

"I have all I need for the class, but I need the names of the students I am protecting. That way I can learn who they are by sight."

"I canna give you a list but come and have dinner in my office tonight and I will tell you who is who. Your first class comes in four hours." He said briskly. Then he turned and left the room.

He is so confusing, she though in annoyance, first he invites me to dinner, then he lets me know I am teaching for the first time in my life in four hours. Wonderful.

Carrigan went to her bookshelf and pulled out children's art books. She fell instantly in love with one called "Brown Bear, Brown Bear" By Eric Carle. He used tissue paper and paint to create the amazing textures in he stories. That was what she was going to use in her first lesson.

She would teach color with this book.