Seven years later…
“Stop it.” A female voice shouted from around the corner of the castle, in the garden. “That tickles!” Jack, now a man of 19, with a short beard and sideburns, was playing with a woman the same height as him. She had long, auburn, weaved hair that swayed in the wind. She was wearing a purple dress that was knee length and was wearing tall, leather boots. Jack was wearing a shirt of linen and breeches of leather. From around the corner came a man that was above average height and had short, cropped, brown hair and was wearing purple strack battle-plate, - an element found around the mountain that was as hard as hardened steel and bronze together. He whistled at the couple, who looked up and saw him. “Sword training.” He said in a gruff, low pitched voice. “O.K., just let me get changed first,” the lady said
“O.K., Kelly. Be quick” the man replied.
“Um, Cedric, mi lord, I...I” Jack said.
“Jack, be calm and call me Cedric,” the man replied, “I’m no more a lord then the lowly merchant is,”
“O.k. thank you Cedric, I was wondering if I could join in the training today, I think I’m ready.”
“O.K.”
Kelly came out of the castle, this time wearing a thin shirt of flax and hard breeches of linen, and she had her hair tied back with a piece of rope. She was holding a couple of blunt swords.
Cedric grabbed one of the swords. Kelly held the sword at eye level, Cedric pointed his to the floor. Kelly stared at his eyes, Cedric stared back. Kelly took the first move. She lunged for Cedric’s side. He stepped aside and tripped her with his leg. She dodged the leg and retaliated with a viscous hit to the side of Cedric’s face. The hit connected. Cedric, stunned, staggered back and quickly moved the side, just as Kelly’s sword went within an inch of his nose. Now ready, and in stance, Cedric unleased a volley of blows on to Kelly. She was running back, and she was out of breath. Jack was watching both intently. Kelly had one final slash at Cedric’s arm, which caused a gash to open up, and bright red blood began to flow.
“First blood!” Kelly shouted, obviously excited. She then got a piece of cloth, embodied with the coat of arms for the city, and she dabbed the wound on Cedric’s arm until the blood stopped
“Thanks Kiddo.” Cedric whispered to her. “Jack, did you see how she fought?”
“Yes sire… Cedric”
“Good…” An old woman walked out of the large, stone castle, and was waiting at the top of the staircase. She was wearing a dark purple, satin long dress. There was a small bulge around her hip, where Cedric knew a sharpened steel dagger was, because she knew how to defend herself.
“Kelly, show Jack the basics. I need to go talk to your mother” Cedric said
“O.K. Jack pick up a sword and I’ll show you how to hold it” Kelly replied
Cedric ran up the steps towards the lady, and went down on one knee at the top of the hard, stone stairs. “Mi Lady, by everything I do, I will stay your faithful protector, no matter the sacrifice.”
“You’re still reciting that Cedric? Anyway, Kelly, how did she do?”
“She’s living up to her name. She’s braver in battle now, and she’s becoming a fine warrior.”
“I can see that from the blood on your arm.”
“She beat me, that’s all I can say”
“And Jack, how is he doing?”
“Jack is taking more of an interest in training himself now, but I don’t think the hammer, as you suggested, will be the best choice for him.”
