A Years Worth (done)

[Deleted]

How long has it been now? The sounds of swishing could be heard in an open courtyard as a young girl - just entering her eleventh year - practiced with a wooden sword.

Being that it was summer, she had her lengthening hair tied up tight into a ponytail that occasionally bounced into her face. Whenever this happened, she would stop, flip her hair back over and start again.

She was slowly moving into 200 swings. "195....breathe....196....breathe....197....breathe...."

[Kender Bard]

Jonathan walked up, silent as can be, and waited until she'd reached 200. He gave a clap of his hands.

"Good, Shui," he praised her. "I noticed your hair is getting in the way. Most of the women fighters I know cut it. Though Emerald grew hers out long enough that she just tucks it under her tunic. I think if she ever went to war she'd cut it though; it's an easy handhold for an opponent."

[Deleted]

She hadn't heard him, not until the moment he started clapping, but, at least now she didn't jump completely out of her skin when startled. She gave a tiny squeak and then a small bow to her teacher.

"Really?" she asked softly, toying with the end of the 'tail. She was a bit loath to cut it, but, it did get in the way and if it would make things easier..."I guess I could get it cut off."

Blinking slowly, she looked up at him, as though finally noting who it was. "Oh! Jonathan! I didn't think my lesson was until tonight?"

[Kender Bard]

"I was just coming by," he said casually. "And I saw you out here. I could make the same note. Why aren't you off playing or something?"

[Deleted]

"I don't need to play," she stated simply, shrugging indifferently. She had such a serious look on her face, a small trickle of sweat tracking down her cheek as she started the practice over again. "Beside....there aren't....really....any kids....here....to....play...."

[Kender Bard]

"Well, no, the palace isn't exactly teeming," Jonathan agreed. "Technically you should have been put into an orphanage but considering that you're my pupil I didn't want to tax either of us by having you make the trek back and forth to get here. But I know where to find plenty of children. And everyone needs to play. It makes a person forget important things otherwise."

[Deleted]

She stopped slowly and turned her head to look at him. Shui knew that she was to have been dropped in the orphanage and only Master Twilight, and Jonathan, kept her from being so dropped.

Lowering the sword so that the tip was level to the ground, she asked, "What type of things can be forgotten if one doesn't play?"

[Kender Bard]

"That life has its ups as well as its downs," he answered her seriously. "That there's joy to be found all around you. And most importantly-"

He leaned down until his face was level with hers. "-that you're only ten."

[Deleted]

Shui giggled a bit, lifting a hand to pat his cheek - almost fondly - and said, "The would be eleven, Jonathan."

She then smiled and gave another shrug. "Well, I guess I could go out an' play with some kids," an uncertain look crossed her face. "But I wouldn't know where to go."

[Kender Bard]

Jonathan rose and beckoned. "I can show you. Put the sword away and we can go now, though if you want to change then I can wait."

[Deleted]

Shui checked herself over once, even going so far as to try to look behind her. "I think I'm okay," she said, running off to put her sword away.

Soon she returned. "Okay! Shall we go then?"

[Kender Bard]

Jonathan nodded and walked with her in companionable silence until reaching the market square. One only had to stand and look around for a little bit before a group of children playing some kind of game involving a stick and a round iron band off a barrel. "There we go," he said, motioning. "There's kids right there."

[Deleted]

Shui eyed them warily. Even when she had been living in the city, she hadn't played with anyone. She had been told to stay hidden, that no one was to know who she was, or that she even existed. For her own well being.

Looking nervously at Jonathan, she then trotted out to the kids. "Um...h-hi!"

[Kender Bard]

One of the kids, a scrawny young girl of likely eight or nine, stopped and looked at Shui. The child was clearly of the common class but did not look starved, mistreated, or any other marks of the truly impoverished.

Dirty though. She rubbed her nose with the back of her hand. "Who're you?"

[Deleted]

Shui smiled and ran a hand through her still tied hair. "Um, I'm Shui. I..." she glanced back at Jonathan and then shyly asked. "I was wondering if I could join you..."