An Exercise in Patience [OPEN]

[Kenyon]

“Alex, hold the staff this way.” Kenyon shoved the otter’s footpaws farther apart with his foot, moving his paws apart, back to the taped sections of the staff. “There, much more stable. Back to the block/hit pattern.” He walked down the double line, adjusting a grip here, admonishing a weak blocker there. “Keren, the staff’s not a snake, ’won’t bite ye. Stop ducking!” He walked over to a pair who were practicing swordwork.

“Deryk, stop deviatin’ from th’ exercise, this ain’t a brawl.” He admonished the older student. “Barrdell here’s not as advanced, yore ‘ere t’teach ‘im, not beat ‘im up.” Kenyon stood and watched the pair, “Low hit, low block. Middle hit, middle block. Watch it Barrdell or yore gonna get yore knuckles skinned. High hit, high block. Low. Middle. High.” After a moment he nodded and moved on, back to the students working with staffs. Today was a slow day, as was usual for Midweek, he only had the pair with swords and the 10 pairs working with staffs.

“Switch partners!”

[Ambrose]

Banyon had the day off. He was doing his normal run of about ten miles or so. He had a good sweat going, with the beads bouncing off now. He was clad in his short brown tunic with a fringe on it. He was making good time, when he saw Kenyon Wildlough training young otters. He made the decision to cut his run short and see what they were up to.

He came up next to him, and after bowing he began to speak.
"Hello sir. How are you this morning?" Banyon smiled at his superior. He knew that title and position didn't mean a lot to this otter. He was very genial. Banyon felt at ease in his prescence.

[Kenyon]

The day was a beautiful one for early spring, warm, a slight breeze. And so, after dismissing the swordbeasts, he took his staff class outside to the arena for the remainder of their lesson. The arena was a large oval, floored in sand over the dirt of the clearing.

"Hello sir. How are you this morning?"

Kenyon turned from supervising the mock combat, two on three and so on, little groups attacking little groups. “Hello, Banyon Galedeep, isn’t it?” he said pleasantly. He looked over the young otter, noticing the sweat on his fur and his hard breathing. “Out for a run?”

[Ambrose]

Banyon was a little surprised that the husband of the High Queen knew his name. He was naught but a lowly private. He smiled appreciatevely, and then answered,

"Oh aye sir, tis a glorious day for it." He glanced up at the sun and the cloudless blue sky. The small breeze that trickled through felt good on his warm body. He turned and looked at the young otters. He was glad that someone was training up the next generation of soldiers, after what happened a few seasons back, the island could use as many soldiers as it could get.

"So your training these young rouges how to kill the enemy then sir?" He smiled, for he loved to joke around, even when he shouldn't.

[Prankster101]

Mona Wildlough, the High Queen Rhulain of Green Isle, stifled a yawn as she stepped out into the courtyard outside of the Castle. She stifled the yawn for two reasons. One, it was not proper for anybeast to yawn that wide in public, and two, she wasn't supposed to be yawning in the first place, for she wasn't supposed to have been sleeping. But she had.

Mona had snuck off to take a small break from her queenly duties and take a well deserved nap. She had resolved two conflicts between brothers, arranged a Spring season party, and oversaw the training of some new recruits into the Green Clan Regiment. She felt that she had deserved a quick nap.

Stepping out into the sun, Mona saw the true beauty of that wonderful spring day. The sun was bright, but not harsh.The light breeze was cool to the fur, and the cries of the birds sang sweetly through the air. Truly a beautiful day.

Straighting her sash and kilt, hoping to remove any evidence of sleep, Mona looked over to the arena to see Kenyon training some young otters in the ways of combat. Smiling to herself, Mona walked cheerily over to the arena.

As she walked, Mona watched another young otter approach Kenyon and start a conversation. From the looks of it, the otter appeared to be Banyon Galedeep, but she couldn't tell for sure. Mona made a personal goal to learn every otter's name that she came in contact with during her reign, and so far she had done quite well. And as she approached she confirmed herself with the name as she listened to the conversation.

"Hello sir. How are you this morning?"

“Hello, Banyon Galedeep, isn’t it? [...] Out for a run?”

"Oh aye sir, tis a glorious day for it. [...] So your training these young rouges how to kill the enemy then sir?"

Popping up behind Kenyon and giving him a friendly squeeze, Mona replied to Banyon before Kenyon could react. "Oh, he'll get to that. He's just stallin' till he finds an enemy he hasn't killed yet." She said with a mischievous wink.

[Ambrose]

Oh, he'll get to that. He's just stallin' till he finds an enemy he hasn't killed yet
Banyon snapped his legs together into the attention position when he saw his queen. He gave her a sharp salute and looked forward.

"Morning Ma'm. Nice to see you." He went into a parade rest position with his legs slightly apart and his arms behind his back.

[Prankster101]

"Morning Ma'm. Nice to see you."

Arms still around Kenyon, Mona smiled calmly as Banyon came to attention and then stood a parade rest was he greeted her. "At ease Banyon Galedeep. I get enough formalities from everyone else, I don't need any from ye right now."

“Ye great fibber, Mo, I haven’t killed half the vermin Green Isle could call enemy.”

Mona tried to look comical hurt at the fact Kanyon called her a "great fibber", but as he brought his arm around her shoulders, gently bringing her out from behind him she couldn't keep the face straight.

“Nay lad, I’m teachin’ them to survive.”

Mona looked over to the trainees as they laughed and chatted amongst themselves. "Before its too late..." Mona spoke quietly, more to herself than to anybody else.

How many would be killed in a battle they did not start? Mona thought to herself as she watched the young otters. How many would never see their kin again? How many before them have died and been lost at the hands of war?... Including .... no .... He lives!

Shaking off the haunting thoughts, Mona brought herself back into the present state of mind, smiled and continued with the conversation. "How does your own training go Banyon? Any troubles?"

[Grath]

"Oh aye sir, tis a glorious day for it."

“Aye, ‘tis.” Kenyon said, scrubbing a large paw over his brow as he too looked up at the strong sun. “Alright, ten minute break, an’ we’ll wrap up!” He called to his group.

"So your training these young rogues how to kill the enemy then sir?"

Kenyon watched the pairs group together and head over to a shady spot opposite their elders, where they sat or stood, chattering away like little magpies. Their voices carried on the wind. He felt a sudden pang, Danju would have been about their age now…

"Oh, he'll get to that. He's just stallin' till he finds an enemy he hasn't killed yet." She said with a mischievous wink.

Kenyon came back to himself, surprised when suddenly a pair of arms encircled him from behind. He sent his wife an indulgent look, looping an arm around her shoulders. He shook his head at her comment.

“Ye great fibber, Mo, I haven’t killed half the vermin Green Isle could call enemy.” His jocular tone sobered a mite. “Nay lad, I’m teachin’ them to survive.”

[[repost of deleted post!!]]

[Kenyon]

"At ease Banyon Galedeep. I get enough formalities from everyone else, I don't need any from ye right now."

That was Mo, always seeking to stay on an equal position with her otters, but of course she couldn’t always, she was queen after all. He didn’t envy her that in the least, while he commanded respect and discipline from his crew, at the end of the day they were all comrades.

"Before its too late..."

“Aye.” Kenyon seemed to know where her thoughts were heading, for he gave her an extra squeeze before pulling away and nodding curtly to the pair of them. “’scuse me, I’ve got to wrap up my class now. I won’t be long.”

After working out for an hour and a half, he gave the group a ten minute break before it was time to cool down. They of course had other breaks, and not everyone was working at the same time, but it was still a long session. He led the youngsters through a series of stretches, with and without the staff, before gathering them together and giving them a few quiet words on the day and dismissing them.

He came back to Mona and Banyon, who were still conversing. “Whew, its getting hot.” He wiped sweat from his nose.

[Ambrose]

"How does your own training go Banyon? Any troubles?"
"It's going very well ma'm. I can make a grouping of about two inches at sixty paces. I can now also almost hit a target dead center at a jog." He smiled, because he was becoming a warrior for his queen. He sensed his queen's distress and knew why she was disheartened, so he quickly added, "I'm sure we won't have to use our skills anytime soon though."

He turned and watched the young otters wrestling with each other and chatting amicably. He remembered his own youth and unconsiously put a hand over his hanging tooth. He had always wanted to file it down, but his parents would never go for it.

Whew, its getting hot
Banyon looked at the officer. He was right, it was getting hotter as the day progressed. Banyon always tried to get his runs in early if possible, at least in the spring and summer months. He chuckled to himself and then said, "Aye sir, that just lets us attain the sweet aroma of sweat faster."

[Prankster101]

“Aye.”

Kenyon gave Mona a light squeeze as he whispered gently to her. Kenyon was always there for Mona. She always could lean on him and he would hold her up. Mo looked up into his eyes with a look of thanks as he loosen his grip and spoke again.

“’scuse me, I’ve got to wrap up my class now. I won’t be long.”

Nodding to Kenyon, Mona watched him walk back to his trainees and resume the lesson. Turning back to Banyon, she smiled politely as he spoke.

"It's going very well ma'm. I can make a grouping of about two inches at sixty paces. I can now also almost hit a target dead center at a jog."

"Very good!" Mona replied politely. "One thing you can never have too much practice on is your vaulting. Using a javelin to vault while running or fighting. It can give you a great advantage over your enemy. With the vault you would have a quick way to jump from place to place and a quicker way to catch a running foe."

"I'm sure we won't have to use our skills anytime soon though."

"One can never be sure on the fate of war." Mona replied with absolute seriousness as she turned to watch Kenyon finish up the lesson with a few stretches and a few quick words. After he was finished, Kenyon walked back over to Mona and Banyon, while wiping the sweat from his nose.

“Whew, its getting hot.”

Mona looked up at the sun on an angle, as not to look directly at the sun and be blinded. It was about high-noon, and the sun was almost at it's zenith. Mona knew how hot the sun could get on days like this during it's peak, and as Kenyon mentioned it, she was becoming a little warm.

"Aye sir, that just lets us attain the sweet aroma of sweat faster."

Mona chuckled a bit to herself. "Ye might like the aroma of sweat, but there are some of us who might differ." Gently sniffing the air Mona could smell the sweet smell of lunch being set out in the shaded area of the courtyard. "For example, I'm sure most of us would go for the smell of a fresh lunch over the smell of sweat any day. Would you like to accompany us Banyon? There's always enough for more."

[Ambrose]

"For example, I'm sure most of us would go for the smell of a fresh lunch over the smell of sweat any day. Would you like to accompany us Banyon? There's always enough for more."

Banyon smiled. He hadn't eaten anything in awhile and stomach was telling him as much. He nodded politely to his queen and king. "Yes ma'm, lead the way." He sniffed the air and could tell they wonderful cooks had made some shrimp and hotroot soup. He just hoped they used enough hotroot.

[Kenyon]

"Aye sir, that just lets us attain the sweet aroma of sweat faster."

Kenyon chuckled, his face tired and amused as he shook his head at the younger otter. “Ah, ye may like the ‘sweet smell o’ sweat’, lad, but I think I’ll take Mo’s suggestion.” The cooks were out in force today, cooking in the firepits in the great outdoor kitchen, no dirt and camp-out mentality for them! No, they were the royal cooks, and they cooked and baked and chopped and grilled in style.

He could smell hotroot soup, always a staple, and grilled fish and shrimp. He only hoped there were kabobs, shimp and vegetable kabobs with a nice honey and hotroot glaze were his favorite.

“Milady?” He addressed Mona in a half-jesting, tone as he held out his arm for her to take. “I’ll bet you’re starved, Mo.” The little group started making its way along the path to the Castle, where there were tables set out under the trees.

[Prankster101]

“Ah, ye may like the ‘sweet smell o’ sweat’, lad, but I think I’ll take Mo’s suggestion.”

Mona continued to sniff the aroma full air that wafted from the scrumptious dishes. Mo could almost see the sweet and spicy herbs that were being blended and the tenderly roasting fish. The cooks of the Castle were enormously proud of their positions and considered their work an art. Having helped plan the menu, Mona knew mostly what they were cooking, but she always loved a new recipe.

"Yes ma'm, lead the way."

Mona smiled to Banyon as he nodded his approval and Kenyon turned to her, his arm out for her to take.

“Milady?”

Mona retained a mock seriousness as she took Kenyon's arm with her own. "Ye call me Milady again and I'll make sure ye don't get fed lunch today ye big lug." She said with a mischievous grin.

“I’ll bet you’re starved, Mo.”

Continuing to smile Mona, nudged Kenyon with her elbow as they walked with Banyon over to the lunch area under the trees. "I am a bit peckish now that ye mention it oh hare-bellied mate of mine."

As they walked under the shady canopy of the tall leafy trees, Mona sighed in relief from the sun's hot rays. The picnic area was set up rather neatly. At least 5 long wooden tables were placed in an arch around a rather large cooking pit that sometimes would be turned into a bonfire at night.

The cooks busily ran form the pit to the table and back again as the placed mouth watering dishes and drinks all along the tables until the tables seemed to bow under the weight of all the delicately cooked meals. As it was lunch time the food consisted of fresh salads, warm soups, sandwiches, and bites sized morsels. To drink there were a fair number of cordials, ales, wines, and teas to match with the lunch-goers appetites.

Many other otters were already seated and chatting,waiting for the High Queen to arrive and the meal to commence. Old family friends, workers of the Castle, visiting guests, and any who wanted to come were intermingled with each other. Young ones sat with their elders,and brother sat by sister.

But all chatting suddenly stopped as Mona, Kenyon, and Banyon entered the glade. Every otter stopped what they were doing and stood in respect for their queen. Mona curtsied in response and motioned with her paw for everybeast to be seated.

Walking over to her seat at the head table, Mona motioned for Banyon to have the seat to her left and Kenyon to her right. Spreading her paws wide, Mona addressed the seated otters as was custom before every meal.

"Let us be thankful for this wonderful spring day and the wonderful spread made for us by our talented cooks. Let us tuck in to this wonderful bounty and enjoy this peaceful moment in time with those around us."

As Mona sat down, and all the otters attacked the food with a gusto. Looking at the spread before her, Mona smiled. " There's always too much! I don't know what to start with!"