#earthrunes

She looks at him then moves to stand next to him. "Do what I do." She does a series of four simple moves, pausing after each for him to mimic her.

He does, timidly, minamally

She makes minor adjustments without speaking, correcting angles. Then she goes through the series again...and again.

And he follows and then just.. sort of shrinks.

"Stay focused!" CLaire says irrritated

And he drops the staff again as he's yelled at

"Pick it up," Coradel says.

"Okay just.. donn't yell" he bennds down to pick it up

A glance to Claire: This is going to take forever.

Claire looks apologetic I know

"We won't yell... yet. Eventually, there will be yelling. You'll be doing some yourself. But for now, do those moves five times in a row, I'll watch." She steps back.

And he does.. badly, timidly.

it's like having your teeth extracted one by one to endure this

Finally, when he finishes the repetitions, she asks, "How do your arms feel?"

"Tired.. bit achy, kind of shakey. " he says

"Sure glad that's OVER" He adds

Coradel sighs. Then she musters a smile, "Yes, wonderful, you're going to do that three times a day every day for the next seven days. Then we'll get to the next step. Got it?"

"Oh uh. " He swallows "I'd prefer not to"

"I know. You're going to do it anyway."

"But.. but I'm a .. I'm a mental type, a thinker, a problem solver.."

"You think warriors don't think?" Claire says

She looks upward as if pleading to the ceiling for help, then back to him again. "Look...at the very least, you've got some supports in your spine, yes? And they're connected to tissue?"

"Well, yes I mean, it's an artificial spine but it's solid..why?" He says confused

"Well, whatever it's connected to is going to start breaking down if you don't exercise it. That's what bodies do. So even if you never get in a single fight, I'm going to force you to learn to move for the sake of being able to keep you from breaking down further." I hope that makes sense to him.

He blinks "that makes no sense. I'm young, my body replinnishes fine"

She just...stares at him. A completely uncomprehending stare.

"I.. can I go now? Baroness, I .. I have some code to compile"

Then, in a carefully even tone, "I expect you to do those moves...five reps...three times a day...every day...for seven days. Now...go compile."

He bows, a clicking, and he flees. Oh he doesn't run, but it's fleeing none the less

Clairre says "Baroness... Please stay alive for a long time, because I am not sure I could bring myself to swear to.. to.. him"

She gives Claire a helpless gesture of disbelief. "People like that exist? And survive to puberty?"

"Well, he may no be done with it yet but I couldn't count on hormones to do the work no" A huff

She paces in frustration. "Baron Nemauses, I know, had to accept many differences when he made me his heir, but this is...it's too much, Claire!"

"Nothing we can do about it," A shake of her head "The Duke and Duchess sent this one. You can't over rule them"

"No, I can't do that. But I've sent word...I want an audience with them. I need to understand this! I mean, it would be one thing to push me to name a new heir...but...what were they thinking?!"

"I don't know.. the Duchess is Beaumayn.. maybe...maybe she saw some use for him i nhe future?"

"Hmph." She folds her arms and gives the kind of pout only an annoyed Fiona baroness can give.

"Oh..." She slowly unwinds from that stance. "Maybe I should ask our seer if he can make some sense out of it."

"Good. Make the Eilunend work" A nod "Speaking of Eiluned, what are you going to do with the boy? Nelson?"

"I was thinking of assigning him to Hume. Might be light work, though...Hume doesn't seem to want much interaction at all."

"You need someone who will keep him engaged I think" She ponders

"Well...what about assigning him to you and Magnus?" She grins.

"I realize you have every reason to feel picked on, but really?" she says "I'm going to quite litterally have biggger things to deal with soon"

"I'm suggesting you might benefit from having an extra set of hands to help out. But fine. Well..." A pause, then a smile. "Sir Earl?"

"Sir Earl is a freelannce and.." She pauses "mmm wait. Miss Zara DOES like the lad..and Earl.. pardon, Sir Earl, does have a room here with no expection of swearing. Asking him to take a squire would NOT be unreasonable"

"Sir Bachdion might as well but I think he wants a break from students and the like"

"Yes. Yes, I actually think it might be a good fit!"

"Oh, yes...Bachdion deserves a bit of a break, though honestly I don't want to see him slip into full retirement too rapidly."

"Earl, then." A firm nod.