Chapter Five : Brennan's Gift

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Ah, the feasting! I doubt that anyone in our world can throw a party exactly like a Narnian can. (Not that a party can be literally thrown. That's only an expression meaning  to"hold a party." I wouldn't know how it came about.) The only disturbance came when two mice argued over what to call us because we weren't exactly Kings and Queens, but we were still royal regents. Reese settled the matter when he said we should be called lords and ladies. He later formed a Narnian Council of three wise Centaurs, some owls including our tiger owl friend, Stormwing, a giant named Cannellian, at few older fauns, a bear, a boar, and a raven. Rowanmane agreed to rout out the hag's followers and recommended the Centaur Galefoot as the Connellys' fencing teacher. I was assigned to an excellent dwarf archer who introduced me to the art of the bow and arrow. Though I enjoyed the archery lessons, I still liked to watch the Connelly brothers' sparring lessons when I could . . .

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Eliza fiddled with her sapphire pendant as she stood next to her sister under an archway leading down some steps and into the main courtyard. While Eliza wore a dress of light reds and purples, Lydia wore a silk pink dress. A silver tiara with a diamond in the middle wrapped around her forehead and around her cascading wavy brown locks. In the center of the grassy courtyard, Brennan and Reese stood before Galefoot, a brown-haired Centaur with a goatee. The boys wore simple brown tunics and trousers underneath their armor as they listened to Galefoot's lesson. The Connellys had insisted that their attendants (some fauns, a couple satyrs, and even a young Minotaur whose father had turned good) join their practice. The whole group stood erect in a half-moon around Galefoot as the teacher explained some new techniques.

Lydia shuffled her feet. "Are we going back inside soon? I can barely hear anything he's saying."

"Feel free to leave," Eliza offered kindly. 

Neither of them were taking their eyes off the group. Then, Lydia looked at her sister's focused expression. "You'd like to learn it, wouldn't you?"

Eliza gave a half-shrug. "I suppose. It looks cool anyway." Here she smiled. "But I find archery so much more fascinating. You ever thought about learning to fight?"

Lydia winced. "I'm not a violent person. Anyway, I don't like the idea of messing up and making a fool of myself." Then, she added quietly, "Or sweating."

Oblivious to the last comment, Eliza continued, "You might be good at it. You'll never know unless you try."

Lydia snorted. "I don't like to try until  I know."

Out in the courtyard, Galefoot had Brennan and Reese walk through the sword-fighting steps as the Centaur called out the positions or gave suggestions. After this, Galefoot told the boys to pick up their shields and spar with one another. Their moves were awkward at first but grew smoother as the fight went on. Although Brennan was obviously enjoying himself, Reese furrowed his brow with the effort of fighting his brother. Back home, he had been the one to win their wrestling matches. Now, Brennan was the one who was continuously winning. Brennan moved fluidly with his strokes - a jab here, a parry there, over the blade or under it, and finishing each match with a tap to Reese's torso. The attendants whispered among themselves, and servants came to the castle windows and archways to watch the brothers' sparring.

Distracted by his own frustration, Reese's guard slipped, allowing Brennan to unintentionally land a hit on Reese's forearm. Reese yelped and dropped his sword from his numb hand. Brennan paused in shock while Reese flexed his hand.

"Stop!" Galefoot proclaimed in a deep and powerful voice. "My lords must take a respite."

"But -," Brennan began.

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