Maggie Interviews Mom
Recorder in hand, Maggie trotted into the office at the dueling academy. She climbed up into one of the chairs that faced the front of the desk. Maggie sat there, looking all prim and proper, with her ankles crossed like a little lady. She cleared her throat to get her mother's attention.
Rhiannon Harker peeked over the top of the newspaper she was reading. She smiled gently as she pondered just what her eldest child was up to this time. With a child like Maggie, anything could go and often did! "What can I do for you, Miss Harker?"
"I want to," Maggie paused a moment to search for the word, "innerview you, Ma ....Mrs. Harker."
"It's inter-view, Maggie," Rhiannon smiled thoughtfully. "Go on."
"Mama, why did you open a school" Rhydin's got lots of 'em!"
"I opened the school for many reasons. First of all, I wanted to make a place where children, like you, could learn to use their gifts wisely instead of running amuck." Rhi folded the newspaper that she'd been reading and set it on the desk. "That kind of thing leads to far worse endings than some people realize."
"You mean like blowin' things up that they shouldn't?" Maggie's widened. The recent events with the Tower of Fire on Twilight Island came to mind.
"Exactly like that," Rhiannon answered.
"What do kids learn here?"
"Much of what we like to teach here, Maggie, is that children, who are magically gifted, shouldn't be afraid to be who they are." She cleared her throat. "Not everyone is like you or Doran. By that I mean you two were raised in families that nurture and encourage your gifts."
"You mean like how Gran says magic picks some people and we don't get a choice?"
"Something like that." Rhiannon came around the desk and sat in the chair next to Maggie's. "Some of those children are born to parents that magic didn't pick. And some children with parents that magic picked lose their parents in some way. Either way, a child can feel very lonely and lost if they have no one that understands."
"Do all the teachers know that?" Maggie asked as she looked down at her trusty recorder.
"I believe they do. This is a family owned and run business. Every teacher here, so far, is related to me and you."
"How many teachers are workin' here?" Maggie looked back up to her mother.
"Five. Can you name them?"
"Yes, ma'am, I can." Maggie grinned brightly. "There's you, Aunt Rhi, Aunt Nikki, Aunt Nicole, and Jacen. Sometimes, Gran comes to watch and help." Having relatives with the same names had never bothered Maggie. It was what she had grown up with and, therefore, normal to her. "How many kids go to school here?"
"Right now, we have twenty students. Ranging in age from four to sixteen years."
Maggie's lower curled inwardly as she considered how to word her next question. "Mama, if the school's about helpin' kids with magic stuff, how comes you teach duelin' with weapons and stuff, too?"
"Because it helps to build confidence and teaches you patience." Rhiannon took a long and deep breath. "It also teaches you to defend yourself if the need arises." She knew all too well just how that could happen.
"How come some people don't think kids should learn all this stuff?"
"Some of those that object have never had to live with magic taking them over." She studied her daughter. "Like Aunt Nikki with the curtains."
"I knowed that story." She scowled. "He shouldn't oughta scared her."
"Very true, but the point is, she didn't get a choice. It was up to Gran and your grandfather to help her learn." She didn't speak much of her birth father. The far off expression that had appeared was a good indication that her mind had wandered to a part of her childhood. It was Judas Lasher that had raised her not Damon Brock.
Maggie studied her mother's face. "Ok, I think it's lunch time, now. We can talk more 'bout school later, ok?"
"Lunch sounds like a lovely idea, Maggie."
Recorder in hand, Maggie trotted into the office at the dueling academy. She climbed up into one of the chairs that faced the front of the desk. Maggie sat there, looking all prim and proper, with her ankles crossed like a little lady. She cleared her throat to get her mother's attention.
Rhiannon Harker peeked over the top of the newspaper she was reading. She smiled gently as she pondered just what her eldest child was up to this time. With a child like Maggie, anything could go and often did! "What can I do for you, Miss Harker?"
"I want to," Maggie paused a moment to search for the word, "innerview you, Ma ....Mrs. Harker."
"It's inter-view, Maggie," Rhiannon smiled thoughtfully. "Go on."
"Mama, why did you open a school" Rhydin's got lots of 'em!"
"I opened the school for many reasons. First of all, I wanted to make a place where children, like you, could learn to use their gifts wisely instead of running amuck." Rhi folded the newspaper that she'd been reading and set it on the desk. "That kind of thing leads to far worse endings than some people realize."
"You mean like blowin' things up that they shouldn't?" Maggie's widened. The recent events with the Tower of Fire on Twilight Island came to mind.
"Exactly like that," Rhiannon answered.
"What do kids learn here?"
"Much of what we like to teach here, Maggie, is that children, who are magically gifted, shouldn't be afraid to be who they are." She cleared her throat. "Not everyone is like you or Doran. By that I mean you two were raised in families that nurture and encourage your gifts."
"You mean like how Gran says magic picks some people and we don't get a choice?"
"Something like that." Rhiannon came around the desk and sat in the chair next to Maggie's. "Some of those children are born to parents that magic didn't pick. And some children with parents that magic picked lose their parents in some way. Either way, a child can feel very lonely and lost if they have no one that understands."
"Do all the teachers know that?" Maggie asked as she looked down at her trusty recorder.
"I believe they do. This is a family owned and run business. Every teacher here, so far, is related to me and you."
"How many teachers are workin' here?" Maggie looked back up to her mother.
"Five. Can you name them?"
"Yes, ma'am, I can." Maggie grinned brightly. "There's you, Aunt Rhi, Aunt Nikki, Aunt Nicole, and Jacen. Sometimes, Gran comes to watch and help." Having relatives with the same names had never bothered Maggie. It was what she had grown up with and, therefore, normal to her. "How many kids go to school here?"
"Right now, we have twenty students. Ranging in age from four to sixteen years."
Maggie's lower curled inwardly as she considered how to word her next question. "Mama, if the school's about helpin' kids with magic stuff, how comes you teach duelin' with weapons and stuff, too?"
"Because it helps to build confidence and teaches you patience." Rhiannon took a long and deep breath. "It also teaches you to defend yourself if the need arises." She knew all too well just how that could happen.
"How come some people don't think kids should learn all this stuff?"
"Some of those that object have never had to live with magic taking them over." She studied her daughter. "Like Aunt Nikki with the curtains."
"I knowed that story." She scowled. "He shouldn't oughta scared her."
"Very true, but the point is, she didn't get a choice. It was up to Gran and your grandfather to help her learn." She didn't speak much of her birth father. The far off expression that had appeared was a good indication that her mind had wandered to a part of her childhood. It was Judas Lasher that had raised her not Damon Brock.
Maggie studied her mother's face. "Ok, I think it's lunch time, now. We can talk more 'bout school later, ok?"
"Lunch sounds like a lovely idea, Maggie."