The boy thought it was the private study but in truth it was the Headmaster's Office. The Private study and quarters were inaccessible to anyone. Melody had stepped away from her desk outside the room, and so wasn't there when the two arrived and let themselves into the office. It was Sha'uri who opened the door and got a little surprise when she came back to the office some twenty minutes later.

"Oh! Well.. uh.. Hi!"

She popped the smile on as she moved to sit in Briari's chair.

"I hope you weren't waiting too long. I wasn't expecting anyone. Did you have an appointment? I apologize if I've forgotten. I'm Sha'uri Adaron, temporarily taking some of the Headmaster's duties while he is on Sabbatical. So, who are you and how can I help?"

Contemplating the request, she leaned back and studied him a moment.

"It's possible I may be able to place you doing something, at least temporarily until the Headmaster returns in several more weeks. Tell me about your credentials. Where did you learn to weild the sword, and which swords can you handle? Also, would you be willing to do other things as well? Like.. any menial tasks... cleaning out a horse stall or caring for gardens, perhaps cutting a lawn or pruning trees."

::in what seemed to be a closet in the office, came the sound of a flush, a gurgle followed by a little fae voice::

Now stay down there this time! I got's other things to do.

::The door opened, Cadence stepped out and then froze in place to see Sha'uri in the Headmaster's chair talking to some guy. Her little cheeks got really pink and then turned a crimson hue. Her eyes flashed really big. Then she tried to straighten her hair a bit, tucking it behind her ear and smoothing down her skirt::

Oh! Mistress Sha'uri! I's sO sorry! I was just cleaning and I didn't know.. Oh! I'm so embarassed. And hello there.

::she nodded to the man::

I'm Cadence.... the cleaner.. and sorry for interrupting. Nice Ore though.. it's ... Big.

Blink. Her sapphires went wide eyed staring at Cadence coming out of the... bathroom? So thAt's what that is...

She cleared her throat gently, though grinning.

"Yes.. Cadence meet Musashi, Musashi meet Cadence .... who is in dire need within the infirmary.. yes, there are some cobwebs forming along the cieling."

Nod, nod...Yep, that was a hint for Cadence to go there.

Her gaze shifted to Musashi.

"Ah, yes, I do think you will do fine. We can start you doing some odd jobs like... well, I could use some help to finish the summer courses for sword classes, now that I think about it. Perhaps you can help model the moves. I find it getting more and more difficult as my pregnancy continues. Also, I could use help cleaning out the horse stalls and feeding them... or some gardening work or.. any of those odd jobs I mentioned. Then when the Headmaster returns we can see what he will want to do. I make no promises, though.. except work and place to stay until he returns. Will that be all right for you?"

"Mostly taking care of horses, though. They're sweet but I don't have any toes left to stomp on." Grin.

"They're Firebrands, a rare magical breed. They're pretty much like normal horses except taller, stronger, faster, smarter and gentler. Breaking them is done differently from normal ones. Can't really call it breaking more like convincing."

Nods.

((Not sure what happened to my original post here, it got replaced by something else for some reason.... with a post posted on the 8-16 from another string in this folder.... so I'm winging an edit here. Either the system is really messed up or someone is messing with me. If the later... quit it ya Bad Monkey! :P ))

"Well, then let's not delay. Come on, I'll show you to your room and give you a brief tour of the grounds."
She stood up.

"If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask them. If you have a better idea on something, or you need something to help make your work go better, don't hesitate to ask. The only bad or dumb question is the one you didn't ask."

She headed for the door though waited for him to leave before she followed him out.

She led him out and gave him the grand tour, especially the gardens -with one that the Headmaster usually tended to and the other one around the temple which was hers. She showed him the stables and the forge area. She let him know where all the cubby holes were that housed the tools for cleaning, repairing, caretaking and whatnot. The tour ended in the Forge.

"If you are aquinted, you may use the forge to make things at your own expense, which will be yours. There are some supplies you may practice with as we use them to teach students how to work a forge. Oh, and meals are served on time. Lyndra works hard to get them done so please be there when they are served. If not, you're on your own and do clean up the mess or I don't guarantee she won't drop a piece of shell... or whole ones, in your eggs next time."

She was teasing with a grin.

"Any questions?"

"Well, then... I guess that's it."

She didn't look too sure, as if she might be forgetting something. It was bugging her. She kinda leaned closer and whispered.

"I'm not forgetting anything am I?"

Giggle.

"That is up to you mostly. I would suggest feeding and watering the horses early in the morning and again in the evening. Sometime between there, scoop out their stalls a bit and lay fresh hay as needed. The cleaner they are kept, the better for them."

"As for the grounds work, mostly just cutting the lawn once a week if needed and occasionally moving saplings or bushes from there to other places around the campus. Next week there will be some bushes that will need transplanted from the gardens to the front lawns and some ever green trees to move. That might actually take a couple weeks, which is fine. I think that'll be all for this year, though. Most of those are in my gardens."

"As for Classes, there are two swords classes each day. One is held between ten in the morning and eleven, right before lunch, and another from one until two. Welcome aboard and I'll see you in class. If you'll excuse me, I have things to attend."

She left him there and headed back to the office. The moment she was outside, her steps slowed as she moved, hand placed to the side of her belly. She really was beginning to look exhausted, perhaps not exactly a healthy thing.