[Child of the 7th Age]

Andreth and the Second Day of School

As Andreth nodded her goodbyes to Mayor Harald and hurried into the classroom, she was surprised and pleased to find most of the children with their heads bent down in concentration, already hard at work. Some were writing out letters and numbers on their slates; a few were seated by the box where Andreth kept a supply of small pebbles that were used to help with addition, while the youngest ones had gathered at Kari's knee to listen to her read from Cami Goodchild's "Book of Hobbits".

Only Edmund seemed unable to concentrate. He wandered around the room with a glum expression pasted over his face, too weighed down with sorrow even to get himself into mischief. Because of what had happened the afternoon before, most of the children were making a point to avoid getting anywhere near Edmund and had rebuffed his earlier attempts to join them in play or share in their secrets.

None of this escaped the Innkeeper's attention. Apparently, Willofain was not the only one to have noticed the boy; several others must have recognized Edmund as one of the hated troublemakers who, armed with peashooters and rocks, had plagued them on their way home from school. Regaining his classmates' trust in this situation would not be easy. But, if things were going to improve for Edmund, it would somehow have to be done. Andreth reminded herself to follow up on her promise to Harald not only to make certain the boy was punished, but to help bring something postive out of the experience, especially teaching him how to get along with others.

For the remainder of the morning, things went relatively smoothly. There was less friction and bickering than Andreth had encountered the day before and a great deal more learning taking place. Only Edmund seemed distraught and paid little attention to what was going on in the classroom, using his slate to sketch several poses of squirrels playing among the branches of the trees just outside the Inn.

Edmund and Kali still were not getting along. Discovering what a good artist Kali was, Andreth had asked him to do a drawing on one of her treasured vellum sheets to illustrate a story she was reading to the class. Somehow, mysteriously, this sheet had ended up on the floor during recess, and Edmund managed to walk all over it. His mother had definite suspicions as to what might actually have happened, but, lacking proof, she felt constrained from saying or doing anything other than to offer Kali a second sheet for his drawing and allowing him to sit at her desk until he was done. While Kali was finishing his drawing and the other children were carrying out their work, Andreth scrawled a hurried note to Berilac asking for help with Edmund, and had Ban run out to deliver it to Mausi's where the Ranger was staying.

As Andreth had promised the parents, everyone was rewarded with a hearty lunch after all the lessons had been learned. Cook came bustling in at mid-day, portioning out generous bowls of hot soup and thick slabs of bread and butter, while one of the young serving lasses followed behind toting a large bucket of apples from which the children could choose. Once the food had been eaten and the dishes and cutlery collected for washing, Andreth had the children pack up their things and wait by the side door where the parents had promised to meet them to take the two groups home.

[ November 09, 2003: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]