He was heavier, had more muscle, and was taller than all the other kids. Yet even the tiniest among them had knocked him flat. This went on for, he was unsure, until the King finally called a halt. Confined to a room with a bathroom "grounded", he was fed, given bed clothes, told to sleep. Next day, again.
Now an adult, he thought of those painful lessons. Grateful for it, It wasn't might, it was the heart, that made a person strong. It took a long time to get that through his thick skull, admittedly, but once he made more honest friends, it finally sunk in.
@internutter/challenge-04052-k034-test-that-theorem -- Fighting Fit
Some lessons are harder to learn than others. Some learners are slower than others. A good teacher can work with either. A great teacher can work with both. Despite his advances regarding the Art of Shadows, Kosh wondered if he finally found an unteachable student. He could feel Master Bai judging him.
"That one is a challenge," announced the Master. "Arrogant. Indomitable. Willfully ignorant."
"Reminds you of me?" prompted Kosh. "I remember you telling me I was like that."
"The child reminds me of me," sighed Bai. "I may have said that you were those things, but I was... assigning my flaws to you. Weighed in a proper balance, you were a good child. Trying with everything you had to surmount the bulwark of prejudice against your kind. I'm sorry you faced that alone."
"So how did you learn to ease off from being arrogant, indomitable, and willfully ignorant?"
"A Hellkin beat me in a fair fight and kissed me on the forehead. And then, years later, I met my great-granddaughter and learned that everything I thought I knew was wrong."
"We don't have that chain of consequence available," he motioned for the healers and the guards to take Jaylin's exhausted form off to a small guest suite. There would be guards to keep hir in check until the next set of classes. "What alternatives are there?"
"You have several Adepts. Though assigning them to teach control to that child might be going too far."
"I usually start with what they're good at. Encourage the aptitude and teach the rest. The younger they are, the smaller the steps. That kind of thing. Were it not for the cursed wound..." he sighed.
"Herr Horseapples?"
Kosh chuckled. His first stint at teaching had involved offering a duel to the most arrogant Novice in his class. "Ja. The child is sent to me, and I... can't do that. Not if I want to walk properly next year."
"Your Novices are doing an admirable job in your stead," offered Bai. "Perhaps... I should show hir the Gauntlet, tomorrow."
"Early. Tomorrow," agreed Kosh. "I'll make sure ze has a prime view of the entire course."
Only a Master could run the Gauntlet and emerge at the other side unscathed. Trainees become Adept by merely surviving to reach the end. Bai did not expect his Trainees to become Adept before the age of Twenty. Kosh had won the black robes at the age of Seventeen.
Jaylin was held still to watch Bai run the course. Then again to watch one of Kosh's Trainees make it through.
"I hope you note," said Kosh, "that none who pass through use their might or menace."
Jaylin attempted to lunge for the diadem. Kosh fended hir off easily. Twisted hir about to the point of discomfort.
"Do not try that outside of class time again. Do you understand?"
Urgent nodding.
Kosh let hir go. "You may try the Gauntlet any time you like. Just be sure you let the healers know before you do. The last untrained person who tried the Gauntlet nearly died."
He could see the sullen calculation in Jaylin's squinting eyes. "That's bait. You want me to try it untrained. What would I lose if I went ahead and did it?"
"Sehr gut, you're starting to think ahead. But you're wrong about me wanting you to try it untrained. I was warning you in good faith. The last one who ignored my warning is still getting used to their new leg."
Jaylin suddenly got very quiet and thoughtful.
It took five months after that for hir to discover the key to solving hir test.
Ze asked nicely to pass. Then ze asked nicely to touch the crown.
"Do you still think you're worthy of it?"
"No, sir," said Jaylin. "But I would like to learn the better way."
The king bowed in his chair, allowing Jaylin to reach. "Congratulations. You've earned the rank of Novice. May your next lesson pass much faster."
[Photo by Alci Alliata on Unsplash]
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