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Description
It was a clear, cloudless day as the sun shone down on her. Zaralyn made her way down the road that led into town. Mother had wanted to take her this morning, but Uncle Enalis had advised her to go alone. Saddened, Mother had agreed, knowing it would lead to another of her uncle's useful thought sometimes painful lessons.
As she walked, Zaralyn knew her life would no longer be carefree and slow. Like both her parents had done, she would be starting the intensive training that would some day allow her to become one of the elite holy warriors her faith was known for. She would become a paladin, a Templar of good. Or at least that was her dream. She would try her hardest to follow in her parents' footsteps.
The gates of Hardby rose before her, guards flanking them. She waved as she entered into the city, the path to the church familiar to her. She made her way through the early morning traffic, bypassing bakers and other merchants hawking their wares.
Soon the church filled the sky before her. Guards dressed in the colors of the Fist walked the wall. Two holding helbreds stood at the entrance. She continued forward, her head held high. Both pairs of eyes darted to the embroidered symbol on her tunic, and nodded opening the way for her. She nodded back, sending both a grateful smile.
Activity littered the grounds inside the walls of the church, a fortress of stone and faith. Others her age ran about the courtyard, clustering together like hens around feed just tossed out. She spotted Jacob at the top of the steps talking with father Durden. She withheld the urge to wave at him, and continued towards the practice field.
Someone dressed in fine armor was roaming about the clusters, organizing them into ranks. Near the wall three boys stood, two of average size for their age. The third boy had twice the amount of girth than their peers.
As she drew closer to passing them, she glanced at the larger boy. Brown hair hung choppy from a square head. Acne partially covered his full checks. His face seemed sad, and the crossed arms and slouched posture told her something bothered him. The other boys she couldn't see their faces, but seemed to be shaking, their blonde and black heads bobbing up and down. She stood less than five feet from them and could now hear their words.
"...Hey, Hugeo, quit hiding behind the building!" she caught the black haired boy shouting. "Oh, wait! You are the building!"
The blonde joined in the laughing.
"Do you really believe that is appropriate treatment of one of your peers?" she asked striding to where they stood.
Shock registered on all three faces as they turned to take her in. Hands on hips, she stared at them, waiting for a response.
"Who do you think you are, string-bean?" the black headed boy spit out. His accent was that of someone from the north, and she briefly wondered what he was doing this far south. His lackey came with his own  "Yeah!" trying to emphasize the statement.
"I'll have you know my mother is the Commander of the Strike of Valor and former Divine Emissary of our lord, Heironeous, as was my father before her."
Laughter erupted from both boys, the instigator holding his lower torso.
"You? The daughter of the Divine Emissary? If that's true than I'm the bastard son of Pelor!" He turned to face her now, his own arms crossing over a chest that would eventually broaden. "Beat it, girlie. Go wait in line to fail like the rest. Oh, and take Hugeo with..."
Zaralyn's hand flew, her knuckles hurting after impacting with his jaw. The boy rocked backwards, stumbling over his own feet. He fell into his cohort, but the blonde boy backed away to keep from falling down himself.
"Hit her!" he screamed at his follower.
"She's a girl!"
"Then hit Hugeo!"
The blonde boy looked to the third, who until now had remained quiet and brooding.
"You're crazy, Neal! I'm outta here!"
Now on his feet, Neal faced Zaralyn, hands clenching. It was her turn to cross her arms, and did so with a smile.
"Not so tough without your lackey, huh?"
"You'll pay you little string bean!"
She wasn't quick enough to block as he threw a punch.

Nothing had seemed real after theat. All she remembered was dust kicking up around them as she and Neal fell to the ground trading blows. The third boy, stepped in, trying to separate them, and taking a few hits himself.  Then more hands were grabbing at them, and finally separated them.
Now, she, Neal and Hugo, as she had learned his name was, sat in front of Father Durden and Enalis. The elderly human and still young elf stared at them harshly. The Father turned and looked up at Enalis with a nod.
Enalis, dressed as usual in his fine garments came to stand at the desk's side, his piercing blue eyes staring straight through her. Zaralyn wanted to look away, but knew better.
"Boys are expected to rough house and get into trouble." Now he looked to Neal and Hugo, though still speaking to her. "But as the eldest daughter of Ona Steadfast and Veinlyn Goldmoon, I would have thought you to be the last to end up in trouble. It's the first day of school, and the day has yet to begin."
Zaralyn heard the gasp come from where Neal sat, and felt a smile grow across her face, causing the split lip to sting. It was swelling along with her right eye which would blacken by the time she got home.
"Now," Durden interrupted, "Tell us what started this altercation."
"She started it," Neal spat, throwing a finger across Hugo's bulk to point at her.
Zaralyn just cleared her throat and looked to Durden.
"I heard Neal and his friend making fun of Hugo and told him that it was impolite. They continued to mock both Hugo and myself." She paused, not sure how to explain her next actions.
"And then you resorted to violence," Enalis finished.
She kept her gaze on Durden. "Yes. Hugo only tried to  break us up, and should not be punished."
"You're right, Zaralyn." Durden turned to look at the boy in question. "You may go, Hugo. Rejoin the class, and tell Custer your peers will be along shortly."
Hugo stood and gave a curt bow to his elders. "Thank you."
No one spoke again until the door shut.
"As for you two, you will stay over after class and complete any chores Enalis sees needed tending."
Zaralyn sighed, wondering what her uncle would have in store for them.
"You will report to him for a month. We will not let any of our students act out without knowing the penalties for it. Now, both of you return to class. Dismissed."
Zaralyn and Neal walked out the door, Enalis following them.
"Neal, I am going to report to your parents your actions this morning." The boy cast his gaze down at his booted feet.
"Yes, sir."
"As for you, Zaralyn, I should let your parents know what transpired here today, but I'll give you the choice. Face your parents or more training with me?"
"I choose you, Uncle Enalis," she answered firmly.
"Fine. I'll inform them you will be staying with me until I return to the manor in the evenings. Now. Return to class."
"Yes, sir." She turned and started out with Neal.
"You're parents' that hard on you?" he asked once they were outside and headed towards the practice field.
"No," she answered shortly. "This is the first time I've been in trouble."  She glanced over at him briefly.
"So your uncle will go easier on us then."
"No. He'll be just as tough on us. But it will only be from him, and not all of three of them."
Neal stopped just before reaching the field. "You mean you'd be punished by both your parents and your uncle?"
Zaralyn stared at the shock again registering on his face.
"Yes, and for longer than a month, I'm sure. My father was the Divine Emissary for Heironeous before my mother, and she continues to lead the Strike of Valor. As the eldest child I was raised to know better."
"Then why did you hit me?"
"My aunt is Enyev Cutter. I guess I got the impulse from her. I don't like when others aren't treated respectfully."
Neal asked no more question after that, panic looking as though it would overtake him. She left him standing there, mouth agape and rejoined the class.

That night after class, Enalis made Zaralyn and Neal do every chore possible. She was dead tired, and briefly rested against the stone alter in the shape of a hand holding a lightning bolt her mother had said was placed there by Heironeous himself.
"Zaralyn?"
She looked up to see Hugo coming near with a canteen.
"Hugo, what are you still doing here?"
"I never got the chance to thank you...for standing up for me. Most people just join in on the jokes."
"Oh, Hugo, that's terrible." She took the canteen he offered and swallowed a sip before going on. "No one should ever be treated poorly because of what they look like or sound like, or who their family is. It's just not right."
"What happens now?"
"I'll go home with Uncle Enalis. He'll probably have more chores for me when we get there."
"I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault, Hugo."
"But it is. If I wasn't so big people wouldn't make fun of me." He hung his head with this.
Zaralyn stood, dropping the rag into the bucket of dirty water, and stood in front of Hugo.
"You can change that, you know." He looked up to her, hope in his round brown eyes. "I'll help you. We'll do it together."
"Thank you, Zaralyn. Your parents should be really proud of you."
She laughed. "Only if they don't find out about today."
"Will Enalis tell them?"
"No, he'll just work me to death instead."
"Then I'll be here to pick up your corpse."
The reply was awkward, but both laughed.
"Let's get out of here. I'm beat," she stated collecting the bucket before throwing her free arm about Hugo.

Description
It was a clear, cloudless day as the sun shone down on her. Zaralyn made her way down the road that led into town. Mother had wanted to take her this morning, but Uncle Enalis had advised her to go alone. Saddened, Mother had agreed, knowing it would lead to another of her uncle's useful thought sometimes painful lessons.
As she walked, Zaralyn knew her life would no longer be carefree and slow. Like both her parents had done, she would be starting the intensive training that would some day allow her to become one of the elite holy warriors her faith was known for. She would become a paladin, a Templar of good. Or at least that was her dream. She would try her hardest to follow in her parents' footsteps.
The gates of Hardby rose before her, guards flanking them. She waved as she entered into the city, the path to the church familiar to her. She made her way through the early morning traffic, bypassing bakers and other merchants hawking their wares.
Soon the church filled the sky before her. Guards dressed in the colors of the Fist walked the wall. Two holding helbreds stood at the entrance. She continued forward, her head held high. Both pairs of eyes darted to the embroidered symbol on her tunic, and nodded opening the way for her. She nodded back, sending both a grateful smile.
Activity littered the grounds inside the walls of the church, a fortress of stone and faith. Others her age ran about the courtyard, clustering together like hens around feed just tossed out. She spotted Jacob at the top of the steps talking with father Durden. She withheld the urge to wave at him, and continued towards the practice field.
Someone dressed in fine armor was roaming about the clusters, organizing them into ranks. Near the wall three boys stood, two of average size for their age. The third boy had twice the amount of girth than their peers.
As she drew closer to passing them, she glanced at the larger boy. Brown hair hung choppy from a square head. Acne partially covered his full checks. His face seemed sad, and the crossed arms and slouched posture told her something bothered him. The other boys she couldn't see their faces, but seemed to be shaking, their blonde and black heads bobbing up and down. She stood less than five feet from them and could now hear their words.
"...Hey, Hugeo, quit hiding behind the building!" she caught the black haired boy shouting. "Oh, wait! You are the building!"
The blonde joined in the laughing.
"Do you really believe that is appropriate treatment of one of your peers?" she asked striding to where they stood.
Shock registered on all three faces as they turned to take her in. Hands on hips, she stared at them, waiting for a response.
"Who do you think you are, string-bean?" the black headed boy spit out. His accent was that of someone from the north, and she briefly wondered what he was doing this far south. His lackey came with his own  "Yeah!" trying to emphasize the statement.
"I'll have you know my mother is the Commander of the Strike of Valor and former Divine Emissary of our lord, Heironeous, as was my father before her."
Laughter erupted from both boys, the instigator holding his lower torso.
"You? The daughter of the Divine Emissary? If that's true than I'm the bastard son of Pelor!" He turned to face her now, his own arms crossing over a chest that would eventually broaden. "Beat it, girlie. Go wait in line to fail like the rest. Oh, and take Hugeo with..."
Zaralyn's hand flew, her knuckles hurting after impacting with his jaw. The boy rocked backwards, stumbling over his own feet. He fell into his cohort, but the blonde boy backed away to keep from falling down himself.
"Hit her!" he screamed at his follower.
"She's a girl!"
"Then hit Hugeo!"
The blonde boy looked to the third, who until now had remained quiet and brooding.
"You're crazy, Neal! I'm outta here!"
Now on his feet, Neal faced Zaralyn, hands clenching. It was her turn to cross her arms, and did so with a smile.
"Not so tough without your lackey, huh?"
"You'll pay you little string bean!"
She wasn't quick enough to block as he threw a punch.

Nothing had seemed real after theat. All she remembered was dust kicking up around them as she and Neal fell to the ground trading blows. The third boy, stepped in, trying to separate them, and taking a few hits himself.  Then more hands were grabbing at them, and finally separated them.
Now, she, Neal and Hugo, as she had learned his name was, sat in front of Father Durden and Enalis. The elderly human and still young elf stared at them harshly. The Father turned and looked up at Enalis with a nod.
Enalis, dressed as usual in his fine garments came to stand at the desk's side, his piercing blue eyes staring straight through her. Zaralyn wanted to look away, but knew better.
"Boys are expected to rough house and get into trouble." Now he looked to Neal and Hugo, though still speaking to her. "But as the eldest daughter of Ona Steadfast and Veinlyn Goldmoon, I would have thought you to be the last to end up in trouble. It's the first day of school, and the day has yet to begin."
Zaralyn heard the gasp come from where Neal sat, and felt a smile grow across her face, causing the split lip to sting. It was swelling along with her right eye which would blacken by the time she got home.
"Now," Durden interrupted, "Tell us what started this altercation."
"She started it," Neal spat, throwing a finger across Hugo's bulk to point at her.
Zaralyn just cleared her throat and looked to Durden.
"I heard Neal and his friend making fun of Hugo and told him that it was impolite. They continued to mock both Hugo and myself." She paused, not sure how to explain her next actions.
"And then you resorted to violence," Enalis finished.
She kept her gaze on Durden. "Yes. Hugo only tried to  break us up, and should not be punished."
"You're right, Zaralyn." Durden turned to look at the boy in question. "You may go, Hugo. Rejoin the class, and tell Custer your peers will be along shortly."
Hugo stood and gave a curt bow to his elders. "Thank you."
No one spoke again until the door shut.
"As for you two, you will stay over after class and complete any chores Enalis sees needed tending."
Zaralyn sighed, wondering what her uncle would have in store for them.
"You will report to him for a month. We will not let any of our students act out without knowing the penalties for it. Now, both of you return to class. Dismissed."
Zaralyn and Neal walked out the door, Enalis following them.
"Neal, I am going to report to your parents your actions this morning." The boy cast his gaze down at his booted feet.
"Yes, sir."
"As for you, Zaralyn, I should let your parents know what transpired here today, but I'll give you the choice. Face your parents or more training with me?"
"I choose you, Uncle Enalis," she answered firmly.
"Fine. I'll inform them you will be staying with me until I return to the manor in the evenings. Now. Return to class."
"Yes, sir." She turned and started out with Neal.
"You're parents' that hard on you?" he asked once they were outside and headed towards the practice field.
"No," she answered shortly. "This is the first time I've been in trouble."  She glanced over at him briefly.
"So your uncle will go easier on us then."
"No. He'll be just as tough on us. But it will only be from him, and not all of three of them."
Neal stopped just before reaching the field. "You mean you'd be punished by both your parents and your uncle?"
Zaralyn stared at the shock again registering on his face.
"Yes, and for longer than a month, I'm sure. My father was the Divine Emissary for Heironeous before my mother, and she continues to lead the Strike of Valor. As the eldest child I was raised to know better."
"Then why did you hit me?"
"My aunt is Enyev Cutter. I guess I got the impulse from her. I don't like when others aren't treated respectfully."
Neal asked no more question after that, panic looking as though it would overtake him. She left him standing there, mouth agape and rejoined the class.

That night after class, Enalis made Zaralyn and Neal do every chore possible. She was dead tired, and briefly rested against the stone alter in the shape of a hand holding a lightning bolt her mother had said was placed there by Heironeous himself.
"Zaralyn?"
She looked up to see Hugo coming near with a canteen.
"Hugo, what are you still doing here?"
"I never got the chance to thank you...for standing up for me. Most people just join in on the jokes."
"Oh, Hugo, that's terrible." She took the canteen he offered and swallowed a sip before going on. "No one should ever be treated poorly because of what they look like or sound like, or who their family is. It's just not right."
"What happens now?"
"I'll go home with Uncle Enalis. He'll probably have more chores for me when we get there."
"I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault, Hugo."
"But it is. If I wasn't so big people wouldn't make fun of me." He hung his head with this.
Zaralyn stood, dropping the rag into the bucket of dirty water, and stood in front of Hugo.
"You can change that, you know." He looked up to her, hope in his round brown eyes. "I'll help you. We'll do it together."
"Thank you, Zaralyn. Your parents should be really proud of you."
She laughed. "Only if they don't find out about today."
"Will Enalis tell them?"
"No, he'll just work me to death instead."
"Then I'll be here to pick up your corpse."
The reply was awkward, but both laughed.
"Let's get out of here. I'm beat," she stated collecting the bucket before throwing her free arm about Hugo.