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“A name?”
“Aye. Once you agree to work with me, I require my pupils to use a different name when we are not within the abbey walls. So, choose a name.”
Yesenda pondered it a while, then said, “Miriam Ferguson.”
“Why did you choose that name?”
“Miriam was my mother’s name, and Ferguson was my grandmother’s clan. I was close to them both.”
“It is a fine name. By the way, how good are you at keeping secrets?”
“I have no one to tell.”
“Then you’ll do, Miriam Ferguson, you’ll do.”
***
The Order
Several days later, Murdina spoke to an old friend. He was an Italian monk fromMontecassino Abbeyin the mountains ofLasio.
“Brother Mateo, I have taken on two new students. I would like you to have a hand in their training.”
“Se sono adatti,”he said and shrugged.
“Aye, I think they are very suitable. One of them is a laird’s daughter. The other hails from your homeland,Castelnuovo dell’AbateiinTuscany. Her parents worked at theAbbey of Sant’Antimo.
Brother Mateo nodded his head while listening, then said, “We shall see.”
***
Abbess Murdina summoned Yesenda and Naomi to meet in a large room used for activities. When they arrived, the abbess stood next to a monk Yesenda had never seen before.
“Badessa Murdina speaks highly of you both,” he said. “I am Brother Mateo. I would like to test your skills if I may?”
Naomi shrugged her shoulders. Yesenda remained silent.
“You.” He pointed at Yesenda. “Show me what you know.” Brother Mateo tossed a wooden quarterstaff at her.
He walked over to a pitcher with wine. Poured himself a cup and held it in his right hand. Then he picked up a wooden stick with his left hand and said, “Use your weapon to make me spill the wine in this cup.”
Yesenda ran at him and did a spin through with the staff aiming for the cup.
Mateo waited, then sidestepped and blocked her staff with his stick. He spun the stick and whacked her hip.
“Ouch!” she said. “You didna say you would hit me back.”
Brother Mateo said, “First lesson. The enemy comes with no warning. Again!”
Yesenda ran at him again, this time aiming her staff with more precision. She attempted to hit his elbow. Brother Mateo dodged the hit and whacked the back of her leg. Yesenda noted his movements were fast and fluid. No wine spilled from the cup.
She tried again and missed. Then she felt a hit to her shoulder blade.
“Prova di nuovo,”he said.
Yesenda looked confused.
“It means try again.”
