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Yesenda tried to trick him this time. She jerked the staff forward, then tossed it to her other hand and swiped at the cup. It connected and, for a suspended moment in time; the cup tilted forward, threatening to spill its contents. Yesenda held her breath, expecting victory, but Mateo used his stick to catch the cup and tilt it back upright. The base of the cup was now balanced on his stick.
Yesenda’s mouth dropped wide open at the move.
Mateo grabbed the cup and whacked her arm.
“Ouch!” Yesenda became angry and ran at him. Again, he dodged at the last minute and moved out of the way. She fell face first, panting for breath.
She came at him again and he kicked her legs out from under her. She hit the floor hard.
“Alzarsi!”he demanded.
Yesenda furrowed her brow.
“It means get up,” Naomi said.
Yesenda groaned and got up.
“Controlla la tua rabbia!”Brother Mateo said.
“What does that even mean?” Yesenda huffed in frustration.
Mateo replied, “It means control your anger. Never allow emotions to rule your head. It is the fastest way to die.”
Yesenda sobered at his words. He was right. She had spent more time getting hit with his stick than anything else. She was so grateful when he called for Naomi to take her turn.
No matter how hard Naomi tried, she too could not spill an ounce of wine.
After a tiring afternoon where both girls spent more time sprawled on the floor, Brother Mateo gave his verdict.
He rubbed his chin, paced a little, then nodded and said, “I will train you both.”
“Well done, lassies. Now, the actual work begins,” Murdina said.
***
Five years later, when Yesenda turned seventeen, Brother Mateo introduced her to an unfamiliar weapon. It had a long handle, but the head was made of bronze and contained eight spiked flanges. He called it a mace. It was heavier than the quarterstaff she was used to, but the rudimentary movement patterns she used for the staff were similar. Yesenda just had to adjust the spin to incorporate the extra weight. That was the same year Naomi and Yesenda officially became members of theOrdine Secretorum. A secret order of women trained in combat with the purpose of protecting the vulnerable.
They gifted Yesenda a mace forged in Italy, including a black robe with an insignia in the inlay. It was a mace crossed over an iron quarterstaff.
“Do you vow to keep our secrets, protect the vulnerable and serve the order when called upon?” the abbess asked.
Yesenda replied, “I do.”
“Welcome to the Order, Miriam Ferguson.”
***
Chapter 3
1043 – Iain’s Cottage, Henderson Land, Glencoe
“Why can you not be more ambitious?” Liosa Haxton pouted and paced the room. “Cruim is a weak, pitiful man. You could easily challenge him for the lairdship.”
“Liosa, I’ve told you before, tis not wise to challenge Cruim when he still holds so much power. Besides, Bram is the one who should lead because—”
“Iain Henderson! Why should your cousin be the next laird? You are as good, if not better, than him. You should claim the lairdship for yourself.”
Iain sighed. “Liosa, I dinnae want to be laird, and the clan respects and follows Bram because regardless of what you think, he is a born leader. When he becomes the next Henderson laird, I will pledge my fealty to him. We are not just cousins, he is like a brother to me. His family is my family.”
