Not that that stopped him from giving them a whack with his staff to correct their form or silence impudence. The courtyard where they would train und...r Ilun’s gaze was sited under the shadow of one of the great spires of the Royal Palace which rose up behind the courtyard like some great sentinel made of bright stone, a testament to the power and the glory of all the kingdom. Pennants of over a dozen colours snapped in the wind from poles erected along the edges of the square and though they. One of their elder members, Miriam Holt, a very plump brunette woman of about sixty-five years with a presence that alone had brought many males into immediate obedience, noted that Bathsheba and Agatha showed an extra pleasure that was beyond their normal delight on such occasions as they watched the praise of the excited younger women. She smirked at the two of them.'What is it that you two have that brings such a special euphoria today? You've seen many males tested before; it's not just. "But what about my clothes auntie?" pleaded the devastated boy. "What amI going to wear?" Oh don't worry honey, we'll find you something, and anyway, we canalways get you some new things when I go to town................ nextmonth."There was something about the way auntie Lynda tacked "next month" on tothe end of her sentence that sent shivers of foreboding down Danny'sspine."Auntie," said Danny, trying to maintain his composure, "does that meanI have to stay like this until then?" Well, not. “I have to go. I’ll miss my bus.”“I can give you a ride?”“That’s all right,” she said, faster than she’d wanted to. He watched her leave. Outside it was gray and blustery. She saw the Number 44 retreating from the curb, red taillights blinking at her, and she ran after it, cursing. It was already out of sight by the time she got to the corner. Sighing, she sat on the plastic bench, reading the book Nicolas lent her while she waited for the next one:The forest is full of dangers, from pernicious.