She wanted to say something, but as she began, he raised his hand stopping her and indicating his tea, and saying in an authoritive voice, “not till...I am ready!” Calmly he drank the beverage then as he placed the empty cup down, he nodded and raised his eyebrows as if to say, ‘ok you can speak now’! She had been stood quietly simmering for some time now but knew if she said the wrong thing, he would be harder on her so instead of the tirade she had rehearsed in her mind, she meekly said “thank. One at a time I would disarm a guard as she tried to strike me with her weapon. In turn, the woman would swap with me and use the triple-bladed dagger against me, taking the sword out of my hand as I instructed them.The training drew a large crowd of pilgrims, and the visiting women joined in the cheering and laughing. By dinner time, the muscular warriors wore me out and I felt bruised and sore over my entire body. The perky women were full of jesting and teasing throughout our sparring, and I. The full makeup one was onthe top."Mark, what a beautiful girl. Who is she? Is she a friend of Cindy's?She looks like a model."Mom didn't wait for an answer and started turning the photos backward,full makeup, mascara, wig, and just me. From the look on her face, Ithought she would crap her panties right there."Mark, why are you wearing makeup?" Because Cindy asked me to. Remember when she caught us doing our thingwith mascara, well she told her mother about it and this is theresult." Do you. The food was mediocre at best, and our conspiratorial chatter and laughter wasn't helped by the organiser continually coming up to us to check we were "OK." I wanted to zap them all by the end of my starter as I was bored, but we promised each other we would wait, and sat back admiring all the suited gentlemen desperately trying to impress the well-dressed women.After the soggy tiramasu was devoured I steadied my device under the table and raised my eyebrows at Rebecca. "Before the coffees?" I.