[Mekatra]

At his show of defiance Joane raised a brow and then nodded. "You know what, yes... I will show you some combat things since you want to know them so badly, and then you'll sneak in and get what you are supposed to. By then, the valet may be rousing to light the fireplace in his majesty's study so it could provide a more appropriate challenge for the master thief that you so clearly are." Sarcasm dripped from her voice as she headed down a narrow path between two buildings and ended up in an enclosed training yard. She removed her shoes and pointed to a circle painted on the ground. "We'll start with hand to hand, since it is among the most important skills. Once again, start without tools, then you won't be lost if you lose them. I'll walk you through breaking basic holds and throwing an opponent so you'll have time to get away."

Unfortunately for him, having trained as a knight as well as her shadow training, he was in for a rough couple hours. She wouldn't show him any mercy just because he was a novice and would be just as rough with her throws as she would be in a real match, though she was careful not to break any bones. He would, however, have a few nasty new bruises.

This became his new routine. She would start the evening with some warm ups like climbing the tower and racing across the rooftops of the noble quarter, then a few hours of hand to hand combat, followed by a few hours of tutoring. Nearly two weeks later she nudged him an hour or so before sundown. "Her majesty has invited us to dinner."