Tales of Tenric's Training: Part III

PART III

He was gonna be in trouble and he knew it. Today was the day his Master began instructing him in Force-Assisted Saber dueling and he was so excited he had been unable to sleep at all last night. Well to be honest he had gotten some sleep…about an hour of it; and he had just been awakened from that to come out to breakfast.

‘Great!’ he thought, ‘I’ll need every ounce of the Force I can muster just to be my old, slow self today.’

“Tenric?” his Grandmother called, “Come’n out to breakfast, honey!”

Quickly pulling on his sparse tunic and breeches Tenric hurried out. He loved a good breakfast and no one made it better than his Gam’Ma. Upon reaching the kitchen area he stopped and looked around somewhat confusedly. His Master was always here before him, but he was nowhere in sight.

“Oh, don’t youz worry m’little Kindler.” She said, “He’s already had his n’gone ahead. Said he had something ta do ‘fore youz started today.” She finished with a gleam in her eye that, combined with her pet name for him, told Tenric she knew more than she was saying, and might be convinced to tell.

As he ate he considered how to ask her for more information. If she indeed had more to tell then either his Master had given her instructions on what to say, depending on his questions, or she would be deciding on her own how to answer. He hoped his Master had left instructions since that would be the easier way to get the information. His Grandmother was devilishly hard to figure out when she had a secret.

“Not like m’little Kindler to be so quiet.” She prompted him, “ ‘Specially on such an impo’tant day.” She finished with a smile.

“Well, I am kinda curious as to why he left so early.” Tenric admitted, opting for the honest, humble approach. “But I’m sure he would have told me if he wanted me to know.”

“Oh now don’t be playin’ that ol’ game with me.” She chided him, “Gam’Ma knows its eatin’ you faster than youz eaten ya food.” Again she smiled.

So much for that approach he thought. Still she did seem to want to tell him so he decided to keep the honest part and ditch the humble.

“Gam’Ma please tell me!” he said with as much enthusiasm as his tired voice could muster.

“Now wha’ makes youz think I have som’tin to tell?” She openly teased him.

“Gam’Ma!” was all he could think to say.

“Oh, youz ‘re no fun this mornin’.” She told him, pouting a little. “Ya shoulda slept some more.”

“I know, but its all just too exciting.” He offered.

“Well I’ll tell youz two things.” She began, “First he says you are to meet him at the root of the lesson after breakfast. Second is that I knows he has a surprise planned for ya.” She finished with a wink.

“Hmmm.” He thought out loud, “what kind of surprise?”

“Oh, I can’t tell ya that, ‘sides I know he wants ta be the one to tell you.”

Tenric knew his grandmother well enough to recognize that she meant what she said, so he’d have to wait on that part. The first part however seemed not too difficult to figure out. ‘The root of the lesson’ was a bit cryptic, but the words root and lesson did remind him of something. After a moment he had it.

“Ah! He wants to meet in the clearing by the fishing log.” He said, “I wonder what the surprise is?”

His grandmother just tilted her head and smiled. “Now your ol’ Gam’Ma ain’t that far gone ya know. I said he wants to be the one to tell you. No sense tryin’ ta get it outta me.”

Tenric just smiled an apology and cleared his place at the table. He had eaten only half of what he really wanted, but getting to the clearing was more important to him right now.

“Bye! See you later!” he called out over his shoulder as he ran off for the clearing.