Five months passed while Brigid was taught by Renee. Isabelle had taught her daughter well but there was always more to learn, particularly when it came to combining everything Brigid knew. Placed within an advanced class Brigid regularly outshone the other girls in the training rooms of the Leonine Keep, defeating them within minutes of the fight starting. It was gaining a well-rounded education though, as all Knights needed, that caused the teenager the most frustrations, to the point that the other trainees mocked her into violence.
In the end Brigid received personal tutelage from Renee's librarian, a kindly old man whose back was stooped from long years of maintaining the woman's household. It took him only a month to teach her, privately Brigid would admit that he scared her, but she was declared ready to become a Leonine Knight. The day before her class' graduation Louis arrived in Suno and the elder Knight came across Brigid in the Leonine Keep, congratulating the teen.
"Well done."
"Thank you Louis. I don't know what my life would've been like if I'd not joined you at Sargoth."
"You'd found another group to try and join up with. I'm glad you picked us though." Louis paused for a moment. "I'll take you out for the evening. We can reconnect."
Louis took Brigid to a tavern on the edge of the entertainment district, an establishment called the Empress' Gash. It was an old tavern, dating from before the collapse of the Calradic Empire, and Brigid could well imagine that she was in the days of glory two hundred years past. Accepting a tankard of ale from a male server Brigid settled into her seat, looking at Louis from over the rim of the tankard.
"So, how has the last six months been?"
Louis took hold of his own tankard, knocking back half its contents in steady swallows.
"I've been based out of my estate in Uxkhal, escorting merchants and small-folk."
"Any good assignments?"
"Anything that took me towards Dhirim was always good, and not just because such journeys meant the clients had to shell out for more Knights."
Brigid snorted in amusement and lowered her tankard.
"Mistress Renee would often speak about Dhirim."
"It's a geographically important location and has changed hands many times. The Leonine Knights have a strong presence there."
Brigid was bleary-eyed as she stood in the Leonine Keep's great hall, silently cursing Louis and alcohol. She was one of almost two-dozen recruits being honoured at the graduation ceremony and regretted going drinking with Louis the night before, even if she had enjoyed catching up with the man. Louis was also in the great hall, serving as a witness to the graduation, and Brigid caught his eye when she was called forward by Commander Duclos. Taking a knee in front of the exuberant warrior Brigid bowed her head as he drew his sword, beginning the same speech he'd made multiple times already.
"The Leonine Knights were founded by patriots to protect Swadia during times of peace. Since then we have continued their mission and now a new member has come to join our ranks." Touching the flat of his blade to both of Brigid's shoulders Duclos looked over the assembled warriors in the great hall, amending the next section of the speech. "She might not have been born or raised in our great country but Brigid is Swadian." The commander turned his gaze down to look at Brigid as she raised her head, their eyes locking. "Do you swear to protect this land during peace and to fight for it during war? Will you die if needed for Swadia?"
Brigid slowly swallowed, feeling the weight of her words in her throat, before seeing her mother's corpse in her mind.
"I swear."
---
"Sir Louis, now that you're back you will take command of a squad of new Knights. Given your affinity with Brigid she'll be one but I'll let you pick the rest."
Louis grinned at Duclos and bowed theatrically.
"I'm so glad I have some power over who's in my squad. I assume I get to pick my assignments."
"Of course. Just remember that you'll be shepherding watchmen."
Louis turned and walked from Duclos' office, descending to the ground floor. He found several newly-made Knights in the great hall, enjoying a hearty meal after a no-doubt rowdy night of tavern-crawling, and quickly evaluated them, pointing at three when the group noticed him.
"You're with me. Time to start proving that we were right to invest in you." The chosen men rose and moved to Louis' side. "Did Mistress Renee take the girls back to her house?"
"She left with two of them. I think the other two went off to celebrate."
Louis frowned as he led his squad from the Leonine Keep. He knew what Brigid thought about prostitutes, suspecting that she'd have gone with Renee, but it had been six months.
A camp defender was in the guard post at the entrance to Renee's house, a hand on her crossbow. She stood when Louis approached, recognising the symbol on his shield, and relaxed.
"Who are you here for?"
"Brigid. I've been ordered to have her in my squad."
The mercenary woman slipped into the large building, Louis taking her seat while waiting, and he thought he could hear her calling out. The wait seemed to drag on and Louis looked up, impatience written across his face, when the camp defender returned.
"She's just getting ready and asks that you continue to be patient."
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