That meeting made my brain hurt. Grooming Stryder is the meditation I need...or more like therapy; Stryder is a great listener. I ride five unicorns and when I'm finished, my brain won't think about anything other than how bone-tired and overheated I am. I never knew that being a passenger could be so exhausting.

After I wash my last unicorn, I drag my weary body to the training grounds. I'm dreading whatever Trelix has in store for me because I've already had a long day. The training ground is a large swath of dirt with random weeds growing wildly. It has a series of haphazardly-placed pillars scattered throughout and a row of square targets. There are big wooden bins and small sections of fencing that don't seem to have any rhyme or reason as to how they're placed.

On the far side is a row of tiny colorful houses. I walk to the one with the open door and find Trelix inside. "Come in," he insists. "You look tired already and we haven't even started. I'll tell you what, let's talk for a while and let you rest up. I'd say it'll get easier, but it won't. Hopefully, you'll adjust soon."

The little house is actually a tiny office full of various equipment. In the corner sits a giant suit of armor that I assume is his. There are a few shelves crammed with all kinds of weapons and below those are some overstuffed drawers. The only other furniture in the neat room is a large wooden table and two mismatched chairs.

He sets a basket on the table as I sit in the chair across from him.

"I made these this morning." He pulls out two hoagies and a small bottle of something brown. Then he adds a salad and what looks to be pink french fries, followed by two enormous slices of peach pie.

He places a beautiful china plate in front of me and hands me an embroidered linen napkin. The silverware is real silver and the goblet he's pouring the brown liquid into matches the pattern.

"It looks so delicious. Thank you. Would it be okay if I started with the pie?"

"Sure," he says, taking a bite of his sandwich.

I like the brown liquid. It tastes like chocolate soda with a hint of pepper. "What's this called?"

"Salf," he says with a mouth full of food.

I'm not sure if the elf rule of overstuffing your guest applies here, but I can't finish my meal. After I try everything, I give up. He points to the remains of my sandwich. "You going to eat that?" When I shake my head, Trelix reaches over and grabs my plate, finishing the sandwich, the french fries, and the salad.

When at last he's done, he wipes his mouth and says. "I'll let you digest while I explain some things to you." He stands up, clears the table, then roams around the room gathering various pieces of weaponry. He lays them all out on the table and looks at me.

"This is your wand," he says, holding it up. "This is your wand holster." He holds up the little pouch Kyrbast gave me yesterday. "Your wand should always be in your wand holster and your wand holster should always be on your person. I retrieved it for you today, but from now on you always carry your wand."

He hands me the holster and I tie it around my waist.

Next, he holds up a hefty sword. It's shiny and has a scroll pattern covering the length of it. It has sharp edges on both sides and a blue hilt with gold trim. I've never seen a sword up close, but anyone could tell that this is a good one.

"This is your sword. You don't get this yet. You'll start with this one." He holds up a sword as big and as shiny as the other one, but well used and not as pretty. I'm disappointed that he would show me the pretty one and then take it away.

"This is the sheath for your sword. Your sword should always be in its sheath and the sheath should always be on your person." He hands me the sheathed sword. It's so heavy I drop it.

"How much does that weigh, like twenty pounds?" I ask as I stand and struggle to pull the belt around my waist. I can't figure out how to put the sword belt on and not get in the way of the wand belt.

"No, about seven with the belt," he says when he comes around and adjusts it for me.

"That can't be right."

He ignores me as he holds up a rectangular shield with four alternating black and white blocks of various sizes. The shield looks new but rather plain compared to the sword. "This is your shield. You don't get this, either." He puts the shield aside and holds up a similar-looking shield that has had a lot more use.

"Please tell me that doesn't have to be on my person at all times."

Trelix smiles. "While you're here it does."

He holds up two knives. The one in his left hand is large, with sharp smooth edges at the tip and serrated edges toward the hilt. It's cut at a severe angle at the tip. It looks dangerous and he isn't even moving it. The knife in his right hand is shorter and straighter but looks just as lethal. It has sharp, smooth edges on both sides and a spine down the middle.

"These are your daggers. The tanto blade goes in your belt and the other in your boot. You need proper boots." He only hands me the one that goes in my belt. "They are to be with you at all times."

"This is a shortbow and this is the quiver. This is your armguard and these are the arrows," he says, raising each one up and then putting them back on the table, "and those are all your weapons."

I've never used any of them and I'm dreading learning how. My inability to do anything to help myself yesterday proves that I'm not capable of being a Knight.

"You know, I appreciate all the training and stuff, but I don't think I could ever hit anybody with a sword. I mean, really hit them and cut them and stuff."

I'm talking so quietly I'm not sure he can hear me. He slaps the armguard on me and I press on. "I've never had to consider killing anything before, and now when faced with that outcome, I know I could never actually do it."

"Well, if trained properly, you may never have to." He claps his hands and says, "Okay, let's start with the wand."

I fumble trying to retrieve it and grow increasingly embarrassed the longer it takes me to get it. When I finally have it in my hand, Trelix takes it from me. "Every night, I want you to practice retrieving your wand, sword, and arrows. Many battles are lost before they ever begin because the simple steps are missed."

He lays the wand on the table. "This weapon—" he says, but I interrupt him.

"Kyrbast said it's not a weapon. It's a tool." I'm surprised he doesn't know that.

"To a Knight, everything is a weapon. These are weapons," he says, grabbing my hands. He points to my feet. "Those are weapons." Then he brings a thick finger up to my forehead and says, "And this is your best weapon."

I hope he's speaking metaphorically because I don't want to use my head as a weapon.

He holds up the wand again. "Kyrbast probably told you that this is a tool and he's correct. But it can be used to stun an enemy. If you're good, you can kill an enemy with it. You can use it as a shield or you can light it so bright, it will blind your opponent.

"You'll learn to use all of these weapons, but one will speak to you. One you'll be gifted with. The same as you're gifted with the unicorns and pegasus."

I snort. "I'm far from gifted with the unicorns and I can't even ride my pegasus."

"You're wrong. You've been riding unicorns for just a few days and you have already mastered many things. What you're lacking is muscle strength. I've heard about your mastery with the pegasus."

"What mastery? I'm not the master of anything."

He puts the wand back on the table so he can gesture with his hands. "Your pegasus obeys your every command. He's docile and able to live free among the people of Cromsmead. That's unheard of. A pegasus is a vicious creature, or did you fail to notice the talons and teeth? They are enormous and can take down a dragon. Have you observed the way others react to him?" Trelix seems truly shocked at my lack of understanding.

"Yeah, but he came to me that way. I didn't do that."

He smiles. "The Wiltonshire elves do wonders with their breeding program. They trained your pegasus not to eat his trainer and to understand your language, but the gentleness you see is by your hand."

I shake my head vigorously. "No way! Lenox is a nice boy. Like a big dog. He wouldn't hurt me or anybody else."

His mouth drops open. "First off, if he was on Earth, they would compare him to a velociraptor, not a dog. And he doesn't hurt anybody because you won't allow it."

"Lenox is not a vicious creature. I love him and so do Jonah and Dathid. Or at least, I think they do."

He mellows his tone when he says, "You liken him to a dog, so he's your dog. However, if you meet another one, don't assume it won't kill you and eat you."

Then he claps his hands loudly and says, "Well listen, we're off-topic. I was only trying to prove to you that you're gifted. You don't need to believe me." He smiles wide and walks out the door. "Now, let's go outside and start hurting you."

Thank you for reading :)