I was apprehensive as hell. I'd met the kids before, at dinner and all. I'd been riding with Random a few times, we took the same size horse. I tell myself that I'm the closest to him in age. I know it isn't true, I've never been a kid, I have no age.
So I went to the room Bleys had set aside as their classroom. They looked up surprised as I walked in.
Random smiled and moved towards me. "Are you going to be taking classes with us, Urda? Where have you been?"
"No, I'm going to be teaching you. Basic Trump. Pattern Theory. Mind Knowledge."
Sand cocked an eyebrow at me. I mentally braced myself, she's never liked me. "You're younger than Random. I'm not being taught by you!" Delwin just stood there arms folded across his chest, that same sullen sneer on his face.
"Yes. You are. You don't like it? Take it up with your brother." I climbed up onto a table, partly for the added height. Here." I handed them each a copy of the uBook of The Unicorn "Start with this. Background of sorts. Dworkin is my father. I grew up next to the Primal Pattern. This makes me your uncle, and more than qualified to teach you about Pattern Theory. When he really got going Dworkin would babble endlessly about Pattern. And no, I haven't Walked it. You 'prolly will but you have to learn all about it first. Using power when you don't have any understanding of it is extreamely dangerous. Ask someone about Clarissa and The Grove....."
Sand stalked over to me and leaned in so her face was close to mine. I managed not to flinch. She saw my eyes widen and smiled sweetly at me. "Listen you! I don't care who you are, or who you know, I don't like you. I'll learn what you teach because I have to. I need to use it. Outside this room you're nobody and I'll do whatever I want to you. Why don't you like to be touched?" Delwin's ears pricked up and she shot him a triumphant smile. Random looked surprised, then thoughtful. I couldn't read Flora's expression, I did see her eyes flick at Sand. She saw me see and looked away.
I leaned slightly forward, mouth dry and narrowed my eyes at her. "Don't fuck with me Sand. Remember what I said about not understanding your powers being dangerous? Really want to risk it? 1 touch is all it takes....."
She backed off just a little then slowly stretched her finger out at my eyes, stopping when I began to go cross-eyed. I reached out my own hand as if to cup her chin. She quickly pulled back and glared at me. I smiled as sweetly at her as she had at me. Angrily she stalked back into the knot of her siblings, the tallest of them by far.
I started again. "Now, an understanding of the way your own mind works is crucial. For self-protection and for knowing exactly how fast you react to given stimuli. If you plan to ever learn Trump the better you know your self the better your Self-Trump'll be. Which will be your first project. Once you can draw well enough, that is. So, sit down... Sit! Thank you. Shut your eyes. Do it! Breathe in and out slowly and deeply. Keep going..... now, feel what you feel like. Concentrate on what you feel like to you, inside your own head. Stop laughing Delwin...." Had them hold that for a hour or so, Once they all were calm, until they were sweating with the effort. Not bad at all for a first attempt. I had last class, if I let them out a little early they would just have time to have a bath before dinner. "OK that's all, practice this. And read that book." I walked out as they were shifting position and groaning......