Orn flinched as his mother snapped her fan closed. “Orn focus. I know you can do better, now start again.”

Orn let go of Olivia’s hands and both backed up a step. Orn bowed deeply then extended his hand to the older girl. Olivia took it with a slight inclination of her head.

Once he lifted her hand, his mother began to tap her fan on the table. Orn tried to follow what he had seen earlier, to be beat his mother provided. Right foot, left foot, Right foot, half-step right foot….

He repeated the steps in his head and tried to mimic Olivia’s posture. He had been reprimanded enough to know she was better at this than he was. Her expression remained flat, but he could tell she hated this.

A few more missteps led to restarts, but eventually they managed to finish the dance properly before dinner.

“Better.” His mother said looking at him. “I want you to master this before you spend your time with your relatives. Every other nobleman’s son will have spent years attending parties and learning to dance. I will not have you falling behind.”

“And,” she turned towards Olivia, “I do not want anyone to think you are not the properly educated young lady you are.”

She let the words hang in the air for a moment before turning on her heel and heading out the door.

Once the door swung shut, he let out a breath he was holding. To his left he heard Olivia doing the same. At least I am not alone.

She noticed his glance and smiled tiredly. “Thoughts?”

“These shoes hurt my feet and I hate dancing.” He replied flatly.

Olivia laughed. Throwing her arm around his neck, she pulled him closer and tussled his hair. “Me too.” Then lifting one foot to show the heel added, “try doing it in these. If I was meant to be this tall, the goddesses would have made me so. Not to mention they make me sound like I am stomping my feet with every step.”

Leaning on Orn she pried of the heels one after the other. Hanging them from her fingers she flexed her toes. “Sooo, much better.” The relief was clear in her voice, “Want a shoulder to help with yours?”

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“Yes, please.” Orn leaned against her and pried to the stupid things off one. “The heels on these are not half of yours, and my feet still hurt. I do not understand how you manage to stand in them. Mich less move and keep the correct distance, at each step.”

“Standing straight came to me naturally.” She shook her hair as she stood proudly. Then with a wink added, “I had to cheat to get the distance right though.”

“How?” Orn looked up at her pleading. “Please tell me, having to constantly retry makes these lessons take forever.”

She smiled and stepped away from him, before gesturing with an empty hand. Understanding her intent he bowed and extended his own. Rather than take his hand she placed a shoe in it, holding both around the middle. She tapped the heels together, then took a step toward him. Placing one heel against this chest, “If these were knives this would be the right distance.”

Orn lit up, “That is brilliant!”

Olivia stepped back smiling brightly. “Thank you. It made all this seem a bit less ridiculous. It is the same with the turn. If someone swung high…”

“You duck and step into their guard.” Orn replied as the pieces finally fell into place, and mimed the action.

Olivia mimed swinging the sword, while stepping past him. “They do the same and you end up swapping places.”

“That is brilliant! You are the best Liv.” Orn stared admiringly at her.

Olivia beamed with pride. “I am happy to help. We should get to dinner though I do not want my mistress to think we want more lessons.”

Orn shivered at the thought, and rushed to place his shoes on the shelf. Walking out the door a question occurred to Orn, “Liv, why did you think of that? How did you think of using a knife or sword? A maid’s path has no reason to have any fighting skills.”

Oliva smiled smugly and tilted her head up a bit, “A lady never reveals her secrets.” Then she bolted down the hall. Yelling back to him, “I heard cook is making sweet meats as appetizers, better hurry or they are mine!”

Orn cursed internally and started running. Since his mother had started treating her like a daughter, the last of her barriers broke down. She had truly become a member of the family. The kind of big sister who really would eat his favorite things just to torment him.

Orn ran for all he was worth. Not if I can help it.

Her secrets would have to wait.