It was the first day of Autumn and Bria was bounced awake by someone jumping on her bed. ‘I’m back and all better. Did you miss me?’ She opened her eyes to see Camryn grinning down at her before she was wrapped in a massive hug. ‘It’s all so exciting’

Bria tried not to groan. ‘Hello Camryn. Yes we’ve missed you’ and then paused as an evil thought wormed its way through her mind. ‘We’ve all be wearing armour for a while now. Let’s get you into some.’ She heard a snort from the other side of the room and continued ‘I’m sure Adeline and Nia will be more than happy to get up and help.’ She got up and stretched luxuriously before strapped on her own armour.

‘Oh my! You look amazing’ gushed Camryn. ‘Is it heavy? Is it hot? Will it make me look fat? I’ve been training with metal plate that my father had made and it’s hard work’

‘Don’t worry. You will be fine.’ said Nia from the far side of the room as she fitted her own armour. ‘When did you get back?’

‘Oh, last night’ said Camryn ‘but the preceptor has some mysterious demonstration today so he told me to wait and to wake you up this morning. I just came a bit earlier than he said.’

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

‘And a good thing too, child’ came Rosa’s voice from the doorway. ‘Welcome back Camryn. There is just time to run through a form before you must go out.’

‘Good morning, Rosa. We thought to fit her with armour first.’ Nia’s grin was matched by Adeline’s and Bria’s

‘Indeed, indeed. Yes, the forms will still be here this evening.’ Rosa lead the way into the middle room where new armour stands and shelving had replaced the rotted remains of the old. ‘Camryn. Strip and put on this gambeson while I gather what else you need. Worry not. It will resize to fit you of its own accord. Hold out your forearm’

Camryn had finally noticed the smirks of the other three you women as they stood in the doorway to watch and warily extended her arm. ‘Something bad is going to happen isn’t..’ The sentence ended on an ear-piercing shriek as Rosa clamped the first vambrace on her arm. It took quite a while for all four of them to get Camryn into a full suit, partly because they were all laughing so hard at Camryn’s histrionics and partly because, as Rosa put it later, she thrashed harder than a harpooned kraken.

‘You’re horrible to me.’ sniffed Camryn once the helm was in place. ‘Will it always hurt that much?’

Rosa grinned ‘No child. Not as long as you always use the same suit and it will keep you alive so it will be worth it. Now we have used up all the time so you must go to breakfast and see the Preceptor’s little mystery and yes, I do know what it is, for I have observed where you have not, and no, I won’t spoil it. Shut the door behind you, if you please’