None of the students were prepared for the exams when they arrived. It wasn’t that they didn’t have a fair idea of what sorts of questions would be asked or the required knowledge. It was the sheer intensity of the number of exams over a short period of time and the pressure that was placed on them by the masters to do their best. All of the students looked somewhat strained and the relief when the final exam was taken was tempered by the wait for the results.

Even so, for the two days between the last exam and the results the students engaged in more than a few drinks and were noticeably more raucous than normal. They let the whole keep know that they were happy to have finished.

Nedric spent the first day trying to get Elsebeth on her own but every time he tried he found that Rhianna was with her. It was extremely frustrating. On the second evening Rhianna decided she wanted to spend time with the boys and Nedric was eventually able to talk to Elsebeth.

“Would you like to go for a walk?

“Why not.” Elsebeth had a shy smile on her face.

They walked without talking out of the keep and towards the stream. Nedric always liked the sunlight and shadows playing across the water. As they walked he let his arm brush against Elsebeth and when their hands met she put hers in his. Nedric felt as if his insides had somersaulted. He hadn’t known what to say and was scared that she didn’t feel anything for him. With that action she had told him how she felt.

They stopped and sat by the stream bank, under the shade of one of the trees. Nedric put his arm around Elsebeth’s shoulders and she wriggled closer to him. They talked about all sorts of things, in particular their hopes and dreams of the future.

* * *

Before they knew it the results were being posted. For each subject the student received a Commendation, Merit, Pass or Fail and an overall score. The top student of the year also received a prize of five golds, which was quite an incentive to do as best as they could. The results were tacked to a wall in the dining room early that morning so that the students could read them before breakfast.

“Hey Nedric I got a pass for maths, thanks for your help!” Rialto seemed more excited by this than the several commendations he had received in other subjects.

“Too bad I couldn’t help you more with impressing.”

A slight frown passed across Rialto’s face as he was reminded about his one failure.

“And thanks to you I got through Martial Skills. Although I think the test was easier than they have been promising us.”

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“Probably, some of the instructors didn’t want anyone to fail. On the other hand I don’t think that Master Ernick wanted anyone to pass. It must have annoyed him having to give a commendation to Marryn.”

“Did he get anything other than a commendation in any subject?”

“He might have only got a merit in Martial Skills.”

“Well at least he’s human then, he’s won the prize. I wonder what he will do with the money?”

“Why don’t you ask him? He’s on his own over there.”

The two boys went over to Marryn and Nedric asked him how he was going to spend the prize.

“You know I’ve been collecting recipes over the last few months.”

Both boys nodded.

“Well I thought that I’d write everything up nice and tidily and then get the book published. If no one wants to buy it then I’ve only wasted money that was a gift anyway and then I can tell myself that I tried. Look up here comes the Overmaster.”

Overmaster Lucern had entered the room accompanied by a middle-aged man with greying hair that Nedric vaguely remembered from the boardways. It was a surprise to see the Overmaster as he rarely appeared at breakfast. It was soon clear that he wanted to speak.

“May I be the first person to congratulate all of the upper year on the results they have achieved today and say how impressed I have been at the amount of hard work that they have put in over the last four years.”

He paused as applause broke out from the younger students.

“Whilst some of you may not have got quite the results you wanted you have collectively set a very high standard that will now be a target for the following years. Over the next few days I expect that you will be returning to your families before setting out to make your mark on the world. May I hope that in all your activities you achieve to your highest and show the world the quality of the students at this keep.

As you know, you now have reached the age when you are expected to work for your living and you should find that graduating from this place will open a few doors in achieving a new job. I am accompanied by Over-engineer Tarim from the boardways who will be happy to talk to those of you seeking employment there and tomorrow we will be visited by Over-Captain Wessuk who is looking for potential officers for the military. Those of you who are joining the family business we hope will have learnt many useful skills in your time here.

Before I finish and say farewell to this class can I just add that this school was created to encourage learning and that I hope that the students who leave here will do their best to both learn as much as they can and to encourage learning skills in others. Far too few people in this country have anything other than rudimentary education. Whilst you benefit from this in that being better educated you can always find better work than the majority, encouraging others will improve the country and what is more can be quite enjoyable.

I leave you with the thought that wherever you go in life the real journey started here. Good luck.”

The students all applauded and then started talking amongst themselves. Rialto told Nedric how a letter had come from his father that day telling him that his idea had been a good one and that the results were just beginning to show.

“He’s invited me to work as one of his supervisors and to hurry back to Tomin when I finish here. From the way he writes he must be quite pleased so perhaps he will look on me with at least as much favour as my older sisters. He has always said that he intends to leave the business to only one of us and my sisters have had a few years to impress him.”

“I wish I had that much security although Andern has sort of hinted to me that if I apply to the boardways they’ll take me. I won’t know for sure until I’ve spoken with Tarim and he might not like me for some reason.”

“Nonsense you are a sure bet. So is Elsebeth so you should be working together.” Rialto knew all about Nedric’s feelings for the girl.

“I hope so, after today I won’t see her until we both start work. She’s off to see her parents in Elseth and I’m staying with my mother for a couple of weeks before going to my job.”

“So we shall all meet up in Elseth some time. It seems strange to leave this place after the years we’ve lived here.”

“At least whatever we do next I’ve got to be somewhere where there is more activity than this place.”

“You’ve got that right.” Rialto agreed laughing. “Nowhere can be more of a backwater than here.”