First Lesson of Vroengard (CHILDREN PLOT)

[Nayeli]

’introducing
{leilani richards*}
featuring--! Turin Richards-! ---! ---!
Come on closer, I wanna show you
What I'd like to do, You sit back now
Just relax now, I'll take care of you
Hot temptations, Sweet sensations
Infiltrating through, Sweet sensations
Hot temptations, Coming over you

Well, I figured it was time to start the lessons again, with a new human rider in the ranks of the Riders, I felt everyone was settled in. As I stood in the tent that Tasia and Turin had set up for our lesson, I stood by a wood table with a map on it. Today, we would be learning about the land. Oh sure, it was a simple lesson, but if they were to be riders, they would need to know directions and the land they would be flying over.

As I rubbed my temple, my brother entered the room. "You look ragged, Leilani." I brushed off the incult with a dark glare before looking over the map again. It seemed he was going to help me today. "You don't look much better."

[/color] He smiled at me and patted my back. "I'm use to it sister. Besides, I had a short evening."[/color] I glanced at him for a moment shook my head. He was impossible.

As he pointed me towards a chair, I finally sat down and looked out the tent opening. Soon, I was sure Rilcha and Gregory would be here. Awiti was getting ready and hopefilly Saven could come around. I told them it was not required since I knew we were all getting settled in, but I wanted them to come. If Gregory came, then I was sure that Rilcha would come too. [/blockquote][/blockquote]

Gonna take it slow babe, Do it my way
Keep your eyes on me. Your reaction
To my action is what I want to see
Rhythmic motion, Raw emotion
Infiltrating through, Sweet sensations
Hot temptations, Coming over you

’word count not counting
’tagged none has come
’song Come on Closer--! Jem
’post status done
’template creator nayeli

[/size]

[Riley]

Riley awoke earlier than he normally did that morning, taking in a few deep breaths of the morning air. Sitting up and throwing his legs over the edge of the cot and stretching his back and arms. He looked down at the palm of his right hand the diffused silver oval still a new sight to him despite his receiving it almost a week ago. Riley then looked down at Taesi, the dragon sleeping on her soft pillow next to his bed. The purple dragon had grown in the last week, she was now almost twice as big as she had been. The two had spent every moment together since the second she hatched, Riley was still trying to get used to having someone inside his mind all the time. However he was already feeling closer to the dragon that he did to anyone else.

Riley reached down and poked Taesi's wing, waking her up. The violet dragon opened one eye and looked at her Rider, more than slightly annoyed she had been woken up. A trait she shared with her Rider, however she quickly got over it and stretched out shaking the length of her body quickly. An image of a water basin appeared in his mind, "Yeah I'm gonna clean up, remember we start lessons today." Standing, Riley quickly tossed his shirt on his cot, cupping water from the basin and washing as best he could. He quickly pulled on his best clothes, which were still travel worn, pulling on his bracers and clipping his new long sword to his belt. It wasn't a Rider's blade, but it had been several weeks since his previous long sword broke. It was well overdue to get a replacement, and the elven made sword was quite the replacement.

"Come on, let's get to Leilani's lesson before we're late." Riley opened the tent flap, Taesi standing and stretching like a cat while she started walking out of the tent. The pair stepped outside, Riley resting his hand on the hilt of his sword. Taesi nuzzled Riley's hand, causing him to snap back to reality and start walking toward the tent that had been set aside for lessons. He wondered just how much he would be able to help the children, and how much they would help him learn. It only took the pair a few moments to cross the distance to the tent they needed. Riley announced their arrival by knocking on the pole next to the entrance. "Lady Leilani, we're here."

The pair stepped into the tent, Taesi looking around the tent, then eyeing the two humans in the room. Riley looked between the two of them as well, "My apologies Lady Leilani, I didn't know you had company." Taesi eyed the human male, her tongue shooting out of her mouth to taste the air. She hadn't seen that many humans, or that many elves for that matter. For the time being, she was sticking close to Riley, at least until she was big and strong. Even with all the safety of Vroengard, Riley was still worried about Taesi's safety for now. Even so, the pair were ready for their training to start, "Learn." Riley smiled down at Taesi, "Yeah that's right Taesi, we're gonna learn."

[Amur]

There are some habits that many carry from their childhood into their adulthood. For Savan these habits were as simple as sleeping on the hard floor and sleeping with his sword clutched tightly to his chest. Explaining his reasons for sleeping on the floor were simple enough, he simply found the floor more comfortable than any of the soft surfaces that he had been told were for sleeping on, after all, such a preference was only natural after spending his entire life-in-service sleeping on either the floor or hard stone slabs.

The reason behind him sleeping with his sword so close at hand, however, was layered and complex. And in many ways not even Savan understood why he couldn't sleep without his sword so close to his person. Part of the reason was down to always wanting to be able to defend himself no matter where he was, Savan was a light-sleeper, so it was fine. And part of it was to keep the demon that invaded his dreams during the night at bay.

Savan's blade clashed with the blade of his foe, the two locked weapons sending a shower of sparks cascading in all directions. His foe was like him, a young soldier tasked with catching other, more useful enemy soldiers off-guard. The struggle between the two of them was brief, and in a single move Savan knocked his enemy's weapon above their head and run into his gut with his shoulder, sending him onto the floor with a thud and his weapon skittering across the ground a short distance away.

Savan towered over his fallen enemy, raising his sword above his head, ready to deliver the killing-blow. In a single movement he thrust the blade down towards his foe, and in that instant time slowed to a crawl as Savan's eyes locked with the blue eyes of his enemy. And right before his sword pierced his foe's chest Savan noticed a look in those blue eyes he had never seen before.

His foe looked scared.

Savan woke up suddenly, breathing heavily, his face coated with a light sheen of sweat. He noticed almost immediately that his sword was not in his hands and immediately began looking around his tent for it. His search didn't last long as he spotted it on the ground a short distance and scrabbled over to his sword, cradling it to his chest protectively as he picked it up. He must have let go of it in his sleep, which was uncommon, but not unusual.

He cradled his sword to his chest gently and remained in a knelt stance as he drew in deep, calming breaths. He just didn't understand why this night-demon kept choosing that particular memory, what was the significance of the moment of weakness that his foe had experienced in his last moments? And why did it not use any of his other memories to torment him with? He just didn't understand it, surely if the night-demon's aim was to break him down it would have been more effective to bombard him with everything at once.

Savan took in another deep, and calming breath. Letting it out in a slightly shaken sigh. It was already light-outside, so the night-demon would have been gone by now. And with his sword in hand, he would be ready for it should it attempt to target him again.

He could already hear people moving around outside, which likely meant that he was awake just slightly later than usual.

With the tight knots in his gut and his chest fading, Savan stood slowly. Making sure he was completely calm before he elected to go about any of his morning tasks. It didn't take Savan much longer to collect himself enough to go about changing his clothes and washing himself off with a damp cloth. He had remembered one of his superiors telling him that she had, had something planned for today. Of course, Savan planned to turn up for whatever it was that she had planned, even though she had presented the idea to all of them as an optional thing. However, "optional" was not a word that was in Savan's vocabulary. As far as he was concerned, this plan his superior had told him of was a requirement, and he had been ordered to show up.

It took Savan only a matter of moments to put on a clean set of clothes, make sure his signet ring was firmly in its place on his thumb, pick up his sword and then leave his tent. He walked the route to the tent that had been pointed out to him the previous day with a steady, and measured gait; marching in the disciplined manner he had been taught to march in when on his way to meet a superior for any reason.

He walked into the tent, coming to a stop at what he deemed to be a respectful distance from his superior, he clapped his heels together, held his sheathed sword in his left hand and then clapped his fist to his chest in a disciplined salute. He inclined his head slightly in greeting, holding the pose for several long moments.

"Ma'am."
He greeted in a respectful tone; finally easing himself out of his salute to stand to-attention, his eyes briefly roaming the tent and taking stock of everyone else assembled. He didn't immediately recognise either of the two men gathered here with his superior, nor was he immediately able to place the odd-looking creature that seemed to be staying within close proximity to one of the two assembled men... Were these two to be added to his list of current compatriots?

[Lyrt]

Rilcha was pleased.

That itself was an understatement. He was over the moon, dancing with the stars, and whatever other expressions of happiness that came to mind. The morning was going quite so horribly well that it was almost criminal. There was no one bothering him to bathe, no one telling him to stop crawling in the mud after beetles, barely anyone at all about who would scold him, and none of them did.

It was well before dawn when his day started, the boy having fallen asleep in his tent rather early the day before, flocked by a few fluffy companions in his slumber. They were gone from his bed when he woke, but he knew that they would be back, they always came back at night. It was most likely because he gave them little treats of his leftover food but there was no shame in that. They were still his friends all the same.

Well before anyone else was awake he slipped out, thick cloak wrapped awkwardly around him and leaving him swimming in fabric. He could never fasten it properly, Gregory usually helped him with it but he didn't feel the need to ask him, nor did he really want to. The cloak itself though was horribly big today, was it possible he had taken Savan's instead? Entirely. It hardly mattered anyways. It would be the dirt's soon enough.

And so he headed out on his usual exploration a little way off from the camp, examining trees, bugs, and even odd smelling plants once in a while. The plants he had learned not to touch after a few previous encounters that left him covered in large angry red patches, and even ones that made him vomit. The vomiting was the worst, being confined to a bed was the worst torture there could possibly be! Unless...he wanted to be in the bed, for some reason he had found from time to time that the bed could be rather comfortable in the time that he was not supposed to indulge in it, it was a cruel cruel joke. If only the bed was that comfortable at night.

Once he was feeling hungry Rilcha would return, slipping through the tents as quietly as he could to where he could acquire food. It had quickly become one of his most favorite rituals, the women who served it bright and cheery with large bosoms and musical laughter. Pasting an innocent smile to his face he sauntered in as he did every day, gently tugging on their sleeves and letting out little chatters to let them know he had arrived.

The immediately flocked about him, pinching his cheeks and fussing over his appearance, one wetting a rag and scrubbing at him with it to clean off the fresh mud. He hardly minded, it was different from the baths, and it was not Tasia cleaning him either. Being cleaned this way was far more tolerable, the women's gentle hands setting him at ease as his face was scrubbed clean. She soon moved onto his hair, combing the coppery curls to their full glory and tying a cord around his head to keep them from falling into his face throughout the day. Lastly, after telling him to wash his hands (he did so willingly, they wouldn't give him any treats without him having done so) one brought out a freshly laundered tunic and dressed him in it, the woman lacing up the boots tightly for him.

The morning was wonderful, another woman holding out a steaming bun to him, the warm jam glistening as it oozed out. With large eyes he held out his hands for the treat, but it was raised high up out of his reach unexpectedly. "Rilcha...sweet child, you have a lesson today do you not?" He nodded slowly, keeping his eyes fixed to the bun dangling over his head. "Are you going to attend?" Pausing for a moment to think about it he shook his head, and she gently tapped the tip of his nose with her finger.

"If you promise to go I will give you..." the woman turned his gaze to the cooling tray "I will give you three." Three?! He had never been allowed so many before! But...the lessons... Rilcha frowned and inflated his cheeks rhythmically as he brooded over it, and finally gave a little nod of agreement. The woman looked pleased and kissed his forehead before pressing the bun into his hand and wrapping the rest in the cloak that had been mysteriously rid of dirt. "You musn't wear this today love" one chided in, placing the bundle on his lap "it is far too hot outside for it, now run along and don't be late~"

They all swarmed around him once again, and in a flurry of kisses and gentle hugs he was suddenly walking towards where the lesson would be held, the jam from the bun he had started to eat dribbling down his chin. He didn't have time to play, and he would not rectify it by breaking his promise with the lovely women. If they were displeased with him...it...it was a horrible thought, and he never wished for that to happen.

Dragging his feet he slipped inside, looking unusually neat and proper for himself, his cheeks glowing from the scrubbing. Sullenly he continued to nibble on the first bun, the other two stored safely in Savan's cloak under his arm. "..." the boy parted his lips to speak a greeting of sort but fell silent at the sight of the stranger. As usual he slipped behind Savan for protection, idly hooking an arm around the elder's waist as he pressed himself close to his back and took another bite out of the bun. It was not a good morning at all anymore, what a waste.

[Emma]

Day three of my escape from prison.

Somehow, I’d never thought of freedom as being so physically uncomfortable. I woke up with rocks poking into my back, and decided spinal damage from sleeping on a cot was likely to be permanent. I rolled off the cot and onto the spiky grass, which didn’t provide much of a difference. Then I just sat up, glaring. I wasn’t getting any more sleep tonight. It was cold and dark, so I pulled the blankets around me and stood up. I managed to trip over three books in consecutive order before managing to find and light a candle, which I held above me as I surveyed my new home. As of this week, Viaspea Serowë lived in a tent. A tent that was half the size of my room, let alone Mother’s entire estate. Proper housing wasn’t expected for several months, and Riders and families would be prioritized. Apparently, I would have to call this piece of fabric home for the next little while. The piece of fabric in question was crammed with clothes- I’d mixed up the dirty and clean- books, scattered bits of leather armour, and a three-day-old sandwich that would probably attract rats at any given moment. As a result, getting around the tent meant I had to hop around an obstacle course. But it wasn’t like I had anywhere else to put my things. I didn’t even have a proper chest or drawers. And the architect had just stared at me when I’d asked for a bigger tent. Well, whatever. It was way too early to go complain about my living arrangements. I was hungry. I had the weirdest taste in my mouth. And I had sweated all through the night, so I really needed a bath.

At home, all of these things were prepared for me every morning. In Doru Araeba, however, I had to get dressed, shake the centipedes and tiny spiders out of my boots, and walk all the way to one of the wells. After waiting in line, I dragged a bucket all the way back to my tent, stopping to buy a hunk of somewhat fresh-looking pork, then drank the water while waiting for the pork to cook over a hastily-made fire. I sat gnawing on the meat as I watched the sunrise. Today, my lessons would begin. I wasn’t sure how I felt about it, and I didn’t really know what to expect. On the one hand, it was because the Riders were looking for young humans that I even managed to get out of my jail cell. On the other, I hadn’t heard great things about the Riders in recent years, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about having a dragon as my lifelong companion. I’d read about the Order since childhood, and they had an interesting history- but their choices in the past little while didn’t really hold up to the great heroes I’d pictured as a kid. Maybe ten years ago, I’d have been excited to be trained as one of their kind. But now?

I looked at the huge expanse of jungle surrounding the campsite, and at the carts arriving from the beaches. I had never seen so many people in my entire life, and apparently Ilirea had been even bigger. I had seen elves for the first time, and a whole host of other races I’d only read about. This was just a tiny speck of the entire world, and it had blown my mind when I’d first seen it. Malice had yelled at me to stop gawping like an idiot when we’d first arrived, but I hadn’t been able to close my mouth. All the different people, their voices, their accents, their appearances- and there were other humans, too, like me. The lesson I was expected at would be made up entirely of humans. I could see them and talk to them. That was probably what made me stay here, in the worst bedroom in the entire world. That and something that I would only admit to myself a tiny bit- I just wasn’t ready to see anything else of the world yet. This city alone, its sights and sounds, left me exhausted. One day, I was definitely going to leave, and put as much distance between myself and Ebonrose as possible. But for now, the sun was coming up, and I had to take that desperately needed bath. Grabbing some clothes that smelled clean enough, I ate the last of my breakfast and headed off to the river.

I pushed my way through trees and vines before coming up onto the bank. I tossed away my clean clothes and night garments in one heap before stepping awkwardly into the river. It was freezing cold, which was both a relief from the heat and woke me up properly. I swam around for a few minutes, and then left in a hurry when I began to see red-bellied piranhas swimming around my legs. Drying myself with a cloth, I pulled on my underclothes with some effort and then managed to properly button up a deep emerald green doublet lined with silver. I yanked on a pair of shiny black breeches, and then shoved my feet into tall black boots with gold buckles. I didn’t realize until I tightened my empty belt that I’d forgotten my sword in my tent. Picking up my night clothes, I started to make my way back along the river. As I wove my way around a bend and towards the deer track, however, I saw something that nearly made me drop my clothes in fright. Lying across the middle of the path was a dragon. It was doing the strangest thing- taking leaves in its mouth from a flower, chewing them, and then dribbling the juices along a nasty-looking wound in its belly. It didn’t appear to have noticed me. The dragon wasn’t particularly large, and grey-blue in colour. Eventually, it seemed to notice my presence. Its head turned towards me, and I was met with a disconcertingly intent gaze.

‘Its clothing is of considerably higher quality than the rest of the pathetic balls of flesh on this rock. Where did it get such fine clothes?’
Once I had gotten over the terrifying feeling of having a voice in my head, I managed to place it as male.
“Uhh… I brought them from… home?”
In answer, the dragon lifted his head and leaned over to me, flaring his nostrils.
“HEY!”
‘It smells human, yet there is also a hint of death that lingers about it. Is it the Shade’s son that Anurin informed us of?’
“I have a name,” I snapped, unhappy that people only knew me because of my mother.
‘Yes, I suppose it does. But names are of little matter.’
I sighed in annoyance. “Look, I have to go. ‘It’ has a lesson to get to.”
‘The lesson on geography with Leilani Richards? That’s today?’ The dragon put one enormous paw over his head. ‘I am barely alive and yet I am still expected to attend.’
“Dude, you are blocking the middle of the path.”
‘I am still too weak to assist in rebuilding the Order, so I must shepherd schoolchildren until the healers are certain my wound hasn’t festered. My only silver lining is that Ramsey is not allowed near me. Perhaps I can finally place that restraining order against her.’
“What are you even babbling about? You’re like the Thing that wouldn’t shut up!”
‘Come along, fleshling. It is to introduce itself. Then it may ruminate with the others on the inevitable doom of all mortals.’

I was having a mental conversation with a dragon that probably had post-traumatic stress disorder. Among other serious illnesses. If this was the kind of dragon that the Riders had to offer, then I had really, really low hopes for them. I just stared at him as he stood up, shaking himself and grunting in obvious pain. Then he awkwardly took flight, lifting above the trees and finally freeing up the path for me. I took a moment to contemplate just how weird the entire encounter had been, and then I set off. The sun was above the horizon by now, so I hurried over to my tent to snatch up my sword, buckling it to my belt. After dumping my night-clothes onto the cot, I set off. The tent had been set up near Anurin’s pavilion, and was large enough to comfortably hold a dozen or so people. I stopped outside the entrance flap, hesitating. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do once I entered. I reached up and patted my head, still wet from my dip in the river, and tried to comb my fingers through it to tidy it up a little. Then, clearing my throat, I opened up the flap and stepped inside.

There were five people already inside the tent. Two of them were very young. One was a really little kid, with huge green eyes and unkempt brown hair. I hadn’t really ever seen a kid before, but he was mostly hiding behind another boy who looked like he was a couple of years younger than me. He looked more like one of my sisters than a human being- he was pale as death, very thin, and his eyes were sunken and his cheeks very gaunt. But the most striking thing about him was the scarring all over the right side of his head. I tried to look at them without making it obvious that I was staring. The other two males were men, both several years older than me. One of them had dark circles under his eyes, like he hadn’t slept. The other looked travel-worn, but then I noticed something small and purple standing by his legs. I stared openly now. I had never seen a baby dragon before. But after a moment, I shook myself and tried to school my face into a look of disinterest. I didn’t want anyone to see how unfamiliar I was with other people. Instead, I approached the only woman in the room, like I had been told to do.

“Lady Leilani? I’m Viaspea… Pele’s son.” I couldn’t help but stare at Leilani either. Like most women I’d seen here, she was dressed in drab-coloured wool, and dirt tarnished her hair and face. But she had very green eyes, and there was a general… glow about her that I’d never seen on a woman before. And I realized that I preferred that glow to nice clothing and makeup. After a moment of consideration, I figured it out. She was the first woman I’d ever spoken to face-to-face that was actually alive. “Someone said that Anurin mentioned me.”
And the very second I said ‘someone’, I heard the thud of a dragon landing just outside. I winced and turned around. With the creepy ease of a snake, the crazy dragon I’d spoken to made his appearance. He pushed his head through the tent flaps, his slitted reptilian eyes peering at the assembled humans inside. I couldn’t tell if he was mildly interested in us or if he was hungry for human flesh.
‘I have come for the lessons, Human Leader. Geography, if I am informed correctly. I shall wait outside until it is ready to begin.’

Words;; 1898
Characters Used;; Viaspea with Ikehr
Muse;; Started out okay, but then... oof.
Thoughts;; This is my first post with a totally new character. Don't judge too harshly! D=

[Kite]

Arisato strides through the rows and columns of the tent city confidently, more so than usual. He woke this morning knowing that lessons were to be had and that he was among one of the few humans along for the ride that had already had a dragon hatch for him. He was the third, if he recalled the rumors circulating correctly. He was perfectly content with being the third to have one hatch for him, it did not mean he would be third for very long. If going to these optional lessons were going to help him acheive that, it was a small price to pay.

Sonoshee was around with him, growing at an alarming rate in Arisato's eyes, but that was simply because they had spent so much time together and he only noticed slowly that Sonoshee was growing so much. Despite her complete aversion to not flying, she was walking along side Arisato right now, and their passage was marked by those he passed, although less than they would have been if they had been anywhere else. Despite many normal people inhabiting Doru Araeba, the sight of dragons and their Riders had been fairly commonplace. Arisato was determined to change that, although he knew that him being of note would take quite some time. He and Sonoshee would just have to learn as hard and fast as they could, which Arisato was extremely skilled at due to spending most of his life in academies and with tutors. He doubted Sonoshee would be far behind at the beginning either, and he knew she would soon surpass the rest. She was easily more intelligent than him, that much was for certain. They would share and study between the two of them, and that would make them unstoppable in their quest.

He had already washed himself as best he could and thrown together his normal ensemble of clothing, similar to what he had worn during school back in Carvala. It brought some memories back, honestly. That is what he told himself at least. They were made of the finest materials that he could buy with his family’s fortune and, considering he was still technical maturing and growing, the clothes had lasted him a while in correct fit. Should they ever fall out of fitting, however, he would have to find a tailor somewhere on the island. He was sure he could find some of those, he just wasn’t sure if he could replace what he had at a similar level of comfort and fine materials on the item just yet. That was, however, one of the lesser concerns floating around somewhere in his mind.

As the pair of them approach the tent, they notice a dragon colored a sharp steel blue pulling his head out of the tent flaps of the tent Arisato had been directed to for the lesson. That made sense, the Riders would probably monitor most of the lessons that the Human children were to be given. He approaches the tent and dragon casually, before bowing to him slightly and speaking to him , while Sonoshee picks up her pace, getting as close to Ikehr as possible, which is her general reaction to grown dragons.

“Hello, elder dragon. Are you going to be watching the lessons?”

”Hello, elder! I’m glad to meet you! Are you going to be one of the ones to teach us?”

Arisato smiles as he hears her enthusiastic greeting, and the dragon turns his head to look at Sonoshee, leaning his head down to touch his nose to hers, and she seems even more hyper than normal about it, before looking up to Arisato and speaking to him.

"Ah, our newest Rider. It is the youngest fleshling yet to assume the title. I must extend my congratulations for the sake of courtesy. But you are also late. The ones of royal blood await within."

Arisato nods towards him and then turns to the flap of the tent.

“Thank you, elder dragon. I’m honored to assume it. I will head inside then, so I won’t be even more terribly late.”

He steps towards the flap and inside, with Sonoshee close behind him, despite her reluctance to leave the full grown dragon, and steps into the tent. Roomy, as it would have to be to hold so many people and, apparently, the head of a dragon. There are six of them, and another dragon. Most of them look around my age, although a little older than him should Arisato have to guess. One was a blond haired, relatively fit and fairly grim male, who was dressed almost as well as Arisato was who seemed to be the most recent of those in the room, judging that he was closest to the door. The next inside was one of the two Arisato judged was younger than him. Significantly younger in this case. He was clinging to the waist of a teen shorter than Arisato, who looks extremely pale to him and seems fairly serious, at least from the look at the Royals in the front and his stance, despite the young one clinging to him. The older, serious man had short, dully red hair, whereas the young male had a shock of brown hair. The older of the pair had some fairly serious scars on his face, once Arisato and Sonoshee moved forward enough to see them. He then moved on to the other three in the room. One was obviously one of the other Riders, paired with a young dragon of a pure Violet color. He was slightly taller than Arisato, and was against the rest in that he was smiling, although he was smiling specifically at his own dragon. An action Arisato was known to do.

Finally, in the front, there were the two Human royals. Leilani he had met before, briefly, when she extended her invitation to him in Carvala. However, he only knew Turin by sight, never truly interacting with him in person. He was standing near his sister, who was sitting in a chair facing the back of the room where the group was gathering. He moves up towards them both, standing near the front and off to the side, and nods to them before smiling and speaking to them.

“Hello, Leilani and Turin. I’m sorry that I am late to the lesson. I haven’t missed much have I?”