Post by hotarokaori on Feb 24, 2009 15:44:29 GMT -6
Kaori stepped into the room for the children's lessons early, as usual, pulling out the plans she had worked on weeks before. If nothing else, Kaori liked to be prepared well in advance. She stared at the pages of letters and numerals, stories of history (which the boys tended to favor due to the potential for war and intrigue) and studies of science (plant-life that day) with an expression one might perceive as thoughtfulness bordering annoyance. What did it all matter? How important were such lessons really? The war was becoming more and more of a concern and while life had to go on, Kaori was not unaware of the preparations people were making. Why was she teaching the children about soil and the sun and benefit of earthworms and bees while others were preparing for the possibility war could end up at the front door?
She was startled from her thoughts as she heard footsteps pounding down the corridor and a little girl calling, "You're gonna get in trouble!"
"I beat ya!"
"You're legs're longer! You're cheatin!"
"Donnae be a-"
"Bully?" Kaori cut in before Roric could use the word cry-baby.
"I'm nae bein a bully!" he contested, positively sulking.
"You're goading him on." Aodhan was smiling triumphantly before Kaori turned to him and said, "And you're letting him."
"Told ya you'd get in trouble!" said Kylie, striding past the two boys with her chin up high and a self-satisfied smile on her lips.
Aodhan and Roric exchanged a look, silently agreeing there would be plenty of rematches. It was a funny kinship they shared. Despite the fact they were in constant competition, they were obviously good friends. Aodhan looked up to the older boy, and oftentimes Kaori would see Roric quietly helping Aodhan with his work while Kaori was busy with Kylie. It was a good system they had going.
Kaori sat down on the desk, frowning as she looked behind her.
"I wanna hear more about sword fights!" said Roric excitedly, making Kaori smirk.
"Aye, and about different armor!" agreed Aodhan.
"Ye said we were gonna talk about plants," Kylie whined, giving the boys a scathing look.
Kaori reached for the lesson, but at the last second closed the folder and looked at the children importantly. "Aye, but I lied to you all." There was a chorus of disappointment that would have suited half a dozen children better than the three in the room. How a trio could make such noise was beyond her. "Oh, boo-hoo! Much better to sit in here than play a game out in the halls, aye?"
The objections silenced so quickly it was as if all three children had suddenly been struck mute. There eyes were wide as they looked at each other. The first to speak was Aodhan. "Wot game?"
"Come with me," said Kaori, checking the corridor. Seeing it was quite empty she looked to the boys. "Aodhan, take my left hand, Kylie... No." She rethought this plan, realizing she and Kylie were apt to take a spill. Bunching up her dress so that the hem was just above her ankles, she said, "Aodhan and Roric, take my wrists. Kylie, hold up your hem with one hand and hold your brother's with the other. ... No, dear, the opposite way. We all need to face the same direction. Good girl."
"Wot're we doin?" asked Roric suspiciously. "I do nae wanna hold her hand."
Speaking over Kylie's shocked gasp, she said, "We're going to run down the hall."
"Wot?" asked Aodhan.
"But there's a catch. We can't lose anyone on either side."
"But she cannae run as fast as us!" Roric said of his little sister.
"I can, too!" she said angrily.
"It doesn't matter anyway. The object isn't to get there the fastest. It's to get down the hall together. Now go!"
There were a great many stumbles and tweaks to be made, but half an hour later they were all getting down the hall much faster than they started. The kids were having fun, ribbing one another, but Kaori remained rather serious. It wasn't so much a game. It was a drill. If anything were to happen on her watch, her priority would be keeping her charges together.
Out of breath, her hair falling out of its twist, she led all the children to the library. Once outside the door, she crouched down, the children all sulking as lessons were sure to begin now. "All of you go in the library and hide from me. There's rules!" she said as they started to look excited again. "You all stay together. You all try to avoid me. But under no circumstances are you to leave this room. Understand?" The kids all nodded in unison and Kaori ushered them in, quietly saying, "And remain quiet!"
She waited outside the doors, slowly counting to twenty before entering the room. She was relieved to see there was only one other person within. They were not difficult to spot as the skirt of Kylie's dress was sticking out the side of the bookshelf. From there they played hide and seek for an hour, though Kaori was always it. The children were having fun. Unfortunately, Kaori was taking it quite seriously again. She'd point out mistakes, give them tips, and start over again. Once they were able to avoid her eyes for five minutes straight, the new goal was to avoid her and make it to the door before she could catch them; not going through it, but reaching it.
They had not been successful by lunch time, and Kaori was worried frustration had set in. But after eating, all the kids were ready to go right back to the game, looking determined. They were even whispering ideas to one another on their way back.
It took about an hour, but the kids finally received their first, albeit narrow victory. And by the time she led the trio back to the classroom, lessons were just about over. Seeing Kylie looked pretty tired, she figured it was best to dismiss lessons for the rest of the day.
The lessons would still be there tomorrow. But she was wondering if she should rework them to fit the games in, too.
She was startled from her thoughts as she heard footsteps pounding down the corridor and a little girl calling, "You're gonna get in trouble!"
"I beat ya!"
"You're legs're longer! You're cheatin!"
"Donnae be a-"
"Bully?" Kaori cut in before Roric could use the word cry-baby.
"I'm nae bein a bully!" he contested, positively sulking.
"You're goading him on." Aodhan was smiling triumphantly before Kaori turned to him and said, "And you're letting him."
"Told ya you'd get in trouble!" said Kylie, striding past the two boys with her chin up high and a self-satisfied smile on her lips.
Aodhan and Roric exchanged a look, silently agreeing there would be plenty of rematches. It was a funny kinship they shared. Despite the fact they were in constant competition, they were obviously good friends. Aodhan looked up to the older boy, and oftentimes Kaori would see Roric quietly helping Aodhan with his work while Kaori was busy with Kylie. It was a good system they had going.
Kaori sat down on the desk, frowning as she looked behind her.
"I wanna hear more about sword fights!" said Roric excitedly, making Kaori smirk.
"Aye, and about different armor!" agreed Aodhan.
"Ye said we were gonna talk about plants," Kylie whined, giving the boys a scathing look.
Kaori reached for the lesson, but at the last second closed the folder and looked at the children importantly. "Aye, but I lied to you all." There was a chorus of disappointment that would have suited half a dozen children better than the three in the room. How a trio could make such noise was beyond her. "Oh, boo-hoo! Much better to sit in here than play a game out in the halls, aye?"
The objections silenced so quickly it was as if all three children had suddenly been struck mute. There eyes were wide as they looked at each other. The first to speak was Aodhan. "Wot game?"
"Come with me," said Kaori, checking the corridor. Seeing it was quite empty she looked to the boys. "Aodhan, take my left hand, Kylie... No." She rethought this plan, realizing she and Kylie were apt to take a spill. Bunching up her dress so that the hem was just above her ankles, she said, "Aodhan and Roric, take my wrists. Kylie, hold up your hem with one hand and hold your brother's with the other. ... No, dear, the opposite way. We all need to face the same direction. Good girl."
"Wot're we doin?" asked Roric suspiciously. "I do nae wanna hold her hand."
Speaking over Kylie's shocked gasp, she said, "We're going to run down the hall."
"Wot?" asked Aodhan.
"But there's a catch. We can't lose anyone on either side."
"But she cannae run as fast as us!" Roric said of his little sister.
"I can, too!" she said angrily.
"It doesn't matter anyway. The object isn't to get there the fastest. It's to get down the hall together. Now go!"
There were a great many stumbles and tweaks to be made, but half an hour later they were all getting down the hall much faster than they started. The kids were having fun, ribbing one another, but Kaori remained rather serious. It wasn't so much a game. It was a drill. If anything were to happen on her watch, her priority would be keeping her charges together.
Out of breath, her hair falling out of its twist, she led all the children to the library. Once outside the door, she crouched down, the children all sulking as lessons were sure to begin now. "All of you go in the library and hide from me. There's rules!" she said as they started to look excited again. "You all stay together. You all try to avoid me. But under no circumstances are you to leave this room. Understand?" The kids all nodded in unison and Kaori ushered them in, quietly saying, "And remain quiet!"
She waited outside the doors, slowly counting to twenty before entering the room. She was relieved to see there was only one other person within. They were not difficult to spot as the skirt of Kylie's dress was sticking out the side of the bookshelf. From there they played hide and seek for an hour, though Kaori was always it. The children were having fun. Unfortunately, Kaori was taking it quite seriously again. She'd point out mistakes, give them tips, and start over again. Once they were able to avoid her eyes for five minutes straight, the new goal was to avoid her and make it to the door before she could catch them; not going through it, but reaching it.
They had not been successful by lunch time, and Kaori was worried frustration had set in. But after eating, all the kids were ready to go right back to the game, looking determined. They were even whispering ideas to one another on their way back.
It took about an hour, but the kids finally received their first, albeit narrow victory. And by the time she led the trio back to the classroom, lessons were just about over. Seeing Kylie looked pretty tired, she figured it was best to dismiss lessons for the rest of the day.
The lessons would still be there tomorrow. But she was wondering if she should rework them to fit the games in, too.