H A R U M P H ;

Hah. For all the bitching I've done about how dragons damned annoying Jacob is, the kid's gotten pretty good. You don't have your little secret tutoring club going on again this year do you Mi? I think I would have heard about it by now if you were. Makes me wonder what's so special about our last group that you wanted to help them and not these.

That kid is never happy is he? He begs to find out when he gets to try fighting with real steel and not wooden swords, then the second he gets his hands on steel he wants to learn the Lance. I tell him every dragons damned day that we'll get to it when we get to it, but sure enough the next day he's bugging me again.

At least the damn punk isn't a completely worthless excuse for a soldier. Usually this type always is.

[Filter: Private]

Harumph. Every single meeting I've scheduled with Lord Niall has been canceled for months. This is getting ridiculous. Is it so much to ask to want some answers?

[Filter: Public]

One week until we can expect the first of our new recruits to arrive and I still have too much damn work today. Harumph. I'm getting to old for this.

[Filter: Private]

Harumph. What could he possibly want to see her for. Are my own recommendations not good enough anymore? At least he seems to agree that more focused training would be beneficial given our current numbers than simply recruiting more men. She's going to ruin this for me.

[Filter: Public]

Lord Niall has requested your presence, Mi.

All this talk of some big storm coming our way. Harumph. It's like people have never heard of winter before. What do they expect, for it to be sunny and warm out? I don't see what the big fuss is all about. Just stock up on some firewood and some food and you're fine. Which reminds me.

Mi, get a couple of men and collect some more firewood.

Bah humbug. It isn't even New Years yet and half the men are already drunk out of their minds. It's a damn good thing nothing important is going on. Harumph.

I'm getting too old for this shit.

The last game of polo is tomorrow. The two teams I was most expecting to make it to the final match were surprisingly knocked out in their last game. They will compete for third and forth place tomorrow morning. The two teams competing for first place will compete for first and second in the afternoon.

Many of my men are already making bets as to the results. I suppose I should be discouraging it, but it is not as if it is hurting anyone. At least it shows that they are interested in it for more than just competing, and are supporting their fellow knights. I think I will have to make plans to do this again next year. Perhaps a few more teams will show up as well, after having seen how much fun the others are having.

[Filter: Mi]

Is that little club of your's going to be ready? You're running out of time.

Quiet. Just the way I like it. Harumph. A few days of peace before those damn ruffians get back. They almost convinced me to let them use the new polo field on their days off. Glad I didn't change my mind. Isn't often I get to enjoy nature with just me and my dogs without all that damn noise. It's as much my vacation as it is theirs.

Hah! My polo tournament idea ended up working out great. Damn kids actually care about working together for once, even put together a nice field to use, cleared it, and got everything ready. It's a shame I got an uneven number of teams, 7 just doesn't cut it for a good tournament.

Your secret club ain't interested in joining are they girl, or you given up on that yet? Harumph.