The Paladin's Shadow; Home

Credits; Petra, Zink,

"Mom! I'm home."
"Oh hi sweetie, how was school?"
"It was great!  You know how I told you about that one healer I told you about?  The one they have 'mentoring' me or whatever?"
"Of course I do sweetheart, what about him?"
"He came down and we sparred today."
"Oh?"
"He's really good too, I think he's as skilled as I am."
"Really?"  Zink finally looked up from her book at that.  It was a rather appropriate response; Petra's skill was nearly as famous as her strength.  For her to have actually met her match in either was incredible.  And worrisome to some extent. 
"Yeah, I mean, I didn't want to hurt him or anything, but I couldn't get one past him if I had been trying."
"How hard were you trying?"
"Pretty hard by the end, we only stopped because the bell rang.  And I even managaged to talk to him."
"Wait, I thought you two were supposed to review lesson plans and stuff?"
"Well, we are.  But I can never quite bring myself to..."
"Ooohhh, I see.  So what kind of man is he?"
"He's nice."
"Just..Nice?"
"Yeah, he's really sweet, and strong, and tall, and funny, and hes gorgeous.  He knows all kinds of great stuff.  Like, did you know that there's a gardener on Appeni who's been taking care of the planet since the day it was discovered?  Or that Grand Admiral Stone had a little sister who's immortal?"
"Sounds like quite the young man.  I wonder why I never heard of him before?"
"Mom, you've always told me you didn't know everything.  What are the odds I'd actually meet someone you didn't know?"
"Rather poor I think.  I don't suppose I could come and visit you at the school one day and meet him?"
"I could ask.  But they don't really like you very much."
"Can't imagine why."  She said sarcastically.  Truth be told, Zink had probably done more for the school than anyone else across history.  She'd built half, if not more, of the buildings, rennovated the rest, stocked the library, and all of the statuary older than two millenia had been put there by her order.  Of course, most of those statues were made in her image.  She had ruled the Empire with a necromantic fist from the Headmaster's tower after all.  No one had forgotten that, and it was one of the reasons that immortals still were viewed as a threat more than an asset.  That both Zink and her Ancestor the Junlaerd had been under the influence of the very same demon seemed lost on the mortal Nielda.  It had been an ongoing problem for Petra, and a source of no small distress for her mother. 
"I will talk to them though.  If you wore a disguise of some sort than maybe I could pass you off as some other relative.  They'd be much more likely to allow that."
"Then we'll do that.  Popular opinion has not likely turned in my favor over the years.  I did an awful lot of damage after all."
"Yes, I suppose you did.  Well, I best get off to bed then; need to be up for school tomorrow."
"Good night sweetheart, dream deeply."
"You too mom."