In Which Raia Meets with the Recruits

January 13, 1183

"Glad you could all make it."

Raia stopped short of the sitting room rug and surveyed her guests: Lettie, Lucien, and Morgan. A certain percentage of professors would have to come from the church--the books that Isidro had inherited from his grandfather were a good start, but some overflow from the monastery's library would be required, and even Raia's father had to admit that the monks and nuns were probably the most qualified for the teaching jobs--but the administration and the patrons alike had agreed that a mainly secular venture required at least some secular staff.

So Raia and Ellona--absent today as one of the twins had a cough--had spent an afternoon a couple days prior going over prospective candidates, clever people in need of something to do with their days or who might not have been satisfied with their present occupations. Though admittedly these three ran the risk of accusations of nepotism, they did fit that criteria.

And who was anyone kidding, really? If one wanted to find nepotism, all they had to do was throw a stone. And at least no one could make that claim in regards to the art professor her father had hired! "All right, here we have Lettie Mokonri, Lucien Shadeling, and Morgan Kellius. Everyone, this is Andavra Stephane. She's staying with Falidor and me temporarily."

The new hire waved. "You can all call me Cherry. Everyone does."

"Why Cherry?" asked Lettie as Raia headed for the empty seat beside her, Cherry taking the one by Morgan.

"Oh, I won't get into that now. It's a long, complicated story involving a basket-weaving contest and a band of Norwegian whalers." She smirked at Raia--who had heard it the night before. Long and complicated indeed. "Will you all be teaching too?"

Lucien shot Raia a confused glance, one brow knotting over the other. "Teaching?"

"Yes, that's why all of you are here. I wanted to know if any of you would be interested." And why wouldn't they be? Her father claimed that Lucien was wasted in his current position, it was only a matter of time before Morgan had weaned Viridis, and Lettie was almost as bored at home as Raia herself had been. "But of course, you can say no if you like."

"What would we be teaching?"

"Well, I was thinking that Morgan could teach literature." If Vera was to be believed, there was the start of a book on Morgan's bedside table. "As for you two... well, Ellona and I have a curriculum drawn up with a number of disciplines. You could each have your pick of those, then the rest of the year to familiarize yourself with your chosen subject. Perhaps not the ideal way to train a professor, but... well, we all have to start somewhere, don't we?"

Lettie and Lucien shared a glance, leaving it for Morgan to answer--and not without a hint of a smile. "I'd be fine with teaching literature."

"You know, our grandfather used to be Dovia's Chief Justiciar in his younger days. If I had some time to refresh my legal knowledge, I could maybe teach political science," offered Lettie. "My mother may have brought some of his old texts with her when she married the baron."

"Very well. Lucien, how about you?"

"I'd be willing to teach, but I'm at a loss as to what. I'll have to look over your curriculum."

"All right. Come by tomorrow and we'll talk privately." So that was four secular teachers--a third of the dozen disciplines covered. With any luck, she'd find one or two more recruits, then the church could provide the rest. "Is there any chance that Vera would be interested?"

"Actually, Xeta called yesterday; I think she's roped Vera into a project of her own." He winked, but elaborated no further. Raia made a point to pester her sister about it later.

"All right. Well... keep your eyes open for anyone else who might want to teach and might do a half-decent job of it. We're hoping for at least five secular professors.

"But given that we have four already, I'd say that's not bad at all."

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