Unscheduled Visit

As they entered the common room, the donor was standing off to the side, waiting to be called over. She smiled and nodded before walking to the dvd player and slipping in the disk. She picked up the clicker and opened the file marked 'Egg-tests' and started the video.

"As you can see from this, when she first arrived, she had speed, but no real sense of control of that speed. She had power, but no way to focus it. This footage is from the first days. You can see even then how quickly she has been picking up on things."

As she spoke, she walked over, picking up a glass from the warmer and taking a small drink of blood. She waited to see if the King would have any question so far.

Could this get any more embarrassing? Bill was going to watch her failing in the first few days. She remembered the egg test and how long it took her to be able to do it. She grabbed herself a blood as she sat down in a chair almost covering her eyes from looking at the video.

This was all she needed. To relive the first few days of her training.

Bill sat comfortably in a large chair as he waited for the footage to start as he watched curiously at Brianna's first training lesson with eggs. This was not something he was expecting as he watched every single detail of Brianna's hit and miss regime.

"Basic skills. With eggs? I will admit I have never encountered such a task. And how was she by the end of the task?" he quizzed Arabella.

"Actually she was quite accomplished by the end of it."

She fast forwarded to near the end when Brianna was confident in her movements and gaining speed with each round.

"I see" he ended.

He watched the footage again as it neared the end of the first training session. He could see that Brianna was developing well enough even though it was only the first training session.

"Well I can see that she is progressing well enough. Although I had hoped that she would be a bit more advance than egg catching" he craned his head to see Arabella.

Arabella laughed softly.

"Your Majesty, that was only testing for where she was starting from."

Arabella closed the first file and opened a file marked dodge-ball. It opened on Arabella loading tennis balls into a pitching machine. She smiled at the camera and then the angle panned out to show Brianna in front of a short stone wall. As the footage progressed, Brianna was reacting to the random projectiles faster and faster, dodging them at first and near the end was actually catching them.

"As you can see, we worked to push her limits to help her improve.

Brianna recoiled as she hid her face in her hands as she could feel Bill's eyes on her, this would make or break the decision if Bill took her away from this place. She didn't want to see or hear what Bill was saying to Arabella because she feared it would break her.

"She really is a good teacher Bill" she whispered.

"I think that is for me to comment on Brianna" he replied.

He turned back to the footage as it changed to another video of Brianna practising with tennis balls. She had gotten faster since the first training session which he did approve off. The one thing, the one tactic that he did want for Brianna was speed.

"I can see the improvement very well" he complimented Arabella.

"I hope you do not mind, but I decided first to focus on defense which meant focusing on speed and reflexes alone to begin with."

She switched to the final file which showed her throwing knives at full speed at Brianna, while Brianna dodged up and down, jumping when she needed to avoid them. Arabella smiled when she saw the King's reaction to the footage.

"Once she gets a few more points up the bar, we will begin to bring counterattacks into the patterns that she is learning. Eventually she will have to learn aggressive combat but I felt this was a better approach for the beginning. I hope you approve of my choice in this matter, Your Majesty."

She let the footage speak for itself for a while and when it ended, she turned toward the King and smiled.

"She is also learning tactics, philosophy and psychology as well as her martial training. She is a very apt pupil and seems very dedicated. With her request to learn music,I think we can count on her trying even harder to excel."

"It seems that Brianna is learning well, that I approve of. But as you suggested I would agree to her learning a more hands of approach in combat. I would also like here to learn another language, Spanish or Italian or whichever she approves of. It will come in handy should the need to relocate arises" he suggested to Arabella.

He gazed at Brianna for her approval of this new suggestion.

The need to relocate? Were they leaving? No, they can't leave.

"I would like to learn whatever Arabella wishes to teach me. I am learning a lot here Bill. Can I stay? Please?" she begged him.

She didn't want to leave, she wanted to stay.

"I would like to learn whatever Arabella wishes to teach me. I am learning a lot here Bill. Can I stay? Please?"

Bill chuckled at her plea as he nodded to Arabella.

"Yes you can stay. I can see that you are leaning very well under Arabella. But it is not my decision alone Brianna. That is up to Arabella to decide also"

She smiled at the King.

"I am enjoying teaching her, your Majesty. I would be pleased to continue."

She smiled at Brianna.

"It is like having a little sister to teach the things I have learned."

"Very well then it is settled. Brianna shall remain here until further notice until I have things cleared with Texas. Jessica is old enough to know what to do if a situation arises that something happens to me" he told Arabella.

He stood from the chair as he dusted himself down as he gazed at the time. His visit was due to end soon.

"So it appears that Quinn and Roxanne have hit it off" he smirked at Arabella.

SHE WAS STAYING! SHE WAS STAYING!

Brianna could not help the glee that was expressed on her face as she was staying. What Arabella said tipped the scale in her favour.

"So it appears that Quinn and Roxanne have hit it off"

Her stomach hit the floor.

"She seems really nice" she lied.

She smiled at Brianna then turned back to the King.

"They are probably still touring the grounds. This place is far bigger than it seems. If you have things you must attend to, I can send her along when they return or could have the guards locate them if you need her to go with you."

"Please have the guards locate her. We have another meeting to attend upon our return" he asked Arabella

Bill did not have another meeting when he returned but he ought to call Kiara having missed her call beforehand.

Arabella nodded and walked to the desk.

"Tolvin, Security"

"Yes Tolvin, locate Mr. Quinn and his guest. Inform them that His Majesty is ready to leave. His companion is needed elsewhere."

"Right away Miss Trillo."

She turned back toward the King and smiled.

"They should be here shortly."

"Good. Thank you" he thanked Arabella.

He turned to Brianna and gave her a gentle embrace.

"I shall return again soon sweetheart. But until then you are free to call me whenever you need it" he whispered in her ear.

Brianna hugged Bill back and was a little surprised at his act, she had never known him to be so physical when it came to affection for her.

"Thank you Bill...I will call you. I promise" she promised.

Where was Quinn and that Roxanne woman?

Quinn chuckled at how easy it had been to manipulate this woman. No wonder she was a stooge for Isabel. The queen of Texas never did like her flunkies to have a spine, but this one took it to new lengths. As they entered the common room, he led her back to Compton and left her there, walking back over to rest his hands on Arabella's shoulders.

"I trust the meeting went well, then?"

Arabella smiled when he came over to stand with her.

"Oh yes. Quite well. Brianna's training will continue and his Majesty has made some suggestions on enhancements for her education. I think things are going to go very well in the future. We are all quite proud of what Brianna has been able to accomplish in such a short time."

Roxanne followed John back into the main room to be greeted by the King who was already looking impatient to leave just as John had told her.

"Should we take our leave your Majesty?" she suggested.

She wanted to get out of here, having collected all of the information that she needed.

"Yes Roxanne. We have a busy night ahead of us" he replied.

He turned to Quinn and Arabella.

"Thank you for your hospitality. I shall let you know of my next visit. Arabella I expect a weekly update on Brianna's progress. Perhaps once things have settled down I would like you to visit me. We have much to discuss" he suggested.

Brianna watched at the way that both Roxanne and Quinn were acting. Something did not seem right. Did they know each other?

"It was good to see you again Bill. Nice to meet you Roxanne" she lied through her teeth.