Chapter 6: Gymnastics

Megara pulled on a pair of wool leggings from her cold weather chest. She tied her hair with a thin leather braid and sunk her hand into the soil of a potted thistle plant, sucking her strength from it's stem, leaving a spot of ash and scorched soil in the wake of her clutch.

She flexed her arms and thighs and felt a bit of strength hit her muscles, as if they just inhaled a deep breath.

Megara took sure steps towards the central court. She met the palace lyrist in the shadows of the north east corner of the court. “Lyrist, would you play something slow until the children show up?”

The Lyrist responded with a song. It was slow and wrote with melancholy. Megara slid to the floor, and stretched out her legs. She warmed up her ankles by tracing letters with her toes, warmed up her hips by moving each leg in progressively larger circles. She closed her eyes, and butterflied her legs in front of her, pressing her palms to her knees. She extended her legs and laid her body forward to rest on the pavement so that she was centeredly split. She pointed and flexed her toes in time with the music, allowing her calves to stretch in this position as well.

She was at peace and limber when tiny voices began trickling into her space. When they noticed her, they excitedly began to shout her name. She opened her eyes, which had to adjust to the light of the new sun, and brimmed with excitement has her class sat down around her, forming a circle including her current position.

“Good morning, little ones!”

“My daddy took me on a chariot ride!”

“Ah well I'm sure that was terrible stupid of him. Did you have fun?”

“Immensely!”

“And your mother agreed?” She waited for an answer but the daughter of a high ranking official in the palace just avoided eye contact and, well Megara had her answer anyway.

Megara clasped her hands and addressed the entire circle, “Today we practice our vaulting!”

“Do we get a bull?” asked the same girl excitedly.

“Not today, but ask your father. I'm sure he'll make sure you get one.” She squealed with delight, not yet able to register sarcasm.

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