As if to compensate for Argand's lack of ear, he proved himself adept at the fluent scribing of even fourth- order runic phrases, seamlessly linking the complicated twists and curlicues of the runes together with flowing strokes of the pen. He was only too happy to aid Grimm, whose penmanship was far from exemplary.
Madar, the most talented and versatile musician of the class by some margin, gained great proficiency in the reading of the aura he had once found so difficult, rivalling even the mastery of his friend, Grimm.
Now, Grimm was nine years old, and the boys began to study other arts. Grimm found painting, dancing and woodworking difficult, but he proved more adept at mathematics, languages, history and geography. With some of the Students, Grimm had garnered a reputation as somewhat of a toady, just because of his facility with magical studies. The relative lack of rebukes from the Magemasters had only served to reinforce this image. His new problems now seemed to mollify his accusers.
Now his fallibilities had been revealed, the other boys perhaps began to see him as a mere human like them. Grimm even welcomed the waspish rebukes he received from the acerbic Magemaster Faffel, who taught Grimm's least favourite subject, Courtly Graces.
When the hapless youth was less than perfect in his dancing, as he often was, Faffel would unleash an acid tongue, the back of his hand, or a casually-cast punitive spell. The Magemaster did not have Kargan's scruples over judging the less able, and he allowed the class free reign to laugh and mock whenever Grimm made an awkward move.
'I was not aware that this particular dance was called 'The Fairy Elephant'!' Faffel spat on one occasion. 'Thank you so much for enlightening us all, Afelnor. We are in your debt.'
Even the mild-mannered Grimm found himself biting off retorts at times like these. Why couldn't Faffel see that he was trying his best?
The sharp-tongued Magemaster regarded his particular discipline as the most important on the syllabus, as all the other Magemasters seemed to do, but he was more insistent and vitriolic in its defence.
'Afelnor! Yes, you, Afelnor! Attend to me! You may think that being a mage is all about dazzling displays of power, but I would advise you to correct that impression at once! A mage may have the power and skill to shame the most potent practitioners of the art, but it will bring his House little credit if he trips over his feet in the simplest dance, or belches at table, or slouches like a slattern.
'How many times have I told you that 'power and presence complete the mage'? Again, please; this time with at least a modicum of grace, if you have the slightest concept of the word!'
It was ever a puzzle to Grimm that, despite his exquisite sense of timing and his skill with music, he could not seem to persuade his feet to move in time with the music, earning him many rebukes and punishments from Faffel. He found it impossible to dance with an invisible partner, since Faffel's instruction consisted of diagrams and descriptions of how a dancing partner would move.
Madar, on the other hand, was an excellent dancer, and he underwent the penance of teaching Grimm to dance by acting as a female partner, without the least word of complaint, taking Grimm through all the main dances in the Refectory when meals were finished. At first, Grimm felt deep embarrassment to put on these displays in front of the other boys, but Madar persisted to the amusement of all, and Grimm began to improve, becoming a tolerably competent dancer. At times, he began to earn a little grudging, lukewarm praise from the curmudgeonly Magemaster Faffel.
Sometimes, this was as fulsome as 'I once said that you were not fit to dance in a slum flea-pit. I now see that I was wrong. You are fit to dance in a slum flea-pit!'
The young Student rarely saw the humour in Faffel's barbed jokes, even if most of the other Students seemed to enjoy it.
Grimm's command of Representaional Art, another of Faffel's subjects, was also poor, but Argand was an enthusiastic and accomplished artist, and he gave Grimm enough help to allow him to produce creditable portraits and landscapes by dint of a few simple guidelines. Nonetheless, Grimm always regarded a class in Courtly Graces with trepidation.
Every day, the Students were allowed to spend time playing in the large Scholasticate yard. Grimm now tended to shun the more physical games preferred by the more active Madar and Argand, but often other Students, some much older than Grimm's nine years, would run out of ideas for new games. On these occasions, Grimm would be consulted and would evince ideas for new games, providing that he was allowed to choose his role in each.
From time to time, Shumal would attempt to force his way into these games, often for no other reason than to upstage Grimm, but the other boys would shun him, since he always ended up punching, tripping or otherwise causing trouble, for which the blame would be shared by all.
Grimm found himself with a unique, if muted, popularity, although he often felt like a tool, to be used only when the other boys became bored. Nonetheless, he felt that he had a valuable role that was appreciated by the others, and he was always ready to venture an opinion, however it might be taken.
When Grimm was asked by one of the older Students if he would care to join in an end-of-year entertainment for the Scholasticate, he accepted with some glee, on the proviso that he would not be expected to dance. He had not forgotten the debacle of Erek's abortive pageant in his first year, but he put it behind him.
He was given the role of a travelling minstrel, and he studied the part with intense diligence in his free time. He was expected to sing a song whilst accompanying himself on the lute and, although he was not very accomplished on the instrument, he acquitted himself well, since the tune involved only simple strumming. Although nervous as he took to the stage, dressed in a loose, threadbare motley that threatened to overwhelm his slight frame, his voice did not betray him. Part of him was relieved when he had finished, but, after more than respectful applause, he found himself wishing he might carry on.
Madar and Argand were his most enthusiastic applauders, and even Kargan, who had composed the ballad, took the time to compliment Grimm on his delivery.
Grimm was happier than he had ever been in his life as the year ended. He would be on his own once more for the winter break, but he was growing in self-confidence; it now felt almost as if the Scholasticate was the only home that he had ever known.
At the start of Grimm's third year in the Scholasticate, he and his year-mates began to be burdened with even more new subjects, but Grimm accepted the increasing workload with zeal. Whilst he found Appreciation of Art tedious, and Gymnastics difficult, because of his ill-co-ordinated body, he enjoyed Literature and found Herbalism, taught by the mild-mannered and soft-voiced Magemaster Chet, fascinating. He never tired of studying in depth the properties and uses of different herbs and plants, always hoping to surprise Chet with some new discovery, since Chet, unlike most of his fellow Magemasters, actually encouraged extracurricular studies. As a Herbalist of the Seventh Rank, Chet possessed an encyclopaedic knowledge of his craft and could not be bested by any nine-year- old Student; he was, however, always appreciative of Grimm's efforts, and of those of other diligent Students.
Another new subject that Grimm enjoyed was Elementary Logic, which was taught by Crohn. He learned the uses of syllogism, sorites and deduction, and he revelled in trying to unravel the conundrums and puzzles posed by the Magemaster, as did most of the other boys. His finest hour was when Crohn asked the class to attempt to answer the question 'What happens when an irresistible force meets an immovable object?'
Many boys offered the opinion that the statement was a paradox, insoluble and intractable. Others opined that nothing would happen, but that object and force would explode into naked energy. Grimm raised his hand, was acknowledged, and rose to his feet.
'Lord Mage, it seems to me that if any force meets any object, either the object moves or it does not. If the object moves even a little bit then it is not immovable. If it does not move, then the force is not irresistible.
