The yard behind the mansion was broad and open, lined with trimmed hedges on either side and a stone-paved square that seemed perfectly designed for combat practice. Ian let out a low whistle as he looked around, already uneasy about what Piper had in mind for him. Piper, however, did not waste time. She reached into a wooden chest by the side of the yard and pulled out a neatly folded set of lighter garments, much simpler than the heavy robes Ian had been forced to wear.
"You will not be able to move freely in those," Piper said, her voice as firm as always. She handed the garments to him without so much as a smile. "Change into these. My Lord"
Ian stared down at the bundle in his hands, then back at her stern face. "Seriously? Already? I just got here and now I've got to play dress-up again?"
Piper's eyes narrowed slightly, but her expression did not change. "These are training clothes, not dress-up. Go and change, my lord. We will not waste daylight."
