It seemed so normal, so simple, so domestic, to eat together with her husband.  But it was quiet, and not as cheerful as usual... of course, since both of them had their thoughts of the last week to occupy them.  But Anders managed to break the silence with his question, and Yolande's mind pulled back from far-away, to think about this question.  After a few moments, she even smiled.  "Well, it's a little hard to say.  There's quite a range, and I'd have to talk to Callea and the Priestess to get an overall impression.  But there are a few that I see are going to be great fighters ... and with better training than I ever had, yes, I think they will be even stronger."  She proceeded to talk about Yuri, Lieselotte, and Gena, giving her professional impressions of their abilities - which of course was a bit above Anders' head - and praising how committed and determined they seemed to be.  "And it's not just them - though they're the strongest I've met so far.  But many of the others are just as determined, they'll almost all do really well I think... just those three are bound to be great fighters really quickly."<br/><br/>She felt considerably better again after the meal, and the talk of her students had her eager to get back to lessons, to the business of the school.  Out on the field she saw a stranger, which was surprising... she paused and watched for a time, wondering who he might be.  He seemed quite capable, and from what she could see he was teaching well, though the student seemed strangely embarrassed.  Maybe she had had made a mistake and was just ashamed of that... perhaps.  Yolande would have to speak to him... but here was Kabuno.<br/><br/>"Ah, principal, hello again.  Of course, yes - the sooner I get back to classes the better.  Although... I see you have another instructor?"  She tilted her head toward the newcomer.<br/><br/>But Kabuno had something else in mind... she listened respectfully, but in her face it was obvious she was more than just uncomfortable.  The idea was horrible!  What would the students think... but... of course, they had heard something already.  She had dreamed, hoped, that somehow in the academy not much would have been heard of events so far away, but now she felt her own skin getting a bit hot, a flush of shame at the knowledge that everyone here knew at least something of what had happened.  Not all of it... and they wouldn't know how much of it was true, and how much exaggerated rumour, so that was at least a little bit of a relief.<br/><br/>It was awful to contemplate... but she did understand how it could not simply be ignored, how something would have to be said.  And it ought to be her that said it, herself.  Kabuno was so ... infuriatingly right, again, she had to admit it.  But that didn't mean she would necessarily do things exactly as he suggested.<br/><br/>"Kabuno, you are right... yes, you're right, I have to speak with them all.  It's something they can learn from... and prepare for."  She was uncomfortable, that was obvious... but it would be clear from her face, too, that she was planning out just how she could re-frame the talk, how she could put the best spin on events, concealing the worst of it, the most humiliating aspects, and just concentrating on the need to be brave, to face the enemy even with the possible consequences, and to resist if worst came to worst... to hold out, to look for ways to escape or turn the tables on the captors.  There was surely no point in saying that sometimes there was nothing you could do, and that to save your life you might have to co-operate... that wasn't a lesson they needed to learn yet.  Not until they were in that situation - and they might never be.  They should never be.<br/><br/>No, she would downplay the worst of it... let the students think that what they had heard were just exaggerated rumours.  This was an opportunity to turn the story around... this could be good, even though she'd have to admit that a rescue had been needed in the end... a bounty paid for her.  But... she'd point out that the kidnappers would be hunted... surely they eventually would face justice.