Florian, and anyone else who wanted to go meet the last teacher of children in Massilia...

(Just make up some reasonable plot excuse to be along with Florian!)

It's the beach, in the middle of the day, north of the Breakwater.

The sea is choppy today, but the fishermen have to go out anyway.  In some safer, more prosperous places they might choose to skip a day like this, but not here.  Every day in Masillia is work.  So dozens of little fishing boats are bobbing up and down, as heavy surf hits the beach.

The beach market is up and running, and wind blows the cloth stalls like sails.  Many of the shops here are food oriented, with a few grilling seafood straight from returning fishing boats.  There is a popular ocean front tavern - Mermaid Tavern- which is next to (and enjoys a mutually beneficial relationship with) the small Seaside Theater, used for music and dance, often by locals.  Goscus the hat maker also has his shop and workshop here.  Next to his shop, there is a large display of reed mats, some of them very colorful, hanging up.  They are the kind people buy if they are one step above sleeping on piles of straw, but not nearly up enough for a bed.  They are a universal floor covering.  One is a mat.  Stack them up and you have a mattress.

The youth Florian spoke to the day before is here, and motions Florian over to the reed mats.  He whispers, when Florian is close enough to hear:

"Come with me if you want to learn."

They walk between rows of hanging reed mats.  The rows of mats quickly hide them completely from the rest of the market.

And they hear a woman's voice.

"It's all right.. I know him.. of him.  I don't think we have more than one Faun in town.  You want to be a student?  I need to know what you already know.  What would I be starting with?"

Bryon went to class, about an hour before noon. She could already read and write, math wasn’t her strong suite but she could do that from time to time. She did however, like to sit in class and listen to the great stories! The teacher, at first thought she was odd to show up every day - an adult who sat with the children and gave her rapt attention, but after a few days she just became a part of the class. It was almost lunch time when a Faun appeared. Bryon became very excited! ”Look! Look everyone, it is a Faun. I’ve met Fauns before, very nice people, and they have very soft fur.” Then she calls out in a really loud voice, the kind you use for someone who might not be able to speak your language. ”HELLO! I AM BRYON! COME AND SIT WITH ME MR. VERY NICE FAUN!”

She then spoke to the children near her, ”You will all like him, he is a very nice, all Fauns are very nice people. He will make our whole class much more fun. I think we will have a very nice day today!” She clapped and motioned for him to sit beside her, and the child on the other side told him to sit there too if he wanted to learn. Very exciting.

Florian raised an eye at Bryon's exuberance.  "I've lived in Massilia my whole life,"  He replied, sounding somewhat annoyed at the awkward burst of attention,  "but I suppose I can spare a tune later for the children on my way out...."

His attention turned to the teacher, and he gave her a warm smile.  "I'm actually quite well educated; my masters saw to as much.  While I was a slave.  But I think we can be of use to each other.  You see, I have been left to oversee the interests of House Palantus in Massilia, and I have decided it is in the interests of the house to see two...six...,"  He gestured towards the children, quickly tallying them up and adding another five for good measure - "new accountants, scribes, and messengers.  They will of course need full and proper educations for their roles, and I see this as immediately pressing enough to direct the whole of my personal stipend to see through."

Bryon was excited, ”Did you hear that? We’ll get ed-u-cat-ed.” She looked at the Faun, ”You are the bestest Mr. Faun. Can we be friends? I am looking forward to being a scribe. What is a scribe? Is it fun? I want to learn, how did you learn so much? You must be really special.”

Druk brings in a few of the messenger children. When you don't have messeges, stay here and learn I will pay 3 copper each day for learning and call on you here when there is a job. he says to one named Offal.