[ -- That makes her laugh, tilts her head with a bark. Him too, I take it, is used to thinks being a little more Barrayaran apparently. ]

It depends on the family, it depends on the girl, but it is not so much as a shock as all that, no. I was taught in part because my father did not know much what to teach a girl, so he raised me as he had been raised, and we had always fought bravely at the Peshwa's side. That is, ah, a little like a First Minister. [ People didn't have much of an idea of what half her terms meant, that much she was definitely with. ]

But when I called up to have my own guard's women who possessed such skills, many families could put their daughters forth proudly. From every family, lowest to highest.