[center][img]http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2014/092/7/1/untitled_1_by_carlospcastro-d7ct2xo.png[/img]

[b][u]The Soothed Soldier[/u][/b][/center]

"Of course they are. It's one of the finest textiles you can get in Djarkel, Choco." Garde said, grinning a grin so wide and warm that even Coco, with no eyes to see it, could feel it. The man was strange, that was a given. Not even in six months that she had been studying in the College had she met a fleshling like him. Much less one who, she thought, had purposefully nicknamed her from the moment they met. 

"Why does a soldier like you have such textiles, though? I thought only alpha males had access to such things?" Coco asked, tilting her head lightly and scooting closer to Garde in order to touch the gloves' material and feel it more thoroughly. 

"Alpha what?" Garde replied with a chuckle and a raised eyebrow, "If you mean rich people then yeah, but these gloves are a gift I got from my parents when I was promoted past the rank of a simple Squire." 

"Oh," Coco whispered, leaves quivering for a moment in humour, "What's a Squire?" 

"No idea." 

"Then how do you know you were one, Garde?" 

"I served a Knight for a few years and in turn he sometimes taught me a few things. He called me his Squire." Garde shrugged, perking up when he looked away from Coco's featureless face and towards the small group that were his comrades. A different bunch they were, quite the opposite to Eania's uniform behaviour and speech. One of his comrades, a tall, dark skinned man was waving him to come over. With a grunt of effort he stood up and took Coco's hand in his, pulling her up as well. 

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Choco," He said in a polite and clear manner as he, out of custom, kissed her wrist and instantly twisted his face in confusion at the strange, bittersweet taste. What a strange taste, he had thought. "My comrades call for my presence now, Choco. I'll water you around." And with that, Garde left. His long coat flowing behind him as he walked towards his comrades. 

Yet Coco wasn't sure how she felt. She had learned so many things about fleshlings and even more about how to act around them, but this meeting had shown her that she still had a long way to go. She felt somewhat frustrated at the man who had, in such an unexpected manner, turned out of the blue. She also felt curious and satisfied, though. Who was he, [i]what[/i] was he?