[img]https://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/dHRmLjMyLmZmZWM3NS5UV2x1Wm1sc2FXRWdkbTl1SUZKbGFXNW9aWEowZWcsLC4w/royal-serif.regular.png[/img] [right][color=silver][i]Interactions[/i]:[/color] [@WeepingLiberty] [@Obscene Symphony] [@Hero][/right][hr][hr] Minfilia sat alone in the cafeteria, occupying a table of six all on her own with her back to the others. Of course, fellow students had tried to approach her. Typically, young men. Their advances were met with a polite, yet firm rejection. “[color=lemonchiffon]I wish to eat alone.[/color]” It was the truth, yet Minfilia had other motives. Her chair was positioned in such a way that she had her back to her peers, but was able to view them just enough out of the corner of her eyes. Occasionally she would pretend to readjust her hair, turning her head just enough to spy a proper glance. In front of her, a notebook lay open with a list of names. Ones she had heard earlier this evening in the courtyard while mages were introducing themselves to each other. Minfilia had been present at the time, but made herself quite scarce amongst all the formalities. Instead her time was spent observing a rather large gathering of new mages, centred around the golden-haired pawn of the Noila family. Aaron Starag, she believed his name to be. His was the first written on the list. Both for her own personal intrigue in his abilities and because the boy seemed fond of his own name. Written next to his name were two more words. Light Aspected. Aaron had foolishly displayed his abilities for all of Noila’s mages to see. Whether the demonstration was educational or pure bravado, or perhaps both, was unknown to Minfilia; but it mattered not. What mattered was the young Mage gathering enough intelligence to report back to Amaris with. No doubt knowing the abilities of her peers would help Minfilia and her Lady better prepare themselves against these potential foes over the years. Particularly where the Mages of Nobles were concerned. Discerning who they were was a top priority for Minfilia. The task was made even simpler by the invitation to Lord Varis’ gathering before dawn. There were other names written aside from Aarons, but no other affinities recorded. Though she had heard a whisper through the grapevine about a spar between Aaron and a girl named Lilie. Minfilia had little interest in such affairs normally, but she would attend nonetheless. The perfect opportunity to spy the Aaron boy’s combat prowess as well as this other Mage’s. While she continued to observe, Minfilia kept an eye out for Lady Amaris, hoping to reconvene with her before the break was finished. [img]https://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/dHRmLjMyLmRiMDUwMC5SRzl0YVc1cGNYVmxJRUZ6ZEc5eWFXOCwuMAAA/soul-of-holitter-alternative.regular.png[/img] [right][color=silver][i]Interactions[/i][/color]: [@Gisk][/right][hr][hr] It wasn’t until the moon hung high in the star speckled darkness that Dominique Astorio saw fit to attend his orientation. His tardiness, while ignored by most, was painfully obvious to those of Noble descent. He could see the looks on their faces, the hushed whispers to their comrades. [i]Of course, the Astorio brute was late[/i]. Make believe voices rang through his mind. [i]He didn’t even have the decency to arrive promptly to the ceremony.[/i] They were just words, and no less ones he had fabricated himself, but it was enough to cause Dominique’s muscles to tense with frustration. He shot the next person to walk past him a wretched scowl; startling the poor mage boy into a brisk pace as to put as much distance between himself and the vampire. Wandering into the cafeteria, Dominique’s mind wandered to Cassandra. The way she had stood up to him this morning – stifling his words with such callous disregard for his authority. Or rather, lack thereof. He couldn’t kid himself any longer. Cassandra owed him no respect or loyalty – it was he who was reliant on her. Surely, the human mage couldn’t care less if he was to die of thirst. And sure enough, the thirst was already tickling at his throat. Soon enough it would ravish his mind and he would be forced to beg the girl for sustenance. Perish the thought! Dominique Astorio bends the knee to no mage! Though as he sat in the cafeteria, watching the other Vampires sit with their newfound partners, the crushing reality of his situation began to bear down on him like the deepest depths of the sea. He needed Cassandra. He didn’t have to like her, nor she him, but he at least needed her to think she was his equal. He grimaced at the notion. If his father caught him treating her in such a way, even if it was a façade, he’d be flogged in the Noila courtyard for all to see. Yet, Bayard Astorio had never attended the academy. He’d never had to rely on a Mage as a partner, rather than a servant. He could not possibly understand the burden Dominique had to bare, nor the sacrifice of his honour as an Astorio he would need to endure.