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Kellen wasn’t able to focus for the few seconds following his introduction. He registered Auberon standing up, but it wasn’t until he had sat back down and thrown Kellen a glance and a well-meaning shrug that things seemed to return back to focus. He nodded back briefly, and noted with relief that Lienna was the next to rise. She offered an introduction, which was a bit novel considering her early departure from the class previously. The kindness of his classmate’s timing was not lost on him, and he felt a fragile sense of calm settle on him.

Other members of the special class rose and introduced themselves. The Crown Prince of the Adrestian Empire managed to walk the line between royalty and student handily. Kayden Von Hresvelg. Kellen’s lips moved without any conscious effort as every new student as they introduced themselves. Derec Ballard was next, and Kellen recognized him as a fellow member of his house. His introduction wasn’t accompanied by any titles, though the name Ballard certainly wasn’t associated with any of the major Houses in Faerghus. His ruminations were interrupted by the introduction from Imogen, who had already spoken up several times, and who he vaguely remembered heckling him after his introduction, seemed kind and quite outspoken. Isolde was next, and Kellen recognized a kindred spirit immediately. But rather than feeling comforted, Kellen felt a sense of dread following her intro. Had he sounded like that? Had he looked like that?

The Aegir siblings were next. Saskia seemed thoughtful and erudite. Whereas Valerian was… challenging his professor? To a duel? Were Kellen not such a ball of nerves, he likely would have scoffed. Valerian was confident, and for all Kellen knew may have studied swordplay since birth, but to believe it was near the level of a former knight of Seiros seemed arrogant beyond belief. A small part of Kellen admired the confidence, but a greater part recalled seeing that sort of confidence on the face of many common soldiers whose bodies had been carted back to their villages after taking a Srengese spear to the gut. It was possible the boy had reason for his confidence, but the only way Kellen would know that would be by seeing the fight. Kellen’s face stayed stone still. He didn’t need to repeat Valerian’s name to remember it.

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Class was dismissed, and Kellen proffered a slight smile as Lienna excused herself and approached the crest-researching professor of the Black Eagles. The two seemed to possess a similar energy, based on his rough assessments. He could intuit easily that Auberon would expect his classmates to attend the sermon, and it was clear Lienna had done the same, which he realised with a touch of dismay as he also wanted to avoid the sermon. If he wanted to see his professor in action, he’d have to try something a bit more crude.

Dawdling towards the cathedral, Kellen let himself fall towards the back of the pack.  By the time they reached the bridge he was sure no one he knew was behind him. He muttered a small curse to himself and made a show of fiddling with one of his sleeves. To no one in particular, he rolled his eyes before turning back, heading towards the training hill with a spring in his step for the first time since his arrival to Garreg Mach.