[center][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/201123/117f24ebf11c0a01c648eeafeb796351.png[/img][/center][hr] Auberon didn't like the somber atmosphere that still clung to the class. He was guilty of it himself, in part, but the sight of it in others left him uneasy. It wasn't solemn determination that arose from tragedy yet, it was the uncomfortable silence of people troubled and in pain, and the debriefing that Michail seemed intent on hosting would only serve to rip open wounds that hadn't quite healed yet. Still, it was something they needed to hear if they wanted to improve. Auberon listened intently to the professor's assessment of the class, sure to note every flaw and whether or not he had noticed it himself. Kayden was perhaps a more valiant man, or maybe a more stupid man, than he thought, if the prince had been willing to throw himself in the middle of several opponents at once. Kellen's internal conflict was an obvious liability, but it probably would've elicited more annoyance than sympathy from Auberon had it actually resulted in consequences back in the village. He made sure to nudge the boy's arm reassuringly as Michail singled him out regardless. Derec's mistake was one the blond had both witnessed and failed to register. Sure, obviously anyone who had been tossed through a wall like a toy had to have done [i]something[/i] wrong, but his moves seemed reasonable and sane at the time. If folly lied in the assumption his opponent was a mere mortal and not some wicked demon set upon them, Auberon personally found it understandable. The lesson Michail had used the redhead to illustrate was important, though, so perhaps that explained the gravity. He was in the midst of patting Derec's shoulder for encouragement - Saint Cichol above, he might become a [i]hugger[/i] if this continued long enough - when Michail commended him and Jorah of all people. Auberon knew he was impressive, the adjective was practically written in his blood, but every time he played that sequence in Luin over again in his head, he found his performance merely satisfactory. He never would've beaten that brute in a fight, but his pride wouldn't allow him to do something productive instead. In the end, he didn't help those people enough, and that wouldn't stand. The announcement of a new student broke his ruminations, a reminder that replaying the event in his head wouldn't be any more productive now than it had been the night before. The Galatea heir twisted himself in his chair to get a good look at the new Eagle, though he couldn't say he ever accomplished that. His eyes swept over the nondescript figure that stood over a desk in the rear at least twice before his brain registered even a single facet of the kid's appearance. The newcomer was a pale, waifish boy that barely looked big enough for the amice around his shoulders that he seemed to cower under. House Bergliez sounded more impressive in the storybooks, all things considered; Auberon would've figured he'd been fished out of some gutter rather than a prominent Imperial line. All they needed was a soft-spoken Goneril and the Rose Unit would have a complete trifecta of failed sons from renowned military families. The blond's eyes trailed away from Rudolf and over to Kellen. He liked his failure better, most importantly because Kellen never actually felt like a failure when Auberon spoke to him. On the other hand, the Adrestian oozed 'pathetic' from every pore; he'd have to rib Kayden about that sometime. As he returned his gaze to the front of the room, Auberon's thoughts returned in force. Three Deer receiving praise while his two Lions were criticized didn't sit right with Auberon, even if he couldn't find any flaw in Michail's assessment. He likely would've said something similar if they'd asked him, and the harshness toward Derec might've been out of place, but not unwarranted. Worst of all, Auberon didn't even have anyone to be angry at. Sure, his housemates' failings sounded bad on paper, but back in Luin he didn't see grievous flaws, just simple mistakes anyone could've made. Perhaps the blame lied in himself; he couldn't even get Lienna to [i]go[/i], let alone keep them all in formation once they got there. The Goddess would see him through, as always, but the period of uncertainty that preceded it was always a difficult tonic to swallow. [color=ffd700]"We should train together sometime this week,"[/color] Auberon announced to the other Lions, [color=ffd700]"Can't let the Golden Deer outperform us this early."[/color] That didn't sound as encouraging as he'd meant it. Actually, it sort of sounded like chastisement. The blond's mouth parted to clarify the statement, though words never came. He had no inspirational speech prepared, no assurances of comfort or support, no way to transform the formless sentiments in his head into concrete language. If he just fumbled his way through it, he'd probably end up sounding like that Adrestian kid just did and accomplish nothing anyway. [hider=The Teacher's Pet Wags His Tail]Michail was tempted to skirt his responsibilities and make a mad dash to the cathedral, but he was sure Lady Arianthe was probably getting swarmed by the clergy. Letting out a sigh, he figured he may as well take the chance and talk to Auberon before he would leave. The Blue Lions were shaping up to be a solid group overall, judging from both the fight and the aftermath they encountered when they returned to the carriages. He had an uneasy suspicion about Lienna’s social skills, but at least she proved she could hold her own. As he made to leave, however, Derec blocked his path. The blond raised an eyebrow at the boy. [color=00aeef]“Something wrong, Derec?”[/color] He asked him. [color=turquoise]“I was hoping I could go over your observations of my skills in the fight,”[/color] Derec said. [color=turquoise]“And...there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you.”[/color] Michail’s smile didn’t leave his face, but he couldn’t really hide the sudden cold in his eyes. [color=00aeef]“How about you meet me in my office? For privacy’s sake,”[/color] He replied cheerfully, patting Derec’s shoulder as he walked past him. [color=00aeef]“We have a lot to talk about.”[/color] He brightened considerably up as he approached Auberon. [color=00aeef]“Have a sec? I wanted to talk to you about something,”[/color] He grinned. Auberon paused in his walking and dutifully straightened his posture as the professor approached him. He shot a curious glance Derec’s way, but refocused on the issue at hand quickly. [color=ffd700]“Of course. Is this about the fight?”[/color] He wagered a guess. Michail and Derec were clearly about to sort out the redhead’s failings during the attack, so Auberon might’ve ended up roped in by means of being in charge of the Lions. Or… it could’ve been another commendation, he supposed, though he honestly thought even the first was unnecessary. In retrospect, there were a million little things he would’ve changed about his performance. [color=00aeef]“Kinda. Walk with me, will you?”[/color] Michail gestured for Auberon to follow, though he didn’t keep him in the dark as he started to speak once they left the classroom. [color=00aeef]“I was curious about your previous experience. You moved out there like you really belonged on the battlefield--have you ever defended a town before?”[/color] Auberon fell into step obediently, only to flinch slightly at the question of prior experience. This was embarrassing - or it would be if Auberon Galatea was capable of the emotion. [color=ffd700]“Ah, no, that was actually my first time ever taking a life,”[/color] Auberon admitted in the closest thing to a bashful tone he’d likely ever reach in his life, [color=ffd700]“I’ve served as a squire, as expected of Faerghian nobility, and been through extensive mock combat exercises, but… never actually on the front lines. I just… moved like I was trained I was supposed to.”[/color] [color=00aeef]“You did all that from training?!”[/color] Michail was shocked to hear it, even going so far as to stop for a second. Remembering himself, he resumed the walk, albeit he did let out a laugh. [color=00aeef]“The Goddess really does bless people. I assumed otherwise! I’ll have to think of better ways to up your training since you’re ahead of the grain.”[/color] He gave a nod to some passing students, speaking once they were out of range. [color=00aeef]“I’ll admit I’m not entirely in the political sphere ever since I joined the Knights of Seiros, but from what I remember, you were adopted into the Galatea house, correct?”[/color] He asked. [color=00aeef]“Have you been able to tap into your Crest at all?”[/color] Jeez, this conversation only grew more awkward as it went on. Auberon didn’t think it was particularly impressive - he just kept his range in mind and played from there. Honestly, a lot of what he did felt useless once that monster arrived on the field. His family situation wasn’t a welcome topic either, at least in conversation. He never knew whether to respond arrogantly or humbly. [color=ffd700]“Not officially,”[/color] He confessed, [color=ffd700]“I mean, I was born into House Galatea, but not the main branch. As the sole Crestbearer of this generation, everyone seems to think I’m next in line for the title. And with the Count sponsoring me here, I’m inclined to agree with them.”[/color] Auberon paused and looked down at his palm briefly at the mention of his Crest. The spring heat was present, but he still felt quite cool in comparison to the blazing inferno he felt back in Luin. [color=ffd700]“It comes up sometimes. It did back there, too. I feel… really hot, like I’m on fire, and the only way to put myself out is to hit something.”[/color] [color=00aeef]“Oh, right. Sorry, I’m clearly not the one to talk about that sort of thing,”[/color] He acknowledged Auberon’s discomfort. [color=00aeef]“I’ll be honest, I ended up becoming a knight to distance myself from all that. But that’s a story for another day.”[/color] Michail thought to himself for a second. [color=00aeef]“Well trained, good composure in an actual fight, and already having access to your Crest...you’re a perfect package all wrapped up into one,”[/color] He mused out loud, flashing another grin at him. [color=00aeef]“I’m used to seeing more kids like Kellen, so seeing you and Jorah gave me a lot of hope for this little unit. This teaching gig might be worth it after all!”[/color] Composure? That little daze after he cut the first bandit down was probably the muddiest his mind had been in years. Well, Auberon supposed he still looked good in comparison to Kellen, Goddess bless his heart, but how could he cower when he was the divinely ordained bulwark between the helpless and the evil? Maybe the students here just didn’t go to mass enough. [color=ffd700]“You’re flattering me, sir.”[/color] And concerning him a bit, being lumped in with Jorah. Still, during that battle, Auberon couldn’t find much complaint with his fellow House Leader. He did his job to the best of his ability and even charged to the front to back the blond up when he could’ve easily gotten away with staying in the rear. An admirable performance on all accounts; perhaps that was why Clarissa insisted on supporting him despite his demeanor. [color=ffd700]“I had no answer to a lot of what went on back there, and I don’t know what I would’ve done if someone had gotten seriously hurt on my watch,”[/color] Auberon assessed honestly. He sounded like Kellen now, with the excuses that came from his mouth. Kellen usually resorted to apologies instead of excuses, but it was the same sentiment. [color=ffd700]“But thank you. I hope I can continue to meet your expectations going forward.”[/color] [color=00aeef]“None of us know what to do until it actually happens. And as you saw, it’s either make or break in moments like that,”[/color] Michail pointed out. [color=00aeef]“Honestly, if it wasn’t for you, I would’ve regretted making the decision to go to Luin.”[/color] Huh? Auberon blinked a few times as he processed what he heard. Those people clearly needed help, as a Knight of Seiros, Michail had no other choice. Unless he meant the decision to bring the students along, which was reasonable but otherwise unfounded. No one had been seriously hurt, the plan had gone about as well as it could’ve; he knew the Officers’ Academy included live combat in the curriculum eventually, so throwing the lesson at them early was only an issue if something had gone wrong. [color=ffd700]“I’m not following. I don’t think anything that occurred there was regrettable except the massacre that happened before we arrived and the circumstances out of our control.”[/color] Auberon glanced at the professor searchingly. [color=ffd700]“And I don’t think anyone in the class would’ve chosen to stay behind instead if they could live the day over again, either.”[/color] At least, he wouldn’t. Everyone else probably felt the same. Probably. Michail frowned, keeping his eyes ahead on the path. [color=00aeef]“Is that so?”[/color] Despite coming out as a question, it was obvious it wasn’t one to be answered. He looked like he was going to say something in response, but he remained quiet for the most part, though he came to a halt. [color=00aeef]“I’m not supposed to say this, but I sorta got torn a new one for endangering you all. And in hindsight, I did realize they had a point,”[/color] He ended up outright admitting. [color=00aeef]“I was knighted when I was a little younger than you were, actually. And even before that, all I wanted was to be a knight. In a sense, I’ve forgotten what it’s like to think as a normal person. Most normal people would think twice before throwing themselves into a battlefield, and with Kellen and Isolde’s reactions, I…”[/color] He trailed off, staring at Auberon for a moment. After a second, however, he laughed at himself. [color=00aeef]“Ah, no use mulling over it, right? Like you said, we all came back in one piece,”[/color] He said cheerfully. [color=00aeef]“Anyway, I’m getting off topic. If you ever find yourself looking for a challenge, I’m happy to train you. I’d like to polish up that potential before you graduate.”[/color] So Michail had been punished for that. Understandable, all things considered, as were all of the grievances he voiced. So why did Auberon think they all sounded so pathetic? He was probably placing too much importance on the experience he’d gained there, and he certainly could’ve done with a few rounds of training in formation with the rest of the class before he’d been thrown into something like [i]that[/i], but he still would’ve happily answered the call to war if offered again. [color=ffd700]“Professor, can I be honest? I still think what you did, as a teacher, was incredibly negligent. I won’t argue with you or whoever chided you for your actions on that,”[/color] Auberon stated flatly, [color=ffd700]“But, as you said, everyone came out in one piece, and I think you made the best call you could’ve at the time. If there are any regrets I’m not aware of,”[/color] Namely from Kellen and Isolde, because now that Michail mentioned it, they definitely seemed the type to reconsider their involvement, [color=ffd700]“I doubt any of them blame you for your actions.”[/color] The blond was quiet for a moment, letting Auberon speak freely. He let out a small chuckle, scratching the back of his head. [color=00aeef]“Don’t let Euphemia hear you, she doesn’t like it when people encourage me,”[/color] He joked, though he did give him a more genuine smile as he perked up considerably. [color=00aeef]“At least it’s a good insight to what the rest of the year will be like. And imagine what it would’ve been like if Lienna came--did you [i]see[/i] those icicles? Actually, I take it back, I think she might’ve accidentally impaled us in the frontlines.”[/color] [color=ffd700]“Yes, she was impressive,”[/color] Auberon admitted, [color=ffd700]“I honestly had intended to chastise her when I saw she was capable of all that and still chose to stay behind, but… I think we’d all had enough conflict by then.”[/color] He shook his head and straightened up again. Goddess above, his posture was slipping lately. All these heavy talks must’ve weighed him down. [color=ffd700]“And I’d be honored to take you up on your offer to train- err…”[/color] He still had more heavy talks to go, unfortunately. [color=ffd700]“Another time. I told Kellen and Lienna I’d meet up with them later. Let me know when is good for you.”[/color] He gave a final, grateful bow of his head, then hovered away from Michail, as if waiting to be dismissed. Michail looked a little surprised, but nodded. [color=00aeef]“Alright, then, I have somewhere to be, too,”[/color] He offered him a wave. [color=00aeef]“Try not to drill them too hard, they’ll fall in place eventually!”[/color] They’d fall in place faster if they listened when he ordered them to do something, but Auberon couldn’t say he found anything to earnestly complain about in his housemates yet. He gave a second, shorter bow, then promptly took his leave. He deliberated mirroring the sentiment on Derec’s behalf, but lecturing Michail on how to do his job was likely a waste of breath.[/hider] [hr] [center][img]https://fireemblemwiki.org/w/images/thumb/0/07/FETH_Crest_of_Daphnel.png/60px-FETH_Crest_of_Daphnel.png[/img][/center]