[center][h3][color=#a55341]𝕐𝕒𝕝𝕖𝕟 & 𝔻𝕠𝕣𝕪[/color][/h3][/center] [hr] Month: Velles Day: Lepdes 23 Time: Early morning Place: Proving Grounds [hr] Yalen raised his training sword over his head and charged at his opponent with a valorous shout. Colette saw through his amateurish feint and lazily deflected the strike aimed at her hip. He deftly recovered and twisted around to swing at the side of her temple, only to be foiled by a well timed head-slip. The two siblings clashed swords again and again, feeling out each other’s defenses without committing to a heavy blow. Yalen was giving it everything he had, straining his muscles to their limit in the vain hope that he could overwhelm her via sheer speed. Colette on the other hand, was defending herself one-handed with her dominant arm tied behind her back. [color=FD5E53]”Here!”[/color] Yalen batted her guard away and attempted to thrust his wooden sword into her ribcage. Colette twisted on her heels like a ballerina and avoided it with ease. Then, faster than he could follow with his eyes, she whacked him on the back of the head with her weapon. [color=FD5E53]”Ow!”[/color]He lurched forward and dropped to one knee, rubbing his bruised skull with a tear in his eye. Colette rested her sword on her shoulder and clicked her tongue. [color=c7c7ba]”You’re getting impatient, Yalen. Even a novice could see through your attacks. You need to calm down and focus.”[/color] Yalen grit his teeth and nodded. Rising to his feet once more, he put up his guard and began circling around Colette. He probed her with a couple of weak strikes, watching out for any flaw in her defenses. He struck high, then low. Low, then high. He swung. He thrust. He chained his blows. The master swordswoman was able to parry him without breaking a sweat. Though he tried to be patient, Yalen’s assault eventually grew more frenzied, and when his frustration reached its peak, he found it deflated when Colette knocked him flat on his ass. [color=c7c7ba]”What the hells has gotten into you Yalen?”[/color] Colette stabbed her sword into the ground. [color=FD5E53]”It’s not enough.”[/color] He replied. [color=c7c7ba]”Pardon?”[/color] [color=FD5E53]”It’s not enough! My strength, my magic. It’s not enough.”[/color] Yalen kicked at the sand childishly. [color=FD5E53]”The Traveller has already made her move. If this is as fast as I can improve, then I might as well give up.”[/color] Colette sighed and leaned forward on her sword hilt. She silently watched as her kid brother healed the lump on his head with magic. There was a knowing look in her eye. Whether it was her siblings or her subordinates, Captain D’aureville was fairly good at reading people’s emotions. [color=c7c7ba]”What happened to that boy wasn’t your fault.”[/color] She chastised him. Yalen’s eyes widened slightly, but his face remained neutral. [color=FD5E53]”You’re right, it wasn’t my fault. But I could have been there for him. I could have been there for all of them. But no matter what, in the end all I’m able to do is call for help like a frightened child.”[/color] [color=c7c7ba]”Yalen, I know what it’s like to be angry at your own weakness. I do.”[/color] Colette’s eyes softened. [color=c7c7ba]”But everyone walks at a different pace, including you. You can’t force yourself to change overnight.”[/color] She tossed her sword aside and disintegrated it into a pile of ash, doing the same to Yalen’s as well. [color=c7c7ba]”Let’s take a break. If you focus on one task for too long your brain will become fatigued.”[/color] Colette reached out and forcibly pulled Yalen to his feet with kinetic magic. [color=FD5E53]”Whoa!”[/color] [color=c7c7ba]”You should go see one of your friends, it will help you relax. Didn’t you mention that one of them was celebrating their birthday today?”[/color] Yalen rubbed his arm nervously. [color=FD5E53]”I… wouldn’t call her my friend. She’s more of an acquaintance. Besides, things are a bit awkward between us right now…”[/color] [color=c7c7ba]”Great! This will be a good chance to deepen your friendship then. Let’s bake her a pie. You can help me peel the apples and bring it to her yourself.”[/color] [hr] After asking some mutual relations, Yalen was able to locate Dorothea’s dormitory easily enough. He was a noble by adoption, and as a servant of the church he was entitled to walk anywhere he pleased. Despite having this privilege, he still felt the teeniest bit out of place when he walked past the haughty residents of the Noble’s Quarter. The dorms were as garishly decorated as their occupants, each multi-story building as colorful and elegant as the last. It was as if each individual structure was built by a different architect. It made the mass housing in the common dorms look like Mudville in comparison. Even the streets were cleaner on this side of town. When he finally reached Dory’s room, Yalen closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When his heart was finished beating out of his chest, he steeled himself and knocked on the door. [color=86608E]”I’ll be there in a bit!”[/color] After a short while with all sorts of noises coming from the other side of the door before the Feskan opened the door, looking quite surprised at the person standing in frame. [color=86608E]”Brother Yalen, it is quite a surprise to see you. What brings you here today?”[/color] Dory offered a warm smile. Yalen smiled back and offered her a steaming parcel wrapped in cheesecloth. The smell of fresh apples and syrup was mouthwatering. [color=FD5E53]”I just wanted to come by and offer my well wishes. It’s your birthday today right? My sister and I baked you a pie.”[/color] Dorothea looked down at the steaming parcel, the smell of it alone got her to gleeful. [color=86608E]”You and your sister made this? It smells delectable!”[/color] The girl stepped back and invited the other in. [color=86608E]”Come in, come in. Make yourself at home.”[/color] [color=FD5E53]”I really…”[/color] Yalen looked like he wanted to say something, but eventually he shrugged and stepped inside. Perhaps he was hoping to hand over the gift and leave before things got awkward, but Dory looked happy enough, and it would be rude to refuse a polite offer. [color=FD5E53]”So this is what the noble dormitories are like.”[/color] Yalen poked at what looked like a rather expensive vase, admiring the hand painted floral pattern. He looked around the common room, noting how large it was compared to the ones in the merchant dorms. This single room was larger than his whole apartment combined, as nice as his own residence was. [color=FD5E53]”So? Anything planned for your special day? It looks like I’m the only one here right now.”[/color] Yalen turned his head to look back at Dory. [color=86608E]”Not really, today isn’t really anything special.”[/color] Dory chuckled at the other’s question. [color=86608E]”Do people usually come by on your birthday?”[/color] The girl went over to a counter and grabbed some spices, put them in a teapot and warmed it through a little of her own magic. [color=86608E]”Can I interest you in some tea, or would another drink be preferred?”[/color] [color=FD5E53]”Tea is fine, thank you.”[/color] Yalen sat down on what he assumed was a free chair and took a breather. Today’s training was hard. He could remove the aches and pains with magic, but it took time for a body to make the energy needed to sustain itself. He was quite tired. [color=FD5E53]”To answer your question, I would say yes. I never had a huge party to celebrate, but I always had family close by to spend my birthday with. My big sister is a pretty good cook, so she makes me a big cake every year.”[/color] The girl went silent for a bit before smiling.[color=86608E]”Ah, right. Family. I guess I do not have any family close by.”[/color] Dory chuckled, grabbing two cups and filling them with the tea. [color=86608E]”You think pretty highly of your big sister, huh?”[/color] She handed him one of the cups before sitting. [color=86608E]”Tell me a bit about her.. Ah, if you don’t mind.”[/color] [color=FD5E53]”Well, since you asked then I suppose I should share. Colette is a soldier. She is a captain in the Century, the elite army of the Holy See. When they were summoned to the city, she was one of the squad leaders assigned a permanent post. She lives in the Cathedral District right now.”[/color] Yalen quenched his thirst with a sip of hot tea. It was an excellent tea, not bland at all like the cheap blends tended to be. He closed his eyes and focused on the smell wafting up from his cup. [color=86608E]”A soldier from the Holy See? Is serving the church something you picked up from your family?”[/color] Dory let out a sigh of relief as her guest seemed to enjoy the tea. Taking a sip of her own cup. [color=86608E]”I’ve never been too knowledgeable on the goings-on with the inner workings, but I was always prepared to join one of the orders if my baby brother ever took over my title as heir.”[/color] [color=FD5E53]”Hmmmm. Maybe? When I was living at the orphanage I had already discovered my own passion for worshiping the Pentad. Colette may have been a great influence on me to properly join the clergy however, as well as my adoptive father Charles.”[/color] Yalen paused. [color=FD5E53]”I have spoken at length about myself, but I’d like to know more about you too. Is there anything you’d be comfortable sharing about your family?”[/color] [color=86608E]”My family?”[/color] The girl waited to say anything further, as if she had something in her throat. Smiling soon after [color=86608E]”Sure, what would you like to know about them?”[/color] Dory took a hefty sip from her cup. [color=FD5E53]”Have you been apart from them awhile? Are you getting along?”[/color] [color=86608E]”I have been apart from them for about as long as I’ve attended the school and I can’t say I don’t get along with them. All except my mutti of course.”[/color] [color=FD5E53]”Mutti? What does that mean? I’m afraid I don’t speak any of the Drudgunzean tongues.”[/color] [color=86608E]”Ah, I meant to say mother.”[/color] [color=FD5E53]”Oh, your mother! Yes, your mother…”[/color] Yalen twiddled his thumbs a bit. [color=FD5E53]”I was told that the one who brought me to the monastery was my mother. I wish I had gotten a chance to know her. Is there a reason you don’t get along with yours?”[/color] Yalen gasped. [color=FD5E53]”I apologize, maybe I shouldn’t pry that deeply. Surely that much is none of my business. Shall we talk about something else?”[/color] [color=86608E]”No, no, it’s more than fine to ask about it. My mother is not the caring type. She only truly cared about my brother, seeing as my greatness was. . . too low for her standards.”[/color] The girl had a look of clear disdain on her face.[color=86608E]”My mother is nothing more than a greedy devil.”[/color] Her expression tried to form a smile once more. [color=86608E]”I am sure that your mother might have been a kind woman.”[/color] [color=FD5E53]”Well whoever she was, I am sure she was dealing with circumstances that made it difficult to raise me even if she wanted to. She cared enough to give me a name before she left after all.”[/color] Despite talking about being abandoned, Yalen looked happy when talking about the woman who brought him into the world. For a minute there was silence as the two teens searched their thoughts for a new thread of conversation to latch onto. Then, there was a loud gurgling sound. The heat rose to the young priest’s face as his stomach broke the silence for him. [color=FD5E53]”...Sorry.”[/color] Dory gasped as realization hit. [color=86608E]”Ah! I haven’t offered anything to eat, have I?”[/color] Quickly standing up and looking through the cupboards, sighing soon after. [color=86608E]”Seems like my last stock of baked goods have run empty. I can try and make something or if you don’t mind we could share that pie you and your big sister made.”[/color] [color=FD5E53]”Haha, I apologize. I should have eaten before I came here. Since you’re offering though, I would love some pie. I know exactly how delicious it is after all.”[/color] [color=86608E]”I’ll get some plates then.”[/color] After grabbing the plates and forks to enjoy the pie, she stopped. [color=86608E]”Are we going to be able to finish the whole pie with the two of us?”[/color] [color=FD5E53]”It is a rather large pie… Do you have anyone you want to call to help us eat this thing?”[/color] Yalen spoke too soon, for as soon as he said that there was a knock on the door. [TBC?]