Laughter bubbled out of Clarissa at Jorah’s suggestion as she straightened up, the last dregs of pain finally seeping out of her muscles. However, her usual seriousness settled around her again as she listened to the Professors debate their course of action. As frustrating as it was to admit, Professor Euphemia was correct. While it would be a hyperbole to say fates of nations rested on the survival of this Unit, it wasn’t too far off. Kayden was the Crown Prince and herself and Jorah, although he wished it wasn’t so, were heirs to seats on the Alliance. She wasn’t as familiar with the people from the Blue Lions or their importance in Fargeus but she wasn’t naive; the archbishop put together a Unit with the basis of fostering good will and connections through all nations which meant there were major players from the Blue Lions here too. Any loss sustained here would compromise over a decade of planning and work and set someone back to zero. She couldn’t imagine her younger sibling the responsibilities of her position, of her father’s position, after growing so much with the expectation that he wouldn’t have to deal with any of it.
BOOM!The thunderous explosion shattered her consideration, her hand going for a sword that wasn’t there. When she’d heard bandits, she’d expected extortion, a hostage, theft, literally anything other than mass destruction. What was there to gain from reducing an entire village to rubble other than death and suffering? Her reservations about the situation scattered into the wind at that moment. As a knight of Seiros, Clarissa knew Michail would go to the scene of the explosion no matter what. She wasn’t sure what kind of bandits used large scale explosives like that but if they were willing to destroy carelessly like that, there was no way he’d managed to help all the survivors and deal with the threat all alone. They were the only ones in the area to help and the Goddess had given her all the ability to help these people if Clarissa wished, what else could she do but acquiesce?
By the time Michail finished his brutal explanation of the expectations, Clarsisa’s resolved wrapped around her like armor, her horror and surprise crushed beneath the intensity of her determination. There was no question in her mind where she was going but she did a quick head count just to be safe. Imogen, unsurprisingly, had already run ahead and Jorah picked up his bow at the first sign of trouble. That only left… It took her a moment but she spied Derec leaving Isolde. Clarissa hadn’t had much of an opportunity to sit and talk with the Ordelia girl. She was quiet and reserved and startlingly difficult to read beyond constantly uncomfortable with any given situation. Clarissa turned sharply on her heel and approached the other girl.
“Are you scared? Clarissa demanded when she stopped in front of Isolde.
The blonde’s shriek of surprise died in her throat, eyes wide as she stared at Clarissa. There were a multitude of ways Isolde could have replied, but she said nothing as she raised her hands to her chest. Looking back at the village, she uttered,
“Yes.”“Are you going to come with us?” Clarissa asked, one hand propped on her hip. It was interesting how different their experiences were right now. Clarissa wasn’t afraid. Nervous, anxious even, but not afraid.
“Or are you thinking about staying behind?”Falling quiet again, Isolde watched as Derec pulled himself into the carriage, vaguely overhearing something about getting a proper seat this time around.
“If we go, it’ll be dangerous. The professors can’t always protect us,” She repeated Michail’s words, shaking her head.
“But then that means...we have to...hurt others, doesn’t it?”“Yes.” Clarissa replied, eyes drifting over to the plume.
“You may have to hurt someone, take someone’s life, to protect yours and ours and the Professors lives. You may have to hurt someone to make sure a child still has their parent, a brother still has his sister, a family stays together even as their world is torn down around them. I can’t say I’m afraid of what we’ll find or what we’ll face. That may change but right now, I’ve decided that helping the people whose lives have literally blown up around them justifies something I wish I never had to do, I wish no one ever had to do. Don’t you think that’s worth fighting for?”Isolde’s shoulders tensed up considerably, though to her credit, her expression didn’t change too much.
“How can you be so calm about it?” She suddenly asked, looking directly at Clarissa.
“You have a family to go back to, too, don’t you? You have a future to look forward to, right? Risking everything for people you don’t even know...that’s asking for too much, isn’t it?”Clarissa took a moment as Isolde reflected her own concerns before the explosion.
“I’m anxious and nervous. We may find ourselves on the wrong end of a sword or an arrow in the chaos of something we’ve never experienced. My family would be broken hearted and the years of work I did, that my family has done, will disappear with the next sunrise if something happens to me here.” Clarissa confirmed, if not a little grimly. In fact, she may prove her mother right and even in the after life, Clarissa would
seethe over that little detail.
“But the simple fact of the matter is that I couldn’t face tomorrow thinking that I didn’t do as much as I could. Maybe it’s my faith or my position or any number of factors but the simple truth is that we’re all one people under the Goddess and I will always choose to leave this world better than the way I came into it. Honestly, I think deciding to walk into danger is the easiest and most straightforward thing I could do.”“It’s easy and straightforward?” Isolde slowly repeated, clearly baffled by Clarissa’s words.
“I don’t think that makes a lot of sense.”“I think you should come with us.” Clarissa told her point blank, knowing she’d just get frustrated if she had to explain herself again. She’d admit she wasn’t the most patient of people but she could at least spare the other girl that experience right before they walked into battle.
“We’re stronger as a team, Isolde. Come with us and we can watch each other’s back. We’ll leave the world a better place and make it out alive if we watch each other’s back. Stick with me through this?” Clarissa asked, hand held out with a smile.
Isolde looked down at her outstretched hand before looking up at Clarissa. Nothing about the blonde inspired any sort of confidence, but surprisingly, Isolde ended up nodding, taking Clarissa’s hand. Her grip was probably a little too tight, but she was in, mustering up some shaky determination.
“Um, I’ll do my best,” She replied, returning Clarissa’s smile with her own.
Clarissa beamed, giving Isolde’s hand a reassuring squeeze. Clarissa was impressed that Isolde stepped up to the challenge like that; she’d come over with the certainty that Isolde was going to stay behind.
“You’ll be great, Isolde. Thank you for joining u―” And like lightning, the awful thing Jorah screamed hit her and she wanted to vomit. All the warmth in her smile vanished. She’d been so focused on feeling out Isolde and making sure they’d all be together that she somehow blocked out Jorah being… Jorah, in the worst way possible. Why in the world did he think that was acceptable?!
“Why don’t I meet you on the carriage? I think I need to deal with something.” Every word dripped with venom and she whirled on her heel, eyes flashing as she stormed over to the weapons cart. How
dare he speak like that to a Professor in front of all their classmates?! With years of experience, she snagged Jorah’s ear and dragged him down, hissing in his ear.
“I swear to the Goddess, I love you, I really do, but if I have to hear about the absolute depravity that goes through your empty head once more, I will personally separate both your heads from your body, do you understand? Get in the carriage before I drag you there by your ear.” 
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