July 28th, 2015 - 5:00 PM, Rhy'din Standard Time
"Assume your stance, ladies." Rayvinn moved along the ranks of her new "army," silently assessing their defense posture and swatting a girl here or there lightly across the back, back of the thigh, underside of the arm, or tapping beneath a chin -- wherever she saw a weakness, that wooden practice sword was tapped. Almond shaped eyes were narrowed in concentration, sharp brows alternated in arching as she scanned her students. Rivulets of sweat glistened upon every surface of exposed bronzed skin (from the thirty minutes of intense calisthenics prior to the lesson) yet the elf appeared as cool as one would in the midst of a ice storm; even her posture and features seemed to be formed of such.
One young girl, with a shock of unruly copper curls, stood out from the rest, jesting and giggling when the others were tapped by the dreaded practice blade. Rayvinn stopped in front of the girl and stood glaring down at her for a tense thirty seconds before pulling her out in front of the class.
"Since Miss Analise finds that she is quite the expert with her blade and feels that she is able to expertly judge her classmates, I have decided that she will teach this class today." The other girls began to chitter until Rayvinn touched each of them with a mere glance that beckoned them to silence. "She will teach you all by fighting me." A smile was turned toward the girl and Rayvinn immediately bowed, stiff from the waist, and then assumed her stance with her non-dominant arm before her and wielding a parrying "blade" and her dominant overhead with her "sword."
"Strike at your leisure, instructor."
Though it was not quite yet August, the intended month of the school's 'official' opening, Shadow had seldom felt busier in his life. He'd recruited multiple instructors, all of whom were responsible for the first, most important class of those girls rescued by Isuelt de Romiano and delivered from slavery to the orphanage. This First Class, as he'd come to refer to it in his mind, would be crucial in establishing the dojo as a valid center of self-defense.
It was only last night that he'd finally secured all the practice blade weaponry Raye required (and he'd worked into the wee hours carving and properly balancing the last few, dead set on fulfilling the equipment quota Raye'd given him), but he'd gotten her supplied in time. She would be the first instructor to actually work with the students. He'd promised non-interference, of course, but was quite unable to keep himself from at least dropping by the manor's huge gymnasium for a visit.
It was thus that he arrived to the scene, lingering by the door, and not yet revealing his presence. A brow raised, as he saw what was happening.
Analise, one of the younger ones, had been particularly scarred by her experiences in the West End prostitution ring, her parents slain by the same thugs who kidnapped her and forced her into that life. She was thus angry, resentful, and had caused no few problems at the Orphanage with her behavior, much of which included belittling her fellow orphans. The look on her face when confronted with Raye's ire was priceless - a deer in the headlights, eyes wide, features pale and stricken.
"But...but," had been her first protestations, but Rayvinn was clearly set on her course for this lesson. The girl's lips tightened, and she let out a wordless cry as she raised her double-handed bokken and flew at Raye in a direct attack at the elfess' knee. Some of her banked rage was evident in her features, twisted so that she did not look quite so young.
Shadow's chest was tight as he looked on; he had to trust Raye here, but his stomach was roiling with nerves and lack of sleep.
Instead of lowering the parrying blade to help deflect the attack, since it was low, Rayvinn simply twisted out of the way, looking very much as if she were pirouetting upon a stage instead of avoiding the attack of an enraged half grown child. As she spun out of the way, her dominant hand lowered to deliver a back-handed slap of her practice blade across the girl's backside; the sound resounded through the gymnasium as did Analise's howl of protest. There was very little force behind the smack, just enough to sting and prod the girl along for another attack.
Rayvinn reset her stance, face devoid of emotion and seemingly carved of marble; a modern day Athena with sharper features yet as beautiful and wise in strategy as the goddess herself.
Shadow was not simply studying the girl who had acted out, though he'd limited his contact with the girls so much that he knew very little about them, aside from what the Scathachians had reported. He was studying Rayvinn, too.
She was a goddess of battle, a true elf warrior, and the sight of her took his breath away for a few moments. He'd seen her in a fight before, but this... demeanor was something different. He wasn't sure how he really felt about it, and what she was doing to this emotionally troubled girl, but he was impressed. If he'd come out of his concealment, his expression would have been seen to be stern, and neutral. Trust warred with his internal sense of compassion.
Analise was easily prodded after that smack to her backside, both shame and a little sting of physical hurt combining with the girl's rage to urge another attack. "I hate you," she spat at Raye before running into another charge. The one thing she had going for her was another nerve-tingling screech, but her attack was clumsy, poorly thought out, and of course her footwork was horrible.
"Good. Use that hate. Do not allow it to use you." Rayvinn very easily spun out of range once again and ...Smack! Smack! The practice sword swatted each cheek of the girl's backside, this time a little harder, though still not with much force. Within a mere couple of second after swatting the girl, the elf disarmed her, causing the bokken to perform two full circles in the air before landing with a loud clatter upon the gymnasium floor.
With both practice blades lowered beside her, Rayvinn once again gave the girl a stiff waisted bow. Her voice rose in volume though her attention remained upon the angry girl. "Miss Analise has taught you the most important lessons that you will learn in this class. The first, you will pay attention at all times to me, to one another, and at some point in your lives...to someone that wishes to harm you. You ladies know firsthand what it is to be the victim. You will learn what it is like to be in charge of your own bodies, of your own lives..." the elf trailed off softly to allow those emotion packed words sink in and had she looked back over her shoulder at these girls she would practically become a mother to in the days to come, she would have become every bit as emotional as each of them.
After clearing her throat, Rayvinn began speaking again. "The second lesson, Instructor Analise taught you...you will never allow your emotion to guide your attack. Use your emotion as an extension of your weapon but do not allow it to guide your weapon or you will find yourself very much at the mercy of your enemy."
Rayvinn continued to stand, with her back to the class, and her gaze upon young Analise. The ice had melted, though none but the wild haired girl would see, if even she did.
Shadow, standing off in the darkness, was having an increasingly difficult time with his temper. Raye, to his eyes, was almost literally beating the poor girl, the youngest of the rescues, and all the older elf gent's instincts were telling him he should do something, say something. But he was ever a creature of honor, a man of his word, and just happened to be madly in love with the elf warrioress doing the beating. He'd promised her freedom. And she would have it.
Analise had, after the last round of blows, caved in upon herself. She'd been used as an instruction device, whacked multiple times, and had been made a complete fool in front of the class. While Raye spoke to the others, Ana stayed on the ground where the last blow had dropped her, sobbing softly, tears streaking her youthful face. But the tears outside, the pain to her rump, were little compared to the turmoil within the child.
Shadow felt it as a sharp thing, a young, unfocused chaos within the girl. But he was not unused to chaos within the mind of a female, was he? The temptation to reveal his presence was strong, but for now he'd lurk in the shadows. This seemed a critical moment in the class.
Who better to deal with the wild, unfocused chaos that threatened to destroy everything in its path than one that had, for the most part, tempered her inner chaotic nature with ruthless self discipline?
Still staring down at the girl, Rayvinn extended a hand to her and offered a hint of a smile to the child. "Stand up and be proud, child. You've not only learned a valuable lesson today, you've taught your sisters one that could very well save their lives one day."
Rayvinn turned to the girls, just a half turn of her shoulders as she awaited the fire haired child to rise. "We have all been in the position where we feel lower than those around us...we have all felt that we are less than..." she paused for a long moment and touched her glance upon each girl, all rapt in their attention. "That was your past. This is your present and you will build your future upon it. You are lower than none and none are lower than you. You will treat one another with kindness, as sisters; if one of you fall, all of you fall." She presented the youngest of sisters, hands upon her shoulders, standing in front of her. "Do you understand?"
When Rayvinn cast her gaze, and that hint of a smile, down at Analise, the girl quieted. Raye was a queen, a commander, and the force of her presence was intense even to a fully developed adult mind. To the twelve year old that had been so poorly used, even that faint expression was like a sunbeam. No longer crying, Analise reached out with a trembling hand to grip Raye's, holding on tightly. As if for dear life. There was no doubt the warrior queen was already forming a strong bond with her.
Ana was nervous to be presented as such, but moved with the guiding hands, biting her lower lip and looking at the other girls through moist eyelashes. And here, was a place that girls, any teenagers really, could be cruel. But none of the girls laughed at her, all of them watching Raye with a burgeoning respect that the watching Shadow could quite literally feel. "Yes, teacher!" they chorused as one, which of course wrought a few girlish giggles after, and actually cause Analise to smile, a brief, vestigial thing like a phantom.
There were tears in Shadow's eyes, a thumb reaching up to wipe the moisture from his lashes.
Rayvinn graced the girls with a genuine smile as she fully relaxed then. "You ladies need to hit the showers and then grab a snack. You did good work here today." She would be teaching them so much more than just simple fighting, she now realized. What had begun as a favor to Shadow was already turning into something so much more rewarding.
As the class began to disperse, she gave a light squeeze to Ana's shoulders and smiled. "You were very brave today. It takes the heart of a warrior to attack the way you did. If you wish, I will have you assist me with tomorrow's class, though I think we can do without a repeat of today's lesson." She wouldn't further injure the girl's pride and mention the way she was paddled like a naughty child.
"Yes, teacher," Analise practically whispered, still rather hushed with awe at what had happened. And the mention of being such an assistant might have been just what the girls' pride needed. And not just for the paddling. Her shoulders straightened, and when she took her leave to join the other girls, one could see the grit that had gotten her though these recent, horrifying experiences.
Shadow waited until the girls had filed out to the ladies' locker room, before coughing slightly, a way of indicating his presence. He moved within the light, paused, and leaned against the doorframe, watching Rayvinn. "Good first class then?" His features were impassive, a mask against the intensity of love he felt for this amazing elfess. After all, he was the headmaster, and business was business.
"It was alright. I think I can teach them not to stab themselves in the foot by accident." Rayvinn tossed the words out casually, not giving voice to the barrage of thoughts and feelings swirling about in her head. She had a cause now, something of substance to pour her energy and knowledge into; she'd have no children of her own to pass down the lessons of her own, most loved, teacher. "We'll see. They're a scraggly bunch, after all." Her gaze had failed to entirely meet Shadow's lest the truth be seen hidden beneath that facade of sharp wit.
He strode toward her then, his suitjacket and tie shed before he got to the room. Sleeves were rolled up - he'd literally just come from work - and the ArCane was nowhere in evidence. He'd shed his shoes, too, bare feet making no sound as he drifted across the cool vinyl mats covering the floor.
"You'll whip them into shape, soon enough." Then, he pressed close, one hand seeking her waist to tug her against him, a brief glance to ensure they were yet alone, even if briefly. "I love you," he whispered, kissing the lobe of one ear. "Thank you." Other words he might have spoken, but those would have to be enough. She'd awed her elf once more.
She dropped the practice swords she had been picking up and entangled one hand into the back of his hair, fingers finding purchase in the thick, dark silk as the other hand pressed to his chest. "And I you. Wholly." Well, as whole as she could be, anyway. "You owe me no thanks, my love. When I unleash a female army upon this city in my bid to take it over, the self important leaders will come for your head, not mine." And she smiled so sweetly; poisoned sugar.
First Class
Moderators: King, Cooper Gallows, Claire Gallows
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Shadowlord
- Seasoned Adventurer
- Posts: 562
- Joined: Sun Jan 17, 2010 3:37 pm
First Class
Last edited by Shadowlord on Sun Oct 18, 2015 5:59 pm, edited 2 times in total.
"Still round the corner there may wait a new road or a secret gate; and though I have oft passed them by, a day will come at last when I shall take the hidden paths that run west of the moon, east of the sun." -- J.R.R. Tolkien
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Ahni
- Adventurer
- Posts: 94
- Joined: Tue Aug 04, 2009 5:58 am
- Location: Twilight Isle, the dueling venues
- Contact:
August 20th, 2015 -- 2pm RST
Though he was rather behind the schedule he’d wished for the dojo’s opening, Shadow was working tirelessly to assemble all the instructors for his increasingly ambitious project - to begin teaching the youth of Rhy’din self defense. He’d already met with Rayvinn and become the elfess’ errand boy in gathering supplies and providing what logistical support he could; Shae was well on her way to assembling her first class; discussion had been opened with both Jaycy and Andrea regarding their contributions.
But Ahni was Shadow’s squire, and even had rooms in the dueling school turned urban townhouse. He should have had easiest access to her, though with the state of the Isle as it was, all the Keepers had concerns beyond what was occurring in the ‘real’ world. He wasn’t sure if she would be in her suites, but it was there he’d first seek her out.
A gentle rapping of the ArCane’s crystal at the door to her living quarters sounded, a tap-tap-tapping that was followed by the elf leaning one pointed ear toward the Victorian-style portal, trying to catch a hint of movement within the chamber beyond.
It was strange, really, having multiple places to live. Ahni had bustled between the dueling school and the Seraphim House nearly every day after becoming Shadow’s squire in an effort to make her new quarters a bit more comfy. A bit more hers, even if she lacked many material things. Unfortunately for Shadow, she had no actual concept of time; thus the delayed schedule was a bit lost on her. Fortunately for the Baron, she just happened to be in her quarters at the time he went searching.
Tap tap tap. Though the knock was gentle, it still startled her. The little half-elf jumped, squeaked, kaleidoscoping irises flashed through a few emotions before settling back on emerald. "Um. Just a moment!" She called, skinny fingers rushing to hang the blown-glass decoration Hope had given her so long ago. The little bird was one of the few possessions Ahni had taken from the Tower of Earth after the fall of Ragnarok. Once she was sure the bauble was secured at the top of the window closest to her bed, she dusted herself off and hopped down from the stone step she’d created. As soon as her toes hit the ground, the step silently disappeared into the floor. She paused on her way to the door to make sure the Dragon’s Gate squire’s quarterstaff remained propped up in a corner. It was important, after all!
Soon enough, Ahni flung open the door -- because surprises were always fun, right? -- to greet her visitor. “Oh! Hello, Shadow!” She beamed and stepped aside, silently inviting him in.
He was in luck! The little Keeper was in residence, and that made his life this morning a great deal easier. Wilson was off on some other task, and without the old human butler and personal assistant, Shadow often found himself lost in the details of day to day life. But this was an important inquest, to speak with Ahni! Things were coming together apace for the dojo, but with only Shae to instruct the children in magic, there was certainly a gap to be filled. None would be more perfect, Shadow thought, than Ahni, one of his most trusted friends for years now - a rare and precious thing in Rhy’din.
When the door opened, he was leaning on his cane, and offered Ahni his best, most cheerful smile. Even when he wasn’t feeling cheerful, something about the half-elf’s presence had ever soothed his nerves. “Good morning, Ahni. Are you busy?” A quick, furtive glance around the entry room of the suites Ahni had as Squire; he wasn’t snooping, really, but he had to check for, say, gigantic man-eating plants and so forth. “I was ah, wondering if you might be interested in helping with a little project of mine,” he explained succinctly enough (he hoped) to cue her in on his purpose here.
Though she had spent quite a few days “fixing up” her Squire’s quarters, it was still pretty bare -- and definitely no giant carnivorous plants were present. It would've surprised Ahni to know that Shadow was aware of Olva, though that was mostly because the little lady had already forgotten about the mental link the elf and his cat familiar had. Honestly, the murderous plant hadn't bothered her in so long that she'd almost forgotten its existence herself. Almost.
Smiles are contagious, they say, and Shadow’s smile only made Ahni’s grow. It made her happy to see him in such a good mood! “I am not busy, no, not really.” She held a hand up conversationally to gesture around the room. Flowers sat in glass jars atop nearly every flat surface; vines twirled around posts and furniture legs. Ahni had even placed a little pillow on the windowsill so Carbuncle could sunbathe! “I am only making things nicer. I am not sure who stayed here last, but it was very boring with no color.” She shook her head slowly, lamenting the poor people who may not be boring, but certainly look boring because their dwellings lacked color and excitement and sugary confections. "I have made it much better." She sniffed, then skipped a few steps to the side to adjust the growth pattern of an actively-climbing, bright purple clematis. It just wouldn't do to have it growing along the floor!
After correcting the vine, Ahni turned toward Shadow and placed a hand on her hip. “You require my assistance? I would love to help!” It truly didn’t matter what it was -- the little Keeper would do almost anything Shadow could have asked of her. Carbuncle stuck his nose out from underneath the bed to sniff at the elf’s shoe. Maybe the tiny Eidolon would get treats for helping, too!
She had made these suites better, Shadow noted as he studied the place, free of man-eating plants but filled with more color and flowers and life than perhaps the entirety of the rest of the dueling school. But he was not surprised, not in the least. “The last squire was a soldier,” he commented as he moved to offer Carbuncle a friendly pat on the head; and lo and behold, there was a piece of turkey jerky in hand for the Eidolon. Hopefully it ate turkey! “So yes, probably a bit on the boring side. This is fantastic Ahni!” Another wide grin split his face, as he sought a place to sit down which lacked a covering of vines or flowers.
A task that proved impossible, so he just stood.
Leaning casually on his ArCane, he settled his gaze on the half-elf and said without further preamble, “I’d like you to teach some of the kids at the orphanage magic. Your magic; Earth magic; defensive magics. Some are learning weaponry, some are learning how to fight with their hands and feet but some! Some are of course magically capable. And I can think of few in this city or on this world more capable in that realm, than yourself.”
He paused there for her reaction, not wishing to overload her with minute details right off the bat.
Ahni might not eat meat, but Carbuncle certainly did! The critter snapped up the jerky and backpedalled under the bed to feast. It was highly likely that the little Keeper knew what Shadow had offered Carbuncle, but Ahni made no outward motion of disgust. In fact, her smile brightened. If the tiny Eidolon was happy, the tiny Summoner was happy! Wide emeralds swept across the room. “Oh. A soldier.” Ahni nodded. “Soldiers can be boring, uma.* Not always, but sometimes.” A memory flickered into her brain from her previous life, causing her to blink rapidly and shake her head for a few moments before refocusing on Shadow. Flashbacks were becoming a little more common lately, and Ahni wasn’t exactly equipped to handle them.
She swiped a hand through her messy hair as her elf friend tried to find a place to sit. Poor Shadow! “You… would like me to teach the children?” She repeated, just to be sure. In all honesty, Ahni repeated most things just to be sure. The question was her only input for a few moments as she processed the information, turned it over in her head. She gestured with one hand as her addled brain worked. Finally, emeralds focused on Shadow and a skinny finger raised. “The magic I prefer to use is the wild magic. I can attempt to teach the little ones how to wield it, but it is not for everyone. Um. I believe that is called the… fair warning?” She tilted her head curiously before waving a hand. “I have other magic here,” she drummed fingers on her sternum, “which I can use in teaching. Aier* is also very good with defensive maneuvers… He can help, or if he is feeling lazy I will teach them all... I will teach the little ones, mellonamin.* They will be safe with me.” Realizing she was rambling, Ahni pressed her lips together. And while she knew she had already accepted without knowing all the details, she still wanted to reassure Shadow for some reason.
A little smile for the Eidolon as he took the jerky (and while Rumpel loved Carbuncle just fine there may well have been a fight if the cat had seen Shadow’s furtive offering), and Shadow listened to her reply, nodding as he kept up fairly well. Ahni was an interesting sort of conversationalist, to say the least, as she ever tried to cover all the bases with, well, every sentence. He was grinning even more widely as she finished.
“Well, Ahni, the thing of it is, you get to choose which students you teach! Rayvinn, for instance, is teaching weapons to a group of girls we just rescued from..some very bad people. Well, Isuelt rescued them but anyway, young female orphans. But you need not teach only girls! What you will have to do is come to the Orphanage with me sometime and do some delving, decide who you want to take on for your class. Who really has the talent to cast the wild magic!”
Shadow was clearly excited as he spoke, not only Ahni’s manner infectious, but the project itself something which had put a strange, new fire into the normally calm, reserved Water Keeper. His amber eyes were glimmering strangely, a border of bluish, almost fluid light surrounding the rich brown pupils, something which had been happening more often lately. Perhaps the change of seasons was affecting the older elf?
“I know you will teach them. And Carbuncle is welcome to assist. You might also see Rumpel about..ah, assisting, in his way. He has free reign of the school and never listens to me when I tell him not to enter certain rooms. But I think you can work with that.” A sly, knowing grin, though he did not openly tell the half-elf that he knew she’d been sneaking Rumpel cheese for some time now.
Shadow had listened to Ahni’s strange speech pattern long enough to follow along, and that made the half-elf beam happily. She listened intently, head bopping to and fro as her brain filed away the information… though, something caught her attention. “This… um. Iz-welt?” She said it slowly, enunciating carefully so that she didn’t mess up the unfamiliar name. “I have not met this Iz-welt. But if they are rescuing people from very bad people, they must be nice, uma?*” Her head tilted again, skinny fingers catching a bit of coppery hair and twirling it. “They must be nice,” she repeated at a lower volume and nodded.
Once again, a skinny finger lifted as an idea came to her mind. “It is not fair to only accept the students that I believe can cast the wild magic, mellonamin.* The ones that can or have the ability, yes, but the ones that cannot should not be excluded from the teachings.” If anything, Ahni was fair. Besides, she wasn’t exactly sure how to detect an affinity for wild magic in others. She only knew how the ability manifested in herself -- but she also knew that magic took as many forms as there were beating (and unbeating) hearts in Rhy’din. It was comforting to know that she could pick out her class. It would give her a chance to fill the space with a variety of talent, see how the children acted together and separately. It would give her a chance to grow.
The thoughts spiralled through her brain, making her more and more excited as each formed. Suddenly, the little Keeper squeaked and clapped her hands together. “Let us go! Right now!” Giggling, she leaned forward to grab Shadow’s hand. The movement was unconscious and harmless; simply speaking, Ahni was used to grabbing someone’s hand and taking them somewhere. (It was an especially humorous sight when a tiny Ahni could be seen dragging a much larger, muscle-bound Jin Eternity through the Marketplace to show him something in a shop window.) Though much taller than she, the sight of Ahni dragging Shadow to the Orphanage would probably not be too out-of-place. She was just so excited!
He should have expected something like this, but with Ahni, expectations could be a dangerous thing! Or at least confusing. Yet, the underlying essence of her excitement had blended with his own. He found himself laughing merrily as she took his hand; and he had not laughed like that in far, far too long. The cares of this world, this city, were weighing heavily upon the old elf of late, with nightly dreams (some would say prophetic visions) of building his Last Ship, a vessel he’d use to sail off into the western seas, seeking out Arvandor for the final journey of his mortal life.
But he was not ready to go just yet, and it was his connections to friends such as Ahni that kept him from heeding that visceral, instinctual urge.
“Well...let’s go then! Again, you may choose who you wish, Ahni. I will provide all the materials you need, you need simply tell me - or Wilson, the older gent you sometimes see bustling about dusting things around here - and your wishes shall be made real.” When they exited her room, Rumpel fell into place beside them, trying to sniff at Ahni’s free hand, trotting along as he endeavored to keep up with the...group which had formed. “Oh, and Isuelt is a Scathachian, they are a temple of women warrior-priestesses who ah, kick bad guys’ butts. I bet Neo knows of them!”
Surely Carbuncle was coming along too! Mere minutes would find them at the Orphanage, on the threshold of this next great adventure. A job had never seemed so exciting!
* uma = yes
* Aier = “small one,” meaning Carbuncle
* mellonamin = friend
Though he was rather behind the schedule he’d wished for the dojo’s opening, Shadow was working tirelessly to assemble all the instructors for his increasingly ambitious project - to begin teaching the youth of Rhy’din self defense. He’d already met with Rayvinn and become the elfess’ errand boy in gathering supplies and providing what logistical support he could; Shae was well on her way to assembling her first class; discussion had been opened with both Jaycy and Andrea regarding their contributions.
But Ahni was Shadow’s squire, and even had rooms in the dueling school turned urban townhouse. He should have had easiest access to her, though with the state of the Isle as it was, all the Keepers had concerns beyond what was occurring in the ‘real’ world. He wasn’t sure if she would be in her suites, but it was there he’d first seek her out.
A gentle rapping of the ArCane’s crystal at the door to her living quarters sounded, a tap-tap-tapping that was followed by the elf leaning one pointed ear toward the Victorian-style portal, trying to catch a hint of movement within the chamber beyond.
It was strange, really, having multiple places to live. Ahni had bustled between the dueling school and the Seraphim House nearly every day after becoming Shadow’s squire in an effort to make her new quarters a bit more comfy. A bit more hers, even if she lacked many material things. Unfortunately for Shadow, she had no actual concept of time; thus the delayed schedule was a bit lost on her. Fortunately for the Baron, she just happened to be in her quarters at the time he went searching.
Tap tap tap. Though the knock was gentle, it still startled her. The little half-elf jumped, squeaked, kaleidoscoping irises flashed through a few emotions before settling back on emerald. "Um. Just a moment!" She called, skinny fingers rushing to hang the blown-glass decoration Hope had given her so long ago. The little bird was one of the few possessions Ahni had taken from the Tower of Earth after the fall of Ragnarok. Once she was sure the bauble was secured at the top of the window closest to her bed, she dusted herself off and hopped down from the stone step she’d created. As soon as her toes hit the ground, the step silently disappeared into the floor. She paused on her way to the door to make sure the Dragon’s Gate squire’s quarterstaff remained propped up in a corner. It was important, after all!
Soon enough, Ahni flung open the door -- because surprises were always fun, right? -- to greet her visitor. “Oh! Hello, Shadow!” She beamed and stepped aside, silently inviting him in.
He was in luck! The little Keeper was in residence, and that made his life this morning a great deal easier. Wilson was off on some other task, and without the old human butler and personal assistant, Shadow often found himself lost in the details of day to day life. But this was an important inquest, to speak with Ahni! Things were coming together apace for the dojo, but with only Shae to instruct the children in magic, there was certainly a gap to be filled. None would be more perfect, Shadow thought, than Ahni, one of his most trusted friends for years now - a rare and precious thing in Rhy’din.
When the door opened, he was leaning on his cane, and offered Ahni his best, most cheerful smile. Even when he wasn’t feeling cheerful, something about the half-elf’s presence had ever soothed his nerves. “Good morning, Ahni. Are you busy?” A quick, furtive glance around the entry room of the suites Ahni had as Squire; he wasn’t snooping, really, but he had to check for, say, gigantic man-eating plants and so forth. “I was ah, wondering if you might be interested in helping with a little project of mine,” he explained succinctly enough (he hoped) to cue her in on his purpose here.
Though she had spent quite a few days “fixing up” her Squire’s quarters, it was still pretty bare -- and definitely no giant carnivorous plants were present. It would've surprised Ahni to know that Shadow was aware of Olva, though that was mostly because the little lady had already forgotten about the mental link the elf and his cat familiar had. Honestly, the murderous plant hadn't bothered her in so long that she'd almost forgotten its existence herself. Almost.
Smiles are contagious, they say, and Shadow’s smile only made Ahni’s grow. It made her happy to see him in such a good mood! “I am not busy, no, not really.” She held a hand up conversationally to gesture around the room. Flowers sat in glass jars atop nearly every flat surface; vines twirled around posts and furniture legs. Ahni had even placed a little pillow on the windowsill so Carbuncle could sunbathe! “I am only making things nicer. I am not sure who stayed here last, but it was very boring with no color.” She shook her head slowly, lamenting the poor people who may not be boring, but certainly look boring because their dwellings lacked color and excitement and sugary confections. "I have made it much better." She sniffed, then skipped a few steps to the side to adjust the growth pattern of an actively-climbing, bright purple clematis. It just wouldn't do to have it growing along the floor!
After correcting the vine, Ahni turned toward Shadow and placed a hand on her hip. “You require my assistance? I would love to help!” It truly didn’t matter what it was -- the little Keeper would do almost anything Shadow could have asked of her. Carbuncle stuck his nose out from underneath the bed to sniff at the elf’s shoe. Maybe the tiny Eidolon would get treats for helping, too!
She had made these suites better, Shadow noted as he studied the place, free of man-eating plants but filled with more color and flowers and life than perhaps the entirety of the rest of the dueling school. But he was not surprised, not in the least. “The last squire was a soldier,” he commented as he moved to offer Carbuncle a friendly pat on the head; and lo and behold, there was a piece of turkey jerky in hand for the Eidolon. Hopefully it ate turkey! “So yes, probably a bit on the boring side. This is fantastic Ahni!” Another wide grin split his face, as he sought a place to sit down which lacked a covering of vines or flowers.
A task that proved impossible, so he just stood.
Leaning casually on his ArCane, he settled his gaze on the half-elf and said without further preamble, “I’d like you to teach some of the kids at the orphanage magic. Your magic; Earth magic; defensive magics. Some are learning weaponry, some are learning how to fight with their hands and feet but some! Some are of course magically capable. And I can think of few in this city or on this world more capable in that realm, than yourself.”
He paused there for her reaction, not wishing to overload her with minute details right off the bat.
Ahni might not eat meat, but Carbuncle certainly did! The critter snapped up the jerky and backpedalled under the bed to feast. It was highly likely that the little Keeper knew what Shadow had offered Carbuncle, but Ahni made no outward motion of disgust. In fact, her smile brightened. If the tiny Eidolon was happy, the tiny Summoner was happy! Wide emeralds swept across the room. “Oh. A soldier.” Ahni nodded. “Soldiers can be boring, uma.* Not always, but sometimes.” A memory flickered into her brain from her previous life, causing her to blink rapidly and shake her head for a few moments before refocusing on Shadow. Flashbacks were becoming a little more common lately, and Ahni wasn’t exactly equipped to handle them.
She swiped a hand through her messy hair as her elf friend tried to find a place to sit. Poor Shadow! “You… would like me to teach the children?” She repeated, just to be sure. In all honesty, Ahni repeated most things just to be sure. The question was her only input for a few moments as she processed the information, turned it over in her head. She gestured with one hand as her addled brain worked. Finally, emeralds focused on Shadow and a skinny finger raised. “The magic I prefer to use is the wild magic. I can attempt to teach the little ones how to wield it, but it is not for everyone. Um. I believe that is called the… fair warning?” She tilted her head curiously before waving a hand. “I have other magic here,” she drummed fingers on her sternum, “which I can use in teaching. Aier* is also very good with defensive maneuvers… He can help, or if he is feeling lazy I will teach them all... I will teach the little ones, mellonamin.* They will be safe with me.” Realizing she was rambling, Ahni pressed her lips together. And while she knew she had already accepted without knowing all the details, she still wanted to reassure Shadow for some reason.
A little smile for the Eidolon as he took the jerky (and while Rumpel loved Carbuncle just fine there may well have been a fight if the cat had seen Shadow’s furtive offering), and Shadow listened to her reply, nodding as he kept up fairly well. Ahni was an interesting sort of conversationalist, to say the least, as she ever tried to cover all the bases with, well, every sentence. He was grinning even more widely as she finished.
“Well, Ahni, the thing of it is, you get to choose which students you teach! Rayvinn, for instance, is teaching weapons to a group of girls we just rescued from..some very bad people. Well, Isuelt rescued them but anyway, young female orphans. But you need not teach only girls! What you will have to do is come to the Orphanage with me sometime and do some delving, decide who you want to take on for your class. Who really has the talent to cast the wild magic!”
Shadow was clearly excited as he spoke, not only Ahni’s manner infectious, but the project itself something which had put a strange, new fire into the normally calm, reserved Water Keeper. His amber eyes were glimmering strangely, a border of bluish, almost fluid light surrounding the rich brown pupils, something which had been happening more often lately. Perhaps the change of seasons was affecting the older elf?
“I know you will teach them. And Carbuncle is welcome to assist. You might also see Rumpel about..ah, assisting, in his way. He has free reign of the school and never listens to me when I tell him not to enter certain rooms. But I think you can work with that.” A sly, knowing grin, though he did not openly tell the half-elf that he knew she’d been sneaking Rumpel cheese for some time now.
Shadow had listened to Ahni’s strange speech pattern long enough to follow along, and that made the half-elf beam happily. She listened intently, head bopping to and fro as her brain filed away the information… though, something caught her attention. “This… um. Iz-welt?” She said it slowly, enunciating carefully so that she didn’t mess up the unfamiliar name. “I have not met this Iz-welt. But if they are rescuing people from very bad people, they must be nice, uma?*” Her head tilted again, skinny fingers catching a bit of coppery hair and twirling it. “They must be nice,” she repeated at a lower volume and nodded.
Once again, a skinny finger lifted as an idea came to her mind. “It is not fair to only accept the students that I believe can cast the wild magic, mellonamin.* The ones that can or have the ability, yes, but the ones that cannot should not be excluded from the teachings.” If anything, Ahni was fair. Besides, she wasn’t exactly sure how to detect an affinity for wild magic in others. She only knew how the ability manifested in herself -- but she also knew that magic took as many forms as there were beating (and unbeating) hearts in Rhy’din. It was comforting to know that she could pick out her class. It would give her a chance to fill the space with a variety of talent, see how the children acted together and separately. It would give her a chance to grow.
The thoughts spiralled through her brain, making her more and more excited as each formed. Suddenly, the little Keeper squeaked and clapped her hands together. “Let us go! Right now!” Giggling, she leaned forward to grab Shadow’s hand. The movement was unconscious and harmless; simply speaking, Ahni was used to grabbing someone’s hand and taking them somewhere. (It was an especially humorous sight when a tiny Ahni could be seen dragging a much larger, muscle-bound Jin Eternity through the Marketplace to show him something in a shop window.) Though much taller than she, the sight of Ahni dragging Shadow to the Orphanage would probably not be too out-of-place. She was just so excited!
He should have expected something like this, but with Ahni, expectations could be a dangerous thing! Or at least confusing. Yet, the underlying essence of her excitement had blended with his own. He found himself laughing merrily as she took his hand; and he had not laughed like that in far, far too long. The cares of this world, this city, were weighing heavily upon the old elf of late, with nightly dreams (some would say prophetic visions) of building his Last Ship, a vessel he’d use to sail off into the western seas, seeking out Arvandor for the final journey of his mortal life.
But he was not ready to go just yet, and it was his connections to friends such as Ahni that kept him from heeding that visceral, instinctual urge.
“Well...let’s go then! Again, you may choose who you wish, Ahni. I will provide all the materials you need, you need simply tell me - or Wilson, the older gent you sometimes see bustling about dusting things around here - and your wishes shall be made real.” When they exited her room, Rumpel fell into place beside them, trying to sniff at Ahni’s free hand, trotting along as he endeavored to keep up with the...group which had formed. “Oh, and Isuelt is a Scathachian, they are a temple of women warrior-priestesses who ah, kick bad guys’ butts. I bet Neo knows of them!”
Surely Carbuncle was coming along too! Mere minutes would find them at the Orphanage, on the threshold of this next great adventure. A job had never seemed so exciting!
* uma = yes
* Aier = “small one,” meaning Carbuncle
* mellonamin = friend
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Shadowlord
- Seasoned Adventurer
- Posts: 562
- Joined: Sun Jan 17, 2010 3:37 pm
August 25th, 2015 - 11:30 AM, Rhydin Standard Time
Shadow had chosen one of the swankiest hotels in the New Haven district for the intended lunch meeting with Jackson - The Rhy’din Hyatt Regency. Well, Wilson had, really, but the baron had approved the choice, and arrived several minutes early to secure a table off the room’s main thoroughfare, where its occupants could see much of what passed in the room without themselves being too easily observed. Even surrounded by modern opulence, Shadow still had habits which died hard. Finally, at the appointed hour’s imminent approach, he began to look toward the door. He knew little about this young human other than what chance observation could teach, and the man’s reputation as a capable staff wielder. But was he punctual?
Amidst New Haven’s glitz and glam, Jackson Gray stuck out like a sore thumb. Ruffled hair had little time for product and a razor hadn’t touched his face in several days. At the very least he had traded out workout sweats with crisp denim and a slightly worn but still presentable polo shirt in a shade of grey that said it might have been white at one time had he done his laundry properly. Rhy’din’s Hyatt Regency was the sort of hotel that Jax had always been able to look at from the outside but never quite stay within so it with that bit of trepidation that he passed the lobby and went for the hotel’s street-level restaurant, the site of many a meal and deal among the Who’s Who of the city. As though he expected to be asked to leave at any time, he tucked his hands into his pockets and stepped up to the maitre d’s hosting podium to see if Shadow was there yet. Pleasantly surprised to find that foremost, he wasn’t kicked out, and secondly that his intended lunch partner was already there, Jackson followed the host and turned up a nervous smile when he finally reached his destination.
“Afternoon, Sir. Hope ya haven’t been waiting too long,” came Jackson’s sheepish admission, the barest hint of a Southern drawl weighting his words. Out of habit, he extended his right hand in an offered shake.
Shadow’s positioning at the table allowed him to spot the (somewhat scruffy) young man right away, of course, so that by the time Jackson had approached the table the elf was standing, and offered a short, polite - and very old-fashioned - half bow, before taking Jackson’s hand. Despite his elvish youthfulness, his amber eyes displayed something of the vast age of the Dragon’s Gate baron, and the hand which gripped the staff-master’s was as calloused as any swordsman or warriors’. “Not at all, Jackson. May I call you Jackson? Please, call me Shadow, Sir is so..” He waved a hand. “Stuffy or something.”
A warm smile offered, Shadow hoped to put the man at ease. Shortly, a waiter was there, stiffly formal, to take their order. Shadow called for a garden salad, perhaps fulfilling Jackson’s stereotypes of elves. But perhaps not! The waiter took Jackson’s order, and was off shortly, displaying the efficiency typical of those who served Rhy’din’s movers and shakers at the swank hotel.
“Now then. I’m sure you are curious as to why I asked you here,” said the elf, studying Jackson over the rim of a ridiculously expensive crystal water glass. “At least, I hope you are. You’re here anyway.” Shadow grinned as he awaited the man’s reply.
“Most everyone calls me Jax, please feel free to do so. But otherwise, Jackson works,” he said with a smile for the elf. In his short time at the venues, Jackson had met but a handful of duelists and even fewer titleholders. Running into Rand in such a way that earned him the right to challenge for New Haven as nothing but a Commoner was still a shock, so being summoned for a lunch with one of the other barons still had him just a bit off tilt. Taking a seat, he scooted into the table and offered his order to the waiter after a few moments of examining the menu. Cheeseburger (hold the pickle), french fries garnished with parmesan truffle oil (whatever that was), and an ice water (because staying hydrated is important and soda is terrible for you).
“Of course. I’m still pretty new to all of this business but meeting new folks and sussin’ out connections is important to me. How can I help ya today?” A prettily folded napkin was dismantled and draped over his lap, calloused fingers working over the crisp pleats in the fabric until they were minute waves and it sat mostly flat over his legs.
Shadow ordered a salad, perhaps unsurprisingly, while the server was there, pausing his words for those moments. Once they were alone at the table once more, he leaned forward, one elbow resting on the table, the other hand’s thumb toying with his own napkin (which had taken some poor waitress far too much time to fold into that fancy sailboat design).
“Sussing out connections is indeed a fine pursuit. You are new here, new to the city, I think, but you are not an inexperienced man.” A glance down at Jax’s calloused hands, then back up to his eyes. “Your skill in the rings is no fluke, I think, despite the meteoric nature of your experience with the sport of Swords.” Another pause to lift up his water glass for a sip. Something strange happened to his eyes when the water travelled down; a shimmer of blue behind the amber, perhaps, and the elf actually looked less weary. It was just water in that glass, wasn’t it?
“I seek teachers, Jax,” he continued, falling into the man’s chosen moniker easily enough. “Not dueling teachers. Teachers of the youth, of orphans, of those young and innocent residents of the city - and the orphanage I help to manage - in the skills they will need to defend themselves. For, as you may have guessed, this is a city not simply of good and just folk, but murderers, rapists, and predators. My goal is to fight against that tide.”
As he spoke, more of that blue filtered into his amber gaze, and there was certainly the light of something more than reflected ambience there. It began to subside, as the elf’s words did. For a few heartbeats he said nothing more.
“I would like you to teach a class of the youth at my new dojo, which I currently have set up in the Dragon’s Gate baronial manor, a place ideally suited for combat training. I would pay you a salary and provide you a room within the manor, though something tells me you do not need it. Furthermore, I would allow you to choose your own students from the orphanage itself, which currently is our most important source of students, where the need for this training is greatest. What say you?”
It was a great deal of information to take in at once, but the elf had laid out the basic points as thoroughly as he could. Another sip of water, those strange eyes hardly leaving the young man’s.
Jackson had a remarkable poker face, all things considered, so he watched and listened with rapt attention that bumped the border of curiosity without venturing into the realm of gawking. The oddities of Rhy’Din were still surreal for him, as though he lived in an unending acid trip or some such nonsense. Maybe it would pass, maybe it wouldn’t, but regardless this place would soon be home whether he faced that fact or not. Where his stoicism failed, though, was at the point when Shadow ventured away from the possibility of baronial politics and instead offered out a whole different monster. Said monster had a sudden grin blooming to life, an almost boyish excitement gleaming in the otherwise placid brown of his eyes.
“It’s pretty much like hanging ‘round South Crump and Fourth after midnight on a weekend, except here it’s all the time,” he said, understanding the danger of the city well in just a short time. His apartment in Dockside sat three doors down from a frequent drug dealer and from his studio window, he had seen or heard evidence of no less than three muggings, one burglary, and four assaults. Needless to say, his reprieve in New Haven was more than welcome. His hands set flat to the edge of the table, the grin lingering even through the heaviness of the subject.
“Before I came here, I actually taught part time at my buddy’s dojang. Kids’ Taekwondo mostly, but we had rotating age groups for our self defense classes. My background’s in karate, personally, but I learned a lot teachin’,” Jax was animated as he spoke, his hands having lifted from the table to gesture and roll with his words. He caught himself though and reminded himself that talking with your hands isn’t always the most polite and gently set said hands back down.
“It’s pretty rewardin’ work though, is what I’m gettin’ at,” he nodded, taking up his glass for a long drink. Here he had a chance at doing something he actually enjoyed, loved even, and to get paid to do so. A deep breath steadied his excitement to a more manageable level.
“So, what I really mean by all of that is that I’d love to be a part of somethin’ like this. That is, if you’ll have me.” There was that grin again, brought once more back to life.
While Shadow paid close heed to the man’s words, there was more at play in his perception. He was not given to mindreading, the inner thoughts of most people a tawdry, confusing affair he preferred to avoid, but he was by elven nature a low-level empath. Jackson could have said much less, and still convinced the elf that a good decision had been made here, that his instincts were not amiss. The young man’s enthusiasm was like a palpable wave of emotion that seeped right into the baron.
Before he could answer, their food arrived, delivered quickly and quietly with a minimum of fuss. A brief smile from the server for Shadow; a smokier look and grin for Jackson, and she was off. She may well have swayed her hips just a bit more than necessary for the ‘scruffy’ young man, who no doubt drew lustful looks from most of the ladies near him, on a regular basis.
Once the plates were set, Shadow lifted his fork - the outside fork, the proper salad utensil even though no main course was forthcoming - and stabbed an apple slice, raising it to his mouth. But before he ate it, he continued their conversation. “You have no further requests for the terms? They are acceptable to you? And do you in fact wish a suite at the manor, while my sword keeps it in my possession? Furthermore, you may name your salary - within reason. But I think you will find I can pay you better than most could, in this city.”
When his words subsided, he ate the apple slice, chewing slowly. Some might have called his gaze unsettling, filtered through with that subtle glow, but Shadow was a rather serious, intent sort of elf. Rhy’din had a way of removing such attributes as carefree, or flighty.
“Thank ya ma’am,” Jackson said politely to the waitress as she sauntered off, not pausing to let his gaze linger after the woman. Instead he turned back to the Baron while scooping up a french fry to see what that parmesan truffle oil was all about. Whatever it was, it was absolutely delectable. While chewing, he also chewed on Shadow’s addendum, thinking it over before shrugging and swallowing.
“So long as there isn’t anything totally outta the ordinary that you might wanna divulge. Most of the kids we taught before were inner city. The at risk sorts that need somethin’ better to do rather than punchin’ people in the face for fun or gettin’ into other trouble. Obviously the risks here differ, but it’s the same idea, right?” Then he took up another fry and popped it into his mouth while examining the toppings on his burger. Perfect. Once his mouth was empty again, he continued. “If I’m bein’ perfectly honest, I don’t think I’m gonna keep these New Haven digs all that long, got a pretty big target on my back bein’ the new guy and all. So I wouldn’t mind takin’ ya up on the room. I recently found m’self a dog though… would that be any problem? He’s a lil guy, thinks he’s bigger than he is.”
“Really what I’d ask for is dependant on how many hours you’re expectin’ a week, factorin’ in for the room of course. I make a couple hundred silver a week workin’ the docks but that’s full time.” And he didn’t quite understand the dollar to silver conversion quite yet. But that was neither here nor there. “My last teaching job though paid less since it was just part time.” So in short, he had no idea how much to ask for.
Shadow found it curious that Jax had not even really glanced at the pretty young waitress. Even in business meetings what young fellow would not stare - even just a little- after the decidedly shapely woman. The elf’s perceptive skills were in high gear right now, seeking out the subtler cues of body language, in addition to what truth might be gleaned from the young man’s words. But then, the stylishly scruffy man could very well be spoken for, and his proclivities had no bearing on the matter at hand.
“You will establish your own hours, according to the needs of your schedule, and the students’. They all have other classes of course, as I insist every child in residence at the orphanage know their letters and numbers. We seek to prepare them for their adult life in all ways - this self-defense regimen is supplemental really, giving them more of the tools they’ll require to survive in this city and the larger world.” He paused to eat a little more of his salad, having gotten past the ‘good part’, the chicken, down to the leafy bed. When he’d finished chewing, he lifted his napkin to the corners of his mouth and dabbed carefully.
“One thousand silver a week sound alright then? That’d be in addition to the room.” He knew well the inconstancy of the baronies, though if Jax had a target on his back it surely did not weigh into Shadow’s decision to offer the man the job. Baronial politics were petty compared to the project upon which they embarked, which would touch lives deeply, lastingly. Raising the youth was in fact, to Shadow, a far nobler pursuit than the Rhy’din national sports, important as they were to the social fabric of the city. “And a dog is fine, though I do have a rather ah, large cat. Did I mention that? Rumpelstiltskin is my familiar, and a gentle sort. As long as your dog does not ah, well, attack him they should be fine.” The elf grinned and folded his napkin, placing it atop the remnants of the salad plate. “I do love animals. You’ll also want to be meeting Wilson, my butler, for a number of reasons, but not least of which that he loves dogs. He’s from Terran England, and was and still is something of an accomplished hunter. He knows his canines, large and small. But don’t be surprised if he uses your full name, or at least Mr. Gray. He’s a stickler for his formalities.”
Folding his hands before him in his lap, and leaning back as one of the bussers roving the room took his plate, Shadow smiled. “It seems we have an arrangement, Jax. I look forward to having you around, and sharing your skills with the kids. I think you’ll prove just the right fit.” Shadow had no idea what changes the next few weeks would bring, nor their immense impact on his life, but not even the wisest saw all ends; they prepared for them.
Shadow had chosen one of the swankiest hotels in the New Haven district for the intended lunch meeting with Jackson - The Rhy’din Hyatt Regency. Well, Wilson had, really, but the baron had approved the choice, and arrived several minutes early to secure a table off the room’s main thoroughfare, where its occupants could see much of what passed in the room without themselves being too easily observed. Even surrounded by modern opulence, Shadow still had habits which died hard. Finally, at the appointed hour’s imminent approach, he began to look toward the door. He knew little about this young human other than what chance observation could teach, and the man’s reputation as a capable staff wielder. But was he punctual?
Amidst New Haven’s glitz and glam, Jackson Gray stuck out like a sore thumb. Ruffled hair had little time for product and a razor hadn’t touched his face in several days. At the very least he had traded out workout sweats with crisp denim and a slightly worn but still presentable polo shirt in a shade of grey that said it might have been white at one time had he done his laundry properly. Rhy’din’s Hyatt Regency was the sort of hotel that Jax had always been able to look at from the outside but never quite stay within so it with that bit of trepidation that he passed the lobby and went for the hotel’s street-level restaurant, the site of many a meal and deal among the Who’s Who of the city. As though he expected to be asked to leave at any time, he tucked his hands into his pockets and stepped up to the maitre d’s hosting podium to see if Shadow was there yet. Pleasantly surprised to find that foremost, he wasn’t kicked out, and secondly that his intended lunch partner was already there, Jackson followed the host and turned up a nervous smile when he finally reached his destination.
“Afternoon, Sir. Hope ya haven’t been waiting too long,” came Jackson’s sheepish admission, the barest hint of a Southern drawl weighting his words. Out of habit, he extended his right hand in an offered shake.
Shadow’s positioning at the table allowed him to spot the (somewhat scruffy) young man right away, of course, so that by the time Jackson had approached the table the elf was standing, and offered a short, polite - and very old-fashioned - half bow, before taking Jackson’s hand. Despite his elvish youthfulness, his amber eyes displayed something of the vast age of the Dragon’s Gate baron, and the hand which gripped the staff-master’s was as calloused as any swordsman or warriors’. “Not at all, Jackson. May I call you Jackson? Please, call me Shadow, Sir is so..” He waved a hand. “Stuffy or something.”
A warm smile offered, Shadow hoped to put the man at ease. Shortly, a waiter was there, stiffly formal, to take their order. Shadow called for a garden salad, perhaps fulfilling Jackson’s stereotypes of elves. But perhaps not! The waiter took Jackson’s order, and was off shortly, displaying the efficiency typical of those who served Rhy’din’s movers and shakers at the swank hotel.
“Now then. I’m sure you are curious as to why I asked you here,” said the elf, studying Jackson over the rim of a ridiculously expensive crystal water glass. “At least, I hope you are. You’re here anyway.” Shadow grinned as he awaited the man’s reply.
“Most everyone calls me Jax, please feel free to do so. But otherwise, Jackson works,” he said with a smile for the elf. In his short time at the venues, Jackson had met but a handful of duelists and even fewer titleholders. Running into Rand in such a way that earned him the right to challenge for New Haven as nothing but a Commoner was still a shock, so being summoned for a lunch with one of the other barons still had him just a bit off tilt. Taking a seat, he scooted into the table and offered his order to the waiter after a few moments of examining the menu. Cheeseburger (hold the pickle), french fries garnished with parmesan truffle oil (whatever that was), and an ice water (because staying hydrated is important and soda is terrible for you).
“Of course. I’m still pretty new to all of this business but meeting new folks and sussin’ out connections is important to me. How can I help ya today?” A prettily folded napkin was dismantled and draped over his lap, calloused fingers working over the crisp pleats in the fabric until they were minute waves and it sat mostly flat over his legs.
Shadow ordered a salad, perhaps unsurprisingly, while the server was there, pausing his words for those moments. Once they were alone at the table once more, he leaned forward, one elbow resting on the table, the other hand’s thumb toying with his own napkin (which had taken some poor waitress far too much time to fold into that fancy sailboat design).
“Sussing out connections is indeed a fine pursuit. You are new here, new to the city, I think, but you are not an inexperienced man.” A glance down at Jax’s calloused hands, then back up to his eyes. “Your skill in the rings is no fluke, I think, despite the meteoric nature of your experience with the sport of Swords.” Another pause to lift up his water glass for a sip. Something strange happened to his eyes when the water travelled down; a shimmer of blue behind the amber, perhaps, and the elf actually looked less weary. It was just water in that glass, wasn’t it?
“I seek teachers, Jax,” he continued, falling into the man’s chosen moniker easily enough. “Not dueling teachers. Teachers of the youth, of orphans, of those young and innocent residents of the city - and the orphanage I help to manage - in the skills they will need to defend themselves. For, as you may have guessed, this is a city not simply of good and just folk, but murderers, rapists, and predators. My goal is to fight against that tide.”
As he spoke, more of that blue filtered into his amber gaze, and there was certainly the light of something more than reflected ambience there. It began to subside, as the elf’s words did. For a few heartbeats he said nothing more.
“I would like you to teach a class of the youth at my new dojo, which I currently have set up in the Dragon’s Gate baronial manor, a place ideally suited for combat training. I would pay you a salary and provide you a room within the manor, though something tells me you do not need it. Furthermore, I would allow you to choose your own students from the orphanage itself, which currently is our most important source of students, where the need for this training is greatest. What say you?”
It was a great deal of information to take in at once, but the elf had laid out the basic points as thoroughly as he could. Another sip of water, those strange eyes hardly leaving the young man’s.
Jackson had a remarkable poker face, all things considered, so he watched and listened with rapt attention that bumped the border of curiosity without venturing into the realm of gawking. The oddities of Rhy’Din were still surreal for him, as though he lived in an unending acid trip or some such nonsense. Maybe it would pass, maybe it wouldn’t, but regardless this place would soon be home whether he faced that fact or not. Where his stoicism failed, though, was at the point when Shadow ventured away from the possibility of baronial politics and instead offered out a whole different monster. Said monster had a sudden grin blooming to life, an almost boyish excitement gleaming in the otherwise placid brown of his eyes.
“It’s pretty much like hanging ‘round South Crump and Fourth after midnight on a weekend, except here it’s all the time,” he said, understanding the danger of the city well in just a short time. His apartment in Dockside sat three doors down from a frequent drug dealer and from his studio window, he had seen or heard evidence of no less than three muggings, one burglary, and four assaults. Needless to say, his reprieve in New Haven was more than welcome. His hands set flat to the edge of the table, the grin lingering even through the heaviness of the subject.
“Before I came here, I actually taught part time at my buddy’s dojang. Kids’ Taekwondo mostly, but we had rotating age groups for our self defense classes. My background’s in karate, personally, but I learned a lot teachin’,” Jax was animated as he spoke, his hands having lifted from the table to gesture and roll with his words. He caught himself though and reminded himself that talking with your hands isn’t always the most polite and gently set said hands back down.
“It’s pretty rewardin’ work though, is what I’m gettin’ at,” he nodded, taking up his glass for a long drink. Here he had a chance at doing something he actually enjoyed, loved even, and to get paid to do so. A deep breath steadied his excitement to a more manageable level.
“So, what I really mean by all of that is that I’d love to be a part of somethin’ like this. That is, if you’ll have me.” There was that grin again, brought once more back to life.
While Shadow paid close heed to the man’s words, there was more at play in his perception. He was not given to mindreading, the inner thoughts of most people a tawdry, confusing affair he preferred to avoid, but he was by elven nature a low-level empath. Jackson could have said much less, and still convinced the elf that a good decision had been made here, that his instincts were not amiss. The young man’s enthusiasm was like a palpable wave of emotion that seeped right into the baron.
Before he could answer, their food arrived, delivered quickly and quietly with a minimum of fuss. A brief smile from the server for Shadow; a smokier look and grin for Jackson, and she was off. She may well have swayed her hips just a bit more than necessary for the ‘scruffy’ young man, who no doubt drew lustful looks from most of the ladies near him, on a regular basis.
Once the plates were set, Shadow lifted his fork - the outside fork, the proper salad utensil even though no main course was forthcoming - and stabbed an apple slice, raising it to his mouth. But before he ate it, he continued their conversation. “You have no further requests for the terms? They are acceptable to you? And do you in fact wish a suite at the manor, while my sword keeps it in my possession? Furthermore, you may name your salary - within reason. But I think you will find I can pay you better than most could, in this city.”
When his words subsided, he ate the apple slice, chewing slowly. Some might have called his gaze unsettling, filtered through with that subtle glow, but Shadow was a rather serious, intent sort of elf. Rhy’din had a way of removing such attributes as carefree, or flighty.
“Thank ya ma’am,” Jackson said politely to the waitress as she sauntered off, not pausing to let his gaze linger after the woman. Instead he turned back to the Baron while scooping up a french fry to see what that parmesan truffle oil was all about. Whatever it was, it was absolutely delectable. While chewing, he also chewed on Shadow’s addendum, thinking it over before shrugging and swallowing.
“So long as there isn’t anything totally outta the ordinary that you might wanna divulge. Most of the kids we taught before were inner city. The at risk sorts that need somethin’ better to do rather than punchin’ people in the face for fun or gettin’ into other trouble. Obviously the risks here differ, but it’s the same idea, right?” Then he took up another fry and popped it into his mouth while examining the toppings on his burger. Perfect. Once his mouth was empty again, he continued. “If I’m bein’ perfectly honest, I don’t think I’m gonna keep these New Haven digs all that long, got a pretty big target on my back bein’ the new guy and all. So I wouldn’t mind takin’ ya up on the room. I recently found m’self a dog though… would that be any problem? He’s a lil guy, thinks he’s bigger than he is.”
“Really what I’d ask for is dependant on how many hours you’re expectin’ a week, factorin’ in for the room of course. I make a couple hundred silver a week workin’ the docks but that’s full time.” And he didn’t quite understand the dollar to silver conversion quite yet. But that was neither here nor there. “My last teaching job though paid less since it was just part time.” So in short, he had no idea how much to ask for.
Shadow found it curious that Jax had not even really glanced at the pretty young waitress. Even in business meetings what young fellow would not stare - even just a little- after the decidedly shapely woman. The elf’s perceptive skills were in high gear right now, seeking out the subtler cues of body language, in addition to what truth might be gleaned from the young man’s words. But then, the stylishly scruffy man could very well be spoken for, and his proclivities had no bearing on the matter at hand.
“You will establish your own hours, according to the needs of your schedule, and the students’. They all have other classes of course, as I insist every child in residence at the orphanage know their letters and numbers. We seek to prepare them for their adult life in all ways - this self-defense regimen is supplemental really, giving them more of the tools they’ll require to survive in this city and the larger world.” He paused to eat a little more of his salad, having gotten past the ‘good part’, the chicken, down to the leafy bed. When he’d finished chewing, he lifted his napkin to the corners of his mouth and dabbed carefully.
“One thousand silver a week sound alright then? That’d be in addition to the room.” He knew well the inconstancy of the baronies, though if Jax had a target on his back it surely did not weigh into Shadow’s decision to offer the man the job. Baronial politics were petty compared to the project upon which they embarked, which would touch lives deeply, lastingly. Raising the youth was in fact, to Shadow, a far nobler pursuit than the Rhy’din national sports, important as they were to the social fabric of the city. “And a dog is fine, though I do have a rather ah, large cat. Did I mention that? Rumpelstiltskin is my familiar, and a gentle sort. As long as your dog does not ah, well, attack him they should be fine.” The elf grinned and folded his napkin, placing it atop the remnants of the salad plate. “I do love animals. You’ll also want to be meeting Wilson, my butler, for a number of reasons, but not least of which that he loves dogs. He’s from Terran England, and was and still is something of an accomplished hunter. He knows his canines, large and small. But don’t be surprised if he uses your full name, or at least Mr. Gray. He’s a stickler for his formalities.”
Folding his hands before him in his lap, and leaning back as one of the bussers roving the room took his plate, Shadow smiled. “It seems we have an arrangement, Jax. I look forward to having you around, and sharing your skills with the kids. I think you’ll prove just the right fit.” Shadow had no idea what changes the next few weeks would bring, nor their immense impact on his life, but not even the wisest saw all ends; they prepared for them.
"Still round the corner there may wait a new road or a secret gate; and though I have oft passed them by, a day will come at last when I shall take the hidden paths that run west of the moon, east of the sun." -- J.R.R. Tolkien
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Ahni
- Adventurer
- Posts: 94
- Joined: Tue Aug 04, 2009 5:58 am
- Location: Twilight Isle, the dueling venues
- Contact:
August 24th, 2015 -- 3:48 pm RST
Ahni fidgeted nervously at the door to her classroom, occasionally sneaking glances at the digital clock Shadow had installed in the room to help the poor half-elf keep track of time. Though she didn’t understand the technology involved, reading a digital clock was far easier on her addled brain than analog. (It was the hands -- the three hands always threw her for a loop.)
Almost time.
*~*~*~*
The impromptu trip to the Orphanage turned out to be the best idea! Ahni and Shadow were able to view the children in a more natural setting and discuss amongst themselves before heading into the fray. Children swarmed the playground; some were caught up in trivial disagreements, some were involved in group games, loners scattered around the various pieces of equipment, some studied or read. “I had forgotten how many there were.” Quiet, sad. “It almost hurts my heart… but then I remember they are supported. Loved.” The little Keeper’s soft voice fell silent as she leaned into Shadow’s arm. Laughter echoed.
Except from a small boy. This boy was not laughing. In fact, this boy was in the dirt, cowering from a group of three stocky boys. One menaced the smaller, redhaired boy on the ground with sloppy attempts at common fighting techniques. “That one.” Ahni murmured to Shadow, skinny finger lifted to indicate the bullied child. “He is the first.” She knew Shadow had implemented strict rules regarding bullying in the Orphanage, but sometimes discipline wasn't enough. With so many children, some were bound to fall through the cracks. The little Keeper wasn't sure what drew her to the boy -- whether it was compassion for his plight, or his size, or his coloring that was so much like her own, or the fear that bullying would lead the child down darker paths. Whatever it was, Ahni wouldn't be able to stand herself if she let the boy slip away into the darkness. "Do you know his name?"
One measure Shadow had taken to prevent bullying would seem harsh to an outside observer, and might seem very much so now, as he and Ahni watched the scene around the small red-haired boy unfold. A dark, cowled figure, lacking eyes within the depths of its hood, began to drift away from shadows near the building, exuding a rather sinister aura as it did so. This was one of the three wraiths that Napoleon Bonarat had gifted the orphanage since its foundation, bound to the talking rat by Tara herself, and given to the service of DGO - for babysitting.
The wraith moved close to the fight, and hissed out a few whispered words, which seemed to have the desired effect on the bullies. Stocky though they were, they were no match for a wraith, and it took but a simple, creepy reminder to force the mean boys away from the small. “Kaz is his name,” said Shadow, looking on sternly as the lad picked himself from the dirt, glared around (even at the wraith), and stomped off to another corner of the playground. “He has no friends amongst the other children, and I believe he lost his parents by violence. I’d have to pull his file to make sure, but he’s displayed the effects of post-traumatic disorder for his entire time here.” As the wraith returned to its shadowy haven off the playground’s edge, Shadow smiled down at his Keeper friend, squeezing her hand reassuringly. “He shall be your student, now. Be delicate.”
For a few moments after the wraith appeared, Ahni was certain it would hurt the bullying boys, and the little lady felt torn. But since Shadow stayed put, Ahni stayed put to watch the scene unfold. Her chin lifted as Kaz glared, proud that the small boy was tougher than he appeared. He would do nicely with the little Keeper’s guidance. “Kaz.” She repeated, nodding once before whirling toward Shadow. “Wha -- of course I will be gentle!” Her tone said offended, but her eyes were just as bright and shining emerald as always. She even huffed! ...then broke out in a fit of quiet giggles. “He will be safe with me. None of the worries, mellonamin.*” Ahni said once the giggles had subsided. Kaleidoscope irises resumed scanning the playground for more recruits.
Another boy sat underneath an old, giant shadetree, a large book in his lap. He didn't look unhappy; on the contrary, he seemed quite at ease away from the playing children, as if he was used to being alone. He lifted a hand to turn a page, then ruffled the back of his onyx hair, then gave a quick glance around.
Ahni’s breath caught in her throat.
He looks like…
The eyes weren’t the exact shade, the nose didn’t have the proper curve -- but it was enough to freeze the half-elf in her tracks, so to speak.
Is this... what could be if...?
She tried to tell herself that it was simply loneliness, that she was only pining away over the almost-constantly-adventuring Neo… but try as she might, she couldn’t make herself fully believe. “That one.” Ahni choked out the words after a few moments. “What is his name?”
”Lorril,” said Shadow without pause, rather familiar with the bookish, well-behaved, quiet child. He reminded Shadow of himself as a child, perhaps, a quiet sort fascinated with the world but more interested in exploring its paths and wonders alone. “He’s quite intelligent, and quite a lone wolf, as they say. Even the bully-minded sorts leave him alone. Something of the elf in him as you can see by the ears. And...well, if I had my guess I’d say he prefers Water. Just a feeling I’ve had around him while wearing the Key.”
Shadow smiled, then studied Ahni sidelong. He’d picked up some of her malaise at seeing the child, as if some memory were sparked. But this was business, no time to pry unbidden into his instructor’s inner mind.
“Lorril.” Ahni repeated, skinny fingers fretting at a piece of hair near her face in an attempt to cover up her little moment. “...prefers Water…” She parroted under her breath. Of course the boy preferred Water. The little Keeper stared distractedly at the ground for more moments than were necessary, then cleared her throat. It was a very good thing that Shadow didn’t pry -- it was likely that Ahni wouldn’t have been able to put her thoughts into proper words. Emeralds swiveled up to her fellow Keeper’s face. She gave Shadow a bright smile and nodded. “He is the second!” Chirrupped before Ahni returned to scouting the playground.
*~*~*~*
All told, Ahni chose nine students that day. Shadow dutifully told her as much as he knew about each one, and though Ahni herself was familiar with quite a few of the children occupying the Orphanage, the extra information Shadow provided helped quite a bit. Ahni looked up to the clock again. Any minute now, the children would file through the door and take their seats. Nervous, she rearranged two chairs for the fourth time to try to make time go by faster.
“Miss Ahni!” The happy chirrup of two voices startled Ahni into knocking both chairs over. Luckily she didn’t join them on the floor! She turned just in time to get a double hug from a pair of small, excited children.
“Havrani and Caeda! I am happy to see you!” Giggling, the Earth Keeper pat-patted the tops of the girls’ heads, then kneeled down to encircle them in her arms. “Did you two run here? Are the others on their way?”
“Yes yes, they’re coming.” The older Havrani answered, flicking one long, curly blonde pigtail over her shoulder.
“We passed them.” The younger Caeda giggled before mimicking Havrani’s hair-flick.
Ahni nodded solemnly (or as solemnly as she could when dealing with the adorable duo of Havrani and Caeda) and looked up to the clock again. “Good. The numbers are almost at the time for class. You should take your seats while we wait!” The pair complied, flopped into adjacent chairs, and immediately set to whispering and giggling together. Ahni lifted a finger and opened her mouth, mind set on reminding the pair that whispering and giggling were not appropriate for class time… then remembered that it was not exactly class time yet. The finger lowered and a smile curved her lips as she moved closer to the door to await the arrival of the rest of her students.
One by one the rest of the class filed in. The little Keeper took this time to remind herself of their names, even though Shadow had given her a folder with pertinent information and a picture of each child. But to Ahni, pictures didn’t do as much good as personal acknowledgment. “Ritrin, uma?*” She pointed towards the first boy to come through the door, a copper-skinned wood elf. “And Trynkis.” The older halfling girl smiled. “Kaz.” The bullied human boy got a megawatt smile. “Um… Xakoph? Did I say it correctly?” The Drow language was still largely a mystery to the little Keeper; the only familiar words were the spattering that Archmage Spider used. The Drow boy nodded sullenly, giving Ahni an uneasy look as he sat down. “Lorril.” Long over her moment of weakness, she beamed and gave the boy a thumbs-up. “And, um… Tozu?” The gnome boy nodnodded happily, hand raised for a high five as he moved to claim the chair between Lorril and Trynkis. Ahni giggled and smacked her hand against his. “Um… We seem to be missing someone. Does anyone know --”
“It’s Brynne.” The girl strode through the door nonchalantly and flopped into the last empty chair.
“Brynne,” Ahni repeated, nodding, as she smoothed out her dress. “Now then. I hope I do not get your names wrong, but if I --”
“You’re our teacher? I thought you were just the assistant.” Brynne interrupted again, rolling her eyes.
Ahni placed one hand on her hip. “Um. Yes. I am your teacher.” She turned towards the door to shut it.
“You don’t look like much. I’m taller than you are, and you probably couldn’t even cast a fireball.” Brynne’s voice eventually petered out into a mumble, her courage apparently floundering.
The girl didn't even have time to blink before an arm-thick vine encased her. She did have time, however, to squeak in fright as the vine squeezed. "Magic," Ahni spoke with her back still to the class, raising both hands and splaying her fingers, "has absolutely nothing to do with appearance. It is foolish to think so. But." She whirled toward the students, still waggling her fingers. "Those who may seek to hurt you, may judge your appearance and underestimate your ability. Use this to your advantage, use it to get away." The little Keeper knew full well how it felt to be underestimated, to be brushed off because she looked too weak, too small. Kaleidoscope irises flickered a bit of grey as an ancient memory resurfaced, but a quick shake of her head dispelled the memory before it could negatively affect the lesson Ahni so desperately wanted to teach the children. She lifted a skinny finger. "It is not cowardly to run. It is smart." She cut her eyes to the overconfident Brynne as the vine vanished and tried to keep crimson anger from her irises. “It is not smart to be brash. We will not learn how to be reckless with magic here. We are learning to stay safe, to stay alive. Do you understand.” It wasn’t a question. Ahni stood with her hands on her hips, jaw set, looking very much like the disapproving Captain of the Guard she had been in a previous life.
Once every student nodded (even Brynne, though she was quite hesitant) a bright smile broke out onto Ahni’s face. The difference was night and day, which took a few of the students by surprise. Tozu and Trynkis shared a confused glance, as did Lorril and Ritrin. Havrani and Caeda, unfazed, beamed happily back at their teacher. “I am glad that we all understand! Understanding will make everything much easier for everyone!” The little Keeper clapped and giggled excitedly. “Now. The first and most important lesson in defense is the shield. You cannot hope to protect yourself if you do not know how to make a shield. Do we all know how to call our magic?” She paused to wait for affirmation before clapping again. “All right! Everyone stand and move your chairs to the corner!”
Thus, the first lesson began.
* mellonamin = friend
* uma = yes
Ahni fidgeted nervously at the door to her classroom, occasionally sneaking glances at the digital clock Shadow had installed in the room to help the poor half-elf keep track of time. Though she didn’t understand the technology involved, reading a digital clock was far easier on her addled brain than analog. (It was the hands -- the three hands always threw her for a loop.)
Almost time.
*~*~*~*
The impromptu trip to the Orphanage turned out to be the best idea! Ahni and Shadow were able to view the children in a more natural setting and discuss amongst themselves before heading into the fray. Children swarmed the playground; some were caught up in trivial disagreements, some were involved in group games, loners scattered around the various pieces of equipment, some studied or read. “I had forgotten how many there were.” Quiet, sad. “It almost hurts my heart… but then I remember they are supported. Loved.” The little Keeper’s soft voice fell silent as she leaned into Shadow’s arm. Laughter echoed.
Except from a small boy. This boy was not laughing. In fact, this boy was in the dirt, cowering from a group of three stocky boys. One menaced the smaller, redhaired boy on the ground with sloppy attempts at common fighting techniques. “That one.” Ahni murmured to Shadow, skinny finger lifted to indicate the bullied child. “He is the first.” She knew Shadow had implemented strict rules regarding bullying in the Orphanage, but sometimes discipline wasn't enough. With so many children, some were bound to fall through the cracks. The little Keeper wasn't sure what drew her to the boy -- whether it was compassion for his plight, or his size, or his coloring that was so much like her own, or the fear that bullying would lead the child down darker paths. Whatever it was, Ahni wouldn't be able to stand herself if she let the boy slip away into the darkness. "Do you know his name?"
One measure Shadow had taken to prevent bullying would seem harsh to an outside observer, and might seem very much so now, as he and Ahni watched the scene around the small red-haired boy unfold. A dark, cowled figure, lacking eyes within the depths of its hood, began to drift away from shadows near the building, exuding a rather sinister aura as it did so. This was one of the three wraiths that Napoleon Bonarat had gifted the orphanage since its foundation, bound to the talking rat by Tara herself, and given to the service of DGO - for babysitting.
The wraith moved close to the fight, and hissed out a few whispered words, which seemed to have the desired effect on the bullies. Stocky though they were, they were no match for a wraith, and it took but a simple, creepy reminder to force the mean boys away from the small. “Kaz is his name,” said Shadow, looking on sternly as the lad picked himself from the dirt, glared around (even at the wraith), and stomped off to another corner of the playground. “He has no friends amongst the other children, and I believe he lost his parents by violence. I’d have to pull his file to make sure, but he’s displayed the effects of post-traumatic disorder for his entire time here.” As the wraith returned to its shadowy haven off the playground’s edge, Shadow smiled down at his Keeper friend, squeezing her hand reassuringly. “He shall be your student, now. Be delicate.”
For a few moments after the wraith appeared, Ahni was certain it would hurt the bullying boys, and the little lady felt torn. But since Shadow stayed put, Ahni stayed put to watch the scene unfold. Her chin lifted as Kaz glared, proud that the small boy was tougher than he appeared. He would do nicely with the little Keeper’s guidance. “Kaz.” She repeated, nodding once before whirling toward Shadow. “Wha -- of course I will be gentle!” Her tone said offended, but her eyes were just as bright and shining emerald as always. She even huffed! ...then broke out in a fit of quiet giggles. “He will be safe with me. None of the worries, mellonamin.*” Ahni said once the giggles had subsided. Kaleidoscope irises resumed scanning the playground for more recruits.
Another boy sat underneath an old, giant shadetree, a large book in his lap. He didn't look unhappy; on the contrary, he seemed quite at ease away from the playing children, as if he was used to being alone. He lifted a hand to turn a page, then ruffled the back of his onyx hair, then gave a quick glance around.
Ahni’s breath caught in her throat.
He looks like…
The eyes weren’t the exact shade, the nose didn’t have the proper curve -- but it was enough to freeze the half-elf in her tracks, so to speak.
Is this... what could be if...?
She tried to tell herself that it was simply loneliness, that she was only pining away over the almost-constantly-adventuring Neo… but try as she might, she couldn’t make herself fully believe. “That one.” Ahni choked out the words after a few moments. “What is his name?”
”Lorril,” said Shadow without pause, rather familiar with the bookish, well-behaved, quiet child. He reminded Shadow of himself as a child, perhaps, a quiet sort fascinated with the world but more interested in exploring its paths and wonders alone. “He’s quite intelligent, and quite a lone wolf, as they say. Even the bully-minded sorts leave him alone. Something of the elf in him as you can see by the ears. And...well, if I had my guess I’d say he prefers Water. Just a feeling I’ve had around him while wearing the Key.”
Shadow smiled, then studied Ahni sidelong. He’d picked up some of her malaise at seeing the child, as if some memory were sparked. But this was business, no time to pry unbidden into his instructor’s inner mind.
“Lorril.” Ahni repeated, skinny fingers fretting at a piece of hair near her face in an attempt to cover up her little moment. “...prefers Water…” She parroted under her breath. Of course the boy preferred Water. The little Keeper stared distractedly at the ground for more moments than were necessary, then cleared her throat. It was a very good thing that Shadow didn’t pry -- it was likely that Ahni wouldn’t have been able to put her thoughts into proper words. Emeralds swiveled up to her fellow Keeper’s face. She gave Shadow a bright smile and nodded. “He is the second!” Chirrupped before Ahni returned to scouting the playground.
*~*~*~*
All told, Ahni chose nine students that day. Shadow dutifully told her as much as he knew about each one, and though Ahni herself was familiar with quite a few of the children occupying the Orphanage, the extra information Shadow provided helped quite a bit. Ahni looked up to the clock again. Any minute now, the children would file through the door and take their seats. Nervous, she rearranged two chairs for the fourth time to try to make time go by faster.
“Miss Ahni!” The happy chirrup of two voices startled Ahni into knocking both chairs over. Luckily she didn’t join them on the floor! She turned just in time to get a double hug from a pair of small, excited children.
“Havrani and Caeda! I am happy to see you!” Giggling, the Earth Keeper pat-patted the tops of the girls’ heads, then kneeled down to encircle them in her arms. “Did you two run here? Are the others on their way?”
“Yes yes, they’re coming.” The older Havrani answered, flicking one long, curly blonde pigtail over her shoulder.
“We passed them.” The younger Caeda giggled before mimicking Havrani’s hair-flick.
Ahni nodded solemnly (or as solemnly as she could when dealing with the adorable duo of Havrani and Caeda) and looked up to the clock again. “Good. The numbers are almost at the time for class. You should take your seats while we wait!” The pair complied, flopped into adjacent chairs, and immediately set to whispering and giggling together. Ahni lifted a finger and opened her mouth, mind set on reminding the pair that whispering and giggling were not appropriate for class time… then remembered that it was not exactly class time yet. The finger lowered and a smile curved her lips as she moved closer to the door to await the arrival of the rest of her students.
One by one the rest of the class filed in. The little Keeper took this time to remind herself of their names, even though Shadow had given her a folder with pertinent information and a picture of each child. But to Ahni, pictures didn’t do as much good as personal acknowledgment. “Ritrin, uma?*” She pointed towards the first boy to come through the door, a copper-skinned wood elf. “And Trynkis.” The older halfling girl smiled. “Kaz.” The bullied human boy got a megawatt smile. “Um… Xakoph? Did I say it correctly?” The Drow language was still largely a mystery to the little Keeper; the only familiar words were the spattering that Archmage Spider used. The Drow boy nodded sullenly, giving Ahni an uneasy look as he sat down. “Lorril.” Long over her moment of weakness, she beamed and gave the boy a thumbs-up. “And, um… Tozu?” The gnome boy nodnodded happily, hand raised for a high five as he moved to claim the chair between Lorril and Trynkis. Ahni giggled and smacked her hand against his. “Um… We seem to be missing someone. Does anyone know --”
“It’s Brynne.” The girl strode through the door nonchalantly and flopped into the last empty chair.
“Brynne,” Ahni repeated, nodding, as she smoothed out her dress. “Now then. I hope I do not get your names wrong, but if I --”
“You’re our teacher? I thought you were just the assistant.” Brynne interrupted again, rolling her eyes.
Ahni placed one hand on her hip. “Um. Yes. I am your teacher.” She turned towards the door to shut it.
“You don’t look like much. I’m taller than you are, and you probably couldn’t even cast a fireball.” Brynne’s voice eventually petered out into a mumble, her courage apparently floundering.
The girl didn't even have time to blink before an arm-thick vine encased her. She did have time, however, to squeak in fright as the vine squeezed. "Magic," Ahni spoke with her back still to the class, raising both hands and splaying her fingers, "has absolutely nothing to do with appearance. It is foolish to think so. But." She whirled toward the students, still waggling her fingers. "Those who may seek to hurt you, may judge your appearance and underestimate your ability. Use this to your advantage, use it to get away." The little Keeper knew full well how it felt to be underestimated, to be brushed off because she looked too weak, too small. Kaleidoscope irises flickered a bit of grey as an ancient memory resurfaced, but a quick shake of her head dispelled the memory before it could negatively affect the lesson Ahni so desperately wanted to teach the children. She lifted a skinny finger. "It is not cowardly to run. It is smart." She cut her eyes to the overconfident Brynne as the vine vanished and tried to keep crimson anger from her irises. “It is not smart to be brash. We will not learn how to be reckless with magic here. We are learning to stay safe, to stay alive. Do you understand.” It wasn’t a question. Ahni stood with her hands on her hips, jaw set, looking very much like the disapproving Captain of the Guard she had been in a previous life.
Once every student nodded (even Brynne, though she was quite hesitant) a bright smile broke out onto Ahni’s face. The difference was night and day, which took a few of the students by surprise. Tozu and Trynkis shared a confused glance, as did Lorril and Ritrin. Havrani and Caeda, unfazed, beamed happily back at their teacher. “I am glad that we all understand! Understanding will make everything much easier for everyone!” The little Keeper clapped and giggled excitedly. “Now. The first and most important lesson in defense is the shield. You cannot hope to protect yourself if you do not know how to make a shield. Do we all know how to call our magic?” She paused to wait for affirmation before clapping again. “All right! Everyone stand and move your chairs to the corner!”
Thus, the first lesson began.
* mellonamin = friend
* uma = yes
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