Private Tales Graceless and Divine

[Vittoria Larrainth]

That some how made Vittoria laugh. It was small, brief, but there was a momentary brightening of amusement in the crook of her lips, her eyes crinkling at his humour, but it all fell away when she turned to stare at the small window before them, where they could see the glimpse of trees.

"I doubt I would kill you over one, Kilien." She finally said. "Without you, it would mean one less challenge for when we graduate next spring. How else am I to impress the Dreadlords if I am left with the weaker Initiates?"

But her thoughts were never spoken, never intended to be heard by anyone. Vittoria knew death would come for them all one day, and she hoped Kilien's death would not be by her hand. No, she could not bring herself to picture being the cause of his demise.

Was she growing attached?

 

[Kilien Basmarc]

Well if that wasn't a masked invitation to steal a kiss he didn't know what was. Maybe she was trying to tempt him, or maybe she earnestly had no clue how a male would read between those particular lines. Kilien was a scoundrel, this much was true, but he was not an asshole.

Still, he'd keep that bit of info tucked away. If the inclination to kiss her ever truly struck, it was at least good to know it wouldn't bring an immediate end to his existence.

"Yeah?" Kil remarked as he shifted in his seat to ease once more into the backrest, boots lifting to prop crossed at the ankles on the opposite bench, "Well that's good to know."

"You seem real confident about me graduating," he did not believe they would let him. Not after only two years at the Academy. Either they'd hold him back a few more years or he'd find a reason to take his life into his own hands outside Vel Anir.

 

[Vittoria Larrainth]

Her brow quirked, giving him a quick glance as she nodded slowly. "Of course, your chances are much better now than they were before this Revolution. You could have graduated with the class of this year, but they wanted you to remain another year at least..." Now, Vittoria met his gaze once more, turning to face him.

She lifted an arm to rest against the back seat, pushing his arm slightly so that she had a comfortable perch to rest her cheek in her hand. "That is if you choose to graduate at all. We get a choice now, and something tells me you are not ready to jump into the career of Dreadlords... so, perhaps, reserves." She pinned him with a calculating look, her lips twitching at one side as she gave his appearance a once over.

"Or exile."

Her eyes snapped back to meet his, a glint of something undetectable in her gaze. "It just would be a shame to see your potential go to waste."

 

[Kilien Basmarc]

"I'm not Dreadlord material," he admitted without shame, stating the words as a simple truth. The sky was blue. Grass was green. The sun rose in the east and set in the west. And Kilien Basmarc was not Dreadlord material.

"I'm not even Anirian," his fingers drummed at his middle, thumb moving to push his father's golden signet around his pointer, "I was born on the seaside cliffs of Amesford in South Ethel which is well outside of Vel Anir reach." Kilien looked at her, brows tipped up in discontentment of the word 'exile', "it's not really exile if you're going home."

"If they'd even let me. Something tells me they won't."

 

[Vittoria Larrainth]

Vittoria stiffened for just a moment, instinct putting her on edge for just a second hearing the words of him not being born in Anirian lands. There was truly too much for her to get this close in acquaintance with Kilien, a drive to keep him at an arms length and threaten his existence... but here she was, close to him that suggested she was comfortable in his presence.

And that pull towards him. She had never felt something like that, even if the intent was to murder.

"Pity," she said coolly, eyes dropping to take in his form beneath his coat. "You certainly would make a fine one."

Vittoria did not say anything more on the matter.

Instead, she turned to sit properly in her chair, back straight, shoulders back, and her hands clasped nicely in her lap. A silence fell between them, and she had felt no need to fill it with more idle talk. They were halfway there to their destination, and only when the carriage began the slow and winding road leading to the town along the hills, she turned to Kilien.

"We should start with tea, that way you can tell me more of this place you called home." For Vittoria too grew up by the sea in Vel Luin, but her time by the water was scarce unless she was to learn to swim, to understand how to survive before going to the Academy.