Faerlin had been gently, but firmly told by her superiors that she needed to take some time off.
It had been the result of a long string of incidents that led to this moment, so the paladin couldn't put her finger on exactly had been the straw that forced her captain’s hand. It might have to do with the fact that she’d been signing up for every extra shift and training session she could. Or it might have to do with her brutal treatment of her opponents in recent fights (the only way to treat opponents, in her mind). In short, the army was worried about her burning out or snapping and were making her rest for a bit before coming back to active duty.
While she had protested, there wasn’t much she could do to disobey a direct order like that. So now she had to find something to fill her time with. So far, she wasn’t coming up with much.
She’d spent the morning in the temple of Nykios, praying, centering herself, and reaffirming her relationship to her god. However, there was only so much time she could spend there. She loved Nykios, but even she knew that there was only so much time he would demand from her on any given day. Besides, he’d probably be much happier with her if she was out fighting.
She knew she would be.
After leaving the Temple, she’d just wandered the streets she had basically grown up on. The familiarity was comforting at first—the sound of merchants hawking their wares, of blacksmiths and builders practicing their craft, of boots marching in the streets and chatter filling the air—but she quickly grew bored. After all, she knew the fortress city like the back of her hand. Just walking around aimlessly wasn’t doing much for her. In fact, she longed for something new. Plus, it was probably what the army actually wanted from her.
So she made her way outside the city, in the direction the Falwood. She’d never spent a significant amount of time near the forests there, but it was close enough to Vel Anir that it was impossible to miss. Seeing as she wasn’t patrolling, she didn’t have her full armor on. However, she had her sword at her hip. In the pack she had some rations and a waterskin, as well as a flint as steel. This was just supposed to be a day trip and maybe a short hike, so she didn’t really need much.
Seeing as she was still close to the city—indeed, she could still see the walls in the distance—there probably wasn’t much danger. But she prayed to Nykios that something more exciting might happen. If she absolutely had to take time off, she was going to make the most of it.
It had been the result of a long string of incidents that led to this moment, so the paladin couldn't put her finger on exactly had been the straw that forced her captain’s hand. It might have to do with the fact that she’d been signing up for every extra shift and training session she could. Or it might have to do with her brutal treatment of her opponents in recent fights (the only way to treat opponents, in her mind). In short, the army was worried about her burning out or snapping and were making her rest for a bit before coming back to active duty.
While she had protested, there wasn’t much she could do to disobey a direct order like that. So now she had to find something to fill her time with. So far, she wasn’t coming up with much.
She’d spent the morning in the temple of Nykios, praying, centering herself, and reaffirming her relationship to her god. However, there was only so much time she could spend there. She loved Nykios, but even she knew that there was only so much time he would demand from her on any given day. Besides, he’d probably be much happier with her if she was out fighting.
She knew she would be.
After leaving the Temple, she’d just wandered the streets she had basically grown up on. The familiarity was comforting at first—the sound of merchants hawking their wares, of blacksmiths and builders practicing their craft, of boots marching in the streets and chatter filling the air—but she quickly grew bored. After all, she knew the fortress city like the back of her hand. Just walking around aimlessly wasn’t doing much for her. In fact, she longed for something new. Plus, it was probably what the army actually wanted from her.
So she made her way outside the city, in the direction the Falwood. She’d never spent a significant amount of time near the forests there, but it was close enough to Vel Anir that it was impossible to miss. Seeing as she wasn’t patrolling, she didn’t have her full armor on. However, she had her sword at her hip. In the pack she had some rations and a waterskin, as well as a flint as steel. This was just supposed to be a day trip and maybe a short hike, so she didn’t really need much.
Seeing as she was still close to the city—indeed, she could still see the walls in the distance—there probably wasn’t much danger. But she prayed to Nykios that something more exciting might happen. If she absolutely had to take time off, she was going to make the most of it.