Private Tales The Goblin, the Horse, and the Hair

[Kael]

Kael pulled the girl up, fighting the pain in his back and helping her to a solid stance. He had noticed the initial hesitation, and the hesitancy with which she admitted the pain she was feeling. Were she a couple feet shorter with green skin they might not be so different.

“Yeah, it’s getting late. Probably need to hurry if we want to make it to mess before shutdown.” He replied. He picked up the requestioned bows and handed one to the woman before beginning the trek. He looked up at the stars sky and noticed some of the stars beginning to peek their way into sight. He wondered what stories they told to Anirians. Perhaps he would have to find a book at the archives.

 

[Avery]

Ah, a meal.

With the sun setting, the dark looming behind it, Avery had all but forgotten about a meal. "I haven't eaten all day..." She admitted aloud, more to herself than to Kael's ears. Upon realising this, she frowned, turning to look at him. "Don't worry. My magic allows me to go days without a meal... it... actually comes in useful when the food used to be absolutely horrid. Lucky for us, a new cook is in the kitchens..."

And the meals turned out to be something Avery was curious to try. Yesterday's dinner had been chicken and creamy mustard pie. It had sounded strange, but when Avery had bit into her forkful of it, she had been pleasantly surprised.

"What do you think tonight's dinner will be?"

 

[Kael]

The two continued at pace and Kael discovered that the woman had apparently not eaten. Part of him thought this was his fault, but after she opened a bit more he realized it was more typical of her. She likely trained the ability to go without food far more than most at the academy. Kael stopped and lugged his pack over his shoulder. He went through a specific pocket and pulled a strip of dried meat and presented it to Avery.

“This is jerky, made from elk. Hunted it not to far from here.” He said, before slinging the pack back to place and returning to a walk.

“When we were getting sugar cubes I took a glance at the prep for tonight. Something called Baramundi?” The last word took a little longer to say as he tried to pronounce a word he’d only read. The word hung a bit in the air, indicating Kael didn’t really know what it was.

 

[Avery]

Avery gave the dried meat a sickened grimace, staring at it long before she shook her head and turned away. "It looks like it would hurt my jaw to chew."

The idea of barramundi being on tonight's menu made her amiable, the grimace smoothing into a pleasant expression. "Fish? The Academy rarely prepared fish..." But it spoke to the delicacies that were now gracing the Initiates. Well balanced meals would help their growth, and Avery suddenly was looking forward to eating a meal. "Well, I think we will make good time to the dining hall after we drop these off."

 

[Kael]

"Fish hunh? I don't think I've had fish since coming to the academy." Kael responded, affirming her thoughts. He'd caught and tasted fish before, but not in some time. He noticed a slight change in Avery's demeanor at the mention.

"Is fish a common meal where you're from?" He asked. There were a number of hometime meals that he missed. It was only sensible the humans might as well. The Academy couldn't represent the whole of humanity's palate. At least, he hoped so. Someone had to have a tongue that appreciated spice.

 

[Avery]

"I would imagine so." She pondered. "On my records, it says I came from Lukene. It wasn't on many maps, but once I found it, it showed a crossroads town by the sea."

Avery had grown up here in the Academy. She was young when she had been abandoned at a hospital, but her mother had come from Lukene and waited three months before giving Avery up. There was no ties to her family, the Academy had named her, the name Cathaior adopted by the Proctor's family that raised her, but due to their stance in the Revolution, were executed by the Archon known as the Butcher of Vel Anir.

She had no clue on what a family was like, she only knew those in her class, a number so small at the start until more gifted children came this way.

"But I have had fish on some missions that were by the Cortosi Sea."

 

[Kael]

Avery's response was a bit more revealing than what he remembered at her prior discussion of Pre-Academy life. To have to find one's birthplace on a map? He had noticed the academy was home to several that knew no other. He always wondered how they would adapt to some level of freedom.

"How is it prepared? What does one eat with barramundi?" He asked, preferring to keep the topic light as they continued the march to the quartermaster.

 

[Avery]

"Oh, well..." Avery had no clue.

She could barely remember the plate she ate all those months ago, but failing to provide a proper answer simply made her feel slightly guilty. "I... don't know, to be truthful." A sheepish smile gave way of her unease. "Perhaps we will be surprised for dinner."

They came up to the wing where the Armoury could be found, and upon entering the long hall, Avery shivered as the warmth of the building enveloped them. "Kress, I didn't realise how cold it was outside." She frowned, moving to shed her outer jacket and be left with a woolly jumper. "At least the days will start to warm in a few weeks." Spring had always been her favourite season, the temperature just right to enjoy being outside again.

 

[Kael]

Kael let out a laugh.

“Yeah, I guess we will.” He allowed a smile as Avery confessed she didn’t know exactly what the meal was she seemed excited for. Kael opened the door and the two walked into wing containing the armory, closing the door behind him.

“It’ll be nice to have some warmer weather.” He replied, then briefly wondered if the warmth was what the coming Cortosi conflict was waiting on. Even before the two headed to Altera along with Nas and Marcia, there was a definite tension between the two.

Kael continued through the long hall before turning into the armory.

“Quartermaster? We’ve some arms to check in.”

 

[Avery]

Avery dumped her gear onto the nearest table, turning to the one attending to the Armoury. Her brows lifted, although she should not be surprised by Kael's manners. Not after the half day she had spent with him and his well and good meaning.

"Just.. put it there." The Quartermaster cleared his throat and nodded to where Avery stood.

The Initiate snorted as Kael approached. "You never had to borrow much from here before, have you?"

 

[Kael]

Kael noted the surprise at which the quartermaster responded to him, but made his way over and stacked his bow and arrows with hers, trying to keep things in a relatively organized fashion.

“I try to make or procure as much of my supplies as I can.” Kael responded. “Though it seems I’m not keeping up.” He continued, before examining the equipment he left once more and deciding he had left it in a satisfactory state.

“Do we need to sign anything or, are we good to go?”

 

[Avery]

"That's all we need to do." She smiled, already moving back to leave.

The dining hall was in the next building, but luckily for them they could walk through this current one to get there without having to be in the cool air for long.

"Kael." Avery turned to him as they walked the hall, at the very end turning to go right. "Can I ask you something... perhaps personal?"

 

[Kael]

Kael followed the girl as the quartermaster gave an amused by slightly bewildered expression. They were making good time to the mess, just about to round the corner, thrn Avery asked a question. And what a question. Kael thought for a moment before responding.

“There are some things I can’t answer, but you may ask.”

 

[Avery]

"Has anyone ever given you a hard time for being a shifter?"

She could recall hearing stories of past Initiates in unkind times that were shifters. She remembered the words thrown at them. Whispered. Snarled. Spat.

But they were beyond those years now, and yet Avery still wondered how cruel this world was lingering in this new age.

 

[Kael]

Kael smiled and let out a small chuckle despite himself.

“Yes. From initiate and proctor alike. While the Academy has a path for infiltrators, there are many who find it without honor to wear another’s face. Or that it ‘shows a distinct lack of bravura unbecoming of a proper dreadlord to attack a man asleep in his home instead of on the open battlefield’. “ Kael’s voice changed to match the tone and pitch of Proctor Wordsworth, known for his eloquent repartee and distinctly Vel Drazan accent.

“But generally it’s not too bad. I might be sneered at by some but I’m not targeted, if that makes sense. I think guys like Nas and I would have had a much harder time five years ago.” Kael’s voice returned to its normal timbre as he continued.

 

[Avery]

Avery frowned. He wasn't wrong.

Weaker magic that did no real damage or could be made into a weapon were often seen as weak and often weeded out. The moment Avery's magic manifested into what it was had heralded her as the Academy's highly anticipated Initiate, and remembered vaguely a certain Larrainth girl being upset by being overseen.

"Naser, and yourself," she added quickly, "have become quite smart and quick with your talents. Any means necessary, I have seen you adapt and fight. You both should be commended for such work."

A compliment.

Avery could have said nothing, but skilled as she was in her aspects, it was worthy to make note of an Initiate that only applied themselves to be useful and make their ability worth something.

 

[Kael]

“Yeah. Nas is a bit of an asshole, but he’s not too bad. He may just turn the tide of a war one day.” Kael responded. His natural impulse was to deflect attention. He hadn’t intended to fish for compliments, but she had given him one. She didn’t need to. In fact it was probably more socially aware to do the opposite.

“And thank you.” He said a moment later, acknowledging her compliment more directly. Not quite sure what else to say he resumed the walk over to mess hall. Perhaps some fish would help his tongue.