A Day in the Life Of [Open]

[Andy]

Alrim's day was very annoying, very fast and his temper was being stretched thin. Thinner than he had experienced in some time. He wasn't sure why he was so easily susceptible to the barbs of the Drin and Ji this day but he was. It was somewhat his fault, he had a teaching style that leant itself to informality. He allowed a certain amount of back and forth banter from his pupils, so long as they showed a decent level of respect and actually tried to apply themselves. This lesson had shown little of either. Usually attentive Ji weren't keeping the Drin in line as they normally would either. "Bells Gaidin," the feigned effeminate tone grated from Delmar's lips grated and he gripped his lathe firmly to maintain control, "why should I listen to you? Real warriors don't look so shiny" There was scattered tittering and for the first time in a long while he wondered if he should have let Ravak cut the damned things off. To the credit of the ones who didn't laugh they looked shocked and were cautiously edging away from the instigator. Delmar Drin, a new arrival and too much idiocy to last long without a sharp shock. His comrades were a mixed bunch, some should have known better, the Ji especially. He carefully let his lathe fall to the floor. "You want to see what a real warrior looks like, Delmar Drin," his tone was icy as he pulled his shirt off and threw it aside to show the gathered scars, "take a look. Do you know what it's like to fight Trollocs?" his words whipped out at the lad as he picked up his lathe once more and stepped forwards. "The rest of you get back, you...five...step forwards," he snapped and they obeyed quickly, isolating the trespassers, "how about a Fade? No? Perhaps just a man then? No?" his lathe pointed at them in turn, fingers away from their faces and he took some small satisfaction from the way their eyes followed it. "A lesson for you all. I tolerate more than most other Gaidin do, you would do well to remember that after" "After what?" "After the fight. You think yourself a warrior. Prove it. Beat. All or you. One at a time or all at once. Your choice" "But...we..we can't!" "You can try or you can see the Master of Training" he shrugged and waited. Two of them peeled off and chose wisely, the other three chose stupidity. It was over quickly and he was not overly rough with them. Their lathes did fly in different directions and they would have bruises for a week or more but it was worth it, at times, to inflict such things if it meant better judgement in future. He prodded them with his lathe before picking up his shirt and eyeing them coldly, his gaze them taking in the rest of the group. "The next time you want to talk, remember that there are consequences. An enemy will not hold back as I did and bragging is no substitute for skill. I am here to make sure you don't get killed when you are Gaidin. If you make it. I expect more attention next time and if you don't bring the right amount of respect then you will pay the price" "All of you, fifty times around the Yard and I will be counting. Go!" He watched them leave and sighed to himself when they were all gone, leaning against the railing and wondering whether it had all been worth it. In his Test of Honour he had been the Gaidin Captain. It seemed impossible given he couldn't even keep Drin and Ji in line. "Perhaps I wasn't cut out for teaching" he sighed again and became lost in his thoughts.

[Roan]

Riahana Gaidin

Riahana had been in the Yards going through her sword forms when she heard what sounded like a sharp exchange of words. Pausing in her drills, she listened more closely, and realized it was a Gaidin scolding students. Moving closer to the confrontation, she watched as Alrim Gaidin put three trainees in their place, then had the rest of his class run laps.

“Perhaps I wasn’t cut out for teaching.”

Arching a brow as she came to stand along side Alrim and watch his students run laps. “On the contrary, Gaidin. Your style is unique, but overall, it has been effective. I’m sure you’ve heard the saying you attract more flies with honey than vinegar.

“They respect you and can relate to you. Your teaching style has gotten through to all of them where others have failed,” Ria replied. She looped her fingers through her sword belt as the group ran past once more, “Each of them had been to the Master of Training at least a half a dozen of times until you took them under your wing. They still get into trouble, but we’ve seen progress in them. So much so that two of them will be called for Raising soon. I don’t think that would have happened had you not crossed their paths.”

[Andy]

Perhaps I'm too familiar. No, I know I am. But I can't bring myself to be another statue, we have enough of them already. If people don't get anything but indifference then they just turn out wrong he mused to himself as he watched the backs of the last group to take up the run. His thoughts were interrupted by a voice he found to be familiar enough that he didn't have to turn around to guess whom it was. It was strange, the way his memory worked. He had met her perhaps less than any other person he knew but those meetings had imprinted themselves - both the good and the bad. He did not regret fighting beside her but still wished he had not had to. He listened to her words as the group passed them in their laps. "You are too kind to me. As always. I am not so sure they are changed because of me. Except perhaps in how long they can run for, which will be useful if they can't improve their blade skills" he shook his head with a wry smile and turning to face her with an incline of the head. She was no longer the Mistress of Arms but she would always deserve his respect. "I am glad to see you well Riahana Gaidin, and under better circumstances than before. May our health last for a long time," he greeted her, watching the runners briefly and noting a few slipping behind the rest, "Varden, you know what happens when you leave people behind now" he shouted as they passed next and the lead boy nodded and went to the back, there to try to keep the others going. "You paint a picture of them that reminds me of me. Perhaps that is why they respond, when they aren't running laps or worse. I don't know, it's just hard to keep going sometimes," he shrugged, "I suppose that you are used to it by now., no?"

[Roan]

Riahana Tomosan Gaidin

Ria watched the group run around the yards as she listened to Alrim. He escorted her daughter when he was still a Ji’Val, and kept her safe despite the complications of that particular mission. He fought with her at the Citadel, keeping one very stubborn blue from getting skewered by Trollocs. More than his fighting skills, though, Alrim had a way about him that seemed to get through to those Warders-in-Training who lacked self discipline.

The Warder Yards seemed to attract two general types of people: those who wanted to serve a higher purpose, and those who seemed to lack purpose. Alrim thought he’d been one who lacked purpose but came to the Tower looking for it. . .at least that is the story Ria seemed to remember him telling her.

The trainees who were doing laps had all improved since he sort of took them under his wing. She gave a small, but wry smile, “Used to it? Perhaps. Mind, I left the Tower a number of years ago. I’d seen too many people die.” She let go a soft sigh as she recalled watching Caden Ives carry Mia’s dead body through a gateway. “Gareth and I weren’t yet married. We left, and didn’t return until Tia and Einion were teenagers.

“What I’m getting at is that I’m not sure you ever really get used to life in the Tower. You adapt. You’ve adapted in the time you’ve been here, and you will continue to adapt,” Ria explained. She nodded towards the trainees, “They will adapt. . .or they’ll leave. Given what I’ve heard and seen, I’d bet coin they’ll adapt.”

[Andy]

"I am sorry to hear that, I will not ask what happened but I am glad you returned to us. I am not sure it would be the same place without you. Though I have heard many tales of the Tower being less than safe. Perhaps we can make it safe one day" he mused aloud. He was thoughtful for a few moments after she had finished talking. What she stated made sense though it seemed to easily practical. Perhaps he liked complexity too much to see the simpler things when it came to people. It was possible. Still it felt like there was something missing in the equation and he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was. "I have not met Einon though I hope he is well and given his parents I imagine he is a talented man. I have met Tia though, she is better than she knows, I think," he nodded to himself, "and I wouldn't care to bet coin against your word. I imagine that I would lose. I prefer less certain odds" "Very well, I accept that I can help make them adapt. I just wish they weren't as cheeky as I was, it's like an annoying mirror that I can't smash," he sighed and after a few moments a smile crept over his lips. "I had been meaning to approach you actually. Rumour has it that you are the best sword around. I always wanted to learn from the best. Another time perhaps as I couldn't do it justice today, I don't think, but any future Bondmates would likely thank you for it. Though I don't see a queue. I can also bribe with imported goods if that helps?" he said with a chuckle. He was approached by a wheezing trio of runners who looked at him pleadingly and he frowned at them for a few moments before asking how many laps they had managed and satisfied it had been an improvement over last time he gestured their dismissal with his head and waited for them to get out of ear shot. "Better than last time at least," he said, "no point letting them kill themselves over it" he shrugged.

[Roan]

Riahana Gaidin

Ria laughed softly, “I think like attracts like, so you are doomed to continue to attract cheeky characters. Truth be told, there is little harm in it. I think we can all get a bit stuffy and caught up in the goings on of the Tower. It’s a nice change when people can find joy and humor.”

Best sword around. She did have a Heron marked blade, but so too did Ravak. Ria was not one to boast of her skill, nor would she ever proclaim she was the best. She took the compliment in stride, though, and turned her attention towards Alrim, offering an amused smile, “There is no need to bribe with imported goods. We are all here to learn, and I would be doing my battle brothers and sisters a disservice if I did not share what knowledge I know.

“I would be happy to work with you and do my best to impart what wisdom I can, though I will give you fair warning. . .for me, the basis of swordplay is the Void, or ko’di. If you have not mastered that, then we shall start there. I know you are no beginner with the blade, so I won’t bore you with basics, but it would do me good to see you in action to get a sense for what you do know, along with what your weaknesses might be,” Ria replied. It was a similar answer she gave anyone who asked her to teach them.

[Andy]

"I suppose not," he conceded after a few moments of though, "it is a hard thing we ask them to do. Perhaps giving them some time to be themselves is wroth it. Little terrors" It was nice to hear her laugh too, her reputation amongst the Drin and Ji was deservedly awed but she was human too and his own perception of her was that life was hard and enjoyment should be sought out wherever it reared its head. Even mere amusing comments. As for himself, he knew he could probably learn a bit more seriousness from those such as she and it would likely be for the better. Perhaps, he reasoned, he should get all of the Gaidin and lock them in a room somewhere until they learned all there was to learn from each other. If we didn't kill each other first he told himself with a small smile. "The conditions are fair though I still think you should have chosen the imported goods, I have some quite fine bottles I'll never get to without a very long span of time off. And we know how rare that is these days" he nodded his acceptance. "I know of the ko'di. And use it. Not sure what a master of it feels like but I'm probably not one. Haven't really mastered anything but cards and...other things. Then again I've not been here long so I guess I have time enough to do so" He left out the fact that that required him surviving long enough but he always liked to think he'd find a way to outlive even the worst situations. It seemed too much like giving up to merely accept the inevitable fate. He had given up before and realised the error, he wasn't about to repeat it. "How long did it take you to become what you are? And who taught you, if I might ask?"

[Roan]

Riahana Gaidin

Ria laughed softly, “I won’t say no if you ever find yourself with too many imported goods on your hands.” She reached up and ran a hand along her jawline, “We shall start with the Void, then, and see what it takes to break you from its grasp. The detachment it offers helps sharpen one’s senses and reflexes, which is why it is so important to me and my style.

“There are those who find they are better when they fuel their emotions instead of pushing them aside. Perhaps the same will apply to you, though you won’t know until you try. I think there is merit in either approach with the ultimate decision being to the person as to what works best for them,” the Gaidin explained.

Looping her thumb back through her sword belt, Ria tilted her head slightly as she considered his questions. “Master Caden Ives taught me about the Flame and Void, as well as the basics of swordplay. He was my...step-great grandfather, married to Miahala Sedai at the time. He was the first Blademaster I’d ever met, and for the longest time, one of the only ones I’d ever known.

“As for how long,” she gave him a small, but wry smile, “A lifetime? I started training in the Yards when I was but seventeen. I earned the right to bear a Heron mark on my blade perhaps five years ago? Perhaps a bit longer, but I still have much I could learn and improve.” She shrugged, “Even a master doesn’t know all there is to know. The moment you think you know it all is the moment you should lay down your weapons and walk away from the art of war. Such thinking would get you killed.”

[Andy]

"I don't think that will be a problem, I usually assume I don't know anything" he said with a small smile, "and only 5 years? That seems difficult to believe though I don't doubt your word" Perhaps, he reasoned, it seemed so far-fetched because she was able to do things he could not. He recalled the same sort of thinking from those trying to beat him at Find the Lady, or various other tricks. Things seemed almost impossible until you were able to do them yourself, and you only ever managed to do them if you tried. Quite a lot of times too. Still he did fancy she likely had a natural talent that was merely carved into what she was now. It was not an easy thing to do after all. "As for the method it sounds like I try to do both, perhaps it is time to choose one. And I have heard that name, though not often. Like a relic of something before a certain time. Another legend to talk about around the fire" he sighed to himself, the Tower was full of them and it made finding out facts about its history frustrating at times. "Sometimes I forget the Tower has been around for generations. It makes me wonder how much is no longer remembered"

[Roan]

Riahana Gaidin

Ria’s thoughts lingered on Caden Ives as she listened to Alrim, “Legends come and go, and sometimes the truth of the person isn’t as grand as their legend. For his part, Lord Caden Ives was a man worth of the legend that lingers. Who knows if those who are around a century from now will remember him.

“Channelers are much longer lived than the likes of you and I, and there are those who still know him and will likely see the legend last. The Browns do quite a considerable job to make sure the history of the Tower is not forgotten, though it is up to us to seek out that knowledge, I suppose,” she replied as she turned to face him.

Tilting her head, Ria sized Alrim up, “We will begin training tomorrow. Our first lesson will be without swords. In fact, we’ll meet in a classroom in the Warder Hall. Bring a quarterstaff with you, and make sure you get a good meal in you. We will meet two hours after breakfast, and you will be with me at least until high.”

She offered him a small, wry smile, “Training with me will not be easy. With our learning ranks, I am a bit more forgiving, but with fellow Gaidin. . .well, I figure we have less margin of error than our Drin and Ji’Val.”