Seated on the shores of Lake Lovalus, Rharne serves as the home of the Lighting Knights, the Thunder Priestesses, and the Merchant's guild. This beautiful trade city is filled with a happy and contented people who rarely need an excuse to party.
“Now, off you go with your partners and try it out,” Sister Krysia said as she shooed her students with her hands. “I will be going around and watching you.”
They had spent the last break watching the instructors showing off unarmed combat techniques, having nothing particular to do. Lyn was the one who came up with the idea and she had forced her favorite knight to tag along with her. She imagined it would be fun and she needed the practice. What she hadn’t predicted was that this particular session was dominated by priestess novitiates.
Not that it bothered her. Though it seemed like all the staring and whispering got a bit to Leth’s nerves.
With her lying down on the mat, the knight straddled her hips in a full mount position, his hips on hers and his legs pinning her on either side. Lyn remembered practicing the moves with a fellow novitiate a long time ago, but throwing off a full-grown man would probably prove to be more difficult than that.
“You’re going to owe me one,” the young man grumbled under his breath as he noticed the eyes watching them. It was rather precious seeing the stoic man with a light blush on his cheeks. It was endearing to see how easily he was flustered on some things.
“We’re taking this class for your sake, you know,” Lyn teased as tucked her elbows close to her body and under the knight’s thighs. She tried to move her hips up weakly, testing out how heavy he was. It wasn’t at all surprising to find Leth taking the care not to bear his whole weight on her, but even then he was still too much for her to simply throw him off. “You’re lousy at unarmed combat.”
Her stormbringer scoffed. “Oh, and you’re so much better?” He threw a left hook which she blocked easily with her arm. Even in practice, Lyn could feel how vulnerable she was pinned down on the ground. His blows came faster now and there was nothing she could do but guard herself. He was too far for her to reach and in turn her attacked could do severe damage. “You’re quite horrible at ground fighting.”
Locking his ankle with her left leg, the priestess readied herself for the mount escape. Leth threw another punch which allowed her to grab his triceps and pin his hand under her arm. With all her strength, Lyn bucked up her right hip, using her body to roll to her side as she pulled him down. Soon enough, their positions were switched with her on top. It was relatively easy doing it step by step slowly, but she would need to repeat the movements until it came naturally.
“You were saying?” replied the young woman with a cocky smirk. The knight was readying himself for a comeback, but he never got the chance.
“Sister Lynessa.” The priestess’s head snapped up at the mention of her name. The voice came from a middle-aged priestess with long black hair, Sister Mariden. Lyn hadn’t seen her ever since she graduated as a full-fledged agent, but the woman was as severe looking as ever. Age definitely did not wear her down. “Might I have a word?”
Last edited by Lynessa on Wed Jul 19, 2017 11:04 am, edited 1 time in total. word count: 566
The priestess climbed off her partner hastily and walked over to where the high priestess was waiting. Judging from the grim look on Sister Mariden’s face, Lyn knew she was finally getting a mission. She felt slightly disappointed, honestly. It had been only a few weeks that she returned to Rharne. If she was to be sent away again… Not that the young woman could do anything about it. The last time she protested against an assignment, Lyn was soon threatened with a discharge.
“Of course, sister. How may I serve?” A designated reply, fortunately something she had gotten used to a long time ago. Lyn used – still – to think that it made her sound like such a pushover, but Alia had pointed out that the senior priestesses would appreciate it. Not that it changed the condescending look in the older woman’s eyes.
Sister Mariden glanced coldly at the knight keeping close behind her. “He’s your stormbringer?” The older priestess took an entire bit to look at them up and down. “Very well. Both of you follow me.”
Lyn blinked in surprise but nodded and followed the sister into the building. That was a curious thing. Sister Mariden had come all the way to the training grounds to see her, yet she told her nothing. It was something that not a lot of people should hear then. Usually the priestesses don’t flaunt their missions, but for low-rankers like her, nothing was quite worth being so secretive either. After all, they supposedly worked together to serve Ilaren.
They were heading well into the south wing before the priestess finally stopped and gestured at them to enter a small room.
Sister Mariden turned to them as the door closed behind her. “You investigated a young woman a few days ago. A redheaded woman.” The way she was frowning the young woman with distaste made Lyn wonder if Sister Mariden wasn’t thrilled to assign her the mission.
Lyn nodded and shared a glance with Leth, not entirely sure where this was heading. He seemed as puzzled as she was. Her heart was swiftly picking up, barely able to contain her excitement. “Yes, I did. We barely got any information about it.”
“We have reason to believe that these… accidents will occur more frequently from now on.” The older priestess clutched both of her hands in front of her, a solemn gesture. “There is a new faction worming its way through our streets it seems. We do not attention to that sort of thing most of the time, but they seemed to possess a rather burning hatred against the Aukari.”
So do I. The young woman ran her fingers through her brown hair, pressing her lips together. “And they’re running around dishing vigilante justice. Is that the problem?”
A nod. “Even if they are targeting our enemies, we cannot let such chaos run rampant in the city. You will find out who these people are and what their true end goal.”
The question slipped from her mouth before she could stop herself. Thanks to Alia, the order was well aware of her rash tendencies regarding the fiery race. Lyn could feel her knight’s heavy on the back of her head. He must hated it, not being able to say his thoughts out loud. “But why me?”
Sister Mariden sighed loudly. “You have been away from the city for quite some time and less recognizable as a priestess. We rather have no one knowing of our interest in their faction. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sister.”
“You are, however, prohibited into coming into contact with them. Your mission is simply to gather information and bring it back to us.”
That’s a bit disappointing. Infiltration had always been the more exciting part of her work. No matter, this should be interesting enough. Who knows, if she was fortunate, they might decide to assign her when there was the need to take further action. And since this also meant she could stay in the city longer, Lyn couldn’t refuse.
A faction hell-bent on unleashing fury on the Aukari. This was the sort of thing that’s right up her alley. “I will serve to the best of my abilities, sister.” Bowing her head slightly, Lyn hid the small smile tugging at her lips.
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Soon after the High Priestess left, Lyn figure they should take a break. The walk to her room wasn’t long and the entirety of it she spent ignoring her knight. Leth was dying to comment, she could tell, but he was far too kind to say it where other priestesses could hear. He was a good man and a good soldier, who got the unfortunate luck of babysitting her.
It was an entirely different story, however, the moment they were in the privacy of her room.
“Lyn…”
“Let me guess,” Lyn started with a dramatic sigh. She tossed herself onto the bed and rolled over to look at her liaison. Gone was the stoic knight act, replaced with the man she was much more familiar with. Leth stood, looking down at her with exasperation and his arms crossed. “You definitely do not like the idea of me taking this mission.”
“You never think clearly when it comes to the Aukari, Lyn.” His handsome face was unfortunately ruined by a scowl. Leth was an arc younger than her, yet he always assumed the role of a fussy mother hen whenever he could.
The patronizing tone in his voice was more than enough to make her annoyance flare. Even if it was expected. “I know how to do my job. I can think clearly.”
“Not when it comes to this. Like our last investigation…” He trailed off, his gray-blue eyes mirroring the fire in hers.
Feeling the heat building up in her chest, the priestess sat up on her bed. This was always of how it was. Him and his pure heart against her immoral deeds. “What? What about it?”
Leth clenched his jaw as he took a step closer. “I saw it. How your face change when you suspected the girl is an Aukari. What were you thinking? That she might just deserve getting beaten by a bunch of strangers?”
“Are you worried that I’m turning into a monster then? Is that it?” the priestess spat. She hated the shame that rose that came with his every word. He wasn’t wrong. The thought did cross her mind.
“Yes, yes I am! And you know damn well I have a good reason to!”
The young woman flinched at his raised voice, looking away in stubbornness. Her heart felt like it was wrenched out of her chest. Lyn knew what he was referring to. Leth wanted her to feel guilty for what she did, even till now. But what use was that? What done is done. “I did what I had to.” It didn’t matter anymore. With hands that were already painted in blood… did it really matter if she shed more? Then the memory came to her, that trial when they were on their way back to Rharne. Pounding hooves coming from behind. The clash of steel. The redheaded Aukari raising his hands in surrender. Her dagger plunging into his heart. Lastly, blood.
“You didn’t,” he replied, his voice barely a whisper. His temper vanished as swiftly as it flared, but she could feel the weight on his gaze on her. Willing her to look at him. They hadn’t talked about it, not when Lyn always avoided it. It was something she would rather not think about. “And I didn’t stop you.”
Silence stretched between them and Lyn did not feel like saying anything else. It had been easier to pretend that she never killed an innocent girl if they didn’t about it. She shouldn’t be surprised that Leth had such thoughts about her. He had every right, but it hurt knowing that. Lyn couldn’t even bear to look at him, to see the anger and disgust written on his face.
Just before he left, the knight paused. “You do whatever you want, you always have.”
Last edited by Lynessa on Wed Jun 06, 2018 2:13 pm, edited 1 time in total. word count: 645
Knowledge
Unarmed Combat: Full Mount Position
Unarmed Combat: Importance of Defending Against a Mounted Opponent
Unarmed Combat: Escaping from a Full Mount
Detection: Disapproval from Sister Mariden
Deception: Being Submissive Towards a Higher Authority
Deception: Convincing yourself that you did the right thing
[NPC] Sister Mariden: Severe Looking
[NPC] Sister Mariden: Does Not Like You
[NPC] Leth: Flusters Easily
[NPC] Leth: Fussy Mother Hen
[NPC] Leth: Far Too Kind
[NPC] Leth: May Thinks You're a Monster
Rharne: A New Faction Rising?
Rharne: Aukaris are Targeted
Thunder Priestess: Tasked to Investigate the Mysterious Faction
