“Oh? False modesty is not necessary, Miss Arvel.” Verity's tone was no more pleasant. More disconcerting was that he was no longer looking at the girl in question; as he took a sip of his drink, his gaze remained fixed on his son's as he continued to speak to the commoner. “You would not have accepted into the Viden Academy if you had no worth or potential. Being born into privilege does not give you any advantage in this city.”
It was almost as if Verity was daring his heir to respond. Virikai did not know whether he would be defending his partner or himself. He noted the side-ways glance and, steeling himself, responded, “The first challenge in learning is understanding that you have much to learn, I was once taught. The wisest, most experienced scholar will be the first to admit to having gaps in his knowledge. If you have accepted that already, you have won the hardest battle.” Virikai was not as rude as his father, choosing to direct his answer to Maebella directly, though he was pleased at crafting a response to the on-going conflict between father and son.
“You seem to imply that you have already made the decision to continue your studies further than a Letter in Idalosian Literature. Have you thought about specialising, or trying to keep your future studies as broad as possible?” He knew that discussions revolving around academia were a much more comfortable place to be than intense scrutiny, and he tried to guide the conversation in that direction. He hoped that Maebella would jump on it, even pushing that idea towards her with the use of Xypha, trying to indicated this was a safe subject matter.
Regardless of other motivations, he tone was even genuinely interested. Choosing a subject to study at Certificate level had not been easy, especially after such a break from the Academy. He had even considered coming back to study a whole new Letter instead. He explained as much, “Of course, many people different motivations for pursuing a qualification. Is it because of a desire to achieve more in a career, for which certain knowledge, skills or qualifications are required to succeed, and the Academy offers the best chance at this success? Or is it simply borne out of a love of learning and an insatiable desire to know more?”
Virikai glanced away from Maebella, fleetingly meeting his father's gaze. His expression had twisted into something a to derisive amusement. “Each reason is as valid as the next, but an individual's motivations will certainly influence the way in which they chase said qualifications.”
He needed another drink.
It was almost as if Verity was daring his heir to respond. Virikai did not know whether he would be defending his partner or himself. He noted the side-ways glance and, steeling himself, responded, “The first challenge in learning is understanding that you have much to learn, I was once taught. The wisest, most experienced scholar will be the first to admit to having gaps in his knowledge. If you have accepted that already, you have won the hardest battle.” Virikai was not as rude as his father, choosing to direct his answer to Maebella directly, though he was pleased at crafting a response to the on-going conflict between father and son.
“You seem to imply that you have already made the decision to continue your studies further than a Letter in Idalosian Literature. Have you thought about specialising, or trying to keep your future studies as broad as possible?” He knew that discussions revolving around academia were a much more comfortable place to be than intense scrutiny, and he tried to guide the conversation in that direction. He hoped that Maebella would jump on it, even pushing that idea towards her with the use of Xypha, trying to indicated this was a safe subject matter.
Regardless of other motivations, he tone was even genuinely interested. Choosing a subject to study at Certificate level had not been easy, especially after such a break from the Academy. He had even considered coming back to study a whole new Letter instead. He explained as much, “Of course, many people different motivations for pursuing a qualification. Is it because of a desire to achieve more in a career, for which certain knowledge, skills or qualifications are required to succeed, and the Academy offers the best chance at this success? Or is it simply borne out of a love of learning and an insatiable desire to know more?”
Virikai glanced away from Maebella, fleetingly meeting his father's gaze. His expression had twisted into something a to derisive amusement. “Each reason is as valid as the next, but an individual's motivations will certainly influence the way in which they chase said qualifications.”
He needed another drink.
The Ice Prince-
