6th of Summer, 516AV
7th of Bell, 10th chime
Syliras Order Recruitment Office
7th of Bell, 10th chime
Syliras Order Recruitment Office
Crystal made her way up the stairs of the recruitment office. After her talk with Ferrin, she had decided to join the Order. His words had echoed in her head, how they could use someone like her. She was still second guessing herself by the time she entered the building. She stood awkwardly at the entrance, her thoughts rushing in like high tide, and crashing to scatter into many more. Moving forward was hard, she could easily go back out and pretended it never happened.
No, you have a friend counting on you.
She let that thought course through her veins, sink it, echo. And with that she was no longer rooted to the spot, rather the door out was obscured by her mind, only the way forward was visible. So she went further in.
At the desk sat a man, curly tresses of dark blonde hair rested on his head, and blue eyes pierced her own. She flinched but regained her composer when his harsh stare softened.
"Can I help you?"
Crystal shifted her weight uneasily, looking to the door before she was interrupted from wandering thoughts.
"Miss, please sit."
"Oh, um, yes." Crystal sat in the seat at the head of the desk as he had gestured, and the man let out a good natured chuckle causing Crystal to focus on him.
"'Scuse me for laughing, you look like a deer about to get struck."
Crystal couldn't help but crack a smile. This knight seemed kind, despite the scars that marred his body. "Sorry, I just.. I want to sign up to be a knight."
"Oh? And why would you want to do that?"
"Oh, it's," She wondered briefly if the question was some sort of test, but answered in the way she would have even if it weren't. "I want to be of use. I want to grow, improve, learn even.. I just can't see myself doing that in any other way than serving the people of Syliras. I.. I want a family again, people to protect. I want to fix what I know is broken within myself."
----
Crystal made her way home, unlocking the door to her apartment with ease. She sat on her bed with Leo, the leopard cur looking at her curiously. She then layed down and looked at the ceiling. Don't Crys, don't you dare.. And then she broke out in to sobs, startling Leo who quickly made his way to her to provide comfort. However, her smile confused him.
----
Crystal had gotten cleaned up, explained things to Leo - who didn't understand her excitement - and headed toward the training grounds according to the paper carefully stuffed into her pocket. She was to meet her Patron Knight - the one who would train her - there. Ser Erik had emphasized punctuality for her, apparently because her Patron was a punctual person. Sera Lissa Hoffman. Crystal wondered what the woman was like.
She hadn't mad any preparations, so she didn't know what her patron looked like. She stopped mid-step when she realized this. All of the women here could possibly be her Patron... Keep a level head and approach a place where she would be easy to see. That's what she'd go for. She looked around, noticing a lot of people were sparing and training, all knights or squires like herself.
Before she could walk further in, she was stopped by a woman. "Name and business." The woman said, and it wasn't a question.
"Oh, um, Crystal Nightshade. Um, my business? I'm looking for my patron?"
The woman's eyes softened, though just a bit. "Do you know their name?"
"Yes, uhm," Crystal pulled the paper from her pocket and read off the name. "'Sera Lissa Hoffman.'" The woman nodded and motioned for Crystal to follow. She introduced herself as Miriam Antinous, one of the weaponmasters of the training grounds. Afterwards she was introduced to a woman with dirty blond hair.
"Are you Crystal Nightshade?" The ebony haired woman nodded. "Good, you're on time. I'm Sera Lissa Hoffman, but you will address me as Sera or Sera Hoffman, do you understand?"
"Yes, Sera." Crystal nodded obediently.
Intellectual Seeker
