Call the sunshine to my door (Sunny)

Welcome to the Gardens: one of the most tranquil areas of the Tower Grounds.
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Welcome to the Gardens: one of the most tranquil areas of the Tower Grounds. Birds sing in the trees which line the wide paths between beautiful flower beds and serene lakes. There are benches to sit and listen to the waterfall, and there is neatly trimmed grass to lie on and rest. Novices and Soldiers as well as Warders in Training can be seen, sweeping the stone paths as Accepted and Dedicated study from books and relax under leafy trees.
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Matty
"The Path of Daggers"
Posts: 964
Joined: December 16th, 2015, 8:19 pm
PC: Murdock Mather, Keeper of the Archives
SC: Nathaniel Carridus, Asha'man (Blue)
TC: Maever Donovan, Asha'man (Yellow)
Location: Plain of Lances, UK

Re: Call the sunshine to my door (Sunny)

Post by Matty » May 3rd, 2018, 4:09 pm

Maever Maever kept a steady gaze on the Soldier, watching him and seeing so much of his former self in there that it was hard to consider anyone not believing him. Maever certainly did. He knew what it was like to have a father whose expectations were a particular way, and he knew how it was to be pushed around by other people for not being as tough, or as hard, or as... whatever other odd criteria they came up with. The Illianer wasn't a strong Soldier, he was a mere reed that happened to not snap in half until it became a humble shrub.

It upset Maever that mere teasing had become so much more, but now he was in a position to do something about it, and the Yellow would as well. He might not enjoy confrontation but when people were getting hurt, he had to step in. Owen wasn't going to be his best self if people were deliberately trying to hold him back, people whose own development would continue ahead without Owen if they got away with it. That there was a group only steeled Maever's resolve to see this wrong righted, so when Owen reached for more reports to busy his hands Maever spoke up. "Put the reports down."

The Yellow gave Owen a deliberate stare, his pale eyes meeting the lad's own. He wanted Owen's full attention. "Asha'man Jaryd do be the Master of Soldiers, and he do be a fair man. He would listen to you, and he would listen to them as well. He can no do the right thing if he do no be knowing all the facts, and you do be owing it to people like Natilde to speak up when these wrongs do be created. As for what would happen if you did tell on people, or get them in trouble: nothing will happen. I do be making sure of that myself, and I do no be needing Jaryd's blessing to do so." He'd rather work in tandem with the Red but if he had to he would do this without. "Teasing do be one thing, I do understand that. A lot of people did pick on me as a Soldier and a Dedicated. But it do be another thing to put people at risk, to seriously hurt them. Pranks do be one thing, blame and lies and deceit do be another. It do no be fair, and it do no be right. I will make sure this does no continue. But you," Maever nodded to Owen, who looked like he'd seen the Dark One, "do be needing to be honest with Asha'man Jaryd as well. He do be here to keep all Soldiers on the right path. And I will help."

The Illianer stood up, determined. "This can no be put off any longer. With people being hurt and sent to the Infirmary, and you being blamed, there do be no time to waste. On your feet; we do be going now."
Image
------ Murdock -------------- Nathaniel --------------- Maever -------

Sunny
"Knife of Dreams"
Posts: 3757
Joined: July 18th, 2014, 3:23 am
PC: Jaryd Kosari
SC: Dakson Torellion
TC: Finn
QC: Owen Andarin

Re: Call the sunshine to my door (Sunny)

Post by Sunny » May 5th, 2018, 4:14 pm

Owen set the papers in his hand down, somewhat alarmed by Maever’s tone. If Owen could have sold his soul to disappear on the spot and avoid the oncoming lecture, he would have done it without hesitation. As it was he found himself pinned by a pair of blue eyes that had shifted from “kind and worried” to “stern and worried.” The look was uncomfortable enough, but the words…they were worse.

The boy slowly sank down in his chair, pulling his chin in and his shoulders up, cheeks pink with embarrassment. He had not considered that he owed Natilde the truth. She had been hurt regardless, so what did it matter who did the penance? But maybe it does matter. After all, he cared more about some people’s opinions than others. If Jaryd doesn’t believe me, then all she knows is that I tried to weasel out of punishment with excuses.

That was absurd. He already had hard proof that the Master of Soldiers did not share stories about what happened in his study. How could anyone save the two of them know what Owen said? It was all entirely too complicated; Owen wanted nothing more than to bolt. Unfortunately, Maever had other ideas; his words filtered through the mess of confusion with dreadful clarity. He was upset about people getting hurt, about things going too far. About Owen? And now he wanted to- Oh.

Owen dropped his eyes to the floor, running his tongue over his lips as he contemplated the Asha’man’s surprisingly impassioned speech. “Wait. Now?” He asked. It wasn’t a squawk. It wasn’t! But it was unsteady, higher than normal, and certainly shocked, and he hated it as soon as it came from his mouth. Maever tilted his head as if confused by the question, and Owen reluctantly concluded that yes, now was exactly when the Asha’man intended to “fix” what had happened. Owen could either go along with him or be dragged, but they would go regardless.

Given his options…

Owen clambered to his feet, feeling distinctly more clumsy than usual as he pulled his long, thin limbs into some semblance of order. “Yes, sir.” He glanced around. Only minutes before he had been wishing to be done with the paperwork; now he wanted nothing more than to dive into it and forget about everything else.

He walked behind Maever on the way out of the Infirmary, his hands occasionally twitching up to where his hair should be, then remembering he had bound it back, and falling back to his sides again. Nothing to play with, nothing to distract him from his whirlwind of thoughts, just an Asha’man’s back, passing halls, and impending doom. Or salvation, a treacherous part of his brain commented. He seemed awfully certain that Jaryd will believe me.

As they passed through the many halls that would take them -eventually- to Jaryd’s office, he finally got up the nerve to ask a question. “What- what will happen to Alec?” he asked, giving away the other man’s name for once and all. “What if he just...starts in on someone else?”
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False alarm- there's still a song for me; I'm just about around to sing it
There's still a chance for me...and I'm still here singing.

User avatar
Matty
"The Path of Daggers"
Posts: 964
Joined: December 16th, 2015, 8:19 pm
PC: Murdock Mather, Keeper of the Archives
SC: Nathaniel Carridus, Asha'man (Blue)
TC: Maever Donovan, Asha'man (Yellow)
Location: Plain of Lances, UK

Re: Call the sunshine to my door (Sunny)

Post by Matty » May 15th, 2018, 10:26 pm

Maever simply turned his head a little as they walked, giving Owen half his face as he responded. His voice was soft when he replied "do no be worrying. Jaryd and I will make sure he does no do anything to anyone else. And if Jaryd does no listen..." Maever was an Asha'man in his own right, and the Head of his Ajah no less. He could take matters into his own hands if needs be. Quite literally; he had the reports in his hands, opting to give them to Jaryd as a point of reference.

The Master of Soldiers was in his office, and if he was surprised at seeing Maever and Owen it didn't show on his face. The Illianer gave the man a smile, always impressed at how put together he seemed in what Maever thought were Altaran clothes. They were very... flow-ey. After the usual introductions and thanking the man for his time, Maever went on in his serious voice: "I do be here because I do be thinking that some of the punishments Owen has been given have no been his doing. There do be harassment between the Soldiers and I do no be wanting any more people to get hurt because of it." He held out the reports for Jaryd to read over - they ought to be familiar, given that they were related to punishments Owen had received.

"You managed to squeeze water from stone then, did you?" Jaryd asked, perusing the papers but no doubt seeing information he already knew.

"It do no be about squeezing, it was just a conversation." The Illianer's voice was gentle as usual, but there was a steadiness to it that held none of his usual levels of worry. "These accidents and pranks were no Owen's doing and I do be believing him. It do no be right that people do be getting hurt to get Owen into trouble." This Maever truly believed.

And Jaryd seemed to be in agreement. "It isn't right, no. Owen hasn't been entirely honest with me about...many...things, however, so it has taken some effort to unravel what is his and what is not. Until the hemlock two days ago I thought I could let the natural consequences of his dishonesty teach their own lesson."

It made sense that the man was already aware of some of what was going on, he was the Master of Soldiers for a reason and Maever didn't think he was completely in the dark. Even so, the thought of him letting these things happen as a lesson to Owen didn't sit so well with the Yellow, who strongly felt that such injuries were unfair and preventable. "So... you do be planning to take this further and no let these Soldiers keep hurting others? I do be having my own penances to distribute." Regardless of what the Red had planned, Maever did not approve of trainees being hurt and was determined to put these people off permanently.

"I have no more intention of allowing bullies and abusers to run rampant in my Tower than I do of allowing the Shadow to run free in the world, Maever. My students come here to learn, not to live in fear. It's more than time this problem got taken care of..it's good that Owen finally found his words." He looked at Owen then, "You and I need to have a talk as well. You stayed silent even after others got hurt and that cannot happen again. Do you understand?" The Soldier made a small noise that reminded Maever of a mouse's squeak. He'd been quiet for the conversation which was probably for the best. "What penance will you be distributing?" Jaryd asked Maever.

"I would like to be present when you give your penance. Mine will no interrupt with whatever you do be having planned for them and it does work better when it do be seen than told." Maever certainly had ideas on what he would do but this could wait until they had the trainees to hand.

Jaryd accepted this answer and moved on with his usual efficiency. Maever suspected the man had some sort of inability to sit still or focus on one thing for very long, though of course he would never suggest such a thing. "Very well. Owen? the whole story, if you please." The Red and Owen were going to have quite the discussion, and Maever seated himself to listen and interject if there was anything important he felt Owen neglected to include.

---

Some time later after Owen's retelling of everything - which was much more unpleasant than Maever wanted it to be - arrangements were made for the trainees involved to see Jaryd immediately. Maever excused himself in order to retrieve a small bag from his rooms, and he put this on the chair in the man's office upon his return. He was still there before the trainees arrived, and when they walked in and saw Owen, they must have had an idea of what had happened. Or at least, what they think happened. Regardless of how it came about, Maever knew what was happening and so did Jaryd, so there was nothing else they could do to upset Owen.

Maever stayed to the side and let Jaryd punish the students as appropriate - a length of time on a farm, which would give Owen the space he needed to relax into his studies and do better. Maever did so hope this was a turning point for the lad. By the time they came back he'd be further ahead with his studies and better prepared to deal with anything they might try, though that would hopefully never be something he had to worry about.

Jaryd stepped back and let Maever speak for himself, for which he was grateful. The Illianer picked up the small bag and moved to stand where the Red had, looking at the three students with a firm frown on his face. "I do no be wanting to repeat what Asha'man Jaryd did just say. However, it do be very important to think about the lives of the people around us who do be impacted by your callousness. The Grey Tower do be built on the idea of everyone working together. There do no be any place for your behaviour." Maever never raised his voice, but the disappointment in his tone was palpable. He reached into the bag and took out three hats, made of a thinly knitted wool. They were a gaudy variety of colours... and the colouration was clearly that of a duck with the greens and browns, with white wings at the sides and yellow beaks at the front. "These do be your penance from me. Whenever you do no be in your rooms, you must wear this hat. Even if you do be told to take it off, you must keep it on, and refer them to me. If they do be giving you a punishment for no being in uniform, then that do be too bad. If you do no be wanting to act like part of the Grey Tower, then you will no look like it either. You will prove you do be better people than we have seen so far, and then you can remove the hats. But for now, you will look after them when you do be going to the farm."

Maever let the three glum students put on their hats without complaint. Jaryd had certainly let them know about his disappointment so the Illianer could only assume he had left them suitably cowed, rather than anything Maever said. He'd never make a good Master of Soldiers.
Image
------ Murdock -------------- Nathaniel --------------- Maever -------

Sunny
"Knife of Dreams"
Posts: 3757
Joined: July 18th, 2014, 3:23 am
PC: Jaryd Kosari
SC: Dakson Torellion
TC: Finn
QC: Owen Andarin

Re: Call the sunshine to my door (Sunny)

Post by Sunny » May 26th, 2018, 4:47 am

It all happened so quickly. From Maever’s quarters to Jaryd’s study, the conversation between the two Asha’man (Light, he dreaded the conversation the Red wanted to have), his own tale carrying, and finally the summoning of those who had made his life a living hell for the last few months. While Owen waited, he pulled the tie loose from his hair; he needed the shield more than he needed to be tidy. Eventually his tormentors filed in one by one. Only Fredrik had the grace to look abashed when he saw Owen there; Emelie and Alec just glanced at one another, communicating without words in a way Owen envied.

Fredrik stared at the ground through Alec’s attempt to excuse himself by pointing out how he flourished in his classes and Emelie’s attempt to discredit Owen’s story. In the end Fredrik muttered “They’re lying,” and flushed red to the tips of his ears when they both turned to glare at him.

Unfortunately for him (and to Owen’s great relief), his lack of solidarity did not lessen his penance. Owen sat in silence as Jaryd and Maever handed out their respective penances to Alec and his crew. If looks could kill, Owen thought he would be dead three times over by the time the older soldier had donned his hat and strode through the gateway Jaryd made for him. To a farm. A farm, who knew how far from the Grey Tower, for the Light knew how long. Wearing duck hats they could not remove. Light help me, this is fantastic.

Jaryd had gone with them, leaving Owen and Maever alone in his study. Owen slouched in the wooden chair by the door, chin tucked against his chest as he studied his boots over the fingers he had linked over his belly. Maever hadn’t moved; he seemed to be lost in thought and Owen was uncertain whether to interrupt. Eventually his thighs began to tingle in protest, however, and he had no choice but to sit up.

Maever looked over at the movement and Owen immediately looked down, licking his lips before looking back up again. “That was...amazing,” he ventured hesitantly. “You- didn’t have to do that, especially not after what I did to you, but I’m...so grateful that you did.” He ducked his head again, hair falling around his face to hide his too-pink cheeks. “I don’t know if I can make it up, but I will try.” After a moment he couldn't help but add, "the hats were -are- a masterpiece, sir." They really, truly were.
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False alarm- there's still a song for me; I'm just about around to sing it
There's still a chance for me...and I'm still here singing.

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