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Post by Rainstorm Aria on Jan 3, 2008 12:22:25 GMT -5
"Well, you've stumped me," he replied. "I have no idea what to do to make her visit a more comfortable one for you. All we can do is hope that the snow delays her a few more days."
Annikka laughed. "We can hope that." She smiled mischeviously. "Don't worry, I'm used to it. I intend to be difficult to track down." She hesitated. "If you're looking for me for any reason, try the Healer's Wing, then the University. If you ask for me by name they'll let you in."
"And how old was your brother at the time?" Caden asked, finding the catch. If he was young, of course he would faint. "I don't think my brother would either. He's never been afraid enough to do that."
Annikka grinned- Caden had spotted the catch. "He was only nine, and I think it was the shock that did it." She looked up at him. "I don't know your brother, but I imagine you'd only scare him if you were a ghost. And you're obviously not, so you're probably safe there."
"Maybe I'll just ask what to get them. Sounds safest."
Annikka stifled a chuckle at Caden's change of direction when she mentioned the possible hyperactivity of the children. "Perhaps it is," she remarked, having trouble keeping the smile down. "Your sister will thank you. I should call on her myself, if she's around," she added, having been thinking about this for some time. "I had no idea she was in town at all, but I can probably look her up. I do still have some friends left who might know what her address is now. I promise not to mention you're around," she told him, remembering that necessity.
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Post by spigurl on Jan 3, 2008 20:51:03 GMT -5
Annikka said that she planned to stay incognito for the duration of her mother's stay. Caden smiled, imagining her hiding away from the rest of the world. How would he ever find her? The knight had no need to worry because a moment later she added, "If you're looking for me for any reason, try the Healer's Wing, then the University. If you ask for me by name they'll let you in."
"Thanks for the information," he said. "I'm sure I'll put it to use. If you want...of course." She wouldn't tell him unless she meant him to use it, right? He hoped that was the case.
"He was only nine, and I think it was the shock that did it," she said, confirming his suspicions.
"Ah, yes. Blame it on the shock. That's what any sensible person would faint of," he grinned. Listening what else she had to say, the smile stayed on his face. "It is a good thing that I'm not a ghost. Had many opportunities to become one, I suppose. Just never got lucky enough. Or unlucky, as it were."
"Perhaps it is," Annikka mentioned. Caden raised his brows, noting her amusement. "What's so funny?" he asked, knowing that she was unlikely to tell him. He could guess anyway.
"I had no idea she was in town at all, but I can probably look her up. I do still have some friends left who might know what her address is now. I promise not to mention you're around."
Caden frowned ever so slightly. He was under the impression that she had been living here for quite some time. Perhaps Annikka didn't know that at all. They had lost touch, after all. He put the smile back on his face, not wanting to be all somber and depressing.
"Yes," he told her. "She'd like that, I'm sure. You'll have to tell me how the visit went. Maybe...." He trailed off not wanting to ask too much of her. Caden wondered endlessly what type of reaction he would get if he was to visit. Maybe Annikka could get some sort of impression of what that would be. No, he told himself, that would be rude to ask.
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Post by Rainstorm Aria on Jan 4, 2008 11:00:02 GMT -5
"Thanks for the information," he said. "I'm sure I'll put it to use. If you want...of course."
Annikka smiled at him, and found herself hoping that he would take advantage of the invitation at some point. Midwinter was probably going to be difficult, what with such large numbers of her relatives around, and it would be nice to see a friendly, non-healer, non-related face. "It would be nice to see you."
"Ah, yes. Blame it on the shock. That's what any sensible person would faint of," he grinned. Listening what else she had to say, the smile stayed on his face. "It is a good thing that I'm not a ghost. Had many opportunities to become one, I suppose. Just never got lucky enough. Or unlucky, as it were."
She grinned back at Caden. "Cam said it was shock that made him faint, anyway. I entertain my own doubts. I'm glad you're not a ghost, or I wouldn't be talking to you now, which would be a great pity. And if I was, then I'd be a ghost as well, which would be an astonishing accomplishment for a twenty-three-year-old, healthy healer."
"What's so funny?"
She failed to stifle her laughter, surprised, and then got it under control again. Annikka glanced at her friend and decided to tell him the truth. "Your face when I mentioned the possibility that the children might get a bit-" another fit of the giggles attempted to escape- "bouncy, I'm afraid." She glanced up at him again, and couldn't stop herself laughing. "I'm sorry! It was just... oh, your expression was priceless!"
"Yes," he told her. "She'd like that, I'm sure. You'll have to tell me how the visit went. Maybe...."
"Maybe?" Annikka prompted with half her brain, trying to recall if Gabriella had ever given her a change of address. She might have rooms at Court, but then Annikka was pretty sure she hadn't seen her, which most likely meant she had a townhouse. She was almost certainly in the city for Midwinter: most nobles who didn't have problems to contend with at their fiefs were, and the latter category was small. No-one wanted to miss out on seeing the Gallan embassy.
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Post by spigurl on Jan 5, 2008 0:30:04 GMT -5
"It would be nice to see you," she told him. Caden smiled back, glad she had said so. It would be nice to see her too. He would enjoy it. At least that gave him something to look forward to.
"I'm glad you're not a ghost, or I wouldn't be talking to you now, which would be a great pity. And if I was, then I'd be a ghost as well, which would be an astonishing accomplishment for a twenty-three-year-old, healthy healer."
Why were they talking of ghosts? Caden wasn't quite sure where the jump was made, but found it a slightly amusing- if not morbid- subject. "I don't know whether or not to be flattered. To have someone say that it was a pity she couldn't talk to me or be called a ghost." He only shook his head, pretending to be utterly confused. It wasn't as much as a facade as he put on. There was some confusion but it wasn't bad confusion. Caden stopped thinking. He wasn't even making sense to himself.
Caden looked down at Annikka with appraising eyes as she laughed. Just because he didn't want to be surrounded by hyper children for hours wasn't a reason to laugh. The fact that he could cause this ...activity in the children was. Children were little things that Caden had never understood. He understood them even less when they let things such as sugar get to them. He did not like the idea of actually giving the sugar and being the cause of such behavior. The knight could see why Annikka could not seem to stop laughing. His face must have been priceless.
Caden feigned indifference. "Well, I suppose..." The ruse didn't work because the healer's laughter was contagious. Caden couldn't help but smile.
"Maybe?" she asked, clearly thinking about something else? Caden was half-tempted to ask her what he wanted but decided against it. Only a small part of him wanted it and he didn't let that get the better of him.
"Nevermind," he said, waving his hand in dismissal. It doesn't matter.
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Post by Rainstorm Aria on Jan 5, 2008 8:14:34 GMT -5
"I don't know whether or not to be flattered. To have someone say that it was a pity she couldn't talk to me or be called a ghost." Caden shook his head.
Annikka grinned. "I can't help you there; I was never much good at deciphering sentences. However, you're definitely not a ghost. You're much too real."
Caden feigned indifference. "Well, I suppose..." The ruse didn't work because the healer's laughter was contagious. Caden couldn't help but smile.
Annikka managed to gain some control over her laughter, and smiled up at him apologetically. Don't laugh. Don't laugh. "I'm sorry, but you were- you looked so- not exactly disconcerted, but like you were presented with a problem you hadn't considered, and the expression looked all wrong on your face. I get problems I haven't thought about all the time, because barely a day goes by when experiments don't blow up, or someone messes up a simple cantrip for burns and sets a classroom on fire, or a gaggle of pages who've all 'fallen down'-" she put a slightly sarcastic emphasis on the last two words- "turn up at the busiest time of day with the training master spearheading them and demanding that they all be healed instantly so they can get back to their lessons, but I don't think... maybe you think more about the unpredictable, or something, but you looked like you weren't used to it."
"Nevermind," he said, waving his hand in dismissal.
Annikka cast a thoughtful glance at him. Even though she didn't know him very well, she did know that he didn't start talking about things he didn't mean to finish talking about. She let it drop. Perhaps she would find out later what had bothered him.
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Post by spigurl on Jan 5, 2008 23:27:59 GMT -5
"I can't help you there; I was never much good at deciphering sentences. However, you're definitely not a ghost. You're much too real."
"Good to know," Caden said, still amused with the conversation. "As are you."
Annikka explained to him why she had laughed -- was still laughing. What she said was fairly true to his thoughts. He did not like unexpected situations. That didn't mean he didn't acknowledge him. Oh, the knight was an expert with unexpected situations. They had become close friends over the years.
Caden listened to the healer's own unexpected situations. He liked how she put emphasis on the words 'fallen down' in reference to the pages. "They can't help it. It's an old past-time," he said, grinning. The knight then considered what she said about the training master. "The training master is hounding on you to heal them .... interesting. That must be a new tradition, for it certainly wasn't in place when I was a page. We were expected to tough it out."
"Maybe you think more about the unpredictable, or something, but you looked like you weren't used to it."
"The unknown and I go way back," he told her. "We aren't so familiar with children however..."
Caden was glad Annikka had let the last thing he said go. He noted the curious glance, but wasn't about to share.
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Post by Rainstorm Aria on Jan 6, 2008 11:06:46 GMT -5
"Good to know," Caden said, still amused with the conversation. "As are you."
Annikka smiled at the silliness of the conversation. Walking in Unicorn, discussing ghosts. "Why, thank you. Ever seen a ghost?"
"They can't help it. It's an old past-time," he said, grinning. The knight then considered what she said about the training master. "The training master is hounding on you to heal them .... interesting. That must be a new tradition, for it certainly wasn't in place when I was a page. We were expected to tough it out."
Annikka rolled her eyes and grinned. "I know it's an old past-time. Mage-students, including me, have been making pocket money by selling bruise salve and other similar items to pages for at least as long as pages have been 'falling down'. And it's only after the really big episodes of 'falling down'- you'd think some wretch had gone around greasing the Palace stairs, to see them piling in all with the same excuse -that the training master demands they're healed. One black eye doesn't matter, by his principles, but sixteen black eyes, two split lips and assorted broken limbs do. Or at least that's the impression I get. If they don't get caught, they don't come to us, though, so we get the tip of the iceberg." She was silent for a moment, and then asked abruptly: "What are the lessons like, for pages? I mean, the academic ones?"
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Post by spigurl on Jan 6, 2008 22:56:19 GMT -5
"Why, thank you. Ever seen a ghost?"
"Can't say I have," Caden replied. He wasn't much a believer of the supernatural. If people were dead, they were dead. There were no spirits. "Have you?"
Money off the poor, hurt pages? Ingenious. The knight smiled, liking the plan. Seeing as he was a knight he shouldn't approve of such behavior, so he didn't say anything. From what it sounded like, the children were getting in much more fights. Sure, there were some fights every once in a while when he was a page, but not that many. It had only been a couple of years. Well, over a decade, but what did that matter?
"Sounds like knighthood is becoming more dangerous. More bullies." Caden was having a hard time wrapping his mind around the fact that so many pages at once were 'falling down'. "Sixteen, really?" he asked.
"What are the lessons like, for pages? I mean, the academic ones?" Annikka asked. Caden barely took any time to consider.
"Boring, interesting, you name it. Some classes were interesting and others much less so. For instance: arithmetic. I was not a big fan. I never knew a page who was. My favorite subject was strategics. It was always interesting to learn different ways to wrap your mind around a situation. Besides, I found it to be the most useful class in the real world. How about you?"
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Post by Rainstorm Aria on Jan 7, 2008 7:26:58 GMT -5
"Can't say I have," Caden replied. He wasn't much a believer of the supernatural. If people were dead, they were dead. There were no spirits. "Have you?"
Annikka shrugged. "No, but I've been to lots of places where they're supposed to haunt. The disused rooms at the University are meant to be full of them- some of my friends used to spend nights down there for dares." She grinned. "One of the teachers lost patience with it one time, because they were turning up to lessons half-asleep, and set up a bunch of complex illusions to make the students think there were horrible ghosts. It would have worked if he hadn't taught them all about illusions in the lesson before."
"Sounds like knighthood is becoming more dangerous. More bullies."
The healer made a face. She had her own opinions on the subject. "I think they put up with too much when you were a page, so it escalated. They'll only have themselves to blame when someone gets seriously injured."
"Sixteen, really?" he asked.
Annikka laughed and nodded. "Yes, that's the current record. I'm just waiting for the numbers to top twenty, then I can send the training master a rude letter on the subject. The smart people think it'll happen within the next six months at most." She shook her head. "And I am such a dull and vengeful person that I've already started drafting that letter in my head. I might work out a surveillance spell so I can watch his face as he reads it, too."
"Boring, interesting, you name it. Some classes were interesting and others much less so. For instance: arithmetic. I was not a big fan. I never knew a page who was. My favorite subject was strategics. It was always interesting to learn different ways to wrap your mind around a situation. Besides, I found it to be the most useful class in the real world. How about you?"
Annikka needed slightly more time to consider than Caden, because she had taken a lot more lessons. "Well, I liked a lot of my classes, but I hated History of Mages and Theoretical Medicine because they were just so boring. I never knew a student who managed to pay much attention in those lessons. My favourite classes were always the practical ones where you got to actually use your Gift or not have to sit and read huge chunks of the textbook, the ones where you worked in the dispensary or in the Wing if you were really lucky and unlikely to go off on some silly start. Strategics, would that be working with one of those table-maps and all the little markers, different colours and shapes for cavalry and infantry and war-mages?"
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Post by spigurl on Jan 7, 2008 20:23:24 GMT -5
"One of the teachers lost patience with it one time, because they were turning up to lessons half-asleep, and set up a bunch of complex illusions to make the students think there were horrible ghosts. It would have worked if he hadn't taught them all about illusions in the lesson before."
"We did some of the same things," Caden said, replying to her earlier statement. "Though, I can't say we were ever taught illusions quite like you."
Annikka clearly had her own thoughts on the way things were run at the palace now. Caden didn't quite know anything about what they were doing. He supposed he could offer his assistance with something, but they must have teachers for everything. There was nothing that he needed to do. Since he knew nothing of the current situation with the training, Caden didn't know what to add to the conversation. He only nodded, offering support.
"Six months..." Caden mused. This was truly interesting. Didn't the young boys have anything else to do? The knight remembered never having time for everything he was assigned, nevermind bullying. "The rules must be really lax. A letter sounds wonderful," he said, liking the idea. "Maybe one to the parents as well. I think they might be interested in learning what their children are up to."
"My favourite classes were always the practical ones where you got to actually use your Gift or not have to sit and read huge chunks of the textbook, the ones where you worked in the dispensary or in the Wing if you were really lucky and unlikely to go off on some silly start."
"Yes," Caden replied. "I always liked those classes too. It felt like you were getting something done. Not just sitting there."
"Strategics, would that be working with one of those table-maps and all the little markers, different colours and shapes for cavalry and infantry and war-mages?" she asked.
The knight nodded. "In part. There are so many aspects to it that many don't realize. It's not only on a board or on paper. A lot of it is bending your mind to think and react to different situations. We learned how to figure out the odds when you were fighting different sizes of people with different weapons. Then, how to turn those odds in our favor." That was only a small piece of it. There were so many different parts to it, and Caden loved trying to figure out the different situations. The easier it got on paper, the easier it got in real situations. He could easily make decisions in the field because of the training he had when he was younger.
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Post by Rainstorm Aria on Jan 9, 2008 16:11:32 GMT -5
"We did some of the same things," Caden said, replying to her earlier statement. "Though, I can't say we were ever taught illusions quite like you."
Annikka grinned. "No, I imagine not. Did you play pranks? My best friend once managed a really good triggered illusion of a huge crocodile bursting out of my wardrobe, which resulted in his ink being swapped for the stuff that vanishes a few hours after you've finished writing."
"Six months..." Caden mused. This was truly interesting. Didn't the young boys have anything else to do? The knight remembered never having time for everything he was assigned, nevermind bullying. "The rules must be really lax. A letter sounds wonderful," he said, liking the idea. "Maybe one to the parents as well. I think they might be interested in learning what their children are up to."
"Hm," Annikka said thoughtfully. "I wouldn't know about the rules... Yes, a letter to the parents would be interesting." She grinned evilly. "I wonder if I could send the training master a scary one first and get him to countersign the ones to the parents? Better separate the bullies from the victims and the ones who pitch in on the victims' side first." "Yes," Caden replied. "I always liked those classes too. It felt like you were getting something done. Not just sitting there."
The healer simply nodded. What more was there to be said?
The knight nodded. "In part. There are so many aspects to it that many don't realize. It's not only on a board or on paper. A lot of it is bending your mind to think and react to different situations. We learned how to figure out the odds when you were fighting different sizes of people with different weapons. Then, how to turn those odds in our favor."
Annikka bent her mind around this, and nodded when it made sense. "That makes sense," she replied. "My brothers used to talk about it sometimes, both the practical and on-paper aspects." She rolled her eyes. "They seem to like dissecting battles, even if everyone else is making not-especially-subtle comments to try and turn the conversation."
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Post by spigurl on Jan 14, 2008 22:25:40 GMT -5
(OOC: I officially suck. I'm really sorry.)
"Did you play pranks?" she asked after sharing her own story. Caden had to admit that he hadn't ever done anything that spectacular. There had been the few random pranks that he had been caught on. Many more that he had not.... Best not to mention that, however.
"Me?" he asked innocently. "Why would I ever do such a thing? Besides, nothing could compare to that trick." What she had said about her best friend intrigued Caden. "Best friend? Care to share?"
"I wonder if I could send the training master a scary one first and get him to countersign the ones to the parents? Better separate the bullies from the victims and the ones who pitch in on the victims' side first."
Oh how Caden liked Annikka's line of thoughts. She really knew how to play pranks. "Who is the training master?" he asked, thinking of it suddenly. If Annikka even knew. Lord somebody of somewhere, he supposed. Caden didn't think that it was the same man from his own years in the palace. It couldn't be. That man wouldn't allow for any of this. "And yes, sounds like a wonderful plan. Everyone would appreciate it."
"They seem to like dissecting battles, even if everyone else is making not-especially-subtle comments to try and turn the conversation," she said of her brothers. Caden understood all too well. There were some that refused to let it go. He understood the importance of the wars and how each battle was carried out, but the knight wasn't all too keen to share intimate details.
"I'm horribly sorry that you had to put up with that," he told her. Struck by a thought, he asked: "How old are your brothers?" Caden wondered if he would have known them at all or at least been in the palace at the same time.
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Post by Rainstorm Aria on Jan 15, 2008 16:47:12 GMT -5
(OOC: You do not suck. And I’ll just... make up the training master. ) "Me?" he asked innocently. "Why would I ever do such a thing? Besides, nothing could compare to that trick." What she had said about her best friend intrigued Caden. "Best friend? Care to share?" Annikka grinned at his innocent expression. It was very convincing. “Oh, I don’t know. Someone annoyed you?” Annikka wondered what he meant about talking about her best friend, and decided to explain the crocodile illusion. “What, you mean why did he put a triggered crocodile illusion in my wardrobe? Because he thought of it, found it too good an idea to waste and wanted to see if he could make me jump and shriek.” She smiled ruefully. “He did. It was such a good one, disgusting smell , realistic roar, everything, that I thought it was real and nearly blasted my wardrobe to cinders.” "Who is the training master?" he asked, thinking of it suddenly. "And yes, sounds like a wonderful plan. Everyone would appreciate it."“Lord Colum of Seabeth and Seajen,” Annikka answered immediately. “Some sort of distant cousin of mine, about ten or fifteen years older than me. Always a patronising bore, as far as I was concerned. Doubtless he has virtues I am not aware of,” she added with some sarcasm. "I'm horribly sorry that you had to put up with that," he told her. Struck by a thought, he asked: "How old are your brothers?" Annikka flapped a hand dismissively. “Don’t worry.” She smiled. “It’s hardly your fault.” When he asked about her brothers, Annikka had to think for a moment, and was slightly ashamed of herself for that. Well, I have got five siblings to keep track of, she defended herself. “Mikal’s twenty-two now. Simeon, twenty-five. Cameron, just turned thirty.”
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Post by spigurl on Jan 16, 2008 20:57:33 GMT -5
(OOC: Crap. Sorry about that. It totally slipped my mind.)
“Oh, I don’t know. Someone annoyed you?” she asked. Caden's only reply was to raise his eyebrows. He wasn't giving anything away.
Annikka explained what her friend had done. Caden found it amusing, even if that wasn't exactly what he had meant. The knight knew the question hadn't come across very clearly. He was thinking more along the lines of tell me about your best friend. So, he asked something similar. "Are you still friends?"
She knew exactly who the training master was, which told Caden how much she dealt with him. Lord Colum. Caden didn't remember the name from anywhere. He must be young, but not too young. Definitely inexperienced with his job.
"Doubtless he has virtues I am not aware of,” she said sarcastically.
"Of course," he replied, his voice exactly the same as hers. "Why else would he be chosen?"
“Mikal’s twenty-two now. Simeon, twenty-five. Cameron, just turned thirty.”
So they were near enough to his age. All of them would have been in the palace around the same time as Caden. Come to think of it, he remembered Simeon's name slightly. They'd had classes together, he was sure of it. That was a long while back and the knight couldn't remember everything.
"I believe Simeon and I attended some classes together. I can't remember what they were, but I sort of remember his name. Your other brothers would have been too far apart from me to earn much of my attention."
(OOC: This reply really sucks. I'm sorry. I've been studying for exams and haven't had much time online.)
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Post by Rainstorm Aria on Jan 17, 2008 16:32:07 GMT -5
(OOC: That’s okay. ) He simply raised an eyebrow. She grinned, undeterred. "Right, I shan't ask. There's probably some enormous unsolved prank at the Palace with your name on it, remembered only by a handful of victims and the people who had to tidy up afterwards." "Are you still friends?" “Oh, yes,” Annikka said. She seemed to have taken the question the wrong way by mistake, and quietly cursed herself. “He works in the Wing too; we met at University, and haven’t annoyed each other enough since to alienate ourselves.” "Of course," he replied, his voice exactly the same as hers. "Why else would he be chosen?"“Don’t ask me,” Annikka replied with heavier sarcasm. “From what I can see, what I’ve had occasion to overhear, and what the entire Palace knows, he’s out of his depth and can’t really swim. I think he panicked when he was appointed training master and realised he’d have to deal with children, because going on the way the pages speak of him he’s not got the least idea how to handle them.” Caden seemed to be trying to remember something; Annikka was inescapably reminded of herself trying to recall what she had known of Gabriella. Court was a very small world. "I believe Simeon and I attended some classes together. I can't remember what they were, but I sort of remember his name. Your other brothers would have been too far apart from me to earn much of my attention."Annikka nodded, guessing that the pages would socialise mostly within the age groups closest to their own. It had been like that at University. She didn’t remember Simeon speaking of Caden, but that meant nothing: she wouldn’t necessarily remember someone mentioned in passing, and her brothers had rarely spoken of being pages and squires even when they’d managed a quick meeting with their mage-sister in Corus or when they were all at haMinch. However, Simeon had always been quick to learn, and Annikka did know that he’d been put into a couple of classes with slightly older pages in his best subjects. That might be why he’d apparently had a passing acquaintance with Caden. “Simeon did say once or twice he was doing classes unusual for his age. It might have been in one of those you knew him.” She shrugged. "I'll ask him, maybe, when I see him." (OOC: It’s fine, don’t worry!)
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