▼ Jolanta

[Orpheus Solon]

Early Morning Routine

Jolanta was up at dawn with his Aunt Alvaerele, who he called Aunt Vae, the two of them walking along the quiet streets of Pajore, with Jolanta scanning back and forth as they went. He had a serious look on his face, the sort of look at all times grumpy, before he looked over at his Aunt for a long moment before he asked, "It's true that they are growing in number somehow?" It seemed as though the group of outsiders that had arrived on Yael some time ago, a group that should have been a set number from what Jolanta had gathered, but it seemed as though they had some sort of strange sorcery on their side. They were producing children, something that wasn't something that should have happened if everything that he knew about was right.

It was something that they would have to deal with then, huh? The fact that the other outsiders, those referred to by some as the 'mainlanders' were the ones that caused these problems for Yael, and it was up to the Yaeli to clean up the mess. It made one of his eyebrows twitch just thinking on it. They hadn't asked for the zealots from up North to be thrown on a boat and sent here. Things weren't easy on Yael, perhaps those from up North knew about that? Perhaps that was the plan? They knew that it was dangerous here, so they wanted to try to get rid of them by throwing them all down here and following the phrase 'out of sight, out of mind'. They were no longer their problem because they were an ocean away.

The woman gave a nod as she glanced at her nephew, "Yes, that is what the reports of our scouts have told us. They have children now, which means that their numbers are growing, as is the threat that they present to us. If they choose to attack they might be able to do irreparable damage." She sounded pretty irked, which only caused Joltanta's expression to grow that much more serious as he considered the older woman's words.

"I will do all I can to protect those I've dedicated myself to if that happens. No matter what." He knew that there was always that chance that he was going to die in battle against the various outsiders that were out there. Not only those who shared Yael with them but the ones referred to as 'mainlanders' as well. There would be someone out there who would come after the wrong people within Pajore and he would make sure that he was between those people and the invaders. To him it was as simple and clear cut as that. Though the look that his Aunt Vae was giving him at the moment told him that speaking in such simple terms about his own end wasn't something that she cared for. If he wasn't so dedicated to the cause he might try to say something to comfort her, maybe offer her a smile. There was no reason to do so though, not when she knew that it would be lies that were for her own benefit instead of any semblance of truth.

Glancing around Jolanta asked, "Do you think they know about the Sanctum? The outsiders I mean... surely they can't know so they won't go right after it." At least that was what he hoped. If they didn't know about the Sanctum or the significance of it or those who served it then maybe it wouldn't be their first target? He could pray to Lurin and Dafiel that it were the case because that meant he would have a greater chance to make sure that he was ever in between that holy place and the invaders that might try to defile it.

His Aunt Vae seemed to consider the question before shaking her head, "As far as I am aware none of them have gotten close enough that they have been able to spy on us. As such I don't believe that they are keenly aware of the Sanctum." She said, giving her nephew a long, once over before she reached out to give one of his ears a tug, "As such you have no reason to run off to martyr yourself straight away in the name of our God and Goddess. Instead you should stick to your training routine and make sure that you're ready for the battles you see in your future."

Jolanta's ear twitched once his Aunt released it, his serious face giving way for a moment to an expression that was more grumpy then serious before he said, "I mean to stick to my training. I'm just aware that I might not be so lucky as to be fully trained, armed, and ready to go when the first threat appears. I'd like to think that I will be blessed in that manner but I can't be certain. As such I need to make sure I am prepared for what might end up being a one sided battle." What if he found himself face to face with one of the outsiders while he was armed with naught but a wooden sword? He wouldn't be able to protect himself or those that he wanted to keep safe, would he? If that were the case he supposed that all that really mattered in such a moment was the safety of his charge. Giving his own life to protect a Priest or Priestess of the Sanctum would be the ultimate way of proving to Lurin and Dafiel that his loyalty to the Sanctum was what was the most important to him.

Not that he meant to throw his life away so easily. If that was how things turn out then he wouldn't cry about it... at the same time if he had a chance to fend off the danger while also staying alive that was all the better. He didn't want to lose his life prematurely, not when he might be able to protect those in the Sanctum for years to come. He wanted nothing more then to become a swordsman of equal skill to his Aunt Vae and pledge his services to the Sanctum, to serve them as a paladin. It was what he wanted to do ever since they had saved him so many years back, ridding him of the curse that had wanted nothing more then to see his life snuffed out before it had even begun. Giving himself wholy to the Sanctum was the only thing that made sense, anything less would be spitting on the gift of life that he'd been given after all.

"So long as you don't mean to do anything foolish without reason then I will continue with your training, Jolanta. You just have to promise me that you won't throw your life away. If that is your plan then you can go back to Ilidan to live with your parents again." She told him in a very serious tone, doing her utmost to stare him down, which as a rather alpha personality she was able to do. He knew the skill that his Aunt Vae had with and without a sword, meaning that he couldn't very well challenge her any time soon. Given him a good ten years and her a blindfold then maybe he'd have a chance... though even then he wouldn't bet on it.

"I owe everything that I am today to the Sanctum. I won't just rush off to my death straight away, not when staying alive means that I would be of more help to them. I pledged my life to them to use as they see fit but that doesn't mean that I want to die. I just know that there is always that chance. I shouldn't fear it though, not when I know that were I to lose my life it would be in service to those that are most important to our people." His life for that of a priest or a priestess? It really wasn't even a question. Lifting a hand he scratched it against his chin before he said, "Please, Aunt Vae, I want to continue to train with you. As such I promise I won't do anything 'foolish'." Unless the invaders showed up sooner then later at least.

The woman gave a little nod of her head before they continued on with their walk, this time in silence. Jolanta knew where they were heading, toward a clearing near to Pajore where they trained during the morning hours when the heat wasn't as intense. Each of them carried a wooden sword, though his Aunt Vae also had a real sword on her back as well 'just in case'. He knew full well that if danger appear that he would be at least have a weapon of some sort though it wasn't nearly as useful or as dangerous as the one that his Aunt had on her back. His eyes went to the sheathed weapon, inspecting it closely. It was a good sword, one that she said had served her well since she'd gotten it. It was granted to her upon her gaining the high rank of 'Sentinel' and she'd even named the sword Starfall because she'd gotten it on a night were many falling stars were streaking across the Heavens.

"You're starring at Starfall again, Jolanta. You know that you're not yet ready for a sword of your own and you're most certainly not ready for a named sword. They are a special thing, one that one has to be quite powerful to even wield or else the sword might not even want you to wield it." A claim that he'd thought at first was just crazy talk on the part of his Aunt but from what he'd seen of Starfall the one time he'd been allowed to hold she was right. The blade had felt rather heavy to him, more so then he felt a sword that size should. There was also the fact that when he was inspecting it that he'd manage to somehow cut himself. The sword didn't want to be in his hands, which proved that Starfall only served his aunt.

After giving a humming sound Jolanta asked, "Do you think there is a sword out there for me? One like Starfall?" He knew that he was many, many years off from even thinking about being a Sentinel of the Sanctum but the thought that maybe he would also get a named sword one day was something that was quite exciting in his mind. Getting that rank and such a sword, he would really be able to protect the Sanctum then.

The woman gave a nod of her head, "I am sure that there is a sword out there for you and I will be certain to help you find it when the time comes. For now though you are going to practice with a wooden sword and refrain from day dreaming about something that is many years off, Jolanta." She didn't sound mad or anything, instead sounding ever fond of her nephew even as she steered him back onto course. There was no reason to let his mind wander too far, not when he was still a prentice who carried a wooden sword. It was something that Jolanta understood and as such he wouldn't press the issue. While he wanted to get his hands on a named sword one day he knew that day was certainly not today, nor was it any time soon.

"Alright, we're here." Jolanta said, walking forward into the clearing, his hand going up to the wooden sword that was hanging on his back. He knew it and turned to look toward his Aunt Vae and asked, "Should I start with warm up exercises?" Far from the most interesting part of his training but it helped him when it came to keeping firm control over his weapon. One had to go through the various strikes with a sword over and over again if they wanted to learn to use it correctly, as such that tended to be how the day started out. After getting a nod from his Aunt Vae he fell into his stance and set to going through the various strikes that one could make with a two handed sword while his Aunt watched and gave him pointers. It was the easiest part of his lessons but still not something that he meant to slack off on. One couldn't slack off if they were wanting to become a master swordsman after all.

(( Word Count: 2101 ))  

[Orpheus Solon]

His First Charge

 

[Orpheus Solon]

Back to the Beach

After he'd dropped off the priestess in training Fallon off back at the Sanctum safely Jolanta had hurried off, knowing that he had a lot more to do today before he would be able to head home. The most important thing currently being that he had to get back to the shore to gather the various things that Fallon had wanted to go to the shore for. In the end all that they had been able to do was get a couple of bundles of kelp which was so far from what she'd wanted. It was something that he felt bad about since there were plenty of other things that she wanted to get while they were at the shore and she hadn't been able to. He just hoped that the invader that chased them off was no longer skulking about like a sneak thief when he got back to the shore. The last thing that he wanted was to find himself face to face with the invading swordsman when all he had was a wooden sword to fend him off. Before he went to the beach though he knew that he had to get a few of baskets to gather everything up in and let those in charge of Pajore know that the invader was so close to the village. He couldn't leave them open to an attack by the stranger after all.

Once he'd seen to the report to those who had higher rank then him he was on his way again. It was best that they knew, so that they would be able to prepare and deal with the invader as they saw fit. There was always that chance that he might not be alone after all and those in the village would be ready to deal with that now. Here was to hoping that those like his Aunt Vae, the most powerful people in Pajore, would be assigned to the job and take care of the danger. At least that would be the best way for them to take care of things he thought to himself as he gathered up a trio of baskets. He felt that three baskets should surely be enough when it came to gathering items for Miss Fallon.

The walk back toward the shore was one that was filled with a lot of caution on the part of Jolanta. He was almost certain that there was a chance that the stranger was still going to be around... but much to his relief when he got back to the shore he didn't see the guy. Here was to hoping that he'd moved on, maybe to bother those on the other side of the island. If the mainlanders wanted to fight it out with those who were banished here he wouldn't get in their way. Let them fight it out among themselves and leave the Yaeli out of the problems that were their own.

Glancing from side to side down the beach Jolanta took everything in, his eyes narrowing a little bit, before he started forward. The first thing that he did was fetch Fallon's shoes, carrying them with him, and set it down on the beach next to the baskets as he laid them out. One basket was for kelp, one was for sea stars and abalone, and the last one was for anything else that he might find that was interesting. He wanted to find something really good for Fallon so that he could make it up to her, the fact that he'd failed as her protector. Here was to helping that, with time, she would consider allowing him to try again. As it stood presently though he doubted that she was going to want to see him. Not until he at least got himself looked at by a Priest or Priestess of the Sanctum that had some free time. He wanted to make sure that his curse wasn't attempting to make a return. If that were the case then he would need to request another blessing to save him from its effects which were seemingly mutating a bit.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts he murmured, "Lurin, Dafiel, save those around me from the curse that seems to be trying to pass from me to them." With that prayer sent to the God and Goddess that he served he started into the ocean, seeking out the various items that Fallon wanted. The easiest thing to find was the kelp, though instead of just gathering bundles of it he did his best to find what he felt was the 'high quality' kelp. He gathered it up, rolled it up, and put it in the basket. Each piece was treated in the same manner, with him going about gathering it until he'd fill the basket to a little above the brim. After that he went after the sea stars and abalone, the latter of which he'd had to ask about back in Pajore since he wasn't quite sure what it was to start with.

Those two things took him some time to gather a basket full of but he knew that he couldn't really complain. He was here trying to make it up to Fallon and he'd of spent even more time gathering everything if it would make the priestess in training happy. She might have told him that it wasn't his fault and that it was alright but he didn't feel that way. He wanted to do this work for her, feeling as though it was in a way a penance, and after doing so then maybe he'd feel as though he was worthy of meeting with Fallon again in the future. If she wanted to meet up with him again that was.

Once the second basket was filled with it being mostly abalone and a handful of sea stars he then went on the search for other things that she might like. He looked for pretty shells, the sorts of shell fish that had pearls in them so he could harvest some pearls for her, and various other odds and ends that one could find at the ocean. Once he had a decent amount of things in the basket of 'random things' he set her shoes carefully on top of everything. Gathering up the baskets he started back toward Pajore. It was going to take a bit of time to get back due to how heavy the baskets were now but it was going to be well worth it if Fallon accepted the items that he'd gathered for her.

After making another scan of the beach, seeking out the invader once more, he was on his way toward home. Jolanta wasn't the sort that wanted to wish death upon someone, so he didn't want the stranger to keel over... but at the same time he just didn't want them coming to Pajore either. Maybe they could get scared off due to how intimidating Yael could be? That would be nice... so here was to hoping for that. With that thought in mind he stepped onto the path that lay between Pajore and the shore, heading back. He'd stop at the Sanctum, drop everything off with whoever came to greet him, then he'd ask about setting up a meeting with a Priest or Priestess to check him over.

After all of that then he would head home for dinner. Just the thought of food had his stomach rumbling, something that made Jolanta pick up the pace a bit.

(( Word Count: 1250 ))  

[Orpheus Solon]

Growth Solo: Fetching Slime for the Sanctum

(( After getting undeserved praise from the Sanctum via Miss Fallon Jolanta finds himself given the task of gathering the slime of the Diascia so that it can be used for healing by those of the Sanctum. He worries that he isn't what one would see as material for a servant of the Sanctum despite the praise given to him and sees the task as a good way to make up for his failings. Willing to prove that he is up for any task under the sun that is assigned to him Jolanta spends the day following snails around, gathering their slime for the priests and priestesses. He can only hope that the task is one that will help him on his way toward becoming a Paladin of the Sanctum one day. ))

His self appointed job as 'paladin in training' was one that Jolanta took very seriously, to the point that he rarely even smiled during his work. He felt as though if he smiled there would be those that thought that perhaps he was just fooling around. Instead he wanted everyone to know that everything he did was done with the utmost of care and thought. He knew that it also made some people believe that he lacked in a sense of humor, but that didn't really matter to him. If people thought that he was a stick in the mud it was fine, so long as he got his work done and those that he was taking care of were safe and taken care of. The problem being that his first escort mission, that being when he went out with Miss Fallon, hadn't gone swimmingly in the least bit. In fact it had gone horribly... she hadn't been able to finish the errands she'd wanted to go on, they had run into an invader from the mainland, and the worst thing of all was that Miss Fallon had been injured. As such he really doubted that he would ever be able to really serve the Sanctum in the manner that he wanted to serve them.

That was what he thought and yet somehow he'd ended up getting a letter from the Sanctum telling them that they'd gotten a 'glowing recommendation' of Miss Fallon... leading him to wonder what was going on. Was that really true? Why had she told them that he'd done well when the truth was that he'd botched the job completely? Was she just trying to be be nice to him because that was one of her tasks as a priestess? He couldn't really say what might be the priestess's reasoning but he wasn't going to hassle her about it. She was being kind to him in that manner and he should be grateful... but at the same time he knew that he would have to redouble his training so that he would be worthy of the kindness that Miss Fallon had shown him. He would have to make sure that he did everything much better from now on so that he wouldn't fail her again were she to ever request his aid again.

The letter that he got from the Sanctum was tucked away into the pocket of his pants before he moved to fetch his wooden sword and a couple of earthen jars with lids that could be tied closed so that they didn't risk the contents spilling. To prove that he was in fact ready to serve the Sanctum they had given him a task in which to complete for them and it was an interesting one. Well... a combination of interesting and a bit gross as it involved those creepy Diascia snails. He was told in the letter that their slime was actually a powerful healing agent and he was supposed to go and get a bunch of it. It seemed that he was supposed to prove that he was wiling to do even the weirdest, slimiest jobs? Or maybe it was that he was showing that he wasn't someone that would pick and chose his jobs? Maybe it was to show that he understood that even a job that involved worm slime was one that was important because said slime would be used by the Sanctum to save others?

There were all manner of reasons for why this particular job was given to him as his task and he was more then willing to comply. If earthen jars filled with Diascia slime would prove his resolve then he was more then willing to fetch it. He wondered if he aught to gather some of the shells as well? They were beautiful fro what he recalled with their swirling design and crystals spikes. A couple of the shining shells would be a good offering to the God and Goddess so taking them back as well might help him a leg up. The slime was the most important though and what he needed to concentrate on before he thought about the offerings. The shells would only benefit him while the slime would help many others and he didn't want to appear greedy. Where he stood with the God and Goddess shouldn't matter to him as much as the task that was assigned to him.

Heading out of his place Jolanta made his way toward the forest, keeping his glowing eyes peeled for the Diascia. They could grow to the size of his arm so he knew that it wouldn't be too hard to find them... provided that they were all hiding today. Well, even if they were hiding he would merely have to check the places that they liked to hide. In trees, under leaves, between groups of rocks, and in other shaded areas. The biggest draw back to searching such places was that he might very well stumble across a keldari nest as well... the last thing that he wanted was to get bit by one of those temperamental serpents while he was trying to gather Diascia slime lest those in the Sanctum have to save him again. He'd already had to go to them recently to get another blessing to help him because he thought that his curse from childhood had returned to anew. He didn't want to bother them again, especially when he was supposed to be running an important errand for them, so he would just have to be careful not to disturb any dangerous creatures while snail hunting.

The first of the Diascia was found not too terribly long after he'd left home and he found himself following it, trying to figure out the best way to get the slime without also getting a lot of other things in the mix. Polluting the healing slime with dirt and debris wasn't what he wanted to do, instead wanting to get the best that he could for the Sanctum. As such he'd found himself following along after the creature for a time before he finally drew his wooden sword, laying it before the snail, waiting for it to crawl over. Once that had been done he set to scraping the sword off on the earthen jar, then repeated the task. It was slow going to say the least but bit by bit he was starting to fill the jar. The first Diascia ended up sliming its way into some under brush as he was scraping his wooden sword off and was soon out of view, leaving him to go in search of a new Diascia.

His morning turned to afternoon turned to early evening as he followed around the glimmering snails, feeling a bit foolish as he went about the task, but did his best to do so in a serious manner. He wouldn't allow anyone to know exactly how silly he felt a since it was an important job assigned to him by the Sanctum. The biggest upside was the fact that nobody had really been watching him during the entire mission, meaning that nobody saw how silly he appeared following the Diascia around to gather their slime in such a manner. Adding to his relief was that in his search for the Diascia he only ran into one keldari and the creature was curled up asleep when he found it giving him an easy out. That was the only real threat that he came across leaving him with just the number of Diascia he needed to worry about. As it started to get later and cooler the numbers dropped off significantly, leaving him with a much more difficult search that turned into a completely lack of Diascia all together. That was what told him that it was time to head back so that he could hand over what he'd gathered.

After a day of searching and slime gathering he'd ended up with three quarters of a jar of the slime which was... good? Maybe...? He couldn't really say that he knew what was a good amount of the snail slime gathered in one day even was. He'd have to hope that what he'd got was enough for today but if he needed to get more he could always resume the mission tomorrow and the next day, however long it would take to get the amount that those in the Sanctum required of him. As he headed out of the forest and toward the Sanctum he found himself wondering if the Diascia slime would be enough to prove himself to the Sanctum. Would this make up for his failures with Miss Fallon? Did they even know about that? He felt that he should likely apologize and promise to work harder to make up for where he was lacking. More serious training with his Aunt Vae should aid him in that, something that he would return to tomorrow. Unless the Sanctum had another job for him that was and in that case he'd do his training after his work for the Sanctum was taken care of.

A short walk from the woods later and he was handing the earthen jar of Diascia slime off to one of the priests, bowing politely to the man as he was thanked for his hard work. The man checked the slime that he'd collected, to see how much he'd gathered, before thanking him again, telling him that they would call on him again. With that Jolanta was dismissed to enjoy the rest of the day for himself... which for him meant getting washed up, getting dinner, and then heading to bed. The snail hunt was surprisingly exhausting for being something that involved a lot of slow walking. Upon finally making it back home he ate a small dinner and went to fall over into bed, not even bothering to change, and was out almost instantly. There would be more to do tomorrow but for the time being he just wanted to sleep.

(( Word Count: 1671 ))  

[Orpheus Solon]

A True Sword

Jolanta was called out early by his Aunt Vae to the beach to work on his swordsmanship. It was one of those tasks that he wanted to work on, to make sure that he would be battle ready when the time came. The only down side was the fact that he'd spent so much time running around after snail slime the day before and he was just plain exhausted... but he couldn't allow himself a moment of weakness. He had to get himself on his feet and back to work on his honing his abilities with a blade since it was a rather important skill, one that he would need if he wanted to continue on with his dreams of serving the Sanctum.

Upon reaching the beach, yawning as he went, he glanced around, looking for his Aunt. It took him but a moment to spot her. She was going through some practice swings, those that he himself worked on when he was practicing. He walked closer to where she was, pausing outside of the reach of her weapon, and found himself watching closely so that he could take it all in. If he watched closely maybe he would learn some new tricks, maybe he would see something that she was doing that he'd been doing wrong or inefficiently. It took him but a moment to realize something, the fact that she wasn't wielding her own sword... it was a basic great sword, the sort that one got as their first weapon, not the great Starfall that she normally wielded which made him wondered what had happened, "Hey... Aunt Vae, did something happen to Starfall?"

The woman came to a halt after a few more motions with the weapon before she turned slowly to face him, lifting the large weapon up easily, resting the fact of it against her shoulder. Once it was resting comfortably she lifted a hand, pointing off to the side where the sheathed Starfall was resting against a tree, "Starfall is fine, Jolanta. I just wanted to make sure that this sword was worth what I paid for it. It's well balanced, sharp, and worthy of the one that I got it for. It's no Starfall but it's still a good sword to start off with."

Walking over to where Jolanta stood she offered him the sheathe first before turning the weapon around, holding it out to her hilt first, "This is for you, Jolanta. It seems that the Sanctum is really interested in you becoming a Paladin as opposed to just an errand boy. As such I feel that you really should carry a proper weapon with you. One can never be too certain what they might call on you to do after all."

Jolanta gave a nod of his head as he took the sheath of the sword first, strapping it into place on her back, before he then took the sword she offered him. It was a rather grand sword, wasn't it? It was definitely not Starfall as his Aunt had said but it was still a really impressive sword. It was one that he couldn't help but to stare at for a long moment before he said, "I can't thank you enough for this Aunt Vae. Not just the sword itself but that you think I am ready for a real blade." He'd been carrying and training with a wooden sword for some time now. It wasn't a weapon that he'd of been able to really fight with but it had still come in handy many times over. He would be sure to find it a place of honor on the wall in his room once he got home... though he had a feeling that receiving the sword would be just the beginning today.

Walking over to where Starfall stood he rested the wooden sword against the tree, turning to look at his Aunt Vae as she fetched her own sword, "How about a little match to break in the new sword, Jolanta?" It sounded like a friendly offer but Jolanta knew full well that it was an offer that he wouldn't be able to say no to... not that he would.

Giving the woman a smile he said, "You know that I am always up for a sparring match with you, Aunt Vae. It's all of your knowledge and teachings that allow me to pursue my dreams." A dream that was so close now that he could feel it. The Sanctum was showing true interest in him and he was ready to do whatever it was that they needed of him. He was up for anything from escorting those of the Sanctum around, fetching and carrying for them, or really anything else that they could request of him. He wanted to be there for them, to serve them, to be their blade and their shield, no matter what they wanted of him he would become that. If they were happy then Jolanta was happy. He owed them so much after all given that they purified not once, but twice now of the curse that seemed to cling to him like a recurring illness.

Once the pair of them had reached the sands Vae drew her weapon from its sheath, leveling it at Jolanta, before she said, "Alright, come at me with all that you have, Jolanta. There is no reason for you to hold back now that you have a real sword. I can assure you that I will be fine."

Jolanta gave a slow nod of his head, "Well, of course you'll be fine... it's my own hide I worry about in this instance." He said as he lifted his new sword up, tapping it against Starfall once before their duel began.

(( Word Count: 957 ))  

[Orpheus Solon]

In the Middle of the Night

 

[Orpheus Solon]

Knights to the Rescue

 

[Orpheus Solon]

A Shaken Jolanta

The door to Doctor Tacrith's place closed behind Jolanta and he found himself standing there, unable to hear anything but the sound of his heart thudding in his ears, his entire body shaking a bit. He was a Paladin of the Sanctum, he was there to do anything and everything that they wanted of him, and he had to be serious about it. He couldn't allow himself to be shaken after all, not when he had to be strong for those that he served... but now that it was all over and he was alone all he could think about was the fact that he was stained with the blood of a Priestess...

His eyes focused on the one in front of him, narrowing a little as he starred at the guy's mouth as it moved, unable to hear a word he was saying... but after the stress induced ringing seemed to come to an end the guy seemed to be repeating himself asking, "Sir Jolanta, are you alright? You said that you were going to come to the Sanctum with news... they are waiting on you."

Jolanta blinked slowly then nodded. Right, this was the one that he'd sent ahead to the Sanctum to tell those who'd sent him out that he'd found Priestess Fallon but that she'd been wounded and that he was bringing her to Doctor Tacrith. He looked over his shoulder for a moment at the building that he'd left the Priestess within before he turned slowly back to the guy in front of him and finally said, "I... yes... please, go ahead of me. I need a bit of time to clean up... I can't go to the Sanctum like this." Not like this, not with as shaken up as he was and given how dirty he was at the moment.

The young man gave him a once over before nodding, "That might be for the best, Sir Jolanta." He said, taking a couple steps back before he turned on his heel and hurried off toward the location of the Sanctum to deliver his second message. Jolanta watched him go before he turned and headed toward the house that he shared with his Aunt Vae, doing his best to stick to the back roads so that he wouldn't be seen in this awful state by too many more people then those who had already seen him. He knew full well that given the situation that everyone was going to know what had happened but better he heard it from word of mouth instead of them coming up to him. He had to get cleaned up and to the Sanctum, he didn't have time to stop and talk to others.

Jolanta was only too happy when he got inside the house, able to close the door behind himself, before he gave a hissing sound before his teeth. He was outside of the gaze of the rest of the village, and more importantly away from the eyes of the Sanctum, which allowed him to collapse to his knees. He knelt there, one arm wrapped around his middle, his other hand at his mouth, as he tried to keep himself from getting ill. It was his raspy breathing that drew the attention of the only other person in the house and it was his Aunt Vae that found him on the floor in such a position, covered in blood.

"Jolanta!" The cry drew his attention and he found himself dragged into her arms before he was able to react, given a tight hug, before he was pushed back as she started to look him over looking for wounds. As she searched him she asked in a demanding manner, "What happened? Are you alright? Where is the blood coming from!?"

Giving a shake of his head Jolanta said, "I... am alright, it's not my blood... it's that of Priestess Fallon..." He gritted his teeth, grinding them a little bit, before he said, "One of those invaders, those Alkidike... shot her with an arrow and left her for dead! Those women are monsters! I should... have been sent out earlier! They took too long sending me... any longer and she'd of been dead! She might still... what if the Doctor can't..." His words trailed off and he gritted his teeth again, hands clenching into tight, white knuckled fists.

Vae was starring, as though everything he'd said was a shock to her before she was getting to her feet, helping her nephew up as well, "Come on, Jolanta. We will get you cleaned up." She said in a soothing tone of voice.

"I can't... I have to make my report to the Sanctum... they need to know." He murmured, his voice as shaky as the rest of him as he was lead to where the tub was located. She eased him down to sit on a chair in the room before she got a fire going first, then grabbed up a bucket.

"You will tell me the story, Jolanta, and I will report to them. You're currently too shaken to give a report, especially as upset as you seem over the late summons that you got. I know as angry as you are at the moment that you don't want to be dismissed from your duties." She wouldn't allow him to lose his place because his emotions had gotten the better of him. He was still young yet, young enough that he probably wasn't ready to anyone under his care getting seriously hurt.

Patting him on the head as one might do to a crying youngling Vae said, "Stay." Before she set to work getting water from the well to fill the tub for him. Once it was filled she withdrew some hot rocks from the fire pit, putting them into the water, heating it up with the stones. Once the bubbling stop she removed the rocks with some tongs, setting them aside, and turned around, "Get in and tell me everything, Jolanta, and then after your bath go and get some rest. You can consider this not as the suggestion of a family member but instead as the order of your teacher if it makes it easier on you."

Giving a little nod of his head Jolanta said, "It... actually does..." With that he set to shedding his messy clothing, leaving them in a heap on the floor, and was soon sinking up to his chin in the tub. Once there he gave the account of what had happened. Where he'd found Priestess Fallon, the condition she'd been in, who she'd claimed attacked her, and all that he'd done to aid her. The only thing he left out was Priestess Fallon's confession to him given it wasn't important to the situation nor did he wish to embarrass her.

Once everything had been shared with his Aunt Vae in detail and she'd left him alone in the bathing chamber he set to work scrubbing himself clean from head to toe. Only once he was certain he got every last speck of blood from himself did he climb out, wrapping himself in a towel, before heading to his room. He headed over to his bed, falling down on it without bothering to dress, wrapping himself in a blanket instead. He'd barely been able to do just that before he was out. Vae came in to check on him, not that he really reacted to it, leaving him something to eat on the bed side table, before she was off to the Sanctum to give the report for him.

(( Word Count: 1256 ))  

[Orpheus Solon]

Battle versus Ceylinae: Jolanta Wins!

 

[Orpheus Solon]

Doctor Visit

 

[Orpheus Solon]

Visiting the Priestess

 

[Orpheus Solon]

A Monster in the Basement

 

[Orpheus Solon]

Quite the Headache

Jolanta's mood was fairly sour after leaving the basement where the strange, golden haired invader was being kept. He didn't care for the fact that he was around in general but even less so knowing that soon he would be allowed to venture wherever he wanted to. On top of that was the fact that he was getting too close to one of the Priests within the Sanctum and it was being allowed. Someone like that, something like that, it shouldn't be allowed. Those in charge of the Sanctum should be looking out for the welfare of those within but it would appear as though that weren't the case these days. First there was the incident with Priestess Fallon in which they not only allowed her to leave without escort for some time but then took far too long to send him out to find her when she didn't return. She could very well have died out there in the woods from infection's poison and it would have been the fault of those who had taken too long to send him word.

After that was those in charge allowing a Priest to take care of the invader when that wasn't what he should be doing. If he had such kindness, such love in his heart then it should be something that he used in aid of his people and not some golden haired monster. That one shouldn't have been allowed on the grounds even if he was kept in a basement behind as many wards as they had put up. If they had to keep him like some stray beast then why not somewhere else within the village? Behind bars, perhaps? That they would allow him so close to where the Priests and Priestesses slept gave him chills. Not a one of them was allowed to train in the use of weapons or magic, they were like defenseless birds and yet that monsters was allowed in their midst! It was like tossing them to the limbara if you asked him and just thinking about it was worrisome and enraging at the same time.

Lifting a hand up he rubbed it against his temples, feeling a migraine coming on. This really was a bother! Especially given that there was nothing that he could really do about any of it. He was, at beast, a servant to the Sanctum and even at that he was one that was seen as being not exactly necessary. Things had always been peaceful, so there was no standing military to protect the Sanctum. That was before the Alkidike came to live on Yael and the mainlanders started to invade the place, it was dangerous now, there should be more guards... but there weren't. It was something that also bothered him, which put his heart in a state of flux.

He should trust the Sanctum, they served the God and Goddess after all, but at the same time he found it more and more difficult these days. It was something that was becoming difficult, serving them when he felt like this. It was nothing on how he felt about the Priests and Priestesses that he'd served thus far, he wanted to keep them safe even now. It wasn't Lurin or Dafiel either, he served them wholeheartedly, would do anything to prove that, bringing them offerings when he found something worthy of them. It was... what then...? Those that were in charge? Those set in their old ways and refused to see things for what they were? It was too dangerous to think only of the past and to only see what they wanted to see. It was going to cost the lives of those within the Sanctum if they weren't careful, it already nearly had!

Drawing his blade from its sheath on his back Jolanta set about going through the motions with his sword. He had to try to calm his mind through the training that he knew by heart, to the point he could probably go through the motions with his eyes closed. It was actually something that he did in fact, closing his eyes behind his glasses, holding that it would help the headache that was pounding between his eyes. If he was able to stave off the headache then it would be easier to think about exactly what it was that he wanted to do next. He wanted to continue to serve the Priests and Priestesses, to protect them, to keep them safe, but he was starting to feel as though those in charge of the Sanctum weren't as reliable as they should be. He wanted to do... more. He wanted to be there, at the beck and call of those that might need them, but he was only one man, and it was hard to serve those that didn't come to him for help.

Even now he was worried that when Priestess Fallon went out again in search of her missing sister that she wouldn't call for him. She'd used a lot of 'ifs' and 'maybes' when it came to the situation after all. Did that mean that she didn't want him there? That he was in the way? It was hard to say... and then there was the problem with the blond monster. That one was getting close to Priests that Jolanta didn't even know personally. It meant that an outsider was closer to those that he wanted protect then he was, someone that might very well try to kill the kindly if naive Priest one day. He would pray to Lurin and Dafiel both that such a thing never came to pass, that the Priest wouldn't be hurt by the blond, or Jolanta would deal with him. He'd already told the monster as much, feeling that it was best to give him fair warning. He could only hope that it would ward him away from doing anything stupid.

After a time of swinging his sword through the motions he finally allowed the blade to come to rest against his shoulder, drawing in a deep breath, before he opened his eyes again, "Lurin, Dafiel, please give me strength going forward." He murmured to the deities, just in case they were listening to one such as him. His sword was slid smoothly into its sheath before he started toward home. He'd lay down, take a nap, sleep off the headache, and then he would return to his training. Even if the Priestess Fallon didn't call for him there were others that might, he had to be in tip top condition so that he could serve them however they might need. That was who he was, what he was, and no matter how his heart ached from the missteps he was seeing he had to continue to serve those who would have him. Without them, without the Sanctum, what was he after all but some wannabe playing at being a paladin?

(( Word Count: 1152 ))  

[Orpheus Solon]

Battle versus Zandala: Zandala Wins!

 

[Orpheus Solon]

Battle versus Tinturals!