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 Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2015 7:56 am
After the Battle
The battle against the Alkidike in Sauti was a battle that Saraf had never wanted to be a part of. He'd even argued against his people going that far out of their way for people that couldn't really be trusted. In the long run he supposed that it had all worked out but he really hadn't liked the fact that his people were at risk the whole time. All it would have taken was one person that held a grudge to pull a knife and stab one of their 'allies' in the back in the midst of the battle after all. Still, they had ended up going anywhere because there were bleeding hearts among his people that wanted to help out no matter what. The way that Saraf saw it there was no reason why his people, proud Obans all of them, should be bending knee before the savages of the North. He didn't think so, but they ended up in Sauti regardless to see... well, what they had seen.
It had been a battle that was led by an old hag and a little girl, one of those set ups that really made him feel as though they hadn't been needed there. It was all that b*****d Besian's fault that a faction from Oba had ended up in Sauti, as if they should have trusted a traitor to their people. A thought that he did his best to shove aside. No, he couldn't think too hard on everything that brought the lot of them to Sauti and instead he should be happy over the fact that the worst the group had were some injuries from the fight. There were many Gods and Goddesses that he would need to send prayers to for the great fortune they'd had Saraf thought to himself.
It seemed to be over though, with the losing faction having been banished to some far off place, meaning that he was free to head home whenever he was feeling up to it. The sooner the better he thought to himself, eager to get himself away from this place. Sauti wasn't his homeland and as such it wasn't his obligation to stick around help with clean up work. He'd leave that to the people that lived here, their homeland, their problem. It was clearly the way that they saw Oba after all, leaving the Fire Tribe to clean up after all the rules that the outsiders had thrust upon them after the war between Oba and the North. It was one of those things that he wouldn't forget, therefore it caused him to hold a bit of a grudge himself.
Of course it wasn't as though it was the only grudge that he held... there was that whole problem that he had with the Shifters after all, something made worse by the fact that he'd crossed paths with one of those Shifters that had screwed him over the worst in the past. He might not be the one that had left him mostly blind in one eye but he was still one that seemed to make Saraf's temper flare just thinking about him and his brother, a couple ungrateful thieves. Still, he felt as though he was making progress as far as his temper went, sure he wasn't nice to the guy, but he hadn't taken a swing at him either. Not that it would have been smart for someone like him to take a swing at a Shifter since he'd be the one label the bad guy.
No matter, he had passed the test that was obviously laid out before him by Nerad and he felt as though he'd passed. Now all he had to do was make it out of Sauti, through Tale, and back to Oba without the desire to take a swing rising up in him again. He could do this, that much he knew. Once he got home to Oba, while he knew he had to deal with some outsiders now that the borders were open to them, at least he'd be at home. He could get back to things that mattered more to him then fighting the battles of other people, and far from those he'd love to beat into the ground with his bare hands.
He knew that, despite his dislike for certain groups that he really needed to think about the future. He knew that, were he to attain his dream of being an officer in the army, that he was going to have to deal with such people. Not only deal with them but do so in a manner that was peaceful and amiable to a degree. It was likely that there could even come a time when the two factions, Oba and the North, would need to stand together again as they had in Sauti. It was something that would never sit well with him, but if it was for the good of Oba and his people, then he supposed that he could deal with it. Anything for Oba, even if it meant dealing with Shifters.
Shaking his head, doing his best to clear his spiraling thoughts he tried to think of better things, the best thing against being that he was going home. He'd only been away a short time but he really missed Oba already, wanted to get back, and most importantly he wanted to get back to training. It might be strange to some, his desire to leave a battle behind only to get back to training, but his army career was the most important thing to Saraf. Some others might get distracted by other things like friends, love, and children.
They were all things that interested Saraf in a way but he knew that other things came first. Once he became someone high in the ranks of the army then and only then could such things be considered. As it was though he didn't think that he was ready for any of that. Not to mention that, as a mere soldier in the army, that he wouldn't really be the sort that any woman might be interested in. To really impressed a potential bride-to-be, especially one from a good Oban family, that he would need to go above and beyond.
So many things to do, so little time, but first and foremost was getting home. Due to this he set to work finishing up with the packing of his things, eager to get home and back to work.
(( Word Count: 1079 ))
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Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2015 11:05 am
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Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2015 8:34 am
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Posted: Sun Dec 13, 2015 2:42 pm
Growth Solo to Stage 3
Saraf was currently waiting, arms crossed over his chest, eyes closed, as his fate was being decided by those within the building he was standing in front of. Alongside him was another soldiers, one that he could count among his fellows, but didn't, not at present that was. For all Saraf knew he might be a good person outside of one stupid thing he'd done today, but it was rather hard to tell. He'd actually guess that he wasn't, instead sizing him up as the spoiled sort that got everything they wanted served up to him on a silver platter. That more summed up who the guy was, but who knew the truth, right? Not that it mattered, he could be the reincarnation of Nerad himself and Saraf still would have punched him same as he had today for the caustic words that had come out of his mouth.
He really, really couldn't care less what people said about him. He got it all after all, rumors ranging from him keeping slaves far passed when he was supposed to, something that persisted even after he'd cleared up last time. There were people who talked about how he shouldn't be able to be anything more then a foot soldier because of his bad eye, saying that his weakness would get people killed. Something he did his best to train himself for, going as far as to allow people to attack him only from his bad side so he could start to learn other ways to hear them coming. He took his training very seriously, even if it landed him with a lot of bruises before he was able to train his hearing to pick up approaching opponents. Then there were those who wanted to bring up his distaste for everyone but his people. It seemed that there were those who felt that, now that the war was over, that he should expand his mind and loyalties, that he should see the other tribes as allies and not 'savages' as he labeled them. It was true, and perhaps one day he would be able to do that if only to better serve as a officer, though the idea of seeing them as friends was still something that turned his stomach.
All of that he could deal with, he heard it often enough after all, and it had become something he could shrug off like a perzi rolling in the sand. Why should he care about the words of those who were in competition with him? They all wanted to rise in the ranks of the Oban army, they all wanted to become officers, to lead their fellow soldiers, and to become more then what they currently were. If that meant slinging mud around there were those that were willing to do that, there were also those that were willing to take the bait and fight back. Saraf had been determined to be more then that, to be the bigger man. He'd almost done it too! He ignored them as they mocked him for breaking the rules, ignored them as they insulted his weakness, and ignored them as they went after his beliefs. He'd stood strong as a leader should when faced with idiots. He'd almost made it through when the one standing alongside him, some spoiled noble brat, decided that he'd bring out the end all when it came to insults, he'd gone after Saraf's mother.
To be honest he was a little surprised, to think that there would be someone who would go from strategic attacks against flaws that could keep him from becoming an officer to childish insults about his mother being a 'whore'. It should have been something that he could shrug off just as easily but instead, before he'd even been able to think about it, he'd laid the guy out with a few punches to his smug, stupid face! Something that made him feel good at the time, especially when he was starring down at him, able to tell in a flash that his nose was broken. It was a feeling of superiority that lasted for only a moment before their commanding officer was yelling their names, telling them to report to his office, and that he and the others would be 'deciding what to do with them'. Here they were, standing there quietly, awaiting their fates, and Saraf's mind was whirling.
He knew that he had a temper, knew that he had an over protective streak as well when it came to his mother. She was a good woman, and it wasn't her fault that the love of her life turned out to be a slime ball that threw her aside. It wasn't her fault, so why should people be allowed to speak ill of her? Especially when they didn't even know the situation. It was something that had always irked him, had caused him to get into more then one fight in his time. It wasn't as though this were any sort of surprise or that it should have come as a shock to him. He shouldn't have let his temper get the better of him but he'd let it. Not only now but it seemed to crop up any time things went a way that he didn't like, such as when he snapped at Issaly back in Sauti. The kid looked completely blindsided, as though he had no idea what Saraf was talking about. Maybe he didn't? It could very well have been his snake of a brother that had decided to stab Saraf's family in the back but he'd taken it out on the target in front of him instead of the proper one. He'd done the same to Kalli, yelling at her, making it so she walked away and never talked to or approached him him again. Had he done so with the brat next to him? Punched him even though he wasn't exactly the source of Saraf's aggression but instead just a target for it?
Thinking in that manner did that mean that due to his distaste for a few Shifters he felt the need to lash out at the lot of them? Giving a sighing sound he found his thoughts starting to spiral in circles around themselves, as he found himself questioning many aspects himself, as well as trying to figure out how exactly he should try to go about keeping his temper in check. He would be a rather piss poor General if he were the sort to yell at everyone for every little thing after all. He'd never even take a step up the officer's chain of command if he couldn't keep his temper in check. It might mean having to make peace with various things that he didn't care for, as well as people he didn't like, including fools like the one next to him. He didn't think that he'd be able to actually completely stamp it out and become a man of peace, not by any stretch of the imagination, but if he were able to keep from snapping or swinging at anyone that dared to cross him. It might even help as far as relations with the other tribes went in the future. He wouldn't be besties with them, not by any stretch of the imagination, but at least he'd be able to sit down for discussions with other tribes about various things up. Planning coming battles, training sessions with their warriors, and the like for example. Being able to do all of that without wanting to see one of them trip and fall onto their own sword because they weren't Oban would be a bonus when it came to being a good officer.
Saraf's eyes popped open when the door before then came open as well, a few people coming out. There was their commanding officer, another officer he knew of that trained a different unit, as well as someone that looked familiar to him but he couldn't place. He just had a feeling that he'd seen him a couple times in the passed, though where he couldn't say. A nobleman of some sort if his mode of dress were any indication. The man's eyes gave Saraf a once over before he turned to the one next to him, snapping at the guy telling him that they 'had to talk' before leading him off. Likely the guy's father and, much to Saraf's surprise, he wasn't just going to let it slide? Shocking! Here he'd thought that... no, no... he couldn't let his mind wander. He wanted to get a better hold on his temper after all, meaning that he would need to let it go.
Instead he turned his mind to the two officers before him who were still talking quietly, standing at full attention. The noble brat was getting an ear full from his father but Saraf wasn't out of the woods just yet. He didn't have a noble father to save him from severe punishment after all meaning that the two before him were in charge of that. Finally they were done, turning to look at him, their faces serious before one of them said, "You are away, Saraf, that we can't just go around punching our problems away even if they take a shot at our mothers, right?" A question that Saraf didn't think he was supposed to answer so he merely gave a nod of his head to show his understanding.
"Good, it would be a waste to have to expel someone as dedicated as you from the army due to bickering. You need to remember who you are, where you are, and how old you are. This sort of thing might have been allowed to slide when you were a youngling back in school but not now. These things go on one's permanent record, they are discuss in length along with various other information about you, and could very well get you skipped when it comes to promotions. Having 'does not play well with others' on your record isn't going to help you." The other man said, crossing his arms over his chest, giving Saraf a serious look, before he said, "You're going to have to claw your way up to the top through hard work, not everyone can get a title in the army because they have a title in normal life."
Something that Saraf knew well, something that made his temper rise... but he took a deep breath to try to get it under his control, "I understand, I am to be punished then?" He asked, wondering what sort of Hell it was that they were going to dish out as his punishment. What would he have to do so that he could start to claw his way back to the top?
The pair exchanged a glance before the other man said, "Not so much punishment as a transfer. Best that we separate the two of you before it becomes an issue that will call for anymore blood shed. You will be joining my unit and you will be going out with us on patrol the wilds of Oba, there has been a rise in bandit raids that we need to deal with. You will be with us for the next month. After that you can decide if you want to return to your cushy training here in Sulburri or stick with us. Gather your things, tell your mother since she obviously means a lot to you, and report back here at dawn." With that Saraf was dismissed, left to hurry home with his new assignment, sending all his prayers and thanks for whatever God or Goddess allowed him to get a transfer instead of finding himself on cleaning duty for the rest of his life. Chasing bandits was far from glorious work, but better then spending all his time doing something that would cause his skills to rust.
(( Saraf has come to learn that his temper is starting to really effect things, something that he is going to need to get a handle on if he wants to keep further incidents from happening. To separate him and another soldier who have already come to blows once Saraf has gotten transferred to another unit, serving to help deal with bandits as a punishment but also as a possible permanent new job. Things he will be doing/dealing with next stage. ))
(( Word Count: 1983 ))
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Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2016 1:40 pm
The Night Before
The idea that Saraf might actually leave home again so soon, and for a full month, wasn't something that his mother was expecting even though it should have been obvious. He didn't say as much though, knowing that the woman was a soft and sometimes naive woman. It was just how she was and not something that he minded even if she did on occasion treat him like a child, like the time that she'd gotten him a perzi in hopes of bettering his mood at the time. What mother got a cat for their full grown son after all save for his own? Still, he loved her and fought hard to make sure that she got everything that she wanted and needed through the salary he made from the army. The higher in rank he climbed the more that he made, something that only made his goals that much more important to achieve. Once he was sitting on high then his mother would nothing else to worry about, and nobody would dare to bad mouth her just because once upon a time ago she'd been the mistress to something worthless lord.
The last night that Saraf spent wth her was a bit of a tough one, mostly because she didn't want to leave him alone, insisting on helping him to pack, asking time and again if he really had to go, and the like. He hadn't really told her about the issues that had lead to his transfer but instead merely told her that it was all a part of his training. One couldn't get all their training sitting around in Sulburi after all and if she believed him on that one then he was happy. He would rather that she didn't know that he'd let his temper get the best of him when someone insulted her and had laid into someone. She didn't need to know that there were people who thought like that, she didn't need to know that he'd gotten in a fight either. he was lucky after all that he'd only gotten a transfer to another unit. It could have been a lot worse, he could have gotten himself kicked out of the army together since he wasn't exactly the most friendly of people. He was loyal to Oba, so maybe that had influenced this? Hard to say though.
Once his mother had finally gone to bed, taking Elred with her because Saraf had requested she take care of the cat while he was away, he'd gone about repacking his things. Half of what his mother insisted that he bring along with him weren't things that were going to be needed. He had to pack light, take only the most necessary of things, since he'd be traveling mostly by foot out in the wilds of Oba for a month. It wasn't a long amount of time but going into a situation that was completely unknown to him wasn't something that sat well with Saraf. He knew only that he would be aiding with a bandit problem but passed that he wasn't really certain what it was that he'd be doing. It could really be anything after all. It was possible that the bandits were just one goal of many, something he'd learned once he spent more time with the desert fairing unit of soldiers.
The repacking of is things hadn't taken long, with his placing his pack at the door to his room along with the new sword that he'd had made for him by the local sword smith. It would serve him well in the place of the old blades that had been a stand in until he was able to get his own sword. It had taken a lot of work, and a good amount of coin, but it had been worth it. That done Saraf left his room, wandering through the house, and found himself standing before a room that he hadn't been to for some time, years in fact. There really had been no reason for it, but then again he supposed there was really no reason for the room to exist anymore and yet his mother insisted on keeping it exactly how it had been when Issaly vanished. As though such things were even needed anymore. If by some chance of Fate On'os led the brat back here it wasn't as though he was even of an age where he wanted toys anymore. It might just be that his mother wanted him to see that they kept everything just as he'd left it to prove that they had wanted him? Possible, but he supposed that it really didn't matter anymore, that was one bridge that he'd thoroughly burned back in Sauti.
Yet another thing that he didn't tell his mother about, she'd be upset if she knew he'd seen Issaly and instead of bringing him home Saraf yelled at him. His temper really was an atrocious thing at times, seeming to steer him around in a manner that Saraf really didn't care for. It was something that he meant to work on so that he would be able to continue forward toward his goals without yelling at people or punching them, which ever his temper dictated that they deserved at the time. If he had a better control over his temper he wouldn't be forced to change units, though at the same time that might be for the best. It would help to strengthen him and hone his skills to do different things. If he just did the same things day in and day out then he'd end up hitting a wall, his skills rusting, and then where would he be?
No, this would be good for him even if the manner in which he'd ended up here wasn't exactly ideal. After the month was over he found himself wondering what it was that he should do then. Continue to serve with the desert unit? Return to his unit in Sulburi? Or should he do something else entirely? He supposed that it all depended on how the next month went and how it effected his skills. If he saw a jump in his strength then it would be more then worth it to stay with them a while longer if they would keep him.
Closing the door to the room he walked away from ti, not feeling the desire to linger any longer. It was like some sort of shrine, as though the brat were dead, and it wasn't something that he wanted to deal with. One of these days, perhaps when he had some leave, he'd see about finding Issaly. He'd bring him back, make the boy sit down and talk with his mother, and then... well, let him do whatever it was that he wanted to do from there. He had no interest in forcing him to stay, he wasn't about to get in trouble for keeping a Shifter 'slave' again he thought to himself.
Heading into his room Saraf laid down on his bed, arms crossed behind his head, he let his eyes close. He would get some rest, so he could be up before the sun, and head out to meet the others. There were a lot of questions that he had his upcoming job, but knew they wouldn't be answered until tomorrow, meaning that the only thing he could do now was sleep.
(( Word Count: 1234 ))
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Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2016 2:34 pm
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Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2016 1:33 am
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Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2016 11:19 am
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Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2016 11:20 am
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Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2016 11:24 am
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Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2016 5:02 am
Talk of Marriage & Children
Emi looked at the gifts that her son got for her, gifts that included fancy cloth to make a beautiful dress out of, as well as some nice jewelry, and she gave a happy sound in her throat. She hugged the items to her chest for a moment before she said, "Oh, Saraf! You're so wonderful!" She turned to walk over to the table, laying the cloth out over the table, running a hand over it, before she said, "Between this and the wonderful herb turtle you brought home recently I feel as though you have been spoiling your mommy!" She chirped in an excited voice.
Turning around to look at Saraf she gave him a once over, studying her son very carefully, before she said in an excited tone of voice, "You know, Saraf, my darling son, you really should consider getting a wife to spoil instead of spoiling me all the time. You know it would be great if you brought home a nice wife soon, one who will give me some grand children! Ones that I will only be too happy to babysit for you!" She clapped her hands together in a happy manner just thinking about it, wanting nothing more then to have some little ones to play with. It had been so long since there was a young person in the house, which made her miss it greatly.
Saraf's eyes went a bit wide as his mother went from thanking him for the gifts before she was suddenly talking about him getting both a wife and a kids. It seemed as though it was partly for her own amusement since she wanted grand children so much. Well, 'so much' but also seemingly all of a sudden since it was a new development for him. She wanted him to get married then? He found himself considering for a moment before he said, "I have thought about it from time to time, but I am not sure if I am in the right place yet. I mean I want to be in a good place before I think about getting a wife."
Giving a humming sound he said, "Where things stand presently I would end up having to leave her behind when I return to my unit. I would feel bad if I only saw her and my children when I am on leave or something." He wanted to be a father that could at least be described as 'decent' since his own father had been pretty worthless and he refused to be the same.
Emi lifted a hand, ruffling his long dread locked hair, before she said, "I understand... though at the same time you shouldn't wait too long. You don't want to end up too old for such things after all." She crossed her arms over her chest, humming to herself, "I have some friends that have daughters about your age, I bet we can set up some meetings."
That was a comment that had Saraf going a bit wide eyed, his cheeks coloring a little bit, "I... yeah... thank you, Mother, but I don't think that is necessary." He would like to think that he would be able to find a wife of his own were he to actually set out to do so. The idea of becoming a husband and father was an interesting prospect, though he wanted to become someone powerful within the Oban army first. He wanted his family to be a well respected one after all, he didn't want them to have to deal with the same insults that Saraf dealt with. He had to fight for it, which meant a lot more in the way of training and preparations.
Glancing at his mother he said, "Give me a bit more time, Mother, I want to continue to climb up the ranks in the army and make sure I am someone of great importance, someone who is well respected, before I think of tying a wife to me. I want to become a man that is worthy of a family of my own. I don't want to..." He trailed off, shaking his head.
The woman tilted her head, starring at Saraf for a long moment, before she said, "You don't want to be your father? I... know that what he did was wrong. He cared far too much for his title, wanting a woman who held a similar title, and that wasn't me." She gave a little sigh as she said, "I wonder what he might have done if he knew about you but I didn't want to play that card. I am not so pathetic or weak a woman that I need to force a man's hand by using a child against a person."
Leaning against the table her presents were sitting on she said, "I don't want you to think that you need to do as he did, Saraf. You don't need to force yourself to get a title or marry a titled woman because it feels like that is what you should do. Instead you should find someone that makes you happy if at all possible! You should marry for love if you can instead of picking someone that is right politically." She gave a smile as she said, "Not that I won't be too happy to introduce you to those who might be good wife material."
Saraf blinked a couple times as his mother got serious. Mentioning his father, which was something that she so rarely did. She didn't seem to do so often since the man wasn't around. She'd raised Saraf herself, without any help from the absent man, but for her to actually mention him... it was surprising. At least she wasn't going to force him to marry, right? She seemed as though she still wanted him to meet with her the daughters of her various friends. Not a prospect he liked the idea of since he'd never seen the friends or the daughters before...
Shaking his head he said, "I... well... I will consider your words, as well as the idea of meeting with them... I am not yet ready to get married but maybe I can meet them?" He supposed that there was always a chance that he might hit it off with one of them, right? Otherwise he wouldn't have to worry about getting married straight away or so he hoped. For all he knew he would end up married within a week to a woman of his mother's choosing.
(( Word Count: 1085 ))
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Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2016 10:15 am
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Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2016 10:16 am
After the 'Invasion'
Saraf was all but cursing to the sky after he'd finally rid himself of the Leaf Tribeswoman and it wasn't all due to his anger at what she'd done to him... though it was definitely partly that. Instead it was the fact that he still hadn't gotten a good handle on his temper. He had been trying and at times he seemed to have a good hold on it. It seemed that today wasn't one of those days was it? Having a stranger suddenly invading his home, weapon in hand, when his mother was present... it had been rather terrifying in fact. He was pretty certain that the woman was no assassin, she didn't really seem the sort, but at the same time just the fact that someone could walk in so easily didn't sit well with him.
Saraf was no fool, he knew that there were many out there who weren't a fan of his and he didn't much care for them either. He'd been a part of the invasion of the North, he'd captured a woman with his own two hands, had fought against many. There was no reason why they should like him and given everything that they'd done to him he saw no reason to like the savages from the North. The question then became what if they decided that they wanted to come after him? One of those Shifters for instance. He knew that there were those among that group that didn't care for him and he really didn't like them in exchange. That wasn't what was important though, if they came after him then he found fight back against them, but what if his mother was caught in the cross fire?
Not something that he wanted to even think about given that she was the one that he loved most in the world. She was a good woman, though naive at times, and she needed to be protected! Perhaps a change of location was what was needed? A place that was nicer with better security? He also had the option of hiring on a bodyguard for her to keep her safe that way. There were many strong people in Oba that he could hire on to make sure that she was kept safe from anything and everything, up to and including more weirdos wandering into his house off the streets as that crazed Leaf woman had done. That was something that he could go about though first he really needed to get his anger under control so that he could think to the best of his ability.
Heading back toward home Saraf did his best to take in long, deep breaths, trying his best to get himself back into order again. The walk back was a short one though, meaning that he didn't have a lot of space in which to get himself into control again... and to add to it by the time he got back his mother was waiting for him at the door. He blinked a couple times before he gave a little sigh, "Hello, Mother, I'm back." He said as he approached.
The woman hurried forward, her skirts swishing around her currently bare feet, and she set to inspecting him before giving a cry and said, "Oh! No, my poor baby... are you alright? What did that cruel woman do to you?!" She asked, hovering closer, her hands reaching out toward him before she was suddenly turning on her heel, hurrying toward the house, "Come along, Saraf, I will get the first aid kit and see to the wounds that she gave you!" The response wasn't really the one that he wanted, not wanting her to fret over him when he could take care of himself well enough. He just hadn't wanted to fight to the fullest of his abilities against a woman. It seemed as though it wasn't really right, hitting a woman, but to be honest it had been tempting with that one.
Shaking his head again he headed inside, "Mother! I don't need to be patched up, it's not that bad!" He called after her, not wanting her to think that he was going to die of his wounds. For the most part they were superficial, looking worse then they really were, though he doubted that she would believe him. That was made more then obvious as he stepped inside and she was hurrying to him, medical supplies in hand, "Mother..."
"Come on, Saraf! I will help you. Come, sit down in the kitchen so that I can reach better." She told him, turning to lead the way and Saraf could only follow behind, ever the diligent son. A moment later and he was sitting on a stool in the kitchen with her tending to his wounds. There really wasn't a lot that she could do other then rinse his wounds off and smear them with salve but he let it play out. No reason to complain when she wanted to do her best to help him out.
After he'd been tended to, and to his embarrassment was given a kiss on the head as though he were a child, his mother was letting him go. Pushing to his feet he looked her way and said, "Thank you mother, I will be back to my best in no time now." She was really the only one that could get away treating him in such a manner, but that could likely be said for every soldier in the Oban army. He'd even go as far as saying that those in charge were the same when it came to their mothers since their mothers were the ones that had brought them into the world. One couldn't help but to be loyal to that sort of person.
"I think that I am going to go to the courtyard and see about some practicing with my sword. I'll make sure that the front door is locked first though." Just to make sure that nobody else was able to invade their home in such a manner that the Leaf woman had. Giving a his mother a smile he headed out of the kitchen, going to check the front door before he moved on to the courtyard. He'd see about burning some of the excess energy that the invasion had caused before he talked with his mother about the idea of finding her a bodyguard. He knew that she might not be a big fan of the idea but if it kept her safe then it was something he hoped she'd accept.
(( Word Count: 1093 ))
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Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2016 2:37 am
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Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2016 2:38 am
After Tournament Study
Saraf was sitting in a tent, allowing a lovely Oban healer to tend to the wounds that he'd gotten during the duel against the Shifter magic wielder. He really wasn't sure what he thought about the battle other then he felt as though he were set up as far as that went. It had to be some sort of test that was given to him by Nerad and perhaps Jonal, a test to see if he could take losing to someone from the tribe that he disliked the most after the war. There was that part of him that wanted to rage about being set up against a damn mage of all things in his first round, but in the end he'd just been completely overwhelmed. That meant that he really needed to get better was all. He couldn't very well be mad at the other man when he was the one that had lost. It meant that he had to put even more into his training... not to mention that he would need to see about practicing against those who had such powers.
"Thank you." He said to the woman as she finished up healing him, glancing around for a moment before he pushed himself up to his feet, stretching out all over as he did so. He was feeling much better now that she'd used her powers to tend with his wounds, a magical sort of healing that he was used to feeling being a part of the army. It was just a shame that there was no magic wielder that had been able to fix the problem with his eye either in the past or now. It was something that he'd gotten used to but at times he found the shadows that his bad eye could pick up to be a bit of a bother. It would have been better if it had either went out completely or if it had been fixed, one or the other, but not stuck somewhere in the middle. A thought that he brushed aside as he headed out of the healer's tent so that he could go back to the stadium, wanting to watch the rest of the tournament since he couldn't participate any longer. Once it was over though he meant to go back to his unit, to talk with those who had magical abilities, and see if there were any among them that he could train with.
Finding himself a seat that was close to the fighting ring but far from the crowd Saraf set to studying the fighting styles of those who had entered the competition. There was a lot to learn from watching those who were fighting, even those that he didn't much care for. He knew that if he wanted to get really strong that he would need to be open to learning from anyone, strangers and savages included. It was something that his younger self would have balked at, wanting to get stronger without the help of such people, but as it stood he knew he would need to do anything and everything to get to where he wanted to be. One couldn't hope to find real strength without being open to every option that lay before him.
Leaning forward a little his eyes narrowed on one warrior, taking the manner in which they moved their feet as they fought. It was an interesting stance, one that was meant for use with a spear but he felt that it could translate well into his own weapon of choice with a bit of work. He would need to try it out, to see if it would work to get him closer to his opponent more quickly as it seemed like it was a stance that was built upon speed. The downside was that when one wanted to be fast they didn't quite as much strength behind their strikes. Was he willing to sacrifice strength for speed? Maybe, that was something that he would have to think about. Speed was useful, it meant dodging and finding openings in an opponents defense more quickly, so even if he didn't do as much damage his opponent would be left with multiple smaller wounds to deal with. The more he thought about it he gave a smile, then turned his attention to another warrior, taking in the manner in which they were holding their weapon. It was better for dual swords since they were lighter then the one that he used, meaning that he should skip that particular hold since it wasn't for him.
His eyes scanned around, looking for more warriors that might be useful to him as far as their stances and movements went. He found himself starring at one of them, a Shifter, and the idea of seeking help from them actually made his temper flare a little. There was a part of him that wanted to declare that he would never need the help of one of their kind but at the same time he knew he couldn't do that. If he were to ignore all Shifters, seeing them only as thieves and cheats then he would be missing out. If they learned something that would make them a better warrior then Saraf then he should be willing to learn from them, so that they weren't able to get ahead of him in the same manner the Shifter mage had. Teeth gritting slightly he forced himself to watch the Shifter warrior as he fought even though he was sure that his expression was a miffed one. Not something that he could help though given the situation.
"You know your face is going to stick like that." A comment that drew Saraf's attention away from the fights going on before him so that he could look to the side, finding himself starring at another member of his unit. The man gave a grin and said, "Come on, man. No reason to sulk. You did pretty good given that guy was pelting you with that magical bs from a distance. Everyone who's lost thus far is gathering at the Janarim's Skull for drink, you in?"
Pushing to his feet Saraf said, "Sure, I could really use a drink, and I was wanting to chat with you guys anyway." Especially those in the group that were magic wielders. If there was a gathering of his unit then it was the best time to do just that. Falling into step alongside his fellow soldier the two of them were soon on their way to join the other 'losers' from their unit in their favorite tavern for drinks and a good time.
(( Word Count: 1105 ))
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