It was foolish for him to continue this endevor - the instructors, though tackless, meant well and knew what they were doing. None had been instructed to begin self-training regimines outside of courses and yet here he was. The only time he had used the daggers was on the first day, and they had contributed to the still tender blisters on his hands. Now, the training daggers felt heavy in his hands, the weight of what they stood for heavy on his mind.
"Come-on Nuri, there is no time to start questioning things now...just practice what they said in class...simple slashing while defending your blind side..."
With the determination clear in his gaze, and his jaw set into a firm and tense lock, the lanky prentice began to swing at the dummy before him, careful to not do too much damage less he gut the poor thing and have no more reason to stick around. Afterall, the afternoon was still young, and he didn't need to head back until the sun sank low in the sky.
-----
It wasn't just the bazaars and markets of Sulburi that had a lot of things to offer. The stores throughout the city and the different sections of the town offered a lot of hidden gems as well. It was for this reason that Khalel found herself taking an entirely new path that day, in search of something new and exciting. The markets were all well and good, of course. They were one of her favorite places in the Oban capital. But every once and a while it was nice to try something new, and who knew? Maybe she'd encounter something she never expected.
Not many individuals had lingered in the abandoned parts of the city. They were generally the poorer sections of town, belonging to the slaves that had been released from their bonds not too long ago. An aura of eerieness seemed to linger about those areas, but Khalel herself felt drawn to them. Perhaps it was her Matori heritage that called her there, or perhaps it was her eagerness to find hidden treasures? The noble hybrid couldn't say for sure, but she found herself walking the streets while examining every nook and cranny as she went along. "You never know what you might find, Khalel," she told herself with a smile.
Ultimately, she ended up surprised. The last thing she had expected to hear in that section of town was the sound of someone hitting a training dummy. A soldier, perhaps? Intrigued, the girl made her way in that direction, until she came across an Oban boy who was doing just that. He took his practicing quite seriously, as she could see by the beads of sweat on his brow. She just hoped he didn't tire himself out too much. "Careful," she said to him, stepping out from a side alley to sasshay over to some stairs leading to the upper level of a house to sit on. "The last thing you need is heat stroke."
1/10
-----
Everything felt sloppy and out of control, the weight of the blades getting heavier with each slash. It felt wrong in some sort of way, possibly because he had no real training on how to handle the weapon, or possibly because he just wasn't meant to use the dual blades as a fighting tool. Either way, Nuri tried to push through the negative thoughts less he fall in the same downward spiral that occured during his last bout of training. Determined to not let a depression creep up, he decided to do a fake to the right before a spinning slash. It seemed to work well enough, and his pleasure helped him focus on more than just his lack of skill.
It was his sudden rememberance to focus on his surroundings that helped him feel her presence a moment before she spoke. Shifting so his back became straighter, Nuri turned his head to where the female voice came from. His eyes widened at the sight of a girl that appeared similar in his age, and he quickly bowed his head in a greeting and an attempt to stall so he could try and remember her greeting.
It was a beat of silence before his eyes jumped back up to her eyes, his own kohl-lined ones narrowing slightly at her jest. No other emotion appeared on his face save for calm control, and he quickly made busy to sheath the daggers as he returned his greeting.
"I appreciate your concern, My Lady," He started as he moved toward the stairs, his pile of weapons near the bottom against the wall, "...but, there is no reason to fear for health. I am quite accustomed to exerting myself in this heat."
His voice was professional as he finally settled the weapons away, before he stood at attention once more and turned back to glace at her outfit. So far, he took note of her bright eyes, a unique trait that prickled at the back of his mind. His examination of her outfit confirmed that she didn't quite belong in this area, and as his eyes lifted up her form and to her face, he felt his cheeks suddenly warm.
Were those Matori markings that dotted her chocolate skin? All at once, he took a long second to examine her face, her cheeks and eyes, and her hair and ears. When he realized he had been looking well over the appropreate time, he cleared his throat.
"I believe it is you who should be careful as you are quite far from home."
-----
"As are you," she countered, a playful smirk tugging at her lips. Then again, she was in no position to be so cheeky, in all honesty. He was the one with the strength and training to defend himself out in these areas of town -- not her. She had none of those abilities whatsoever, and only had quite a bit of book learning under her belt. Then again, everyone had their strengths. Fighting was this young man's, and learning was hers. It was just as well.
Upon being called 'my lady' Khalel couldn't help but pull a face of discomfort. Why did everyone insist on using such formalities around her? Sure, she was of noble standing, technically, but...still. She was never overly fond of the formal titles that nobility had to offer. She couldn't help but raise a hand when he said that, as if to correct him. "Please," she said, shooting him a slightly off-put expression, "just call me Khalel. Everyone insists on 'my lady', and it's truly not necessary."
It was as she said this that Khalel allowed herself to look at Nuri more closely. Mentally, she kicked herself. He was of noble lineage -- something she could tell by his bearing and the formalities he spoke. She should have been more formal with him, as was appropriate of someone of his standing. "Apologies, my lord," she murmured apologetically, casting her exotic eyes away from him quickly. She really should have paid better attention. Her father would have smacked her upside the head, had he seen how she reacted to the young man.
2/10
-----
His eyes dropped to her smirk as she spoke, his brain working overtime to try and interpret exactly what her intent was. Was she jesting yet again, or did she truly mock him. More importantly, he attempted to determine her standing compared to his own. When his father wasn't going over the importance of Oban nationalism, he was drilling the three siblings on the art social interaction.
Clearly she was partial Matori, if her eyes and skin was any indication. From what he could see, she had no crystals, so that was another factor. Yet, her clothing and posture told him that she was of a higher upbringing. This was a situation he was not trained for, there was no ruling as to how to treat a noble that had blood from a non-oban. Thankfully, Khalel helped move the conversation on before he dug himself a grave.
Once more, her actions confused and conflicted him, and he paused to just evaluate her as if she would tell him why she requested he drop all formality. It seemed she took the time to do the same, as he caught her glancing away as she too greeted him with his title. All at once, he felt a heavy sigh escape his chest before he reached to pick up the cloth of his top and wrapping it around his shoulders.
"It seems we are both unwilling victims of our class," He murmured, glancing up and providing the pretty half-ling a half-grin of his own. His eyes seemed to brighten with some unknown joke, "If you feel the need to use my title, Lady Khalel, then so be it. But you are welcome to call me by my name. I am Nuri, a fledgling warrior of Sulburi."
He didn't see a need for her to use his title. In his mind, it was he who was responsible to respect her. If he were his brother, maybe he would use his status to his advantage, but for now, he was simply Nuri the warrior hopeful.
-----
Nuri. Nuri was a nice name. She sounded it over again and again in her head before smiling to herself fondly. For a boy of Noble standing, it was quite a simple name, though sometimes simplicity was best. Less was more, after all, she recalled people saying time and time again. In truth, she was kind of glad his name was simple, as well. Sometimes lengthy names or titles could get so tedious to say; she probably would have shorted it anyway, if that were the case. Though, with a name like his, she didn't have to, and she liked that!
She could only nod in agreement when he murmured about being unwilling victims of their class. Contrary to popular belief, being of a noble lineage wasn't all it was cracked up to be. There were expectations to live up to, people to please, and certain ways one must act, less they bring shame upon the reputations of those related to them. It was all quite tiresome, honestly, so it was refreshing to see that she could have someone to relate to. It wasn't often that she had common ground with a lot of people.
"Nuri is a nice name," she found herself saying, allowing herself to glance at all the items the young man had to train with. The dummy looked a little worse for the wear, but that was probably a good thing in his eyes. It meant he was doing a good job with his practicing. "And a warrior is an honorable line of work," the hybrid went on to add, her hands moving to rest demurely in her lap. He would make his family proud with such a vocation, most assuredly. If there was one thing the Oban people loved the most, it was fighting and proving their strength on the battlefield, and he appeared no different.
3/10
-----
When she complimented his name, he couldn't help but feel the need to quickly return the favor, "Thank you. Your name truly suits you. Khalel..." He now took the time to sound it out, "..a beautiful name for a beautiful maiden..."
As if he suddenly realized what he said, he cleared his throat once more. There were no weapons left to put away, and it would be obvious he was working to keep his hands busy. Instead, he pretended what he said was intentional and not an awkward fumbling and turned to look her in her eyes. She really did have fascinating eyes. They stood out on her skin, and appeared quite different compared to other Matori he interacted with. If the features were not so distinct from the race, he would believe she were a pure Oban. Her beauty was truly remarkable.
"Oh...yes. It was the least I could do for both Oban and my family. I am not the eldest, so it is my honor to fight to keep him and our nation safe."
As she settled more in her space, he noticed how she seemed to make the dusty steps appear like a throne. She was not made to be a warrior, and clearly had the training to be a lady. The question was why did she wander so far from home.
"Forgive me from asking, L-Khalel..." Yes, using her name would most likely help with getting an answer, "...but if I may be so bold, what brings you out to this part of the city. Are you visiting someone?"
The question came out as an afterthought, but suddenly it did seem logical. Maybe she had family in this area. If that were the case, it was his duty to offer her companionship on her way to her destination - he already was pondering on how best to bring it up without seeming too forward or insulting.
-----
A beautiful name for a beautiful maiden, huh? Well, at least he was polite and gentlemanly, compared to other individuals she had met who complimented her figure. Some of them had the nerve to not only steal her most precious belongings, but also make her chase them around the market. She couldn't help but think Nuri's comments were a bit more geniuine and refreshing than all the others she had heard, and she flashed him a grateful smile. "You're too kind..."
Khalel allowed herself to take in Nuri's features once more, and found herself blushing a bit. Oban men never really caught her attention all that much, in fairness. Since they were the majority, there was nothing really noteworthy about them and none really had the distinction of catching her interest. Yet there was something different about Nuri. Perhaps it was his eyes or his stature, or his hard work ethic, but the girl found her gaze lingering on him for longer than it generally did. Not wanting to seem rude, she looked away once more, a blush on her face. He probably had a plethora of women chasing after him, no doubt. Oban women loved their men to be strong, capable, and able to protect them.
The golden eyes of the hybrid met with the blood red ones of the Oban man, and she blinked in surprise. His question had caught her off guard, and she found herself tilting her head to the side in curiosity. He thought she was visiting someone? Oh, no! Of course not. No one had lived out there for years. "I'm just passing through," she admitted, a sheepish smile on her face and a gentle laugh escaping her. "I like to explore the city. Sulburi has a lot of hidden gems to offer, and it's nice to get out of the house." She then paused, allowing herself to contemplate her next words carefully before she spoke them. "Besides, had I not gone out, I wouldn't have encountered you, now, would I?"
It was a blunt and openly flirty comment, one that she generally didn't allow herself to say. Such remarks she would normally push back in the darker corners of her mind, but today, why not? What did she have to lose.
4/10
-----
As he caught her smile, Nuri had no clue about the darker thoughts that went through Khalel's mind. Instead, he gave her a quick nod, his eyes twinkling a bit but his features still schooled. As she explained her place in the area, he felt his brows shoot upward in surprise. Just passing through? It would make sense if someone had a place to go, but she seemed to type to live deep within the city near the water sources. Here, it was all about silence and hidden coves, more suitable for fledgling youths who wanted to pretend they were brave than a maiden looking to take a stroll.
But then again, maybe she was more youthful than he would expect, if she enjoyed exploring the land like it were a cove to be plundered. Glancing around at her mention of hidden gems, he didn't quite see what the world had to offer. Instead, there were dusty walls filled with cracks and creatures. Right, he must be missing something.
As soon as her last words filled the air, he felt his throat constrict in surprise. Did he hear her correctly? Eyes darting back to latch onto her own, they were slightly wider as his mouth opened in an effort to respond. She appeared to be casual with her words, and despite the smile and laughter she wasn't attempting to hang over him. Maybe she was being true, and the unspoken association between hidden gems and their meeting was merely an appreciation comment.
Right, time to focus on being chivalrous, honest, and straightforward.
"Yes, Lady Khalel," His small, half grin was back, barely on his face but clear in his eyes, "Your presence has been a welcome surprise and respite from my training, It is quite refreshing."
He paused again, testing what he wanted to say next as he looked back toward his weapons, "Considering I am finished up with my training for the day, I find myself with some more free time. Would you care for some short-term companionship in your hunt for hidden gems?"
A calculated risk. If she said no, all he would need to do is pack up his things and head home. If she said yes, at least he would provide company (as required based on his social standing and their current location) and continue the surprisingly refreshing conversation for a bit longer.
-----
"The lady is truly unnecessary," she told him, reiterating the fact that she wasn't overly fond of such formalities. "Just Khalel is fine, please." When he inquired about whether or not she would like some company, Khalel found herself nodding her head. If he wanted to join her, she wasn't going to object. It'd be nice to have someone to talk to as she walked along, even if she didn't have an exact destination she was headed toward. "By all means, feel free to join me," she told him, pushing herself up from the step that she sat on. Once she was up from her spot, she smoothed out her dress and patted the dust off of her dress. Satisfied with her appearance and that she was presentable enough, she then slowly started to walk along again, offering an arm out to Nuri, should he want to take it.
5/10
