The Inquisitionâs leadership and much of the main body had departed in advance of the mages themselves, whoâd doubtless take longer to make it all the way back to Haven, but a small rear guard had been left behind to guide and protect them on their way up into the mountains. Khari was not part of that team, which was probably for the best because it sounded tedious and annoying. She didnât have anything against mages, but the majority of this lot had been in Circles most of their lives, and watching them bumble around in the real world was kind of like watching a baby halla try to gain its footing, only much less cute. Not something she wanted to be dealing with all the way back to the base camp, anyway.
Most everyone was still getting settled in or else off doing something they hadnât bothered to inform her about, and so with the exception of the usual morning training with Estella in the wee hours, Khari had been alone for most of the day. For someone so exuberant in the company of others, she took solitude quite well, she thoughtâprobably because she was used to it. But it was one thing to be alone and have something to do; it was another thing entirely to be alone and bored, which was the unfortunate condition she presently found herself in.
At the moment, she just sat on a retaining wall on the south side of Haven, kicking her feet idly and watching people go by. Sheâd volunteered to help move things, but most of that was basically done, and to be honest, she wasnât great for the really heavy stuff anyhow. It was embarrassing, actually, but thankfully no one had said anything about it. Probably they hadnât even really noticed; it wasnât like she was particularly noteworthy unless she was expending conscious effort to be. She still wasnât sure if that bothered her or not.
All such abstract musings were immediately chased from her thoughts when she saw the commander go by, head bowed over some documents or a book or somethingâshe couldnât say for sure from this distance. Even this far away, his silhouette was unmistakable as belonging to anyone else, both for the size and the carriage. Now there was someone who never had to worry about being invisible, for better or worse. Unfortunately, he was heading right for a staircase, and she wasnât entirely sure he knew it. Raising a hand to her mouth, Khari curved it around the side to amplify her voice and shouted over the intervening distance. âOi, Leon! Watch your step!â
His head snapped up as soon as she called his name, and fortunately, he also stopped walking forward. He seemed confused for a moment, looking around as though seeking for the source of the voice, but then he saw the stairs, and turned his head in her direction. He gave a wave and what might have been a smile, lowering his hand slowly and pausing for a moment before he diverted his course from its previous track and headed in her direction.
Leon was currently sans any of his armor, his hands just layered in those leather gloves, the rest of him clothed in plain brown robes, like a monk might wear, including the hood in the back that he wasnât using. For all the utter unremarkability of his wardrobe, however, he still definitely stood out, cutting an imposing figure as he drew closer. It was an impression somewhat tempered by the slightly-sheepish look on his face, though, and while it could have just been the cold, he also looked a bit flush, as if from embarrassment.
âI really must thank you for your timely intervention, Miss Khari. I am afraid Iâd have rather embarrassed myself if Iâd managed to break my nose falling up the stairs.â He shifted the book he was carrying under one arm, marking his place with what looked like a scrap of fabric or something, and rubbed at the back of his neck with his now-free left hand.
âWhat did I tell you about that âMiss Khariâ business?â She groused the words, but it was clear enough from her expression that her irritation was only jesting. She thought it was pretty absurd for anyone to call her missâthat was the kind of title you gave to young ladies of genteel demeanor, and Khari didnât qualify. Asala, sure, and probably Estella, too, if there was some reason not to call her âLady Heraldâ or whatever, but not her.
She leaned back further on her hands, which was necessary so she could actually meet his eyes, even at the polite distance he was standing. He really was damn tallâwell, and she was short, but that part wasnât anything extraordinary. She wondered how hard heâd had to work to get a musculature like that one. It was beyond the capability of most people of course, probably even beyond most tall men, but that didnât mean heâd cultivated it by natural gifts alone. She wondered if he had any pointers for putting on mass, and if theyâd even apply to her twiggy elf person.
Well, okay, âtwiggyâ wasnât true. Khari personally thought she had okayish leg mass and a killer set of abdominals, but then again, it was all relative. She pursed her lips and crossed one leg over the other, raising a hand to shade her eyes. He was standing with his back to the sun, and it was damn bright out. âHow much do you reckon you can dead-lift, Leon? Because those are really fantastic arms youâve got. Actually, your whole body is pretty incredible. Most people canât get good proportions like that.â A large chunk of the bigger warrior-types sheâd ever met wound up looking slightly unbalanced to her, but his ratios were really spot-on.
Leonâs face had done this weird contorting thing through most of her query and explanation, and at one point, heâd actually dropped the book, which he now bent over to retrieve, clearing his throat. âAh⊠well, I canât say exactly. Last time I checked, I deadlifted, um⊠thirty-five stone? That was several years ago now, thoughâI donât often take occasion to actually measure.â Dusting a bit of snow off the bookâs cover, he tucked it more securely under his arm and smiled mildly. âIâve been training a very long time, though, Khari, and I need that strength a great deal more than anyone else would, considering my⊠tendencies.â
She was technically aware of the things heâd said after âthirty-five stone,â but to say that sheâd paid attention to them was perhaps a bit of an overstatement. Mostly sheâd just stared right at him with obvious admiration. âFight me, please.â Despite the fact that it was a challenge, it was delivered in a near-reverential tone. And why the hell not? His so-called 'tendencies' were to take down people fighting with weapons with his fucking bare hands: she thought a little awe was perfectly justified. More importantly even than the awe, though, was the fact that she wanted to test herself against that kind of mettle and see what happened.
Khari held no illusions whatsoever that sheâd stand a chance. But it would be damn fun to try her luck anyway. âI mean, come on. Itâll be easy for you. Probably wonât even take that much time. But itâs not the office, and itâs not paperwork, and it might even be a little bit of a workout.â
Leon sighed slightly through his nose, taking a few steps forward and to the side, turning around so that he, also, could sit. Needless to say, there was no space for his legs to dangle off the groundâhe actually propped his heels on the ground a ways in front of the wall. He turned his head to look down at her, though distinctly not in the uppity kind of way. âMay I ask why youâre so enthused by the prospect of sparring with me?â he inquired, his tone kind. It would seem to be an honest question, so to speak.
For all the simplicity of it, though, Khari wondered if it werenât some kind of trick. What kind of reason did she need? âUh⊠because it would be fun? And help me improve? Isnât that kind of the point of training?â
Leon tilted his head to the side, pushing a strand of fair hair behind one of his ears. âSetting the amusement aside for a moment⊠is this the way you trained in the past? Simply fighting anyone you could? Or were there other elements to it?â His tone never lost the patience and deliberateness that seemed to characterize a great many of the things he said and did.
Khari frowned a bit, then shrugged. Was there supposed to be something more to it than that? âI mean⊠sure, I run and do lifting and stuff, but⊠mostly when Ser Durand trained me, it was just hitting me with a practice sword until I got what he was trying to teach through my thick skull, yeah.â She chuckled a bit. She hadnât been the easiest student, she was sure, but sheâd picked it up with practice and work, just like everyone else. She learned something from every spar, even if it was just a new place she could be bruised.
For some reason, Leonâs expression changed then; his brows knit together, and he frowned slightly, compressing his lips into a thin line. It was clear something sheâd said had struck him poorly, though what exactly the problem was, he didnât say. Reaching up, he scratched at one side of his jaw, then shook his head. âI fear you would gain little from sparring with me, Khari. The way I fight, itâs notâŠâ He exhaled heavily through his nose and grimaced. âYou would obtain much more of use from what you do with Estella.â That seemed to be the answer heâd settled on, because he said nothing further on the subject, and from the way he ended, it was a fair guess that the topic was closed, at least for the moment.
He made no move to leave, however, and indeed a few moments later, he shifted the topic somewhat. âThis chevalier that trained youâyou said his name was Durand?â
She was definitely disappointed that he seemed unwilling to even consider it, but she suspected that something about her approach had gone awry, and so she left it be for the moment. Though she could be as tenacious as a hound when the mood took her, she liked to think she had a fairly good read on people, and she knew to let this go right now. At the question about her teacher, she let herself grin brightly. âSer Jean-Robert Durand, of the Collines Vertes region of the Heartlands. Pretty sure it doesnât get much more Orlesian than that, does it?â She shook her head, clear amusement showing through.
âHeâs a mean old bastard, but heâs he only person I know crazy enough to teach a little stick-figure elf girl how to fight like a knight. Wouldnât have made it half this far without him. Without him believing in me, you know? He said I had something special, something that none of those fancy nobles who come out of the Academie have.â She cut a glance at him from the corner of her eyes, humor glinting in them.
âUtter shamelessness?â Leonâs guess was dry, but his own expression conveyed some amusement as well.
She barked a laugh, deep from her belly, wrapping her arms around herself and for a moment rocking precariously close to falling off the retaining wall, not that it was that far down. Righting herself, she still wore a toothy smile, and nodded vigorously. âYou can count on that. Though honestly, some of those nobles are pretty shameless, too. No, he said I want it more than anyone who just gets to have it for free because of who their family is.â Her expression sobered a little, and she tilted her head to the side. âAnd I do, you know? I want it so damn bad it hurts sometimes.â
Leon nodded a bit. âThat, Khari, is a more admirable thing than any amount of skill. Or, indeed, any amount of muscle.â He arched his brows, calling back to the beginning of the conversation, and half-smiled. âIt will carry you much further, as well, through things that people with skill and build alone would not be able to conquer. You need them all, to some extent, of course, but that desire, that passionâthat will serve you, when the odds are slim and the time comes to do or die.â He said it not like a platitude, but like he had a real sense of what it was like to be in such a situation.
She was hardly accustomed to being praised much, and she found herself feeling a slightly awkward about it suddenly, coughing a bit. It was just that, coming from someone who was clearly so accomplished, the words really seemed to mean something. It sounded almost like he actually respected her, which was pretty novel to her, really. âThanks, Leon.â
âYouâre quite welcome.â He stood then, brushing his robes clean of any extra snow, and then turned to face her one last time. âAnd, just so Iâm being clear: I didnât mean Iâd never spar you, only that now isnât the time, I think. Iâll give you a little longer to train for it, shall I?â His eyes narrowed with his mirth, clearly readable.
She jerked her chin in a sharp upward motion. âYouâll regret it when I kick your ass.â That was definitely mostly bravado, but it was in good fun.
âI hope I do.â
Most everyone was still getting settled in or else off doing something they hadnât bothered to inform her about, and so with the exception of the usual morning training with Estella in the wee hours, Khari had been alone for most of the day. For someone so exuberant in the company of others, she took solitude quite well, she thoughtâprobably because she was used to it. But it was one thing to be alone and have something to do; it was another thing entirely to be alone and bored, which was the unfortunate condition she presently found herself in.
At the moment, she just sat on a retaining wall on the south side of Haven, kicking her feet idly and watching people go by. Sheâd volunteered to help move things, but most of that was basically done, and to be honest, she wasnât great for the really heavy stuff anyhow. It was embarrassing, actually, but thankfully no one had said anything about it. Probably they hadnât even really noticed; it wasnât like she was particularly noteworthy unless she was expending conscious effort to be. She still wasnât sure if that bothered her or not.
All such abstract musings were immediately chased from her thoughts when she saw the commander go by, head bowed over some documents or a book or somethingâshe couldnât say for sure from this distance. Even this far away, his silhouette was unmistakable as belonging to anyone else, both for the size and the carriage. Now there was someone who never had to worry about being invisible, for better or worse. Unfortunately, he was heading right for a staircase, and she wasnât entirely sure he knew it. Raising a hand to her mouth, Khari curved it around the side to amplify her voice and shouted over the intervening distance. âOi, Leon! Watch your step!â
His head snapped up as soon as she called his name, and fortunately, he also stopped walking forward. He seemed confused for a moment, looking around as though seeking for the source of the voice, but then he saw the stairs, and turned his head in her direction. He gave a wave and what might have been a smile, lowering his hand slowly and pausing for a moment before he diverted his course from its previous track and headed in her direction.
Leon was currently sans any of his armor, his hands just layered in those leather gloves, the rest of him clothed in plain brown robes, like a monk might wear, including the hood in the back that he wasnât using. For all the utter unremarkability of his wardrobe, however, he still definitely stood out, cutting an imposing figure as he drew closer. It was an impression somewhat tempered by the slightly-sheepish look on his face, though, and while it could have just been the cold, he also looked a bit flush, as if from embarrassment.
âI really must thank you for your timely intervention, Miss Khari. I am afraid Iâd have rather embarrassed myself if Iâd managed to break my nose falling up the stairs.â He shifted the book he was carrying under one arm, marking his place with what looked like a scrap of fabric or something, and rubbed at the back of his neck with his now-free left hand.
âWhat did I tell you about that âMiss Khariâ business?â She groused the words, but it was clear enough from her expression that her irritation was only jesting. She thought it was pretty absurd for anyone to call her missâthat was the kind of title you gave to young ladies of genteel demeanor, and Khari didnât qualify. Asala, sure, and probably Estella, too, if there was some reason not to call her âLady Heraldâ or whatever, but not her.
She leaned back further on her hands, which was necessary so she could actually meet his eyes, even at the polite distance he was standing. He really was damn tallâwell, and she was short, but that part wasnât anything extraordinary. She wondered how hard heâd had to work to get a musculature like that one. It was beyond the capability of most people of course, probably even beyond most tall men, but that didnât mean heâd cultivated it by natural gifts alone. She wondered if he had any pointers for putting on mass, and if theyâd even apply to her twiggy elf person.
Well, okay, âtwiggyâ wasnât true. Khari personally thought she had okayish leg mass and a killer set of abdominals, but then again, it was all relative. She pursed her lips and crossed one leg over the other, raising a hand to shade her eyes. He was standing with his back to the sun, and it was damn bright out. âHow much do you reckon you can dead-lift, Leon? Because those are really fantastic arms youâve got. Actually, your whole body is pretty incredible. Most people canât get good proportions like that.â A large chunk of the bigger warrior-types sheâd ever met wound up looking slightly unbalanced to her, but his ratios were really spot-on.
Leonâs face had done this weird contorting thing through most of her query and explanation, and at one point, heâd actually dropped the book, which he now bent over to retrieve, clearing his throat. âAh⊠well, I canât say exactly. Last time I checked, I deadlifted, um⊠thirty-five stone? That was several years ago now, thoughâI donât often take occasion to actually measure.â Dusting a bit of snow off the bookâs cover, he tucked it more securely under his arm and smiled mildly. âIâve been training a very long time, though, Khari, and I need that strength a great deal more than anyone else would, considering my⊠tendencies.â
She was technically aware of the things heâd said after âthirty-five stone,â but to say that sheâd paid attention to them was perhaps a bit of an overstatement. Mostly sheâd just stared right at him with obvious admiration. âFight me, please.â Despite the fact that it was a challenge, it was delivered in a near-reverential tone. And why the hell not? His so-called 'tendencies' were to take down people fighting with weapons with his fucking bare hands: she thought a little awe was perfectly justified. More importantly even than the awe, though, was the fact that she wanted to test herself against that kind of mettle and see what happened.
Khari held no illusions whatsoever that sheâd stand a chance. But it would be damn fun to try her luck anyway. âI mean, come on. Itâll be easy for you. Probably wonât even take that much time. But itâs not the office, and itâs not paperwork, and it might even be a little bit of a workout.â
Leon sighed slightly through his nose, taking a few steps forward and to the side, turning around so that he, also, could sit. Needless to say, there was no space for his legs to dangle off the groundâhe actually propped his heels on the ground a ways in front of the wall. He turned his head to look down at her, though distinctly not in the uppity kind of way. âMay I ask why youâre so enthused by the prospect of sparring with me?â he inquired, his tone kind. It would seem to be an honest question, so to speak.
For all the simplicity of it, though, Khari wondered if it werenât some kind of trick. What kind of reason did she need? âUh⊠because it would be fun? And help me improve? Isnât that kind of the point of training?â
Leon tilted his head to the side, pushing a strand of fair hair behind one of his ears. âSetting the amusement aside for a moment⊠is this the way you trained in the past? Simply fighting anyone you could? Or were there other elements to it?â His tone never lost the patience and deliberateness that seemed to characterize a great many of the things he said and did.
Khari frowned a bit, then shrugged. Was there supposed to be something more to it than that? âI mean⊠sure, I run and do lifting and stuff, but⊠mostly when Ser Durand trained me, it was just hitting me with a practice sword until I got what he was trying to teach through my thick skull, yeah.â She chuckled a bit. She hadnât been the easiest student, she was sure, but sheâd picked it up with practice and work, just like everyone else. She learned something from every spar, even if it was just a new place she could be bruised.
For some reason, Leonâs expression changed then; his brows knit together, and he frowned slightly, compressing his lips into a thin line. It was clear something sheâd said had struck him poorly, though what exactly the problem was, he didnât say. Reaching up, he scratched at one side of his jaw, then shook his head. âI fear you would gain little from sparring with me, Khari. The way I fight, itâs notâŠâ He exhaled heavily through his nose and grimaced. âYou would obtain much more of use from what you do with Estella.â That seemed to be the answer heâd settled on, because he said nothing further on the subject, and from the way he ended, it was a fair guess that the topic was closed, at least for the moment.
He made no move to leave, however, and indeed a few moments later, he shifted the topic somewhat. âThis chevalier that trained youâyou said his name was Durand?â
She was definitely disappointed that he seemed unwilling to even consider it, but she suspected that something about her approach had gone awry, and so she left it be for the moment. Though she could be as tenacious as a hound when the mood took her, she liked to think she had a fairly good read on people, and she knew to let this go right now. At the question about her teacher, she let herself grin brightly. âSer Jean-Robert Durand, of the Collines Vertes region of the Heartlands. Pretty sure it doesnât get much more Orlesian than that, does it?â She shook her head, clear amusement showing through.
âHeâs a mean old bastard, but heâs he only person I know crazy enough to teach a little stick-figure elf girl how to fight like a knight. Wouldnât have made it half this far without him. Without him believing in me, you know? He said I had something special, something that none of those fancy nobles who come out of the Academie have.â She cut a glance at him from the corner of her eyes, humor glinting in them.
âUtter shamelessness?â Leonâs guess was dry, but his own expression conveyed some amusement as well.
She barked a laugh, deep from her belly, wrapping her arms around herself and for a moment rocking precariously close to falling off the retaining wall, not that it was that far down. Righting herself, she still wore a toothy smile, and nodded vigorously. âYou can count on that. Though honestly, some of those nobles are pretty shameless, too. No, he said I want it more than anyone who just gets to have it for free because of who their family is.â Her expression sobered a little, and she tilted her head to the side. âAnd I do, you know? I want it so damn bad it hurts sometimes.â
Leon nodded a bit. âThat, Khari, is a more admirable thing than any amount of skill. Or, indeed, any amount of muscle.â He arched his brows, calling back to the beginning of the conversation, and half-smiled. âIt will carry you much further, as well, through things that people with skill and build alone would not be able to conquer. You need them all, to some extent, of course, but that desire, that passionâthat will serve you, when the odds are slim and the time comes to do or die.â He said it not like a platitude, but like he had a real sense of what it was like to be in such a situation.
She was hardly accustomed to being praised much, and she found herself feeling a slightly awkward about it suddenly, coughing a bit. It was just that, coming from someone who was clearly so accomplished, the words really seemed to mean something. It sounded almost like he actually respected her, which was pretty novel to her, really. âThanks, Leon.â
âYouâre quite welcome.â He stood then, brushing his robes clean of any extra snow, and then turned to face her one last time. âAnd, just so Iâm being clear: I didnât mean Iâd never spar you, only that now isnât the time, I think. Iâll give you a little longer to train for it, shall I?â His eyes narrowed with his mirth, clearly readable.
She jerked her chin in a sharp upward motion. âYouâll regret it when I kick your ass.â That was definitely mostly bravado, but it was in good fun.
âI hope I do.â