Of Ashes and Wind

Outside Looking In

He was pleasant, polite, and considerate. All traits befitted a Crown Prince.

Eiriell gave a polite smile to Rollin, he sat with her and another elven student (her procession only brought two more outside of Eiriell), his sister, Ike, and two more of Rollin's friends from the third-year student pool. She could see how his warm grey eyes were enough to charm a girl and how dangerous his easy smile could be when used in the right circumstance.

Rollin Wolfsbane was without a doubt the most popular man on the campus, Eiriell knew that it had little to do with his Crown Prince title (which wasn't a negative in any way) and more to do with his personality and natural leadership which caused students and professors to gravitate towards him.

The Elven Princess thought that much when she first met Rollin. He was on board with the initiative for peace and prosperity between their countries. The skirmish between the elves and humans were still fresh on everyone's minds and they wanted to avoid a confrontation like that in the future.

"Ro!" Ryosuke called across, the six other beastmen students followed him around. All of which were Wyvern riders while their Prince was the only Dragon rider in the Institution.

"Ryo!" Rollin called out, sometimes Eiriell couldn't tell if Rollin truly considered Ryosuke a friend or just an important figure to keep amicable relations with.

Eiriell had given instructions to the two other elves that they didn't need to follow her around and wait on her, that if they made other friends to feel free to spend time with them. Pyria, one of the elven students, was two years older than Eiriell and an adept archer within the Eostrun Army. She was set to become a lieutenant upon her return to Eostrun. The other, only a year older than Eiriell, was a young gryphon rider. Theoden was a talented gryphon rider and a fine friend to Eiriell since they both came into their gryphons at the same time. Theoden made fast friends with beastmen riders.

He also made fast friends with one of Phoenix's friends, Arthur.

Sometimes Eiriell found herself envious with how easy it was for Theoden to slip into Phoenix's inner-circle, she looked across the back garden to see Theoden chatting about something with Kieara with a large smile on his face. They were sitting in the grass together, Phoenix propped up against a tree with a book in her lap and her jacket sprawled on the floor so that Fredrick could lay back on it in the grass. Arthur was looking over Phoenix's shoulder while Natasha and Galen were conversing.

Ryosuke finished exchanging greetings with Rollin, his gaze fell on the same place as Eiriell's.

"I'll see you around, then." Ryosuke waved them off, his six beastmen trailing behind him.

Rollin let out a breath as if he had been holding it, he flicked his eyes to Eiriell, "Sometimes responsibilities can be a bit tiring." He simply stated.

"I suppose." Eiriell managed politely and turned her attention to book and salad she had at the picnic table.

"Phoenix and them sure are lively today." Ike mentioned almost longingly, his dark eyes were watching as Ryosuke and his friends joined them on the grassy garden floor.

Theoden nudged Phoenix and discretely pointed to Kieara and Ryosuke who were suddenly engrossed in a conversation. Phoenix winked at the elf while one of the beastmen gave a teasing push at Phoenix's shoulder.

Eiriell observed the way Kieara's guard seemed dissolve in Ryosuke's presence. The Elven Princess smiled at the way the blonde's baby blue eyes flicked up to a stray leaf that had floated down to Ryosuke's hair before she picked it out and presented her findings to the beastman Prince. Ryosuke responded by lightly blowing the leaf out of her fingers.

Fredrick made a joke of it by putting some grass in his hair before batting his eyes prettily at Arthur to remove it for him. Theoden said something and the rest erupted into a fit of laughter at the jest. Kieara huffed and rolled her eyes at Fredrick while Ryosuke managed a small smile to the blond.

"Imagine how relations would be if Ryosuke married a human." One of Rollin's friends made the comment.

"Ryosuke mentioned that his royal parents wouldn't be against the idea of him finding, what the beastmen call, a mate from Brilux." Pyria recalled, she began tidying up her books, she looked back up at the group, "He certainly looks happy to be around her."

"Yeah, he does, doesn't he?" Ike sighed longingly, "Maybe that's what I need to do, go to some foreign land to find my destined person." He looked up at Pyria, "What do you say, Pyria, want to see if fate has us together?"

Pyria scoffed and rolled her eyes, "Fate has mercy on you if you have a fated one out there."

Reina and Eiriell giggled at the retort while Pyria continued on, "I'll see you all later, dinner maybe?" Pyria looked to Eiriell and Reina.

"That would be fine, we'll meet at the usual spot." Reina agreed.

"I actually was wondering if you would like to get dinner together. There's a spot by the cliffside that's really nice this time of year." Rollin chimed in.

Eiriell didn't dare look to Reina or Ike or Pyria, she took a sip of her water and addressed Rollin head on. "That sounds lovely, actually."

Rollin's face lit up brightly, "I could meet you outside the girl's dormitory entrance later then?"

Eiriell nodded, "That sounds good."

Rollin smiled to his buddies, he looked up at the clock in the garden, "Oh, we have to get going or else we'll be late."

"Combatives?" Ike asked with a smile.

Rollin's smile grew bigger, "Combatives." He affirmed and he and his friends were gone.

Ike watched until the Prince was around the corner, he lifted his dark gaze to Eiriell, "Responsibilities can be a bit tiring, don't you think?" He echoed the sentiment from earlier.

Reina and Pyria glanced at Eiriell who merely finished drinking her water.

The four of them snapped their attention to a great roar unleashed by the beastman with a mane of dark golden hair – Eiriell remembered his name to be Tsuuki. Phoenix was glaring at the beastman while Ryosuke and Kieara were in a full belly laugh at the antics. Natasha was saying something, but it only caused the two to laugh even harder.

Eiriell watched on, she couldn't help but think how Phoenix's smile was never dangerous or shrewd – it was always just that. A simple smile that she never uses as a weapon. She had her words and swords for that.

She wanted that smile to turn her way once more.