Burnt Wick

Connections

The wind was a mild smack in the face, the occasional strand of hair gettin in the way of my sight. "Pthbbthhsfth!" I spit and blow against my younger, trying to pick the stray clump of hair out of my mouth. I grasp at it, grabbing the bunch and shoving it behind my ear, already frustrated with the day. The week. The month.

It's been an uneventful yet grating month.

Lessons have been going absolutely just fine. We are just about to start proper challenges in combat, with the small practice violet has been getting in the dorms and tips from Rhi, she's still about as graceful as a baby deer - least she is as cute as one. She can use that on the battlefield for sure if they're not battle ready that is. The group that is my section, I have no been dragged into everything and every antic they do and to say the least, it has gotten to the point I want to be pulling my hair out. Or someone to pull it, but that isn't gonna happen.

Best to keep the sleeping around in your year but when you've got the last name I do that's not going to be without some annoyance of a consequence. For the past month she's been getting on our wing leaders nerves somehow, as if she isn't even trying, making enemies like she doesn't know what her last name is, and focusing on every subject but the ones needed to be a god damn dragon rider. Honestly if those two just hashed it out one night in his room I'm pretty sure the whole school could finally breath a sigh of relief. Bets are already going and I am a winning women.

Tomorrow.

More specifically going back to my earlier ramble, the actual combat challenges start tomorrow. And even though I know I am fine I've snuck out onto a random balcony overlooking the grounds, cross legged on the stone railings as if it's not a great possible place to be targeted. A stroke of my arm over the covering leathers, a rub against the thigh. Everything's as healed as it can be, I'm excelling in my studies. I am where I am meant to be yet I'm still so nervous yet I can't figure out why. This, this is the feeling that's been grating me all month. The nerves started out small, non-existent even but now, now every little mis-step from myself, Vi, Rhi, hell even Ridoc has me worried.

I place my palms beside me on the cooling stone and look up to the sky for the upteenth time, and take a deep inhale, closing my eyes and breathing out once again. "Do I still have to avoid you if it's past midnight on a random balcony?" I jump out of my skin as my hands try to grip into the stone as my feet tangle around each other as I try to turn and stand at the same time. A pair of arms grip around my waist to stop me from tipping over and drag me slightly backwards towards the safety of the balcony. I turn around, finally placing my feet on the solids ground.

"Bloody hell Phillip way to give me a scare to my death." He just gives me a sheepish smile, reminding of the last time we talked. Talked loosely, more like he tried to smile at me and I just raised my eyebrows and turned away from him. "You've been safer haven't you? I wasn't wrong when I said we shouldn't be seen together. The son of the rebellion and the generals daughter? Not the best idea for either of us." I rub my arm again, a stinging deja vu memory coming back at the most unwanted time.

I lean against the stone now, arms crossed as he positions himself to lean against the exit inwards. He shrugs, but I start to notice his stiffness. I raise my brow at him once again. "Look I've taken your advice and yes, it's worked, I'm alive as you can see." And I do see, he's gotten abit bulkier since we got here which is a massive progress seeing as we haven't been here too long. "But would it be alright to drop this thing? This isn't a place to make friends, don't give me that look I am aware," he points his head towards me with a joking scowl. "But you saved me that day, you comforted me and gave me the discipline to continue. You can still be loyal to a future cadet now you know, rebellion son or not." He shrugged again and looked away, his eyes darting across the grounds and past my shoulder.