Chapter 3 – Part 10 – Surprise!
Sahren stood agape, completely taken aback by the change in the man – her Instructor – watching him with near open-mouthed surprise. Nearly taking a step back as he springs forward but instead she finds herself swaying towards him, even letting a smile slip across her own lips – infected by his enthusiasm.
“I don’t know how I feel about being a minion,” she argued. Humour tripped out with a raise of a sun-gilded brow, the farm girl remembered herself just to late to call the words back. She shrank back into herself as a blush tries to replace a smile, mortified at the slip – he was not a friend.
“Excuse me, Instructor Frost…I – I ” Fingers stroking hair from her face before her hand goes out to him, long capable looking fingers and scar lined palms rough with well earned calluses “I’m Sahren Kesnell, Sir.”
The man laughed, taking her hand firmly and shaking it once with vigour.
“Pay no attention to me, Sahren Kesnell. I’m new here too. It all takes some getting used to, doesn’t it?”
Sahren ‘s grip was as firm as the rest of her body language is mousey.
“I’ve not had time to get used to anything yet…We had some troubles on the way, and I’m so late. The last I have been told, there’s not I know and no-one either. I’ve been stationed with the Redcards…S’why I’m as late as to shame my pa.” Realising she’s sharing too much, catching herself from going on, only to stop and give him a confused expression. “I’m supposed to pay attention to you though, Sir, you just told me you were my tutor. ” Lips almost tipping into a smile again, honest humour.
The grin returned, infectious and vile at once. With a jerk of self-conscious annoyance, Frost released her hand and dipped his own back into his cloak, tugging at the garment to keep it closed against the whipping wind.
“I’ll let you know when I’ve something worth remembering to say. I’m sorry to hear you’re stuck with the reds. Their instructor, Caspiain, is a bit of a slump when it comes to the rules. I try not to be.”
Sahren’s fingers feather out and curl before being pulled back, thumb hooking under her thick belt – making herself stop smiling at him.
“If I’m paying no attention I’ll not hear the order to listen…” Softly spoken even as her voice trailed off, realising there’s a line she’s already too close too, reacting to his friendliness as a drowning woman to a life raft. “Don’t worry, Sir, I doubt the Redcards will have much influence. I’m a Blackcard, so I’m all yours.”
“We’ll see how much you stick with that after you’ve seen me teach,” the instructor mused, stepping away from the building. “Walk with me.”
Sahren took one long look back at the door, knowing there was a lesson in there she was supposed to be in, but so much more drawn by the one she was sure would come by following. Decision made, she fell into easy stride beside the Instructor.
“I’ve got my black little card, Sir, it didn’t come with instruction I could trade it in or play swap…So I think I’ve been put here for some reason, I’ll stick…Pa says I’m more stubborn than the goat…” Blushing even as she said it, running fingers once again through her hair, teeth tugging at the plush curve of her lower lip.
“Never met any goats, so I lack comparison,” the man said with a hint of sarcasm. “So, stubborn Sahren. How did you come by this place? Your accent tells me you’re likely from close to Absolution, I’d be willing to be the Halcyon river region. Did Arbiter Andalerom find you there, or was your Talent otherwise discovered?”
Instantly shooting from surprise to wonder Sahren gazed at her Instructor with another smile, relaxing already – far more easy going than the timid sparrow who ran up the beach a scant few moments ago.
“I didn’t know I was so easily placed…Ma and Pa have a farm in Halcyon River.” Shying away from his face, it was rude to openly stare after all “Pa and I found the Arbiter rather than the other way around. He said it’d be better for me to be here…After folks knew.” Too cryptic for her nature, the girl seeming to shy away from the whole thing “Said it was safer.”
“Good. Being late is no obstacle then. Most of the students we see have never Called the Mists on their own, and half of them need coaxing just to do it once. If you weren’t in a normal testing group, it means you’ve had experience Weaving, even if it’s small.” He turned back to her, halting just at the edge of the lapping tide. Only with his feet solidly placed on wet, hard sand was it apparent he wasn’t wearing shoes. “What did you manage to do?”