Saying Goodbye

[Katelyn Marks]

90th, Winter, 514 AV

Katelyn stared at the circular target mocking her down rage and scowled. The bow in her hand felt useless at this point. The arrows, just silly sticks. To save her life, the squire couldn't fire accurately. Each shot she'd fired had missed the mark entirely. Kate didn't even care where it hit, she just wanted to land in a damned ring. She yanked another arrow out of the quiver strapped to her back, and heard the telltale rattle of her dwindling supply. Frustration made her clumsy, and it took a few tries to nock the projectile onto the string. When it was fitted in place she drew back, sore arms trembling and shoulders protesting.

She'd been at it for what felt like bells, but it couldn't have been more than one. It was only her second time shooting, so the muscles required were nowhere near used to the unfamiliar exertion. Katelyn pursed her lips and fought the burn in her muscles, drawing the string back as far as she could. The feathers just barely tickled her lips before she had to let go. The shot was clumsy and poorly aimed. Kate knew instantly it would miss again, and it did. The arrow fell short of the target and rolled across the ground uselessly, rattling across the cobbles and echoing her incompetency through the courtyard.

Katelyn had been told that a lot of what made aim grow better was pure muscle memory and constant practice. As those words echoed through her head, reminding her to be patient and keep trying, her hand went back behind her shoulder for another arrow. With more deliberate intent this time, the redhead popped the nock onto her arrow and carefully grasped it between her middle and index knuckles. As she drew back and tried to anchor the string at her jaw, her arms trembled and refused to pull it any farther than the corner of her mouth.

She released the breath she was holding shakily, and the sigh rattled in time with the tremor in her muscles. Kate tried to aim for the middle of the target. She stared at it like the arrow would fly right to her point of concentration. As the air left her lungs, she couldn't hold any longer and her fingers released the string. With a twang the arrow sped down range, and the squire was pleased to see it keep a semi-stable course. But as it closed in on the target, the smile turned back down into a grimace. Several inches to the left the projectile flew by the edge of the target's rim, and missed.

It buried itself loudly into the wall build behind the targets that caught missed shots and protected the arrows from shattering against stone or getting lost.

[Katelyn Marks]

"That looked a little better," the familiar voice of her patron spoke up from behind.

Katelyn turned automatically with a smile spreading across her face--and automatic reaction to Ser Whitevine. The two of them had hit it off quickly, and she'd taken to his training style like a fish to water. They were alike in many ways, but so different in others that every encounter was interesting and exciting. Squire and Knight both got along well. As soon as she spun around, her attention was drawn automatically to the stranger standing beside her patron. He was tall and dark skinned, and wore a mixture of light armor and comfortable looking, loose-fitted clothing. He had a pin on his collar designating his status as an Unranked Knight.

The stranger offered his hand first thing, and startled, Katelyn grasped it and gave him a firm shake.

"Ser Connor Moore," he introduced himself and offered a smile.

His grip was firm and warm, and it mirrored the kindness on his face and in his tone. Katelyn decided instantly that she liked him. The squire smiled at her superior and followed with her own introduction, and the usual pleasantries.

"I'd like to have word with you, Kate. Care to join us in my rooms?" Ser Whitevine said, and she readily agreed, but the confusion in her eyes was obvious.

"All will be explained in a moment. Please, come with us."

She followed the two Knights to her patron's quarters, bow still in hand and arrows rattling quietly in her quiver. When they arrived, Ser Whitevine opened the door for she and Ser Moore and they both stepped inside and found a seat upon Daniel's urging. No fire burned in his fireplace now that spring was upon them, and one of the windows facing a beautiful view of the fields and forest was thrown open--a little breeze tickling the heavy curtains hanging on either side of the sill.

As Ser Whitevine found a seat with them, Katelyn fidgeted nervously. She glanced between the two of them and couldn't help but start off with a tremulous question, voice low and uncertain.

"Have I done something wrong?"

Ser Whitevine and Ser Moore both smiled and exchanged soft laughter.

"No, Katelyn," her patron assured her easily in his gentle way. "I brought you here to talk to you about transferring."

Confusion distorted her face, and she shook her head.

"I don't understand. Transferring... as in moving?"

He nodded, and motioned at Ser Moore.

"You've shown an interest in magic since the very beginning. Even if you don't always outright voice your curiosity, I see your face light up with silent questions that I could never hope to answer. So I spoke with Ser Moore here--whom I've been acquianted with for several years now--and discussed things with our superiors. I feel it would be a decision on my part to place you in the care of Ser Moore here, and switch your course to that of a Mage-Squire."

Katelyn was silent for a few long moments, mouth open in a silent, surprised exclamation. The suddenness of the surprise hit her hard. Out of every scenerario that played through her head as they'd marched to Ser Whitevine's rooms, this had definitely not been one of them.

"You're a Mage-Knight?" was all she could ask the dark-skinned knight incredulously, and he bobbed his head.

"You would be transferred to Syliras, where he is stationed, and start your new training there," he patron continued.

All thoughts came to a screeching halt again, but Katelyn was quick to recover this time.

"Move away from the Outpost?"

He nodded and pursed his lips. This, he knew, could be the deal-breaker. It was all a long shot, but he wanted to give his squire an opportunity to try new things and spread her wings a little.

"I don't know," Kate said slowly. "This is all an awful lot all at once. I don't know a thing about magic, and I've never lived anywhere else. The Garrison is the first time I haven't lived at least within a couple houses of my parents' home."

The fear of the unknown was obvious in her voice, and this time Ser Moore spoke up.

"I can understand your misgivings. It's a lot to throw at you, but Daniel and I have been discussing this in letter for a little while now. I think you have a lot of potential, and he knows you do. If you need some time to think about it, that's perfectly fine. It would be a big change."

"I can assure you that Connor here is the only man I know whom I could trust with this. He's good stock, and a damned fine knight. If there's anyone who could take care of you and teach you well, it's him," Daniel said, and Katelyn looked at the empty fireplace uncertainly.

[Katelyn Marks]

"May I have some time to think about this?" she said, and the two knights readily urged her to do so.

Somehow Katelyn wound up knocking on her parents' doorstep, dazed and not really remembering how she'd gotten there. As the door swung open and her mother's tired face appeared, the redhead sagged with relief. Cecily instantly smiled, and it was a radiant, happy, heart wrenching expression. Her daughter didn't visit as often as she should nowadays, but Kate had wandered all the way here on some fearful, childlike need that caused her to crave a mother's advice. At the look on her daughter's face, Cecily's smile wavered and she opened the door wider.

"Kate, are you alright? Come inside dear," she asked gently, then drew the redhead in close, over the door sill and into her arms.

The squire relaxed a little once inside her childhood home, and surprised her mother with a fierce, tight embrace.

"Gods, child, what is it?"

There was a bit of laughter in her voice, but also hesitant worry.

"I've been offered a transfer to the city," Katelyn said simply, and her mother lead her to a chair by the hearth.

"That sounds exciting," Cecily coaxed, trying to get to the problem.

"With a wizard," her daughter added, and the sentence hung heavy in the air between them.

Her mother paled slightly, and carefully folded her fingers in her lap as she took a seat across from Katelyn. She couldn't seem to think of a reply to that, and the silence was stifling like a thick blanket over their faces. Kate had started to sweat a little, and she leaned forward with her elbows on her knees, unable to stand the quiet.

"I told them I needed to think about it," she urged, appearing to be doing the coaxing now.

Cecily blinked at her, as if confused, then took a little breath while she gathered her thoughts.

"You've never moved away before. And... and magic, you say?"

Katelyn nodded gravely, then looked at her hands.

"The scary part is that I want to go."

When she looked back up at her mother, the expression she held was a strange mixture of instinctive fear of the unknown, the motherly drive to protect her daughter, and wanting to support her all at once. Cecily just couldn't seem to think of anything to say, and she stayed rather quiet for the rest of Katelyn's visit despite her daughter's continued prodding.

"What do you think?"

Her mother shook her head and shrugged useless, hands fluttering nervously around her hair. Her mouth worked as if she was trying to say something, but after a frustrated moment she merely grunted and sighed. Katelyn grimaced and sat back in her chair. Katelyn's father was nowhere to be found at the moment--most like out tending some land or running errands. Now that spring was upon them the fields would start having some activity up until the planting. It would be joyous chaos.

As for Harris and Daniel, she didn't really to think about it. Ever since Garreth's murder, things had been strange between all of the siblings. Rather estranged. Harris had turned into a shadow of his former self, and Daniel was even more aloof than before. She'd felt very alone, if it hadn't been for a few friends at the Garrison. At the thought, Marrick suddenly came to mind and she rose from her seat. Her mother looked at her, startled, and stood rather reluctantly.

"I have to go, mama. Please don't worry. I'll come see you tomorrow. I need to find someone."

Katelyn left in a rush with a kiss and a fierce hug, out to door and into the street and back to the Garrison, feeling a little more hopeful now. Marrick would know what to do, if she could find him.

[Katelyn Marks]

Katelyn searched for him well into the afternoon, but found no trace of the dark haired squire. It seemed he'd been gone since early morning, but no one could attest to where. Likely with his patron, for the other Ser Whitevine twin was unaccounted for as well. Kate didn't know what she'd been expecting. That would have been far too easy, and this situation was nothing less than the hardest decision she felt she'd have to make to date. When the redhead drug herself back to her patron's living quarters, defeated for now, she was surprised to find the two knights still sitting and talking.

The squire shut the door behind her and made her way over, feeling extremely shy and intimidated by the mage's presence. He was who she wanted to see at the moment, but the dark skinned knight scared the shit out of her. Nothing but mystery surrounded him. She'd met a Mage-Squire before--Nivel--but for some reason his elevated status made things scarier. Nivel had been a student. A novice. This man was a proficient. Who knew what he could do? Still, he smiled patiently at her from where he sat, and broke the silence for her.

"I'm glad you came back. Daniel and I have been discussing your progress since you've joined. I have to say I'm pleased with your patron's praises. He thinks highly of you," the mage said warmly, and she blushed under all the attention.

"Thank you Ser," Kate said automatically.

When neither knight made any more to fill the following silence, she understood what they were waiting for. Katelyn mustered her courage for a moment and clasped her hands neatly in front of her as if about to provide an eloquent speech.

"I came to ask your permission for a few more days to think about your offer," she said carefully, all the while trying to gauge their reaction.

"Of course," Ser Moore said automatically, surprising her. "Though I must ask you to provide me an answer by early New Year's day. I had planned on returning to Syliras that evening, so I'll be leaving by mid-morning. Fair?"

Katelyn's head bobbed eagerly, and she found herself finally smiling.

"Yes, thank you Ser. You'll have your answer by then."

When they gave her permission to leave, as soon as the door shut behind her she was sprinting back through the hall, running downstairs, and out into the open air. She paused to catch her breath, lungs burning and cheeks a splotchy red, but a smile on her face. I have time, she thought happily. Now all she had to do was find Marrick.

[Orin Fenix]

Grades are Served

 

Katelyn Marks

Skill	XP
Weapon: Longbow	1
Endurance	1
Observation	3
Socialization	3

Lores

• Longbow: Not as Easy as it Looks
• Ser Connor Moore: Unranked Mage Knight
• Becoming a Mage Squire
• A Big Day and a Tough Decision

Shield Points

1	Training
1	Patron Present

Extras :

It was a lovely read which isn't surprising coming from you. I really liked seeing Katelyn's struggle between her desires. I tried to give you what I could

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