A Train of Thought

The training blade clattered to the ground with a oh so familiar sign-song trill, "Pick it up, we go again" the older man said, he spoke with authority, not unkind but clearly impatient. 

"No!" the younger man said, throwing off the fencing mask, "I can't do this, I'm done." He made a motion to move past his instructor who held a blade out to block his path "Damien, these skills are important, pick up the blade" The older man said, Damien pouted "Why Cedric? why are they so important? Papa always says-" "The tongue is the sharpest blade." Cedric interrupted, "I know, I grew up hearing the same little brother, but Papa..." He hesitated, "Papa is a child of different times, this war, its worse than we could have imagined, you can't rely on your opponent to always listen to your words, sometimes you need to fight." 

Damien screwed his face up further, he new his brother was right, he was just too petulant to admit it at the moment. "We are all one people, all of Galifar... I can't- I don't want to fight." Cedric removed his mask and took a knee to meet his much shorter brother gaze, he sighed "You have a good heart Damien, and strong blood runs through it but sometimes that isn't enough. The Thranes are holding well but I hear of soulless beasts, walking corpses are progressing further west form within Karrnath, those aren't going to go for a coffee and a chat, as charming as you can be, these skills could save a life one day." Cedric smiled softly, Damien returned a look of indignation but quickly softened at his bothers smile, disarming as it was.

With no further words, Damien walked to his discarded equipment, donned it and took a defensive stance. His Brother raised, wincing as he did these days, that leg is the only reason he was here to chastise Damien at all, he would do well to remember that. "good" Cedric said returning the posture, "Now, thrust, parry, riposte. As we practiced"

Memory is a funny thing, they come back at the strangest time, Damien thought, as he checked over his equipment. Muddy and blood soaked coat on the floor beside him, he glanced to his friends across the way, treating wounds and securing the relic they travelled all this way for. Damien gave a pained chuckle, 'these skills could save a life one day', he thought to himself, "when you're right, you're always so damn right Brother, thank you..." 

"My Son's are home!" gathered crowd exploded in cheers as Damien's farther guided them though the enclave doors. Always a show for the Delannoy family, suppose it comes with the station, being Orien heirs and all and this particular rendezvous is of some import. Yes, the Test of Syberis is over and Damien had been successful, the new mark emblazoned on his chest, significantly cooler than when it had first manifested, it still felt warm to the touch 'is that permanent?' he wondered.

It was then he was paraded around the room like a prize Mage-bred pony that shits gold and pisses diamonds. Words of congratulations, leering and some unconfutable chest touching followed as everyone wanted to see him, bear witness to the mark. "Come closer dear, let me see you!" his Grandmother beckoned from the plush chair in the corner, a fat cat upon her lap as always. "ah not so tight Grand-mere! I'm still sore and you're squashing Cannelle!" Damien protested as she pulled him into a big hug, "Hush now child! this is too big a moment to disallow and old woman her joys, and Cannelle does not mind a wit, she's happy for you too!" The low growl from beneath him would state otherwise as the poor animal squirmed its way-out toward the buffet table.  

"The first Blood-born Delannoy to manifest a mark in 60 years, if only your Gand-Pere were here to see it, he'd be so proud" His Grandmother continued releasing him from her iron-clad grasp, "after poor Cedric, we were worried the connection was not strong enough..." She trailed off, Damien's father held her hand and spoke up "the boy did well Mère, you should have seen him, like lightning he was, just like he was meant to be!", the older woman returned a smile, but then looked around "where is Adeline, does the boys mother not deem it worth her time to be here on this joyous day?" His fathers face screwed up, somewhere between shame and annoyance "Mere, you know the House keeps her very busy, even more so in these unprecedented times, she will make it as soon as she can." "Hm, always believed she was too good for us that one Xavier, well not anymore!" his Gandmother snarled "Mother, Enough." His father spoke back, as stern as steel, before turning back to his son "Damien, would you go check up on your siblings for me? Those two miscreants are around here somewhere, I need to have a word with your Grand-Mere." 

"Yes, Papa" Damien dutifully responded, not wishing to be part of the coming argument anymore than his farther did. Now, where might they be? His younger siblings did tend to keep themselves occupied, more often than not to the detriment of those around them. Not on the couches or amongst the crowds, whom getting past proved difficult; he liked the attention but all this was getting a bit much. He was beginning to lose hope, when he spotted ginger and tan tail disappear beneath the table, that of Cannelle.

That cat didn't favor many people outside of his grandmother, except for one: his sister Alice. Damien lifted the table cloth to find a girl, the large cat in her arms whilst a younger boy gently rubbed its cheeks. "Dam-dam!" the girl squeaked, "you made it to your party!", "Yes, surprising as I didn't know there would be one, Alice" Damien responded "no doy Dummy, its a surprise party" the Boy piped in, His youngest brother Erik "we didn't know it was gonna happen till like 5 minutes ago". That proves a theory Damien had been conceiving that perhaps this was short notice affair after his father had confirmed his success in the Test, that he had all this on stand-by for the event and Orien Couriers move fast. 

"Lemme see it then!" Alice said, "alright, just hold on" as Damien once again had to tug on his collar to expose the mark, he should really invest in more open-cut shirts if this is to be a regular thing. "woah, its so pretty" the girl said, eyes like saucers reflecting the feint light of the mark, "you've seen bigger ones" Erik remarked, trying to seem unimpressed, "Well those ain't Dam-dam's Erik. I love it" Alice rebutted "can you do any of the tricks?" Damien fixed his shirt "ah, not quite yet, its hard to master. Papa says I will start lessons soon to get to grips with it" Erik scoffed, "you get a magic tattoo and you still have to go to school? that Suuuuuuucks"

"oh sush Eric, why are you so moody?" Alice replied "just 'cus Bast is all dumpy don't mean you have to be". Come to think of it, Damien had not seen Bastien since the they arrived. "Alice, where is Bastien?" Damien asked "Dunno, he grabbed some pasties and stormed off that way" she replied and pointed beyond the table in the direction of the gardens "thanks, be good and please make sure Grand-mere gets her cat back" Damien said "No, she's all mine now" Alice replied, burying her face into the cats fur, Cannelle really didn't seem to mind much.

After a second round of crowd dodging and a few savories later, Damien found his way to the gardens, his brother, Bastien was sitting on the edge of a pond, looking out toward the city. "Hey Bast" he said hesitantly, Bastien didn't look back, or even acknowledge his arrival. Damien shuffled nervously and approached the pond, "Crazy in there, had to get some air, must be why you're out here right?" Damien continued, Bastien remained silent. "Well, nice of Papa to throw this party for us, wouldn't wan-" "Your party, not mine" Bastien interrupted "I'm not the special one here." "What are you talking about? We both did the test its to celebrate its completion, no?" Damien said, with stark ignorance. "I'm also not an idiot Damien, this isn't about the Test, it's about that mark on your chest. I failed again" Bastien replied, despondent and low. Damien frowned "it's alright, you can try again, I got lucky I suppose" Bastien scowled at him, "sure why not, another test, another failure on my hands... 3 years at this just to be shown up by my little brother on his first try." Damien was taken aback, "I didn't mean you upset you... this just kind of happened, its a good thing for the family, for me." Damien said, defensively "Can't you just be happy like everyone else?" Bastien stood up, even as close as they are in age, he was a good 3 inches on Damien "You just don't get it do you? Each time we fail these someone suffers, someone is hurt, its important medicine undelivered here, war plans missed there, its more than just about you!" He yelled "they told me a raid was coming, that Alice and Erik we're being sent off to the country and that I may never see them again unless I can make it to the station in time". Damien was aghast "they wouldn't do that" he said, Bastien scoffed "You have no idea how far they would go to force it, if Cedric hadn't been waiting" he went quiet, and turned away, tear drops ran down his face.    

The Test of Syberis for Orien heirs has always been a race against the clock, usually with some form of high stakes delivery. Damien had been told to deliver a cake recipe to a courier across town for Queen Aurala upcoming party and it would bring shame on the family if missed. He had assumed it was always this way, didn't think they would rise to threaten family members, perhaps that's what happens when you fail to manifest a mark, the stakes get higher, more personal. He kept this to himself, not wishing to aggravate his brother further. Bastien wiped his eyes "just leave me be Damien, I don't want to see anyone, least of all you right now". Damien went to speak but found himself usually lost for word, he turned and left the garden. 

 His head swimming, he wandered around the dinning hall in a daze, the murmur of voices all around until it all stopped, snapping him out of it, he looked up to see a figured in the doorway. A woman stood coat draped on her shoulders, blonde hair a mess of tangles tied loosely beneath a Purple beret, the Greater Dragonmark etched along her right arm and framing right eye. "Maman" Damien said softly, she concluded her search of the room to meet his gaze "mon petit éclair, come let me see you!" she said arriving to embrace him even before she finished the sentence "Sorry I was late, the 1715 Fairhaven line had some real delays, cantankerous elemental" "Arvebald or Arcantus?" Damien enquired, The woman smiled,  "Arcantus, can't seem to get a grip on that one."

Her mark was warm, Damien could feel it through the hug, must have come straight from the station to here. "Maman" Damien said, choked, "I think Bastien hates me now". She looked forlornly down at the boy "He didn't manifest, and he's taking out on you?" Damien shook his head yes, his mother was always able to draw a conclusion quickly. "ah... mon petit éclair, you know how hard this has all been for him, I'm sure he's just very disappointed and didn't mean any harm, give him time to process.  Now is not a time for sadness, but for celebration." She put an arm around his shoulder and lead him back to the table with the awaiting guests. His Father Xavier, looking exasperated but no longer arguing with his Grandmother, perked up at his wife's appearance. "sorry about the delay mon amour" Adeline said "think nothing of it mon cheri" gently kissing her cheek and handing her a glass of red wine. "Everyone, attention!" he said ringing his own glass with a table knife "We're all gathered here today on this momentous occasion. My son bravely faced Syberis' test and came though a victor, as proud as Adeline and I are could not match the immense pride that will come to our families future as he carries us forward" he held the glass aloft, "to the Newest Dragonmarked Scion of House Orien: Damien Delannoy d'Orien!"

Cheers erupted forth. 

The sun beat down on of the Well-tended garden, making the toil of the current work harder than it need be. Damien hefted the watering can and began to dowse flowers in the bed, "yer gonna drown em'" the guff voice of Blirt called out, resting his long arms on the pitchfork, as usual. Damien scowled over his shoulder at him, relinquishing the can to ground and said, "Well if someone were to, you know... fucking do his job, perhaps I'd better understand!" "Oi, mind da language and the sass. The whole reason ya out here is to learn this stuff" he said jabbing a long finger at Damien "if I gone and done it all, you'd learn nuffin." 

Damien was getting a bit tired with older people telling him what to think or feel, it'd been this way since his Mark had appeared. What little free time he had out of history & culture lessons or swordsmanship, his Mother had insisted he spend some time in the garden with Blirt the Groundskeeper. "Growing plants takes patience Damien, its a trait you need learn" she would say.

"Right, that bed dere' needs weedin', get to it" as Blirt passed him a small trowel, Damien caught it, signed and swallowed his pride and began to dig. He caught sight of his Brothers, Cedric and Bastien leaving the house and walking across the courtyard, he looked back to his would-be warden to find him distracted at his work. He made a break for it, leaping into action, putting to work the practice some of these tedious lessons to activate the Mark and he vanished. 

Appearing across the garden in an instant, nearly falling over and tripping his siblings up. "Sovereigns above!" Cedric yelled as he reached for his sword, deftly moving in front of Bastien, soon realizing it was his brother in-front of him not some Brelish assassin. "Damien!" he said, exasperated "Don't do that, I nearly cut you in half." "Sorry, sorry... I just didn't want to miss you... faster than walking" Damien was drained, these jumps are new to him, each one took a toll. "Where are you off to? Somewhere for fun I'm hoping" Damien enquired with a hopeful lint to his voice, "we're off to the stables, Bast wished to get some more riding practice in and I'm happy to accompany" Cedric replied, sheathing his blade as practiced and poised as it was drawn. "huh again?" Damien replied, directing his attention you Bastien, "can't seem to keep you of off a horse, that does sound more fun that being stuck here with Grumplin, lets go."

This give Cedirc pause, he's always been ridgid when it came to the rules of his superiors, its why he did so well in the milliary, but was happy to flex when it came to his siblings. He looked to Bastien, his face was uneasy, he gave a slight shake, wordlessly, Cedric sighed and looked back to Damien. "Sorry little Brother... Mother thinks this activity will be good for you and this is something Bast and I want to do alone" he said with a delicacy, all too famillar to Damien now, shorthand for 'no fun allowed, you're too important now'.

Damien tried to swallow his hurt, but couldn't contain himself, he was about to yell when a large hand pressed against his shoulder "Master Damien... I thought you was ta weed that flowerbed" the laboured voice of Blirt said "Masters Cedirc an' Bastien, pleasure to see ya" "you as well good Groundskeeper, keeping my Brother occupided and out of trouble?" Cedric replied, "True nuff. slippery sort ain't he" Blirt said, looking down to Damien held there "That he is, well we're off to the stables, good day to you both" Cedric said, as he and Bastien moved on, taking any witnesses to the to Damiens soon murder with them. "Can't say I care much fer osses' meself but ya'll have fun now" Blirt called out before looking down to Damien again with a predatory grin, "now Master Damien, you pull tat shite again on my watch, i'll bury you next to the taters... Now git and get weedin'"

He led him back to the flowerbed with an iron grip.