The Making of a True Reconciliator IV (Eitan)

[Tobias]

69th Ash, 121

Tobias had been prepared for another round at the Hall of Reconciliation as other Aspirant's gathered around Toby in a frenzy "Hmm... You're Toby right, I heard you were coven trash before you became a reconciliator; how was that for ya." Tobias gulped for a moment as he moved past, trying to ignore what they had said. He looked back at them like they had been versed in that conversation. The anger built up inside of Tobias as he made his way to the Hall of Servitors again. He had hoped to stop by as he took a moment to inspect the place. However, the anger of him being insulted left him somewhat bitter.

Tobias would throw his weight about like a child as he positioned himself fully, awaiting his training partner, Eitan. There was always bitterness and competition in the Halls of Reconciliation; especially when it came to ones who were weaker than others. Toby was one of them, but he was weakened by his current status; the fact that he had broken Zaichaer's code of morals. To be in a coven was to become the dirty spawn of it; the creator of Dread Mists, yet Tobias had to harness that corruption within his body somehow, for the great of good. For Zaichaer.

It would become very difficult task, and even though Tobias was trying to improve, it was harder than he thought. To convince Zaichaer that he had made a mistake, that he was a changed man, meant nothing if noone had their faith in him. So far, Eitan had placed his trust in him and eventually, he was beginning to understand his role in society. Yet, it was so difficult when people kicked him down. Right now, Tobias was back at square one.

Bitter and angry, he huffed as he crossed his arms.

[Eitan Angevin]

"Good day," Eitan said as he entered the room. And as soon as he entered the room, he noted that Tobias was in a state. One didn't need Mesmer to read him, which was going to be a problem eventually. He closed the door behind him.

"I can see that you are upset. Would you like to talk about it?"

A great many things seemed to set off sparks for Tobias and he was made of tinder. Perhaps if Eitan could help him find the roots of all these triggers, he would better be able to process his feelings rather than having them run rampant and uncontrolled across his face, in his carriage, and in his voice. The Watcher was observant, but he wasn't a mind-healer. Still, having a leadership position in the Air Defense Corps and now in the Order of Reconciliation, he had come to understand that he had to learn to understand his subordinates in order to keep them working together in service to the goals of the High City.

Passion was commendable, but if Tobias didn't learn to focus it and control it, the passion was going to control him, and both he and his father would suffer the consequences. Even Eitan might, and he couldn't have that. He wondered if he kept getting handed the difficult cases like Florian, Aeseth, and Tobias because Richter thought he could do it or because she wanted him to fail. That didn't seem likely, but he never knew with her. For all his skills, she remained largely inscrutable.

He didn't know whether Tobias would confide in him, nor whether he should pressure him to do so. Perhaps training would offer him a place to put all that energy that would at least be productive.

[Tobias]

Tobias heaved for a moment as he composed himself; he knew his emotions at times would get the better of him, especially in the current situation he is in. There was no wonder that he was the talk of gossip in the Zaichaeri community. He smiled and nodded "Good day" He huffed as he turned around, looking up at the man "I'm beginning to wonder if that's all they ever talk about behind my back." He said with a sigh as he sat down "I know I shouldn't get too emotional, but frankly I'm being slandered and theres nothing I can do about it... Except proving them wrong." He asked as he began to feel disgruntled "Still, I don't think they would be satisfied until I was dead." He said with a sigh.

"Redemption seems alot more harder to gain, perhaps merely impossible with this lot" He frowned as he looked over at Eitan; they have trained together more often now. It was easier for Tobias to confide in him whenever times were tough. These were dark times in Tobias' life. He had to push further on past the gossip, the spiteful comments and the threats that he would entail. After all, Zaichaer hated kind like him; they reviled mages of any sort, unless they were serving a cause, a purpose. Mages were nothing more than slaves to the government. Tobias had to accept that from now on.

The best thing that Tobias could do was to not let his emotions get the better of him; it was difficult for him however, since he had gone through abject torment. It was difficult for him to reconnect himself back into reality. Tobias had to become stoic and confident in his abilities in order to survive.

[Eitan Angevin]

Eitan considered Tobias and what he said for a moment.

"I don't know how much you know about me," he began. "Whenever I was assigned some new mentor, I would investigate them, vet them, to see how best to work with them, to know what I could learn from them. Regardless, there are things about me that are not secrets, but perhaps aren't so widely discussed anymore. Gossip tends to move on quickly, though it can come back again.

"My father is not married to my mother. She was some Dratori woman that he had an unfortunate sexual encounter with and I was the result. Fortunately for me, he took me in and legitimized me. People will still call me baseborn, which is true. People will still call me a bastard, which... well, is a matter of perspective. Legally, I am an Angevin, though my elder half-sister will inherit the bulk of the family assets when my father dies. You may think I'm a bastard when I began to work you harder, but it will be to hone you like a blade, to make you better and more capable of success.

"There are still people who wait to see me lose control like some Dratori berserker. People still talk." He shrugged. "Fuck them. I have worked hard my entire life to be a paragon of a Zaichaeri citizen. I work hard to advance my military career, and I have submitted to a Rune of Negation in order to serve in the Order of Reconciliation. People will always talk, and all I can do is prove them wrong. All you can do is prove them wrong. Take your anger and your pain and everything negative and channel it into something positive. That is all you can do unless you want to sit in your misery and despair.

"Do you understand me?"

His tone wasn't harsh and his question wasn't taunting. He was trying to help in the best way he knew how.

[Tobias]

So many questions ran through Tobias' mind as he took a moment to listen to them.

There were words of wisdom that Eitan had placed out there; from his own experiences. Tobias never had the opportunity to find out about Eitan more, but whatever was written on paper, there was nothing to exactly to believe until you get to know them in purpose. Paper was a black and white image of them. He sympathised with him for a moment as he looked at the other man. To think that those features he had, the dark skin, hair and eyes were the features of a man "And it's because of this that you're father doesn't want you. Because you're different, like everyone. Legally, you might be an Angevin, or whatever your family status is, but maybe you're better than that. Maybe you're the reason why the family name is running so high. From what you've built. It's more than I can say about myself... I was an unwanted child that was just banged into a orphanage, Richard took me in. He wanted a second chance to be a good father again, and yet I blew it. I've hurt the person who's been there for me the whole time and now. I must right that wrong.

"I don't think you're a bastard, Eitan." He said as he turned around as he stared at him, making eye contact as he showed how earnest he was. There was honesty in his eyes as he gazed at him "I think you're commendable, worthy and a decent man" He nodded as his stare became somewhat intense as he moved to look into his eyes "And you're right, people will talk. I can't can't control that... That's why I must rise to be the better person and prove them wrong, although I can't do that without your help. Will you continue helping me through this difficult time? I know, it's somewhat too much to ask of you but... I really need your help."

"I am beginning to understand that not everyone will have the same agreements, everyone talks, everyone hates on each other. But there is only one thing that can stop that, that's unity. We should help each other, not watch each other fall from the frying pan straight into the fire." He smiled as he looked into his eyes "Lets focus on our training, shall we?" He said as he nodded, knowing that Eitan has had the same experience but from his racial heritage. It could only get better between them.

"If it makes you feel any better, Eitan... I'm also half elven... Siltori, to be exact." He said. Perhaps, opening up to Eitan proved one thing; he trusted him more than usual. It was unusual, but it appeared that Eitan was always the type of man to be encouraging towards his students.

[Eitan Angevin]

The Angevin name would persist without him. Orilla and Regan with their matrilineal marriages would eventually have children to carry the lion banner forward. Perhaps when he married he would officially form a cadet branch, though that sort of formality was unnecessary in the military state; there was no king of Zaichaer. In any case, he didn't need Tobias' approval, but he appreciated it and in response, he smiled without any sort of baggage at all. Some called his sharp features cruel, but when he smiled like that, his face was anything but. At Tobias' admission, he sobered somewhat.

"To me, Toby, you are a man." He put out his hand. "Let us continue to better each other's lots and work toward the betterment of Zaichaer."

That was their professed duty, though Tobias had entered into it under some duress whereas Eitan had seen it as the best way to serve the High City.

"Perhaps the imperfections of our blood make us better suited to carry the runes of magic so that others needn't do so." His hand came up to the nape of Tobias' neck so he could look him in the eyes. "I'm proud of you working through your upset with me and rededicating yourself to our purpose, Toby. Nothing worth doing is easy. Nothing worth having is easily had. Which leads us, as you say, back to training..."

His smile quirked into something more amused as he released Tobias.

"Now, the question is: what shall we train today?"

A dark eyebrow rose in question as he waited for Tobias to assert an opinion on the matter. There were many skills to assess, many skills that went into being a Watcher of Purity. Eitan needed to drill him on all of them, though achieving some mastery thereof wouldn't be the only thing that stood between Tobias and advancement.

[Tobias]

Toby listened as he nodded in praise; there was no end to Toby's determination to clean himself up, but there always came setbacks; he may have been trouble before but he wanted to prove that he wasn't trouble. He needed help and Eitan appeared to be someone who could relate to him; he was much similar to him. They both had something in common, one that they had something to fight for and two they were mongrels. The only difference was that Toby had wronged Zaichaeri society whilst Eitan was wronged by the people in his circle. To judge someone was to invite ignorance. In Zaichaer, ignorance was bliss.

Toby had long wanted some armed combat training; however he didn't think much of it after the incident with Stefan. Perhaps he was willing to give him a second chance "Well... Some self defense techniques would be nice; since I'm gonna come across a load of... Y'know." He didn't say. He twiddled his thumbs as if there was a hint of discomfort about what he was talking about. However, Toby needed to toughen up if he was to fit, as much as he tried to. There was still a hidden weakness within him, one which he was wanting to blurt out. He couldn't though, he was too afraid of what people would think of him after such an ordeal. He chose to keep silent

"I mean, no pressure but... I think it would be useful to know if I'm going to become a Watcher in the future, or perhaps a Vigilant?" He said with a smile as he forwarded his aspirations onto Eitan. It was clear Toby needed to find the right path; even if it meant serving Zaichaer. However, there another thing they had in common. That Zaichaer would not accept them because of their race; furthermore, they had equal punishment in regards to their racial status. Eitan was labeled a Dratori berserker, whilst Toby had a racial history involving magic and the ability to have improved effects on Aether; this would be worsened by Toby's coven experience.

There was so many wrongs to right for the two that they had to focus.

"Shall we begin, Watcher?"

[Eitan Angevin]

Eitan smiled, both because Tobias felt comfortable enough to be vulnerable and share where he thought he was weakest and what his aspirations were. To become a Vigilant was probably the best both of them could do. It was unlikely that either of them would be trusted as Sentinel of an entire chapter, let alone High Sentinel of the Order of Reconciliation. Those roles ought to go to full humans who didn't bear the risks of baser bloods. Perhaps a Hytori might serve; they were the empire-builders and their blood didn't come with any sort of curse.

"Well, I think your longsword is your strength and your unarmed combat needs the most work," he said, an honest assessment with no ill will. "Do you want to hone your strength, work on your weakness, or... I believe you said you have some skill at throwing blades? Choose. I want you to have some agency in your training, not to have a mindless sycophant following me around."

This was good, though. Combat training could happen here. The investigation and counterintelligence were things he would have to pick up in the field with Eitan. At this point, they knew Eitan was still the stronger swordsman, though not by terribly much. He was also the better unarmed combatant, but again, not by much. As for throwing blades, he would rather keep them in his hands where they could do some good, but he could practice swatting them out of the air with his own blade or, failing that, a shield. Their training could complement each other's if they didn't always overlap.

He wanted Tobias to see that even when he became a Watcher, the training would never cease. The blades of the Order had to be sharp to be effective.

[Tobias]

Tobias wondered how the other would teach him unarmed combat; he wondered about the time with Stefan and everything. The way people judged him, he would've thought some training would've let him blow off some steam. However, he did have somewhat an affinity for throwing weapons, that was something he did point him out. Another useful skill to improve his finger dexterity "Hmm... Right now... I think I'm gonna need the type of training where if some goon comes running at me, I'll need to be able to react quick." He said with a sigh.

"If I'm gonna be by your side, I need the training given, so lets start working on those areas we need to develop..." He said as he grabbed himself a pair of bandages, followed by the fabric used to protect the wrists. He remembered well from his lesson with Stefan that his wrists should be protected at all times. It was evident that they were going to be in this together from now on. It wasn't a game, it was real. Tobias wanted to change, but there had been something bugging him from trying too hard. Something which had burnt inside him "Alright... Lets begin, Watcher..." He grinned as he was showing some form relationship building towards him.

"If we're gonna be fighting for Zaichaer, we'd both need to be equipt for it."

[Eitan Angevin]

Eitan smiled. It was sort of self-satisfied, which might even have been read as smug, but really, he was just pleased that he was able to rally Tobias to his way of thinking: they had to work harder than other people to achieve their goals, to earn their respect. So be it, but it would be easier to work together than to work separately.

"All right, Aspirant," he said, though they were friendlier in private than their relative ranks called for. He wrapped his own wrists for support, preparing himself to train.

Eitan had been in plenty of fistfights over the years, mostly his younger years, defending himself from bullies who were jealous of his name or derogatory toward his parentage. But when it came to training for it, he was also a student of Stefan Dornkirk's. He supposed he would have to ask Stefan for more and more regular training, the better to stay ahead of Tobias, both because he wanted to be able to help Tobias improve, but also because he liked how the man looked up to him now, even if he was only slowly acknowledging that Eitan could help him achieve his goals and be better, as well as more capable of advancing through the intricacies of their world.

When they were ready, they rounded off, and they were back at it again. Eitan talked through most of it, not only giving him bits of advice as to his stance and such, but psychological things as well. Tobias could be formidable if he learned to focus his feelings into productive channels, just as Eitan had done. In any case, Tobias landed a few on him; he had talent even if he didn't have skill. And Eitan landed a few in turn, so he thought perhaps he had some talent that might be tempered with skill as well. Together, they would be better.

fin.