Training Grounds - Afternoon - Overcast
Amalthea von Kreuz
Amalthea pursed her lips together as she tried to roll her shoulders out. The armor she'd put on wasn't quite to her fitting, but it was the only one that could work for her practices. She was much smaller than the other students who were trying to pass their certifications for the armored knight class, and Thea couldn't help but wonder if she should change classes? It wasn't because it was difficult; she enjoyed what she did, throwing axes, practicing with Vridel and the others. But it felt like the armor made for knights were not suited to people like her? She puffed out her cheeks, earning a curious glance from Sylvi. At least she had the right build for an armored knight.
“Stuck in your armor, Thea?" she stated, clearly amused at Amalthea's frustrated state. She shook her head at Sylvi, though, and furrowed her brows.
“I'm not stuck, I just... I'm trying to figure out the best way to manage the armor that isn't quite suited to me. I'm... it's kind of heavy, and I can't really maneuver in it." Sylvi hummed a thoughtful note as she stood from her spot on the bench. Amalthea glanced in Sofia's direction, too. They were all trying to do something similar, and had decided to study together. Even Sofia looked like she had the right build to be whatever knight she wanted to be, and Amalthea felt a little envious of it. Pushing out a breath, she furrowed her brows.
“I'll just have to show that anyone can be a knight, even someone as small as me!" she declared out loud, causing Sylvi to chuckle.
“Dierdre's smaller than you, Amalthea. You're not that tiny. You've grown a little since the last time, you know," she stated, causing Amalthea to smile. She did feel like she had grown somewhat in the last few months.
Sofia nodded, distinctly calmer and less expressive as tended to be her way. She wasn't blank-faced like the professor or Senka, just... mild. Quiet, even, though she spoke easily enough when she had something to say. “I'm sure once you get your classification, they'll have a set better made to your specifications," she noted. “That's the only reason why there's a separate certification for heavy armor anyway. They want to know you know how to use it before they go to the expense."
She approached, half-crouching to check some of Amalthea's straps and buckles and the like. She adjusted a few, making it slightly better, but in the end she pushed a sigh from her nose and shook her head faintly. “This set was made for someone at least a few inches taller than you, and longer in the legs, but... it's the smallest they have."
“I'll just have to improvise, then," she replied, nodding her head in thanks. “But it does feel a little better so I think I might be able to move around a little easier. I think, in the end, that is what'll help me the most. Getting familiar with the armor, even if it's not quite to my specifications," she stated glancing towards Sylvi who was chuckling.
“You have a very optimistic outlook on things, Thea, you know that? I don't think I've ever heard you say anything mean about anything or anyone," she stated, causing Amalthea to purse her lips in confusion.
“Why would I do that? Everything is a teachable moment, and why would I want to miss out on that? Looking at it in a negative light won't help me to understand it, so..." she trailed off not knowing how else to put it. Everything to her was, in some ways, new. She was still young, and for the first time in her life, experiencing the outside world. Reading about it was different than actually being a part of it, and Amalthea felt like she was learning something almost every day.
It was at about this point that the Professor walked by, carrying what seemed to be most of a suit of armor himself. It didn't look nearly sized for him, though—it might have fit someone of Devon's dimensions, but no larger. He paused when he saw them, making his way over to the group. Sofia smiled and nodded; the latter, the Professor returned.
“Practicing with armor?" he asked, surveying the three of them. “You're all taking the axe certifications as well, yes?"
“Oh, hello professor!" she greeted, smiling in his direction. She blinked as she turned her attention towards Sylvi and Sofia. “I'm studying for both the heavy armor certifications and the axe ones," she replied. She would need to pass both of them if she wanted to be an armored knight. She was decent with the axe, better than when she'd first started at least, and she didn't think she would have too much trouble passing that exam.
“Yeah, I need to be proficient in the axe if I'm to pass my certifications. I had to change them mid-way, through, though. Apparently my original class was only for men," she sounded bitter about it, but she shrugged her shoulders lightly. “I'm studying for the brigand class, now. That just needs an axe certification of at least C, and I think I'm good enough to be able to do it," she continued, confident in her abilities. Amalthea couldn't help but be amazed by it.
“Wait, so does that mean your dream of being a war master has changed?" she asked, watching as Sylvi grinned.
“Of course not. Even though it might be for just men, I'm going to still prove to them that I, Sylvi Galatea, can be just as good, if not better. I'm going to be the first female war master! Just you watch," she replied, an unusual fire in her eyes.
“Well I should hope you'd allow us to do more than watch," Cyril noted with a faint trace of amusement. “But for now..." he set down the suit he was carrying, laying out the pieces and sifting through them with a hum. Every once in a while, he glanced up at Amalthea as though trying to decide something. When he was done, the armor was in two separate piles. He gestured her forward.
“Some of these seem closer to your size, and they're a bit more flexible. If you mix them together, you might get a set that'll do well enough for practice."
“Oh, why didn't I think of that!" Amalthea stated as she bounded over towards the sets. “That's a very smart idea," she continued, grinning at the piles as she glanced them over. She could hear Sylvi snickering softly, but she decided to ignore her for now. She picked a few pieces out before pursing her lips. She turned towards Sofia and Sylvi her brows furrowing lightly.
“Can you help me with my armor?" she asked. She couldn't take it off, herself, considering, but they had helped her put it on, to begin with. She could get her legs and the metal boots, but she needed help with everything else. Sylvi laughed at her, but shook her head. She motioned for Amalthea near her and Sofia, and she obliged. Once they had helped her out of her armor, they helped her into the new set. Sylvi seemed to do a once over to make sure everything was secured properly, before clicking her tongue in a satisfied manner.
“I think this looks better, Thea. Can you move?" she asked, as Amalthea nodded her head. She moved her shoulders a bit, and twisted a couple of times to make sure she was a little more limber.
“Thanks, Professor!" she stated, moving every so often to get comfortable with the armor. She made her way towards the racks that held the practice weapons, and pulled a practice axe from it. Amyr wasn't allowed in the certifactions, something about being above her certs, but she didn't mind. If she passed her C-certs, she'd be able to use Amyr, proper, for the other exams she'd have to take.
“You're welcome," he said simply, moving away from the center to take a seat on the fence. The rest of the armor, he set down behind him. “Don't mind me if you want to practice."
Sofia offered a smile, hefting her own weapon. She favored long arms, and the poleaxe was no exception. She said the forms were closer to the lance ones she preferred anyway, but with more chop and less thrust, as it were. “I'll have a go with you to test it out if you like, Thea."
“I'd like that!" she replied, nodding her head as she jogged—about as well as she could in a full suit of armor—towards Sofia. “And don't feel the need to take it easy on me!" she addeed, grinning up at the taller woman. “I can handle it, and... practice makes perfect, so," she stated, hoping Sofia would catch on to what she was saying.
They spent almost two hours sparring, Amalthea occasionally landing a hit. Sofia had started off on the defensive side, as if she were just watching Amalthea make her moves. It made sense after awhile when she shifted into an offensive stance, knocking the practice axe out of Amalthea's hands every so often. It didn't hurt like she expected it to, but her hands were a little sore from the force of which Sofia attacked. She was patient, calculative, and seemed to make every attack count whereas Amalthea was merely using most of her strength to try and wear her down.
Perhaps she'd been going about it the wrong way? Sofia seemed to be doing the complete opposite, as if she were waiting for Amalthea to wear herself down. That seemed to be the case since Amalthea was currently tired. Her muscles were sore, and her arms felt heavy, like iron. A side-effect of wearing armor, she supposed. She took a deep breath, and called for a halt in their practice bout.
“It looks like I still have a lot to learn," she stated, smiling in Sofia's direction. “Thank you for being my sparring partner!" she added, bowing towards Sofia to show her gratitude. Sylvi snickered softly, but shook her head.
“If you keep practicing, Thea, you'll be able to succeed in no time. And the fact that you can acknowledge that you have a lot to learn, still, means you're on the right path," she stated, placing her hand on her hip. “What do you say, Prof?" she asked, glancing in Professor's direction.
“You're all improving," he remarked simply. “You're getting better on the horizontal, Sofia. Good work."
She smiled at that, a little more brightly than usual. “Thank you, sir."
He turned next to Amalthea. “You're getting better with the armor, Thea. You shouldn't overtax yourself all at once, though. Endurance isn't built in a day."
“I think he's telling us to take our rest for the day," Sofia noted. “Not a bad idea, I think."
“Agreed. I need to go bug Devon and see how he and Mercer are doing with their bow training," Sylvi stated, a mischievous grin crossing her face, causing Amalthea to giggle. She tucked the books she'd brought with her, under her arm, and waved good bye before leaving the area. Amalthea waved after her and Sofia, leaving just her and the professor. She turned to him with a bright smile, though.
“Thanks, Professor! I'd hope I was improving," she stated, making her way to remove her armor. Luckily, she could do it herself, this time, and once everything was removed, she turned back towards the professor, and grinned as an idea formed in her head. “Oh, we should go get some tea! I hear it helps soothe sore and aching muscles and helps you relax after training," she suggested. She paused, though, and titled her head slightly to the left. “Unless, of course, you're too busy! If that's the case, I can go bug Lyanna!" because Lyanna always made time for tea, and sweets. Usually sweets, but Amalthea promised she wasn't going to tell anyone that about her sister.
If she remembered correctly, it was something Lyanna swore her to secrecy about. She probably didn't want people to know she ate a lot of sweets.
“Of course I'm not too busy," he replied simply, stepping down off the fence and gathering up the pieces of armor he'd brought, as well as the ones she was no longer using.
After a stop to store his in the armory and hers in her room, they made their way to the dorm building, where the professor made tea. They took it outside, though, simply seating themselves on the lawn with the tea tray between them where they faced each other. He'd apparently found some cookies somewhere, because they were on the tray too, along with plenty of sugar for the tea, though the professor didn't take any. It seemed to be a sweeter berry flavor, warm and fragrant.
Once they'd settled in, he regarded her quietly for a few moments. “You grew up in the monastery, didn't you?" he asked. “Were you born here?"
She'd been halfway through a cookie when he'd spoken, so she washed it down with her tea, and nodded. “I was... I think. Lyanna doesn't talk about it, often," she stated, smiling still. “I think she said mother passed right after I was born, so I didn't know her growing up. She doesn't speak of father, though," and she never thought to question it. For as long as she'd been alive, it was always her and Lyanna.
“She basically raised me," she added, glancing around before turning her attention back towards him. “The Church is all I've ever known, so I was excited when Lyanna said I could join the Officer's Academy instead of devoting my time to the goddess. Not that I wouldn't devote to her. From the way Lady Rhea speaks of her, she sounds amazing," she continued, taking another bite out of her cookie. She loved the stories Lady Rhea and Lyanna would tell of the goddess, and she thought they were romantic and divine.
“What do you know about the goddess?" she asked, curiously. For as long as she'd known the professor, he never seemed to know much about the teachings of Seiros nor the Church. She would gladly tell him everything she knew, though, if that's what he wanted.
The Professor looked down into his teacup, as if studying his own distorted reflection in the liquid. “I would... appreciate that, I think," he said after a pause. “I know the basic story, about the War of Heroes, but little beyond that. The Archbishop hopes for me to convert, I think, but..." He shrugged.
“Religion has never been a part of my life. I suppose I can see why some people would embrace it, but I am not sure there is—" A faint crease appeared between his brows. “I'm not sure there is any void in my life that it would fill."
“Oh, that's understandable. You didn't know anything about the Church until you came here, right?" she asked, though she already knew the answer to that. Instead, she washed down the rest of her cookie, and dusted the crumbs off of her person before turning to face him fully. “Well, first thing is first," she began, folding her hands in front of her.
“We devote ourselves to the goddess, Sothis. She is the one who gave the Divine Seiros the revelation and power that helped put down Nemesis. Without it, we... might not have existed at all. Well, maybe, but not quite the same as we are today. Divine Seiros's actions would later be considered miracles, to the people, and thus the Church was founded to remind people of how she defeated Nemesis in single combat, and basically saved our lives." It had been a fantastical story, to Amalthea when she'd read that in one of the books. In single combat, with no help whatsoever.
“Essentially, we worship Sothis for giving the Divine Seiros the power to save us, and the blessings she bestowed upon us. Not like the Crests, though," she quickly waved her hands in front of her. “I mean, like, blessing us with good fortune and other things like that."
His eyes had widened just fractionally when she first said 'Sothis.' It was the sort of thing easily missed on most people. But for someone like the Professor, who habitually expressed so little, it was a clearer contrast, and something that someone watching his face could pick up on, if they were practiced at talking to him as she was. Through the story, his attention seemed to shift; it was like he were half-listening with rapt attention, but half somewhere else entirely, and when she was done, the silence stretched for an unusually long time.
“That name," he murmured, almost as if speaking more to himself than her. “Sothis. It is... familiar, somehow. Like something I knew once, but have forgotten. It's the name of the Goddess?"
She nodded her head. “It is. The goddess, Sothis. At least, that's what Lady Rhea said," she answered, pursing her lips together. “I'm surprised she didn't tell you; Lady Rhea always makes a point to make sure anyone who isn't a believer, knows the name," she was, honestly surprised. Maybe it slipped Lady Rhea's mind, however; Lady Rhea was a bright woman. She wouldn't neglect to tell Professor, that, if she wanted to convert him.
At the mention of Rhea, the Professor's eyes seemed to darken a little; he passed a quiet sigh from his nose and took a draught from his tea. “I have the feeling a great deal is being hidden from me," he mused. “I don't even understand the real reason I was hired to work here. My father operated as a mercenary for many years. His name was well-known, and yet these Knights never came looking for him then. Why go to such lengths to bring us into the fold now?"
With a faint shake of the head, he lifted his eyes back to hers. “I'm sorry. I should not unburden myself on you, Thea. You've exams to study for, and plenty to keep you busy."
Amalthea shook her head, and smiled. “Oh, I don't mind, Professor! If you need someone to talk to, I've been told I'm a good listener," she stated, offering him her ears if he ever needed them. “And... I believe they did search for Captain Jeralt, but gave up after a few years of searching. I think it's because they thought he died," she stated, but perhaps she'd been mistaken. Shaking her head, she offered him a smile, still.
“If you ever need someone to speak with, Professor, to let out your own worries and other things, I'm always here for you! Just like you're always here for us, that's the least I can do," she wanted to return the favor, after all that he's done for them.
He huffed gently, then nodded. “Thank you, then. I will keep that in mind."
“Stuck in your armor, Thea?" she stated, clearly amused at Amalthea's frustrated state. She shook her head at Sylvi, though, and furrowed her brows.
“I'm not stuck, I just... I'm trying to figure out the best way to manage the armor that isn't quite suited to me. I'm... it's kind of heavy, and I can't really maneuver in it." Sylvi hummed a thoughtful note as she stood from her spot on the bench. Amalthea glanced in Sofia's direction, too. They were all trying to do something similar, and had decided to study together. Even Sofia looked like she had the right build to be whatever knight she wanted to be, and Amalthea felt a little envious of it. Pushing out a breath, she furrowed her brows.
“I'll just have to show that anyone can be a knight, even someone as small as me!" she declared out loud, causing Sylvi to chuckle.
“Dierdre's smaller than you, Amalthea. You're not that tiny. You've grown a little since the last time, you know," she stated, causing Amalthea to smile. She did feel like she had grown somewhat in the last few months.
Sofia nodded, distinctly calmer and less expressive as tended to be her way. She wasn't blank-faced like the professor or Senka, just... mild. Quiet, even, though she spoke easily enough when she had something to say. “I'm sure once you get your classification, they'll have a set better made to your specifications," she noted. “That's the only reason why there's a separate certification for heavy armor anyway. They want to know you know how to use it before they go to the expense."
She approached, half-crouching to check some of Amalthea's straps and buckles and the like. She adjusted a few, making it slightly better, but in the end she pushed a sigh from her nose and shook her head faintly. “This set was made for someone at least a few inches taller than you, and longer in the legs, but... it's the smallest they have."
“I'll just have to improvise, then," she replied, nodding her head in thanks. “But it does feel a little better so I think I might be able to move around a little easier. I think, in the end, that is what'll help me the most. Getting familiar with the armor, even if it's not quite to my specifications," she stated glancing towards Sylvi who was chuckling.
“You have a very optimistic outlook on things, Thea, you know that? I don't think I've ever heard you say anything mean about anything or anyone," she stated, causing Amalthea to purse her lips in confusion.
“Why would I do that? Everything is a teachable moment, and why would I want to miss out on that? Looking at it in a negative light won't help me to understand it, so..." she trailed off not knowing how else to put it. Everything to her was, in some ways, new. She was still young, and for the first time in her life, experiencing the outside world. Reading about it was different than actually being a part of it, and Amalthea felt like she was learning something almost every day.
It was at about this point that the Professor walked by, carrying what seemed to be most of a suit of armor himself. It didn't look nearly sized for him, though—it might have fit someone of Devon's dimensions, but no larger. He paused when he saw them, making his way over to the group. Sofia smiled and nodded; the latter, the Professor returned.
“Practicing with armor?" he asked, surveying the three of them. “You're all taking the axe certifications as well, yes?"
“Oh, hello professor!" she greeted, smiling in his direction. She blinked as she turned her attention towards Sylvi and Sofia. “I'm studying for both the heavy armor certifications and the axe ones," she replied. She would need to pass both of them if she wanted to be an armored knight. She was decent with the axe, better than when she'd first started at least, and she didn't think she would have too much trouble passing that exam.
“Yeah, I need to be proficient in the axe if I'm to pass my certifications. I had to change them mid-way, through, though. Apparently my original class was only for men," she sounded bitter about it, but she shrugged her shoulders lightly. “I'm studying for the brigand class, now. That just needs an axe certification of at least C, and I think I'm good enough to be able to do it," she continued, confident in her abilities. Amalthea couldn't help but be amazed by it.
“Wait, so does that mean your dream of being a war master has changed?" she asked, watching as Sylvi grinned.
“Of course not. Even though it might be for just men, I'm going to still prove to them that I, Sylvi Galatea, can be just as good, if not better. I'm going to be the first female war master! Just you watch," she replied, an unusual fire in her eyes.
“Well I should hope you'd allow us to do more than watch," Cyril noted with a faint trace of amusement. “But for now..." he set down the suit he was carrying, laying out the pieces and sifting through them with a hum. Every once in a while, he glanced up at Amalthea as though trying to decide something. When he was done, the armor was in two separate piles. He gestured her forward.
“Some of these seem closer to your size, and they're a bit more flexible. If you mix them together, you might get a set that'll do well enough for practice."
“Oh, why didn't I think of that!" Amalthea stated as she bounded over towards the sets. “That's a very smart idea," she continued, grinning at the piles as she glanced them over. She could hear Sylvi snickering softly, but she decided to ignore her for now. She picked a few pieces out before pursing her lips. She turned towards Sofia and Sylvi her brows furrowing lightly.
“Can you help me with my armor?" she asked. She couldn't take it off, herself, considering, but they had helped her put it on, to begin with. She could get her legs and the metal boots, but she needed help with everything else. Sylvi laughed at her, but shook her head. She motioned for Amalthea near her and Sofia, and she obliged. Once they had helped her out of her armor, they helped her into the new set. Sylvi seemed to do a once over to make sure everything was secured properly, before clicking her tongue in a satisfied manner.
“I think this looks better, Thea. Can you move?" she asked, as Amalthea nodded her head. She moved her shoulders a bit, and twisted a couple of times to make sure she was a little more limber.
“Thanks, Professor!" she stated, moving every so often to get comfortable with the armor. She made her way towards the racks that held the practice weapons, and pulled a practice axe from it. Amyr wasn't allowed in the certifactions, something about being above her certs, but she didn't mind. If she passed her C-certs, she'd be able to use Amyr, proper, for the other exams she'd have to take.
“You're welcome," he said simply, moving away from the center to take a seat on the fence. The rest of the armor, he set down behind him. “Don't mind me if you want to practice."
Sofia offered a smile, hefting her own weapon. She favored long arms, and the poleaxe was no exception. She said the forms were closer to the lance ones she preferred anyway, but with more chop and less thrust, as it were. “I'll have a go with you to test it out if you like, Thea."
“I'd like that!" she replied, nodding her head as she jogged—about as well as she could in a full suit of armor—towards Sofia. “And don't feel the need to take it easy on me!" she addeed, grinning up at the taller woman. “I can handle it, and... practice makes perfect, so," she stated, hoping Sofia would catch on to what she was saying.
They spent almost two hours sparring, Amalthea occasionally landing a hit. Sofia had started off on the defensive side, as if she were just watching Amalthea make her moves. It made sense after awhile when she shifted into an offensive stance, knocking the practice axe out of Amalthea's hands every so often. It didn't hurt like she expected it to, but her hands were a little sore from the force of which Sofia attacked. She was patient, calculative, and seemed to make every attack count whereas Amalthea was merely using most of her strength to try and wear her down.
Perhaps she'd been going about it the wrong way? Sofia seemed to be doing the complete opposite, as if she were waiting for Amalthea to wear herself down. That seemed to be the case since Amalthea was currently tired. Her muscles were sore, and her arms felt heavy, like iron. A side-effect of wearing armor, she supposed. She took a deep breath, and called for a halt in their practice bout.
“It looks like I still have a lot to learn," she stated, smiling in Sofia's direction. “Thank you for being my sparring partner!" she added, bowing towards Sofia to show her gratitude. Sylvi snickered softly, but shook her head.
“If you keep practicing, Thea, you'll be able to succeed in no time. And the fact that you can acknowledge that you have a lot to learn, still, means you're on the right path," she stated, placing her hand on her hip. “What do you say, Prof?" she asked, glancing in Professor's direction.
“You're all improving," he remarked simply. “You're getting better on the horizontal, Sofia. Good work."
She smiled at that, a little more brightly than usual. “Thank you, sir."
He turned next to Amalthea. “You're getting better with the armor, Thea. You shouldn't overtax yourself all at once, though. Endurance isn't built in a day."
“I think he's telling us to take our rest for the day," Sofia noted. “Not a bad idea, I think."
“Agreed. I need to go bug Devon and see how he and Mercer are doing with their bow training," Sylvi stated, a mischievous grin crossing her face, causing Amalthea to giggle. She tucked the books she'd brought with her, under her arm, and waved good bye before leaving the area. Amalthea waved after her and Sofia, leaving just her and the professor. She turned to him with a bright smile, though.
“Thanks, Professor! I'd hope I was improving," she stated, making her way to remove her armor. Luckily, she could do it herself, this time, and once everything was removed, she turned back towards the professor, and grinned as an idea formed in her head. “Oh, we should go get some tea! I hear it helps soothe sore and aching muscles and helps you relax after training," she suggested. She paused, though, and titled her head slightly to the left. “Unless, of course, you're too busy! If that's the case, I can go bug Lyanna!" because Lyanna always made time for tea, and sweets. Usually sweets, but Amalthea promised she wasn't going to tell anyone that about her sister.
If she remembered correctly, it was something Lyanna swore her to secrecy about. She probably didn't want people to know she ate a lot of sweets.
“Of course I'm not too busy," he replied simply, stepping down off the fence and gathering up the pieces of armor he'd brought, as well as the ones she was no longer using.
After a stop to store his in the armory and hers in her room, they made their way to the dorm building, where the professor made tea. They took it outside, though, simply seating themselves on the lawn with the tea tray between them where they faced each other. He'd apparently found some cookies somewhere, because they were on the tray too, along with plenty of sugar for the tea, though the professor didn't take any. It seemed to be a sweeter berry flavor, warm and fragrant.
Once they'd settled in, he regarded her quietly for a few moments. “You grew up in the monastery, didn't you?" he asked. “Were you born here?"
She'd been halfway through a cookie when he'd spoken, so she washed it down with her tea, and nodded. “I was... I think. Lyanna doesn't talk about it, often," she stated, smiling still. “I think she said mother passed right after I was born, so I didn't know her growing up. She doesn't speak of father, though," and she never thought to question it. For as long as she'd been alive, it was always her and Lyanna.
“She basically raised me," she added, glancing around before turning her attention back towards him. “The Church is all I've ever known, so I was excited when Lyanna said I could join the Officer's Academy instead of devoting my time to the goddess. Not that I wouldn't devote to her. From the way Lady Rhea speaks of her, she sounds amazing," she continued, taking another bite out of her cookie. She loved the stories Lady Rhea and Lyanna would tell of the goddess, and she thought they were romantic and divine.
“What do you know about the goddess?" she asked, curiously. For as long as she'd known the professor, he never seemed to know much about the teachings of Seiros nor the Church. She would gladly tell him everything she knew, though, if that's what he wanted.
The Professor looked down into his teacup, as if studying his own distorted reflection in the liquid. “I would... appreciate that, I think," he said after a pause. “I know the basic story, about the War of Heroes, but little beyond that. The Archbishop hopes for me to convert, I think, but..." He shrugged.
“Religion has never been a part of my life. I suppose I can see why some people would embrace it, but I am not sure there is—" A faint crease appeared between his brows. “I'm not sure there is any void in my life that it would fill."
“Oh, that's understandable. You didn't know anything about the Church until you came here, right?" she asked, though she already knew the answer to that. Instead, she washed down the rest of her cookie, and dusted the crumbs off of her person before turning to face him fully. “Well, first thing is first," she began, folding her hands in front of her.
“We devote ourselves to the goddess, Sothis. She is the one who gave the Divine Seiros the revelation and power that helped put down Nemesis. Without it, we... might not have existed at all. Well, maybe, but not quite the same as we are today. Divine Seiros's actions would later be considered miracles, to the people, and thus the Church was founded to remind people of how she defeated Nemesis in single combat, and basically saved our lives." It had been a fantastical story, to Amalthea when she'd read that in one of the books. In single combat, with no help whatsoever.
“Essentially, we worship Sothis for giving the Divine Seiros the power to save us, and the blessings she bestowed upon us. Not like the Crests, though," she quickly waved her hands in front of her. “I mean, like, blessing us with good fortune and other things like that."
His eyes had widened just fractionally when she first said 'Sothis.' It was the sort of thing easily missed on most people. But for someone like the Professor, who habitually expressed so little, it was a clearer contrast, and something that someone watching his face could pick up on, if they were practiced at talking to him as she was. Through the story, his attention seemed to shift; it was like he were half-listening with rapt attention, but half somewhere else entirely, and when she was done, the silence stretched for an unusually long time.
“That name," he murmured, almost as if speaking more to himself than her. “Sothis. It is... familiar, somehow. Like something I knew once, but have forgotten. It's the name of the Goddess?"
She nodded her head. “It is. The goddess, Sothis. At least, that's what Lady Rhea said," she answered, pursing her lips together. “I'm surprised she didn't tell you; Lady Rhea always makes a point to make sure anyone who isn't a believer, knows the name," she was, honestly surprised. Maybe it slipped Lady Rhea's mind, however; Lady Rhea was a bright woman. She wouldn't neglect to tell Professor, that, if she wanted to convert him.
At the mention of Rhea, the Professor's eyes seemed to darken a little; he passed a quiet sigh from his nose and took a draught from his tea. “I have the feeling a great deal is being hidden from me," he mused. “I don't even understand the real reason I was hired to work here. My father operated as a mercenary for many years. His name was well-known, and yet these Knights never came looking for him then. Why go to such lengths to bring us into the fold now?"
With a faint shake of the head, he lifted his eyes back to hers. “I'm sorry. I should not unburden myself on you, Thea. You've exams to study for, and plenty to keep you busy."
Amalthea shook her head, and smiled. “Oh, I don't mind, Professor! If you need someone to talk to, I've been told I'm a good listener," she stated, offering him her ears if he ever needed them. “And... I believe they did search for Captain Jeralt, but gave up after a few years of searching. I think it's because they thought he died," she stated, but perhaps she'd been mistaken. Shaking her head, she offered him a smile, still.
“If you ever need someone to speak with, Professor, to let out your own worries and other things, I'm always here for you! Just like you're always here for us, that's the least I can do," she wanted to return the favor, after all that he's done for them.
He huffed gently, then nodded. “Thank you, then. I will keep that in mind."