𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞 / 𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔.

her  frustration  feels  like  it  may  just  curl  over  into  full  on  rage  the  longer  the  big  oaf  stayed  in  her  sights.  fists  tighten  at  her  sides  as  she  eyes  the  very  spot  that  she  hit  just  hours  prior.      ❛  oh,  next  time  i'll  be  sure  to  make  you  fucking  giggle.  ❜      though  the  threat  is  hardly  that,  especially  with  how  it  sputters  out  in  defense.  she  feels  her  spine  straighten,  remembering  her  squad  leader's  words:    if  you’re  not  in  the  same  squad,  it’s  kind  of  fair  game.    the  idea  of  the  male  before  her  sneaking  up  on  her  has  a  shiver  running  down  her  body,  a  sliver  of  fear  coating  her  features.      ❛  don't  tell  me  you're  already  eager  to  take  this  to  the  mat  again  ?  i  never  thought  tyrrish  men's  egos  were  so  frail  that  they  had  to  beat  down  people  half  their  size.  ❜

the amused quirk of his lips at her agitation is poorly hidden, especially at the revelation of how it riles her up. eyes dart to her fists with a raise of his brow, his own arms folded loosely across his chest. ❝ believe me, i will be. especially if you break something from ... poor form. ❞ he couldn't imagine she'd be able to manage a well - formed punch when she could barely stay upright on the mat. he wondered how many opportunities, exactly, he'd have to test that theory before she was broken or dead. nikolai offered a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders in answer. ❝ if either of us should be eager, it is the one of us with more to prove, don't you think ? unfortunate that i don't live up to your expectations, princess. tyrrish men will beat down anyone, regardless of their size. you're not special. ❞

the only new faces of note were the army of first year cadets, but there was a certain comfort in the familiarity of the second and third years. none more so than taner, who brought a sense of softness to the hard edges of basgiath, and who deserved it in return in spite of the rebellion relic along his arm. it is easy to attribute their closeness to their dragons, but the warmth that causes her to return his smile surely went beyond that. ❝ what would i do if you didn't know me so well ? ❞ the second year hummed, a quiet thank you offered as she brought the drink to her lips. he was right, of course, it was much needed, just as much as his company. ❝ well enough, so far, though i fear the short one may pick a fight, if she drinks too much. are you behaving for kirana ? ❞ the words nothing more than a gentle tease.

"i find it amusing." melody found herself humming into the rim of her drink as she watched the first years have fun. "i heard no less than ten new sheets had to be ordered this morning where they had pissed themselves in their sleep following hazens dramatics yesterday...and yet now here they all acting like they're having the time of their lives." and many of them wouldn't even see the end of the week. "how many pissed themselves in your year? i think it was eight in mine...none of them made it past the gauntlet."

gaze sweeps over the courtyard in a practiced motion, a slight smile tugging at her lips. ❝ yes, well, we all know how inclined hazen is towards the dramatics. those poor cadets don't stand a chance once he gets started, ❞ melodi mused, shooting lyra a knowing look. he wasn't exactly known for his warm and fuzzy tendencies towards the first years, now was he ? ❝ i'm more concerned with how many of them i'll have to peel off each other after curfew. they're going to wish they'd put all this energy into training. ❞ brow furrowed slightly in consideration. ❝ oh, gods — something like twelve, i think ? three made it past gauntlet, but none of them survived threshing. ❞

— Simon Van Booy 

leaves and blossoms along the way, mary oliver

all she knows is that everything hurts ------ a feeling so familiar it's almost comforting , like the shivers that shake her when she dreams of home . feels like a child , out of place among festivities she has so little understanding for , sits on a blanket with her knees pressed close to her chest , fingers curled around a wine bottle ; the alcohol stings in her throat just like the crimson of her knuckles does . solace interrupted by unwelcome footsteps , muscles tense & jaw clenched when eyes rest upon the intruder's features . she would've smiled at them once , offered a sip of the sickly bitter drink in her grasp ... all she can give is wide eyes now , a soft sigh moving past chapped lips before words can follow . ❛ you're blocking my view of the circus . ❜

admittedly, he has a handful of sore spots from his brief moments on the map yesterday, but he's no more worse for wear than usual. he knew that many of the cadets couldn't say the same thing, and aedryn had spent several long moments surveying those than wandered around with bruises and grit teeth. the resilient ones. it almost made him inclined to root for them, to want to see them make it to the end. hands folded behind his back in a familiar stance, a temporary break from his interest in whatever concoction was currently being passed around, he cast an appraising glance over his shoulder at the voice that spoke. ❝ the circus, hm ? you've barely even begun to see just how much of a circus it can be, cadet. ❞ but there's a hint of amusement in his tone as he steps aside anyway. ❝ not that you're missing much. practically every day here is like this, just a little more ... orderly. ❞

the closest thing that nikolai had found to kindred spirits was that of the other rebellion children, scattered throughout the various cadets and riders. it was comfortable, if not familiar, but that didn't make him any more pleased to be there. a fact that he has made no effort to hide, even if the spiked drinks were decent and there was enough food to make the company bearable. he wondered if he'd ever truly warm up to basgiath, or if its occupants would warm up to him, but it wouldn't be happening today. you know very few names, and fewer faces, coming in as a traitor, but he knew hers. ❝ what, you don't think you're going to be the one drunken fool itching to climb the wall by the end of the night ? ❞ sarcasm is thick on his tone, a single brow arched as he folded his arms over his chest. ❝ didn't realize riders needed excuses for stupid shit. ❞

it  was  hardly  a  celebration  when  one  of  your  eyes  were  nearly  screwed  shut.  all  thanks  to  one  of  the stupid,  burly  twins  that  graced  her  year.  there's  a  string  of  curses  that  sprawl  out  of  parted  lips  upon  the  collision  with  the  wall.  only  for  her  to  glance  up  at  the  same  face  that  nearly  beat  her  to  a  pulp  out  on  the  mat.  but  it's  his  words  that  thaw  out  her  frozen  figure,  straightening  it  as  she  sized  him  up  again.  even  through  her  battered  and  bruised  stature.      ❛  does  this  child  need  to  throat  punch  you  again  ?  or  was  the  one  i  threw  at  you  yesterday  enough  ?  ❜

assessment day had been a welcome reprieve for all of his pent up frustrations, though perhaps not for anyone they had pitted against him. him and his brother earned plenty of sour looks, but also showed everyone they weren't exactly the type to be messed with, either. still, though, the poor first year that had gone against him was certainly looking more than worse for wear. ❝ i'm afraid you don't have quite the same leverage here that you did on the mat for you ... lucky shot. it barely even tickled, really. hopefully you pack a little more bite come mat challenges. ❞

May Sarton, from Recovering: A Journal

they were directed to wait till first mat for sparring, or spilling blood, but only the rookies honored that sentiment. dante had been thrumming with unused energy alongside liquor, till his body felt as if it might implode if his knuckles didn't catch some action. twenty minutes later, dante had a wicked grin on his face, a busted lip, and was attempting to hide from a nosy professor. he caught a corner sharply, bumping swiftly into melodi. " hey sunay," he greeted out of breath, pushing her back into the alcove. " be quiet for just one minute, sweets. got a narc on my ass." his arms bracketed her on either side as he glanced over his shoulder.

the professors should've known better than to think they'd have a riotous - free night, when they let the riders and cadets to roam freely. add alcohol, and quick tempers, and it was a dangerous mix. melodi had caught a glimpse of the fight while talking with one of her cadets, but the last thing she'd expected was to bump straight into one of the culprits. ❝ calimeris, ❞ she huffed quietly, small sound of discontent as they back further into the shadows. ❝ what's the matter ? trouble starting fights you don't want general landyn to finish ? shouldn't i just give our position away ? ❞ she questioned with an amused hum.

the  best  person  to  place  your  trust  in,  as  a  first  year,  is  your  squad  leader,  isn't  it  ?  that's  what  emira  tells  herself  as  she  gathers  the  courage  to  face  melodi.  tucking  a  strand  of  hair  behind  her  ear,  she  took  long  strides  before  she  swerved  around  other  larger  bodies  before  her.      ❛  melodi,  right  ?  ❜      she  turned  towards  the  two  males  that  were  just  pulled  apart  from  a  bloody  and  brutal  brawl.      ❛  does  that  happen  often  ...  ?  i  mean,  we're  not  supposed  to  hit  the  mat  for  a  few  more  days.  are  people  really  that  eager  for  first  blood  ?  ❜      the  jest  leaves  her  lips  but  it's  far  from  genuine  humor  as  she  surveyed  her  surroundings  with  anxiety.

though there are nine members of their newly formed squad, melodi had been doing her best to commit them to memory since parapet. her head tilts at the voice, having to peer down at the first year. the only unmistakable one in the whole squad, with how slight she was. ❝ yeah, emira, right ? held your own pretty well yesterday, all things considered. ❞ gaze flickers towards the fighting pair, a look of mild exasperation in comparison to the hint of horror in the cadets own eyes. ❝ it's usually frowned upon, but the riders get a little restless, ❞ gentle hand tugs her forward as a glass goes flying past, ❝ so they like to warm up before the mat. if you're not in the same squad, it's kind of fair game. ❞