Starter for @dragon-kiddos

Sylvain had a plan.

It wasn’t a grand plan, not by any stretch of the imagination. Nor was it the kind of plan where – for once – he’d earn himself some disapproving stares or even exasperated lectures. No, it was the kind of plan that was purely selfish, yet bothered no one. The kind of plan where his itinerary for the day was mapped out in its entirety, and absolutely nothing could go wrong.

It could, in fact, go wrong.

See, Sylvain’s plan had been simple. First was – after making himself presentable that morning – eat breakfast in the dining hall. Not ideal, in all honesty, but the time saved by not having to venture into town was a worthy sacrifice. After breakfast, he went to the stables, ready to gear up Chastity, and after, the two of them would go for a nice, long, leisurely ride. A perfect way to spend his free day.

But, to his horror, the stable was full of animals that would be more at home in a farm. Now, Sylvain doesn’t have anything against cows, he’s not so fond of pigs, though he doesn’t dislike them, and he supposes sheep are kind of cute. And he’s sure they have every right to be at the monastery, better source of milk and meat, right? But surely they shouldn’t be at the stables.

Worse, unless his eyes are playing tricks on him, he’s also pretty sure that kid he’s sat next to in class once or twice shouldn’t be trying to ride a sheep.

As someone who knows a thing or two about riding, it’s probably Sylvain’s duty to help him out, right? And maybe once he convinces him to get down from that sheep – now there is a sentence he never thought he’d catch himself thinking – they can steer these animals to where they’re supposed to be, and then he can take Chastity out for a bit.

Yeah, actually! I’d love to share a class with Marianne and Mercedes. Leonie too, now that I think about it. I’d like to get to know them all better, like as friends, and I swear it’s a coincidence that they’re all girls. A very unfortunate coincidence.

It’d definitely make it easier to help Marianne practice her smile more, and Mercedes is just impossible not to like. And Leonie is probably the only person in Garreg Mach who can match Felix for competitive intensity, so he’d have someone in our class who was always up for training until you drop.

“What has led you to where you are today?”

Sylvain leans back upon his seat, arms raised and hands behind his head, his usual cocksure grin upon his face, “Why, doing my duty to his highness and my house, of course!” he says brightly, and perhaps a little conspiratorially, “As heir to House Gautier, I have to do my part. And, well, I wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to make a few new friends.”

The way redhead had glanced at one of the female monks on his way to the interview room says much about the friends he would like to make, still, there is a mote of truth to his tone, enough to continue the interview, at least.

“And what would you consider your greatest strengths?”

“I reckon I’m pretty good with a lance,” the redhead answers, still grinning as calm as you please, resting his arms on his legs now, relaxed, “I look out for my friends, and I pride myself on my loyalty. I don’t judge people by their blood either, we’re all people at the end of the day.”

Despite his easy smile, there’s a very real sincerity in his voice, he means every word he says, good. The interview adjusts her glasses upon her nose, she had been about to move on to the next question on the list, but she decides to switch the last two around.

“What if a story was to be written about your life, Sylvain?” she asks, “What role do you think you would play?”

The young man pauses to think, idly scratching at his chin as he does so, “The sidekick,” the answer surprises her, she thought for sure he’d choose the hero, “I’d rather be the one who picks our hero up when he falls, you know?”

Interesting.

“Alright then, Sylvain, one more question,” she says, “What about your greatest weakness?”

Without missing a beat, Sylvain leans forward, elbows upon his knees, fingers threading together and his chin resting upon them, and he gives the interviewer his brightest, most dazzling smile.