Lucielle can feel the sweat clinging to her body as she swings her sword without rest at the target infront of her. Training such as this will help her forget about heavy things happening around her but today in particular was different. Hard to focus.
The target dummy is full of scars and scratches made by her aetherfoged sword still standing, taunting her to attack.
She rushed again swings her sword again hoping to exhaust some of the frustration that been building up inside of her recently. It was the 3rd day of her suspension and all she was doing is training.
"Your stance is sloppy".
She stops swinging and turn her head to look at the source of the voice and immediately scowled.
"…kevin".
"You saying my name as if you stepped on something disgusting". He says with a smile.
Lucielle just cant stand that smile and his attitude. She once thought they could be similar and feel a connection between them during their academy days but he turns out to be just like others. Disappointing.
"What are you doing here?" Lucielle asked hoping to chase him away as fast as possible.
"Got my rest day today and heard the news of your suspension. So I figured, I should check out and I knew where you would be".
Lucielle glared at him.
"Out of curiosity of course" He added.
Every soldier will get atleast 3 rest day away from the battlefield per week and the arrangements can be differ based on individual's circumstances. Of course, anyone can refuse these days too which is what mostly Lucielle choose to do.
"So?" Kevin pressed.
"None of your concern. Don't waste away your rest day here" she said turning her focus toward the target again.
"I could say the same" he said as he leave the training room leaving Lucielle alone.
Lucielle prepares to strike the target again but let go of her stance and dismissed her blade as she lose the mood for training due to certain someone.
She scanned the training room and it's empty. This is a room that prepared by the academy separately for graduates but people rarely used it as who would wants to waste their rest day training.
With a sigh she leaves the room as well and plans to return to her home.
She entered her house and head to the second floor for her room but suddenly stopped on her track when she walk passed a potrait.
She glanced at the portrait and there was a beautiful woman who has a uncanny resemblance to hers wirh a bright smile. She holding a child clinging to her neck with equally bright smile.
"…mother".
She just stared at the portrait without moving a muscle , focusing on the smile that she longed to see, the warmth that she longed to feel.
But she feels nothing.
She only has some hazy memories of her mother as she passed away in the battlefield when she was around 4 years old. She always thinks what would be like to have her mother now? Nothing much going to change as they both would be in battlefield and focusing on war anyway.
This lead to several questions in her mind. Question she dared not to say aloud.
Why was the war important? Wouldn't people would like to stay with their loved ones as long as possible? How many family members does people lose? Is it worth it?.
And this would lead to the most forbidden question.
"Is the war…really nessesary?" Lucielle muttered.
***
Varithra was sitting on her bed leaning her back on the wall while reading a book named 'eternal love'. The book is about how a stepmother locked her daughter up for falling in love with someone she dislikes while the hero would try to save the heroine.
It's the usual cliche with unnecessary drama that could be avoided with some words. Varithra is not particularly interested in this book but it would serve it's purpose for passing the time. It's already been five days since her suspension and she done nothing but reading and she does not regret it.
'Knock, knock, knock'.
She heard a knock on the door and knew exactly who that is.
"Come in", she answered.
The door opens to reveal Maria. Maria enters the room with her usual warm smile. She closed the door behind her, make her way to the bed and sits on the edge.
"What you doing" she asked, staring the conversation even though she can clearly see it.
"Reading".
"What is it about?".
"It's about an idiot trying to run away with another idiot" Varithra answered honestly.
With a soft smile maria nodded, "yea , that's definitely something you would read".
Silence followed afterwards with occasional sound of page turning.
"You're still upset?". Maria started the conversation again.
"About?" Varithra asked without taking her eyes off the book.
"Your mother".
"…".
"She did that because she cares about you and you know it".
"She doesn't even come to see me".
"That's…because she was busy with the order's work".
Varithra scoffed "she always busy with the order's work. Of course that's more important than her own daughter".
Matia sighed unable retort back because it's partially true. It's maria who always beside her whether it's teaching her , taking care of her when she was a child or even handling her academy affairs.
"I…will take to ressa".
"You don't have to, I understand where she comes from", Varithra answered.
Maria's smile was gone for awhile "I think you should avoid that luminara girl or the cursed child, Varithra. For your own good".
"…" varithra does not reply to it.
Maria sighed as she stands up and walks toward the door as she know any futhur conversation would be pointless but stopped while her hand still rest on the door knob.
"Try to come outside often, alright".
And with that she left the room with a silence.
Varithra sighed and throw the book aside as she wasn't even reading but mindlessly turning the page to avoid a lengthy conversation with maria as she know exactly how it always go.
She turned and glanced at the window toward the eternal starry night sky with a beautiful moon watching over nyxara.
The entire five day of her suspension, the same things going through her head. The luminarans, the war, the dead. Cant they just live a normal lives? Sometimes she felt like even a lunar's shame lives a comfortable live than hers.
What would happen if this cycle continues? The war continues?.
"Are there no other option?" Varithra asked herself.