"Good afternoon." Proditione greeted the guards as he flew into his father's castle. The tall black doors swung open, old magic allowing them to know when someone allowed in the castle approached.

The guards said nothing as they watched Proditione glide over them, their black hair and silver armor reminding him of the Tenebrosus Warrior he'd played with on the battlefield...

Proditone wasn't given much time to deliberate this however, as his mother was waiting for him behind the doors.

Almitas was a short pudgy elf. As Proditione landed in front of her she smiled and patted his face, having to reach up for her hand to meet his cheek.

"Took you long enough to get home." She smiled, "Where did you go today?"

"I followed some Tenebrosus Warriors to a village." Behind him Proditone could hear the guards shift at the mention of their fellow fighters.

"Now Proditione." Almitas tsked, pulling him along towards the kitchens, "You know you're not supposed to mess with the Warriors." She gave a worried glance towards the two guards as the doors closed.

"I didn't!" He lied, not being able to stop the smile that formed across his face, "I only watched!"

Almitas narrowed her eyes at her son as they continued to walk, "You best hope your father believes that."

Proditione frowned, he looked away from his mother and at the dark wall, "He doesn't need to know." He whispered.

"I agree." Almitas nodded, "Now, you missed the midday meal but I had the kitchens save you some food."

Proditione smiled, "How do you know I didn't eat on my way back?"

"You never miss Ceatrix's turn to cook."

"You're right." Proditone nodded, his stomach growling in agreement, "She's the best cook."

The two continued their walk to the kitchens, joking with each other. Almitas sat with Prodiotione as he ate, and pressed for details about the battle he'd watched.

"There's something you should know before you meet with your father tonight." Almitas said quietly as they left the kitchens.

"What would that be?" Proditione asked, feeling very happy with his stomach full.

"Gosvenor arrived today." Almitas said quickly, almost wincing.

Proditone froze, all hints of the smile he'd been wearing gone from his face, "What?" He asked, looking down at his mother, "What did you just say?"

Almitas gave him a shy smile, that said it all. Gosvenor had returned

For the Gasvenor and Ninurta's 25th birthday Gosvenor had requested to go on a septe long hunt. He, along with his personal guard and three other elves that specialize in hunting would spend an entire year living off of the wild in Macrocosm. Ninurta had simply requested to continue his study in healing magic.

"He wasn't supposed to return for another two cyclic's." Proditione growled, clenching his teeth.

"Something happened on his trip," Almitas attempted to explain, "He was forced to return early."

Priditione had the sudden urge to run away from the castle, clenching his fists he forced a smile back on his face. "I think I'll walk myself to my room mother." He leaned down and kissed her forehead, "I'll see you tonight."

He contined walking, his hand balled up, and his nails cutting into his palms

________________________

The young men and women laughed as they celebrated their new warriorship.

"I saw the elf that turned your sword into a snake!" Cara drunkenly admitted to Mari, clutching her cup filled with a dark liquid.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Alva laughed from Mari's other side.

"I didn't want Major Rory to kill me!" Cara shouted, obviously not realizing how loud she was talking.

Alva and Cara laughed as Mari quietly watched them. Unlike most of her troup, she'd opted to not spend her first day as a Warrior hurling up her stomach with a headache like knives embedding themselves in her skull. So she didn't drink the dark liquid that had been passed around at the beginning of the celebration.

"I don't think the Major would have let you finish if you tried." Mari mused, keeping a careful eye on her friend as Cara took another swig from her cup.

"I didn't see the elf!" Alva complained loudly, falling against Mari's arm, "What did he look like?"

"He was short!" Cara laughed

"Very." Mari nodded with a smile, "Even compared to those humans."

"Did your soldier tell you about his family?" Alva asked Cara, bumping into Mari's arm again as she leaned over to yell at Cara.

As Cara answered Mari steddied Alva, "No! He was too busy trying to avoid my arrows!"

Alva laughed loudly, dropping her drink as she did so, and leaned against the stone wall behind the three of them. "Do the humans have girl soldiers?" She asked furrowing their eyebrows, "I didn't see any on the battlefield."

"I think they only use their women for breeding." Mari answered picking up Alva's empty cup.

Cara squenched up her nose, "Gross." She muttered.

"Humans are weird." Alva yawned, sliding down the wall and sitting on the floor.

"Do you want me to take you to the bunks?" Mari asked Alva, while keeping an eye on Cara as she finished her cup.

Alva sleepily nodded, and Mari turned to Cara, "Would you like to come with us?"

Cara nodded and dropped her empty cup on the floor as she helped Mari pick up Alva.

"You knew it would make you tired," Cara giggled as Mari walked towards the door with Alva's arm slung over her shoulder, "So why did you drink three cups?

"I don't know." Alva murmured into Mari's shoulder, Mari could feel Alva's drool seeping through the thin black fabric of her tunic, "I don't believe I was thinking of that."

"That much was obvious." Mari muttered, all but dragging her friend out of the room into the corridor.

The three walked back to the bunks, Mari helping Alva the entire way and having to stop three times to help Cava as the cup she'd chugged before they left began to set in. The three girls entered the bunks, a long and wide room with thirty bunks all with a bed on top and a bed on the bottom. Only twenty beds total were being used anymore. As they entered Mari could see a man watching his friend vomit onto the floor across the room. Mari, with Cava's help, got Alva into her bed. After turning Alva onto her side, Mari turned to the bed across where Cava had sat down.

"Do you want-" She began. Cava laid sprawled out on her bed, both legs dangling off and brushing the floor, her short black hair covering half her face.

"I suppose our partying is done for tonight." She muttered, picking up Cava's legs and rolling her onto her side.

Mari climbed up to the bed above Cava. Directly next to her pillow sat her small cupboard. Inside laid two other tunics, along with two fresh pairs of pants and boots. The Privates were not yet permitted to keep their armor and swords in their bunks. Mari reached underneath the folded clothes and pulled out her journal, the only item she'd been permitted to keep when she joined the Warriors. Flipping to the back where there laid only ten empty pages, Mari began writing yet another letter she would never send.

Dearest Mother,

I've passed my year of training. As you must know by now, I've chosen to stay with the Warriors. I know that you weren't happy with my decision to join. I hope you will understand one day why I wish to do this. How is Father? Last I heard from him he'd been injured while in the mines. I do hope he was able to heal. How serious was it? Knowing father, I'm positive he tried to act as if it had never happened. How are Najy and Safa? They were only six septe's old when I left. They just reached seven recently yes? It was one cyclic ago if I am correct. I hope everything is well at home.

Your eldest daughter,

Mari.