Post by Thereza de Soigneux on Dec 11, 2010 8:24:38 GMT -5
It had been quite some time since I'd ventured to one of the Temples- at least a year, but I couldn't blame anyone for that state of affairs but myself. There was simply too much to do with training the new recruits to take leave and come to the City of Elua where the premiere marquists made their shops. Considering my lifestyle I wasn't always able to have the same artist do the different portions of my tattoo but that was also wisdom in that. Every stroke was an entity to itself even as it joined the symbols already present.
Captain de Etalon had finally, in his own passively forceful way, ordered me to take some of my time 'before I suffered from exhaustion' and had me draw up the paperwork for just that purpose. I could have argued that there was still more to be done and that things would be in far more shambles when I returned but after years serving with Royal I knew that this wasn't likely to be effective. While I was responsible for the practical things due in large part to my practical nature the Captain saw things far differently as an idealist. All he'd done when I looked as though I might disagree had been to smile and sign the papers. "I'm sure there won't be anything you can't fix on your return."
Of course he knew what I was going to do in the City- he'd even accompanied me on my first few trips out of some sense of protectiveness. I could fight well and even best Royal if I had to but being tattooed was no easy thing and could put a person at risk. Being a close friend and seeing his point I hadn't denied him and after he'd seen I could handle myself he trusted me to make my own way safely. Our history was a complicated one, built on trust and a shared idea of the future, and even if no one else understood it, well, it was none of their business anyway.
My thoughts soon cleared as I entered the marquist's shop and gave my name in a clear tone, then let them escort me into a back room where I took off my uniform shirt and swords before lying down on the table. The only color on my fair skin was black ink and I had a drawn image of exactly what I wanted added- a symbol from ancient Hellas for 'trust'. Steeling myself I took deep breaths and held as steady as I could through the pain, which spread from the tapper on my shoulder blade through my entire body. I wasn't an adept to endure for pleasure, but a soldier and child of Knowledge- and this was what my devotion was aimed to.
The strongest faith I has was in what I knew and what it meant. Nothing would change that.
Captain de Etalon had finally, in his own passively forceful way, ordered me to take some of my time 'before I suffered from exhaustion' and had me draw up the paperwork for just that purpose. I could have argued that there was still more to be done and that things would be in far more shambles when I returned but after years serving with Royal I knew that this wasn't likely to be effective. While I was responsible for the practical things due in large part to my practical nature the Captain saw things far differently as an idealist. All he'd done when I looked as though I might disagree had been to smile and sign the papers. "I'm sure there won't be anything you can't fix on your return."
Of course he knew what I was going to do in the City- he'd even accompanied me on my first few trips out of some sense of protectiveness. I could fight well and even best Royal if I had to but being tattooed was no easy thing and could put a person at risk. Being a close friend and seeing his point I hadn't denied him and after he'd seen I could handle myself he trusted me to make my own way safely. Our history was a complicated one, built on trust and a shared idea of the future, and even if no one else understood it, well, it was none of their business anyway.
My thoughts soon cleared as I entered the marquist's shop and gave my name in a clear tone, then let them escort me into a back room where I took off my uniform shirt and swords before lying down on the table. The only color on my fair skin was black ink and I had a drawn image of exactly what I wanted added- a symbol from ancient Hellas for 'trust'. Steeling myself I took deep breaths and held as steady as I could through the pain, which spread from the tapper on my shoulder blade through my entire body. I wasn't an adept to endure for pleasure, but a soldier and child of Knowledge- and this was what my devotion was aimed to.
The strongest faith I has was in what I knew and what it meant. Nothing would change that.