Prose log with Shoon
Who: Arshtat and Shoon
What: Arshtat puts up with an overzealous child Shoon approaches Arshtat about everything that happened.
Where: The courtyard.
Shoon was walking up from the dojo in a fresh pair of clothes heading back to his room. He felt good; it was a decent work out, not the best, he needed to spar against someone for a truly good work out. He started his ascent up the stairs and cracked his neck, enjoying the feeling.
Arshtat did not know what exactly to do with herself the past few days. She still did not know if the castle laws would demand she be punished for what she had done, and the lack of response had made her reluctant to go out in public too often. However, she would not stay cooped up in a room all day, and so had decided to go on a walk around the grounds. She had just exited the manor, pleased at how the signs of a natural spring were starting to show.
Shoon came to a complete stop when he saw Arshtat. It was the first time since the battle he had seen her. He had avoided her when he visited Kyle. He still didn't know how he felt about the whole ordeal other than angry.
He watched her, getting as close to the wall as possible, giving her a wide breath.
Arshtat always took stock of what was going on around her. So she noticed our of the corner of her eye the young gladiator, Shoon she believed, stop in his walk and stayed as far from her as possible. The only acknowledgement of the act was a slight shift downward of her eyes as she sighed inwardly at the fearful reactions she always seemed to incite.
He stared at her for a full moment before stomping up the staris. Keeping his eyes forward and off of Arshtat, determined not to look at her.
Arshtat sighed, a bit more visibly at that reaction. The queen in her told her to ignore it, as she had received far worse before. The mother in her however did not like to see a child so upset. Even if she did not know exactly what he was mad about, she could guess in a general sense. “I do not hold formal audiences here,” she said, her back turned towards Shoon as he passed her. “Anyone who has something to say must merely say it.”
Shoon stopped marching and didn't bother to turn around. "I'm holding my tongue out of respect for your son," he said, "Otherwise I'm sure you don't won't to hear what I have to say to you."
Arshtat sighed again. “You were one of his friends during the war,” she said more as a statement than a question. “I am glad to hear of your loyalty towards him. However holding something in causes more problems then it solves.” She started walking again, deciding if he wanted to talk she would listen, but she would not stay and force it out of the boy.
"I hope you get tired," Shoon blurted turning to look at her. "I'm not sure how it's going to happen. But I hope you are. And I hope you realize that all of this wouldn't have happened if you hadn't kept it a secert!" He was starting to yell so he snapped his mouth shout and counted to ten.
Arshtat turned a bit at his…was it a threat? She was not sure. “How nice to be able to see the world so plainly. But reality will always be more complex” she said calmly. She was not trying to be condescending, but her decision to keep things quite had not come from vanity.
"Don't patronize me," Shoon said. "And don't give any crap reasons about Queen's needing to do whatever. You knew the Rune was dangerous. And you kept it a secert while you're a guest here."
“You foolish child,” Arshtat said evenly turning around to look at him. “What would that have accomplished? I ask you this in seriousness. What would you have done if you had known? What would anyone have done?”
"Well, for one it would have meant the rest of us knew what was happening," Shoon said angrily, "We would have bent over backwards to help you."
“You are not answering the question,” She said matching his anger with composure. “What exactly would you have done? How could you have helped against the sun? How many would have remained calm? How many would have panicked? Would the situation really have been any better?”
Shoon wanted to ask the Queen if she was being stupid. He threw up his arms into the air. "Look around you! We're from a different time, you're returned fromt the dead, and there's more than a few True Runes here. If any one would have paniced it would have been Euram and pretty much only him." He shoved his hands into his pockets. "Every other Falenan would have done everything they could of to help you with that Rune, I'm not sure what could have happened, but I know it would be better."
It was getting harder for Arshtat to keep her composure, but after years of practice she did so without a sign of that. “You are full of enthusiasm and optimism,” she said. “These are admirable traits, but are not enough to solve the world’s ills.” She stood tall regarding him before continuing. “You are young, you have not seen how people react in a crisis. I know you were with my son in a war, but I am not talking about those who chose to fight. They are a special breed; they are the ones who would have remained calm as you said. Others, I’m certain, did not. I have lived through power struggles and even in those which do not involve a rune there are those who panic and that panic causes worse outcomes. Do not think for a moment I did not examine all of the options.”
"I think you underestimated this place," Shoon said. "And I do know what you're talking about. I was part of merc corp that travelled in lands that made the Succesion War in Falena look like Christmas." He didn't have a lot of first hand knowledge of the Sucession war in Falena. He was either not born yet, or in his village that never made it on any map, or already in the gladiator system. He didn't think it was important to know the dates. "So I do know what I'm talking about. And you sorely underestimated the loyalty this people have. Or their will. All of us here have been in Wars, we're all fighters here."
Shoon’s disregard of the Succession War caused a flicker of anger to push through Arshtat’s composed mask. Despite her advice that Shoon shouldn’t keep things bottled up, Arshtat held her tongue on everything she could have said to him about the horrors of the Succession War. She had watched her family die around her and be torn to pieces and was forced into a life that she had not wanted, so that a former gladiator whom she had risked much to help could reprimand her for her decisions and make light of it.
“Your optimism is great,” Arshtat said, forcing herself into composure and away from her internal thoughts. “I hope it will serve you well in your life.” She turned and continued walking down the steps. “It is also nice to see that the gladiators have achieved such freedom that they do not fear speaking their mind so to whomever they wish. However I do not have to explain my actions to you. I did what was necessary, as I always do.”
Shoon cringed, realizing he had gone too far, "I don't mean to make light of the Succesion War," he said, "But I am serious, I do know what you're talking about Queen Arshtat."
“You do not,” Arshtat said simply, pausing in her walk but not turning around. “I do not doubt you have seen and done everything you have said, but that does not mean you understand every situation. There are always factors that are different, and there are always more than one solution to any problem. Wisdom comes in finding the balance between recognizing others options and believing in the one you have chosen. Just because it was not the option you would have gone with in a similar position does not mean it was not also correct.”
"Well, I guess we're going have to agree to disagree about that," Shoon said. He scratched his nose. "I'm going to helping the Prince settle in here."
“That was what I said was it not?” Arshtat said, laughing sadly. “I’m certain he will be thankful for your help. Have a good day young one.”
"Well you should have said straight!" Shoon called after her. He watched her for a moment. Shoved his fists back in his pockets and went to his room.
Arshtat sighed once he had left no longer in the mood for a walk. Instead she waited until she was certain Shoon was far enough ahead, before returning to the manor and seeking a more subdued activity.
What: Arshtat puts up with an overzealous child Shoon approaches Arshtat about everything that happened.
Where: The courtyard.
Shoon was walking up from the dojo in a fresh pair of clothes heading back to his room. He felt good; it was a decent work out, not the best, he needed to spar against someone for a truly good work out. He started his ascent up the stairs and cracked his neck, enjoying the feeling.
Arshtat did not know what exactly to do with herself the past few days. She still did not know if the castle laws would demand she be punished for what she had done, and the lack of response had made her reluctant to go out in public too often. However, she would not stay cooped up in a room all day, and so had decided to go on a walk around the grounds. She had just exited the manor, pleased at how the signs of a natural spring were starting to show.
Shoon came to a complete stop when he saw Arshtat. It was the first time since the battle he had seen her. He had avoided her when he visited Kyle. He still didn't know how he felt about the whole ordeal other than angry.
He watched her, getting as close to the wall as possible, giving her a wide breath.
Arshtat always took stock of what was going on around her. So she noticed our of the corner of her eye the young gladiator, Shoon she believed, stop in his walk and stayed as far from her as possible. The only acknowledgement of the act was a slight shift downward of her eyes as she sighed inwardly at the fearful reactions she always seemed to incite.
He stared at her for a full moment before stomping up the staris. Keeping his eyes forward and off of Arshtat, determined not to look at her.
Arshtat sighed, a bit more visibly at that reaction. The queen in her told her to ignore it, as she had received far worse before. The mother in her however did not like to see a child so upset. Even if she did not know exactly what he was mad about, she could guess in a general sense. “I do not hold formal audiences here,” she said, her back turned towards Shoon as he passed her. “Anyone who has something to say must merely say it.”
Shoon stopped marching and didn't bother to turn around. "I'm holding my tongue out of respect for your son," he said, "Otherwise I'm sure you don't won't to hear what I have to say to you."
Arshtat sighed again. “You were one of his friends during the war,” she said more as a statement than a question. “I am glad to hear of your loyalty towards him. However holding something in causes more problems then it solves.” She started walking again, deciding if he wanted to talk she would listen, but she would not stay and force it out of the boy.
"I hope you get tired," Shoon blurted turning to look at her. "I'm not sure how it's going to happen. But I hope you are. And I hope you realize that all of this wouldn't have happened if you hadn't kept it a secert!" He was starting to yell so he snapped his mouth shout and counted to ten.
Arshtat turned a bit at his…was it a threat? She was not sure. “How nice to be able to see the world so plainly. But reality will always be more complex” she said calmly. She was not trying to be condescending, but her decision to keep things quite had not come from vanity.
"Don't patronize me," Shoon said. "And don't give any crap reasons about Queen's needing to do whatever. You knew the Rune was dangerous. And you kept it a secert while you're a guest here."
“You foolish child,” Arshtat said evenly turning around to look at him. “What would that have accomplished? I ask you this in seriousness. What would you have done if you had known? What would anyone have done?”
"Well, for one it would have meant the rest of us knew what was happening," Shoon said angrily, "We would have bent over backwards to help you."
“You are not answering the question,” She said matching his anger with composure. “What exactly would you have done? How could you have helped against the sun? How many would have remained calm? How many would have panicked? Would the situation really have been any better?”
Shoon wanted to ask the Queen if she was being stupid. He threw up his arms into the air. "Look around you! We're from a different time, you're returned fromt the dead, and there's more than a few True Runes here. If any one would have paniced it would have been Euram and pretty much only him." He shoved his hands into his pockets. "Every other Falenan would have done everything they could of to help you with that Rune, I'm not sure what could have happened, but I know it would be better."
It was getting harder for Arshtat to keep her composure, but after years of practice she did so without a sign of that. “You are full of enthusiasm and optimism,” she said. “These are admirable traits, but are not enough to solve the world’s ills.” She stood tall regarding him before continuing. “You are young, you have not seen how people react in a crisis. I know you were with my son in a war, but I am not talking about those who chose to fight. They are a special breed; they are the ones who would have remained calm as you said. Others, I’m certain, did not. I have lived through power struggles and even in those which do not involve a rune there are those who panic and that panic causes worse outcomes. Do not think for a moment I did not examine all of the options.”
"I think you underestimated this place," Shoon said. "And I do know what you're talking about. I was part of merc corp that travelled in lands that made the Succesion War in Falena look like Christmas." He didn't have a lot of first hand knowledge of the Sucession war in Falena. He was either not born yet, or in his village that never made it on any map, or already in the gladiator system. He didn't think it was important to know the dates. "So I do know what I'm talking about. And you sorely underestimated the loyalty this people have. Or their will. All of us here have been in Wars, we're all fighters here."
Shoon’s disregard of the Succession War caused a flicker of anger to push through Arshtat’s composed mask. Despite her advice that Shoon shouldn’t keep things bottled up, Arshtat held her tongue on everything she could have said to him about the horrors of the Succession War. She had watched her family die around her and be torn to pieces and was forced into a life that she had not wanted, so that a former gladiator whom she had risked much to help could reprimand her for her decisions and make light of it.
“Your optimism is great,” Arshtat said, forcing herself into composure and away from her internal thoughts. “I hope it will serve you well in your life.” She turned and continued walking down the steps. “It is also nice to see that the gladiators have achieved such freedom that they do not fear speaking their mind so to whomever they wish. However I do not have to explain my actions to you. I did what was necessary, as I always do.”
Shoon cringed, realizing he had gone too far, "I don't mean to make light of the Succesion War," he said, "But I am serious, I do know what you're talking about Queen Arshtat."
“You do not,” Arshtat said simply, pausing in her walk but not turning around. “I do not doubt you have seen and done everything you have said, but that does not mean you understand every situation. There are always factors that are different, and there are always more than one solution to any problem. Wisdom comes in finding the balance between recognizing others options and believing in the one you have chosen. Just because it was not the option you would have gone with in a similar position does not mean it was not also correct.”
"Well, I guess we're going have to agree to disagree about that," Shoon said. He scratched his nose. "I'm going to helping the Prince settle in here."
“That was what I said was it not?” Arshtat said, laughing sadly. “I’m certain he will be thankful for your help. Have a good day young one.”
"Well you should have said straight!" Shoon called after her. He watched her for a moment. Shoved his fists back in his pockets and went to his room.
Arshtat sighed once he had left no longer in the mood for a walk. Instead she waited until she was certain Shoon was far enough ahead, before returning to the manor and seeking a more subdued activity.