[Memory] A House Of Leaves, Moments Before The Wind

On his tenth birthday, Lars comes from Dorhaven to take his initiation test.

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Lars
Posts: 447
Joined: Sun Nov 25, 2018 1:04 pm
Topics: 44
Race: Passive
: nil igitur mors est ad nos
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Sat Dec 15, 2018 4:50 pm

❀ Brunnhold | Hamis 23, 2702 | Late Afternoon ❀
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Oh, how terribly boring the journey had been from his sleepy hometown of Dorhaven to the impressive, fantastical Brunnhold. The ride had been too bumpy and loud for his taste; the horse-drawn carriage seeming to crack and screech at every little stone they rolled over. He blamed it on Aldiron, that stupid butler, he had no idea why his parents had wanted his personal servant to drive the carriage. He was an aging man, and Laurentius wouldn't be surprised if his sight was going, by the way he seemed to steer them into every clocking puddle and stray stone on the path from Dorhaven to Brunnhold.

The first day on the road had been alright enough--he and his parents were supported nicely with the softest of pillows and blankets, not to mention the fine clothes they wore just to ride in the carriage. Aldiron had stopped the ride anywhere that looked decent enough for them to get out and stretch their legs, and Laurentius had been content enough to sleep the majority of the day away in the warm comfort of the carriage.

The second day, however, Laurentius grew restless. He longed to get out and not stretch his legs, but kick his clocking butler in the legs for making the ride take so clocking long. He was painfully aware that the distance was far, and it was normal to make it to the university in about two days or so, but he'd be damned if he didn't get it sped up a bit. A few shouted comments from the young boy sped the carriage a bit; Aldiron lashing at the horses to get them really moving fast.

"Mother," started Laurentius, glancing over to the young galdor sitting beside him, "we'll be there soon, won't we?

Fleur Savatier smiled to her son; the woman radiating with warmth and beauty even in the trappings of the dark carriage. Her hair, much like her son's, was blonde in hue and fell over her shoulders in neat waves. She was quite young for the mother of a ten year-old, only twenty-eight years of age as compared to her husband Lionel's thirty-four. Still she cared for their child ceaselessly, and her devotion to the young blonde boy had never once been in question.

"Of course, my dear. A few hours at most, now. Why don't you take a nap, love? Come, lean on me."

Lionel gave an amused huff from the opposite side, observing his family with love in his eyes.

"Impatient, aren't you Laurentius. Don't worry son. We'll be there soon, and you'll blow that test away, wont you."

Laurentius cracked a smile then, nodding to his father's support before scooting a bit closer to his mother. The boy lie down partially, resting his head in his mother's lap and finding familiar comfort from the smooth silk that made up her dress. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and willing himself to relax despite the bumps here and there in the road. Now that they were far closer to the university, the roads had improved, and he could hear his butler greet the occasional passerby on the path.

Sleep came easily, though not deeply. He could still hear his parents' quiet words, muffled and disoriented in his rest but there nonetheless. The sounds were far from annoying, in fact they helped him stay asleep during the final hours of their trip.

He was only brought back into the waking world when he felt a hand on his shoulder, jostling him slightly in an effort to wake him. Blue eyes popped open, glancing over to see his father smiling at him, and the older man pulled his hand away.

"We're here, son."

Such a simple sentence, but it meant everything to Laurentius.

The boy stirred, pulling himself up and into a sitting position. He grabbed his jacket, the lightweight fabric not much use against any cold, but good resistance to the frequent rain. The collar, hem, and cuffs were lined with kluiw fur imported from Gior; a beautiful jacket for such a young child. Even beyond the jacket his clothes spoke of his wealthy heritage; his tucked-in button-up made mostly of black and white terri bird feathers with colorful whice feathers spiraling down the long sleeves. His trousers were made from dark brown leira skin, as were his pointed shoes, and rings made from elepha tusk adorned his little fingers. He was an image of galdori wealth and superiority; golden hair tossed just like his mother's, features as sharp as his blue gaze.

His father exited the carriage first, going ahead to greet the man that had come out from the university. Aldiron held the carriage door open with one gloved hand, while the other reached out to assist Fleur, who bowed her head in thanks. Next, Laurentius came to the edge of the carriage, extending both arms out towards his butler.

On cue, Aldiron grabbed the boy by the waist, carrying him across the patch of muddy ground and setting him back down on the stone where his parents stood. The butler went about closing up the carriage and tending to the horses then, an obvious note of care in his actions as he ran an old hand to pet the creatures.

Meanwhile, Lionel finished up his conversation with the stranger from the school, looking to his family now.

"This is my wife, Fleur, and my dear boy, Laurentius."

"It's nice to meet you two," said the man in response, "you can just call me Arthur, I'll be the one helping you guys out with your son's test. Please, come in, I do believe it's about to start raining and I would hate for your family to get soaked."

The Savatiers followed Arthur inside, the walls of Brunnhold a familiar old place for both Fleur and Lionel. They had met within these walls, and started a relationship that would eventually bring them right back for their son. Laurentius, on the other hand, had never stepped foot within the university, and found himself a bit... underwhelmed.

As they strolled through, following after the test administrator, Laurentius wondered if this was really where he wanted to be. He knew Brunnhold was the best of the best, but... it didn't look any nicer than their manor in Dorhaven. In fact, it showed an age that their manor wouldn't for a very long time, and he was cold within these walls, despite his coat and long sleeves. Something about it felt unwelcoming, and it disturbed the child. He wasn't making a mistake, right? There were other universities in the other kingdoms, was he meant to attend one of those instead?

Whatever the issue was, Laurentius kept it to himself, following after his parents and Arthur until they finally came to the room he would be given his test. The child kept quiet as everything was explained to him; the reminder that this wasn't a measure of how good or bad he was, exactly, but a measure of his abilities. The feeling of unease combined with a strong sense of anxiety--why was he so nervous? He was going to do great, even better than his parents had done. Lionel had scored a five in his initiation while Fleur had managed a seven. He was destined for greatness, why now did his hands shake and his body tremble at the prospect of this test?

He took a deep breath. It was all going to be over soon, and he would never have to worry about initiation again. He would be all set to attend Brunnhold with his peers and learn the wonders of the world and the absolute divinity that was the mona--it would rush to greet him with open arms, and bring him everything he knew he deserved in life. It would be perfect. It would be everything.

"I... hold on a moment."

Arthur's cryptic words didn't do much to bring him down now--his test was over and he was ready. He hadn't felt the mona as strongly as he had expected... but that was probably normal. Or it might've just been indigestion that he'd felt. Why hadn't everything come to him in some grand explosion of comfort and potential? Arthur must have done something wrong...

The test administrator was solemn where he stood, arms crossed as he seemed to consider his next words. By the wall, his parents stood, their expressions hopeful.

"There's... nothing there," the man said then.

Laurentius lifted an eyebrow, the child glancing to his parents for some explanation. The couple walked over, having heard Arthur's words only barely from their place against the wall.

"What? We didn't quite catch that."

"There's nothing there, I'm sorry. He scored a zero."

The room was dead silent. So silent that Laurentius could feel the absence of sound pressing in on his eardrums and threatening to deafen him. So silent that he couldn't even hear his parents breathe.

"No, no, that--that has to be a mistake," countered Lionel, letting go of his wife's hand and looking to Arthur with a pained, desperate expression. Arthur only mirrored his emotions, the man clearly upset about the news as well.

"I'm sorry. He's passi--"

"Shh! Don't--don't say that, don't you dare say that."

"What does that mean?" inquired the boy, growing worried now with their reactions, "isn't it good that I passed?"

"Passive."

"I don't know what that means," he countered, "momma, what does passive mean? Is that bad?

His mother didn't respond; didn't even look at him. In fact, she hadn't glanced in his direction since they walked over, and neither had his father. Why were they being so quiet and tense all of a sudden? He... he scored a zero, but that was alright, wasn't it? He could just come back and try again another time when the mona was ready for him, right?

"He'll be safe here. Contrary to what people might think, the life of a passive in Brunnhold is very fulfilling. They're always provided for and--"

"Shut up about clocking passives! My son is not a passive! Do the gods-damned test again!" his father's outburst caused Laurentius to cower back, stepping away from his parents in favor of standing near Arthur.

"Mr. Savatier, I'm so sorry, but the test wasn't wrong. Your son is passive. I'm sorry."

By now tears were welling in his father's eyes, his face red with humiliation and regret. His mother was pale as Giorian snow, her face a blank canvas and her eyes staring off into space. She wasn't in the conversation any longer, she wasn't even in the room, not mentally. Lionel gave a loud sniff, the sound catching in a sob. The man fought the emotion, bringing a hand up to wipe down his face and try to regain his composure. He stared at Arthur with a hard blue gaze.

"Stop talking. I don't want to hear any more."

His words were quiet now, his tone resigned. It scared Laurentius more than his shouting had.

"Daddy, it's okay," he tried to reassure, but there was no confidence behind his words. He had no idea what they were talking about, or why his parents were so upset about him being... a passive, whatever that was. He had heard the word before, but never paid any attention to the meaning behind it.

"Just--" started Lionel, "what are we supposed to do now?"

Arthur cleared his throat, glancing to Laurentius warily before back to Fleur and Lionel.

"Well, you are of course allowed to take him back with you, to get any of his things, but... due to the... severity of what they can do, we recommend not taking them home. You can send him his belongings as well, but he will be given everything he needs here."

Lionel was quiet again for a moment, biting the inside of his cheek and holding back tears.

"Alright," he gave, "we'll leave him."

"Leave me? What--you mean leave me because I'm a student now, right?" he grasped desperately for straws, knowing deep down that he wasn't going to be a student here. They wouldn't be talking about him like this if this was normal.

"I'll leave you alone to say your goodbyes," offered Arthur, but he was stopped by Lionel's hand on his shoulder.

"That wont be necessary; we're leaving now."

"Daddy, wait--" but the man was already turning around, and his wife had done so moments before. They walked quickly back towards the door, Laurentius rushing to follow after them. He grabbed for his mother, the woman deaf to his cries as he shouted don't leave me here, don't leave me, and reached out and held onto the woman's skirt for dear life. She struggled against it, pulling at the fabric herself to get it out of his grip, but it wasn't until Arthur came over and grabbed Laurentius that she was finally let go.

"Mom, mom! Don't leave me, do--don't leave me here! Don't leave me! Please!"

His screams were ignored, Arthur holding the boy as he kicked and clawed and struggled to get out of his grip and run after his parents. Why were they leaving? Why were they leaving him here alone? Why didn't they say goodbye?

"We'll try again," was all he heard his father say as they exited. If they wanted to try again, why didn't they demand it? Why didn't they force Arthur to try the test again?

Laurentius could feel the man shaking as he held him; could feel his field radiating with fear.

Why was he so afraid of a child?

The boy's screams died down until only loud sobs escaped him, his kicking and clawing giving way to a limp complacency.

"W-wh-why did the-they leave me? Why did th-they le-e-leave me?"

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