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Professor De Silver has a word with Niccolette regarding her studies

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Genevieve De Silver
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Wed Sep 04, 2019 9:37 am

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🙞 Lecture Theatre 12. Burnnhold University
28th Yaris 2711, Late Afternoon.
Genevive Sofia De Silver stood behind the podium at the front of the lecture theatre, dressed in a academics gown of white and dove grey, high at the neck with long sleeves.
She came to the end of what she was saying and glanced at the clock on the wall and re ordered her papers.

“So, we are running out of time for today. So if you could all present your papers on the founding of Vienda. I shall see you all next week.”


She smiled warmly at her students as they filed past, placing neatly written essays upon the podium and exchanged pleasantries. A young nervous galdor approached the podium.

“Professor De Silver, I was wondering if I might ask for some advice?”

Genevive smiled and nodded.

“Of courss Miss Levant, and as I’ve said please call me Genevive. Give me a moment to sort through these, I shall be in my office in say half an hour?”

The student returned the smiled, seeming reassured and left, as she did another figure moved towards the door.

“Miss Villamarzana, if I may have a word.”

While her tone was not unfriendly, however it was firm and authoritative.

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Niccolette Ibutatu
Posts: 552
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Wed Sep 04, 2019 12:04 pm

Late Afternoon, 28th Yaris, 2711
Lecture Theater 12, Brunnhold
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Niccolette was almost sure that the clock on the wall was broken. Surely time could not actually pass so slowly? It seemed impossible to the Bastian that there were so many seconds in each minute. Niccolette glanced at it again, then back at the front of the classroom where the professor was talking, still.

A whisper from the row before her caught her attention, and Niccolette’s gaze flickered over the two Anaxi students, one red-headed and one blonde. “... ages working on my essay...” Niccolette heard.

The Bastian made a face, sighed audibly, and fished a notebook from her bag. She plopped it onto her deck, took a pen from her case, and began to write.

Dearest Gia,

The distance from Brunnhold to Florne is too long, and yet not nearly long enough! I am glad beyond words to hear of your continued joy. Truly, it is enough to offset even my own misery on this hot, dry day. As I write, even now, Uzoji prepares to leave for the entirety of the weekend. We have had barely any moments together since the term began, and now he shall be gone until the evening of the 30th - truly unfair! And yet, by the time you receive this missive, he shall have returned, and all will be well.


Niccolette tapped her pen against the paper. She shifted against the seat, green skirt half-tangled over her knees, and began to write once more.

I must tell you that I have determined not to return to Florne after graduation. I do not yet know what I shall do, but I plan to stay with my darling friend Miss Deschamps in Vienda for some time, and then I shall see where I may go. Uzoji tells me that he must return to Thul Ka, but I -

Niccolette paused, her hand hovering over the paper. She pursed her lips, then went back and carefully scratched out the last line, all the way back to his name, and resuming from where I may go. She kept writing, filling the page and continuing into the next, far too absorbed now to notice as the minutes of the class marched steadily onwards.

It is selfish, but I cannot help hoping that you will be forced to travel for performances once more. I know it wears on you, but I would so love to see you dance in Vienda.

Pray for me, dear cousin. I know that Hurte cannot have meant for this marriage, with nothing in the least beautiful to recommend it. If I do not return to Florne, then surely there is nothing they can do? If you see the Villamarzanas, kindly tell them you have not heard from me, and you fear my studies must have swallowed me whole! Perhaps


Niccolette heard the shuffle of students around her. She glanced up to see students packing up their things, some already shuffling past the front of the room and leaving their essays behind. Niccolette flipped shut her notebook and tucked it into her bag. She rose, slung the strap of her bag over her shoulder, flicked her skirt straight with a careless hand, and made her way smoothly and steadily towards the door, without even a half second glance back at the podium.

Professor De Silver’s voice froze her in her tracks. Niccolette made a face, trying to decide if she could pretend she had not heard...?

But no, the Bastian decided. She ought to have kept walking, if she meant to do that.

Niccolette sighed, and turned back, jostling back through the other students. She heard a low giggle: “Nicco’s in troubleee....” and shot a glare at the whisperer.

Niccolette let her bag dangle from her shoulder. She ran her fingers through her hair, shoving it back off her forehead, then crossed her arms over her chest. She came to a stop just shy the podium, and stood with her hips cocked, jutting slightly to one side.

The tenth form student blinked kohl-rimmed eyes at her professor, then raised an eyebrow, for all of Vita as if she had no idea why Professor De Silver wished to see her. “Yes, Professor?” Niccolette asked.

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Genevieve De Silver
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Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2019 6:00 pm
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Wed Sep 04, 2019 1:42 pm

🙞 Lecture Theatre 12 Burnnhold University
28th Yaris 2711, Late Afternoon.
Genevieve ignored the whispered jibes of the other students as they left, she stood her blue green eyes on Nicolette. She let the silence stand for a beat and then said.

"Would it be a waste of time to ask if you have an essay for me?"

Her voice was softer now she wasn't taking to a class of students. Even though she had been away a long time she still had the hint of a Giorn accent.

"I do not recall seeing any assignments from you Miss Villamarzana.

Concern came into Genevieve's eyes and she placed her pale elegant hands on the podium.

"If there is something troubling you, that is interfering with your being able to fully engage with my classes. Then perhaps there is something we can do?"

It was true, Genevieve was concerned for Nicollete, as she was for all her students. She knew Nicollete to be a smart young woman, if only she would apply herself. However that was the problem, the young often have no need or interested in history, only magic and the power it might bring.
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Niccolette Ibutatu
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Joined: Thu Jul 11, 2019 11:41 pm
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Wed Sep 04, 2019 2:51 pm

Late Afternoon, 28th Yaris, 2711
Lecture Theater 12, Brunnhold
Niccolette held still, arms crossed. She didn’t shift or look away as the noise of the class filing out faded, leaving her and Professor De Silver alone in the room. There was a last burst of laughter from the hallway outside, the sound of students here and there making their way to the weekend. Then, finally, the door to the lecture hall clicked shut and all was silence.

Niccolette shrugged in response to Professor De Silver’s first question. She did not have an essay. Had there been others? Niccolette could honestly not have said; she supposed she had had the syllabus for the course at some point. Excuses flickered through her mind: she had forgotten, she was busy with her practicum, she had had too much work the night before. History was terribly boring; she could not imagine wanting to think of the founding of Vienda for five minutes, let alone long enough to write an essay on it. 

Niccolette was, at least, aware that this answer would not appeal.

Neither, she thought, would the truth: this class stood between her and graduation, and she had chosen it because it was one of the few culture classes that had fit into her schedule, that she could squeeze around her hospital practicum, the courses on healing and anesthesia, her independent study on enhancement spells. These topics she could bring her mind to; when she began to study, it was hard to stop.

But history?

Niccolette thought of the letter in her bag. She thought of her boyfriend, waiting for her already, of the last few precious moments she could steal with him before he left for the weekend. Something in her chest ached and caught and twisted, and Niccolette pressed her pink-tinted lips firmly together and looked away, her gaze focusing on the board instead, flicking up to the clock. 

Now the minutes were going fast - far too fast. If she held here too long, would she miss saying good bye? Would Uzoji wait? Could he? Niccolette understood these things were scheduled, that he needed to depart at some certain time. She did not understand why, not truly - was the point of an airship not to be free? Why, then, were there so many rules?

What was troubling her, Niccolette thought, irritated, was that history was boring. It was that she had been forced to take this class at all. It was that she had to be here, standing in this lecture hall, right now. She should have just skipped the class again; if she had not come, then she would be with Uzoji now, saying good-bye. It was a struggle to keep her feelings from her field, but the Bastian managed, holding the bright, lively living mona that extended through her aura indectal.

“No,” Niccolette said, as coolly as she could manage. “It is only that I forgot.” Her accent was not a subtle hint of her origins outside of Anaxas; nearly ten years already at Brunnhold had done nothing to cure her distinctly Bastian undertone, the thick curl of it echoed in her every word.

Niccolette stared back at Professor De Silver for a moment, a little hint of defiant creeping into her face. Then she shifted, not quite so able to stay still now, and sighed audibly. “May I go?”

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Genevieve De Silver
Posts: 98
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2019 6:00 pm
Topics: 11
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Wed Sep 04, 2019 9:01 pm

🙞 Lecture Theatre 12, Burnnhold University
Late Afternoon, 28th Yaris, 2711.
It was clear that to Genevieve that something was troubling the young woman, something beyond class work. However it was not in her nature to pry, she had had her fair share of trouble growing up, perhaps more than her share. All she could do was offer support, a teacher to a student.


“Look, Miss Villamarzana. I do not know what you are going through and would not assume to. However, it is in your best interest to pass my class. I will do what I can to help you, but you need to at least meet me halfway.”

She held the younger woman’s gaze for a moment longer, wish she could confide in her, share some of her experience in the hope it would help her to avoid some of the same heartache. She fought to keep the memories from showing on her face, but could not hide the compassion or concern.
Genevieve broke the eye contact and held back a sigh.

“Yes Miss Villamarzana you may go, but remember what I said. My office door is always open.”
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Niccolette Ibutatu
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Joined: Thu Jul 11, 2019 11:41 pm
Topics: 38
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Wed Sep 04, 2019 10:02 pm

Late Afternoon, 28th Yaris, 2711
Lecture Theater 12, Brunnhold
Niccolette stared back at Professor De Silver, unflinching. Her small chin lifted and set, and she fixed her kohl-rimmed eyes on her Professor and did not look away again. She could not entirely stay still; it was beyond her, just now, and drawing further away with each steady tick of the clock. Niccolette shifted from foot to foot, hands clenching tight on the fabric of her uniform jacket, then releasing.

Fine, Niccolette thought, as the silence stretched out; let there be another demerit. Let this Professor De Silver take her to the head of school, if she so wished. It was one essay - perhaps two, but surely not more than two. What did it matter, really? Niccolette would have traded half a dozen detentions, if only she could leave the classroom now.

Professor De Silver said something about how she didn’t know what Niccolette was going through, but it was in that way that so many professors said it. As if being young meant that nothing serious could happen to her! As if just because she were not yet twenty, her life had not begun. Like all the rest, Niccolette thought bitterly. They thought that being old made them wise, these academics, and Niccolette was beyond sick of it, was sick of this stuffy, cramped life, sick of all their rules and deadlines and demands. She could not quite keep herself from making a little face, her arms tightening over her chest.

Meet her halfway. Fine. Of course Niccolette meant to pass this boring, stuffy course, but she did not believe that Professor De Silver would truly fail her. This professor would surely not keep her from graduating over not more than three missed essays. There had been many such classes, many such conversations, and many such condescending veiled offers of understanding. Niccolette had failed only one class in nearly ten years, and that had turned out fine too, in the end.

Niccolette shrugged in response. She was sure she had the syllabus somewhere; perhaps it was in one of the piles of papers on her desk. If she had thrown it out - Penelope was in this class, from dueling club. She would have the syllabus; she was a terrible teacher’s pet. There would be a next essay; there was always a next essay. Perhaps, at least, it would be on a more interesting topic. Niccolette could not imagine it would be much more interesting, but then - it was hard to imagine how it could be any less.

Professor De Silver released her, and Niccolette all but fled. “Yes Professor,” she said, her tone somewhere between obedience and scorn.

The Bastian could not quite have been said to run from the room, but she spun quickly enough that her skirt flared around her calves, wrapped one hand around the strap of her bag, and strode off, moving quickly and purposefully. Her gaze and the whole of her attention were already elsewhere, with not a single bit of her left to spare for Professor De Silver, her history lessons, and her open door.

The door to the classroom banged shut behind Niccolette, but she was already long since gone.

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