Fruits of our Labor (Vanna/Edrick)

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Vanna sat in her tent for a moment of rest. Over the last week she trained her men to understand what their standing was. Many deserted and others grew stronger, but one young man caught her attention over the others: Edtick. The shaman who, on the very first day of training punched a charging bear in the face. She snickered just reflecting on it.

The old seeres sat within the tent with her commander, the two in silence. After a moment Vanna spoke, "Gloria, you served my father faithfully for many years, and then you continued your loyalties to me since the first assignment but we both knew that this cycle would be your last."

The decrepit woman laughed, a witchy sort of laugh, "You're right. I take it you found my replacement then?"

"I have indeed. That shaman boy you fought in Hero City. I know you say it is unwise to trust him but I turn none willing away." Vanna stood and aided her elderly strategist along to her horse. The two talked a moment more but it was time for them to part.

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"-and then I said, CAVIAR!!!" the men around the campsite burst into roaring laughter. Daniel had been among the ones laughing but was also the first to notice the approaching figure. Vanna had come to the camp. He quickly straightened up standing and saluting. Many others acted in kind.

"At ease, at ease. Training is over for now, we move out tomorrow. For now, all of you can just relax. Well, except for you Edrick, I want you to come with me. We have much to discuss, so I hope you can walk and talk?" Without waiting for a reply she began to continue her walk through the campsite.

Daniel looked at the commander then at Edrick with a confused sort of look. "I think ya maya goofed? Or did good?"

[Edrick]

Edrick existed around the campfire physically, but not as much mentally. The past week was the most grueling he had probably ever endured, even more so than the Siege on the City of Heroes. That was rough but he at least was forced into break time there. Here he had barely slept at all and his performance must have even be dropping this whole time. But he couldn't tell, he was too tired to notice how well he was doing. Just that he was doing it well enough to get by and that was good enough for now. Who new training could be this tough? It made all of his other preparations look like nothing.

As the joke was told Edrick didn't even react. He was asleep with his head resting on his hand, his face shielded by his cloak. The others most likely thought that he was thinking deeply as he had often been doing throughout the week. The only thing that woke him up was the clanking of armor and weapons as other jumped to attention at Vanna's arrival.

His otherwise golden eyes that were now bloodshot snapped open at hearing the clanging metal making him jump to attention with all of the others. A hand rose to his face to rub his weary eyes as Vanna set them at ease. But that brief moment of relief was broken as she wanted him to walk with her. Did he do something wrong? Was he being released? Had he fallen behind? Crap. This was probably it.

He glanced nervously at Daniel, looking confused before heading off after Vanna, jogging to catch up quickly. "U-um, you want to talk to me?" He asked, an edge of nervousness peaking through his voice.

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Vanna was glad to see Edrick catch up as quickly as he had, though the fear was evident in his voice. He would be rid of that soon enough, but it was still mildly humorous. How does the man go through The Siege as a leader and still struggle with authority? "You can calm down, I just wish to speak with you for a time."

The two proceeded to travel through the camp. The fighters were all in a varying state of dress as well as activity. Some smoked and others, the particularly energetic, even sparred. Vanna smiled and nodded at those that noticed her presence and put at ease others. To the two that were sparing she offered critiques on their form and technique.

This lasted at least twenty minutes or more. Vanna ensured Edrick saw every single man and woman who was here in the camp. "Edrick, how many of those names can you tell me back? How many of your brothers and sisters do you know?" She stopped walking now and turned to face him. She looked serious but something in her face revealed that this question was not a test. To reinforce this idea, "Don't worry, this is not a test."

Stepping to stand on Ed's left she motioned out to the camp as a whole. "When you look out from here, tell me, what is it you see?" Was this a literal question? A figurative verse? All that was there was the camp and a barren hillside.

[Edrick]

Edrick glanced around the camp a little as he caught up to Vanna, finally glancing down at her before just looking straight ahead.."Um, calm down?" he questioned slightly, I, I'm fine. Just a bit, worn I guess." He said as he raised his hands to rub at his eyes slightly sluggishly.

As they walked around the camp, passing by multitudes of people doing many different things. He made sure to move clear of the ones that were smoking, the smoke from those things they lit bothered him a bit and made his lungs ache. Not really something he cared to happen at the moment.

When they saw the people sparring Edrick was already thinking of what he would do if he was in one of their positions. Figuring out the weaknesses in their swings and blocks. Finding the chinks in the armor that they were trying to refine to perfection. He zoned out so much that he almost didn't notice Vanna offering them corrections until he noticed the changes in their fighting himself.

As they walked, not really talking, Edrick started to get nervous. Not talking usually wasn't good. It was even worse that he was starting to zone in and out.

He blinked a few times and looked down at her, as she asked the sudden question. "Uh, how many of their names do I know? er, a few of them I guess. The ones that were nice or spent some time around me. I know their names." He stated. Nodding a bit confusedly when she said it wasn't a test.

"What do I see? Well, I see many things here. . ." He just sort of trailed off at that point. thinking.

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Edrick was clearly not all there mentally but he still had the fortitude to stand by her and keep his sense. "Mm, yes, there are many things here indeed. I want you to focus on one thing in particular though. This camp, these people. What I see is a family. This land is my home and I will die before I turn against it. I've heard of your record, leading in the siege is mighty impressive. Could I have been there, perhaps I would have done Hargus in, perhaps I'd have been struck by a stray arrow."

Vanna crossed her arms and sighed, "you have already cut your teeth in combat and faced insurmountable odds, you more than most are fit to be here. Alas, there is something that still weighs heavily on my mind. Why? Why did you come to us knowing the nature of our work? You are most welcome but why did you choose us when it means fighting against those you had just fought to protect?" There was a complex mixture of feelings in Vanna, and she coul not yet peg the type of man Edrick was, perhaps his answer would reveal more.

Vanna needed to know if she could trust Edrick to lay down his life if need be. She loved her land, her men, the prophet, and everything else she fought for. She had her doubts here and there but she would not betray her oaths. A twitch in her eyes was all that betrayed her serene face as she recalled that filthy swine Richter. It was one thing to be an enemy in this war, it was another entirely to be an pathbreaking traitor. Would Edrick stand by Etruria through the last or would he play them for fools if it was for his better interests? She hoped for the best.

[Edrick]

He kept thinking for a bit, even as Vanna explained what she saw these people as. She saw them as her family? That seemed very. . .risky for a commander. Especially for one with a name such as this group of soldiers did. He began to nod in acknowledgement of what she saw, and of the battle in Sacae before stopping and staring, his golden eyes wide. I- I, Um, w- what?" HE lowered his voice a bit so that there was little chance of overhearing him from any curious ears. "But, but why do you think I was there? Did someone try telling you that I was there or something?"

He shook his head, the fact that she knew, or at least believed that he was at the battle in his mind. "No matter what I don't think I'm as hardened as you'd like to think. I mean I've never even killed another human. Not directly at least. The worst thing I'd probably have seen though was that. . . problem at the Bernese arena a while back. the one with the dragon. IT was real, but I couldn't do anything. I just brought some injured people to safety. And grabbed something." He said as he brought his hand up to rub at his tired eyes. "And I only did it for the innocents there, I'm sure that there were many there that followed the light and I felt that Hargus was a bigger threat than anything. . ."

Edrick turned away from her slightly, not making eye contact, his voice dropping even quieter than before. "I mean I even think that that Wanted man Richter was there. A guy with that name was, and he wanted to talk to the legend Kenshin a lot. But Kenshin barely did anything in the battle. And I think that Richter guy only helped to get on Kenshin's good side, so if it really was Richter then Kraft needs to be warned of what is heading this way. . ." He just trailed off again, his eyes becoming a bit distant. He did seem to be a little bit out of it and not fully there, or at least in different places. A lack of sleep will do that to you.