Valind Kel'thai
Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2009 11:52 am
“Valind Kel’thai. Born to the minor noble House Kel’thai, fealty pledged to House Damodred. Born in Tar Valon on a merchant trip, but a citizen of Cairhien, the bastard child of noble Althin Kel’thai and Elwaine Corass, though for whatever reason he acknowledged you as a daughter and took you in. Trained in the use of long swords, the use of armor, and skilled at riding.”
He paused and looked her in the eyes, his own burning with contempt for women in the military. “Are you sure you want to join, girl? The Elite is not for the rank and file. The Cairhienin Elite is truely the Elite, the men...”
Here, he paused again, lips curling upwards in disgust, “... and women, pathetic, weak wenches that you are, who defend Cairhien against any that may oppose us, the commanders that dominate in battle, the soldiers heading the successful charges against our enemies, those who never fall without the blood of hundreds on their hands in battle. That is what you wish to be, Valind?”
Meeting his gaze evenly, she replied without slightest inflection. “I do.”
“Very well then,” The recruitment officer stared back at her, smugness evident in his gaze, “Though I can almost guarantee you will be gone by the first week, here are your papers. Report to the fortress in the morning. Sergeant Huthor will meet you and tell you your duties.”
Though the tavern was already half empty by the time she reached it, the bartender still asked with barely a hint of tiredness, “What's your poison tonight, milady?”
“Ale, Jannson. Lots of it.”
With a small nod that could easily be mistaken for a tired droop, Jannson strolled off to fulfil her wishes. When he returned, she snatched the mug out of his hand and downed half of it before setting it down on the counter.
“Stupid pig. As if I can’t make it in the Elite. What does he know? Probably some sort of idiot who got through by sheer luck. Meh. I’ll show him. They’ll see what I can do. He’ll regret what he said. Sergeant, eh? I'll show him.”
Her lips twitched in response to her own words, self-amusedly grinning around the rim of her mug. “I’ll show them all.”
He paused and looked her in the eyes, his own burning with contempt for women in the military. “Are you sure you want to join, girl? The Elite is not for the rank and file. The Cairhienin Elite is truely the Elite, the men...”
Here, he paused again, lips curling upwards in disgust, “... and women, pathetic, weak wenches that you are, who defend Cairhien against any that may oppose us, the commanders that dominate in battle, the soldiers heading the successful charges against our enemies, those who never fall without the blood of hundreds on their hands in battle. That is what you wish to be, Valind?”
Meeting his gaze evenly, she replied without slightest inflection. “I do.”
“Very well then,” The recruitment officer stared back at her, smugness evident in his gaze, “Though I can almost guarantee you will be gone by the first week, here are your papers. Report to the fortress in the morning. Sergeant Huthor will meet you and tell you your duties.”
Though the tavern was already half empty by the time she reached it, the bartender still asked with barely a hint of tiredness, “What's your poison tonight, milady?”
“Ale, Jannson. Lots of it.”
With a small nod that could easily be mistaken for a tired droop, Jannson strolled off to fulfil her wishes. When he returned, she snatched the mug out of his hand and downed half of it before setting it down on the counter.
“Stupid pig. As if I can’t make it in the Elite. What does he know? Probably some sort of idiot who got through by sheer luck. Meh. I’ll show him. They’ll see what I can do. He’ll regret what he said. Sergeant, eh? I'll show him.”
Her lips twitched in response to her own words, self-amusedly grinning around the rim of her mug. “I’ll show them all.”