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[pryings]

knoll's eyes widen in genuine shock as he's knocked off balance, but then he relaxes quickly as duessel catches him before he can actually topple over.

embarrassing, but he doesn't mind that this is twice now he's been caught off guard and flustered. he huffs and averts his gaze, but only for a moment, before letting duessel help him back into a proper standing position.

he's flustered, but that stands to reason. he will have plenty of time to speak to the general about this later.

"i will be in the library for much of the day to assist you with this if you need help finding books that detail any of these events," he says, addressing the class, before turning back to duessel. "i hope this demonstration was adequate..."

end !

𝘢 𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘷𝘦𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘴

[AFFLUENCE] - Heavy Armor +1, Knoll & Duessel

[pryings]

knoll looks momentarily taken aback at the strike to the head. his mouth opens, just a little, as if he is trying to form an objection, before he shuts it.

"of course," he says, unbothered by the laughter through the classroom at his expense. he merely picks up the prop axe and gets into position. "the liberation king's general took to the field himself, attempting to strike the killing blow against the adrestian general. there aren't many records as to why—perhaps he sought glory, or thought he needed to redeem himself in the face of his last defeat. either way, the two met on the field."

he lunges, keeping the movement slow and easy enough to counter. "he struck! but not hard enough!"

𝘢 𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘷𝘦𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘴

[AFFLUENCE] - Heavy Armor +1, Knoll & Duessel

[pryings]

"historical context?" he asks, and his expression lights up, just a little. he clamps down on it, though, as he begins to explain the layout of the field.

after a moment, he picks up a piece of chalk and takes to the board, drawing diagrams. "as you can see here, the layout of the field is much like the layout of grondor today. little has changed apart from the hands who have held it. but that is where the familiarity ends. you see..." he trails off, sketching out an archaic helmet design, "those soldiers who would have fought there during the time of the liberation king would have been utterly unfamiliar to you all. values, culture, and even the very understanding of the predominant religion of this continent itself would seem alien if looked at through the lens of today."

more sketches, troop movements and tactics. "what worked then would not work today. the character i represent employed tactics that would fall apart in the face of modern equipment. but keep an open mind."

𝘢 𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘷𝘦𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘴

[AFFLUENCE] - Heavy Armor +1, Knoll & Duessel

[pryings]

"will you expect them to wear some of this bulky costume armor?" knoll asks, pulling out a cheap cuirass and shuffling into it. "don't worry about the tome, i brought an axe. nothing dangerous, something made of wood but... you see, the man i'm playing was famous for his axe-focused tactics."

he's amused, he's clearly having fun with this. there's even a slight smile pulling at his lips. he neglects to point out that he's selected a play-weapon that would give him the advantage over the general were this a real battle ( at least in theory, the skill gap between them when it came to physical combat would more than make up for it, of course ) and merely takes a step back.

"should we tell them what the two generals in this fight were known for, perhaps, or should we jump right into the demonstration? i want to know if all the reading i did to prepare for this lesson is to be wasted."

𝘢 𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘷𝘦𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘴

[AFFLUENCE] - Heavy Armor +1, Knoll & Duessel

[pryings]

knoll is... is it fair to say amused? he is amused by this method of instruction. he never knew general duessel to be such a creative instructor. something else for him to admire about the man.

when the general smiles at him, knoll smiles back. the demonstration will be ( dare he say it ) fun. he isn't well-versed in the specifics of fódlan's battles, but he'd gone out of his way to acquire some literature on the subject and set it aside for any students who might be struggling with this assignment later.

he selects a hat from the box and places it on his head, atop his hood. he feels silly, but supposes that is the point. this is all for fun.

the battle they will be reenacting is one these students should be familiar with, even if knoll himself had to cram to understand the nuances of it. "i shall represent one of the infamous liberation king's allied commanders during the first notable battle at grondor. general duessel shall represent the head of the adrestian empire's forces, i believe?"

𝘢 𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘷𝘦𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘴

[AFFLUENCE] - Heavy Armor +1, Knoll & Duessel

[pryings]

the night is indeed lovely, and he allows himself a moment to breathe deep. the air is crisp, an evening neither too hot nor too cold arriving on the tail end of a pleasantly warm day. he looks around. while normally uncertain and even anxious in crowds, something about the festival atmosphere keeps his mood light. the knowledge that he was merely one part of the crowd, perhaps? a ledsome feeling which he does not dislike.

“i… dabble in divination, yes.” he says this like it’s commonplace, but does not elaborate. though the results of his past divination were not to his liking, and only served to hammer home the inevitability of fate’s currents, he still enjoys what he is able to learn in simpler glimpses of the future.

“i’d love to seek a palm reader. i’m assuming that faerghus has different techniques than my homeland, which i’d love to observe. maybe i can learn something about the discerning of someone’s romantic prospects, which is something i, for one, rarely glimpse in any sightings of the future.”

𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙩𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙛𝙝𝙞𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙙

recovery | festival hangout.

[pryings]

it was the sound which made knoll jump. he’d been keeping pace, hovering only a little ways behind the mercenary. the door certainly looked promising, and he was about to inspect the carvings around it for an indication of how old the place might be when the loud bang startled him. he’d had his eyes on the oil paintings, curious not over their worth, but over what they might be clues toward in the grand scheme of what had happened here. it was not unheard of, for residents of a place to flee it. when in grado, it was often because an area of land had become too unstable. people would pack up with only their most valuable items and move on, leaving whole towns abandoned in their wake. not so in fódlan, he’d assumed. still, there were other disasters beyond mere natural ones.

the sound of the door opening so forcefully had only startled him, from the look of it. based on this it seemed that freeze was griss’ fear response, if he wasn’t mistaken. knoll didn’t dwell on that supposition ( it could be this scenario rather than all scenarios ), nor did he point it out, merely filed it away for future consideration. he also noted that griss’ spell had not faltered, staying bright even through the moment of surprise. knoll peered around him, inspecting the room.

eyes began taking in details, searching for likely-looking hiding places, before the jar proved a more immediate distraction. using the light of the flame, he attempted to peer through the murky surface of the jar, but the glass was too dusty to be seen through with any ease, and he had no way of cleaning it. with no hesitation, he set to opening it and shaking the contents out into one hand.

“coins and keys. an odd mixture.” the coins disappear into one of the many pockets in his robes, but the keys stay out for further inspection. each one is different, ruling out the idea of them being spares to one master key. “could simply be for different doors. could be a riddle. are you any good at riddles?” of course, it might just be a key collection, but there’s something about this place which makes him think it’s not that simple. 

he moves further into the room, toward the desk, and begins opening drawers. “well, let's see what this is hiding...”

Shapeless in the Dark [Griss & Knoll]

Anniversary 2023 | Faith +1

[pryings]

Having made an effort to be more social this night, Katarina at once feels a faint flicker of -- not satisfaction, but perhaps a lack of self-disappointment for now -- and social fatigue. Just a bit more, she thinks; just a bit further out of her box and she will allow herself to be done.

The question, then, is one of who? And as sharp eyes sweep the ballroom, they land upon a potential answer: a quiet-seeming figure, at least in contrast to the raucous nature of the ball. Plucking a glass of water (the ordinary sort) from nearby, she approaches, head dipped in silent greeting.

"Pardon me..." Softness into silence, as though gauging and waiting for flat rejection. The harder part is finding none; she draws a breath. "...I, ah... wanted to offer you a drink of water. And... this." Gloved hand procures a small bell.

"...My name is Katarina," she finishes weakly.

he does not notice her initial approach, occupied as he is with something akin to people-watching, he neglects his peripheral vision. still, he does not startle when he notices her, merely accepts the offered glass and bows his head in return.

he then turns his attention to the brooch bearing the bell. he holds out his own in exchange—a crystal which glitters overly vibrantly in a way that does not suit him. still, he has been carrying it dutifully, and now presents it to be swapped, for the sake of the game of the night.

"thank you," he says softly, taking a sip from the glass. she is a quiet one, which he appreciates. he, too, avoids making noise, drawing attention. he wonders idly at her reasons, but does not let it become more than a distant wondering for now. those who walk such paths do so for any number of reasons.

"katarina. i... am knoll. it is nice to meet you."

[pryings]

[ Grannvale ] - An old waltz from before the rise of Emperor Arvis. It was popular during its time in the 750s but has now become a relic of the past, one that may not be as appreciated by the newer generation.

It is a tune he is familiar with, and that fact sets him at ease, moreso when a familiar figure comes to be his partner for the dance. The steps are slow and simple — a traditional waltz, without any frills — which makes it easier to speak without being distracted from the dance.

"I hope the evening has been enjoyable for you thus far," Andrei says, and for what is perhaps the first time in their multiple interactions, there is the soft quirk of a relaxed smile on his lips. He feels a little lighter tonight than usual.

As the music gradually ends, he takes one of the teardrop crystals upon his brooch and offers it to the other man. "A swap, if you are willing," he says, "I've been collecting these for... well, I've... I've gathered a few of them." His explanation falters in the end, after all, slight embarrassment dusting his cheeks, but he holds his trinket out nonetheless.

knoll is an acceptable enough dancer. to waltz is certainly not difficult, and so he has been flitting around, from person to person, merely enjoying the music and movement.

he is surprised to see andrei here—surprised, but pleased. he likes andrei rather a lot, is constantly amused by him in a way that he doesn't get from anyone else.

and he notices the smile andrei sports, matching it with his own. the dance is simple enough, despite his relative unfamiliarity he can mimic what others are doing well enough. something he's always been somewhat good at.

"the evening has been... very lovely. i hope yours has been as well," he says, smiling and taking his own brooch, bearing a crystal as well, exchanging it for the one andrei holds out. he doesn't understand why andrei falters on his explanation, but files it away 'for future consideration.'

"take another. i wish you luck in your, ah, collecting."

[pryings]

knoll smiles back at him. there is a warmth in his eyes, a softness. duessel's steps are—controlled. very like someone who spends so much time on the battlefield, for better or for worse.

knoll's steps are not quite as controlled. his fingers tense around the general's hand and he hopes he is managing well enough. it is difficult, to move like this, when he is nervous. but to be led is simple enough, he supposes.

in his hometown, the dancing is different. he likes this, though. the intimacy of formal dance. the meticulousness of it.

"there's nothing to make up to me," he says, softly. and what he means is: any time with you is a gift. he does not say that, however.

"tonight will be a reprieve regardless. i can ask for nothing more."

love, i see you now / you found me here / underground.

toa ball 2024 - duessel and knoll.

[pryings]

[ Cue the Music ]

WHEN Natasha approaches, it is not with any hesitation. She extends a hand to Knoll & offers a friendly smile. Her eyes are alight in a way that suggests that the good mood of the evening is getting to her, or perhaps that she's had more champagne than the students were told that they could have. But only a little more, she is a cleric after all, & will not indulge unnecessarily.

"Master Knoll, you are always so serious. Is that the case tonight? And if so then is there any way I can tempt you into a friendly dance?"

knoll takes the offered hand, bowing at the waist with one hand behind his back ( a stiff and rigid posture, befitting him in a way ) as he presses a feather-light kiss to it. she seems to be in good spirits, which is nice to see. he remembers all too well the way the weight of past conversations had once sat heavy in her throat when they used to speak, during the war.

but for now, there is no need to think of war or natural disasters, only the music and good cheer around. "you... are always able to pull me in the direction of your choosing," he says by way of answer. he does not know if that is an adequate response. "if you would like to dance, we shall dance."

[pryings]

[ Garden ] - Need to get away from the thick of the party for a moment? Step outside of the dance hall, where Garreg Mach’s own vaunted gardens await, gracefully decorated to take on new life for the duration of the evening.

The air was beginning to feel a little heavy and stiff inside the ball hall and as soon as she eyed the exit, Minerva dragged herself outside the building, wanting to get some fresh air and possibly letting her body rest a little from her alcoholic adventure: she was a good drinker, but sometimes you just had to say no to more drinks.

Oddly enough, she wasn’t the only one standing outside the dance hall: in a corner of the garden, she noticed a VERY familiar face, but the resonance hit her harder than she thought.

“Nice to see you in one piece” she blurted, remembering the great power he dealt during the BOEL event, “I wasn’t expecting to meet you here, Knoll” she walked towards him, trying to understand what he was doing outside the building.

knoll's eyebrows rose at the comment, and he waved a hand sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. minerva, the woman in red who had been such a formidable foe during the mock battle, of course he remembered her. it was rare he forgot a face, especially one who left such a favorable impression, for sportsmanship and good cheer.

"it's nice to see you as well."

and it is, he rather liked the lady minerva. he offered a friendly smile as she approached.

"are you here to get some fresh air as well?" it wasn't as though it was stuffy inside, of course, but there were many people, and he was a creature prone to growing overwhelmed among crowds.

[pryings]

knoll offers him a smile in return, taking the general's hand and blushing as his lips are pressed to his knuckles. his heartbeat is quick, as he shifts his weight from foot to foot. a dance does not have to carry heavy, wonderful, romantic connotations but—

oh is it not nice that it does? he accepts the general's hand and steps closer, an invitation to be led. in his dreams, of late, he has been spending more and more time with general duessel. it seeps into his waking hours, and he has found himself seeking him out. he is... happy, he is smitten.

"i would be happy to dance with you," he says, his voice soft and airy. there's a warmth to it, something he reserves only for a select few.

duessel has become one of those select few.

"please... i would be very happy to dance with you, general."

love, i see you now / you found me here / underground.

toa ball 2024 - duessel and knoll.

[pryings]

𝘪 𝘭𝘪𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘵 𝘴𝘬𝘺 & 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘺𝘦

[SHOWCASE] - an unforgettable display of magic, Knoll & Duessel

[pryings]

he laughs a little, light and airy. the sound is strange, it isn't one he makes very often. "i could look into it. i'm not sure, though. my preferred magic often involves the subtraction of light, not the addition. but perhaps."

it's not the point of coming here, though, no. knoll does not know what the point of it is, so he just waits, watches the general closely. he's—acting oddly.

knoll tilts his head, until duessel touches his cheek, then he leans into that hand, almost instinctively.

"i... accept. that sounds lovely. general, may i ask—ah..."

he trails off, when he hears a louder sound than any of those prior, and the telltale signs of smoke rising. it seems something went wrong in the magical demonstration. they're a fair distance away, but they are both faculty. this needs to be dealt with.

"we should probably see to that."

𝘪 𝘭𝘪𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘵 𝘴𝘬𝘺 & 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘺𝘦

[SHOWCASE] - an unforgettable display of magic, Knoll & Duessel

[pryings]

knoll smiles softly. though he, of course, misses home, there is much to like about this land. he is glad to hear that duessel misses it as well, it makes his own longing feel more grounded.

duessel is good at grounding. he is a force for that, like stone, like the sturdy things beneath his feet.

it is with much trepidation that he leans his head on duessel's shoulder, eyes widening a little at the—spectacle is the only word for it. the spectacle before them. bright and exciting and loud. it's enthralling.

"my... but this is a creative use of magic."

he likes it, when magic is used not to harm but turned toward other purposes. "thank you for taking me to see this."

𝘪 𝘭𝘪𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘵 𝘴𝘬𝘺 & 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘺𝘦

[SHOWCASE] - an unforgettable display of magic, Knoll & Duessel

[pryings]

though he was the one who’d offered it, the feeling of her hands on his arm, at the crook of his elbow, is somehow unexpected, as if he’d expected her to rebuff him entirely and is surprised that she hasn’t yet.

but she asked him a question, didn’t she? he can’t let himself grow so flustered he doesn’t answer. “i… do not believe i have changed in any regard.”

not a very good answer; he grimaces internally. she will need her hands free to cast, he thinks, but for the moment he takes the lead through the valley. it looks from where they are that the further in they go, the more dangerous it will get. he is no stranger to hostile landscapes, as much as he wishes he was, and is grateful (‘gratitude’ in a form that from someone else, someone like natasha, would take the shape of a prayer) that at least there are no monsters about.

he thinks of the sorts that would thrive amid fire and lava, then pushes those thoughts aside. this place is dangerous enough without conjuring worse from his imagination.

“a good point. we are safest together. so i won’t go far. nor will i let you go far…”

『 𝒘𝒆, 𝒘𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒇𝒍𝒂𝒎𝒆 』