First Class!
May. 24th, 2012 11:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
vneef_healerA day for a student in the House of Bells starts at an unspeakably early hour. Sunrise? Hah! Sleeping in till sunrise would be positively SLOTHFUL.
Alia and Fajah have done their morning exercises, bathed, dressed in suitable clothes and eaten breakfast, and the sun has still not made it over the horizon. (Alia suspects there will be more potent stimulants in use among her peers than tea if this keeps up.)
Their amah, Iris, herds the female students through the courtyard and toward their first class in the eerie gray light of pre-dawn. As they near the classroom, the first year girls mix with the first year boys. Iris stays, as does her male counterpart, watching over the lined up students. Their presence is a bit puzzling, surely they don't expect students of THIS age to get into much trouble in so short a span of time?
Alia and Fajah have done their morning exercises, bathed, dressed in suitable clothes and eaten breakfast, and the sun has still not made it over the horizon. (Alia suspects there will be more potent stimulants in use among her peers than tea if this keeps up.)
Their amah, Iris, herds the female students through the courtyard and toward their first class in the eerie gray light of pre-dawn. As they near the classroom, the first year girls mix with the first year boys. Iris stays, as does her male counterpart, watching over the lined up students. Their presence is a bit puzzling, surely they don't expect students of THIS age to get into much trouble in so short a span of time?
no subject
Date: 2012-05-25 12:03 pm (UTC)The students are all wearing their uniforms, traditional kimonos, robes, simple gi sets, carrying writing cases. The more fortunate ones show off their good looks and noble bearings, others try to hide their awkwardness and insecurities.
Both chaperons bow deeply to a new arrival: a man in blue and gold shogunate-style robes, with matching haircut and a carefully trimmed goatee. The newcomer returns the bowing to the chaperons, and watches the students with a severe gaze.
"This is the Illustrious Ledaal Caros Nesen." Says Iris. "He is your First Year teacher."
The more socially-skilled students take the cue easily and bow deep to their teacher.
no subject
Date: 2012-05-25 12:21 pm (UTC)Alia is nothing if not socially-skilled, so she picks up the cue readily. Hopefully, her bow will cue Fajah, if the girl needs it.
Illustrious indeed! Alia has heard of Ledaal Caros Nesen, if not in any great detail. It would seem that the House of Bells does not skimp where its faculty is concerned.
no subject
Date: 2012-05-25 12:36 pm (UTC)Nesen returns the greeting with barely more than a nod, and paces down the lineup of young Exalted, all the way down and back up, before speaking.
"Many of you are right now thinking you are too good to be lined up here this early in the morning." A few students jump at the sharp tone. "Some of you are blithely wondering why I'm called Illustrious, smug in self-assurance that you are gifted and special and better than anyone." Some other students frown.
"I am Ledaal Caros Nesen. General Ledaal Caros Nesen. I am a graduate of the House of Bells, like you all aspire to be. Or at least I hope that's your aspiration and you're not here just squandering your families' jade."
"I served a hundred and twenty-five tours of duty with the Imperial Legions, and have been an instructor for the past thirty-nine years. You are my fortieth class of first-years, and I will tell you what I told every single one of my past students." He makes a pause to raise the tension.
no subject
Date: 2012-05-25 12:41 pm (UTC)Alia guesses that he'll tell them that many of them will fail, that blessing by the Dragons is no guarantee of success.
no subject
Date: 2012-05-25 12:49 pm (UTC)"Because you don't have what it takes to serve the Legions." He lets the words sink, while gazing to the sky. "It's my duty to weed out the Fifth Useless, so the instructors of the next years will not waste their time and effort on people who shame the Dragon's Blood." He looks back to the students.
no subject
Date: 2012-05-25 12:59 pm (UTC)It's difficult not to wince at those words, but Alia manages to keep her expression neutral and her body still. This speech is designed to wound, to inspire doubt, to deflate overconfidence... but it only drives Alia to prove him wrong.
no subject
Date: 2012-05-25 01:21 pm (UTC)"You." He snaps at a random student. "Bandit camp, well-armed, 300 strong. How you assault it with a wing of troops?" The young man gapes and stammers, and the instructor waves dismissively. "Anyone?"
"Skirmisher diversion, sir." Pipes up a female voice, sounding nervous. "Light infantry stages attack to draw out the enemy, cavalry flanks, archers cut retreat covered by heavy infantry."
The instructor gives Fajah a quick nod. "It seems someone bothered reading strategy. You might even someday not die shamefully because you could not make a snap decision." Right, that is as close to praise as he's likely to get.
"Everybody inside." The instructor gestures to the classroom. "The lesson for today will be Troop Organization and The Structure of the Imperial Legions."
no subject
Date: 2012-05-27 05:07 am (UTC)Alia will be taking very careful notes on today's lesson. Clearly, she has a long way to go where strategy is concerned.
The Thousand Correct Actions of the Upright Soldier is the basis of all strategy in Creation, as it has been for centuries. There is no question of them NOT learning it backward and forward, so it's no surprise when each student receives a copy of the legendary treatise on the art of war.
The auspicious number of 5 structures the Imperial Legion, each subsection lead by their own lord or officer. Fangs of five soldiers form the basis of all strategy in war. Five Fangs make a Scale (25 soldiers)and five Scales make a Talon (125 soldiers). Two Talons form a Wing (250 soldiers), and two Wings form a Dragon (500 soldiers). Five Dragons form a Field Force (2500 soldiers). The largest unit is a Legion of 5000 soldiers or two Field Forces (10 dragons).
Besides this numerical breakdown there are, of course, TYPES of soldier. Specialists in war machines, light and heavy infantry, cavalry, archers, sorcerers, marines. Then there are innumerable types of support personnel: healers, quartermasters, blacksmiths, carpenters, cooks, servants, farriers and on and on and on....
no subject
Date: 2012-05-27 05:22 am (UTC)"Two Scales of Light Infantry, one Scale of Heavy Infantry, one Scale of Archers, one Scale of Cavalry, plus around fifty Auxiliaries. By the end of the year you will know how to use such troops to the best results."
"Or rather, four of each five of you will."
no subject
Date: 2012-05-27 05:45 am (UTC)She will not permit herself to fail! And she doesn't think Fajah will either. Some of the other students, however, look less determined and more nervous.
no subject
Date: 2012-05-29 12:09 pm (UTC)But a lot of determination helps.
The class runs all the way to mid-day time, when they are dismissed for lunch; students file out orderly out of the classroom, and Fajah hangs back waiting for her... friend?
no subject
Date: 2012-05-29 12:12 pm (UTC)"You did really well with that question, Fajah," Alia says with a smile. It's possible the other girl didn't catch her smile at the time, and they certainly haven't had a chance to talk since!
no subject
Date: 2012-05-29 12:24 pm (UTC)It's a nice warm day, with little wind. Outside the chaperons are waiting to guide the students to the Meal Room.
no subject
Date: 2012-05-29 12:48 pm (UTC)The students are all decidedly hungry by now, so the sight of the Meal Room is a welcome one.
The low tables are plain polished wood and the table settings simple. Small porcelain bowls for soup, a small wine cup, a small plate and a set of chopsticks resting near it. The kitchen slaves have already set the table with cold dishes: chicken marinated in rice wine, five-spiced carp and hundred year eggs.
no subject
Date: 2012-05-29 02:32 pm (UTC)At least she has good table manners and can use the chopsticks correctly. "I..." She lowers her tone, so nobody but Alia will hear. "...people didn't realize this is a school of war? Half those people seem to think they would learn to parade in a shiny uniform and nothing else."
no subject
Date: 2012-05-29 02:44 pm (UTC)"As if the Realm would waste a Dynast so. If such a position existed, it would go to a Patrician not to someone blessed by the Dragons."
no subject
Date: 2012-05-30 08:16 am (UTC)She eats, quietly, while other students complain about... everything.
no subject
Date: 2012-05-30 12:48 pm (UTC)The kitchen slaves arrive with the next course. Hot and sour soup fills up the small bowls and stir-fried snow peas and greens provide much needed nutrients. For the more carnivorous, there is duck and eel.
Alia notices Fajah's sudden quiet and glances at her, concerned. "I said something wrong, didn't I?" she says quietly. "My House is small and, well, there simply aren't enough of us to go around." Despite her grandmother's efforts at more frequent than usual breeding for a Dynast.
no subject
Date: 2012-06-05 11:52 am (UTC)"People who reap the rewards without having done any work."
no subject
Date: 2012-06-05 11:58 am (UTC)She sighs, poking at her duck with her chopsticks. "Well, I don't think anyone will get away with that HERE, at least."
no subject
Date: 2012-06-05 12:02 pm (UTC)She does show great appreciation for the spicy tea and cookies served among other types of dessert.
no subject
Date: 2012-06-05 12:15 pm (UTC)"We've got more physical training this afternoon," she notes. "Martial arts are not my strong suit."
Why couldn't they have charms instead this afternoon? She's GOOD at charms!
no subject
Date: 2012-06-12 02:29 pm (UTC)At least they can help care for each other's bruises, right?
no subject
Date: 2012-06-12 02:57 pm (UTC)She grins ruefully at Fajah. "I guess it's a good thing I brought so many of my plants with me, then. Looks like we're going to need them."
While the school will, of course, treat serious injuries.....bruises are another matter.