The Consort Of House Marasarah

18

Arion had hated every moment of Rulal's lessons and when Issy had come of age and was added, it had only gotten worst for him as Issy thrived and quickly surpassed him. Rulal has been a cruel task maker, believing in pushing the young vampires as hard as she could. Issy had enjoyed it and even  sought out the female for further instruction even after she had been deemed proficient in close combat. Issy had developed a close relationship with her teacher.

Issy had not seen the female in months as she believed Rulal still to be on maternity leave. She quickly pulled her limbs back to her side and turned her body to face the female and stood at ease.

"Good evening, teacher," Issy stated. This was an unexpected happenstance. Rulal did not respond, instead taking her time to run her eyes up and down Issy's form before sighing deeply. It was clear that the female was not pleased with what she had seen.

"Walk with me Isalinah," she stated as she turning and started for the door. She never used Isalinah's title because she refused to stand in ceremony while she was Issy's teacher, she also refused to call her "Issy" because that nick name was just ridiculous for a grown female long passed clinging to her mother's skirts.

Issy's face fell as she hated whenever Rulal made her walk at her side. The female made full use of those long limbs and made no consideration for Issy's much shorter stride, in effect forcing Issy to assume a quick uneven pace in order to keep up because falling behind as simply unacceptable.

Rulal lead them out the training centre and toward the shrubbery just outside the manicured lawns surrounding the large building. Issy's tired muscles burned as she pushed them to keep up with her teacher. Several minutes pasted before Rulal shared what was on her mind.

"The entire House is whispering about you Isalinah. It would seem that you have been busy with a male of all things and a Doeshar to boot, honestly Isalinah I never thought you had the ambition. Well I'm sure you clearly have not been busy with the Rubrian formations if those executions are of any indications." Rulal stated in a easy going manner. Her tone the sort one used when discussing the weather or something just as unremarkable. 

" I...I... wait," Issy was at a lost for words. There was so much information in those few sentences that Issy's poor brain needed a minute to process it all. She had expected to be the number one topic of gossip but expecting something and actually having to be something were two totally different things.

"Oh Isalinah, my dear student, if only you took to life as fearlessly as you took to the art of the sword, spear and bow, I believe you would have a much easier time of it."

The much older warrior stated when it was clear that Issy had no idea how to respond to her previous statement.

"You remind me to much of myself at your age, have I ever told you that?" She continued. Coasting Issy to respond.

" ...yes," Issy answered simply. It was a conversation that had had many times before.

"And I'm not afraid of living, teacher. It's just that I like my own company and those that I know I can trust and rely on," Issy parroted as she had done many times before. She kept her vision trained intently on the forest line.

"I simply don't crave the attention as other may choose to."

"Uh huh," Rulal chimed in. She had always been one to encourage Issy into exploring. There was so much more to life than being a high born female who went to balls and danced and looked pretty. The world was a big and amazing place and Rulal believed that Issy should explore as much as it before duty tied her down too tight.

"But of all the males in that bar why choose the Doeshar if you so prefer the shadows," Rulal responded, her tone ripe with sarcasm.

Issy wiped her head around to the knowing face of her teacher only to receive a hard slap to the back of the head that nearly gave her whiplash.

" You were very lucky," Rulal stated, this time her tone was dead serious.

"Does my father know?" Issy asked as fear crept into every cell of her being.

Rulal continued to stare hard at Isalinah as though considering whether or not to answer.

"It's my job to see to you and your family's safety not to tattle like some high born female," Rulal finally responded.

Issy felt the urge to remind Rulal that she was in fact a high born female who came from a long line of high born females, who was mated to a high born male and senior magistrate of their House but resisted as she needed to stay on Rulal's good side.

"Will you tell him?" She ventured.

"It depends on whether or not the information becomes necessary," Rulal responded, " and don't even consider trying to swear me to silence because I taught you better than that. If you wanted to keep secrets than you should have acted like it."

Issy realised then that the early birth of Rulal's young meant she was not on duty to report the matter to her father. Rulal was willing to let the technicality stand so long as Raphael did not demand answers.

"Thank you, teacher," Issy said. She would have to ensure nothing happened to lead her father to question the true timing of her meeting with Massillon.

"And I didn't know he was a Doeshar," Issy quietly admitted.

"Uh huh," Rulal responded incredulously.

"So teacher, what did you doing here back from maternity leave so early?" Issy questioned. Rulal gave her a deadpanned look as if the answer was an obvious one.

"This rush-job ball that your mother has insisted upon having of course," she responded and then quickly added, " of course, my second has my complete trust to make all necessary preparations but I was curious that is all."

Translation, Issy thought, Rulal was on one of her classic  double and triple check security crusades.

"Oh ho," Issy piped in before quickly jumped to the left just avoiding the attack so knew all too well was coming.

Rulal chose not to pursue her and Issy was sure she had seen a touch of humour in the way her lip curled upward ever so slightly. The captain of the Highguardians of House Odimah had a playful side that few ever saw when it suited her.

"Come let us return to the training grounds. You are going to need to soak it you are planning to be of any use to yourself come dusk tomorrow,"  Rulal responded as she made a 90 degree turn in the direction of the training centre forcing Issy to take back up a punishing walk jog pace once more.