(4.5) POV: Karian 01
This is just a little snippet, taking place roughly between parts 4 and 5, Hardy's pals are wondering what he's doing with his time.
The only sound in the office was the gentle flow of brushes gliding over paper. The lantern overhead shed a steady, warm light even as the large windows showed a still, moonlight square outside. The early winter’s nightfall meant that the Riversmeet Palace was unusually quiet. Only those few with pressing duties or more work than could be done during the limited daylight hours yet lingered on the Palace grounds. Not that the Palace was uncomfortable, indeed the office was pleasantly furnished with a great deal of solid, expensive hardwood and plush upholstery. A crackling fire in a large stones hearth kept the nighttime chill away, and there was nothing around to disturb or discomfort those working so late, indeed there was a general air of calm focus despite the late hour.
Karian laid aside one document while the ink dried fully and took a moment to ponder the next item on his to-do list. Formehd, sat at one of the two desks opposite his, looked up and caught his eye, giving a meaningful glance towards the third desk and its inhabitant. As if Karian needed the reminder.
Vance’s cultivation was always hard to sense given his focus on physical cultivation but he also kept his qi under wraps at all times. Karian knew he was pushing third realm, and therefore had a shot at a noble title for his meteoric rise, but keeping tabs on Vance’s regular progress was an exercise in futility.
The man was just too private to not conceal his cultivation at all times. Still, given how important breaking into the third realm would be for Vance, and by extension Karian, questions did have to asked. On occasion. Karian had already been at the receiving end of the stoic man’s unexpectedly sharp wit, he dared not pry too often for fear of more blistering rhetoric being thrown his way.
“I noticed your cultivation has been progression ever more quickly recently, Vance” Karian spoke, breaking the relative silence of the room. “Further training with Elder Kensei?” Kensei was out on a mission with some core disciples and had been gone for over a month, it definitely wasn’t extra training with him, and Manji was reportedly preoccupied at the moment so it probably wasn’t training with him either.
“Inner Grove.” Vance didn’t even look up from his paperwork, his gaze fixed on the scroll from the Office of Administration that he was reviewing for Karian.
“There haven’t been that many training missions, have there been that many commissions?” Karian kept his tone light, he was only asking out of interest, really.
“Contract work.” Vance flipped the scroll over, clearly hunting for the name of the disciple who had submitted that request. Karian sighed internally. A hard worker and one of the most loyal friends anyone could ask for, but forthcoming conversationalist Vance was not. Bordering on the monosyllabic was a much more apt description.
“A contract for commissions into the Grove?” There weren’t that many of their fellow inner disciples who needed such work, not that they couldn’t do it themselves or with allies. Hence, it would be an outer disciple on the other end of the contract agreement and the pay would therefore be pitiful. “You truly needed access that badly?”
“Yes.” Broad shoulders gave the barest indication of a shrug before Vance rolled the scroll back up quickly and set it aside for another Administration document.
“Which outer disciple needs so much work done that requires Grove access enough for the sect to approve such a contract?” Karian had never heard of anything that the sect would judge critical to an outer disciple’s cultivation enough to justify an inner disciple risking life and limb in the inner areas of the Leaf bone Grove one regular basis. Certainly, they were better able to handle the risks of the Grove but even so it was hardly without its dangers. Ah. No, he had heard, hadn’t he? She’d asked him about it herself, Felli’s young friend.
“I didn’t realise you were the second person for whom that girl’s contract would be worthwhile.” Karian offered, hoping for some sliver of an explanation. As to the arranged terms and to his friend’s reasoning both.
“Access up to twice weekly. Simple work. Worthwhile.” Yes, that was such a thorough explanation. Karian could not imagine that there was anything more to know on the matter whatsoever.
Formehd was not hiding his grin very well. Karian supposed that meant he was not hiding his frustration very well either. Ah, but there was little he could say more, Vance was his friend and not merely his subordinate, Karian could and would not order him around and demand explanations from him as he would from a vassal.
“Do you truly need so much time in the Grove? Is it truly worth the labour involved? Surely an outer disciple cannot afford any workable stipend in spirit stones for such a contractual agreement…”
“Yes.” Vance finished with his next scroll, probably just another requisitions form that needed signing. Formehd next to him was almost laughing aloud now. It really was like getting blood from stone getting words out of a preoccupied Vance. Karian was glad someone was enjoying his struggle. He just wished to be sure Vance wasn’t overworking or taking on too much risk with his training!
“Pays nothing much.” The blond man shrugged again, “food’s good though.”
Karian stifled another, external, sigh. He didn’t miss Formehd snorting in amusement either. The finest fighter currently resident in the inner sect and he was spending his days working on contract commissions for an outer disciple for what, scant payment and some meals? Even other inner disciples would have paid for training with the renowned talent who had already mastered the four noble weapons and more besides. It made so little sense to Karian. But Vance operated by his own rules sometimes. Perhaps it was some strange byproduct of his origins across the Sea of Seven Frosts, or just his chosen method of cultivation. No-one could truly know except Vance himself and well, he was obviously not one for thorough, eloquent explanations.
Karian lifted the next letter from his stack of documents awaiting review and stifled another sigh. As long Vance was satisfied with the arrangement, he would have to content himself with knowing that at least it was nothing untoward. In the meantime, this paperwork from the Office of Administration wasn’t going anywhere on its own.
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