Heya, guys! It's been...a little over a month now? I really wanted to get this up sooner, but school got the best of me. AP exams are just around the corner too, but I'll try to use as much of next week's break as possible to write. Anyway, thanks to all the people who bother reading this experiment of mine. Special mention goes to noob7 and ExposedWiresExposedVeins, whose reviews help keep my morale high. I probably won't be able to update at a reasonable pace without any feedback. (I have nothing against the Awakening writers, but I'm admittedly envious of all the apparent attention those self-inserts get...Yes, I know I just said something unsavory, but hey, honesty is the best policy...right?)

x~X~x

Snippet 3: Partner Preparation

A couple of months have flown by since the Resistance first granted refuge to Princess Nyna of Archanea. Her presence reminds everyone that we're not only fighting for Aurelis, but possibly for the whole continent as well. All of us have been working tirelessly, and we're finally seeing some significant results, although our efforts aren't the only cause…

xXx

I found myself following Wolf, Coyote's right hand, down a corridor. He had come to me during breakfast, saying that he needed to show me something. I wondered what it was with a mixture of excitement and anxiousness. Wolf is well known for his aloofness; he prefers to keep his distance from everyone except those close to him. For him to actually initiate a conversation with me means that the matter is of utmost importance.

Eventually, we reached an empty and spacious training room. There was nothing in here, save for an unfamiliar horse standing in front of me. Out of curiosity, I took a few minutes to examine it. It was a proud Aurelian mare, with a well groomed coat; the color reminded me of powdered cinnamon. Thinking that it might be wounded, I channeled some healing magic, searching for invisible injuries. I was glad to discover that this horse was in perfect condition. Satisfied with my little examination, I turned to Wolf for an explanation.

"That's your new horse."

"…Huh?" That was all I could muster from my very confused mind. My job as a cleric was simply to handle medical duties at base. Why exactly do I need a horse?

"At the last briefing, Coyote started formulating plans for assaults on more fortified forts under Macedonian control. The rationale is to press our advantage in light of recent revelations."

"Revelations?"

"Yes. Macedon's control of Aurelis is starting to slip."

My eyes widened in astonishment. "How?"

"The Macedonian troops stationed here have recently been dividing their attention between us and some other force. We haven't determined the identity or motives of Macedon's new adversary yet, but any distraction to our enemy is a welcome one."

Who's this other group fighting Macedon? Since they didn't just join the Resistance, they must be foreigners. I assumed that they were Archanean because nothing else would make sense. Khadein, Grust, and Gra all served under Dolhr. There's no way that they'd attack their ally; Dolhr probably wouldn't stand for the waste of expendable resources. Altea might have been a possibility, but the nation was effectively broken from both Gra's betrayal and Dolhr's occupation. Meanwhile, the distant island nations of Talys and Pyrathi had closed their borders to all international affairs, most likely in an attempt to guard themselves against Dolhr.

Wolf cleared his throat to regain my attention. "To execute these riskier operations, Coyote will need to take more men away from base for prolonged periods of time. Someone with sufficient medical experience is needed to help minimize the casualties." His eyes locked onto mine. "Violette. After much discussion and an evaluation, you've been chosen as the medic."

I was stunned speechless. One part of my mind skimmed through my memory for any evidence of the so called "evaluation" while the rest was reeling at the news. From the sound of it, my job was about to become much more taxing. It seemed like it's going to be more important too…Is this a promotion?!

"Now about the horse." He returned to the point that he had started with. I hoped that he would tell me about the evaluation, but he had no interest in indulging me at this point. Knowing him though, he probably just found a way to assess me without me noticing. "As you know, most of our units are cavalry. You'll need to be on horseback to keep up with them. However, you can't share a saddle with a combatant. It would hinder both of you. Therefore, you'll ride independently."

I felt myself stiffen. It is a common belief that all Aurelians are skilled at horseback riding. There is some truth behind that assumption; as Wolf noted, the majority of the Aurelian military consisted of cavalry, and many civilians hunt on horseback. Unfortunately, I am not one of those Aurelians. I awkwardly petted the horse. It seemed annoyed…

"…You don't know how to ride a horse." It wasn't a question, but a statement, which I affirmed with a pathetic nod. His eyebrows furrowed with subtle annoyance for a split second, then relaxed back into a neutral expression. "Very well. I shall teach you the basics. Understand that it is imperative to master your control as soon as possible."

I blinked, and then stared blankly. Coyote's right hand was going to teach me how to ride a horse?! I recalled what Roshea said about his training experiences. He and Wolf, along with Sedgar and their other close friend Vyland, had joined the knighthood around the same time. Wolf, however, mastered the basics faster than any of them and started helping them train. Roshea remarked that he was an excellent tutor, perhaps one of the best. Sedgar vouched for his ability as well. If that was all true, and I have no reason to doubt that it is, then this won't be so bad. Still, Wolf is a very intimidating figure…

Wolf stepped towards me. I focused myself, determined to be a good student, despite how awkward the situation was. "Let's begin."

xXx

"Kyaaa!" I screamed as I fell off the saddle and crashed onto the ground. This was the twentieth time already. My sides are really sore now…

"Your maneuvering is getting smoother." Wolf commented from a distance. Rising to my feet, I dusted myself off. He opened his mouth to elaborate, but was interrupted.

"There you are, Wolf!" Sedgar entered the room with a handful of envelopes, heading straight for Wolf. "I snatched these from a Macedonian scout just now. Coyote said to give them to you." He handed the letters over. Then he saw me remounting my horse and quirked an eyebrow. "Violette? What are you doing?"

"She's practicing her horseback riding." Wolf explained in a rather uninterested tone before I could respond. He ripped open the seals of the envelopes and started reading the documents one by one.

Sedgar sauntered over to me. Confusion was written all over his face. "Since when do you know how to ride a horse?" He'd seen me fail miserably before.

"Er…Wolf taught me today." I answered meekly. Sedgar glanced at Wolf, who was too focused on the papers to notice, then back at me. His expression didn't change at all, displaying his disbelief.

"What for?"

"He said I'd need it in the future."

"Hm. So you've heard about it too." There was a long pause. "It's strange how things are starting to fall into our favor like this."

I nodded. "I'm really surprised to hear about another group."

"Yeah. While it may be a godsend to us, this outside intervention is certainly cause for suspicion. What if it's a trap?"

"Like what?"

"Like a Macedonian ruse."

"The fastest way to discover a trap is to spring it." Wolf suddenly interjected. He was next to Sedgar now. Both of us blinked; since when was he there? "It may end in our favor, and it may not, but this is the brightest opportunity we've had since we were forced underground. Coyote wants to seize the chance."

"True." Sedgar replied. "Well, whatever Coyote decides to do, we'll follow him as loyal soldiers of Aurelis." We all nodded in unison. "So Wolf, what were those letters about?"

Wolf held the papers in his hand. "A high-ranking officer fell in battle some time ago. His whole force is said to be eliminated. The opposing side was described as a small army emerging from the Ghoul's Teeth. I suspect that this is a report of Macedon's first major encounter with their new adversary."

"So they came out of the Ghoul's Teeth…" I mumbled. The Ghoul's Teeth was a mountain range near the Aurelian border. It had gotten its name from the bandits that settled there. Called the Soothsires, this particularly ruthless group of outlaws terrorized the people living in the area. Anyone who tried to pass was never heard from again, as the rumors went.

Sedgar stroked his chin in thought. "It's definitely not the Soothsires, as simple bandits are several cuts below professional soldiers." I idly wondered what became of the Soothsires. My assumption was that they were completely routed…I would have felt bad, but I knew they deserved a violent end, like most of the Macedonian military does.

"To pass through a place with such an ill reputation speaks well of their strength…I'll report this to Coyote." Wolf walked off, but not before taking a side glance at me. "Keep practicing, Violette." He ordered sternly, as if he just knew I'd shirk my work. After making sure that I got his message, he left the room.

"What was with that tone?" I complained once Wolf was out of earshot. "It's not like I was going to run off and stuff my face full of biscuits."

Sedgar chuckled. "He just wants to make sure you don't, considering how much you love those." My fondness for biscuits was no secret, and I occasionally get reprimanded for eating too many. I responded with a huff, tapping my horse's side lightly with my foot. It got the message and started trotting aimlessly, away from Sedgar.

"That's a nice horse you've got, though she's got nothing on Kent." I heard his footsteps as he quickly caught up to me; I was going at a relatively slow pace.

I had nothing to contest that with. I've known Sedgar's stallion much longer than this mare, and Kent was very energetic and friendly, not at all like my stoic steed. Sigh. I don't think I can get along with this horse at all. I'm not even good with animals in general…

"Oh? What's wrong? You don't like your horse?"

A blush crept to my face, and I instinctively tugged on the reins to stop moving; I didn't realize that I sighed out loud. "I just…I…Uh…I don't think it likes me."

"Well, you should start by giving her a proper name, and not calling her an 'it'." He placed much emphasis on the pronouns. His scolding and obvious disappointment made me feel ashamed about dehumanizing the horse. Deep in my mind, I doubted that it- er…she understood the implications of being referred to as an "it" anyway, but I just felt so guilty that I could hear myself stammering apologies even though my internal rambling.

He stared at me hard, seemingly searching for any signs of dishonesty, then cleared the tension off his face. "So…Do you have a name for her?"

My mind went blank. I had no idea what to name this thing. I'm not very skilled at the naming arts; I remember how everyone would poke fun at me for calling my stuffed bunny Slap when I was little...I dwelled on a couple ideas before looking at my mare's coat and reaching an epiphany. "Cinnamon!" I exclaimed, glancing at Sedgar with a proud, childish grin.

"Ah, that's cute." He returned my smile. "Cinnamon seems to like her new name too, don't you, Cinnamon?"

I watched him pat Cinnamon on the head. Her ears perked up, kind of like how Kent and Roshea's Innovator do when I pet them. Quite idiotically, I found myself seriously pondering how he managed to elicit a positive reaction from her. Either he has a way with horses or I'm just that bad with animals.

"Heh, she's a young one. Don't get discouraged, Violette. She's just not used to people yet. If you spend time with her every day, she'll warm up to you quickly." That sounded like a pep talk. He must have noticed my glumness regarding the situation. It didn't really matter to me; I just took his advice to heart.

"Okay! Cinnamon, you and I will train everyday!" I shouted, raising my fist into the air.

Sadly, Cinnamon did not give any sort of reaction to my declaration, but Sedgar was kind enough to cheer me on.

"All right, break time's over. Get to work, Violette. I want to see what you can do."

I gripped the reins and resumed my training.

x~X~x

Thus, Violette becomes a troubadour...for now. I just need her on a horse for the game's chapter 5. I know that class doesn't exist in SD, but whatever. My original idea was to have her ride with someone, but then I realized that the Rescue option doesn't exist either. Either way, I'm breaking game mechanics...

For some reason, this one is twice as long as the previous chapters. Hopefully that'll make it up to those who were waiting for an update...You know, the thing that gave me the most trouble here was Wolf. I don't know, I just keep fangirling over how awesome he is (and he's part of the reason why I love the horseman/ranger/bow knight/whateverthehellyoucallit class so much). Took me a while to stop squealing and write properly. Now he'll likely get less screentime in the future for the sake of preserving my sanity. Geez.

As always, I appreciate any feedback you're willing to give. Thanks for reading!