Shyvana pulled the small piece of paper from her pocket and unfolded it, looking at the notes on it. She read down the list of instructions and then looked at the last line. ...and left at the large golden lion. She nodded to herself and took a deep breath, starting up the steps. Shyvana passed the massive golden lion, pausing just a moment to glance into its gleaming emerald eyes. She continued up the steps and then stopped and looked up at the bell tower that hung high above the door. Cast iron reinforced heavy timbers that looked older than some of the ruins that dotted Shurima. She looked to the building itself, rough granite stone walls were reinforced by massive timbers, the dressed wood gleaming against the pale gray stone. She stepped up to one of the tall vertical timbers, and looked at the heavy timber. Hundreds of small marks marred the reinforcing pillar, as if someone had used it as a training dummy, swinging at the wood over and over. She ran her fingers over the wood, taking in the small ridges and bumps. Behind her, the door opened with a creak, and Shyvana took a half step backwards, sneaking her hands behind her back nervously.
"That's known as the Marking Post." The woman who stepped out of the door wore a happy smile, her pale skin gleaming like polished china as ghostly white bangs bounced around her face. She snapped to attention and saluted Shyvana. She had her long hair pulled back in a braid that swayed behind her, tied off with a ribbon of the Demacian gold and blue color. Her cheeks were flushed with just a bit of color but her haunted, deep red eyes immediately caused Shyvana to stare. The woman looked surprised for a moment but she gave Shyvana a glowing smile. "Hi, my name is Gunnery Sergeant Alicia Juniper, but you can call me June!" Her voice was polite and happy, almost to the point where it was sticky sweet.
"I was told to report to the Palace Barracks?" Shyvana said nervously, realizing she had been staring at Alicia's eyes. She glanced at the ground.
"You've come to the right place." Alicia said nodding, gesturing to the massive stone building.
"Gunny!" A gruff voice shouted from inside, cutting her off as she opened her mouth to continue.
"Coming, Lieutenant Vorscham!" Alicia shouted into the building, gesturing for Shyvana to follow. "Come on, I'll introduce you to the LT." Shyvana nodded and followed silently as Alicia led her past the Marking Post, the massive doors and into the darkened hallway, lit by flickering torches. A pair of soldiers approached from within, one with a large smile spreading over his face as he saw the two women approaching.
"Hey June, you got those new chocolate bars in yet?" A soldier shouted with a wide grin as Shyvana and Alicia passed.
"I only put the order in yesterday, Felix." June said testily, though she wore a smile. "They'll be in by next week. Now shoo, I'm on platoon business right now." The soldier glanced at Shyvana and frowned but shrugged and waved as he turned, heading for the door.
"See ya." He shouted as he strode away. Shyvana fell into step with Alicia, glancing at the woman as she hummed softly to herself. They passed through a tall archway and into a massive room.
Inside was a large room, spreading out along what looked like the majority of the front of the building. Chairs and tables were littered around the area, with a number of soldiers lazing about, some eating, some sharpening weapons. All eyes immediately turned to Shyvana as they entered, and she could see them all immediately begin to judge her. She could feel eyes both sizing her up and undressing her, and it made her skin crawl. Far to the right of the large, high vaulted ceilings was a cage that ran from ceiling to floor and it looked like it had once been an armory. Some arms were contained within, but from what Shyvana could see, it was mostly rifles and other things of the sort. To the far left was a small stall that was stocked with a mix of food, literature and other small things that most soldiers would need regularly.
"The armory is there to the right," Alicia pointed to the caged-in area, "And the PX is to the left." Shyvana gave her a quizzical look at she she pointed to the small stall.
"What is a pee-ex?" Shyvana asked, her brow creasing ever so slightly.
"Oh, well PX is short for Post Exchange, it's like a trading post or shop kind of thingy." Alicia wore a thoughtful expression as her voice trailed off with her explanation of the PX. It quickly corrupted into an embarrassed grin as she giggled at herself and then composed herself, letting the smile remain on her lips. "The PX doubles as the quartermaster's post as well. If you need any equipment or anything like that, you can come and see me there or in my quarters and I'll get you set." Shyvana nodded as she continued to look around. A large fire pit was set into the ground at the center of the common area, and a large fire crackled within. A soldier in heavy Demacian armor leaned on a chair next to the fire, holding a piece of meat on a long stick out over the flames, the smell of roasting meat reminding Shyvana of just how hungry she was. Alicia pointed down past the fire place towards a long hallway. "The dormitories are that way, both male and female, and a few other places including the dining hall, the showers and such." They stepped up to another man who was sitting behind the fire, a frown upon his face as he watched the two women approach. Alicia snapped to attention and saluted. He waited, looking at Shyvana with a dark frown, as if he was waiting for something. Junes glanced over at Shyvana and then leaned in. "You need to salute!" She whispered.
"Oh, uh..." Shyvana looked at how June saluted and then looked at her hand. She straightened up and lifted her hand to her brow, touching it and then holding it.
"At ease." The LT growled, shaking his head as Shyvana dropped the salute and then shifted from foot to foot. "Didn't anyone ever teach you how to salute, boot?"
"I... well, no." Shyvana said, frowning. Vorscham's frown darkened again as he stood up and clasped his hands at the small of his back.
"Name and rank, boot!" He growled, glaring at her. Shyvana looked back at him with defiance blazing in her eyes, but she also knew that making enemies now wouldn't serve her any purpose.
"Shyvana." She said, a frown settling over her face, mirroring the LT displeasure. "I don't have a rank as far as I know." The LT's brow shot up and then a look of recognition seemed to pass over his face.
"What the-... Oh right." Vorscham sneered, shaking his head. Long brown hair bounced around his face, parted along the center, several long strands drifting into his face. He brushed them free of his . "I heard about you. The prince's play thing? The one who tore up the palace veranda. Such a pity all that attention was wasted on the likes of you."
"I dare you to say that again..." Shyvana seethed.
"What you gonna do, boot?" Vorscham said with a cruel grin. "Hit me? Do it and I'll see you busted all the way down to a penal battalion." He glared at her fiercely, fire burning in his golden eyes. "To me, you're nothing but trash right now. Until you earn your place in this unit, you don't get to be anything more than the lowest of the low."
"Lieutenant..." Alicia said, frowning. She looked at Shyvana and then took a half step back when heat began to pour off her body. "Miss Shyvana, uh, lets everybody calm down a little bit." Alicia wore a nervous smile as she tried to placate everyone.
"Stow it, Gunny." Vorscham growled. "If this little chickadee thinks she's got the guts it takes to make it in this unit, I think I might spill them on the floor just to see them for myself. We don't have room for twerps, slackers and people who think they're special, no matter how connected they are." Shyvana bared her teeth at him, her temper still rising.
"How about I rip that rank patch off your fucking shoulder and shove it down your throat?" Shyvana growled.
"Is that a challenge?" A smile slipped onto Vorscham's lips. "Good. Follow me." He turned on his heel and started to limp towards deeper into the barracks, leaving Shyvana with a surprised look on her face.
Alicia stepped in front of Vorscham and held her arms out wide. "Lieutenant, you shouldn't do that, the Major told us not-..."
"I thought I told you to stow it, Gunny?" Vorscham growled as he stopped before Alicia, looking down at the non-commissioned officer. "I don't give a flying fuck what Major Seymour has to say. That paper pushing cunt can tell me how to run my platoon when he gets up off his ass and learns to run his fucking company." He glared molten daggers and watched as Alicia tried to match his intensity, backing away and averting her eyes. Vorscham sigh as he let a moment of weakness pass over his face before his expression hardened impossibly fast and he turned back to the hallways behind him. "Now. Shyvana, follow me."
"Uh..." Shyvana wore a look of shock on her face as she glanced back and forth between Vorscham and Alicia.
"Wipe that off your face, you look stupid." Vorscham growled, looking back at her over his shoulder. "And the correct answer is 'Yes, sir.' not 'uh'." He fit her with a glare that caused Shyvana's throat to go dry.
"Yes sir." She said coldly after a few moments.
"Good." Vorscham nodded, though his frown remained hard. "Follow me. Gunny, go fetch Doc Burton and tell him to meet us in the training yard."
"Yes sir." Alicia said, shaking her head. She tried to give Shyvana a reassuring smile though the sadness remained in her eyes. Shyvana was confused and while she wanted to say something to the woman who had been so kind to her, she didn't want to offer anything up out of fear of Vorscham's reprimand. She fell in behind Vorscham, trying to avoid Alicia's eyes as they disappeared into the hallway that lead into the barracks.
The surface of the training quad had long ago been ground down to nothing but dirt. Grass tried to cling to the rough turf, but much of it had long ago been worn away by boots from sparring and fighting. Tall wooden poles littered the area, some for sword swinging practice, others for exercise, several close together with a metal bar spanning between them. High stone walls surrounded it on all sides, and though there wasn't a massive amount of space, it was well used as men and women moved about the area, sword ringing as men sparred, and the grunt and heavy effort of calisthenics being carried out.
"Welcome to the training field." Lieutenant Vorscham said, gesturing to the area. "Many generations of Demacian Palace Guardsmen have been trained here, and that leave the question I have for you, Chickadee." Vorscham smiled. "Do you think you have what it takes?"
Shyvana frowned at him as he gestured to a large ring with a short wooden wall around the edges. It was in the dead center of the training area, with the Barracks surrounding them on all sides. Windows reached up several stories on all sides, and though there were open hallways along the edges of the quad as soldiers strolled too and fro. Though the area was very open, she couldn't help but feel trapped. She turned back to Vorscham who stood waiting for an answer.
"The blood of my father runs strong in my veins." She said, trying to keep her nerves out of her voice. "But I will see to it personally that the enemies of Demacia will fall. I strive to serve Prince Jarvan to the fullest of my capacity, and you and anyone else will not stand in the way of me and my goals."
"Noble and patriotic." Vorscham said, nodding sagely. He glared at her, his golden eyes glimmering in the sun light. Brown hair fell around his face, almost to his shoulders, and though he did what he could to conceal it, Shyvana could see he walked with a noticeable limp. She could see the very edge of a bad scar along the edge of his face. She met his gaze again and watched as his even glare turned to a frown. "Do you believe that though, do you know what it means to be a true Demacian?"
Shyvana worked her jaw, but stared at the ground. Jarvan had told her she was deserving and showed the Demacian spirit, but he had never told her what that was. She opened her mouth to speak but shut it again, meeting Vorscham's gaze openly. She shook her head slightly and set her jaw, rocking from foot to foot. "I do not know, honestly." Shyvana said, trying to keep the hesitation from showing weakness in her voice. "But I know that this is what I want—what I must—do for myself."
"Focused resolve, very good." Vorscham mused, gesturing to the ring. "But are you capable of fighting another Demacian?"
"If I must, I will." Shyvana said after a moment. "If you wish to judge my strength for yourself, then so be it."
"I won't be simply testing your strength, Chickadee." Vorscham said with a grin that sent shivers down Shyvana's spine. "Oh, far from it. This fight will test your resolve, your will, your spirit and your mind. You may have surprised Captain Crownguard with your little trick, but I won't be so easily fooled."
"I don't need my dragon form to defeat the likes of you." Shyvana sniffed, frowning as Vorscham wore a look of mock surprise.
"What big words from such a small girl." Vorscham said, chuckling. "Perhaps you'd like to put your money where your mouth is and show me some of that fight, eh?" Vorscham stepped over the low wall marking off the ring and gestured for her to step in as well. Shyvana looked hesitant, but she followed him, stepping into the ring and watching as soldiers dropped what they were doing, congregating around them and watching with interest. She could hear the chatter from all around her like a cage, rumors already circulating about her. Whispers about the 'beast girl', the 'prince's pet', the 'monster' and the 'gold digger' flew freely from the mouths of the Demacians who watched, and while Shyvana knew this wouldn't be fun, she could feel how everyone had already put up a barrier, walling her off and segregating her out.
I'm not another Demacian to them... I'm simply an oddity to watch or to ogle.
"I'm ready when you are." Shyvana said quietly, letting the world around her fade out, focusing on the challenge that lay before her.
"Draw your weapon." Vorscham ordered as he accepted a lance from another soldier. He lifted the massive bladed weapon, similar to Jarvan's lance and pointed it at Shyvana. She frowned but nodded, pulling the heavy steel gauntlets from beneath her cloak She seated her gauntlets in the palms of her hands and used her teeth to tug the leather straps taut around her wrist. Vorscham glanced at the weapons and then back to her. "You don't want a real weapon?" Vorscham said with a smirk. He spun the lance above his head in a showy flourish, before planting the blade into the dirt in front of him.
"I don't need a weapon to deal with the likes of you." Shyvana growled.
"Bring it on, Chickadee." Vorscham said with a snort.
"What's with that name, anyways?" Shyvana said with a frown as she settled into a fighting stance. She held both gauntlets in front of her face in what was approximately a boxing stance.
"It's a simple winter birdy that's known for using existing nests for itself... just like you." His face turned dark. "Sucking up to prince like that..." He snorted, grinning cruelly. "I bet that's not all you sucked, too."
"I'm going to make you regret those words." Shyvana growled as color flooded her cheeks.
"Make me regret them." Vorscham said with a wicked grin as he held his lance in front of his body, keeping Shyvana at distance as he began to pace. Though his steps were uneven, the limp was almost completely gone as he crept about, crab stepping. Shyvana began to match his pacing in the opposite direction, not letting him steer her backwards into a corner where his long reach would have her pinned against the corner. "Show me the power you so brazenly flaunt." Shyvana snarled, letting her long, pointed fangs show, and she watched with satisfaction as some of the men took a surprised step backwards. She looked back to Vorscham, expecting a similar reaction, but he only watched her with a bit of amusement and an even glare.
Alicia approached with a man with gray hair and a bushy silver shot black beard in tow, running the last few meters as she approached, leaning heavily on the railing and frowning. She bit back a shout of protest, leaning back to stand squarely on her feet. "Sarge, I really think this is a bad idea..."
"I won't hurt him too much, June..." Shyvana said, starting to pace in towards him.
"I'm not worried about him, I'm worried about you!" Alicia said, her face almost manic.
Shyvana glared at the woman and watched as Alicia shrank back, fear in her eyes. Shyvana growled in disgust, turning all of her attention back to Vorscham. She closed the gap slowly, waiting for an explosive thrust to come from him, but he merely shifted stances, bringing his lance up in a defensive pose Shyvana had never seen. He held the long barrel of the lance up and over his shoulder, one arm back for leverage and one arm forward for strength, the blade descending towards the ground at a shallow angle.
He can only swing so far to the right with his arms like that. Shyvana started to move forward. A blow to the blade will easily rip his lance from his grasp!
Shyvana charged in at Vorscham, flames cloaking her legs as she took off with a rapid burst of speed. She watched his face with pleasure as a moment of surprise flashed through his eyes as she closed the gap rapidly. She brought one of the steel gauntlets up and started to slap the lance aside. Sparks showered the ground as the length of the lance streaked across the dragon's head gauntlet with a scream of tearing metal. Shyvana watched his arm get stretched over his chest and while she expected worry or despair from his expression, he still simply looked at her without anything but the slightest hint of amusement.
Shyvana felt the lance get pushed back at her, the strength he was able to exert on it enough to send her toppling to the ground. She tucked and tried to roll to safety but she felt the heavy crack of the butt of his lance striking her right leg. She clenched her teeth as she finally ended up face down on the ground, grasping her leg in pain. She pushed her self up and pulled herself to her feet, pain contorting her face as her leg nearly fell out from under her.
"Your ingenuity is commendable." Vorscham said, settling into his defensive stance again. "You analyzed my defensive stance and went in for the proper blow, however you underestimated me and you paid for that. You let me deceive you with my appearance and you thought yourself stronger than me." He started to pace around her, looking for an opening this time. "You can't let yourself be deceived like that or you'll pay with your life, not just a charlie horse." Shyvana tried to match him, but she staggered when she tried to take a step, limping heavily, almost having to drag her leg along the ground. "Besides you make up for a lack of fighting prowess with raw aggression. You risk your life to end the battle quickly."
"So what if I do?" Shyvana snarled, trying to keep the pain from her face as she limped about, struggling to keep him from herding her towards the wall again.
"You're only going to hurt yourself like that." Vorscham said, pushing forward. He started to thrust in towards her, but Shyvana snarled and grappled the end of his lance when he went into to jab at her. Shyvana heaved the lance to the side, drawing him in closer. She wore a mask of anger and snarled to hide the scream as she launched herself forward, her leg threatening to roll and collapse. She threw a fire cloaked fist, letting it fly towards Vorscham's face. Vorscham ducked his shoulder and brought his head forward, letting the blow ride up his shoulder armor. He slammed her chest with his shoulder with a hollow thud and then brought his lance up in a single motion. As Shyvana started to topple backwards, he brought the lance up and back over his shoulder in a circular motion, sweeping up and across his body, catching Shyvana in the arm. The steel plate on her shoulder cracked and blood began to pour from a deep gasp that ran from the crook of her arm up to her collar bone. The tip swiped her brow as blood poured down across her face. Shyvana spun with the force of the blow and then hit the ground, much harder this time, her shattered shoulder pauldron bouncing across the ground and clattering to a halt.
"That's enough Lieutenant." Alicia stepped into the ring and in front of Shyvana, her arms outstretched as Vorscham stepped forward. "She's down for the count." Alicia gasped and looked over her shoulder as Shyvana grasped the hem of her cloak, starting to haul herself up.
"Not... yet..." Shyvana gasped for breath as she pushed herself up to her feet. Blood poured freely from her shoulder and she tried to wipe the blood from her face. She stood stood crookedly, swaying from side to side as her chest heaved with effort and blood dripped to the ground in a puddle beneath her.
Alicia took a half step away and looked back to Shyvana, surprise clear on her face. "But miss Shy-..."
"GET OUT OF MY WAY!" Shyvana roared, golden flames sparkling in her eyes and dancing along the ground as she settled into a fighting stance.
"But I..." Alicia stammered, taking another step away from Shyvana.
"You think I want your pity just because I'm different?" Shyvana said with a little less venom in her voice. "Because I'm some sort of freak?"
"No... I..." Alicia said, tears now welling in her eyes. "I just..."
"I don't care! Think anything you want, I'm used to it!" Shyvana snarled at Alicia and then pushed past her, smearing the woman's chest plate with blood from her arm. "I refuse to lose! I REFUSE!" Flames boiled around her, heat pouring off of her body.
"She's a monster..." "Demon..." "Freak..." Shyvana heard the murmurs in the crowd but she didn't care, Her sights were firmly set on Vorscham now.
"I have long learned to feel no remorse towards the death of humans..." Shyvana growled. "You view me as nothing more than the dirt on which you step. My entire life I have lived in fear of humans and dragons alike, as I am neither one nor the other. If you think you're going to deny me my place here..." Shyvana was growing paler, as blood still poured from her shoulder. "I will ensure you get a glimpse into the belly of the beast."
"You're so weak now it wouldn't even be a challenge to put you down." Vorscham said, shaking his head. "You've got guts and strength, I'll give you that. If you keep this up though, I'll have to spill them all over the floor, and then we'd have to clean them up. What a pity, little chickadee." Vorscham shrugged. "I'd feel bad for doing that to the prince's play thing-ah-... pardon, his supposed new personal guard.... but you can't even beat one lowly lieutenant." Disgust flooded his voice. "If you can't even take care of yourself, how the hell do you think you're going to protect him?"
"I will end you!" Shyvana practically screamed as she pushed herself forwards, racing towards Vorscham leaving a trail of blood in her wake. He looked at her with pity in his eyes as he stepped into her charge and to the side. He brought his arm up and then brought his elbow down on the back of her neck, hard.
Shyvana hit the ground and slid to a halt in a heap.
"Lieutenant?" June slid forward and dropped to Shyvana's side, a worried look on her face.
"She's alive." Vorscham growled, shaking his head. "Just knocked out before she could do any more damage to herself." He worked his wrist about as the men around the open training area simply watched in shock, many of them repeatedly glancing back and forth between Vorscham and the injured woman who lay upon the ground.
"Sir?" June, stared up at him with tears welling in her eyes.
"Doc Burton, get her patched up and then get her fed. Alicia, have her assigned to a berth and get her fully geared up." Vorscham turned.
"Uh, yes sir." Doc Burton said with a frown, turning a waving a couple of soldiers forward to help him with a stretcher. He started to move into the ring but Alicia stomped her foot and clenched her fists, her body quivering in anger.
"What was the point of this!?" Alicia practically screamed, "Why... why would you do something so horrid to her..."
"She needed to learn a lesson." Vorscham said quietly, looking back over his shoulder. "This isn't somewhere she can simply beat her way through life. She needs to learn to control herself; her emotions, her actions, her fighting, everything. She's extremely strong, but she's reckless and wild. Before she can become a Demacian Guardsman, she must become a Demacian."
"Then what purpose did it serve to alienate her like this?" Alicia said, waving at the medical team who carried a stretched between them, assisting Doc Burton. "This wasn't training, Proudmast, this was abuse, pure and simple."
"She learned that she isn't invincible today." Vorscham said with a growl. "And don't call me by my first name." He ran a hand through his hair, revealing a massive scar that covered half of his face, the majority of his ear completely sheered away. "Sometimes... sometimes you have to break a man before you can build a soldier. I had hopes that she would be different because Valin seemed to trust her so intimately, but I guess she's just like the rest."
"Wait, Isaacs trusted him? How do you know that?" Surprise was clear on Alicia's face, as the anger drained from her face and voice.
"I talked to Colonel Jerome about the scouting reports that his men reported to the king." Vorscham handed the lance off to a soldier as he limped towards the wall, easing down and grimacing in pain. "She and Isaacs were pretty close until he died." Vorscham glared at the ground, as Alicia shook her head and looked back at Vorscham, frowning.
"Isaacs would have never treated someone like this, and you know that!" Alicia said, watching as Shyvana got carried away by the medics. She wore a look of concern on her face as the medics disappeared inside the barracks, Doc Burton following them inside.
"Yeah, well, I'm not Valin Isaacs. I'm not a saint. I can't do what he did." Vorscham stared at the ground, his face hardening into a grief stricken mask. He turned away, lifting his legs over the low wall and then pushed himself to his feet. He took a deep breath, letting his back face Alicia as he ran a hand over his head. "This is the only way I know how, June."
"Proudmast..." Alicia said, softly. She started to realize that while he may have come off as a complete jerk and a bastard, he really did have the best of intentions.
"I thought I told you not to call me that." He looked up and then turned to the soldiers who were still milling about. Many of them had probably come to watch Vorscham get his ass kicked, but they stood in awe now, having watched the Lieutenant easily take down the beast that had felled the Might of Demacia. "Get back to your work, soldiers!" He shouted angrily. "You've got your duties, now get them done or we'll spend all of tomorrow running laps around the city walls!" Men scampered left and right, scattering like chickens with their heads cut off. When everyone had left, Vorscham paused, looking back at the rapidly drying blood on the in the dirt arena. "Hey Juniper..."
"Sir?" Alicia said, looking back to him. He still stood facing away from her.
"Do me a favor and don't tell Shyvana that Isaacs and I used to go way back, alright?" Vorscham's shoulders sunk as he kneeled down with some effort, pressing his fingers into a sticky patch of splattered red blood. "I want her to hate me while she trains. If she's angry at me and she wants to beat the crap out of me she'll work harder and strive to do so. It'll keep her mind in the right place."
"I..." Alicia sighed as her face softened and she nodded, a small smile forming on her lips. "Yes sir."
"Thanks, June." Vorscham said, nodding. "Make sure she gets cleaned up and bandaged properly. Jarvan would kick my ass if he knew what I was doing." Vorscham said, chuckling softly.
"Another secret you want kept from her for now?" June said, smiling.
"Yeah..." Vorscham looked down at the ground and shook his head. "This less she knows about me, the less she'll feel sorry for me."
"Yes sir." Alicia said, saluting. She spun and then jogged off to catch up with the medics, leaving Vorscham alone on the bare patch of dirt that he had trained on himself, years ago. Vorscham pushed himself to his feet and shook his head, wiping the blood from his fingers onto his trousers.
Better get this cleaned up and back to work before the Major gets back.
Shyvana groaned as she rolled over and tried to sit up, her head swimming. She ran and hand over her face, sweat dripping down her nose and locks of red hair pasted to her face. She started to wipe them free of her face but she winced, falling back onto the bed when her shoulder screamed in pain.
"Careful now, you're still injured." A soft female voice said, gently pushing her back onto the bed. "You shouldn't try to use your arm for now. Doc Burton says it needs to heal. Besides, till we can drop your fever you need to stay in bed."
Shyvana felt something cool brush over her forehead as the warm embrace of a thick blanket and a plush pillow swallowed her up. "Wha-... Quinn?" Shyvana looked for the tracker and medic who had saved her and Jarvan several times, hoping to see a familiar face, but the icy white hair and warm red eyes of Juniper faded into view. She smiled warmly at Shyvana, dipping a soft cloth into a basin of water and then wrung it out, handing it to Shyvana.
"Here, you can wipe your face." June sat back on the chair next to Shyvana's bed as Shyvana accepted the cloth with her good arm and then struggled to sit up. Her weak arm flailed for a moment, held back by a sling and bandages covering her left shoulder. Shyvana grunted as she wormed her way into a rough sitting position before she hung her head, breathing a bit deeper than she should have with the effort she had just exerted.
"June? Where am I?" Shyvana said, looking around the room at the small quarters. They were furnished well, with a small dresser, tall bookshelf, a desk with a chair that Alicia was sitting on, a wardrobe and then the bed Shyvana lay on. There was also a small bed-side table that the basin sat on, a lamp perched on the corner. Shyvana ran the cloth over her face and then her neck, a bit of red blotting the cloth as she pulled it away. She ran her fingers over her brow and felt soft bandages had been wrapped around her head. She groaned a bit, trying to blink away the wooziness she still felt.
"This is your assigned dormitory." Alicia said, standing up. She set her hands on the wardrobe, pulling it open and gesturing to the inside of the drawers. "I went ahead and sized you up and appropriated you a full set of fatigues, a dress uniform, and various other things you'll need." She paused a moment thinking. "You'll need to get your dress uniform tailored to fit, but all in due time. Oh, and we'll get you fitted for armor as well, but for now you can use the training armor we have available."
"Oh... uh, okay." Shyvana said, looking down at her hands as she gripped the edge of the blanket.
"We gave you an officers quarters because that's all we had, so I hope you don't mind being in your own room." Alicia said, smiling. Shyvana looked up at her and then shrugged, still staring down at her hands. "Give me a holler if you need anything, I'm just next door."
"Thanks." Shyvana said quietly.
"Of course." Alicia said, still smiling happily. She turned to leave.
"Um..." Shyvana said softly, her face hidden by her long red locks.
"Hmm?" June paused in the doorway, looking back at the young woman, her arm in a sling, bandages wrapped over her shoulder and around her head.
"I... June, uh..." Shyvana shook her head, still staring at the blanket. She glanced up at the icy haired officer. "I wanted to apologize for what I said before. I didn't really mean it. I was just..."
"It's fine." Alicia wandered back into the room and settled down onto the chair, crossing her legs and crossing her arms over her chest. "We all get carried away sometimes and say things we don't mean." She shrugged and looked back at Shyvana. "And while Vorscham may be an ass, he means well. He just doesn't really know any better. He gets his hardheadedness from a friend of his back during his academy days. He never really grew out of his bad habits either, he still uses fights as the basis for every lesson ever." She shrugged and sighed, chuckling softly.
"I.. I figured he was goading me on." Shyvana said clenching her fists. "I just... I..."
"You've never had anyone stand up to you like that before, right?" Alicia said with a grin.
"I got defeated like that once before." Shyvana said, a smile playing over her face. "My father had just been killed and I was distraught, lashing out blindly. He found me like that and took pity on me. He took all of his armor off and then took me down like he was simply putting on a training exercise."
"He took his armor off before he took you down?" Alicia said, raising an eyebrow. "Takes guts to do something like that I bet."
"Yeah well, Prince Jarvan is about as hardheaded as they come." Shyvana said, laughing softly. She shook her head and then sighed after a moment. She looked back to Alicia who smiled sweetly at her and then Shyvana blushed and then glanced down at the bed. "Oh I didn't mean to get sentimental on you June, I just... I haven't seen him in a few days and I'm feeling kinda lonely."
"It's fine." Alicia said, shaking her head, wiping the surprised look of off her face. "I had forgotten that you two were an, er, well an item."
"Well, its not really..." Shyvana frowned, shaking her head. "I mean..." She blushed furiously and then glared down at the blanket again, wrenching it about viciously as she poked at the blanket, drawing circles on the fabric as waves of heat rose off of the top of her head. "I suppose we..."
"I mean, you've done it, right?" Alicia said, grinning slyly. Shyvana looked up at her, her mouth hanging open. "Bagged the prince eh, that's hot." Shyvana's face turned beet red as she ripped the sheet almost in two, steam now pouring from her ears.
"I-I-I-I..." Shyvana stammered. "I... But I..."
"I won't judge you for it." Alicia said, laughing at Shyvana's embarrassment. "Just get better so we can get back to training." She stood up and slid the chair back under the desk. "Reveille is tomorrow at six and PT is at six-fifteen. After that you've got time to bathe and clean yourself up for mess at seven-thirty. Martial exercises follow, starting at eight until lunch at twelve-thirty. Classes in the afternoon starting at one and until you're released. You have that time until dinner at six to yourself, as well as the rest of the evening for studying or practicing your martial skills. Easy enough, right?"
"Studying?" Shyvana said, blinking. "Studying what?"
"History, Demacian education and weapons theory among other things." Alicia shrugged, leaning against the door frame. "It changes from person to person though. For you, it might concern target protection, advanced combat tactics, I can't really say."
"I see." Shyvana said sighing.
"Just rest up." Alicia chuckled. "You'll be busy starting tomorrow. Better heal up while you can, I doubt Vorscham will give you a break because of that arm."
"Oh this?" Shyvana said, raising her arm out of the sling.
"Easy now..." Alicia said, stepping forward. "Weren't you still in pain?"
"It's a bit sore, yeah." Shyvana said, carefully working her arm around. She struggled to unclip the bandages but finally managed to get it unclasped. She unwrapped it and showed the long pink scar that ran along her shoulder to Alicia. She unwrapped her head as well, gently running her face over the small gap in her brow where a pink scar still marred her face. "I've always healed pretty quickly though, The gash was long but it wasn't too deep." Shyvana paused shrugging with some effort. She gently touched her brow and winced a bit as she did. "It might be a day or two till I'm back to full strength, but it's workable."
"That's amazing..." Alicia said breathlessly, looking at the scars. "And the fever?"
"Oh, well... I don't think I had one." Shyvana said, frowning. She held a hand to her forehead. "Nope, not a bit."
"But... you were burning up..." June said, blinking lamely.
"Oh well, my body temperature is higher than normal." Shyvana said, pulling her feet from the bed and standing up. "I mean... I'm not human. Not fully at least."
"I... I guess so." Alicia shook her head, smiling. "I know we kinda got off to a rough start but how about it, friends?" She held out her hand, taking Shyvana by surprise.
"I..." Shyvana frowned, looking down at her own hand but nodded, smiling. "Sure." She took Alicia's hand and shook it once. "Now, where can I get something to eat." Shyvana said, pulling a pair of pants from the drawer and sliding them on. She tugged on fatigue tunic as well, matching what June was wearing. "I'm starved."
Alicia laughed heartily, shaking her head. "Come on," She said, waving Shyvana towards the door. "I'll see if I can't scrounge something for you to eat."