"He wants her to fail." Nascha growled as he hit the locker door, eliciting a raised eyebrow from his companion.
"Why would he want that?" The white-haired boy pulled his hair back, seemingly impassionate as always.
"You heard him the other night! And today! I don't know why, but he obviously does." He sighed and sat down, adding the weights to his ankles.
Karan shook his head, "I think it's more that he believes she will."
Nascha looked up at Karan, "And that's better how?"
The older boy shrugged, "Perhaps it means that he would actually like for her to succeed?"
The brunette snorted and straightened up.
Karan simply raised an eyebrow again before continuing, "They don't want us to go through what they did, and they want Lord Zoisite to be at peace eventually. Therefore, Siobhan is dangerous."
"Gregory gave his life for Theoden. He did not fail." There were times that Nascha hated the man who should have been Lord Zoisite simply because of the way his ghost seemed to haunt them all.
"But in doing so, he abandoned his brothers, left Lord Nephrite with a burden which never should have been his, and kept Lord Zoisite from finding peace with his own brothers." Karan's voice was calm, but Nascha had the feeling of being a small, slow child.
"That was not his fault…"
"No." Karan agreed, and that made Nascha nervous, "but that does not change the facts of the matter. Siobhan, for no fault of her own, came at a bad time."
Standing and shaking his head, he started to head into the salle with Karan, "And you? What is your position on her?"
Karan shrugged, "She has to prove herself, just as you and Tuon did."
Nascha stopped and stared at Karan, "Wait! I didn't have to prove myself. You were only here a week before me!"
A raised eyebrow and a smirk were his only response.
He rolled his own eyes, "That was different."
"To me at 6? Not really." Karan shrugged slightly, "If it helps, she's showing promise. But there is still much to be seen."
Once they entered the salle, they moved over to the racks of weapons, each taking a moment to choose one to his liking.
"Why is it so important to you that she succeed?" Karan seemed disinterested as he tried a sword, but Nascha knew better.
"The stars told me about her, and honestly, in my tribe, the only thing a girl is ever taught she cannot be is a king, one of us. I suppose I'd just like to see that changed." He shrugged and hoped that Karan bought that lie.
Nothing more was said on the matter once Kunzite entered and changed their blades.
"You'll each have a sword specifically made for you, balanced for you, but there may come a time in which you have to use an inferior sword. A true swordsman can work with even the poorest blade." Nascha was convinced that Lord Kunzite actually lay awake at night inventing new ways to torment them. He envisioned him laying aside Lady Jasmine and asking her what she thought of his new torments.
Nascha had to focus to use the sword that Kunzite had chosen for him. It was tip heavy, and he was tiring quickly, especially since he had not yet adjusted to the weights that he was made to wear. At least he did not have to run in them yet, unlike Karan.
He was not completely surprised when Karan managed to disarm him and force him to the mat. Before he could get up, Karan pressed his own blade lightly against Nascha's throat, "I do not like being lied to, Nascha. You know that."
Blinking, Nascha watched as Karan stood and then held his hand out to him to help him up. His words were low, but Nascha knew that he had hurt the other boy, "I won't press you for now, but eventually, I'll need to know what exactly the stars told you."
Nascha sighed and nodded, but did not let go of Karan's hand when the other pulled away, "Soon. And I'm sorry."
Karan nodded, "I trust you, Nascha. This doesn't change that."