Well no one else is interested so I guess I will get it started soon

I will give it a few more days to see if anyone else replies and if not then we will get started.

He made it to his room and got his camping gear packed. Granted he would not be able to use it for awhile since he had duty on the wall with Edana and a fitness class for the trainees after that. Still after that he would get his chance. He laid on his bed and closed his eyes for a few minutes before donning his armor and cloak for his duty. He arrived early and relieved the guards on duty and waited for Edana. He had forgotten how much he missed such a simple thing as walking the wall. He watched as a trainee in his morning class thought he was clever and ran off into the night. For a few drinks was Sandre's guess. When the trainee got back in the morning though Sandre would make sure the whole class paid for the trainee's transgression. It was one thing to have an instructor mad at you, it was quite another to have a whole class of your fellow trainees mad at you.

What came as another surprise to Sandre was that at one time he would have been standing there erect in the military fashion, staring intently at the darkness for signs of movement. Maybe even chasing that trainee down. Yet as he sat casually on the wall while he waited he was relaxed. He was not any less aware, just that he had learned walking like you had a stick up your bum and staring everyone down did not make you any better of a guard than a relaxed but limber guard. Or perhaps he had stopped caring? He thought about it for a moment and with a shrug gave up trying to figure out which he was.

When Edana arrived he wondered what she thought. She had never seen him relaxed when he was on duty before. He gave her a warm smile. "I am sorry I walked away from you today... I just was there to deliver the schedule really... all that other stuff... well..." he stood and walked towards her, he looked her in the eyes the whole time. "Maybe I presumed too much? It is not fair for me to say that your goals have not changed all this time or that I even understand the depth of them. Who can understand the depth of another's dreams after all? My goals certainly have... or rather... for the first time I dont have any... other than to get through my class tomorrow without falling asleep on my trainees."

I have not ran one of Sandre's brutal workouts in quite awhile. Since I learned a bit about muscle tissue recently I am anxious to do another one. Let me know if you are interested.

Sandre listened and nodded when she finished. "I see." he said as he turned his head and focused on the apple and knife in his hands. She had always been able to read him by his eyes. As long as she could not see them, she would not see the moment of sadness that passed through them. By the time he had a new slice sitting on the blade he had regained his composure.

"I was hoping to have you back when I left here today. I have woke every morning hoping it would be the day... but I see now that the problem you are having is not one I can fix. You do not want to be my wife, yet you cannot stop yourself from becoming just that." He placed the slice in his mouth and gazed out over the river. "Things were so much easier when we were trainees. We did what we were told, felt what we needed to get through the day. It was easier when we had no control, when our lives were run by our trainers. We knew what to expect when we first woke each day. Each one of us with dreams of being a legendary Warder or the best Guard we could be."

He took her hand, not the way a lover would, but rather a friend. "You want to be the best Guard you can, and I had become a hindrance to that. If leaving is what it took to make you happy again then you did the right thing, because that is all I ever wanted to do for you." He shook his head. "I say those words and I know they may be right but I dont feel it. I remember something your father told me once. He said the greatest plans fall apart in the first few minutes of a battle. A General's skill is determined by how fast he can adjust that plan to fit the new situations. Your plan has always been one singular thing, to become a great Guard. Mine have changed so many times over the years because of new situations." He turned to look her in the eyes. "I will tell you this... as a friend... as a fellow Guard. Your plan was failing long before you became a Guard. When it comes to situations where your emotions are involved you act irrationally. You ran from me, you put your brothers on the ground over words, you started a fight with my brother in the mess hall, were you jealous when that Guard in the hallway gave me a kiss even though I did not belong to you? You have friends and people you care about here, if you continue to let yourself make rash decisions rather than adjustments like your father said to, you will never be the great Guard you want to be, because all it will take is one of them in danger and you will obey your heart and not your mind." He knew the words would hurt, he expected an angry backlash, but he knew she would think about it when she calmed down.

"I do not mean to make you angry or hurt you Edana. I would sooner take a sword in the gut than cause you pain. You left me for this dream of yours though and if its that important to you someone had to tell you. You cant cut them out of your life, you and I both know that would make you miserable, so you have to learn to adjust. Now for another piece of advise... this one my father told me. Life is not about our accomplishments, but rather the memories we have are what matter in our old age. I really hope that you do not end up an old and lonely Captain and that your accomplishments as a Guard will be enough to warm your heart, but I doubt it." To throw her off he leaned in and kissed her, softly and passionately. That was another thing her father had taught him. Stay unpredictable, a General should be mysterious in his ways. He had no idea he would be using the trick on his mentor's daughter though. "Some day, you will regret running from me. If its sooner rather than later you know where to find me."

He got up then and started back towards the barracks to get his camping gear. He hoped she would realize, she may not remember every single night on the wall, but he was willing to bet she remembered most of the time she spent with him. If it was not too late, she may decide that he had become part of her plan, or that she would have to adjust to being a Guard and something like a wife. Really he did not know what to expect from the logic he just dropped on her, but he knew she would be better off for it in the long run, and he had to smile at the thought that this time, she would be pursuing him, though you never have to pursue a man for long.

He had heard of the punishment leveled on Edana... from Jonsey of all people, and so Sandre found himself again standing in the Captain's office. He had explained everything of course and though the old man's look was dour Sandre could tell he was stifling a laugh. When he had given his speech to the Captain the old man grinned. "Now I got you both back." He said as he slammed the schedule down triumphantly. Sandre quickly glanced over it. "You assigned us as partners on each other's shifts? Are you sure that is wise?" The dour look came back but Sandre couldnt help but smile. "I will work her shifts if you wish but she wanted that vacation time." He turned to gaze out the window "Have it your way Kaldun. But you go tell her and the story I will give anyone asks is that you begged me to get her vacation time back." Sandre shook his head and walked out of the office. "Crazy old man."

He found her by the river. Not where he expected. "You choose odd places to come and let your frustrations out." He said as he walked towards the tree she had threw her knife into all those years ago and ran his finger over the scar left on the tree from it. She looked up at him. She had been crying though she was trying not to show it. He walked over and sat down next to her. "You have your vacation time back. It seems the Captain was playing a prank on both of us. Look." He said as he passed her a copy of the schedule. "It appears I will be walking the wall with you and helping you escort trainees to the potty at night for the next week. I suppose we can prank each other all we want but in the end the Captain always gets the last laugh. I heard about what he said to you. He is not trying to get rid of you if he is letting you anywhere near his office. He heard me rant and rave about you for a year so he knows your not a screw up. I think it drives him nuts when I have to work with him though. Two sad men trying to work in a small office together but unable to stop thinking about the women they have lost and each man being a reminder to the other about that." Sandre shook his head. "Its difficult on both of us."

Sandre pulled out his waterskin and took a drink then passed it to Edana. "He got me started on the pranks can you believe that? He may be old but he has quick hands. Constantly would steal my quills if I turned away for even a moment then yell at me for losing my quills. I guess my pranking you was... well... you fell in love with a smiling and care free Sandre and then saw the weight of the world come crashing down on me and got a rather serious Sandre. When you left me it was like a reality check. Maybe you wanted a relationship where your work came first, but that didnt mean that you wanted that from me. So I stopped the long hours and went back to... well having you carted around on your bed around the yards if you want to know. Yet I left little gifts as well. I thought... it would finally be the last straw. You would tell me there is no chance we will be together again but no hard feelings or that you would realize your Sandre had come home, than man you fell in love with. Either way I could stop being at this cross roads, unable to decide which way to go, unable to stop loving you or free to do so again." He shrugged. It had been so difficult to tell her how he cared the first time, yet this second time, it was as casual as stating the sky was blue or water was wet.

He reached into his belt pouch and pulled out an apple and reaching into his sleeve pulled out the dagger Edana had made him and began to cut slices. Offering her some first then taking some himself. "But I never intended to get you in trouble."

(She intends to push me off the wall... that little witch!... Light I love her!) He thought as Edana stepped close to him all hips and lips. When she pressed against him he couldnt help himself. He reached up for her and grasped air. Landing in the hay cart he looked on either end to see horse refuse, his landing could have been worse. "That was a close one..." He said as he dusted off his arm. "Sometimes Keller!" He yelled to get her attention "Life will not give you the time to wrap your arms around what is worth holding on to, before it pushes you off a wall!" Annoyed he continued to pick the hay off of his clothes and out of his hair with Jonsey and Harper both watching. He hopped out of the cart and walked by Jonsey. "Hey Jonsey... heard you had a rat in your room. Try not to wake the whole barracks next time eh?"

The next morning he was finishing up his morning project. He bronzed the boots that Edana had returned to him so that they stuck together but left the inside of the boots hollow with the exception of the feet of them. He filled the bronzed boots with earth and flowers and in the middle of the flowers a bit of hay and left them at Edana's door. He figured he would not need a note for this one. It was a bit heavy.. but it looked nice. Knowing his own luck lately he figured she would stub a toe on it before she saw it though.

Still he would not give up and let her have the last laugh on this one. When they met he had pushed her into a river, now she pushed him off a wall. He had a brief chill as he thought about what happened later that day. He stopped for a moment. He had been so serious when he was with her, would she even care to have a Sandre that laughed and joked and generally enjoyed life? Or did she actually like his old dark and brooding nature? Shrugging he walked on. He loved her still that was true, but if she could not accept that his job had changed awhile, he doubted she would care for him as he was now. Which was why the following day as his training class on basic stealth and infiltration was rolling to its conclusion he decided to have a little fun and do a team building exercise.

"Ok listen up! Here is your next exercise and it is one you want to do quickly. Now when I give the order you will split up into two teams of six. One team will take this key and enter Guardsman Edana's room, lift her bunk by the legs, and run it once around the yards with her still in it. The second team will take this key and do the same for Guardsman Jonsey's bunk. You will then place the beds in the opposite rooms you acquired them in and try to blend in with the crowds and surrounding trainees as you make your escape. This will not be easy as I expect each Guard to still be in their racks when you put them back down so you will have to rush the door, lift the bunk while pulling the blankets down hard enough to pin the guardsmen, and run the bunk around the training area once while holding the blankets tight. Then vanish so you are not caught. I wish you all the best of luck."

They looked confused a moment, then started arguing over who would get to be on the team to get Edana's bunk. With a stern look the arguing ended. He was not quiet about his plan and he knew the Guards were in their beds.

(You can decide how this one goes. I will admit though the thought of trainees running neck and neck with beds containing groggy and surprised guards in their bed clothes, in front of everyone, in a race, is rather hilarious. You can feel free to prank him back if you wish. I kind of like this one though, I may make it tradition.)

Here

Fully clothed and armored he stood on the wall yelling down to Harper who was supposed to help him with his next prank, one Sandre had decided to cancel in light of the Captain accusing them of being too much. Come to think of it though, Sandre could count the amount of times he had seen the man laugh. If he was wearing a few extra layers tonight it was only because it was cold right? It had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that the entire barracks had once again seen him march around in nothing. He nodded to himself, assured it was just the weather.

He knew Edana was due to be on this wall soon, he had time though didnt he? He was too distracted to notice she was already standing behind him.

Sandre: "Harper... how could you lose a thousand pound unconscious bear?" Sandre said as he rubbed his temples with his hand. "I did not hear Edana screaming and cursing followed by that poor bear screaming so whos room did the bear end up in Harper?"

Harper: (Yelling back from the ground)

Sandre: "No Harper I said third door on the right. I was very specific about this. I wrote you instructions, did I have to draw you a map? It was very simple, you pick the lock, drop off the unconscious bear, leave the fish, Harper why do you still have the fish?"

Harper: (More yelling from the ground)

Sandre: "No I know we fed the bear already... the fish was symbolic... remember she made my room smell like fish?"

Harper: (Yet more yelling in a questioning tone)

Sandre: "No Harper I do not want you to go back the thing is probably awake by now. We need to find out whos room you put it---"

(The sound of Jonsey screaming and cursing in the barracks followed by a bear running out of the barracks and straight for the river.)

Sandre: "That will be all Harper."

Harper: (Yelling another question)

Sandre: "Yes you can have the fish."

With the largest grin he could muster he turned to find Edana behind him, probably on her patrol. How long had she been standing there? The grin was instantly gone.

"Local... wild... life..." he said and then swallowed hard. "Actually, we mistook it for Jonsey's bunk mate... they have about the same size and same amount of hair.... and Jonsey's smell." The last he said with a hint of jealousy in his voice. Jonsey didnt really smell but it was hard not to be bitter about the guy trying to date the woman you love. "Which uhm... speaking of hairy situations." She didnt laugh, light why was he so bloody nervous? "I am really sorry about the cake... and the joke with my bunk mate getting fired...the book of goop you left in my room being returned to the browns with a copy of the purchase receipt... and uhm... yeah I think that is it." He faked a yawn and stretch the best he could though he knew she wasnt buying it. "Wow I am tired. I am glad we cleared that up. I should probably let you get back to your patrol." She was blocking his way and he was a little more than intimidated by the fact that she could easily push him off the wall right now and he had little doubt it had crossed her mind. He looked her in the eyes and just for a moment wanted to grab her and embrace her. His hand went up before he caught himself and dropped it and looked away.

He laid in bed exhausted, yet his mind fully awake. The smell of fish didnt quite come out yet and he shook his head with a smile. It was a good trick, he would give her that one. He recalled the look on her face when he had been training trainees on equipment maintenance. There was no hostility to it, and that was the point, he wanted to see her smile again. He rose and walked out into the cool night in a pair of breeches cut off at the knees. Edana's dagger he strapped back to his forearm. She would be asleep, she would not see it. His breath frosted as he gazed at the stars above. He walked to one of the gardens and picked a single perfect rose, walked back to his room where in perfect block lettering so Edana would not be able to read spelled out the words "YOU ARE THE FAIREST OF THEM ALL." And tied the rose to it. He left it on her door. Let her dwell on that one for awhile. Well she would figure out it had to be a Guard who could spell which eliminated at least half of them. He wondered who she would think was calling her fairer than a rose. Likely Jonsey not that he minded... well ok he minded, but if it made her happy...

As he walked back towards his room he cursed his luck as Jonsey walked up on him. Of course HE would be on duty that night. "Captain wants you Kaldun." Sandre turned towards the man. He towered over Jonsey as he did most people. "Can I get dressed first?" The twinkle in Jonsey's eyes told Sandre the man would love to present Sandre to the Captain in his breeches...just because it would be funny. Of course Sandre would have done the same. "He said to come now." (Good Jonsey) he thought as he walked off with a smile and shaking his head.

As he stepped in he realized he was thrice cursed as he found Markam behind the clerk desk. He cursed under his breath, not only would he have to correct all the man's work tomorrow but now everyone was going to know that he had been to see the Captain in his underwear and likely everything that the Captain had to say.

He knocked on the door and was told to enter. The Captain threw down some papers on the desk. "Kaldun with all the pranks going back and forth between you and the guards I wonder why they like you so much." Sandre smiled. The man did not even seem to notice Sandre was in his underwear. "I guess its my winning smile sir." The Captain almost laughed."I heard about the prank with your room mate. Its a bit much Kaldun. You were a fool to let Edana go in the first place now you will be a fool to think that she will actually get that your playing a joke on her. She cares too much for her fellow guards." The words stung. "Let her go?! Let her go. She wanted to go! She didnt offer a choice. She said she was lonely and wanted to go. She did not ask me to take time off or to quit or any of the things I would have gladly done to keep her. Her mind was made up before she ever even told me." Sandre had not realized he had raised his voice to his superior officer. The Captain's louder voice reminded him of his place though. "Don't be a fool son!" When Sandre snapped back to himself the Captain's face softened. "You cannot expect them to wait, I know this, believe me, I know." He removed his ranks and poured two glasses of some strong scotch. "You clear this prank up in the morning." Sandre nodded. "Kaldun, I do not offer advice to my men as an equal, but you are a bloody fool if you dont get that one back. And be quick about it. If I have to see her stomping around here and deal with you causing trouble at the same time I will throw you both into a detention cell until you are a happy couple again. I dont care what it takes, just bring some peace to it" Sandre stood and nodded. "Oh and Sandre, if you do get her back, you cannot marry yourself to this job again or you will end up like me. Old, lonely, and talking to men in their underpants in the middle of the night for Light's sake man put some clothes on!"

As he walked out of the office Markam had the grin of an eel. Edana would definitely hear about this, though likely a butchered version of it where Sandre sobbed like a girl in the Captain's office about losing Edana. He shook his head, he would deal with Markam later. As he made it back to the training barracks he realized someone had tipped off the whole barracks that he was visiting the Captain in his underwear. Many of them were at their doors hooting and hollering and holding bags of coin asking "How much?" He smiled and took it with good humor. One guard woman he had never even met before kissed him. He didnt even look for Edana. He didnt think she would be part of this anyways which was good since the dagger she had made for him was still strapped to his arm. For that at least, he was thankful.

OOC: I thought I would open up options for this to make it easier to write on. You can decide what she actually hears from Markam and Jonsey and if she actually was awake and watching during his walk through the barracks. She also has that rose and note.

When the Captain had him and his bunk mate called to the barracks Sandre had no idea what could be the issue. He saw the inspection was active and when he entered the room the smell of... was that fish? Was full in the room. He had to cover his nose to deal with it. The inspector looked over at him.

"Ex girlfriend Kaldun?"

"Yup." he relplied.

"What did you do to her?" The Inspector said

"Tipped off the owner of the eatery she had her date at last night that it was her 50th birthday."

The Captain who had been standing quietly the whole time winced. "You know how sensitive they are about their age Kaldun."

The inspector nodded in agreement as the Captain turned and left. "I want all of this clean and smelling like that overpowering pine soap you use by morning." The inspector turned and left with him but added. "I will be back in the morning to check."

Sandre looked over at his roomie who stopped scratching his head. "Last time you looked at me like that Kaldun I ended up on trash duty for a week and you ended up running laps in your bare skin."

****

A little gold and some schedule changes later Sandre's Tairen room mate was packed for his vacation. Of course it did not look like a vacation, the story the two had spread around was that the Tairen had been warned not to bring cooked fish into the barracks before, the second time the Captain had him discharged. The Inspector of course they had to bribe to go along with it. His roomie didnt mind, he had a new child he had wanted more time with anyways.

His next trick once he found the book Edana had added was to check the local book stores for where she got the thing. Sandre included a copy of the receipt inside the book along with the... well whatever that goop was inside, and had his brother drop it off in the Brown's library. If she did not get a tanned hide for that one he was not sure what would. That one of course she may never learn about, but she would always wonder why the Browns would sneer at her.

Lastly he took the muddy boots and used them to teach a class on shinning boots. He made sure she walked by and saw him. The look she gave him was worth the failed inspection.

The fish in his personal chest... that one kind of hurt. It had gotten into a length of silk cloth Sandre had bought her for their first date. He kept a lock of her hair in there as a memento of better days. The dust was no big deal. He cleaned that up but he spent the rest of the day trying to get the stains and smell out of cloth and hair down by the river. Regardless of the rivalry and the pain he felt at losing her, he still treasured everything she had ever given him. He still wore the dagger she had bought him up his sleeve and tied to his forearm and touched it when he was stressed. It wasnt that he was sentimental or missed her anything, of course not! It was just good quality... that was all.

"You know better than that Edana." was all he said as she walked away. She had been there and knew the good he had done with the common folk. The amount of coin he had put towards walls and Towers in the Borderlands, the amount of extra shifts he had done so they could have time with their families. Nobility was to serve as well as lead. Not that he did not expect her to mention something about it though. It had always been her biggest argument. That nobility was too different and too pampered to ever truly be an equal among the commoners. Try as he might, he could never convince her otherwise. He turned to look at the Guards who looked back in a stunned silence. "Ok... which one of you did I crush in my attempts to be an overworked desk ornament? Donnal? Harper? Markam are you drunk again? Are you seeing two of me?" Sandre said as he waved his hand "Point to the Sandre that cost you a desk job." The guards roared in laughter. Markam of course did not. A benefit of working the hours Sandre had was that he had finally made friends among the guards. Something he had a hard time of before. "If any of you want my job by all means its yours. Honestly on Thursdays when the mess is making chilli the Captain has some serious stomach issues." More laughing. "No I am serious, its like Mashadar in the office privy by the time he is done, I almost called a yellow." A few jokes to smooth things over and it was back to business as usual.

He knew Edana would work what she was given. The job meant more to her than anything. So while he did not want to seem bitter about her harsh words he did allow some trainees to get away with sneaking some rum into the trainee quarters, or rather chose not to act on it. If Edana spent the night holding hair while some trainee was hugging a privy, it would serve her right. But he wasn't bitter, or even jealous for that matter. He knew where Edana took her dates now, if this one time the wenches and barkeep surrounded her with their ridiculous birthday song and a cake that said "Happy 50th Birthday" on her next date well, that wouldnt be bitter it would just be a good darn joke.

After arranging the cake he walked back to the Tower with a smile on his face. It had been awhile since he had seen Edana laugh or smile and while he did not think either of these would do the trick he was sure she would look back on it one day. Oh sure he expected her to get some payback, but it would be worth it.

OOC Feel free to get him back or turn the tables. :)

So I am trying to get back into role playing with my character Sandre and have already started a rivalry with his ex girlfriend to get back into it. Since he is single again though and expecting pranks I am thinking it would be fun to have a roomie in the Tower Guard barracks if there are any other Guards out there who would be interested? Good chance that depending on what Edana does you may have to suffer through some pranks but we can also plan some of our own. You would be guilty just by proximity I believe.

Anyone interested let me know :)

Sandre drank deeply of the cool water. It had been a long time since he had time to practice. He had spent the last year assisting with a major overhaul of the Tower Guard finances. Too much had happened in the last few years to allow them to be lax on security. Sandre had been pushing for a promotion and after two tours in the Borderlands and a year of 12 to sometimes 16 hour days of desk work he was done, and it was only a matter of time. He was not as strong or fast as he was when he started and he tired quickly. It had been an exhausting year and only now in the last few weeks had he been training. It was taking awhile forcing his body to make the proper movements for sword forms again. He had neglected everything but the job.

Skill could be relearned, muscle could be reshaped, what he lost that he could not get back was Edana whom he spotted when he came out this morning, across the yards. She had a couple guys around her. He knew she was dating again and though he did not show her an ounce of emotion his jealousy inside made the flame and void impossible. Now that he was not so busy, he had time to get over what had happened. He did not blame her, nor was there any yelling when they separated. How could he blame her? He had no time for her at all during that year. What made him confused was that she had told him that her job would take priority over him. Sandre accepted that, yet when the job took priority in his life, she wanted out.

He shook his head and tried to focus, only making a few moves with the lathes before he spotted a Tower Guard known for using alcohol to get women put his hand on Edana's shoulder. Shortly after the lathe landed on his side. He gripped it and rubbed out the sting, one of the many of such marks he had earned today with his inattention. He shook his head at the guard and put his lathe away. Work called again. Thankfully simple work now. He had to pass out the schedules for the week and he was not looking forward to it. Sandre had earned a reputation as the Captain's pet for working so closely with him the past year. Edana had after the break up been causing more trouble with her temper than she knew. Sandre had convinced the Captain to go easy which resulted in no disciplinary action but Edana was put on trash cart guarding and escorting trainees to the privy at night quite frequently. To her though... he was sure it looked like she was being punished for breaking up with the Captain's pet. He was not looking forward to handing out this weeks schedules. He collected them from the Tower Guard barracks and one by one the Guards showed up to collect. Every week he prayed to the Creator that she would take her schedule, accept it, and move on. He never said a word to her. He didnt even look at her. He showed her no emotion. He just felt it was better if he acted like she was not even there.

He spotted her in line and he was thankful he did not have one of those awkward moments where they made eye contact. When she came up she signed the sign in sheet saying she got her schedule and he handed it to her. He almost grimaced when he saw a full week on trash and trainee privy duties. (Who did she upset this time?) he thought. He hoped she would move along and take it out on some Guards in a spar, not this time though. He hoped seeing how they were both in uniform she would be civil at least. "Move along Guard. If you have any questions or complaints take it up with your Sergeant or make an appointment with the Captain." She did not move and he dared not look up. She knew how to read every emotion he was going through just by looking at his eyes and right now he did not want to show her the weakness she had left in him. She was still his weakness. She did not move after a few seconds more so he took a deep breath and reached the flame and the void. His eyes were steel when he finally looked up. "Is there a problem Guard?" He would need a vacation after this. A trip to his old camping site. The line had gone silent and the tension was enough to choke on.

He was thankful there was no anger in his voice. His eyes softened slightly when he saw it was not all anger she looked upon him with. "I had nothing to do with your schedule... truth be told I think the trainees like you." That got a few laughs out of the guards and while the tension was cleared a bit in their eyes Sandre still felt it as strong as ever. He wasnt sure the joke had the desired effect on her, so like a fool he tried again, this time to appeal to her sense of duty. "Besides the job comes first right? It doesnt matter what it is." That he wasnt sure helped either... he was very suddenly aware that his efforts to make it seem as though he just wanted to bygones be bygones may have been taken as a challenge. He sighed when it dawned on him this may have been a fight there was no way to win from the very beginning and braced for her retaliation.

OOC(Wow writing is hard when you have been away so long. I am sorry if this is really bad. I did edit it some.)

I know a bit about old military tactics for large scale battles as well as individual squad tactics, combat engineering, psychological warfare, etc. Just about everything you would need to train and run a successful army without the benefit of being a Taveren :P I also know a bit about how they ran their countries and why they ran them that way. While that is mostly useless to the individual character it is there if you need information none the less. The Creator is fortunate I am not leading the Dark One's armies with the tactics I have seen in WoT lol.

Well I am no longer working odd hours and no releases coming up at work so I have been here daily looking for RPs and otherwise sneaking in posts in other peoples :P

Sandre stood reluctantly. What could he say about this man? He wracked his brain for anything redeeming that he could think of. His mind was still clouded by the anger and disappointment from when Elyan left.

"I am not sure what to say... you want my opinion on the man, what he did, what punishment he should face... alright here it is."

Sandre took a deep breath.

"The man came to the Tower and signed the trainee book agreeing to remain here until he is released. He broke that oath. He met people he called friends who asked him to stay, he abandoned them concerned for his own hide. Those decisions caused him to murder countless other innocents in service to the Shadow even if under a death threat. He gave no thought at all to the fact that whomever the Shadow wants killed is more important than the blade doing the job or his mother. In addition to the lies, and the murders he also admitted to stealing. In all that time that he was here or away from here or even as a slave assassin it never occurred to him that being a bastard son of a noble in of itself is not a crime and the bounty was unjust. It would have taken the tower less than a night I wager to prove his innocence in Caemlyn and have his father brought up on charges. While circumstances may have made his choices difficult, they were still his choices."

The court was rather silent. Some knew that he had loved Elyan like a brother at one time. Yet Sandre was honest to a fault.

"You want my opinion on his punishment well... turning himself in may be the only good thing he ever did. I would say that for running away it would be the same punishment as any deserter trainee, an allotted time collecting the trash from the alleys of Tar Valon and loading them into the carts and burning it. Stealing is just a matter of gold most of the time, gold can be paid back. I have always felt losing a hand is almost as good as a death sentence since those people will not find work, so he should have to pay back the gold value of everything he stole plus interest. As for the murders... well turning yourself in and admitting guilt would give you a beheading for your troubles but that too is not just since it only encourages murderers who wish to redeem themselves to continue hiding and causing us trouble when they are found out."

Sandre was unfortunately one of those that had to deal with the paperwork when a trainee or Tower Guard from Andor or Shienar was found to be a wanted criminal since he had ties to both sides nobility.

"For the murders I do apologize but I will have to abstain on that one... Elyan's leaving felt like a betrayal to me and his return has only opened the door again. He has destroyed lives... caused misery... at the very least, he should have to live the rest of his days saving lives and creating rather than destroying to honor the memories of those he killed."

Sandre sat feeling the weight of the world on him again. Elyan did not know he was needed when he left that day, likely, he would have left anyways.

Of course he was late. He had spent the afternoon haggling with the City Watch for the custody of a trainee who thought to sneak out of the yards and get himself into a live steel duel in a back alley. Worse still was the trainee was good, much better than the drunk sailor the duel was with. When he returned to the yards the trial was already underway and Sandre Kaldun walked to the mess hall used for trials on these type of days. The trainee would of course wait for Thera to be done in there before facing his own punishment. (So Elyan is back.) he thought to himself as he crossed the yards.

He intended to be as quiet as possible for a man of his size. Would Elyan even recognize him? Sandre had put on more muscle, a deeper tan, far more scars, was a foot taller and cut his hair short. Sandre shook his head. (No... he left when I needed his friendship the most.) Yet when he opened the door to the mess and swept his cloak back over the shoulders of his plate and chain armor he met the man's gaze and the recognition was instantaneous. Sandre's anger melted away. He gave only a quick nod before finding an empty bench near the front. He did not bother to look at Thera who was likely giving him "the look" that usually terrorfied trainee and Tower Guard alike but he shot her a quick grin as he sat down. The one she had referred to as his "cocky know it all" grin. She loved that one.

Posted up. Your go friend.

Sandre did not fear heights. Lately he had not felt much of anything though. Calmly he listened to the sound of the stream as he dried in the sun upon a high rock and chewed on some boar he had killed the day before. The rock was in an outcrop of trees. Clumps of trees littered the plains around Tar Valon. It was a good place to grow them and many orchards were in the area as well. Sandre let out a sigh. Even from this distance he could see Elyan running, evading. He would run right into this copse simply because his training told him it was the best place to do so when you did not wish to be seen traveling. Elyan had the look of flight about him his whole time in the yards. Sandre knew that Elyan's sense of self worth was low. Perhaps that is why he took to him so quickly. He reminded him of his own brother, Dante.

He climbed off the rock and dressed and leaned against the tree. (One more day of peace.) he thought to himself, but duty was duty. He waited until Elyan almost sprinted past him. "Going somewhere Elyan?" He looked ragged again. He must have been running all night. "Come friend... you have cut your foot. I give you two days more of running before your foot is infected." He turned and walked towards his camp. He had water boiling already with beans,veggies, and boar inside. Since people had a strange tendency to stumble into his camps, he had made it a point to always cook extra. He also had a pot of water for tea and sticks with boar meat drying out. "Sit." he said more of an order than request before pulling out some of the supplies he brought with him. Lengths of cloth for bandages. Salt he had been using for his food but would do well here. Pine based soap that he used and pine sap itself. He took Elyan's foot with a stern look of Dont you dare protest and cleaned it with hot water and soap before applying a mix of pine sap and salt which of course burned like hell but would make sure there was no infection. Then he rewrapped it and afterward poured two bowls of soup, handing one to Elyan.

"So... you were just going to leave without saying goodbye?" He tried to keep the agitation out of his voice but it was there. "I thought we had moved past this Elyan. When you put your name in that trainee book you gave up the right to run away again. Your duties will not be as easily cast aside as you had planned to do with me and the rest of your friends." He noted Elyan did not have the cloak he had given him. He was just starting to grow into it, but he had a dagger he had seen on Edana many times. Sandre felt more than a little jealous about that. Yet also a little sad, Edana too had led him and cast him out of her life. Elyan really was the last friend Sandre had.

Awesome I will add on to the thread when I get back. This is back when they were all trainees correct?

Nah the thread is good so far Jain. If you wish you can run into Sandre on your way out. Remember he spent as much time camping by the river as he could in those days. :)

Sandre Kaldun - Tower Guard

Dante Kaldun - Warder

I have been away a bit but I am trying to come back.... again

Well I have been trying to get back into RPing here. I am trying to figure out how to account for my absence on two characters though >.<

I have actually wrote new RPs for both, found I did not like them and deleted them just to sit and brainstorm some more lol. I finally got a shift at work where I have time to do this again (Does a happy dance) but wow my writing has been just... wow.

Since we are talking about new RPs in this thread of anyone has any ideas how to account for an extremely large and intelligent Tower Guard and a slim and sneaky Warder's time I am open to suggestions.

Present :)