Characters/SesusPadwa
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Sesus Padwa
Ranger and Assassin of Mela's Vengeful Legion
I've always been very good at what I do, but never for the reasons other's think. The wilderness was always my first love -- not the killing. Mother had a small Wood Manse, on the edge of a preserve that had been set up long ago to allow other Dynasts and their guests to go hunting against various dangerous animals. Whenever I wasn't engaged in studies or being drilled by my tutors, I'd spend my time pestering my brothers or any guests I could politely approach about stories from their hunting trips. Once I was old enough to do so, I even got a few tales of my own -- even if I did have to go with my brothers. They were always so bloodthirsty; with them it was always about killing something. A few times I would go with Mother, once she discovered our shared interest. However, my favorite times on the reserve would have to be once I got old enough that I was allowed to go out on my own. Of course, by 'on my own' I mean 'only with several attendents, a few bodyguards, and a Master Forester' -- but it was still the best time of my life. I felt like I was the master then, and there wasn't anything I couldn't do. I never came back with as many trophies as my brothers or even my mother; I could have though. I just prefered stalking the beasts, instead of killing them. By the time I was sent off to Primary School, I was quite the little forester myself...
If I must tell the truth, I didn't much like Primary School that much -- no, that's a lie. If my tutors had been boring, then the Graiden Academy seemed like some form of torture. I hated it -- but I made do. I've heard that some Dynasts can't take it, and end up getting sent to places like the Palace of the Untamed Storm but I was never that bad. Mother played her part; whenever I came home for my months off, she always had some kind of new bit of gear for me (assuming my grades had been acceptable) and I was given plenty of free time. My months off are probably some of my fondest memories. In the end, I worked for that.
I exalted a bit late, and my parents had mostly given up on me. However, once I passed Primary School, I had matured enough that I realized that there was life outside of the forest. So, naturally, there was secondary school. My parents weren't all that eager, especially with both of my brothers to occupy their attention, but my own persistence and social responcibility took over and they gave me their own backing. If I could get into a good secondary school, they'd do what they could to support me. It was a hard decision deciding exactly where I wanted to go, especially since I knew that there was a high chance that I wouldn't get in anyway. I still held out some hope that I'd exalt, but mostly I'd accepted that I wasn't going to, and most children at Secondary School are Dragon-Blooded. Eventually, however, I decided on the Cloister of Wisdom.
Some are surprised to learn that I went to the Cloister of Wisdom -- however, while I might not seem very devout now, I am and I was even more so back when I was 14. In any event, I was able to secure admittance for myself and my parents did their best to give me all of the attention they'd given my brothers. That meant a lot, and continues to now; they would have supported me wherever I'd decided to go even if I wasn't one of the Blooded. How many Dynasts can say the same? My first year at the Cloister was a lot of fun, which surprised me. The Monks who train the new students are very interesting, and not as dour and humorless as I imagined they would be. Not that it wasn't strict, orderly and harmonious -- but the Immaculate Dragons are a thing to be cherished and beloved, and the Cloister teaches in a similar fashion. There is responcibility and duty, but there is also joy in the Immaculate Order.
In any event, I exalted in my second year -- much to the surprise and relief of my parents. It happened during one of the Essence Balancing Meditations that Morning Cloud oversaw; it's mildly heretical, but I sometimes think if it wasn't for him I might not have exalted at all. Worse, I think he believes it as well. That's part of the reason I didn't become a Monk. I don't think I'd have been able to get past that. The other part of the reason was my Chenow blood. I'm pretty tame for one of my line, but the idea of being all-but a pacifist didn't appeal to me. I learned Martial Arts half for enlightenment, and half so I could crack bones. Once I got out of Secondary School, though, I was somewhat at a loss for what to do. Mother had arranged for me to go live with a distant uncle, from the Threshold, for a while -- to give me time to weigh in all my options.
Sesus Telet lived just a bit outside of Chiaroscuro, in the South. He was functionally part of the Garrison, but he'd lived in his little estate for quite some time and considered it pretty much his home. I spent a little bit of time in his estate, at his library, and even in the city but it wasn't long before I found myself wandering the dunes. The South...was very different from what I was used to. In so many ways, it's the land of Hesiesh. One has to marshall all of ones resources, being very careful in their use. For what is bountiful one day, might be very rare the next. If one looks hard enough, though, one can even find the hand of Sextis Jylis in the dunes...
I had been in the South for almost a year when the Dune People started attacking the caravans. So, yeah, I started working with the Guild. It was below me, I know, and it almost got me kicked out of Telet's estate because of it -- however, I wanted to help and I really had nothing better to do in my spare time. The money the Guild offered me was very tempting as well, once I talked to them about it. So I took a job protecting a caravan. I still get a bit of backtalk for that now and again, especially from my Mother. It's kind of like her little way of putting me in my place, and I suppose I deserve it. I recognize now what a mistake it was; the position wasn't befitting my spiritual station, and in retrospect it's pretty obvious that the Guild was taking advantage of me. I let them. On the other hand, I can't look back on those times too negatively. I did a lot of good, and I think that's somewhat more important than all the other bullshit.
I learned a lot from the Dune People. Not the direct way, of course -- I mean that I learned a lot by killing them, and fighting them in general. They're brutal, merciless, and utterly inhuman in their outlook. I don't know why they hate us so; I imagine it has something to do with the Anathema. Maybe they were weapons of the Demon Princes, still fighting a war that has been all-but over for an Age. I don't know, but whatever it is they absolutely detest everyone except their own kin. They'll murder an entire caravan, if you let them. They're shadows over the dune, as slippery as a sand swimmer and as cunning as a tiger. You can't let them dictate the way the battle unfolds; if you just react to Dune People, even one of the Blooded will find himself drowning in his own blood. They know what they're doing, and they know the land. However, if you turn the odds around and take the fight to them on your own terms...then you can win, or at least push them back.
In a way, I'm glad that Master Janos was such a jackass of a man. If he wasn't, I might still be serving with that damned Caravan. I'm just lucky I didn't get pregnant...but maybe we should keep that to ourselves, hmmm? I still suspect that if my mother knew I'd actually lain with a Guildsman she really would have be disowned me. I left the South once my service with the Caravan came to an end, back to the Blessed Isle. Despite her disapproval of how I spent my time in the South, though, I owe my mother a good bit -- if it wasn't for her righteous indignation, I might very well not have thought to join the Legions. She was adamant that the only way I could regain my honor was to fight under the banner of the Realm, and embrace my martial heritage.
I wasn't a front line fighter, of course, and I doubted I would fit in well with my families troops. The Chenow line is known for it's brutality, after all, and except for me it's pretty true. I like fighting, but I don't love it.
I started off with the 20th Legion, for a while. It was a good assignment, my mother even approved. I was just a scout, but I was a good one. We were in Thorns, you know? Bad fighting; positively disgusting. So many died, unable to get away. The dead, of course, were even more miserable. I still have nightmares, sometimes, but I managed to get out with a good bit of information. That was what brought me to the attention of the Vengeful Talon, that and my reputation for dangerous competence. And here I've been ever since...
Fan-bloody-tastic. Seriously. I thought that was one of the best bits of fan-fic I've read in quite a while. Nice one. - Voidstate
