RP:A Lesson for the Teacher

Summary: Valen intends to have a one-on-one lesson with a gifted student, but ends up being taught something himself.

Cenril: Sandy Beach

Percivaale had been gone the majority of the day and when he returned to the academy, he was painstakingly silent. He would only offer “I simply went out” and “he was studying,” but even he knows that studying doesn’t result in burnt clothing. It didn’t help he was in a rather bitter mood. Holding the back of his shoes in his hand, he eased up as he trotted down the cenril beach. The moon reflects on the horizon of the ocean, the light scattering on the blue waves. It was cold. The night breeze would comb through his white hair, strongly smelling like salt and seaweed. Folding up his sleeves and pants up to the joints, he was ready to just swim in the water— despite him wearing his daytime clothing. He rarely sees a coastal ocean sea, only a few islands jutting out of the water from afar. “What’s our objective today, Valen?” he asks.

Valen would look to the small boy, knowing fully well, and not buying it for a second, that he had been studying...just, perhaps a differnt kind of studying. While he did not approve, he had a chance to teach this one more than just the ways of magic. "I wanted to make this lesson a bit...different. Rather than focus solely on magic, I want us to try to combine something and see if that has any impact on your abilities." A sly smirk would be given as he points out to the ocean. "This beach, is your sketchpad...you, are the artist. Do whatever you like, however you like, but on the condition that when you are finished...You have at least made one sand-castle with magic, OR made an ice sculpture from the sea." It might seem odd, yes. But essentually he was giving Percivaale free reign to accomplish those tasks however he wished.

Percivaale didn’t miss a beat this time. He was getting used to the “show off your abilities!” lessons, if he do say so himself. Not wanting to get the rest of his clothes to be ruined, he decides that maybe an ice sculpture would be better. Dropping his black shoes onto his sand, he walks into the water just enough for it to be above his ankles. It lingers in his mind what he should make. A castle, Valen asks? He glances at him from the corner of his eye, seeing the man watch in expectation. No, he should put more thought into it. Turning around, he chants his spell and dip his fingers in his water. Ice immediately forms, a large hexagonal platform that spans three meters in diameter thickens the more effort he puts into it. When it was large enough that it could no longer risk to break apart, he climbs on to it. Settling on the center of the ice, he kneels, sculpting the sand to shape. He did not talk. He simply used his magic to form the ice the way he wanted, noting that chilltouch was much easier to work with. When he was done, he did not only create a castle on a Cliffside, but he created an entire landscape of a crescent shaped lake surrounding it with vast forests. A rather detailed village was at the bulk of the hill side.

Valen had certainly not been expecting for something so beautiful to have been made like that on the first try. His mouth was agape, in clear disbelief, before he applauded with a very pleased grin on his face. "Percivaale! Magnificent! Look at that, such craftsmanship, the detail!" Not only was there a castle, but an entire kingdom made out of sand. Oh if only he were an artist but to simply capture the essence, the truth of it all to show to the headmaster. "That, will be one I cannot wait to tell my friends." As he walks towards it, he can scarecly believe his eyes still, as if they were to be playing some sort of trick but a quick walk around inspection would certainly reveal it was no trickery. "Now...for the next part. I want you to tell me just what you were concentrating on, what you feel when you do that. This is very important to the lesson, as one must be aware at all times of their emotions, lest their concentration gets broken. If you can not tell me what I asked, it is no big deal. Though I will give you another to perform and you can focus on the answers during that." It was not said as a threat, or as condesencsion...But merely as an explanation. "Percivaale..." he would say, and the next words may just sound familiar to the young boy. "You just might be the one."

Percivaale ’s sordid face exchanges into a face of complete delight. He had difficulty hiding his pride in his work, showing off a toothy grin as he looked upon his canvas. He can become the next Elsa, if he wanted. Hands on his hips, he naturally held his chin up high, "Take a look at that. I built a kingdom too. I call it-... Uh... uhm. PERCIA! Where I’m it’s ruling dictator. Or king. Whatever comes first." He manically laughs, kicking the castle off its residing Cliffside. He once again casts chilltouch and within seconds a rather dopish looking human figure with a crown is dropped onto the large mound—I t takes a bit of effort to recognize that it’s apparently Percy himself, however the proportion to his height to the castle are enough to name him a giant. He makes another figure, however a much smaller one to match the proportion of the kingdom better. “That’s you. You’re living with me in the castle, advising me.” He makes another figure, a girl’s “Ngir is living in the village, begging to swear fealty to me.” And then he makes one more-- a figure clad in armor, which he drops without care into the lake. “You know, I was focusing on what Sir Knight told me. About wanting a kingdom himself. I’ll build another. A way better one. One that can actually work, at least. Sir knight, doesn’t know how to earn a profit by thugging his way in.” Percivaale continues, "To build a kingdom, ya gotta coerce them first. Then thug them when they don't follow the rules."

Valen idly wondered if Percivaale had missed what he had wanted him to tell him, or whether or not this is exactly what the child had been thinking of while creating the masterpiece. When the castle is knocked off it's cliffside though he would frown. That had been a stunning piece of artwork that he would have liked to see about preserving. He was touched at the relationship that he had given them in this fantastical story land but something about it seemed...wrong to him. Thugging? swearing fealty? Being a dictator? "Percy it is all rather intriguing and fun to think about, but that is not what power is about. I don't know what that Knight was telling you earlier but this is not what I would ever want for you. To be a great man, yes. But not to talk about 'thugging' people when they do not follow the rules, or calling yourself a dictator." The way that he spoke, was most certainly from experience it seemed. "When I was a prince so very long ago, my parents ruled with the most powerful attribute a person can posess..." He looked to the boy now with a soft smile. "Do you know what that power is Percy?"

Percivaale looks at the village that he created and distorted under his image. Even though he made it look comical, he can’t laugh as he usually did “It was given to me once,” he mentions, but he seems to realize why he will never be able to truly create this fantasy land, why he can never become king. It’s all because “I was scared by it. I guess you can still say I still sorta am. Forgive me Valen, but… I lied. This isn’t a future kingdom that I will make. I can’t possibly be a king. I like being hidden in the shadows, and just… entertaining myself, you know? Seeing amusing things and the likes. You said I may be the one, I don’t know for what, but I can’t possibly be your one”

Valen would look at him, a tear sliding out of his left eye. How could this one not understand that he knew all too well. "It was love...Percivaale. My parents ruled with love, and one day, you will too...If not a kingdom, someones heart but either way you will rule with love. Being a king can be a scary prospect, but it is our choices that define who we are. The shadows are fun, but they are not all they seem to be. Trust me, I know." A hand would move to take him by the shoulder gently, offering a light squeeze. "You can always see amusing things, no matter who and where you are...and you are the one, Perci, not...what it might sound like, but you are the one...the child I never had, but always wanted."

Percivaale Raises his chin, eyes widening in disturbance that his teacher was tearing up. They were sincere, with every part of his heart teared into it. The child does not know how to respond. So he does not. He turns to look at his fake kingdom once more and picks his giant figure of himself and it cracks under his hand a much smaller childish figure forming. Tossing it up and down in his hand, he picks up Valen’s figure as well before placing both in the village area. Satisified, he steps back and trots up the sandy beach ready to leave. “Alright, Valen, I will admit this time that this… I enjoyed today’s lesson.”

Valen had to admit that this evening's lesson did not go all according to plan, and quickly dried his eyes. The sight of him placing the figures of himself and Valen together in the village brought one more tear, a happy one, out into the open. "You know Perce...I think this evening was more of a lesson from you to me." As he stood, he would explain with a laugh. "You have taught me, that I need to start living by my own example." After all, he would never tell this boy about how he had almost ended his own life the other night, and ended up fighting a dragon simply because it had wished to not see him go. "Come on you...Maybe we can go get some ice cream and stay up late...just this once." He would always carry this moment in his heart from now, until the end of his immortality.

Percivaale he laughs, kicking the sand under his feet as he agrees, but he abruptly runs back around to the beach to retrieve his shoes. Crouching down to put it back on, he looks at his sculpture one more time. Breathing out another ice spell, he touches the village once more to form one more figure in the protruding ice. Finally happy, he catches up to you, ensuring that he wants a watermelon sorbet.