#reinhardt saveterre

[scrollsfromarebornrealm]

storm warning

Helgrim sniffled. Took out a hankerchief and pretended to blow his nose.

"I'm so proud!"

"Sweet merciful Halone. Leave my presence." Brucemont ordered, and then rolled his eyes as the highlander gestured at the training grounds.

"Look at him! One day he was just a little stripling! And now he's all big and grown up with his very own hatchling to roast!" Snickering could now be heard from the other members of the primary officer core. Helgrim sniffed again.

"They grow up so fast."

"I have to admit, Sauveterre sure knows how to find them." Therese, the House Hallienarte Knight- Dragoon captain admitted. "For her size and height, that Roegadyn can move quick when she wants to. Blew through the rooftop course without breaking a sweat! And she's been one of the top students in the endurance training too!"

"I think Sauveterre needling her is providing motivation." Helgrim cackled, putting away the hankerchief. "You should have seen them at Whitebrim! 'Push 'til I get tired, Squire Gohtawyn!' The look on her face!"

"On the more serious side, it wouldn't hurt to maybe set up some sort of training curriculum with Limsa." Brucemont mused thoughtfully. He crossed his arms. "She has a pirate background, but sailors working a ship's rigging and sails need to be fast and nimble. And some of the best of us stumble during certain points of the Eorzean Ninja Warrior course during Moonfire."

"You're thinking maybe more agility training then?" Therese asked. She tilted her head, putting a finger to her chin. "Wouldn't hurt, especially if we added it in as a pre-requirement to both the outsider hopefuls and our people. That way the ones who do pass and get admitted to the basic training pool have less to learn in that category." Her eyes widened as a thought occurred to her.

"That reminds me, how did the meeting with the Parliament go?" Brucemont sighed, shaking his head.

"Not good. But not bad, either."

"Is that man..." Helgrim started, then swore violently as Brucemont nodded.

"He's saying all the right things to keep the traditionalists stirred up, but there's enough voices to keep him from blocking the measures and money that we need." The elezen twisted his neck from side to side, trying to break the tension that was slowly tightening his muscles. The man in question was Ghislain Naegelen, a wealthy merchant in the House of Lords. He was the current darling of Ishgard's hardliner traditionalists.

He was also the younger brother of Yvan Naegelen, a dragoon that had not only turned traitor during the attempted coup by the Brothers of the True Faith, but had murdered his former student Louis Bernard for not siding with the Church. Yvan had not only been tried and found guilty, but Louis's lover had invoked the right of Saint Renette, an Ishgardian law which permitted one to avenge their beloved's death. Yvan had also been sentenced to damnation mémoire, which meant his knighthood had been stripped and all his deeds expunged from Ishgardian history.

Brucemont knew there were still people who thought he'd gone too far. That he should have allowed Aymeric to show mercy. But Louis's mother had died the day after her son had been buried--her cold corpse found atop the freshly-turned dirt of his grave. Heartbreak, plain and simple.

Brucemont had found he'd been bled dry of any mercy to give.

He's becoming more troublesome. Bastion whispered in the back of his mind. Vexing in the way that draws darker attentions.

If he steps out of line, he'll be put back in place. Brucemont thought. Besides. He can only do so much. The Knights-Dragoon were still a needed presence in not only Ishgard but Corethas on the whole. Forcing the thought of Ghislain out of his head, Brucemont turned to the other dragoons.

"What's this bullshite I heard about Friar Tucker getting called in to meditate the betting pool over Reinhardt and his hatchling?" He demanded, putting his hand on his hips. Immediately several pairs of fingers pointed at Therese, who swore.

"You are not pinning this on me! The lot of you are the ones who started adding in crazier outcomes!"

"We're not the ones who got the groun--I mean the Temple Knights involved." Helgrim added.

"That was Purehart, not me! And I think he's the only Temple Knight who threw in!"

"No, Lucia somehow fucking found out and told Ystrid Frostborne." Helgrim countered, naming a well-known Temple Knight commander. "And then Ser Aymeric apparently got in on it--" Brucemont facepalmed.

Maybe a night to call your gunbreaker? Bastion teased.

Shut up.

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(@saesama 's Klynt)

Also I pull from a event that happened in my HW dragoon fanfic, Unorthodox. Chapters 26-28.