Legend of Groose

Gabriel was flabbergasted, to be sure. To keep quiet and harbor an accused criminal...it was not something so easily done. For all they knew, Quintinius could be playing them for fools, and he truly was guilty.

Of course, this thoughts quickly and momentarily changed at Aileen's remarks. The woman was a right brat, thinking so highly of herself to the point she believed she could do anything without trouble. She was a smudge on the academy, one that needed to be cleaned up and straightened out. She was only too fortunate that Quintinius had chosen to risk himself to save her...she could have been far worse, and it was also lucky that Quintinius hadn't attacked her after being seen.

"Is there anything you need me to do, Headmaster?" Gabriel asked, trying to keep his calm.

"Like heck I'm going to skip tomorrow's class. There's a test and flying exam. Isolde and I have put way too much training into that to just let me sleep through it. Nice to know I've been here for a few years now, paying my way through, and you don't know the first thing about me still." Aileen growled. She got up, her head pounding, and went out into the hall and retrieved the items as asked. She eyed the medium sized uniforms and had serious doubts that scarecrow of a boy would fit even these but she did as she was told.

She returned a few minutes later and set the blanket, pillow, and uniform on a nearby chair before promptly walking out. She wanted to sleep and really didn't want to be around any of them at the moment, much less stick around for the HEadmaster to make her do something else.

The Headmaster frowned faintly. It wasn't as if he wasn't going to let her make up the tests afterward, he was trying to do her a favor and let her get some actual rest, but if that was her attitude, so be it. He could see that child didn't appreciate much of anything anyway, and she took a great deal more for granted. "No Gabriel, you've done enough for one night. Your shift is nearly over, you should go and get some sleep as well. I will see to Quintinius." he said. He sent the young knight apprentice out and set about the task of getting Quintinius dry and dressed, wrapping him tightly in the blanket for warmth and making him as comfortable as he could.

"Yes, Headmaster," replied Gabriel, bowing out before heading back to his room, gathering his pet along the way. He was still uncertain about Quintinius' trustworthiness...he was still a criminal, after all, and there was little that proved that he wasn't the culprit. He could only hope that the headmaster's judgement was indeed as sound as he made it seem...if they were being duped, he would be none too pleased with the young man playing on a kindly old man's trust like that.

"You really should get a new look and a new hobby." Aileen quipped when Gabriel stepped out of the room. She was on her way to the bath to get washed up and into a fresh uniform so all she had to do when the breakfast bell rang was to pull on her shoes and run out. "No one likes a snitch, Gabriel. And I think it's stupid all you have to do is pass a flying test to get your uniforms. The bird does the work and the person gets the glory. All it takes is a smart and a fast bird, but the human it's carrying around can sure be stupid and still wind up with the title of knight."

Aileen gave him a pointed glare and headed into the washroom, where she drew a hot bath and scrubbed until she was clean. She didn't really care to hear any sort of response Gabriel had. When she passed her tests and bested the competition in the graduation ceremony, well, the knights would finally have some brains in their ranks, and she had all the ambition in the world to rise to the top and shove anyone who wanted to get in her way aside.

Gaepora sighed faintly and tended to his sickened and half starved charge. He got him clean and dry, dressing him in the fresh uniform and making him as comfortable as he could. "Poor Lad...all this trouble on your young shoulders with no rhyme or reason at all..." he said, placing a cloth across Quintinius' brow. He slipped down to the kitchens and fetched some thick broth and a pitcher of fresh water before returning and getting him to drink the filling broth so he would finally have some nourishment and also warm him up better. After a little while he was resting more comfortably and sleeping more peacefully and Gaepora smoothed the blankets over him to let him rest on undisturbed. He only hoped that the boy would continue to rest and recover. There was much to think about now, and no immediate solutions in sight. He prayed to the goddesses that his young charge would not have to suffer this pitiful existence much longer, and that Aileen would learn the truly important lessons that the institution taught. Boldness and ambition were all well and good, but she did what she wanted when she wanted. Life didn't always work that way.

How Gabriel wished he could cross swords with her. He'd like to knock her down a peg or twenty, and show her that he was indeed knight material. He may not have had perfect scores on his schoolwork, but what he did make was high enough to certify his mental prowess, and his swordsmanship was second only to Link and, few others. Perhaps it was true, just riding your bird was indeed a rather simple and easy way to become a knight, but certainly, it still took skill, if nothing more than to at least make certain you didn't fall off. If anything, a test of wits and swordsmanship would do some good.

Gabriel sighed, trying not to think more of the infuriating woman. There were other issues to deal with, and Gabriel had no time for his own frustrations.