Kaia was decidedly unhappy. The day had not gone well, and it wasn't over yet, not even close. When she'd woken that morning, she had tripped on her way to the showers, and managed to not only get a colorful bruise on her shoulder, but also tore down one of the tapestries as she'd grabbed it in an attempt to stop the fall. Then had come breakfast, which had only been unusual in the fact that she'd been late, and so endured the stares of her peers as she made her way to sit alone.
Morning classes, where the students learned tactics and math, etiquette and writing, were bearable. Lunch had been unremarkable. But training...
Kaia had been even slower and more clumsy than she usually was, and had an assortment of other bruises on her legs and arms to show for it. She even had a black eye where she'd been punched in martial arts instruction, much to her shame. Her teachers merely sighed now when they looked at her. They'd given up on her some time ago, despite the high hopes they'd had at first.
"Just because my father and mother are warriors doesn't mean I have to be." she groused quietly, looking at the closed door before her with something like fear. Now, in punishment for her day, she was to show around the new cadet instead of going to her room and relax. Kaia absently pushed a few strands of brown hair away from her face and closed her eyes, gathering her courage.
"He's just a boy...and he's new, so he won't know to tease me yet..." she reasoned, speaking aloud to herself as was habit. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door, then opened it and peered inside. "Um, hello? Are you...the new cadet?" she asked quietly of the boy. "I'm to show you around, if you are....
