It was a nice day out, with clear blue skies and a light breeze. Birds would fly overhead and call out in their sing-song voices and every note I happily breathed it in. I had gone straight to the library with Verity that morning to grab a book and then to the training grounds to watch Geneth and Tristian spar alongside many others that were doing the same. The clash and clang of the swords didn't distract me from the beautiful words sprawled on the pages. It helped me to focus, the familiarity of the sound.

"Oh!" Verity's exclamation made me look up from my book and at her. I followed her gaze to Geneth and Tristian on the field. Tristian was advancing on her and swiping at her with his sword.

Geneth, being smaller and quicker than Tristian, was able to evade him. She spun around him, in a whir of yellow and silver, jabbing him in the back before he could react. When he turned to connect swords and block her further attacks, she dodged around him again, and kicked out hard with her foot, causing him to stumble enough for her to know she won. When he turned around, her sword was pointed deathly close to him.

Victory! And Verity and I were the first to witness it!

He was staring at her with... admiration? A smile seemed to be playing at his lips. A glimmer of something else passed across his face, something far from his look of disdain for anything and everyone. He was like someone else entirely.

Geneth was staring back up at him, breathing heavily, and sweating profusely, but looked like she was the happiest girl in the world. The look that was passing between them seemed intimate and something I shouldn't be watching. I jumped a little, but sighed in relief when I heard Lucian clear his throat behind me. Tristian blinked a few times and turned to his brother, his usual look of annoyance returning.

"You took too long. Try to be faster next time." Tristian said shortly to Geneth as he sheathed his sword. He walked quickly away from Geneth and pushed past his brother to get inside, not uttering a word to him. Lucian watched his brother go, but guessed it was probably better to leave him be. He would know better than anyone what was best for his brother.

"Oh, he's so full of it! You did amazing!" Verity stood up from the ground and turned to Geneth with a smile, but her face slowly fell as she took Geneth in. "Geneth? Are you okay?"

Geneth had thrown her sword down onto the ground and was now bent over her with hands on her knees, her undone blonde hair hiding her face. She was crying, and I dropped my book and stood up, preparing to go to her side.

"No, don't Misty," Lucian's gentle hand was on my arm, making me stop. "Let Verity deal with this. This is her field of expertise."

"I'll never be good enough! I thought he was finally proud of me. The way he looked at me--I thought--" Geneth sobbed.

"I know, hun, I know. Ssshh... Don't listen to him, he is small minded. You did absolutely astounding." Verity soothed, cradling Geneth's head in her arms, pressing her into an embrace.

"We should probably leave them alone. What about we head inside?" Lucian bent down and grabbed my book off the grass and handed it to me with a small smile. "We can roam the halls, like we have no clue what to do with our lives?"

"Sounds great to me." I laughed, as we went inside. "You have no idea how much of that I've been doing, anyway."

"Just give it some time. Patience is key. Everything will come when it's supposed to." Lucian reasoned.

"You're right... but I can't help but be restless." I sighed. "So where is Erik at? I haven't seen him around all morning."

"Yeah, he's been questioning that guy again. It's almost pointless, at this point, but I think he's angry because you could have died. He wants to know why you were attacked."

Before I could respond, I was slammed from behind by someone. I stumbled and then turned around in surprise and found Flyn recollecting himself, turning red in the face. Phoenix was down the hall, chasing after him.

"I'm--I'm so sorry! I--" Flyn glanced behind him, at his friend that was quickly approaching. "I have to go! I'm so sorry again, Miss!"

"You can't prevent fate! And that fate is me dragging your shy butt to go see Katrine!" Phoenix rushed past me at full speed.

"Noooo! Leave me aloooooone!" Flyn whined, his voice getting smaller as he put distance between himself and Phoenix.

"Should we stop them?" I asked. Lucian shook his head at me and chuckled.

"No, it's best to let them do their thing. Poor Flyn is so shy he won't pursue what he wants. I think Phoenix is the friend he needs to give him that extra push." We began walking again, toward no definite destination. "They balance each other. They are the perfect match as friends."

"Yeah..." I had tried to force him from my mind, over and over, but all this talk about friends only made me think heavily of mine. What would happen if--once--we found one another? Perhaps it didn't matter. If I had my best friend, maybe everything would make sense.

Where are you, Gil?