Valentine sat on his bed in his own room at the order, it was the last night before he was sent out on an assignment on his own for the first time and he had to confess to feeling a bit nervous. He had been playing his violin but had laid it carefully next to him, unable to concentrate properly. The usually soothing music did nothing to dispel his anxieties. He glanced around his room and still found it hard to believe he had managed to pass all of his tests and was now a fully fledged Rose. It also meant that he now had his own room away from the training dorms on the other side of the complex.
The walls were still the familiar alchemical-paint white and the floor was still covered with the same rush mats, but now he had a large double bed all to himself and a small sitting room attached to the bedroom in case he received guests. He arose and drew the curtains against the encroaching evening. The air was now thankfully cooler than it had been at midday, although he was now more used the the hot summers of Quillia, he still found the head of the day a touch stifling. A cool breeze rustled the light curtains and he was thankful for the draft. He crossed the room again and poured a glass of water from his pitcher. He sipped it and considered getting a book to read. He rejected the idea, knowing he would not be able to settle properly. Valentine checked his pack again for the hundredth time, knowing that everything he needed was inside, except the swords they had made for him. He would be able to collect those in the morning before he left.
There was a tap at the door and he walked over to it, he opened it a fraction and saw Alicia standing there. "Good Evening." he smiled opening the door and letting her in.
"Hi," she smiled. She strode into the room carrying a small bag with her, her red curls bobbing as she walked as always. She cast a fine figure as she walked, if somewhat short, wearing the same loose fitting black trousers and white tunic that he wore however, her womanly curves were obvious to Valentine as she moved past him. She appeared unarmed, but he suspected other wise, she usually always carried a dagger of some sort with her.
"How are you?" he asked.
"I'm OK. I thought you would want some company. Take your mind off tomorrow." she said.
"Yeah thanks." he nodded, "Drink of water?"
"I have better than that." she smiled, producing a bottle of wine. "I swiped it from the kitchens earlier." she explained as Valentine fetched two glasses.
"Nice one!" he replied, "Thomas not about tonight?"
"He's with Archi at the moment, they're working together on their first mission." she replied.
"Just you and me then." he shrugged pouring out the cheap white wine. They sat opposite each other in Valentine's sitting room and sipped their wine. "Cards?" he asked
"Not tonight Valentine," she said, "I am all out of enthusiasm for cards at the moment."
"OK." he shrugged.
"Hows the tattoo?" she asked.
"Not as bad as it was." he replied, feeling the glow of the wine hitting his cheeks.
"Stings doesn't it." she grinned.
"Yes."
"Will you play for me?" she asked
"Of course I will." he replied, she has long since given up learning to play the violin and let him have the instrument she had but she still liked to listen to him play. He entered the bedroom and fetched the instrument. He applied the bow to the strings and drew a note, "Anything specific?" he asked.
"Not really." she replied, content just to listen.
"Very well, I shall play you the one my father taught me just before I left." he replied. He drew the bow across the string and slipped into an easy rhythm. The notes reverberated around his small room and he let the music flow from the violin. He let the tone of the music drop, sparking emotions of sadness and parting. He hardly needed to focus on what he was playing and let the music soothe his anxieties away, as it usually did. He caught the look of sadness on Alicia's face as he was playing and picked up the pace slightly.
He opened his mouth and for the first time since he had left home he lifted his voice in song. He sang the foreign words in his rich baritone, causing his companion to look up in amazement. The song seemed appropriate as it told of parting friends, originally it should have been a duet and he only sang the male part however it had the desired effect on Alicia, she was soon smiling. He let the song end and he smiled at her.
"All these years, you never told me you could sing as well." she said, "you're very good at it too." she added
"Thank you." he replied.
"Let me guess, your mother was a singer?"
"No. I had formal lessons from the age of five until I left them."
"Formal lessons?" she frowned. "Rather expensive for a street urchin."
"Not a street urchin." he retorted, applying the bow to the strings again and playing a more up beat ditty he had recently heard in the streets of Quillia. She clapped along with her hands as he played and he was genuinely pleased to see his friend smiling. He let the tune finish before letting the violin slip to his side and taking a generous slurp of wine.
"What else are you hiding under that cool exterior of yours Valentine Ungart?" she asked.
"Oh not much." he shrugged.
"I don't believe one word of that." she replied, "Will you tell me the truth one day?" she asked
"One day." he nodded sitting down again.
"So there is something under there." she smiled.
"Of course, we all have our secrets don't we."
"Oh tell me."
"I have never told anyone." Valentine replied, "You have to swear on your honour as a member of the Roses not to tell anyone." he said."If you pass this information on, it could get us both killed."
"Killed?" she asked, her eyes widening.
"Yes, do you promise?"
"I do." she said, "I swear on the honour of a Rose that what you say will not pass these walls."
"OK." he said, taking a deep breath. "My name is not Valentine Ungart, It is Louis Kazaril. I am the son of Duke Wilhelm Kazaril of Karana. The eldest son. I ran away just before my fifteenth birthday." he explained.
"Really?" she asked, her eyes widening.
