Esra T. Montaque [ Shade ]
( Impregnable Fortress )
Shade, while exploring the Fortress to get to know it better, passed by a group of officer housing. However, it just so happens, the shut in of another female stepped outside, her eyes flickering around before landing on someone she does not recognize. "Hmm?" She hesitantly began to approach Shade, who seemed to notice.
The new guardian raises an eyebrow at the woman staring at her. "Need something?" She asks, somewhat grufly. "Er, I wouldn't say that... I would like to know your name though?" Esra approached slowly, she was with a narrowed gaze and skeptical green eyes.
"Shade Bigge. New guardian. You?"
"Esra Montaque, ... guardian? Congratulations for becoming a guardian."
"Thank you." Shade nods to her. "Its nice to have people so welcoming of me, despite my previous position as a Captian of the King's Guard." "Uh..." her hand raises to run through her locks, "Do not take this as a great thing, I just do not have any more room to be any more stressed. So I'll be happy to just accept you without worries."
"H-Huh? Oh no! I am still with my father is all, he got one one these houses when I was little so..." it could be seen as odd that she was still with him, nearly past twenty one, unwed, and without a hut or home to call her very own. "B-But please! Don't focus on me, I want to hear about you." Esra felt a bit sheepish, being away from others besides her father for that small time was not the best thing.
"What do you want to know?" Shade questioned. "Oh... what are you interested in?" The blonde peeked around and relaxed slightly. "Besides having a future as one of us."
"I'm not certain what you mean. I'm soldier, have been all my life. There is little other life I know other than negotiating and fighting."
Esra nearly bursts into a laughing fit, before pausing and giving the female a baffled expression. "You need to lighten up, have fun! The soldier life is great, but it is not the only life."
"True...but you Guardians have little else around here. There is the tavern...and the training yards." Shade shrugs. "If I were back in the city, I would attend parties, and balls, festivals, museums and other such things of culture. Here...I have yet to observe anything like that." The ideas of parties, balls, even festivals and museums sounded so exciting. "You... you really got to attend all those?" Her eyes were large and she practically clung to the female, before regaining her relaxed composure. "Do tell?"
Shade raised an eyebrow at her. "I'm not certain I know how to explain them well. Its just something you have to experience for yourself." Her expression softens. "Adran is working very hard to bring the guardians into a place where they can start making a culture other than war. We'll need people like you to help when that time comes." Esra seemed to become dejected when Shade said she couldn't explain it, that one would have to experience it. "Adran... is?" Her eyes widen and Esra suddenly grins, "I... I would love that. But... don't tell anyone this! They won't respect me as much if I go completely soft..."
"There is nothing soft about wanting a life outside of war"
"I would disagree but... honestly I hope you are right. I don't know if I would like being stuck in this horrid life of fighting much longer, and the others... I don't know if they would feel the same, besides Adran."
"If we were able to introduce them to it, i'm certain they would. One day after this seige. Perhaps."
"After this war, things will change. With any luck, it'll be for the better." Shade inclines her head to Esra. "It was a pleasure meeting you Esra. I look forward to fighting alongside you in battle." Esra glances around before suddenly hugging Shade, "as do I, I shall always have your back, you are welcome to my home anytime. Unless you tell others I actually am friendly also..." she removed herself and backed off, "Hopefully the war is in our favor as well."
Shade stands stiff at the hug...relaxing slightly as she is released. Still a child this one...one who had yet to see death and war. Shade hoped she survived. "As do I." She walks away and Esra is left behind.
She did not know how she felt, but soon Esra realized something, more friendship was forming and it was not even what she wanted to happen but... it was nice. Esra shook her head slightly, the typically rude or obnoxious, even sometimes bipolar, guardian had a new hope.