The War for the Rose: Book One Complete

[Iyestorm]

Any of these three:

"I want my magic to be the strongest!" (Mage)

"I want to make sure nobody else is even *thinking* of fighting us again, and make them think twice if they do!" (Espionage)

*Whisper* "I want to serve the king and wear a mask." (Take a wild guess.)

[alexthewhite]

(For the record, I will usually take something that has been seconded.)

[Sputnik]

"I want my magic to be the strongest!" (Mage)

THIS THIS THIS

We shall be the STRONGEST.

[Neopie]

"I want my magic to be the strongest!" (Mage)
"I want to make sure nobody else is even *thinking* of fighting us again, and make them think twice if they do!" (Espionage)

THESE. Except:

"I want my words to become the words of others! I want to get what I want! I want to make people better, or worse!" (Hypnotist/Mage)

[alexthewhite]

"I want my magic to be the strongest!"

Setting Sun growled. "Power hungry at three years old...she certainly takes after her father, all right."

Your father smiles wearily at this. "She does have an amount of magic in her. Not an enormous amount, of course. If she applied herself, she could be a priest."

"Aye, but what sort of life is that for a highborn lady?" Setting Sun grabs your chin and raises your head up forcefully. "The life of a priest is not an easy one, my lady. When you are of age, you will be taken from your family to live and work at a monastery. You will not be allowed to merry, nor bear children, nor own land. You will have to join the military, where you will most likely be charged with the flight of an airship. A tedious, and in wartime, short existence."

Setting Sun pauses. "I would not recommend priestdom to your daughter, Towering Spire. Even if I did, there is nothing I or anyone here could do for her."

Your father nods solemnly. "I am sorry, Hiding Spire. You are but a child, so you can be forgiven for your ignorance. Priests can only learn their craft at a monastery, nowhere else. Even the priests in my employ could not teach you, for they would risk excommunication and execution."

"You won't have to worry about priesthood until you are a woman, and that will not be so for ten or so years." Setting Sun's grasp becomes more gentle. "I am sorry, my lady, but until you are of age, you will have to choose something else."

[Sputnik]

"Then make me a warrior!"

[Whimbrel]

"Then I want to help daddy" (Spy~?) (Espionage seems like the sort of thing a sickly noblewoman could learn.)

[Wessolf27]

"Then I want to help daddy" (Spy~?) (Espionage seems like the sort of thing a sickly noblewoman could learn.)

I'm going with this. Maybe she could learn a lot about finding and making really good contacts.

[crash826]

> Then make me the greatest and strongest in other ways. Teach me the arts of war. Let me rip the throats from those who oppose our nation. LET THEIR HATRED BE THEIR DEATH.

...if you d-don't mind.

(If not this, then espionage)

[Neopie]

"I want to control minds! WITH MAGIC. Or otherwise, But preferably magic."

[Sputnik]

> Then make me the greatest and strongest in other ways. Teach me the arts of war. Let me rip the throats from those who oppose our nation. LET THEIR HATRED BE THEIR DEATH.

...if you d-don't mind.

(If not this, then espionage)

This.

[L33tsaber]

>"T-then what are ladies supposed to do?"

[alexthewhite]

(edited for clarity)"Then I want to help daddy. I'm good at moving around quietly."

"Indeed. She tried to steal a pie from the kitchen not an hour before I came here." Your father puts his hand on your head and tussled your hair. "The girl has a knack for getting into places where she isn't supposed to be."

"Hmm..." Setting Sun puts a hand on his chin. His fingers were oddly shaped, like they had been broken several times before. "And she seems to take after you in looks, my lord. Same long nose. Which is to say, she won't be the prettiest."

"Were you any other man, Setting Sun, I would have your tongue for that." Your father sounded like he was kidding about cutting Setting Sun's tongue out, though. "However, I fear you may be right. No man would bed a frail, sickly girl who is also plain unless her father could make it worth their while."

"It might work for her, though. Many underestimate the powers of an ugly woman." Setting Sun grinned that grin that showed too many teeth. "Very well, I shall teach you in the ways of silent walking. You shall serve as a lady of the court, but in truth your mission will be to gather information and, if need be, remove foes that stand in the way of your father, your land, or your country. You will learn the arts of the poison, the weapon of women and cowards. You shall also be instructed in the ways of the dagger, as well as reading and writing. One day, you might even be called to serve the King."

"I would not bank on it, though," added your father. "Women among the Masked are not unheard of, but it certainly is rare."

Your head swims. This is all so much to take in. You feel like you should say something, anything at all...

(Now would be a good time to better establish our heroine's personality.)

[Whimbrel]

Hiding Spire doesn't quite understand all of what the adults are saying, but she understands that it's important. Her father seems to be doubting her abilities. Her gaze narrows, and she gazes up at the adults with a fierce and confident expression. "I can do it."

[crash826]

Hiding Spire looks down nervously for a moment, shudders, then looks up with eyes that you wouldn't want to meet on a dark night, grinning crazily. "Hee hee. Sounds... wonderful. As wonderful as anything."

(Basically I am really banking on Hiding having split personalities)

[Neopie]

Hiding Spire smiles, a grin like a hyena. "Well. I see this turned out favorably. Oh and by the way..." Hiding Spire tosses Setting Sun's watch, that she stole while he was talking, back.

[Doopliss]

Hiding Spire doesn't quite understand all of what the adults are saying, but she understands that it's important. Her father seems to be doubting her abilities. Her gaze narrows, and she gazes up at the adults with a fierce and confident expression. "I can do it."

Seconded.

[alexthewhite]

Hiding Spire doesn't quite understand all of what the adults are saying, but she understands that it's important. Her father seems to be doubting her abilities. Her gaze narrows, and she gazes up at the adults with a fierce and confident expression. "I can do it."

Setting Sun studies you again. "...She certainly takes after you, Towering Spire."

Your father's face breaks into a smile. This time, he seems a lot more happy than tired. "I know." Your father bends down and clasps you by both shoulders. "Hiding Spire, you will be taught by Setting Sun every day except for days of rest from now on. Obey him as you would me." Your father gently kisses you on the forehead.

Ten years pass....

"Next two." Setting Sun loudly taps the stone walkway with his staff. The sound makes Whispering Dune wince as he steps forward to face you.

Dune is a boy, a good bit taller and stronger than you. His hair is light, almost to the point of being bleached blonde. His father, Flying Dune, is a knight in service of your lord father. Dune had a tragic case of over-honesty. He is an absolutely terrible liar, and that extends to his swordsmanship. While he isstrong and quick, he could not feint to save his life. This makes him a complete mismatch for you. He knows it, too. Dune has never been the most comfortable fighting girls, even a girl like you. Especially a girl like you. He is blushing fairly furiously, made all the more obvious by his light complexion.

Hesitantly, Whispering Dune pulls his practice sword from his belt. It was a long, rounded stick, the wooden equivalent to a greatsword. Dune holds it up proudly, and sets his jaw. You go to your own belt, to take out your weapon. A good weapon for a silent walker in training such as yourself.

[Doopliss]

>Greatsword

>Dirk

[crash826]

>A curious knife of your own devising. From certain angles it does not catch the light, and becomes almost invisible due to the shade of the blade- save a small section close to the hilt which is normal, and jagged-looking. In short, it appears broken unless one looks at it the right way, which they only tend to do once it is embedded in their chest.

[alexthewhite]

>A curious knife of your own devising. From certain angles it does not catch the light, and becomes almost invisible due to the shade of the blade- save a small section close to the hilt which is normal, and jagged-looking. In short, it appears broken unless one looks at it the right way, which they only tend to do once it is embedded in their chest.

A good time to mention this is a practice weapon, dull and made of wood.

[crash826]

dammit
Just a wood knife then.
Can we have that thing later?

[Whimbrel]

A dagger and a throwing axe. The axe is on a chain so that you can either retrieve it once thrown or spin it.

[DWeird]

You normally train the unarmed arts... But not today!

Today, you have a needle hidden in your palm, coated in a mild poison of paralysis you brewed in your room at night.

Now lets see if anybody notices you using it!

[Whimbrel]

You normally train the unarmed arts... But not today!

Today, you have a needle hidden in your palm, coated in a mild poison of paralysis you brewed in your room at night.

Now lets see if anybody notices you using it!

I think we're just sparring with wooden versions of our weapons o.o