A Free-Sworn.
That is what Chachanji Gegenji had called her, the last time they had spoken.
Goldwind slowed into an easy trot as Roen pulled on his reins slightly, the mount and rider approaching the bridge overlooking Fresca’s Wash. The path from Lost Hope to the Royal Plantations was one that Goldwind knew well, so the paladin allowed her bird to make his way there as she let her own mind wander.
She had met the young Lalafell during one of her trips to Stonesthrow, delivering medicine and food. It was his baby piglet that had made the introductions when he ran into her leg and caused her to stumble. After a few broken jars and spilled supplies, Chachanji had helped her in gathering what was salvageable and more importantly, helping to convince Lancel’s father--that proud man--in accepting her offer of alchemical remedies.
Roen could not help but smile a little at the memory, Chachanji’s twisted expression rising to the fore as he took a finger full of the awful tasting syrupy tincture into his mouth, just to convince the ailing Highlander that if he can take the medicine, so can the older man.
It had worked, Lowell accepted the offering reluctantly.
Since that day, Roen had found herself delighting in their chance encounters. The last time that they had met, she had offered to teach him how to ride properly, for the young aspiring ‘hero’ had hastily gotten himself a chocobo without even learning how to rightly sit on a saddle. But such was the enthusiasm and excitement that shone in the Lalafell’s young eyes, that she found herself volunteering to instruct him so that he took no more falls off his bird--a tiny chocobo he had named "Avenger."
Not so ready was her response when Chachanji then asked her to teach him the ways of being a paladin. She once swore the Oath of a Sultansworn, only to leave the Order, and now she worked as a Free Paladin, but could not offer her services openly in Thanalan because she could still be arrested if discovered. She knew that Ser Castille was already teaching Chachanji how to fight with a sword and shield, and the Lalafell also had intended to approach Ser Crofte in learning about bravery and vigilance of a Sworn. So what, if anything, had she to offer the boy?
“You can teach me how to halp people,†Chachanji had replied to her earnestly.
Roen tried to refuse, but she could not. How could she when all she saw in his face was that eagerness to help others, that pure desire to see to those in need? That ardor she recognized easily enough; it was something that drove her every action when she had first come to Ul’dah. And Chachanji was a bit like she was back then, full of hope that if he just continued to help people, he would achieve all that he desired--that the abstract idea of helping people was all that mattered.
A part of her wondered if that still held true for her now. Her faith in her ideals had been tested many times since, and sometimes she could not help but doubt her own hopes in the face of what seemed like indomitable obstacles. Her mind questioned her heart oft of late, and in rare moments she wondered if she had strayed from the path of virtue and righteousness in her current goals and alliances.
The paladin quickly dismissed the heavy thoughts from her mind as she spotted the Lalafell in the distance, seated on Avenger. A smile easily rose as she looked upon the young paladin-in-training, Goldwind coming to a stop just a couple of fulms away. The larger chocobo let out a happy kweh in greeting, as if mirroring Roen’s own mood--already lighter in the boy’s presence.
“You are early.†Roen inclined her head in greeting. “The mark of an eager student.†She nodded in approval as she noted how Chachanji sat on Avenger, both the rider and bird much less fidgety since their last lesson. He also sported no more obvious bruises; he had not been falling as much, she gathered.
“You and Avenger have gotten to know each other better, I suspect.†The paladin grinned. “So! I propose we do something a little different this day. It should test how well you and Avenger get along.†She clapped her hands once, mirth in her eyes. “And it will be fun.â€
That is what Chachanji Gegenji had called her, the last time they had spoken.
Goldwind slowed into an easy trot as Roen pulled on his reins slightly, the mount and rider approaching the bridge overlooking Fresca’s Wash. The path from Lost Hope to the Royal Plantations was one that Goldwind knew well, so the paladin allowed her bird to make his way there as she let her own mind wander.
She had met the young Lalafell during one of her trips to Stonesthrow, delivering medicine and food. It was his baby piglet that had made the introductions when he ran into her leg and caused her to stumble. After a few broken jars and spilled supplies, Chachanji had helped her in gathering what was salvageable and more importantly, helping to convince Lancel’s father--that proud man--in accepting her offer of alchemical remedies.
Roen could not help but smile a little at the memory, Chachanji’s twisted expression rising to the fore as he took a finger full of the awful tasting syrupy tincture into his mouth, just to convince the ailing Highlander that if he can take the medicine, so can the older man.
It had worked, Lowell accepted the offering reluctantly.
Since that day, Roen had found herself delighting in their chance encounters. The last time that they had met, she had offered to teach him how to ride properly, for the young aspiring ‘hero’ had hastily gotten himself a chocobo without even learning how to rightly sit on a saddle. But such was the enthusiasm and excitement that shone in the Lalafell’s young eyes, that she found herself volunteering to instruct him so that he took no more falls off his bird--a tiny chocobo he had named "Avenger."
Not so ready was her response when Chachanji then asked her to teach him the ways of being a paladin. She once swore the Oath of a Sultansworn, only to leave the Order, and now she worked as a Free Paladin, but could not offer her services openly in Thanalan because she could still be arrested if discovered. She knew that Ser Castille was already teaching Chachanji how to fight with a sword and shield, and the Lalafell also had intended to approach Ser Crofte in learning about bravery and vigilance of a Sworn. So what, if anything, had she to offer the boy?
“You can teach me how to halp people,†Chachanji had replied to her earnestly.
Roen tried to refuse, but she could not. How could she when all she saw in his face was that eagerness to help others, that pure desire to see to those in need? That ardor she recognized easily enough; it was something that drove her every action when she had first come to Ul’dah. And Chachanji was a bit like she was back then, full of hope that if he just continued to help people, he would achieve all that he desired--that the abstract idea of helping people was all that mattered.
A part of her wondered if that still held true for her now. Her faith in her ideals had been tested many times since, and sometimes she could not help but doubt her own hopes in the face of what seemed like indomitable obstacles. Her mind questioned her heart oft of late, and in rare moments she wondered if she had strayed from the path of virtue and righteousness in her current goals and alliances.
The paladin quickly dismissed the heavy thoughts from her mind as she spotted the Lalafell in the distance, seated on Avenger. A smile easily rose as she looked upon the young paladin-in-training, Goldwind coming to a stop just a couple of fulms away. The larger chocobo let out a happy kweh in greeting, as if mirroring Roen’s own mood--already lighter in the boy’s presence.
“You are early.†Roen inclined her head in greeting. “The mark of an eager student.†She nodded in approval as she noted how Chachanji sat on Avenger, both the rider and bird much less fidgety since their last lesson. He also sported no more obvious bruises; he had not been falling as much, she gathered.
“You and Avenger have gotten to know each other better, I suspect.†The paladin grinned. “So! I propose we do something a little different this day. It should test how well you and Avenger get along.†She clapped her hands once, mirth in her eyes. “And it will be fun.â€
