“Roki-sensei, this is all well and good,” a young man stated as he got up from being flipped onto a few soft mats, rubbing his back good naturally, “But you know what you’re to expect from us because you tell us what to do before doing so...”
“That’s why it’s called a sparing practice, Bitarnad,” the instructor, Roki replied with a playful smile, “That’s why everyone practices their movies over and over again, to get better.”
“Yet nobody can defeat you,” a girl stated who sat watching with the other students of the defense class.
“I wouldn’t say that, sugar” Roki replied humbly, “I’m sure any of you could surpass me, if not by my own moves then learning something from another instructor; perhaps at another Hold.” The students of the class listened intently. Roki with her dark skin and deep green eyes some how was able to hold the attention of most everyone she taught. She regularly wore her light brown hair up in a high runnertail, her hair reaching the base of her neck even in the fairly tight curls that were a regular sigh in her family. Of a family of eight brothers and sisters she was the eldest at age 20 yet one of the shortest being around a foot and a half shorter than her eldest brother, two turns her junior. She was well respected by the people of Kutou Hold but by all means that didn’t ever mean a person was always well liked.
“It that all for today, Sensei?” one of the younger students whined. Roki started to reply when a young girl with a brown fire lizard skidded to a stop outside the room the 20 turn old was teaching in.
“Hey everyone, there’s a wrestling match going on in the Small Court,” the girl grinned excitably but the smirk soon left her face upon spotting Roki in the room.
“Jayz, what are you doing down here?” Roki asked levelly, “As I remember you’re supposed to be with the Aunties when not in Harper classes.”
The brown fire lizard squawked in protest to the older female’s remark and Jayz grinned sheepishly, “I went to get a drink and saw that there was a wresting match going on between some guys and Talcin” With that Jayz was off again.
Roki walked quickly over to the door and called down the hall to the girl, “Little sister, you start headin’ up to the Aunties room right now, they’re probably in a fit already.” If they even realize you’re gone unlike the other times, she finished in her mind.
“Cheee,” came Jayz reply. Roki chuckled at her little sister’s reply. Jayz would return to the Aunties some time but it wasn’t positive if she would right now. The fact that Talcin, the eldest of her younger brothers, was wrestling told her that he was preparing to go against her again soon.
“Sensei?” asked another student again.
“Well, Bitarnad,” Roki sighed referring to the first student to question her, “looks like you we might sustain your appitite for watching what a student under me can do without me telling them. Com’on, sugars, we’re going to that match. Last thing for the class today so pay attention to the victor.” The students gave up a cheer while Bitarnad looked at his teacher questionably. Roki nodded her head towards the doorway in response to the young man’s impedance. Bitarnad seemed to defy Roki for a moment the preceded her through the door following the rest of the class towards the Small Court, named for the fact that it was a smaller, inside version of the court outside.
Roki deliberately let her students mingle with the crowd as she stayed to the back of the crowd, she watched as her brother worked the magic she herself had taught him. Talcin was her best student but like all her students still had as of yet to beat her. Even so she was very proud of her brother; he had the potential to best her and she knew it.
“Hiding from your better?” Bitarnad’s voice startled her. Roki turned on the young man and eyed him carefully.
“Not likely,” she stated looking up at the taller, well muscled man, her humbleness being put to the side for a moment, “You being back here would make me think you’re nervous that Talcin would challenge you because it would be an easy win for him.” Bitarnad snorted, he was young and the son of one of the cotholders from farther away. He’d been trained in wrestling and was only taking classes from Roki because of the visit his family was on.
“I could beat him easily,” the man stated just as Talcin pinned a challenger. Roki smiled pleasantly at the comment.
“Well, sugar, here’s your chance; challenge him,” Roki replied indifferently. Bitarnad looked down his nose at the young, what people from Old Terra might have called, marshal artist. Without another word, the cotholder’s son marched up to the ring surrounding Talcin. Roki watched from her hiding place and shook her head in her brother’s direction. He loved to put on a show for his multitude of female lovers; the effects it had on the women of the hold, even the intelligent ones, regularly disgusted Roki.
She watched as Talcin was circled by the snotty young man trying to grab a part of his clothing or body every so often. The victor continued his game until he finally got bored with the ways the cotholder’s son was coming after him. It was then that Talcin ducked and weaved under Bitarnad’s defense and offence quickly taking a hold of the other man and flipping him.
“PIN!” the voice of the unofficial referee rang out. Roki couldn’t help but let a sly smile slip onto her cheerful features. She quickly hid it as the young man rose after Talcin finally let go finally believing the ref. Roki carefully made sure she was unnoticed by her brother as his well muscled body rippled him into an upright position to look about.
Relax, sugar, you’ve got a bit till I let you challenge me again. Roki smiled softly at her best student. Her posture changed as Talcin was suddenly surrounded by his “fan club,” consisting of the women of Kutou Hold. Faranth, Talcin wasn’t even trying when he defeated Bitarnad. By the first egg, that wasn’t even the hardest he worked in the other matches, she fumed, And he’s eating it up, just to bed one of them tonight no doubt.
“Ooo, do I detect jelousy,” Bitarnad sneered, taking out his anger of loosing on the short teacher. Roki eyed the younger man in a rare show of annoyance.
“Not in the least, Bitarnad, I,” Roki started but was quickly interrupted by the pompous windbag.
“Oh really?” the young man chuckled, “sure doesn’t seem like it. I still doubt that you can defeat him.”
Roki inwardly fumed for a moment then saw the familiar earth toned brown curly headed girl who was smugly gathering bets.
“You wanna make a bet on that, Bitarnad?” Roki smiled, “See that girl over there? That’s Tokin, go make the bet with her. The higher the better.” Bitarnad was quick to spot the younger yet taller girl Roki was talking about and started to reply but Roki was gone.
Roki quickly turned on her act and brushed by Tokin, her eldest younger sister. She mad her way to the inner edge of the throng of people and gritted her teeth letting the scene that was playing out still cause her anger to show some.
“Leave that stringy old wherry alone,” Roki growled, her eyes glinting happily as the women who’d surrounded Talcin quickly scattered at the sound of her voice. Talcin turned about seemingly startled at her appearance. Going to have to work on being aware of what’s going on all around you even in the mists of those women, Roki chuckled to herself before continuing on with her dramatic presentation, “Step up, Senior Apprentice of the Beastcraft. Your next match lies with me.”
A small section of the spectators started up a murmur. They were considering her size compared to her brother’s no doubt, and were more than likely the new arrivals at the Hold. Roki nearly laughed as she heard groans from a few spectators when she stepped fully into the ring. Her eyes sparkled with anticipation as Talcin’s features turned grim and he walked into the center of the ring, silently accepting Roki’s challenge.
The slowly and, this time for Talcin, carefully placed themselves into their starting positions, giving the spectators adequate time to place their bets. They however didn’t wait for the referee. Talcin and Roki seemed for a moment mirror images of one another as the dove at each other quickly locking shoulders. Roki felt her brother’s powerful muscles rage as the both tried to cause the other to loose footing. Aside from having more experience that her brother, Roki had her smaller size on her side.
Roki played it out for a while but soon found Talcin making a wrong move for the fourth time and had to teach him a lesson. She could tell that Talcin was surprised as he was flipped over her shoulder and landed on the ground again, Roki pinning him firmly. Roki smiled at Talcin, shaking her head, he grunted in reply knowing without words what he’d done wrong.
“You’re getting better, little brother,” Roki smiled warmly at her brother as she helped the taller man up. He sighed smiling softly back.
“That may be, Roki,” Talcin chuckled, “but I’m not up to my standards.”
“Best wrestler in Kutou?” the twenty turn old woman chuckled while Talcin put an arm around her shoulder, “Sugar, you were taught by me how to wrestle. It’s only logical that you won’t be able to beat me without extra training from someone else.” Roki didn’t even have to look about to see that Talcin’s fan club was heading towards them to try and make him feel better after his loss. Roki, to her brother’s annoyance, gave each girl a quick glare and they once again scattered, some answering falsely made calls, others off to imaginary tasks.
“I know you’re right there, sister,” Talcin replied with a disappointed sight because of the lack of his harem. Roki smiled brightly as her brother gave her shoulder a squeeze though showing once again silently that he understood her and was a bit happy that she had scarred off his girls. As they walked down a hall way he continued on, “I just haven’t had time to ask father to transfer me to another Hold to finish my apprenticeship. I don’t know why but I can’t learn from a person who’s not able to knock me down.”
“Explains why you learned wrestling so well, ” Roki giggled, she loved talking to her brother about both their best sport; the older sibling in her loved being able to poke fun at him that she could beat him though—and be the only one to teach him how to beat others, “I’m able to knock your muscled arse over.”
“Being head of the self-defense classes for the Hold helps you out a lot though, Roki” Talcin replied poking his shorter yet older sister in the nose.
“Ah, I’m not that good,” Roki replied humbly with a sigh, “I’m sure there’s plenty of people better than me around the world.” Talcin chuckled in acknowledgement Roki decided to quickly change the subject from herself, she’d rather not stay on her own wins.
“Tokin was at the match you know,” Roki smiled. Tokin was possibly one of her favorite sisters, even with her reversed drunkenness. The fifteen turn old girl would at drunk when she was sober and sober when she was drunk. In short she was regularly “drunk” all day and only woke up “sober.” In that fact Roki always had her hands full with the girl in the morning.
“Wonder how much our little sister made this time,” He replied with another chuckle, “There were a few new faces in that group.”
“Eight to be exact, bro,” a voice suddenly startled the two sibling to look over to their right. There stood the dark haired tan skinned girl of their most resent conversation, her serious features conveyed that she’d rarely show humor and she continued on unaffected by her eldest brother and sister, “Making my winnings today from those five matches fifty marks.” A smile touched her lips though no humor colored her speech.
“You have no morals about betting,” Roki shook her head hiding her amusement as she started their usual jokingly family argument. Talcin chuckled beside her, his muscles would have knocked over another person possibly but Roki could handle it.
“And your point, Roki?” Tokin replied in all seriousness.
“You love marks a bit too much,” her eldest brother teased the teen.
“You just figure that out?” Tokin replied with no emotion in her voice though she did quirking an eyebrow at her brother. Roki winced at what happened next.
“Nah, knew that long before you started drinking,” Talcin replied not even noticing Tokin’s fists clench at her sides and her eyes narrowing at him, no one, not even her relatives were allowed to get away with making fun of her drinking habits. Luckily for Talcin, Roki was on the ball.
“Let’s take a trip up to the Aunties’ rooms,” Roki spoke up eyeing her sister warily, “See how Zayin, Cyrin, and Riktojan are doing and help search out Jayz; I could have sworn I saw that trouble making sister of our’s just before I challenged you.” Here, Roki took a playful swipe at her brother emphasizing the situation at the same time as warning him for what he did.
“I don’t think so,” Tokin piped up and Roki inwardly winced as she realized she might have so to speak made the situation worse; Tokin continued are quickly, “Master Farwin’s wants me down in the winery in about ten minutes to help rotate the whole of last turns wine.” Turning on her heals, Tokin hurried down the hall towards the cellars.
“She still can’t sand being around Riktojan,” Talcin sighed the obvious, “Though I think she’s finally forgiven him for what he could not help.” Roki sighed, it was nearly two turns ago that Riktojan was born, and on that same day, because of his birth and their mother, Rocjakyz, a Master Winecrafter, died of heavy blood loss. The whole family had been distraught, especially Tokin who’d been the closest to their mother. That had caused the 15 turn old’s “disorder,” she’s started drinking heavily and soon began to be more coordinated when she was legally drunk.
“Sugar, it’s a sad thing to see her greave more than our Pop over Mama,” Roki agreed, “She was real close to our dam before her death two turns back… Hopefully, someday, Tokin will be able to get to know our youngest brother.” The eldest duo of the Master Beastcrafter’s brood looked longingly after the path their sister had taken. Roki then lead her brother up a near by spiral staircase.
Roki laughed happily as she scooped up her four turn old identical twin sisters Zayin and Cyrin. The duo screamed happily as the were whirled around. Her thirteen turn old brother Trayzin quickly snitched his sisters toys, including three cutesy dolls. Neither the twins nor their eldest sister noticed though Talcin laughed eyeing his brother. Trayzin quickly placed the toys back in their places except for one doll that wasn’t like the other two.
“So what trouble have you three been up to?” Roki mocked breathing hard. The two little girls immediately started babbling, most of the time uncomprehendable, to their wrestling sister. Roki listened intently to her little sisters, even her little brother commented as well. Roki eyed them in joking accusation, “And have you been taking good care of your little brother?”
Trayzin brightened speaking of, what he called, his handsome little brother, “He’s fine, Zayin and Cyrin are too young to really help him. He’s been learning a lot of new words though.”
“No curses I hope,” Roki eyed her little brother hard this time. Trayzin looked at his shoeless toes and Roki sighed in defeat, Well I knew it couldn’t last long… ah well, it will be acceptable by the time he’s old enough to know what he’s saying.
“He didn’t learn ‘em from us,” Trayzin replied sheepishly, “when I asked him where he learned that word from he actually said ‘Woki n’ T’wcin’ I can only think that he means you and Talcin.” Both eldest siblings winced. Figures, Roki sighed to herself. Looking for something to take the attention off both of them Roki looked about the room.
“Has Jayz come back yet?” she asked softly to her younger family members. The twins and Trayzin carefully shook their heads no; they knew that if the Aunties found out they’d have a fit and punish them for something they couldn’t have stopped if they’d wanted to. Roki shuttered, Jayz always was a slick one, even if she was one who seemed to be able to read everyone and try to give them good advice.
Roki finally let her sisters down and walked over to the crib her youngest brother lay in asleep. The dark skinned blond boy slept with a serious yet soft smile on his features. Roki smiled back just as softly at him, though he was male he took on a lot of her mother’s features. That might have been another reason why Tokin had tried to kill him early on in his first few months of life.
A wail of laughter caused the Master Beastcrafter’s family to turn towards the door, Riktojan waking up as well; he did not cry however. Soon the source of the disturbance entered the room. There stood Tokin with a young blond girl of ten turns under her arm who was also upside down and being tickled. Roki was surprised to say the least that her sister was in the Aunties room of her own will. However she wasn’t the least bit surprised that Tokin was the one who found Jayz, the young girl was always trying to help her fifteen turn old sister out of her slumps.
“Now what have we here,” Talcin growled playfully as he relieved Tokin of Jayz, “a runaway no doubt!” Jayz merely laughed happily though she quieted as the Aunties looked her way. Thankfully they didn’t even realize that Jayz had just appeared back in the room. Roki was laughing as well but soon stopped as she was surprised by Tokin moving beside her to look down at Riktojan.
The eldest sibling became leery of her eldest younger sister. She could see the sadness in Tokin’s eyes, and the small spark of anger that still lay there, and perhaps always would. What surprised her though was that as the two siblings, Tokin and Riktojan, looked at one another Tokin cracked a small smile. Riktojan happily smiled back, some how knowing that it was a first for Tokin to even pay attention to him in a nice way.
Roki carefully laid a strong hand on her sisters shoulder and was surprised as a small tear streaked her younger sister’s face. Tokin however looked at her and the self-defense teacher smiled at her sister.
“You wanna hold him, Sugar?” Roki smiled. Tokin smiled back and leaned over to pick up the youngest brother. Riktojan happily cooed out as he stretched his arms upward to help his way out. Roki smiled; perhaps her sister was healing more than she thought.
Roki woke up early like every morning a practiced her moves so that she’d be sharp for the classes she would teach later that day. Talcin had left nearly a sevenday earlier for Turasake Hold after being transferred there on request and now she was teaching a new top wrestler in Kutou under her. The girl was quite good and possibly the only girl in the Hold that Talcin hadn’t succeeded in bedding. She was going to let the young woman try her hand at teaching today, she’d done well so far… perhaps the girl could have beaten her brother, she’d never pitted the two against one another before so who knew.
It was the bedside metal pan that alerted Roki to Tokin’s awakening. Roki sighed heavily, her sister though she’d cut down on her drinking some still was effected by reversed drunkenness and would now periodically forget where she put her spare vile of liquor in the morning. Roki was quick to steady her sister.
“All right, sugar,” Roki sighed, “time for the morning bath.”
“Ta, ‘oki!” Tokin slurred back at her sister. The now eldest sibling of their family left at the Hold headed for the bathing pool that connected their rooms. It was large enough for all the girls of the family to bath in at once but there was no worries of that at this time, their other sisters lived more so on the Aunties level of the Holding. Roki was quick to bath herself and was amused that her sister had enough sense to bath herself.
The were soon dressed within the hour and started to plod down to the main dinning hall. Roki tried her best to steady her sister who staggered about causing the eldest daughter of Master Beastcrafter Lintem to be slightly embarrassed by Tokin.
“Tokin where’s your stash of wine,” Roki asked slightly worried, today was a bit worse than usual, “You’re not looking too well at this point.”
“Al be fin, ‘oki!” Tokin hiccupped, causing Roki to shake her head as she guided her seemingly drunken sister through the Hold. They soon came to the dinning hall which was rather full. Now where to sit? Roki questioned herself as she looked about, Tokin leaning on her shoulder half asleep. Suddenly Tokin was leading Roki to two seats…. Right in front of a handsome looking newcomer. Just like her to search out guys when she hasn’t had her daily does of alcohol, Roki sighed but sat down as the man absently nodded at them. Tokin purred back causing Roki to shake her head, She had to be a shameless flirt when she’s “drunk.”
“‘lo, sir,” Tokin once again slurred. Roki inwardly winced as the man looked at Tokin oddly, yet he did acknowledge her seemingly drunken greeting before the teen went on, “ton’t ‘lieve I’ve sssseen you ‘bout Kutou before. ‘amesss Tokin en dis is moy sisdar ‘oki. En ‘oursss would be?”
“B’nir,” the man stated while turning to Roki in question of her sister. B’nir? He must be a dragonrider! But why’s he here, and so early in the morning at that? Roki thought to herself. B’nir continued to talk to Roki in a soft voice instead while Tokin didn’t even notice, “How could anybody let her drink herself into drunkenness so early in the morning?”
Unlike some, Roki didn’t mind the question, it was a usual one from people who’d never meet Tokin before. And some how Roki was usually with her and was thought to some how not take offence to the question. She had to withhold laughter as she watched B’nir rearrange himself, no doubt Roki was putting on unwanted advances upon him. Feet probably, the defense coach thought to herself.
“Sir, to tell you the truth,” Roki began somberly, “Tokin here hasn’t touched a drop of wine nor beer in nearly 10 hours. She’s got a rare reverse complex with her drinking. She seems drunk when she’s sober and vice versa. She won’t even remember what she’s done in the past eight hours when she finally gets her first few beakers of wine and beer.”
“You’re kidding?” B’nir obviously not being what he was seeing as he eyed Roki’s sister who was about to douse herself with a pitcher of water that had been in front of her. Tokin! Not in public… and defiantly not in that white shirt! Roki screeched in her mind. Just as she was about to reach for her sister a drudge skidded to a stop with three tankers of wine in hand and set them before the teen. Roki watched as her sister concentrated on focusing on the three tankers. Setting down the water she set about drinking the first one, rather sloppily but some how getting most of it down her throat.
Tokin sighed in relief, her sister would be as good as new by her third tanker. The dragonrider on the other hand watched in amazement as the diameter of the flirtatious teen before him turned into a well mannered serious young woman. As her fourth tanker was delivered to her Roki could see that the glimmer of Tokin’s mock soberness was firmly in place and that she finally was noticing the rider again.
“I hope I didn’t try to hit on you in the last ten minutes sir,” Tokin stated in her dead pan way, “By my sister, Roki’s look, I’d say she’s told you of my… condition. If I might ask again, what is your name, sir. My mind was muddled from lack of wine.” Understatement, Roki chuckled Tokin gave her a side way glare seemingly knowing what her sister was thinking.
“B’nir,” he stated with a blink of surprise, his eyed clouded over for a moment before he continued, “white Pikceth’s rider from Vella Crean. I’m on search actually.” Roki sat entirely still, Searchrider? Here? It wasn’t usual for a rider to come to their Hold. Not many were conscious of her old dream of riding a dragon.
“Then why sit here with the riffraff and holdbrats?” Tokin asked sensibly though it sounded a bit rude to Roki as she took a swig of the fruit juice that had been poured into her mug during Tokin’s drinking up to her sober drunkenness.
Because he’s looking for candidates among the riffraffs and holdbrats to find candidates like the two of you. You will come to Vella Crean with us and stand for the clutch there. the smooth voice registered quickly with Roki as she sprayed what she had in her mouth out before her in startlemeant caused by hearing the voice. She looked devastated as she found that her aim had caused the white rider before her to be drenched. Tokin on the other hand seemed to take the voice in her stride.
“They must have thinned this one out,” Tokin commented looking down at her mug and while shaking her head, “I thought I heard somebody state that we should be candidates for Vella Crean's latest clutch.” She chuckled as she ended and before both women the rider shifted causing the sisters to look up at B’nir.
“Truthfully” he sighed yet smiled as Roki and Tokin’s eyes met his own, “That was my immature excuse for a white. He likes to announce candidates without even hinting at it to me first.” He seemed to grumble the last part and acted as if looking behind himself to his dragon who was nowhere in sight.
“So he wishes us to stand for a clutch?” Roki finally asked, amazed that she didn’t stammer the obvious.
“If you agree to it, yes,” B’nir stated leaning over the table as if having a secret conversation with the two sisters, “We’re in need of a few more female candidates and if you’d like…”
“Defiantly!” Roki cut the man off with a giggle. She stopped after a moment then remembering that her sister was also up for possibly impressing a dragon. Truth be told Roki wasn’t sure if her sister had any interest in that area. Tokin looked on in her serious way but after a few moments had passed she nodded and gave her reply of acceptance. Roki and Tokin were going to Vella Crean, now what would their brother, Talcin say about that… maybe they could get B’nir to convey the good news.
| Name | Roki |
| Age | 20 |
| Height | 5' |
| Hair | light brown |
| Eyes | Deep green |
| Rank | Kutou Hold's defense/fighting instructor |
| Dragon | N/A |
| Born | Kutou Hold |
| Current Residence | Kutou Hold |