• Closed • [Alyssia] Lesson One

[Kura Wolfsdotter]

Timestamp: 18th of Vhalar, 721
Location: Almund Council Building, Kura's Office

Kura practically lived in her offices, a result of her job, but she was usually based out of the Scalvoris Town building. It had caused something of a minor stir when she'd shown up the trial prior at the Almund building and had Cally set up her office there. However, the way she had the ghost set it up had been different from usual, as she wasn't here strictly on traditional business. Instead, she was here to pick up the role of teacher once again. She was, admittedly, somewhat woefully out of practice, so she would have to relearn on the fly, but at the very least, she had a great deal of political experience to draw from. It helped that she only had one student at the moment, Alyssia Smooglenuff. The young baroness had asked for lessons, and they hadn't been able to properly undertake any lessons the cycle prior due to the change from the traditional Council Meetings taking up her time.

Now, however, she had arranged with the young Aukari to meet in Almund for her first proper lesson. She'd had a couple thoughts on how to go about Alyssia's apprenticeship, and she'd settled on a combination of several of them. The first thing she had to do, however, was see what she was starting with. Alyssia was, so far as she could determine, a clever young woman, but she didn't know what, if any, extant knowledge or experience she had with either politics or leadership. She was expecting none in both cases, but she knew better than to make blind assumptions. So the first lesson was largely going to be establishing a baseline, then setting expectations. It would not, perhaps, be the most exciting thing, but setting a good foundation would be mandatory for Alyssia's education.

Once everything was in place, she took a breath and sent Cally out to wait for Alyssia to arrive. The ghost was waiting outside when the redhead arrived, and showed her into Kura's office for her lessons, then left the two alone for the time being. When she entered, Kura showed Alyssia to the chairs next to the fireplace, rather than to her desk. "Hello, Alyssia. My apologies for takin' so long to get your lessons underway." she said, smiling slightly. "Council business kept me busy last cycle, but we're tryin' some new methodology that should free time." she said, taking her seat and gesturing for Alyssia to do the same if she already hadn't. "Now, to start with, how much experience with, or knowledge of, do you have regarding politics or leadership?" she asked, her tone genuinely curious.

[Alyssia]

Date

Alyssia finished getting ready putting her necklace on that held the smooglenuff crest. She had been very careful about when and where she wore the marks of who she had become. But a meeting with her teacher Lady Kura on official training seemed like a good time to wear them. Taking a deep breath, the girl walked through the Almund city streets looking at all the buildings. When the young Aukari had lived on the streets of Scalvtown, she had tried to get out and go explore the other cities too. She had not known where to go or what she was going to do.

A smile appeared on her face as children ran across the road playing with each other. To see kids just getting to have fun and be little made a sad smile stay on her face. At least she knew that there were some people that didn’t know the life she had lived growing up. The girl stopped in her tracks watching a new mother walk by with her baby bundled up for the day out that they had planned. With a shake of her head, the girl focused and hurried on to the offices where Kura was supposed to be working out of.

“Hey Cally!” Alyssia called with a bright smile seeing the ghost waiting on her.

The young girl slowed down and headed inside following her. Red hair bounced with each step that the teen made as her shoes clicked against the floor. Stopping, she watched as the ghost knocked and entered first. When called, the girl walked in and smiled seeing her teacher. Moving out of the way, Alyssia took a deep breath and followed the Alberach over to the chairs and sat across from her. It had been a surprise when they had not been able to get together during the previous cycle. But it made sense that Kura was busy with council business.

"Hello Lady Kura, I am glad that we had time to get started on this cycle. I understand that the new changes implemented last cycle threw everyone off. I am eager to learn," Alyssia stated and sat down crossing her legs watching.

When Kura asked her if the girl had any political experience or leadership experience the girl had to stop and really think. Her only true instance of "leadership" had been when she had gone to move Maxine from one group to another. Even then it was not the girl who had truly been seen as a leader it was the guards that showed the baron had sent her. She had just been a child in every true instance that had required leadership. The scalvbeast had been a strange adventure, then the children had went missing, followed by the adventures with the baron and her near death, then the insanity with the dragons. All had been hot heated or spur of the moment instincts that had fueled her actions.

"I have no knowledge or experience in politics. I had one instance of being in a leadership kind of role, but nothing where I was the one who truly held the recognition or power behind my name. It was the guards of the late baron who truly proved he had sent me to do what needed to be done. I'm sorry if that's a disappointment or a hindrance," Alyssia stated.

[Kura Wolfsdotter]

Cally grinned when Alyssia greeted her. "Heya, Alyssia. Lookin' forward to somethin' less messy then that Council Meetin'?" she asked, her tone as jovial as ever. Cally led Alyssia into Kura office, chatting amiably as she did so, and then turned Alyssia over to her boss, leaving the two alone. Kura, for her part, smiled at her students eagerness. "I am as well. I had intended to start after the last Council Meeting, but...well, Council Meetings." she said, sighing slightly as she spoke before leading the redhead over to the chairs by the fireplace. She listened quietly as the young girl related her lack of experience, then smiled and shook her head when she apologized for any inconvenience she was causing.

"Not at all. Now that I know where we're beginnin', I know how to proceed." she said, her tone calm. "Now, you said that you wish to follow the example set by the late Baron Smooglenuff. That is a worthy goal in and of itself, true, but also a vague one. There's a great deal you can do as a politician or a leader. Later in your education, you'll have decide exactly what kind of leader you want to be." she said, her tone thoutful. "However, for the time being, we'll be coverin' more general matters, things every leader needs to know and be able to do." she said, smiling slightly as she spoke. "In all honesty, this first lesson is goin' to be largely about settin' up the future of your education." she said, before pausing as Cally brought in snacks and drinks for the two of them before leaving again.

Once Cally had left, Kura turned her attention back to Alyssia and tilted her head to the side slightly. "Now then, before we can really go any further, we'll need to determine how I'm goin' to be teachin' you. Every student learns differently, after all. So, to start, I want you think back, to every time you've set out to learn something, or been taught by others. How have you chosen to learn, which lessons stuck the best with you? These memories will tell us how to proceed, at least at the start. We'll adjust as we progress, of course." she said, her tone calm.

[Alyssia]

Date

Alyssia giggled as the ghost's energy was quite infectious. She was very excited to be meeting them when they were not busy at council meetings. It begged the question of how many would Alyssia attend in her lifetime when she stepped into a political position. Would it just be with the people of Scalvoris? Or would it be dignitaries from other cities all over the world of Idalos? It was an amazing thought it truly was.

“Yes, I hate that I caused her so many problems that day. I truly had not intended to. It’s funny to think that Devin is engaged to be married to Lady Zana. A part of me worries for them, but I trust that my brother knows what he is doing,” Alyssia said with a smile thinking of Devin.

The girl listened when she finished explaining what she wanted to become. The late baron had been understanding, strong, confident, and resolute in his decisions. He seemed to know everything, and yet even in the end he had met his end through no decision of his own. Even barely knowing the girl he still chose to give her his last name, to give her a home to call her own, and a future for her children one day. There was nothing that the girl knew of to repay him for all that he had done for her. But stepping up and taking her lessons about herself, her education, her apprenticeship, and her pets was a good place to start.

“How do I learn?” Alyssia whispered and thought back to her life growing up.

She had never really tried to learn things on her own that seemed fun. Most of her life had been learning out of necessity to stay alive. Alyssia looked into Kura’s eyes with a far off gaze in her eyes remembering all the pain she had felt as she had learned to do things that should have gotten her locked away. But somehow she ended up staying free.

“I’ve never learned anything just for fun. When uh… when I was younger I was taught in a hands-on kind of way. Dummies were set up, and I ran drills over and over again until I was ready. Then they put me on the streets to do what I had been taught. But that story isn’t for today. There is plenty to keep us busy today,” Alyssia said with a smile though somewhere deep in her mind her memories of the knights were there. Buried but still lingering.

“What all kinds of leaders are there? I know obviously the late Baron took care of all Faldrass, and you are part of the council which oversees the different places here on Scalvoris,” Alyssia asked while tilting her head some.