Hand Print discussion

Avalon tried not to stomp out onto the courtyard grounds, tried. She was supposed to be the perfect lady in public. Though right now, walking around without any handmaidens or even an escort, wasn't very lady like indeed. Not that she truly cared at the moment, she had just tried and failed, once again, at trying to get her father to step up. Their people were suffering while he did nothing! Absolutely nothing.

Derek was writing plans and equations down in a small notebook. He didn't notice anything except his thoughts and his work. His pencil was scribbling down on the paper.

A flash of red pulled her out of her internal conflict, Avalon looked up to see the General, Derek Nickson. She sighed to herself, he was known for being logical, almost completely devoid on human emotion. Well, actually, completely devoid of human emotion. He was a military tactics genius, and was very skilled in swordplay...though in his case it wasn't play. Avalon knew a lot about everyone, she was highly intelligent, thought she kept it well under wraps.

Derek put his notebook back in his pocket. He had ran out of paper, which seemed illogical since he had stocked up on his paper and pencils. As the old saying goes, 'time flies when you're having fun.' He didn't like the saying but it felt fitting for the situation. He got up and notice Avalon. He simply waved and went to continue getting paper.

She nodded politely back in response, princesses do not wave, one of the many rules of proper etiquette drilled into her head. Avalon watched him in amusement, only he could find pleasure in writing. Some ridiculously difficult equations or formulas, no doubt.

Derek continued on his way, noticing she followed proper etiquette. Later, he took a stick from a tree and wrote in the grass, back from his short endeavor. Going to find paper in the castle seemed to silly and would take too much time. He almost amused himself with the thought, but he was concentrating on his work. It was the most important thing to him at the moment.

Avalon continued on her walk, only to find herself in front of the General once again. Deciding that they should probably speak if they were going to keep meeting like this, she spoke up first. "Hello General, your day is well, I trust?" She tried to fight her blush, she had once had a crush on the General. But that was back before she knew that he hardly, if ever felt any emotions.

Derek didn't make eye contact as she spoke. He inferred it was rude, but his mind had linked into what he was doing. Once he was finished writing he looked up at her. "My day is going well, so yes. I hope your day is going great as well," he replied. Though he didn't believe in hope, such a silly thing.

"As well as one can suspect, I suppose. Though I am pleased to hear that yours is better." Avalon tried to keep the bitterness out of her voice. Her father was so weak, so completely useless...her people deserved more. She had been planning to sneak out of the castle later tonight, there had been an outbreak in town. She knew that the villagers could use her healing magic.

He noticed the bitterness in her voice immediately, but didn't note it. "Thank you miss," he replied politely. "Is there anything you want to converse or is that all?" Derek asked not wanting to continue the conversation, but more polite and proper to the royalty. He put down the stick and stood up.

She knew that he was only asking to be polite, but she did indeed need his help, now that she thought about it. "Actually, yes, that is, if your not too busy, sir." Avalon was hoping that he might be able to help her with her own equations. Her tutor had left for the week, and she didn't want to fall behind in her studies.

Derek nodded once, thinking about his plans and how it would be arranged. "I am not busy for the rest of today, what do you need?" He asked strictly, yet with a little curiosity. He had never gotten an offer to help anyone except himself and the safety and welfare of the kingdom.

"Well, my tutor has taken a week off to visit family, and I do not wish to fall behind in my studies. I hoped that you might be willing to help me...I have heard you are quite skilled in the maths and sciences?" Avalon requested nervously, she has never been one to ask for help. But she knew that he would be the best person to help her, so she swallowed her pride and asked.

Derek noticed nervousness, making hypotheses about her personality. He hadn't talked to her enough to know her well. "Considering your interest to keep up your studies and that you hoped that I could help you, then I shall," he replied. "I don't believe in hope. It's probability and possibility, know that for the next time we converse."

Avalon stood up taller, not liking his words at all. "I thank you for your help, and I am glad you have accepted the task of helping me." she gave him a cool smile, "Hope, though you do not believe it to be so, is real. Hope, is the only thing that is currently keeping our kingdom from a complete collapse. I see how much hope can help those in need, it gives them something to believe in, something to fight for." Avalon paused, she had almost revealed that she had been sneaking out of the castle, "I am a princess, that is a fact and a truth, remember that for the next time we converse."

Jasper Treville walked into the grounds, looking for the General. He needed orders and didn't want to go to the tavern, not feeling for a drink with others. He saw the General with the Princess and dropped into a bow straight away. "My lady, I am sorry to intrude." He said, still bowing.

Avalon's sky blue eyes darted to the newcomer, she gave him a polite smile, "It is quite all right, you may rise...Sir?" She did not know his name, for she had never seen him before, though she was glad that had changed. She allowed her annoyance at the General to fade away, who was she to try to make him believe in hope anyways?

"You may call me Jasper, Fair Lady." Jasper said, rising from the bow with a grateful smile. "Soldier Jasper at your service." He glanced at the General bu then looked back to Avalon.

"Very well, Jasper, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. You may call me Avalon," She knew it was not proper, but she honestly did not care. She did not like being addressed so formally, though when he did it, it made her blush...slightly.

(( Sorry! ))

Derek didn't argue anymore with the princess, it seemed moronic for him to. Then Jasper came out, he immediately stood in front of his writings in the grass. "Sir Jasper, what do you need from me?"

"Thank you, my lad... Avalon." Jasper smiled then turned to the General. "I was looking for orders, sir." He answered with a bow.

((sos, had a fight with my mum))

((Ouch...sorry to hear that :/))

Avalon gave him a bright smile, pleased that he had called her by her given name. She did not speak as she waited for the General to reply to Jasper, she just stood there silently.

((thanks. She was being racist, and I really hate it when people do that. We're stayed waaay away from eachother. Oh, if she only listened to her words))

Jasper sneaked a smile at Avalon. He made sure the General couldn't see. He kept on smiling at her, feeling that that would be all right.

Derek looked behind him and back at Avalon. "I do have for you to do soldier, though it's not a soldier thing to do. Could you get me paper and a writing utensil?" The lad seemed so interested in doing something, he could just go off for something as simple as fetching paper.

Avalon tried to hide her blush...tried. She was some what embarrassed, she had never been one to blush before, it was a rather...unfamiliar feeling. She returned his smile with ease, peeking over at the General to make sure he didn't notice.

Jasper blinked in surprise and looked back at the Genral. "Of course, sir." He bowed and ran off, smiling. Now... where to get some paper and something to write with... He chuckled to himself, he was happy he made the Princess blush and caught it.

Derek nodded once, noticing enthusiasm. Jasper would be a very good soldier. His attention turned to Avalon. "Was that embarrassing for you?" He saw the blush in her cheeks.

Avalon had been watching Jasper run off, she was rather amused, he seemed very happy to do such a task. She heard the General's words and her eyes shot back to him. She did not reply, there was no need to lie, they both knew that she had been. Though it was in a good way.

He sighed knowing she wouldn't answer, but he was right. Derek decided to teach her and continue her studies from that moment until she would tell him to stop. "Where are you in your studies?" He asked curiously.

Jasper ran back into the courtyard with sheets of paper and a nice pencil that was sharp. He had asked a maid nicely, and she had been all too happy to oblige. He bowed to Avalon and Derek. "Your paper and writing utensil, sir." He said. Oh how he longed for his horse.

((LOL totally caught me off guard with that question lol))

Avalon nodded back respectfully at Jasper, her blush now fully contained. She was impressed that he managed to gather what the General required so quickly. She looked back at the General and smiled, "Currently the Pythagorean theorem, we were set to continue on to Trigonometric substitution next week. Though I need more help on the Pythagorean theorem, before I would feel comfortable moving on."

((:D))

"Amazing." Jasped whispered to himself. His father had attempted to teached his oldest brother some of that, but Michael had brushed off the math and gone for horses, just as his other brother and himself did when the time came to them. Jasped was a horse lad. He offered the papers and pencil to Derek.

(( I actually thought I wasn't being taken seriously ))

Derek took the pencils and paper and started writing out the Pythagorean Theorem. "Thank you Soldier. If you may, do 50 push ups and once you're done with that, do 10 laps around the courtyard," he said to Jasper then turned to Avalon. "So what exactly confuses you with the Pythagorean theorem?"

(( If anyone wants to skip... fine by me ))

Jasper opened and closed his mouth one before nodding. "Yes sir. Should the pushups be one handed or two handed?" He smiled to himself.

((brb))

"25 One handed, 25 two handed. Or you could do 50 of each, but it is your choice," Derek replied strictly, though politely. "Though my recommend doing the 25's so you won't be as physically exhausted for jogging and running."

((LOL sorry...))

Avalon fought a laugh when Jasper asked the General if he wanted him to use one hand or two hands. She didn't think Derek would like her laughing at that. She told the General what she was having problems understanding. She hoped that he did not think her foolish for not understanding something that was so simple to him.

Derek nodded as his thoughts branched out on the topic. He simply told her how he learned it and how to make sense of it, he too had trouble with this subject more than most. He also told about ways to remember it, even if the name was quite catchy.

"Thank you so much. I did not think I would ever get the hang of it!" Avalon beamed at him, she was thrilled to finally understand it. Oddly, she understood Derek better than her own tutor. Maybe she needed a new tutor.

Derek nodded, feeling something warm inside. "You are welcome, it was a pleasure teaching you." No wonder his parents loved teaching, it seemed to bring some happiness in clearing confusion for someone. "If you need me again, I will most likely accept the opportunity." He looked away and sat down, writing something on paper, for himself only.

φεΩΩíε wrote: ""25 One handed, 25 two handed. Or you could do 50 of each, but it is your choice," Derek replied strictly, though politely. "Though my recommend doing the 25's so you won't be as physically exhaust..."

"Yes sir, thank you, sir." Jasped bowed and took a few steps back. He dropped down and started to to 30 one-handed's, 15 on each arm. He then moved onto the two handeds. When done, he jumped up and started to run around the courtyard.

φεΩΩíε wrote: "Derek nodded, feeling something warm inside. "You are welcome, it was a pleasure teaching you." No wonder his parents loved teaching, it seemed to bring some happiness in clearing confusion for som..."

"Good to know, I would hate for it to be an empty gesture, especially since you are a better teacher than my own. So again, thank you...Derek." Avalon smiled, using his name for the first time. She then turned to watch Jasper run around the courtyard...he was quite fast, faster than she had expected.

Derek looked up at the sound of his name, not used to it much. "Thank you, but your tutor is certified while I am not. But if he ever brings confusion to your bright mind again, tell me." It wasn't a tutor's job to bring confusion, it was to bring enlightenment. He stuffed what he was writing inside his pocket with his notebook and watched Jasper. He counted every time he had passed them.

Instead of just doing 10 laps, like he was meant to, Jasper did 15. He had kind of forgotten to count, since he was smiling at Avalon. He slowed to a job and did another lap to cool down, the smile on his face wide. Jasper ended the 16 laps he did and walked over to Derek with a smile. "Lost count sir." He said and bowed. "I think I did over 10..." He chuckled softly.

Avalon was shocked when Derek said bright mind, she had never known him to give compliments freely. "Thank you for saying that, though I am sure you are being more polite than anything." Her face was threatening to turn scarlet once more. She looked up to notice Jasper smiling at her, she returned his smile freely. She giggled when he said he had lost count. Giggling? First blushing and then giggling? What had gotten into her?

Derek nodded once. "Yes, but you were doing well. Get yourself some water and jog around until your heart rate is at normal speed. Sitting down immediately isn't healthy nor helpful," he babbled slightly. "You were doing very well, just as long as you don't over work yourself."

"Yes sir," Jasper bowed to the General. "Thank you, sir." He smiled wide when Avalon giggled. The Princess too? He bowed to her and went to slowly job around the courtyard. Three laps of jogging then water.

Avalon playfully rolled her eyes at his grin, while walking over to sit next to the General. She watched Jasper jog around the courtyard, but then after a while she turned to Derek. "You are incredibly intelligent...you seem to know almost, if not everything," she commented, not really asking a question, just making a statement.

Jasped jogged out of the courtyard. He ran back in and bowed to the Princess and the General. "Farewell. I shall be back if needed." He smiled. "Bye Avalon." He whispered, then went to go find water.