A Proper Education|Mentis

[Kender Bard]

It didn't take long until their instructor had returned. As Cullen had anticipated, the trivia included her firing off questions of a variety of subject rapidly and keeping track of who answered and how quickly. All in all, it lasted for a while before she called an end to the test.

"Thank you, all of you," she announced. "I will hand my report off for deliberation. Results will be announced in the primary altar at noon. Room and board will be offered to those of you unable to afford a room at one of the local inns. Thank you."

Cullen let out his breath. "That was intense," he confided in Klara.

[Skittlebug]

Klara lets her shoulders slump, propping her elbows up on the desk and resting her head in her hands. She lets out a deep breath, turning her head toward him, "That was worse than the speech."

[Kender Bard]

"You did well," Cullen insisted. "Really! And at least now we can enjoy the rest of the day and the night. What would you like to do to unwind? I'm thinking of going to a tavern and ordering some drinks, myself."

[Skittlebug]

Klara thinks about it for a moment, she normally didn't drink, but this was a special occasion after all. "I think I'll join you, I think I could use it after all this."

[Kender Bard]

"Great!" Cullen enthused.

A short walk later found them in a small tavern. It wasn't poor but it wasn't too expensive either. The drinks weren't swill but there was better to be found. Cullen didn't mind, though. "Icewater please," he ordered, paying. "One last drink to my homeland. I'm going to be praying to Thuoth so hard that there's no way I won't get in tomorrow."

[Skittlebug]

Curious, Klara orders an icewater as well, she's never had one. "Maybe you can squeeze in a prayer or two for me as well if you think it will work that well," she chuckles.

[Kender Bard]

"I will," Cullen promises, taking his shot glass of ice water and tapping it against hers. "To the future." He slammed the drink back, swallowing it down in one quick gulp, making a grimacing face and then breathing out slowly. "Wine now," he ordered, enjoying the warm, burning feeling of the alcohol.

[Skittlebug]

Klara tilts her glass up, not quite sure what to expect, and decides that it's not that bad, but she'd prefer wine as well. She leans back in her seat, letting herself relax now.

[Kender Bard]

Cullen enjoyed his wine and relaxed as well, spending the rest of the time in the tavern telling Klara of his homeland and his family. "I'll miss them," he admitted. "And I'll miss Khelek. But I was never really meant for there. It's a hard land."

[Skittlebug]

Klara contemplates her glass, she'd enjoyed the conversation, and Khelek sounded very interesting if nothing else. "What does your family think of you coming here?"

[Kender Bard]

"I think they're relieved," he admitted. "I didn't fit in. I was always too interested in things. My nose was always in a book instead of on my work. What about your family?"

[Skittlebug]

Klara makes a face, "Against it at first, my father still is. He wouldn't even talk to me for some time before I left. My mother came around though," she smiles, "she realized it would make me happy I think."

[Kender Bard]

"That's too bad," Cullen said. "Your father, I mean. Why didn't either of them like the choice? You're clearly brilliant."

[Skittlebug]

Klara flushes at the unexpected compliment and takes a sip of her drink to try and cover it up as she regains her composure. "Well, I think it had less to do with me and more to do with them not wanting me to head off all alone. I guess my father was just worried about me, but he got really upset." She makes a face at that, getting a little uncomfortable with the subject.

[Kender Bard]

Cullen tactfully changed the topic for her. "I heard the stipend isn't great, but since the temple is giving room and board, it doesn't have to be. I plan on saving up. Maybe someday, I can buy a house outside the temple to call my own. Of course, that won't be for another decade or two."