12-30-2025, 06:22 PM
Rachel followed as Zhenya led her way though the castle. She took in as much as she could. The building was still in the process of being made livable, but this section was approaching being just that. The stone walls were unadorned. The windows were beautiful and brought natural light into the building. It gave the building a gothic feel. The walls could use some decoration. Maybe some paintings or tapestries. Castles were supposed to have tapestries.
Rachel listened with rapt attention - an apt pupil taking instruction from a master. She wasn't sure Zhenya would see herself as a master, but to Rachel, she certainly was the expert here. With her words came two different, yet important lessons. The first was understanding in why certain parts of the power were easier and others were harder. Zhenya's description of her reason with spirit was taken in the way it was given. Her struggles made it easier for her to find spirit. Conviction was needed for fire and earth. It gave her something immediately to work on. The second was validation. Not only was she doing things right. She was doing them well, and she had even learned one of the hardest things to learn; not to control, but how to surrender. Rachel liked the words Zhenya used - yield without disappearing. Rachel was right where she needed to be right now.
Zhenya opened the door to a room - her room. Rachel entered it and felt her heart quicken in excitement. The room was more than she expected. She expected a simple bed and that was it. But she also had a writing desk and of all things - a fireplace. She smiled as she quietly looked around, before walking to the desk to look out the window at the grounds leading to the treeline.
"Can't beat that view," she said with an honest smile before turning back to Zhenya. "Thanks, Zhenya. That means a lot." Rachel hadn't known how much she needed the validation until she had received it.
She sighed contentedly. "Let's see the rest, and then we can practice." she said, feeling extremely happy to be here. But she still needed to take it all in.
Rachel listened with rapt attention - an apt pupil taking instruction from a master. She wasn't sure Zhenya would see herself as a master, but to Rachel, she certainly was the expert here. With her words came two different, yet important lessons. The first was understanding in why certain parts of the power were easier and others were harder. Zhenya's description of her reason with spirit was taken in the way it was given. Her struggles made it easier for her to find spirit. Conviction was needed for fire and earth. It gave her something immediately to work on. The second was validation. Not only was she doing things right. She was doing them well, and she had even learned one of the hardest things to learn; not to control, but how to surrender. Rachel liked the words Zhenya used - yield without disappearing. Rachel was right where she needed to be right now.
Zhenya opened the door to a room - her room. Rachel entered it and felt her heart quicken in excitement. The room was more than she expected. She expected a simple bed and that was it. But she also had a writing desk and of all things - a fireplace. She smiled as she quietly looked around, before walking to the desk to look out the window at the grounds leading to the treeline.
"Can't beat that view," she said with an honest smile before turning back to Zhenya. "Thanks, Zhenya. That means a lot." Rachel hadn't known how much she needed the validation until she had received it.
She sighed contentedly. "Let's see the rest, and then we can practice." she said, feeling extremely happy to be here. But she still needed to take it all in.