Porcelain to Steel
[volkaxdalca]
The early morning’s chill reached through fabric to touch her skin despite the thick cloak over her shoulders, and Astrid shivered lightly as she paced the courtyard to keep herself from becoming too cold too soon. Sunlight had begun to brighten the sky, but the sun itself had not yet shown its face, and the shadow of the palace would not quite disappear until noon drew neared. She knew that once Volka arrived and they got started on the lesson, she would soon forget about the icy weather as she concentrated on that instead, but nevertheless she hoped it would not be necessary to remove her cloak if it got in the way of movement.
Her pacing stopped when she heard the crunch of snow beneath boots in the silence, and Astrid brightened when her guard and Volka Dalca came into the yard, her exhale visible as it was released into the cold air. Though this activity hadn’t been truly approved yet -- she had spoken to her father about it but he had made it clear that he wanted to meet her teacher before she began any such training -- she was excited much more than she was nervous. She was no stranger to a steel blade, but she reveled in the opportunity to learn the art of swordsmanship beyond the brief instructions she’d been given by the palace guards when she was younger.
“I am glad to see you again, mister Dalca,” she greeted, meeting them halfway. “I can hardly wait to begin.”