After the prayer, Ariadna and Vayan headed to her room. Marina was already there, waiting with her clothes neatly prepared. Vayan inspected them carefully before turning to the maid. "This will do for now. Please give the seamstress and shoemaker her sizes; they know what to make."
He then turned to Ariadna. "Get dressed, and we'll go to the training grounds."
Once he left, Ariadna examined the clothes laid out before her. The dark woolen trousers and matching tunic appeared simple and utilitarian, complemented by a leather belt and soft, closed priest shoes. She recognized the practicality of the outfit, having seen Vayan wear something similar beneath his armor.
She quickly changed and stepped out to find Vayan waiting for her, approval gleaming in his eyes. He approached, tightened her belt, and said, "Let's go."
As they walked, Ariadna asked, "Brother, why are we learning combat while our other siblings do not?" Vayan hesitated, his expression thoughtful as if weighing his words. Finally, he replied, "I'll explain when we start our lesson."
Soon, they arrived at the training grounds, located on the far side of the royal quarters near the stables, where the royal army lived and trained. The area was neat, featuring a large yard for sparring and practicing battle arts, as well as horse riding. It was currently empty and quiet, but the signs of recent activity were evident.
Vayan gestured to the space. "In the mornings, this will all be reserved for our training. I'd like to begin with a few words," Vayan said, his tone reverent. "Our God embodies duality—destruction and renewal. You already know this. We are vessels of His will, though imperfect vessels. Because of this, we can only wield one of His powers—either destruction or renewal. That is why our parents share this power; our mother wields destruction, while our father represents renewal. Our siblings have all shown an affinity for renewal, which is why they are trusted with the priesthood and do not learn combat. Me and you - we are attuned to destruction." He looked at her again with pious gaze. Let us begin with a prayer that will get us in the right mindset:
O Great God of Destruction,
We humbly come before you,
Embracing the ashes of yesterday,
And acknowledging the weight of our trials.
In your mighty presence,
We recognize that through destruction,
New beginnings are forged,
And from the depths of despair, hope emerges.
Turn our fears into ash,
So we may rise anew from the remnants,
Grant us the courage to embrace the fire,
That cleanses and transforms our souls.
From the ashes of the past,
Let your sacred flame ignite our spirits,
Teach us to let go of that which no longer serves,
And to find beauty in the ruin.
With grateful hearts, we accept
The cycle of creation and dissolution,
For we know that in every destruction,
Lies the promise of renewal.
Embrace us, O mighty one,
As we journey through your fiery grace,
And let us carry the lessons of ash,
Into the dawn of our new beginnings.
Guide our hands, let them strikw true
And let in Your name our faith never waver.
Let each strike worship you
And guide out battles toward destruction.
With this they got up and Vayan passed her a wooden sword. With this her first combat lesson began.