Midnight training... Simple, right? (Open)

[Lucina Custodia]

Sighing as she trained in the midnight rays of the moon, Lucina swung her great sword in a great arc; fast, strong and yet with a strange sense of grace and beauty. Taking one step back, Lucina swung her body completely in a Whirlwind motion, all her strength and power going into the movement as her body seemed to slightly glistened in the moonlight. Mind there was a good reason for that....

Right now was one of the few moments that you would see Lucina as less of a Templar and more as a woman as she often trained in the moonlight with nothing more than a worn out, light brown skirt from her old training days and a very old, previously white, shirt which showed her waist and was barely hanging on her shoulders with what was left of the yoke, the sleeves having long been ripped off.

The skirt whipped slightly around her form as she twisted and twirled, her sword seemingly like an extension of herself as she trained without using any training dummies. It was her way of being alone with no-one to comment on her being like her old Mentor. Mind these days, with being a Knight-Captain, Lucina had been a little less vigilant with her training so she often trained against recruits or in moments like this.

This was where Lucina was able to show herself a s a woman, not just a Templar.

[Dante Machiavelli]

Wandering through the darkness the big seeker Dante Machiavelli had his sword slung across his back, carrying his battle axe one handed near the blade, the haft thudding on the cobbles even as his red and black robes swept across them. Most who knew the big man would assume that he was going on an investigation of some sort however in truth he simply needed to clear his head a little and this activity was slowly becoming more and more common as his heart waged it's internal war. His footsteps stopped dead however as he caught sight of a figure, a woman in fact, training with a greatsword. Smiling faintly to himself he leaned on the head of his weapon for a moment as he observed her movements fro a distance, she was good and he had to admit she looked familiar… ah. The knight-captain, how interesting, she too had seemed… distracted of late, no wonder considering how close she had been to the former knight-commander and her resemblance to the woman. Perhaps she would appreciate someone to support her and give her some guidance, even if it was only a point in the right direction. A rare and faint smile found it’s way onto the seeker’s face as he pushed off from the haft of the axe and stalked forwards in the shadows before suddenly darting out, the haft of the axe kissing against the sword as the templar spun towards him. “Hello there Knight-Captain, getting in some extra training are we?” He purred, cocking his head slightly in greeting. Darting backwards with a speed that few would expect from a man as large as him he set down the axe and drew his own greatsword. “Would you allow me the privilege of being your sparring partner?”

[Lucina Custodia]

Whipping around with her sword, her skirt trailing behind her, Lucina sighed softly before giving her sword another slow arc before it hit something and her eyes twisted themselves to spot someone with their axe against her sword. Squinting a little, Lucina peered at the person behind the axe as he spoke to her, the slight purr in his voice made her skin crawl as she frowned. "One can never train enough.... Seeker." She answered through slightly gritted teeth.

Twisting her body around, Lucina put all of her weight through the momentum and thus her sword as she pushed away the Seeker whilst completing her arc before Lucina fully took in the man in front of her, trying to place a name to the face. He obviously knew who she was, who didn't in Kirkwall.... "You obviously know me, unfortunately I don't seem to recall your name Seeker."

Panting a little from vigorous training, Lucina slightly adjusted her top so that it wasn't so..... Revealing at the top, but as she pulled it up, a slight faint line could be seen on her left side of her waist as Lucina thought about his words. "I'll admit, it has been some time since I trained with a fellow two-handed swordsman.... Who actually knows what they're doing... Could be intriguing." She then smirked a little as she swung her sword a little so that her grip was more comfortable before awaiting his reply.

[Dante Machiavelli]

Dante nodded in agreement with the Templar even as he stretched his shoulder. "What you say is true Lucina Custodia. One truly cannot train too much, especially against a skilled opponent, something that doubtless we could both be labelled as." He replied, saluting with his blade before sweeping it downward as he took his stance. "As for my name," the big man darted forwards, his sword sweeping upwards as he did so, it's blade arcing towards the Templar. "I am High Seeker Dante Machiavelli." The strike was solid but well controlled, for now he was content with simply feeling his opponent out, he would only give his best if he felt that she deserved to see it.

[Lucina Custodia]

Lucina saw his nod in agreement and his salute so she raised her blade in salute as well before she took her own stance, the Templar great sword contrasted against her outfit but it very much completed her true image as a woman who was also a Templar, and not the other way around as many would believe. "Now as Knight-Captain, I have to give the best that I can give... As one of the few Two-handed warriors in the Templars, let alone women." She concurred, watching his movements and as he darted forwards, so did she.

Instead of meeting the blade full on, Lucina twisted herself clockwise before sweeping her blade low and yet slightly angled up in order to cause her opponent to possibly spin around in reaction and thus leave them open to a Pommel Strike. Despite the obvious strength that Lucina held, she still moved with a grace rather uncanny which showed more when Lucina wasn't in her armour.

Letting her blade slide along Dante's, Lucina felt the strength behind it and constantly watched her opponent for the opening of their next move. "Ahh, I should have recognised you sooner, Dante.... Mind, as you no doubt saw I blank out things when in my Midnight Training." Lucina mused as she twisted around in a controlled arc where her blade would contact from near the hilt and slice all the way to the tip of the aged blade.

[Dante Machiavelli]

Smiling as his blade met Lucina's angled counter Dante reacted exactly as the knight captain wanted, spinning away using the Templar's own momentum to perform the manoeuvre, flicking his head back as the knight captain's arcing blade passed, severing a few locks of his jet black mane, even as his cold eyes met hers, an almost indifferent look on his face for that moment before his own blade swatted hers away as he stepped back and retook his stance. "Well done, that was a fine move. It is good to find one so skilled with a two handed blade, which as you say, is rare for the order. It also pleases me to find one so dedicated to her training. Tell me one thing though," Lunging in again he struck across his body, his sword flashing from left to right. "Why do you push yourself?" Another strike, this time cutting diagonally downwards right to left. "Do you feel you have something to prove?" He knew relatively little about the Templar as a person and this was the perfect chance to get some idea of her views.

[Lucina Custodia]

Lucina watched as her blade severed a few locks of Dante's hair, despite his spinning away from it as a small smile graced Lucina's face as her blade was swatted away by Dante's, spinning out in continuation of her strike whilst spinning her blade expertly in her hands to face the left hand side which would have been left open if they were in her fight before her leg extended out to stop her spin and was therefore in a good stance to defend or attack.

"I first began training when I was 8 years old, granted that was with just a long sword.... But it has been tradition that the Custodia's wield the Family Great Sword when they join the Templar Order, and have their symbols engraved below their Father's." Lucina replied, taking the moment to eye Dante whilst catching her breath; during her spin out whilst readjusting her grip, Dante would have seen the pale line on her waist in full, a long scar trailing around and over her heart.

"Well, it wouldn't seem right if I order everyone else to remain vigilant in their training only to not do so myself..." Lucina stated first before reacting to his strike, her blade swatting away his from her before spinning it to block the other one.

This one however, caused her to step back in order to not buckle under the weight as his words rang in her ears; a flash came into her eyes as the ice broke a little as the words stung her heart and slightly broken soul as the weight pushed so much into her shoulder and right side that she had to fall back in order for the strike to not hit her left side. Her own weight forcing her onto her back on the ground, the words echoing:

"Do you feel you have something to prove?"

[Dante Machiavelli]

Dante caught the look in Lucina's eye as his question hit home, it was as he had expected, she was haunted by something, some great insecurity. He also couldn't help noticing a long scar trailing up her body, an old wound by the looks of it. As the Templar hit the floor his blade arced away, sweeping through the air before slamming point first into the ground, the Seeker's hand slowly trailing off of the hilt, lingering on the pommel for a moment before leaving the weapon where it stood. The big man then strode so that he was at Lucina's feet and after arranging his robe kneeled down in front of her, a rarely seen gentle smile on his lips. "You have nothing to prove Lucina Custodia, your record is unblemished, you are skilled with your blade and if I may be so bold, you are an attractive woman." Cocking his head he fell silent for a moment, his eyes carrying a thoughtful look. "Perhaps... Your current path should not be walked alone..." He mused, closing his eyes for a moment as he trailed off. "Perhaps you need someone you can trust, someone to give you support when you need it and to spur you on when things are going well. But then, wouldn't we all like someone like that." He sighed as he finished, his eyes staring into the darkness for a moment, a distant look to them before he turned back. "Perhaps we could support each other, though we would of course have to know a little more about each other first, perhaps we could start with the story of that scar you have?" He mused, a thoughtful quality to his face.

[Lucina Custodia]

Lucina panted as she stayed on the ground, her blade having been knocked away so it lay a few inches away from her as she sighed, shaking her head. Dante's first words coming through, "Your words are kind, Dante.... Though I am but a husk of what I was.... You say my record is unblemished...." She huffed sharply in a forced laugh, "I should have seen the signs..... I was the one she trusted, and yet I turned on her, the first to speak to Cullen about her state of mind not seeming as it was.... I was her trusted Lieutenant, and I didn't see her..... Didn't see the erosion of the person I admired, even loved, above all others until...." Her voice broke as tears sprang in the woman's blue eyes. "Until it was too late...."

That was when his last sentence of his sweetened words hit her ears and Lucina looked at him. She never considered herself as beautiful, for it was a path that one would go down if they thought of turning away from their Templar duties, like Briana had done. And Lucina was sworn not only to her duties, but the continuation of her family. Mind, it would be more difficult for her unless the Maker willed it so....

Her thoughts were brought back to the present as Dante continued to talk about having someone she could trust. Was he referring to them being friends? Or.... Something else...

Lucina sighed as she sat up, "You mean the scar that surrounds where my heart is?" She stated as she trailed the line gently with her finger pad, minding her modesty as well by making sure she didn't lift what was left of her shirt. "I got it when I was 5.... And it was when I knew that I had to take up the mantle of the Custodias... When a Blood Mage killed my parents with my own blood....." She stated as she ran her fingers through her hair, taking a deep breath.

"My parents moved to a small farm outside of Kirkwall when I was 1, my grandparents went into a Smithy inside the city which my grandmother just about runs in her old age..... We saw a stranger, limping towards the house so we invited them in...." Lucina took another but deeper breath to steady herself, "But then my Father... Must have felt something, as he went for his old sword... When he twisted around to strike at the Mage, he accidently swiped the tip of the blade against my side as I tried to move out the way...." She stopped then as she started to hear her own childish screams of pain in her mind as she recalled those moments.

[Dante Machiavelli]

Dante sighed sadly as Lucina mentioned Meredith's death, perhaps he should not have pushed as he had but it had confirmed his suspicions. She felt that she failed her mentor, not only her mentor but from what he gathered a maternal figure as well. It brought his own feelings back to the front of his mind, especially those of The Lord-Seeker... Shaking the thought from his head he focused on his more immediate concern. He remained silent however as Lucina explained the origins of the scar that seemed to weave its way across her body. Such tragedy from such an early age, it was rather heartbreaking in truth. Opening his mouth to speak he felt a rare moment of hesitation as he considered his next words. "I am truly sorry for bringing up such hard memories, please forgive me. Alas I never knew my parents but have been party to great loss myself and fear worse is yet to come, I was close to another knight, she was a year older than myself and was my partner, we were close and after a while... Consumated our love, though the chantry would never have condoned it. We were net after a powerful Maleficar but he took control of her body." He stated sadly, slowly opening the front of his robe, revealing his bare torso and leather breeches. "He forced her to attack me, I was paralysed, fearing for my life yet not willing to hurt her... She struck me before I could act," he traced a scar on his own chest that passed from right to left directly over his heart. "It was only a glancing blow and only furthered my indecision however she quickly made the decision for me, retaining enough willpower that she was able to throw herself on my blade..." He closed his eyes for a moment. "I considered leaving the Order right then but without that I would not be the man I am now." He muttered, closing his eyes for a moment. "Tell me Lucina, had you known what would happen would you have done differently? Even if in your heart you knew that it would end in tragedy either way?"

[Lucina Custodia]

Blinking back the tears from the many memories, Lucina managed to carry on with the story. "The Maleficar noticed my wound and, with a foul smile, drew some of the blood from my side where it engulfed my parents.... And killed them..." She took a steadying breath then as she pushed back some of her blonde hair, "He almost killed me then.... Had it not been for some Templars walking by at the time... Hearing my screams....."

Hearing his words, Lucina looked up though faintly blushed in her cheeks at the sight of Dante's chest but she focussed herself so her eyes only saw the scar and not.... Anything else as she swallowed a lump in her throat as she looked into Dante's eyes. "I'm sorry to hear that.... Truly, it must have been terrible...." She sighed softly, slightly looking away at this; she'd never felt anything like that, she was always too focussed on her Duties rather than anything else and so she often felt lonely despite her grandmother still just about alive and all of the Templars, there was still a hole that never seemed to fill up.

"Tell me Lucina, had you known what would happen would you have done differently? Even if in your heart you knew that it would end in tragedy either way?" His next question forced her to look back at Dante as she mulled his words in her mind before trying to find an answer. "I.......... I'd have....." She paused, struggling to truly find her answer to such a question. "I honestly don't know...... But I still feel unclean..... Almost as tainted as the Darkspawn for what I've done in her name.... I'm not worthy of my sword, or of the Order's symbol..... Not anything really..."

She stood up then as she walked away from her still discarded sword as she walked further into the moonlight, the beams forming her figure as a lonely silhouette against the huge moon. "Who'd want to know a burned out husk of a Templar, whose face bares a resemblance to one that people hate?" Her words held another meaning, a secret longing that she held in her heart and yet never told. To a point, she was envious of Briana though many have stated that one could be a Templar and still have a life..... How though..... She did not know.

[Dante Machiavelli]

"Thank you, there are very few who know of that tale and I appreciate your sympathy." The seeker muttered, a sad smile on his face. Perhaps if she came to view him as a kindred spirit then it would- wait, was she blushing? He had been told he was quite good looking in his youth but had never really considered that he might have that effect on people. It was... Quite nice in a way. She seemed saddened though, could it be that she had never let anyone else into her life? There were many who followed that path in the order and it always saddened him. Her response to his last question was not what he expected however and it seemed that it had cut to the core, bringing her insecurities out to the fore. It was a terrible sight and although he pitied her he felt his choler rising as she spoke, referring to herself as unclean and broken as she walked off. Snatching her family sword off of the ground Dante stomped after her, his face set in a scowl. Passing her he quickly turned on his heel, his free right hand whipping round to slap her face, it didn't have his full power behind it but it would certainly sting. "The world is full of those who will doubt and drag you down, do not be one of them!" He snarled, allowing his anger to break through his usually stoic exterior. After a moment his face softened however. "There is always hope Lucina, until the moment that you give up on yourself." With that he span her sword in his left hand so that the hilt was facing the Templar. "Take your sword Lucina Custodia and know that even when all else has failed you, I will be there to support you and guide you through it." He stated, a tender look on his face.

[Lucina Custodia]

Lucina nodded in reply as she sighed, "I can only imagine how painful it was for you......" She added afterwards as she tried to fight against the blush in her cheeks, The Maker surely demanded that his Templars were to be vigilant in their cause.... Right? They couldn't be distracted by love, family... Material things..... Or so she had been taught and thus thought for many years, but what Briana did caused her to question this.

Feeling Dante's slap though surprised her, and her hand flew up to her cheek, feeling the soreness and pain there as it steadily rose to be the harsh sting that came from such a blow as Lucina twisted her head back to look at him, a fierce look in her eye as the soft blue darkened. "How can you not doubt yourself when you betray someone you cared for, and who cared about you? HOW?!" She shouted at him, all of her anger at herself now coming out, something she'd kept inside for the past 4 years were now finally coming out. "Every time I close my eyes to sleep, I see her face staring at me in denial, begging that she heard wrong and that I didn't turn against her.... That I didn't betray my second Mother...."

That last part brought tears to her eyes, the truth out there as Lucina tried not to cry. All the anger and bitterness gone, now all that remained was the pain and grief that still racked her heart, it was an opening for Dante to unlock the former Warrior and also allow the world to see the woman beneath the Armour. And not Meredith's reflection.

[Dante Machiavelli]

Dante struggled not to smile with satisfaction as Lucina snapped back at him. There it was, that fighting spirit that he had been searching for and there was also all of that parent up emotion, finally being drawn out like poison from a wound. He was always surprised at just how well he could get into people's heads. Now he could help the healing process begin. As tears began to form in the woman's eyes he wrapped his massive arms around her, pulling her in close. "Just let it all out," He whispered, cocking his head so that he was as close to her ear as possible. It was only then that he became aware of the pleasant sensation of having her warmth against his bare chest. Standing silently for a moment he closed his eyes and saw Arianne's dying face swimming there. Never again. He had sworn the oath a full sixteen years ago that never again would he fail someone who he could save. That day a part of Knight Brother Dante Machiavelli died, but the redeemer was born in it's place. He would not fail here. "You betrayed no one, you stood by Meredith until the end, when her obsession turned to madness. You say she was your second mother, that means that you are her living legacy and need to do your memory of her proud, I know she would not wish to see you like this." He swallowed before continuing, Arianne's face in his head once more. "I still see Arianne in my sleep, asking me why she had to die, why I couldn't save her... I still have no answer for her... Only a promise." He slowly exhaled as his eyes were drawn back to the darkness once more, shortly it would be time to make his move.

[Lucina Custodia]

Once pulled into Dante's chest, that was the breaking point as Lucina's tears fell from her blue eyes, all those years of grief and pain coming out in her trails as her body shook from the pain, not from the cold though that would be surprising considering how little she was wearing. But Lucina didn't care, nor notice how she slotted beneath Dante's form, completely enveloping her. The last time she felt this safe or protected was when her Father used to hold her in a similar way if she ever cried.

Listening to him, Lucina contemplated his words as her hands shifted from their place to hide her eyes to balance herself by placing her hands on his chest. His words sounded so right..... She was only a reflection of Meredith, not Meredith herself... She could change so that at least her Mentor and Mother wasn't completely smeared in a bad light....

Hearing his last sentence, Lucina managed to pull her face up to look at him. "But you didn't kill her, she used what will she had left so that a Maleficar wouldn't use her body to kill you.... You obviously meant that much to her...." She stated in reply, only then realizing how close they were together and a faint blush appeared on her cheeks but she didn't move away or use her hands to push herself back.