the Chronicles of Ice and Fire: The Class

[Kenna Rhys]

Kenna nervously entered the weapon fighting class at Camp Half-Blood, her heart pounding with both excitement and anxiety. She glanced around the spacious training arena, taking in the sight of campers eagerly practicing their combat skills. The sound of clashing blades and the occasional cheer filled the air, making her feel even more self-conscious about her own abilities. Trying to remain inconspicuous, Kenna moved to the back of the class, hoping to blend in with the crowd. She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, feeling the familiar smell of metal in the air. 

As the instructor, a seasoned demigod, started explaining the basics of weapon fighting, Kenna's attention shifted nervously from him to her fellow campers. They all seemed so skilled, their movements fluid and confident. Doubt crept into her mind, whispering that she would never be as good as them. Taking a deep breath, Kenna adjusted the grip on her training sword and attempted to mimic the instructor's stance. But her movements felt clumsy and awkward. Each swing of the blade seemed to lack the finesse she witnessed in the others. She couldn't help but wonder if she belonged in this class at all.

@ Annie Hernandez

[Annie Hernandez Rare]

Actually Annie wasn't paying much attention to the lesson, no, she was already quite comfortable with the spear and the sword was not really her forte, so she stood in the shadows copying from time to time some positions that seemed to her important. The thing that attracted his attention, however, was another: the girl who arrived late who was also in the shadows, but not out of a sense of superiority, if anything, on the opposite, her movements seemed awkward, but more derived from a 'inner insecurity... that girl intrigued Annie, she had never seen her in the field even though she had been there for a few months now and she couldn't guess her divine parent definitely not Ares or Athena but she felt sorry for her, you know what it means not being able to do something. "Raise your hips. Keep your grip stronger." She found herself whispering some advice here and there about her, even though, with the coolness she knew they possessed, it almost seemed like her orders, Annie really hoped that this new girl didn't misunderstand her intentions.

@ Kenna Rhys

[Kenna Rhys]

Kenna's palms grew sweaty as she continued to struggle with her sword movements, her eyes downcast, trying to hide her frustration. The instructor's words of guidance barely registered in her ears as her mind was filled with self-doubt. But amidst her struggle, a soft voice reached her ears, offering advice that seemed both authoritative and compassionate. Startled, Kenna looked around, trying to identify the source of the voice. Her gaze landed on a girl with fiery determination in her eyes, hidden within the shadows. It took Kenna a moment to recognize her as Annie, one of the campers who always seemed confident and skilled in combat. Feeling a mixture of gratitude and apprehension, Kenna hesitated for a moment before giving Annie's advice a try. She straightened her posture, adjusted her grip, and attempted the swing once more. Surprisingly, the movement felt a bit more controlled, a touch more purposeful. "Thanks....do you have any more tips?" she asked shyfully.

[Annie Hernandez Rare]

She returned the girl a rare joyful look and noticed that her grip had now improved, Annie was happy that the girl had interpreted the advice correctly and had not taken it for criticism or orders, which some demigods of the camp instead did, much to her great disappointment.  "No, not for now ... then I'm not very good with the sword so you'd better ask someone else" And she laughed slightly always trying not to get caught by the instructor who was adjusting the position of someone further away.  "I'm Annie, what's your name? Sorry, but I don't think I've ever seen you around...".

Meanwhile she got closer to her and looked at her, she noticed her brown hair and eyes of the same color, but also saw the calluses on her hands. She looks like a hard worker, I'm not surprised that although she doesn't seem comfortable with a sword, she was still putting in a lot of effort.

[Kenna Rhys]

Kenna's heart was pounding so fast as talking to new people always got her that way. Kenna asked her question, her voice timid yet hopeful. Annie returned her look with a genuine smile, and Kenna felt a rush of gratitude for her reaching out and offering guidance. As Annie introduced herself to Kenna felt a flutter of nerves but managed to respond with a shy smile. What if this girl didn't like her or if she sounded dumb saying stuff about herself????? Pushing through this all she then began to speak up. "I'm Kenna. I'm fairly new here, actually. Hephaestus claimed me not too long ago, and I've been mostly working in the forges. But I want to improve my fighting skills too," Kenna explained, feeling a surge of vulnerability. She paused for a moment before adding, "Thank you for your help. It means a lot to me." A blush came across her face as she looked at Annie. She must be older than her plus she seemed a lot cooler too! 

[Annie Hernandez Rare]

"Mh, yes... I see. Well it's always good to practice and now that you mention it maybe I should go to the forges one day. One day I have to pass to your place then." She kept thinking about it as she saw Kenna's face turned redder, was she embarrassed? How come, Annie was confused, she hadn't made a good impression? Her breathing was shallower than normal and he often found himself staring at the girl in front of her.

Annie seemed to really care about this new friendship ... if she already could be called that ... and she wanted to know more about Kenna, then she was very beautiful and certainly nice, despite her sympathy for her seemed hidden by shyness her. As the discussion went on Annie found herself more and more at ease with the girl, who seemed almost younger than her, now she was more open and perhaps that protective ice she had in her heart since her arrival at the camp would could melt with the right care.

[Kenna Rhys]

Kenna's heart continued to race as she engaged in conversation with Annie, her nerves threatening to overwhelm her. Annie's smile and genuine interest in her words brought a surge of gratitude and relief. Kenna couldn't help but feel a sense of comfort in Annie's presence, despite her initial apprehension. Annie mentioned her own interest in visiting the forges, Kenna's blush deepened. Annie's cool demeanor and apparent experience made Kenna feel even more self-conscious about her own skills. She listened attentively to Annie's words, finding herself intrigued by the idea of showing her around the forge. Kenna's shyness caused her to lower her gaze, feeling a mixture of embarrassment and joy. It was a small victory for her to have someone express interest in her work. "That would be cool, I........I could show you my work and maybe could work on a....was it a spear you like?" 

[Annie Hernandez Rare]

She could feel Kenna not being very comfortable outside her cabin, Annie had heard it in her voice, yet he tried to speak softer to her, trying a little harder, to make her feel calmer. "Yes! That would be great thank you very much, even if you don't have to, I'd be very pleased, is that your passion?" Ok, Annie's attempts at conversation and genuine curiosity about Kenna's work, something that seemed to light up the girl with joy and interest, weren't going too badly and Annie felt really intrigued by the work of Hephaestus' sons in the forges. His gaze then turned to the setting sun and he let himself be carried away a bit by those beautiful colours, meanwhile he continued his conversation with Kenna: "Then if you want to talk to me or come and say hello, I'm in cabin 11. I'd be happy to " and Annie, strangely, couldn't stop smiling, she liked the girl very much, despite her shyness she was very nice.

[Kenna Rhys]

Nodding her head she then pulled out a little spider machine that she took apart and then back together super quickly. Then she began to blush as she got embarrassed hoping this wasn't too weird of a passion. Annie's genuine interest and warm presence made Kenna feel more at ease, slowly unraveling the knots of her shyness. Annie's question about the type of weapon she worked on brought a spark of excitement to Kenna's eyes. "That would be cool, I... I could show you my work, and maybe we could work on a... was it a spear you like?" Kenna suggested, her voice filled with a mix of hesitance and enthusiasm. She found herself drawn to Annie's calm demeanor and the way she seemed genuinely interested in getting to know her. Kenna couldn't help but feel a sense of pride in her craftsmanship, even though her combat skills were lacking. As they continued their conversation, Kenna took note of Annie's cabin number and committed it to memory. "You can find me in the forge or Cabin 9" she blushed again feeling happy to have made a friend. "I could show you around or how I make things....but just know the forge is super hot!" 

[Annie Hernandez Rare]

"I'd be very happy to come and see your work. Can you say a new spear? I'd like it, I'm fine with mine, but in certain close battles it gets a bit cumbersome... It would be nice if you could give me a hand." Annie smiled at the girl and the desire to get to know her better grew, even though she was shy she liked the way her eyes lit up when she talked about her work, and not just hers but her whole face her.

Cabin 9? Annie listened to Kenna's directions with interest and smiled when she told her the forges were super hot, maybe she could make something up to go because she really had a genuine curiosity about those places and what was being built in there. "Be sure I'm coming even if, if I come with seven towels wet with cold water on my neck and arms, don't start laughing. I might pass out but, since I'm too curious, I'll come." And she smiled at Kenna as the instructor signaled the end of class.

[Kenna Rhys]

Nervously, Kenna fidgeted with the little spider machine in her hands, a miniature creation of her craftsmanship. She hesitated for a moment, wondering if showing it to Annie was too strange, but her excitement overpowered her doubts. With a shy smile, she quickly disassembled and reassembled the contraption. Annie's genuine interest and warm presence continued to put Kenna at ease, making her feel more comfortable in sharing her passion. When Kenna mentioned the possibility of making a new spear for Annie, it seemed to get Annie excited. The thought of using her skills to help someone else brought her immense joy. "Ohhhhh I can do that for sure, I will draw up some ideas for them" her voice sounded confident. 

As the instructor signaled the end of the class, Kenna realized their time together had come to an end for now. She looked at Annie with a grateful smile, grateful that they had crossed paths and excited for the future possibilities. "I can't wait to show you the forge and work on a new spear together," Kenna said, her voice filled with genuine enthusiasm. That was when an idea came to her "Want to walk back together?" 

[Annie Hernandez Rare]

Annie kept curiously looking at all the cars that Kenna brought out and if these were only the ones she brought with her on a regular basis she would really like to see how her part of the cab was doing Kenna seemed nice, slightly strange with all that passion for technology, but nice, and she had seen a lot of oddities in the camp so now they didn't have as much effect on her as they used to. As soon as she heard about her spear, she immediately changed the focus: "Do you already have ideas for improvements, do you think you can do better, are there any weapons that return to the hand of whoever threw them, or that change size? "

Annie couldn't believe all the words that came out of her own mouth, should she calm down? No, it was too cool to calm down. "Of course I'll come with you, right away! Let's go by my cabin first and I'll get some cloths to wrap" she said as they started walking towards the cabins. "Oh girl you and I are gonna do great things!" And she gave her a playful shoulder as they walked.

[Kenna Rhys]

Kenna's heart filled with a mix of excitement and surprise as Annie showed genuine interest in her creations. Annie's barrage of questions about possible improvements for her spear caught her off guard, but it also sparked a flame of creativity within her. She couldn't help but be drawn to Annie's infectious enthusiasm. "I... I hadn't thought about those ideas before, but they sound amazing! I'll definitely look into it and see what I can come up with," Kenna replied, her voice filled with a newfound sense of determination. The thought of collaborating with Annie on something truly unique and innovative filled her with a sense of purpose. As they walked back together, Kenna couldn't help but feel a growing connection with Annie. Her playful shoulder bump brought a smile to Kenna's face, and she felt a sense of belonging she had never experienced before. "Yeah, we're gonna do great things," Kenna echoed, her voice filled with conviction. "SOOOOO what have you thought about camp since you arrived??? I mean is it much better than before?" 

[Annie Hernandez Rare]

She liked seeing the smile on Kenna's face and it felt good with her, with someone who cared about her ideas and who wasn't intimidated by her initial coldness, Annie was starting to feel at home. She was excited at the idea of seeing the forges, they had always intrigued her, but she would never have gone in alone especially because of the unbearable heat they emitted, but with Kenna she was more self-confident, strange huh? She was grateful that she enjoyed her lance adjustments and that she took the time to make them. Kenna showed her affection, friendship, and she should reciprocate. His face hardly had a smiling expression, after all it was his personality, but his words were warmer than usual: "Yeah well I like it, it's very big and we don't have to protect ourselves from monsters every minute, it's definitely Better than where I used to live and I have some company" he looked at her "I think I'm starting to make some friends."

[Kenna Rhys]

Annie's words resonated within Kenna's mind as they continued their walk, and a warmth spread through her chest. It was a unique feeling, knowing that her efforts to connect were being appreciated. As the wind rustled through the trees, Kenna glanced at Annie, catching the subtle changes in her expression that indicated a growing comfort around her. It was a remarkable shift from their initial encounter, and Kenna felt a sense of pride in being part of that change. As they walked closer to the camp's heart, Kenna's thoughts raced. She wanted to keep the conversation going, to learn more about Annie's past, her thoughts, her dreams. "I'm glad you're finding your place here," Kenna said, her voice gentle yet genuine. "And friends... well, that's something truly special." She paused, the corners of her lips curling into a small, thoughtful smile. "You know, this camp can be a chaotic place, but it's our own kind of adventure. With you by my side, I think it's going to be even more exciting." Kenna's heart swelled with a newfound sense of purpose, realizing that the connection she was building with Annie was something worth cherishing.

[Annie Hernandez Rare]

Now Annie was completely at ease with Kenna, she was fine and couldn't wait to see all her tools in action, it's true that both of them had struggled to speak at first, they were introverted but in different ways... anyway , as they gradually became familiar with each other, a climate was created, neither hot nor cold, friendly. Kenna maybe... no... not maybe, Kenna was her friend! Her first here at camp. Kenna was genuinely interested in her and Annie reciprocated the feeling, wanting to know more about her. When she spoke she didn't have to force herself, it came so naturally to her to converse with Kenna:  "Yes, I'm grateful to you too, but you have your place too, don't you? And... in fact, well... you're my first friend" and, for the first time, he smiled at her, and after that smile he understood... he understood that there was no longer ice in his heart for Kenna, their friendship could now grow and evolve for the better. "Do you know Kenna? I think so too... but whatever happens... we'll face it together!" and they continued to walk together, towards the future.

Edited September 16, 2023 by Annie Hernandez