Katherine
Loralie Douze
Northwind

Loralie gave him a nervous smile when he mentioned her skill, but a cold feeling spread throughout her stomach as he brought up the subject of a challenge. A slight tremor ran throughout her body as he informed her that he would be returning her to Araedia, should she fail to win. Was he trying to scare her into doing well? Or perhaps frighten her into doing poorly?

The girl felt a mix of confusing emotions as she reached down to place an arrow on her bowstring. She was fairly certain she could win, but would her archery truly be the factor of whether or not Levi wanted her? At this point, Loralie knew that it did not matter. She was not going to return to Araedia, and she was not going to have another Mother, named Rhesa or otherwise

Her face was set, a mix of determination and resolve, as she raised the bow, pulling back on the bowstring as she took aim. This time, she was not going to miss. Not when the stakes were so high. 

Her green eyes narrowed as she took aim, and then released. The arrow whistled in the wind before hitting dead in the center of the target.

She lowered her bow and wordlessly looked over to Levi, waiting for him to shoot. Gabriel, who could tell she was distressed despite the relaxed expression she kept on her face, chirped and nuzzled against her neck. She scritched the back of his small head, but did not smile. She did not feel like smiling, and she was too nervous to make it convincing enough.
Carol
Levi Cortez
Northwind

"That's good enough. All I needed to know." He said, placing his hand on her shoulder. "You see, when given the choice, many people back down from challenges. Some cheat, others lie. Many don't take the risk at all. But you proved then and there what kind of person you are. Too bad I wasn't like you at your age, or this conversation wouldn't have had to happen." He said, calmly standing. 

"Loralie is a nice name, though I always wished to name my first daughter after my mother. Her name was Derenia." He said, smiling. "Though she would have been proud of your name, and she would have loved you. You come from a strong family, one I hope to make strong again." He said, before turning to lean against the post that arrow buckets leaned against. 

"The wolfmen should arrive soon. When they do, you are free to explore for a bit while I handle their arrival. I do ask that you stay out of the way, or you are free to tag along. After all, if you want to stick around, it would help if you helped me around here." He said, looking at her, his dark hair rippling with the wind.
Katherine
Loralie Douze
Northwind

"O-oh," Loralie said, lowering her own bow as Levi told her that she had won. *That was very fast,* She thought, a bit confused but ultimately relieved. She was not going back to Araedia. 

As Levi continued, going on to say that she had displayed what kind of person she was, a sad feeling made her chest feel a bit heavy. He didn't know what kind of person she was, or at least she didn't think he did. He seemed like a very nice man, and she was glad he was her father. But she doubted even he would want her if he knew her past.

*"Mothers do not tolerate failures as their Children."* Mother's cold voice rang into her head. *"Dispose of him."*

*She was back in time. Back at her small, empty room at the Academy. Her nightgown freshly slashed, the anger and adrenaline coursing through her veins as she breathed heavily. The two stab marks in her bed. The whimpering boy clutching his broken arm on the ground, his chest underneath Loralie's knee as she raised his own knife against him. She saw her reflection in his dark eyes, illuminated by the moonlight that passed through the small window. She looked like a monster, not a little girl.*

*"He is of no use to us anymore."*

*"Yes, Mother,"* *She had replied, her voice hollow and lifeless. And then, she forced the knife down to the boy's chest.*

Loralie couldn't remember what happened after that. Her memory was odd in that regard, with blank bits and pieces.

*Next thing she knew, the boy was no longer on the floor. A small red pool of blood was all that remained. Loralie stared at the spot numbly, before Mother walked forward and gathered her into her slender, cold arms.*

*"You did well,"* *Mother said, stroking Loralie's hair gently with long fingers. Loralie remembered, despite her numb, emotionless state of mind, the jolt of fear as Mother's sharp nails gently trailed along her neck, across her jugular. However, Loralie did not pull away. She was simply froze.* *"I am proud of you, Loralie."*

——

"-wished to name my first daughter after my mother. Her name was Derenia."

Loralie's mind snapped back to the present, and she gave a small smile as Levi told her of his Mother. The fondness in his voice made her a bit confused, but she trusted him enough that she, too, believed that Derenia must have been a good woman. Perhaps there really was different kinds of Mothers. Regardless, Loralie was perfectly content with not knowing hers. She did not need one.

"I never liked my name very much," She told him with a small smile of her own. "I think I would like it very much if, since I am..." A faint blush appeared on her cheeks as she wondered if what she was going to say was too presumptuous, but she continued nonetheless. "Since I am your daughter, and I want to start anew, I would like to have the name you would have given me. Derenia is a very pretty name."

She wished she could hug him, but she did not know how to do that very well. She didn't want to do it incorrectly. Suddenly, she remembered his last question and added, "I have never seen a wolfman. I would like to come with you, if you truly do not mind."