Antoine LaChance

"Well, that's for the history books to decide isn't it? I'm happy to help people when I see them in need, and it sounds to me like you're happy to work towards giving them good lives in your own way. No need to think so hard on it once you've made the decision yourself!"

Many libraries that haven't been negatively affected by the war these past five years... and with people more worried about their lives it seems harder and harder to find good books. I'm glad to hear you enjoyed Ivaylo's recommendations though, I swear he's the most book smart person I've ever met."

"I believe the bard who made the poems in that collection was from alliance territory, I'll pass it onto you later. Apparently he wrote most of his works in iambic pentameter."

Antoine takes a sip of the tea, a refreshed look already making its way onto his face.

"I hear you, there's not ++

"Sounds like a good goal to me! Maybe I don't fully get it, but it sounds like you want to do what you've been trained for right? Being a leader and helping your people."

Antoine couldn't help but laugh a little.

"Guess that makes us kinda similar huh?"

//Alright! With Thanksgiving done I'm finally back to write up some replies!

"Hm? At the ball... oh, when I asked what you wanted to do?"

Antoine sat down next to Gwyneira.

"I meant it exactly how I said it. It's your life isn't it? You should decide for yourself what it is you want to do."

As my friends. So I guess I just want to help out."

He smiled just as he would when he was a student. Bright and cheery.

"What did I mean? Well, I'm just asking if you need help with anything. I figure it's a good way to reconnect with old classmates, and I always enjoyed helping out."

It seems there was a misunderstanding.

"I mean, it's been five years since I've seen any of you, and I still think of the lions +++

Out of it. Need a hand with anything?"

As usual, his question was genuine. He enjoyed helping others whether they wanted his help or not.

It had been a long time since Antoine had seen his fellow Blue Lion classmates, and while friendships did seem to pick back up where they left off he still wanted to check up on everyone. It was then he saw Gwyneira appearing to stare into space.

"Hey Gwyn, you doing alright? You look a little +++

Reading them just feels nostalgic. As for people, it's good to see some old friends again."

The line of questioning Claude chose took Antoine's mind off the grimness of current events, getting him to open up about his own life more.

"Reading? Actually, yes. Over the last five years it was difficult to find too much time to sit down and read something, but being back at the monastery, I found my favorite collection of poems in the library again and decided to read them. I could probably still recite them from memory... but +++

"Hey now, it's not pity. You're my friend and I like helping people."

Antoine scratched his chin and thought for a minute.

"Guess that just means we should stick together, shouldn't it? You said my luck seems to positively affect others, so sticking with me should keep you around longer!"

"I may only be a couple years older than you, but you seem like someone that could use a big brother figure! Hahahaha!"

Antoine leans back in his seat.

"And you shouldn't talk like that y'know, you should try to live a long and healthy, I'm certain you can if you put your mind to it."

+++ Don't hesitate to call on me if you need an extra set of hands on something."

He kept a warm and friendly smile as he talked.

"Already have everything prepared? You really are three steps ahead on everything, aren't you."

Antoine can't help but chuckle as he takes a seat at the table.

"How have you been, Claude? Are you holding up well? I'm sure the war has you running ragged to put out fires. +++

Figure something out. Or else you'll end up gray and wrinkled in your thirties, might even cut some years off your life!"

Antoine patted the younger boys head, keeping a bright smile on his own face in case Ivaylo were to look up from his makeshift arm pillow.

"Well yeah, everyone's got their own hang ups. Even a guy like me does! In any case Ivaylo, you should lighten up a bit more. I know you like to figure things out, and that's great, I know you'll accomplish so many things just because of who you are. But don't beat yourself up when you can't +++

"Hehehehe, guilty as charged I guess. You just get flustered and frustrated a bit too easily!"

He couldn't stop himself from laughing.

"I don't think I'd call it naive of blind faith, I'm just at peace with myself for the most part. What you see is what you get, nothing more nothing less."

The playful gesture managed to hunch Antoine temporarily from the surprise, but he lifted his head back up with a smile.

"Claude? This is a surprise! I was actually just thinking about getting something to drink, so tea would be perfect! A lavender blend would go nicely right about now."

"Why wouldn't I be relaxed? It's not like being lucky is a bad thing, and it's not like there's some big dark revelation as to why. I've just always been lucky, even when I'm unlucky. No reason to stress myself out over the why and how of it y'know?"

Antoine kept a grin on his face while talking.

"This is why I said it's best not to think about it. You'll just get wrinkles before you should."

Antoine puts the cards back in the deck but leaves it be for now.

"Anyways, just because something is improbable doesn't mean it's impossible. Chalk it up to luck or divine favor if you want."

Naturally the last card is an 8 of hearts. Giving Antoine a straight flush.

"Well, guess that's that then. Second best hand in the game. But your three of a kind wasn't bad either!"

"I'm pretty sure I'm still going to win this though. No need to worry about any of that."

It didn't even sound like confidence, more of a certainty, a fact, than anything else. He flipped the next card and revealed a 4 of hearts. Only an 8 or a 3 of hearts was needed for a straight flush now.

As of now, Ivaylo had a better hand with 3 of a kind, but the possibility of a straight flush for Antoine was very real.

"Looks like you're winning right now Ivaylo!"

"Alright, will do."

Antoine began shuffling again, it looked well practiced as if he had done this a thousand times. He began dealing and he got a 5 and 6 of hearts while Ivaylo got a pair of 7s. Revealing the first card on the table was a 7 of hearts. +++

"Luck is totally a real thing! I think it's probably just as important as being skilled, cuz if you aren't lucky you'll never be able to put anything you've practiced to work. And if it's not just like then it really would need to be a divine intervention of some kind."

Antoine shuffled the deck.

"I really don't know how to explain it Ivaylo, it's just dumb luck."

Antoine began to break down laughing.

"I mean, there's just no explaining how something like this works right? Improbable isn't impossible, and you're lucky it's all very possible. And hey, you got a good hand too, full house!"

Just luck on my part."

He flipped over the next card, revealing an Ace.

"Sure, I'm a lot better with swords, lances, and axes. But I know how to cast aura, see?"

Antoine quickly formed a ball of light in his hand before making it disappear.

"I shuffled everything at first, but they suspected me of cheating. So I was banned from dealing until they realized it was +++