The Citadel

[facelessmaester]

The Citadel is an impressive structure in the city of Oldtown, and is considered the home of all maesters. Here they undergo all of their training from the time they arrive as novices until they have achieved the status of maester. At the entrance of the Citadel are green marble sphinxes.

[facelessmaester]

Gideon sat on his bed, looking at the room that would serve as his home for as long as he would stay in the Citadel. The room was simple, with only a bed and a desk as interior, and there was a small window that let in some light, but it wasn't much. He had announced himself to one of the many acolytes meeting him when he entered the Citadel and had been shown to a maester, which in turn had sent him here to wait until someone came for him.

[facelessmaester]

Gideon studied the paragraph again and again, trying to remember what it read. He had found the book in the library by accident, and even if he didn't have read it, there was something thrilling about it.

History had always fascinated him because it always taught you something about the present and future. A knock on his door disturbed his reading.

[The Smith]

Maester Hutgolle enters the room and says, "You sent for me Gideon?"

[facelessmaester]

OOC: Why does that name remind me of someone that could teach at Hogwarts


IC: "Yes, maester Hutgolle, I did" He closed the book and shows the maester the book "I found this copy of Maesters of Old, written by a maester saying that being as proficent in combat as in mind is essential in becoming a maester, and still we don't really train in the art of combat, why is that"

Gideon realized that he was treading on dangerous ground, the order of the maester was old, and some maesters was easily offended when it was questioned.

[The Smith]

Hutgolle touched his chin, "Well we do not have the time. Back when they wrote that there was so much less to study. With all the advances in learning we have more to learn but the same time to learn it."

[facelessmaester]

Gideon nodded, thankful that the maester had answered his question without a scolding this time. He had answered a lot of questions since he had come here, wanting to know how things worked and why things happened the way they did.

He also made a silent vow to himself, that he would find another novice that were willing to read the book and maybe they could use the illustrations in the book, and learn some of the things shown there.

"Thank you for answering my question, maester. I think I will go to sleep soon, I want to be ready for our lesson in the morning"

[The Smith]

Hutgolle shrugged, "You sound just like Maester Shreve. He always insists we should learn combat, and after he taught himself, he forged a link of Steel to show he was a master of the Blade." Hutgolle turns to leave.

[facelessmaester]

Gideon felt that is was this was a oppurtunity that was to good to give up, even if it meant that he would get some more scolding for it.

"I am sorry, but I haven't heard of this Maester Shreve, were can I find him"

[The Smith]

"Well Shreve was always being dificult. He was assigned to a minor lord in the Vale until Nehman came into power. He was friends with Shreve and called him back home. Shreve is here, he mostly teachs advanced Warfare classes, which is Why I am sure you have never heard of him. But this is his home now." Hutgolle exits the door, closing it more forcefully then necessary.

[theother]

A few days later, someone pounds on the door.
Barely a few seconds later, Maester Shreve walks into the acolytes room.
He was a tall, clean-shaven and heavily muscled man and carried a sword on one hip. Aside from that oddity, he wore the same maester's robe as Hutgolle. He looked down at the young novice as he scrambled to his feet. "You are Novice Gideon, from the Stormlands? I hear you were asking after me" he looks at Gideon, sizing him up with a frown. "Do you think you have what it takes to complete one of my classes?" he says arrogantly.

[facelessmaester]

Gideon looked at the maester with a smile and rose from the chair, which in he sat in reading a book, and nodded as he stood before the maester.

"I think so, maester Shreve. At least I would like to train and learn all I can from you. I know that I'll have to do it outside of my regular studies, but that is fine by me. I've never needed that much sleep anyways"

He had spent the last few nights studying Maesters of Old, studying the illustrations and using them upon other novices, to their dismay.

[theother]

Shreve nodded grimly. His eyes flickered to the book and he grunted "Maesters of Old? Old maesters more like! I can teach you more than those coots ever dreamed of"

He looked again at Novice Gideon. "If you take my course, you'll have to bulk up a bit. Being scrawny is alright for a regular maester but my course demands strength!" he says bunching his left hand into a sizeable fist.

[facelessmaester]

He looked back and nodded to Maester Shreve.

"I promise that I'll do what I can do to gain some more muscles, so I can learn all the things you can teach me"

Gideon felt like this was a crossroad that would make a big impact upon his future, and even if he was to become a maester and forswear his house, he still wanted to make his father proud of him. He would soon have his link in ravenry, as he had helped Maester Wendell with the ravens at Crow's Nest for years before coming to the Citadel, so he would have no problem taking Shreve's course.

"So when will our studies begin?" He smiled and took a step forward.

[theother]

Shreve smiled at the young man "Cocky, aren't you? Good attribute in a fighter" he stopped smiling and scowled. "We'll start when you prove you have a brain to go with your ambition. When you pass your first link, I'll seek you out again Gideon" he finished and left the room as loudly as he entered.