[Karniut] Knowledge for the Heart [Vanderlou, Private]

[Stargrace]

Selene returned just as the Vagaran finished writing his last word onto the parchment. The same constant smile graced her lips --the brightening she did not smile would be indeed a dismal time. Upon seeing the man had finished, Selene spoke. "Follow me if you will -" Selene waited for the man to come close, when he was but a few steps away she began to lead. They walked out of the room to the outside passage. They continued along the path until they reached the other half of the building. They passed by closed doors without slowing their pace until finally Selene drew to a halt and turned to the door on her right.

Before Selene could raise her arm to knock, the door opened. Standing there before them a female Elf stood. Her black hair tinged by grey was arranged in an orderly bun. She was dressed in a simple dark grey dress accessorised by a white scarf that was securely wrapt around her neck. Glasses sat on the bridge of her nose, the female Elf adjusted them slightly in order to have a better look at her new student. Upon seeing him clearly the female smiled and gestured for him to come into the room. It was then that Selene excused herself. She gave Vanderlou one last smile before she walked away leaving only the soft tap of her heels floating in the air. The door closed behind the man as he entered into the room.

The room was of average size yet it seemed smaller because of the amount of items the room held: Books, neatly stacked piles of parchments, plants, a number of chairs, a table holding food and refreshments and a desk could all be viewed as one gazed about the room. Upon the beige walls artwork of forest scenes painted in natural shades added to the feel of the room. It seeemed as though the room would be a comfortable place to learn in. Maia moved the chair by her desk to face the other chairs before she took a seat. She gestured with her hand for her new student to do the same. She then spoke, her eyes briefly glanced down at the parchment he held in his hand. "Serale. I am Maia, I will be taking you for the first third of your lessons on understanding the opposite gender. What is your name young man? Can I get you a refreshment before we begin?"

[Vanderlou]

The moment Selene left Vanderlou to himself and the piece of parchment he unconsciously slumped down on the desk with the sound of his racing heart ringing clearly in his ears. He had done it, he had taken the first step to recovery and yet instead of feeling relieved he was suddenly more nervous than he originally was. Was he really prepared to deal with women? He was definitely no Casanova material - well, he could look the part but he could never play up to the role and he had already long since resigned himself to that fact.

With a rigid scribble of the pen he filled in his name though the following set of questions that came after took a little more effort to answer. Exactly what did he want to learn? Oh, there were many things of course but after a short internal debate he decided on: How to catch a girl's heart. He smiled, satisfied with that answer. The next question was a little more personal to him, it was an admission of what he believed to be his weakness and while he didn't want to admit his shortcomings he felt that maybe here in Karniut, he could. I feel like I'm not interesting enough to be wanted... The final question however was the one that he couldn't give an answer to, wasn't the reason that he was here was because he didn't know what it was that he needed to do? Vanderlou decided to leave the question unanswered.

And just like that Selene had set him on his way to a crash course on a subject matter that he was poorly versed in, that which was: women. Aside from the obvious differences between the two sexes Vanderlou's knowledge about girls only extended to textbook know-how - the result of a sheltered lifestyle spent in a temple for Materna. To the boy women were a reflection of the mother goddess, caring and kind creatures who possessed a gentle if not mild countenance. The real world however wasn't so kind as to give him time to adjust to the truth and so here he was, hellbent on learning more about the sex that was all but a mystery to him.

After a series of doors and a short walk around the building Vanderlou was led to the room of his teacher, a woman who's clothes and appearance reminded him of those of the professors in the academy he had attended only months ago and the thought made him smile.

"I'm Vanderlou," he said, bowing slightly towards Maia. When the woman offered him refreshments he could only shake his head slightly not wanting to offend the teacher. "I'm alright... not really thirsty lady Maia."

[Stargrace]

Maia gave a soft smile revealing her instant liking to her new student. In her many era's of teaching Maia had dealt with many different types of students from the arrogant, to the obnoxious to the timid and the sweet. She could tell the young Man was of the latter and that made her job all the more easier. She nodded her head at her student's response. "Well help yourself when you feel that way inclined...now may I please have that parchment you hold?" Maia arched her brow with a smile and waited for the young Man to pass it over to her. When the Vagaran did Maia did not look at the parchment, instead she placed it to the side of her before focusing her attention once again on Vanderlou.

Maia then softly cleared her throat, she sat up straighter on her chair and then began the lesson with her eyes intently fixed upon her student. Her voice was crisp but kind and filled with authority. “Gender refers to differences in men and women. Gender identity is an individuals self conception as being male or female, as distinguished from actual biological sex. Gender often refers to, specifically, social differences known as gender roles. In my lesssons I will teach you about the female gender in terms of their perceived behavioural norms, the female stereotype, the female's nature and the way their minds work, and what is most probably of the most interest to you...what they look for in the opposite gender.." Maia gave a small smile and then continued to speak. "And then we will finish with working on how you can use this gained knowledge to better your chances with this gender. How does this all sound to you? Do you have any questions?"

Maia placed her hands in her lap and waited for the man to speak up. As if she had only just remembered, Maia turned her attention back to the parchment. She picked it up in her hand and glanced down at it. She adjusted her glasses whilst her lips pressed together revealing her concentration as she read his words. When she had finished, the mature Elf placed the parchment back down and softly raised the question that had formed in her mind. "May I ask, why do you not think you are interesting enough to be wanted?"

[Vanderlou]

When Maia asked for the form he had only just finished filling out he handed the parchment to her expecting the woman to make a thorough and psychoanalysis of him but instead of brutally pointing out his many flaws (and he knew he had more than just a few) Maia began the session with a long if not scholastic enumeration of the range of the topics they would cover throughout the lesson and just as Maia had predicted Vanderlou would indeed find one topic to be more than just interesting. "What do they look for in men Lady Maia?" he suddenly interrupted, his voice expectant and his face hopeful - at least before he suddenly realized how rude he was being. "Sorry," he murmured, slumping back in his chair a little more than embarrassed with his sudden outburst.

"It sounds very good," he said, this time his voice a little more restrained. Vanderlou would have almost slapped himself for being a little too impatient, being a very methodological person himself he knew that there were always steps to everything and skipping any single one was if not foolish, dangerous in any trade. In this case Vanderlou knew that if he wanted to understand women completely he couldn't take any shortcuts, doing so would defeat the purpose of the lesson - a lesson that had already been shortened for his convenience. "I have no questions, for now at least."

Maia picked up the form he had given her and after reading the contents, with some difficulty she looked at Vanderlou and asked him a question, one that was part of the reason that had brought him here.

"Well, I don't know... I guess, mabye because I'm not a good conversationalist? It's just that I feel like I can't offer women anything extraordinary. I'm not suave or witty or well... cool. I'm a country bumpkin Lady Maia, a man without culture or poise." with that said the half-elf would slump lower in his chair, head bowed down as if to hide his face from shame. "Am I a hopeless case?"

[Stargrace]

At the Vagaran's interruption, Maia paused in her speech. Only after hearing his apology did a small smile show. Maia could understand the driving force, the need, behind his words. Patience was a hard thing to preserve when the solutions and all the answers were but a speech clause away and yet for the present it was hidden within the mind of his tutor. It was unable to be accessed until she deemed the words ready to be acknowledged and heard. It was obvious his tutor did not think the present was the appropriate time. She pressed her lips together, her eye remained fixed upon her student's and all the while not one word passed from her lips.

Upon hearing Vanderlou's explanation on why he deemed himself uninteresting to female's, Maia placed her hands together upon her laps and attentively studied him. She seemed to analyse each word he spoke out loud and in the process, she found out a litle more about her student. Silence then consumed the room before Maia broke its uncomfortable existance. "Where you come from does not make up your identity. This is only one small aspect of who you are and it is cetainly not a defining factor of your character. However, instead of viewing where you came from as something negative you need to see the positive this environment has brought you. I would say this would consist of compassion, a caring nature, perhaps a shy man and shyness is viewed by many as a charming quality. You, my dear, will soon find that you have much to offer a female. This is because of who you are: your nature, your uniqueness, but most of all, your heart."

Maia paused to let her words not only be heard by her student, but to be processed, to linger within the walls of his mand and make a home there to then be reflected upon at a future time. "After your classes have finished here I assure you that you will not recognise this person who wrote upon this parchment..." Maia tapped the tips of her fingers upon the document the student was intimately familiar with. Maia gave a warm hearted smile to her student that did not last for long but the smile has its effect. It soon disappeared and in its place a serious expression took hold. She had put on her teachers face. "Now. Since you have a lot to learn from myself and Nakita in one compact class, I would rather not waste your time listing the female gender's attributes and characteristics. Instead I would like you to list what they are for me....you can either write them down or speak them out loud. Whatever you feel the most comfortable with....you may now begin." Maia gave a small nod of her head and contently waited.

[Vanderlou]

Since when was shyness a desirable quality for men? Certainly shy women had a special kind of appeal to the opposite sex but shy men were more often than not regarded as weak and indecisive and on rare occasions shyness in the extreme hinted at the possibility of a man swinging that way. Certainly Vanderlou didn't want to be thought of in such light and so despite Maia's carefully delivered words he still couldn't believe that shyness could be a charming quality, in his mind there was simply no way he could accept it - much more embrace it.

So Vanderlou remained silent throughout Maia's spiel though he took special interest at her guarantee of change in his character. Exactly how she was going to go about to change him for the better he didn't know, but he certainly prayed that she could.

"I think women are sweet," he gushed, hesitating for a fraction of a second before he continued. "they're gentle but subject to sudden outbursts when provoked. They can be adorable one moment and sexually desirable the next, they're graceful too... well, at least some of them aren't but that doesn't really make them any less attractive," and it was here where the half-vagaran sifted through the memories he had of the girl he liked. He couldn't say he loved her but he was very very fond of her and her boyish habits and the distant expression on his face betrayed his thoughts all too clearly. "But most of all women are very hard to read, its difficult to know what they're thinking or how they're feeling because they're such good actors, or at least that's what I believe Lady Maia."

"Thought I have to admit, everything I'm sharing with you right now is based only on what I've noticed about the few women I've made friends or acquaintances with. I really don't know much about women in general, at least not more than they allowed me to see..." and women, he knew, were incredible stage performers easily able to slip any role they wanted to. If there was anything he knew about the other gender it was that nothing was ever what it seemed.

[Stargrace]

Maia continued to watch her new student as he spoke, throughout a small smile of amusement stayed etched upon her lips. Only when he was done did she acknowledge his words with a nod. "Indeed that is a rather nice way you have conveyed the female gender and much of what you have listed is true. I will now further the list. Keep in mind that this is a rather stereotyped version, each female is different and should be taken for such and each attribute is in a matter of degree. However, keeping this list to the back of mind may make it easier for you to understand why females sometimes act and think in the way that they do. Females are different to that of men after all, thus, care and diligent attention is needed and should be exercised."

Maia paused awaiting her students assent before she spoke in a soft yet matter-of-fact tone. "Females are known to be emotionally expressive and emotionally responsive. - take that on board whether it be too gently let down a female or reveal your feelings and thoughts to one. Women are more empathetic, they are more sensitive to others' feelings, female express their emotions without constraint, except for the emotion of anger....Women pay more attention to body language, they better judge emotion from nonverbal communication therefore be wary what you nonverbally let slip and especially because nonverbal communication is often revealed without conscious thought...Nakita will go into further detail with you on nonverbal communication." Maia then paused seeming to search before she found where exactly on the list she was up to. "Women express more love, fear and sadness and women laugh, gaze, and smile more than males. Women anticipate negative consequences for expressing anger and aggression, and finally, women pay more attention to detail. Yes... this means pay close attention to what you wear on your first date." Maia's smile widened slightly.

Maia watched the Vagaran carefully throughout her speech for signs of agreement, surprise of disagreement. Only when she had drawn to an end of the list, did she move on with her next task for the student to set his mind onto. "From this list, how would you use this knowledge to help you upon first meeting a girl? What would you say and do to appeal more to a female?" As an afterthought, Maia quickly added before he could begin crafting her an answer. "Oh, do you have any questions young Man?"

[Vanderlou]

Vanderlou was hanging unto every word Maia was uttering, treating them as if she was reading the gospel. If he had a quill and parchment on hand he would have been hastily scribbling down every new and precious pieces of information that was coming his way, unfortunately he was forced to resort to memorizing the more important bits of her analysis and this was causing an unattractive crease to form on his forehead.

Hopefully he would remember Maia's words the next time he needed to talk to a girl, not that he had much confidence that he would.

"So what I wear is important..." upon muttering that statement he bent his head down and looked at the unimpressive state of his attire. He really needed to change that though he didn't know if there were shops in Zinn'Sunn that sold something other than those long flowing robes every kemite here seemed to favor.

"Upon first meeting a girl..." the half-elf repeated, a hand rising up to his head so he could massage his temples while he reflected on this grave, grave but hypothetical ordeal. "I guess, I'll try to pay more attention to her mood. If women are more expressive than men it would be best to do something with their mood in mind... as for improving my appeal... because women are more mindful of body language I suppose I should project what they want to see, confidence maybe?" he waited for her opinion, praying that he wasn't a hopeless case. That he could actually be molded into a man that women might find attractive.

"Yes, I do have a question... and it's one that's been bothering me for awhile now," he sighed, his pair of brilliant blue eyes looking at Maia's with a glimmer of sadness about them. "Do most women really prefer the dangerous types? I've been wondering if I have to become a man like that for women to like me?"

[Stargrace]

Maia gave a soft sigh as she looked upon her student with eyes that expressed empathy. She gave a slight shake of her head as she responded to question. "This seems like the right time then to move onto what women look for in the opposite gender...." Maia took a small sip of her drink and then proceeded with her speech. "What do women really want from their men? When a woman looks for a spouse or mate, what characteristics does she find attractive or repulsive? Depending on the woman's background and past experiences, it may seem as if she does not know what she wants. Regardless of all the contributing factors to a woman's preference in a spouse or mate, from my studies I believe there are 4 personality types that every woman wants her man to have..."

Maia leaned forward slightly in her chair as she spoke in a slightly lower hushed tone. "The first of the personality types is that of the pirate. - A pirate is known for his bad boy image underscored by his quest for wealth and new experiences. He will risk life and limb to achieve these. However, the pirate is also a man of skill knowing how to navigate through rough waters. Women want men who have an 'edge' to them. Not so much that there are dangerous to be around, but mysterious enough to evoke curiosity and jealousy from others."


Maia gave a pause that granted Vanderlou the time to consider her words before Maia revealed the different, almost unknown, side to the pirate personality type. "Women like their men to be goal oriented and not afraid to explore unchartered territories and discover new things in the course of their relationship. Women also want their men to be able to be there for them and know how to bring them through the hard times that life can bring."

Maia's eyes stayed trained upon her students as her speech clause came to an end. With an arch of her brow she asked him, "I believe that answes your question, yes? So you see Vanderlou dear, the pirate could indeed be you if you wish to display these attributes to a female. A female may be attracted to the 'bad boy' type but not because they are actual rebels...." Maia gave another pause. "If you do not have further question I will move on to the next personality type..." Maia took another sip of her drink as she watched him over the rim of her cup. In the act she gave Vanderlou a chance to speak his mind, ask a question or merely make comment.

[Vanderlou]

Certainly all of those qualities were desirable and the idea of being a 'Pirate' did have some appeal to a person, even one as mild-mannered as Vanderlou was. Still, he didn't have the experience or a definite purpose in life that was clearly critical in becoming a 'pirate' and these were things he couldn't be taught in a room regardless how much experience Maia had to share to the half-elf.

He knew that even if Maia was an authority on the subject of women and even if the woman could show him the way to becoming a 'pirate' he was still skeptical about his chances at becoming one in the first place. When it boiled down to it he didn't want to be perceived as a bad person, regardless of the benefits there would be if it were the case.

"I'm not sure I have enough of the qualities of a pirate to be one... though I do lead somewhat of a dangerous lifestyle Lady Maia." and it was true, on an almost daily basis he frequently found himself in tight situations, some of them life-threatening.

"No, please continue Lady Maia." he asked, an anticipation marking his voice while he waited to hear more. Exactly what the other types could be he didn't know, maybe a prince, or a knight? There were many stereotypes but just maybe there was one that would fit him, and then maybe he could finally get his way with women, figuratively or not.

OOCHorribly short post but I'm drawing blanks, sorry Angel! :(

[Stargrace]

With her glasses set in the right position she could clearly view everything Vanderlou non-verbally communicated. She softly spoke, her tone conveying warmth and comfort. The comfort proved to be a vital quality. After all, one could not properly do their job of teaching another about topics affecting internal matters without bringing comfort and the feeling of shelter and safety to such delicate matters, like silk, it was the finest and most exquisite of material the being possessed.

Even though Vanderlou had given his assent to continue, the tutor's mind stayed fixed upon all that he communicated. His words proved to be the hands that opened the curtains and now Maia stared at the content deep within her student. Maia put her teaching aside and addressed a matter she knew would disrupt all the lessons he learnt unless it was dealt to with the gentlest of hands. "Dear, let us put aside the lessons and address a more important matter I can no longer ignore. It is obvious from what you wrote on the parchment and from the time we have spent together so far, that what you are in need of the most is not an evaluation of the opposite gender but an evaluation of yourself..."

Maia looked upon her student attentively. In a softer voice she continued to speak. "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. and you my dear...your biggest problem lies in you yourself. Do you not agree? How can you expect lady love to even look your way if you deem yourself unworthy to be seen? You have spoken of your weaknesses, of the reasons why you think you are not appealing to women. I now want you to search within yourself and make me a list of all the good qualities you offer; the reasons why you are and can be appealing to females. I want you to truthfully search deep within yourself. Can you do that for me?"

Maia leaned back in her chair as she let out a soft sigh. "You can become a personification...you could become this pirate if that is your will...but you will not find happiness this way. First you have to be content and confident about what you yourself hold. You have to be content in what you have to offer females. And only then can you use all these lessons to build on to and compliment who you are. We will end the lesson now and I shall see you tomorrow. Tonight search yourself deep and true and tomorrow I expect you to present me with your answers." Maia gave her student an amiable smile and a nod of her head nonverbally finalising a farewell.

OOCThat is ok dear. I have decided to go in a different direction...Build your character up layer upon layer if you wish? It all depends on how you want your pc to be...let me know :)

[Vanderlou]

Vanderlou spent the entire darkening reflecting on Maia's words. Did he really lack that much confidence that an expert in the field of love would underscore all his issues with the opposite gender in favor of strengthening his self-confidence? Could it be that the cause and root of all his problems was simply an issue with his weak personality and nothing more than that? He wasn't sure if that was indeed the case but he knew he was going to do was that he would take this huge leap of faith and leave everything in Maia's more than capable hands.

Of course if she could actually change someone as hopeless as Vanderlou was another question. Still, it wasn't as if he couldn't try. He did think he had some merits to his character and maybe, just maybe he might be able to change. He wasn't expecting anything drastic, but any improvement would be more than welcome.

And so the following brightening he returned with another small piece of parchment where he had scribbled what he though were qualities that women might find of liking which he possessed. If Maia read the note she would find several qualities, some of which might be surprising considering Vanderlou's mild-mannered nature and among them would be, I'm a very patient person and I imagine this would be useful when women take me with them on their shopping sprees... I'm capable of fighting for those whom I care about if the need arises, really I am! ..While I've never had a lover I am sure that I would never betray her if I had one... I may not be smart or eloquent but when a girl talks I do know how to listen... When someone means a lot to me I constantly try to show that person that I appreciate her...

The list dragged on but every statement practically said the same thing. That if Vanderlou ever had a woman in his life, he would probably make her much more than just happy.

"I hope its not too long," he would hand Maia his list, hoping that she would find something that she liked among the many many things he wrote.

[Stargrace]

Maia greeted her student warmly the next day. She was pleased to see had taken her request seriously and upon reading his written words she merely nodded her head and yet did not rush to make comment. She glanced back down at the parchment and then softly she spoke. "Very good Vanderlou. This has shown me and perhaps most importantly you that you do hold positive qualities you can offer females, yes?" Maia arched her brow at him as the ghost of a smile showed upon her face.

Maia did not say anymore. She merely looked back down at her hands, folded the parchment and placed it with other documents on her desk. Of course Maia planned to come back to this list of Vanderlou's at a later stage but for now she no longer had a need for it.The tutor then turned back to her student and quietly said. "And how does this compare to your list of insecurities? I do not want you to merely list the insecurities, some of which you did so on the first parchment you brought to my class... no, I want you to describe your insecurities by describing them in a situation you have found yourself in, okay?"

Maia briefly paused to let her student process her words. She did not give him near a long enough amount of time before she continued again with more questions that added yet more weight to the student's thoughts. "Would you say you hold more positive qualities or qualities you deem as negative or non-extraordinary? What do you think holds the biggest impact on you? Why? Do you often feel self-conscious? If so, what makes you feel this way?"

Finally Maia ended her series of questions. She then voiced her own confirmation of what she had asked of him accompanied by a small smile."I know I have given you a lot to contemplate and try to answer.. Please, take your time." She understood she was asking a lot from her student. It was often the case before one could even consider making changes to one's person and situation. But she was not asking too much of him. He would not have come to Karnuit in the first place if he was not willing to make the necessary changes. And yet somehow Maia doubted the Vagaran expected his lessons to turn out quite like this. Maia was damn certain, however, that by the end of his lessons the Vagaran would walk out of Karnuit not a new man, but a slightly modified and improved version of the man she now saw seated before her.

[Vanderlou]

Definitely the woman had asked him many questions and it did take some time for Vanderlou to come to the right answers, mostly because these things weren't even things he had considered awhile back. He had focused far too much on the problem and never the solution.

Did he truly have good qualities he could offer a female? He nodded at that muttering a soft, inaudible affirmative reflective of his confidence.

"I guess I have as many positive qualities as I do negative ones?" he almost seemed like he was asking for confirmation but continued anyway. "My insecurities in a situation you say? I... well... there was one time back when I was still in Daltina, a girl, a daughter of an aristocratic... she told me she found me attractive but suddenly found that my manners were lacking..."

"She told me that I had no conversational skills at all... that I wasn't suave." he shook his head at the memory, not wanting to recall it in its entirety.

"That which holds the most impact on me I suppose is that, I feel like the women who end up liking me never... how do I put it... their intentions with me are never romantically inclined." a small sigh escaped his lips and he looked up at Maia, wondering exactly what was going through the teacher's head right now. "I don't think I'm all too self-conscious, but when someone does point out something about me that come off to them as strange I tend to obsess over it for some time."

"I guess I try to please to much... that is my mistake?"