Private Finished First Session: Euphemia

Lotharingia

Promise nothing and deliver less
Sep 16, 2018
1,414
Australia
Pronouns
He/Him
Posting Status
Irregularly
Euphemia nodded.

"Yes, some of my teachers and peers have offered similar instructions. These are all things that I must learn for myself, and only by actively engaging with the opportunities this new life presents will I be able to discover things that I find enjoyable."

Throughout the whole conversation, Euphemia had maintained eye contact with Valli. However, as she went quiet for a moment, her eyes flickered down.

"But, Mr Bryndisarson...what if I am incapable of doing so? What if find there is nothing for me?"
 

Romi

Secretly a Bird
Administrator
Supporter
Jun 18, 2015
10,109
Gender
Female
Pronouns
She/Her
Posting Status
Irregularly
What if there was nothing. The question was down the same lines as what if I can't get better? It had the same fatalistic attitude, the same sense of staring into the pit.

"Then you'll be better for having known," Valli said. "People are not one size fits all. There's no one thing that's true for all people. What works for one might not work for another, but at the same time people don't exist in a vacuum. We find ourselves by comparing ourselves to others. By finding what we have that they don't. By finding what they have that we don't. Even if you find, in the end, that nothing you experience is something you enjoy, you will still know. You'll have knowledge you didn't before, and you'll be better prepared for the future."
 

Lotharingia

Promise nothing and deliver less
Sep 16, 2018
1,414
Australia
Pronouns
He/Him
Posting Status
Irregularly
Euphemia had that little frown on her face again. Valli's answer made sense, it was logical. In the past, that sort of answer would have been enough, but now, she found herself unsatisfied.

"I believe what you say sounds correct." She eventually spoke up after a moment of consideration. "But, I am still left with the same problem. If nothing is truly necessary, and I derive no enjoyment from anything, then how else am I to decide for myself what I am to do?”

What little expression that appeared on Euphemia’s face was similar to her manner of speech. Muted, flattened, they would be easy to miss if someone wasn’t really looking at her. But the look of uncertainty on her face grew as she spoke.

"I am...accustomed to being given direction, Mr Bryndisarson. I have spent my life following at the command of others. I have no issue doing as I am asked by the school and its staff, but once my education is complete, I will no longer have that direction. I will…be alone…”
 

Romi

Secretly a Bird
Administrator
Supporter
Jun 18, 2015
10,109
Gender
Female
Pronouns
She/Her
Posting Status
Irregularly
Ah. Ah. He'd run into so many of these, hadn't he? People who'd come from backgrounds with strict, rigid requirements. The military. Churches. Cults. All sorts of types of places that ran more or less the same way. Direction. Guidance. People who had no ability to guide themselves.

"Then you can find a position with a structure. Not as much structure as you're used to, but most jobs will provide at least some of that direction you desire. Things like being a police officer, or a fireman, or any other official career will help push you along. Jobs are a vital part of living as an adult, after all."
 

Lotharingia

Promise nothing and deliver less
Sep 16, 2018
1,414
Australia
Pronouns
He/Him
Posting Status
Irregularly
She looked thoughtful for a moment, considering that. Again, it made sense, it was logical. It didn't feel exactly like a solution to her, but it was still a direction, still something familiar she thought she could work towards.

"Very well, then." She affirmed, expression settling back to neutral. "I will give more consideration to possible careers that fill this criteria. Are there other questions I must answer?"
 

Romi

Secretly a Bird
Administrator
Supporter
Jun 18, 2015
10,109
Gender
Female
Pronouns
She/Her
Posting Status
Irregularly
Other questions she had to answer... well, there were a lot, but Valli was already looking at several pages worth of notes, and they'd covered an awful lot of ground, hadn't they? There would be other sessions, and other things to work on, and Valli paused to consider for only a moment before shaking his head.

"I think we've hit the important points for now," Valli said. "How about we follow up next week, once you'e had time to process what we talked about? Then you'll also have some time to come up with questions of your own."
 

Lotharingia

Promise nothing and deliver less
Sep 16, 2018
1,414
Australia
Pronouns
He/Him
Posting Status
Irregularly
By now, Euphemia was starting to figure out that yes, this wasn't really a test. The fact that this was more for her benefit was something she didn't immediately realise, after all, her whole life had been spent in service of others with no real thought towards her own wellbeing. But clearly Valli had given her something to work towards, and that she could understand.

"If you believe that to be best. I will reflect more on what you have told me, and next week I will visit again."

She stood up from the chair. Adjusting to life was difficult for Euphemia, there were many areas she felt lost in. She thought she'd likely have plenty of things to discuss come next session.

"If that will be all. Good day to you, Mr Bryndisarson."

With nothing else to discuss for now, Euphemia strolled out of his office.
 
Forgot your password?