the hardest goodbye

Pesto couldn't believe she'd lost her first fight in the raid. The possibility had not even crossed her mind and perhaps while she might have been able to reason away losing a fight past her first due to exhaustion or injury, she'd never considered that she'd be a one-and-done type of girl. It was disheartening, though it did not change her plans to leave. If anything her loss had sped her plans up, the shame too much to stand.

She left Hari's goodbye for last, it was by far the most difficult. Her mother she'd already had her talk with before she'd turned a year, she knew that the Empress had given her blessing and would welcome her back if ever she needed it. Hari however, Pesto wasn't sure how he'd take it. At first she thought he might be proud - after all, she did beat him in their last spar - but what if her loss in the raid made him believe she wasn't ready? He was so high ranked, could he force her to stay?

She took in a deep breath and blew it out her nose, swallowed, and then tipped her head back to call for her mentor and uncle.