OOM: Out of Batteries
Asides from the obvious thing of Not Being HOME, Laini does miss many, many things. Coffee. Running water. Hot running water. Coffee. Media supply stores. Electricity. Coffee. Ice cream. Sushi asides from au natural. Her alchemy/chemistry lab. Coffee.
Electricity, hot running water, and, y'know, coffee were rather top of the list.
Though far, far below everyone from Underhill and Milliways she is missing right now.
(The last file she pulled up to look over before her PDA's batteries ran out was the reservations and other such info for Bob and Dot's honeymoon in Marina. Laini muttered and again resolved to kill whoever tossed her to this technological un-savvy place.)
Well, at least she was keeping busy.
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It did not take her long to know every room, hall, corridor, stairway, loft, balcony, courtyard, corner garden and tower of Guy's manor. Laini probably knew of a few places that even he did not know about- such as the secret tunnel under the stables to the guards hall, or the passage linking the solarium and the lady's chamber. Oh well- his loss, and her gain.
Servants were already saying more and more that the manor was haunted.
Of course, Laini did nothing to dissuade this notion.
Nothing at all like letting the horses loose in the middle of the night and tying knots in all reigns, lead ropes and saddle girths. Guy had been planning a 'tour' of some of the farther farms the next day, and that was then delayed for a couple of days.
Nor did she terrorize the kitchen by stealing every single plate, pot, pan and dish (leaving them to be found in towering, precariously balanced stacks in the herb garden) the day before Lord Bright from Kent was due to visit and be entertained by Sir Guy. Considering the state the guest chamber was in, Bright did not stay long.
The swarm of frogs in the Great Hall? Also NOT Laini's fault. Neither was the rooster that somehow managed to perch itself right outside Sir Guy's chamber and crow at every hour of the night.
And the hounds howling every Friday night at midnight like clockwork? Laini is Innocent.
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But Laini is not spending all her time at the manor. Those are fun, rainy-day, good-night type activities, and she has been careful to spread them out. However, the manor is not where Sir Guy works- it is out in the countryside. And thankfully there is a lot of roads and paths that he and his guardsmen have to take that lead them through the woods on their way.
Sherwood Forest is very handy for tricks.
It is sad to say that the guardsmen almost get used to hearing voices and music as they go out riding, even in the day time. 'Used to' still does not help them get over their nerves and stress.
Neither did the hemlock one group found in their water skins help them relax any. (Well, it helped the one who 'discovered' it. He was now beyond all cares. The other guardsmen were quick to learn from his rather sudden discovery.)
For the guards caught out after the sun goes down, it gets even worse. One group went around in circles in the dark and fog, following someone with a burning torch in hopes that they would lead them back to the path. So panicked and spooked were they, the men never noticed the light from the torch went over the edge of steep bluffs lining the river. Four of them survived with various broken bones. One did not.
It was a much argued debate in the guards hall if that was better or worse than the mislaid path that led them right into a wild boar's den.
It has nearly gotten to the point where Guy has to threaten even more vicious and dire threats to get his men out to collect taxes and tithes from the farmers and peasants. When he does manage to get them out, they are so cautious and paranoid it is easier and easier for their targets to either keep their valuables hidden, or slip away altogether.
Sir Guy is Not a Happy Camper, of late.
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And so, every night finds Laini curled up back in her little bolt hole. (Currently named 'Xavier Mansion', after having been 'The Bat Cave', 'Baxter Building', and 'Fortress of Solitude'.) If she does not feel like crashing immediately, she works on writing out what she can recall of a certain list to give to Guy. #34 is highlighted and marked with a smiley face.