[OOM: Alera Imperia] Bright Lights, Big City
Tavi rubbed his eyes against the hard, bright light of the sun as Amara stepped out of the wind coach and began giving orders to the attendants on the winddock. “Are we there already?” he asked a little sleepily.
Next to him, Fade made a small, incomprehensible sound--whether of distress, irritation, or merely noting they had landed Tavi wasn’t quite sure. The slave was giving him a blank and cheerfully puzzled look, at any rate, and after a moment Tavi just sighed. “I’ve told you, you don’t-- just… stay with me for a while?”
For a moment, Fade’s eyes glittered with sympathy, affection, and hidden determination. Then, with almost no pretense, he gripped Tavi’s shoulder gently. “Stay,” he repeated firmly, his voice quiet and understanding, and Tavi felt a smile light his face. He started to move, but Fade’s hand pressed him back down as the man shook his head. “Me first.”
A little confused but willing enough to accept it, Tavi sank back down, taking a moment to make sure he hadn’t forgotten anything while Fade stepped out, glanced around once, and beckoned to Tavi.
Eager enough to escape the confines of the coach after the long ride, Tavi stepped out, blinking his eyes against the sunlight as he stared around him at the bustling city. He tried not to gape too much, not to let the spiral of excitement welling up inside completely overwhelm him, but it was hard.
Alera Imperia, heart of the Realm, home of the Academy and the First Lord’s seat of power.
He knew his mouth was hanging open a little, but even the amused looks Amara was throwing him couldn’t embarrass him enough to stop. After a few long minutes of gaping, she finally said with suppressed laughter in her tone, “Come on, Tavi. You’re expected at the Citadel.”
“Y-yes, ma’am,” he breathed, trying to look in every direction at once. Beckoning absently to Fade, he followed Amara’s lead, with Fade following him at his slow, awkward gait. Being too busy drinking in the sights, Tavi didn’t notice the way Fade remained tensed underneath the jerkier movements, or the way his eyes roved constantly from one side to another, warily.
There were a great many stairs leading up to the Citadel, and Tavi’s legs had begun to ache by the end of it. Once they reached what looked like the main entrance hall they stopped (finally, he thought). Looking around in awe, Tavi tried to sort out what was going on, to guess where everything would be. He knew the Academy was in another part of the city, at least according to the stories Amara had entertained him with--but if he was going to be a page for the First Lord, he might end up spending some time here in the Citadel anyway.
“Welcome to the Citadel, Tavi,” Amara said. He thought he could hear amusement in her voice--probably at the awed look he suspected was on his face. Honestly, he didn’t even care. “We should be--”
“Countess Amara?”
Tavi jumped a little and turned to see a man waiting there--from his tunic, he served the House of Gaius in some fashion. It was the same red and blue he’d seen on some of the people at Calderon--and, he guessed, something like what he would wear.
The man bowed to her. “I am to give you this.”
Amara took the packet he held out and opened after checking the seal. Tavi watched her, nervously. After several moments of scanning the letter, she glanced up at the functionary. “A word?”
The pair had a quiet conversation, and Tavi waited, patiently. After they were done--Tavi suspected she was confirming orders--Amara walked back over and smiled at him. “Well, I’ve got my assignment--the glamorous life of a Cursor.” She reached down to ruffle his hair. “He’ll show you to your room at the Academy.”
“All right.” Tavi grinned up at her, and she spontaneously hugged him. “Say hello to Uncle Bernard next time you see him. And Aunt Isana, if you see her,” he added cheekily.
She thwacked him lightly upside the head. “If you ever see me before I head to Calderon, you can always give me any letters you have for him, if you want to.”
Beaming up at her, Tavi laughed. “Aren’t you supposed to be exclusively in the First Lord’s service?” he asked archly. She scowled at him before giving him a last smile and hug goodbye. After watching her go, he turned to the man waiting patiently by, and gave him a little smile. “I’m supposed to follow you, then?”
“Yes,” the man said, beckoning. “The First Lord will want to see you in a couple hours to inform you of any special requirements he may have of you.”
“I know I’m supposed to be page,” he replied shyly, “but I’m not sure wht that really means. Probably running errands, things like that?”
“I’m sure he’ll tell you what he expects.”
Helpful, Tavi thought. Very helpful. As he followed the functionary, he blinked, and then muttered tiredly, “We’re going to have to walk all the way back down those steps again, aren’t we?”
He knew without looking that Fade was beaming witlessly. And he suspected the functionary was fighting back a smile as well. He decided to simply ignore it, loftily. After all, he was above those sorts of looks.
*
When they reached the room at the Academy, Tavi found his belongings already in the room. “Some uniforms have been provided for you,” the functionary said as Tavi looked around, setting down the small bag he’d kept with him.
“Thank you,” Tavi said. “And what about Fade?” He glanced back at the man, that moment of uncertainty back.
“I am to show the slave to his quarters elsewhere,” the functionary replied rather indifferently. Tavi wished, savagely, that he had a little while to talk to his oldest friend. Sure, Fade wasn’t about to be particularly helpful, or really say anything--but it’d still be nice to talk.
“Oh. …So… I guess I should change into my uniform?”
The functionary had an almost gently amused expression. “It’s likely advisable. I will show the slave to his quarters--that is, if you have no further questions?”
“No, sir,” Tavi said with a shy smile, setting his bag down on one of the two beds. “Only…”
“Yes?”
“Were… were you one of the men the First Lord brought with him to Calderon?”
The man tilted his head at Tavi. “No. Why?”
“Oh.” Tavi tried hard not to flush. “You just seemed familiar. Sorry to bother you.” He paused and glanced hopefully at his only friend. “Fade? You’ll… you’ll come find me later and show me how to find you if I need to, right?”
Fade’s made no response other than his bright, witless smile, and Tavi could only roll his eyes.
“The First Lord will expect you in another two bells,” the functionary reminded him, leading Fade out of the room.
Once alone, Tavi hurriedly changed into his new uniform, tugging on it a little self-consciously. He had some time, then--time to catch up on some reading. Maybe somewhere out in the sun, after a little exploring.
*
Fade limped along after the functionary, tensing almost unnoticeably when he saw a faint gesture from the man and felt a hint of pressure on his ears.
“Araris.”
There was no visible difference, but the man’s voice had changed to a rich, commanding baritone. It was a long moment before Fade answered in a quiet, nearly emotionless tone, “Aye, sire?”
“Until term starts, there’s no real advantage to making yourself scarce, except in the Citadel itself. Stay as close as makes you comfortable.”
The ’slave’ merely inclined his head, and they did not speak again.
Next to him, Fade made a small, incomprehensible sound--whether of distress, irritation, or merely noting they had landed Tavi wasn’t quite sure. The slave was giving him a blank and cheerfully puzzled look, at any rate, and after a moment Tavi just sighed. “I’ve told you, you don’t-- just… stay with me for a while?”
For a moment, Fade’s eyes glittered with sympathy, affection, and hidden determination. Then, with almost no pretense, he gripped Tavi’s shoulder gently. “Stay,” he repeated firmly, his voice quiet and understanding, and Tavi felt a smile light his face. He started to move, but Fade’s hand pressed him back down as the man shook his head. “Me first.”
A little confused but willing enough to accept it, Tavi sank back down, taking a moment to make sure he hadn’t forgotten anything while Fade stepped out, glanced around once, and beckoned to Tavi.
Eager enough to escape the confines of the coach after the long ride, Tavi stepped out, blinking his eyes against the sunlight as he stared around him at the bustling city. He tried not to gape too much, not to let the spiral of excitement welling up inside completely overwhelm him, but it was hard.
Alera Imperia, heart of the Realm, home of the Academy and the First Lord’s seat of power.
He knew his mouth was hanging open a little, but even the amused looks Amara was throwing him couldn’t embarrass him enough to stop. After a few long minutes of gaping, she finally said with suppressed laughter in her tone, “Come on, Tavi. You’re expected at the Citadel.”
“Y-yes, ma’am,” he breathed, trying to look in every direction at once. Beckoning absently to Fade, he followed Amara’s lead, with Fade following him at his slow, awkward gait. Being too busy drinking in the sights, Tavi didn’t notice the way Fade remained tensed underneath the jerkier movements, or the way his eyes roved constantly from one side to another, warily.
There were a great many stairs leading up to the Citadel, and Tavi’s legs had begun to ache by the end of it. Once they reached what looked like the main entrance hall they stopped (finally, he thought). Looking around in awe, Tavi tried to sort out what was going on, to guess where everything would be. He knew the Academy was in another part of the city, at least according to the stories Amara had entertained him with--but if he was going to be a page for the First Lord, he might end up spending some time here in the Citadel anyway.
“Welcome to the Citadel, Tavi,” Amara said. He thought he could hear amusement in her voice--probably at the awed look he suspected was on his face. Honestly, he didn’t even care. “We should be--”
“Countess Amara?”
Tavi jumped a little and turned to see a man waiting there--from his tunic, he served the House of Gaius in some fashion. It was the same red and blue he’d seen on some of the people at Calderon--and, he guessed, something like what he would wear.
The man bowed to her. “I am to give you this.”
Amara took the packet he held out and opened after checking the seal. Tavi watched her, nervously. After several moments of scanning the letter, she glanced up at the functionary. “A word?”
The pair had a quiet conversation, and Tavi waited, patiently. After they were done--Tavi suspected she was confirming orders--Amara walked back over and smiled at him. “Well, I’ve got my assignment--the glamorous life of a Cursor.” She reached down to ruffle his hair. “He’ll show you to your room at the Academy.”
“All right.” Tavi grinned up at her, and she spontaneously hugged him. “Say hello to Uncle Bernard next time you see him. And Aunt Isana, if you see her,” he added cheekily.
She thwacked him lightly upside the head. “If you ever see me before I head to Calderon, you can always give me any letters you have for him, if you want to.”
Beaming up at her, Tavi laughed. “Aren’t you supposed to be exclusively in the First Lord’s service?” he asked archly. She scowled at him before giving him a last smile and hug goodbye. After watching her go, he turned to the man waiting patiently by, and gave him a little smile. “I’m supposed to follow you, then?”
“Yes,” the man said, beckoning. “The First Lord will want to see you in a couple hours to inform you of any special requirements he may have of you.”
“I know I’m supposed to be page,” he replied shyly, “but I’m not sure wht that really means. Probably running errands, things like that?”
“I’m sure he’ll tell you what he expects.”
Helpful, Tavi thought. Very helpful. As he followed the functionary, he blinked, and then muttered tiredly, “We’re going to have to walk all the way back down those steps again, aren’t we?”
He knew without looking that Fade was beaming witlessly. And he suspected the functionary was fighting back a smile as well. He decided to simply ignore it, loftily. After all, he was above those sorts of looks.
*
When they reached the room at the Academy, Tavi found his belongings already in the room. “Some uniforms have been provided for you,” the functionary said as Tavi looked around, setting down the small bag he’d kept with him.
“Thank you,” Tavi said. “And what about Fade?” He glanced back at the man, that moment of uncertainty back.
“I am to show the slave to his quarters elsewhere,” the functionary replied rather indifferently. Tavi wished, savagely, that he had a little while to talk to his oldest friend. Sure, Fade wasn’t about to be particularly helpful, or really say anything--but it’d still be nice to talk.
“Oh. …So… I guess I should change into my uniform?”
The functionary had an almost gently amused expression. “It’s likely advisable. I will show the slave to his quarters--that is, if you have no further questions?”
“No, sir,” Tavi said with a shy smile, setting his bag down on one of the two beds. “Only…”
“Yes?”
“Were… were you one of the men the First Lord brought with him to Calderon?”
The man tilted his head at Tavi. “No. Why?”
“Oh.” Tavi tried hard not to flush. “You just seemed familiar. Sorry to bother you.” He paused and glanced hopefully at his only friend. “Fade? You’ll… you’ll come find me later and show me how to find you if I need to, right?”
Fade’s made no response other than his bright, witless smile, and Tavi could only roll his eyes.
“The First Lord will expect you in another two bells,” the functionary reminded him, leading Fade out of the room.
Once alone, Tavi hurriedly changed into his new uniform, tugging on it a little self-consciously. He had some time, then--time to catch up on some reading. Maybe somewhere out in the sun, after a little exploring.
*
Fade limped along after the functionary, tensing almost unnoticeably when he saw a faint gesture from the man and felt a hint of pressure on his ears.
“Araris.”
There was no visible difference, but the man’s voice had changed to a rich, commanding baritone. It was a long moment before Fade answered in a quiet, nearly emotionless tone, “Aye, sire?”
“Until term starts, there’s no real advantage to making yourself scarce, except in the Citadel itself. Stay as close as makes you comfortable.”
The ’slave’ merely inclined his head, and they did not speak again.