more pre-RaT's Story
Meet Ski & Lyssa's Mommy
Rating : G to borderline PG-ish
Timeframe : morning after the last piece
Morning found Masakari on her way to the stables. Certainly, requesting of the staff that preparations be made for their departure that afternoon was work more suitable to a page, but the opportunity for a quiet stroll alone was not something to be wasted. The halls were relatively empty, as the majority of the palace’s many guests were bound to their rooms by the aftereffects of the previous night’s revelries.
As the thud of her boots reverberated off the widespread walls of the corridor, she ran down the checklist of items necessary to their trip. Before leaving on her journey to fetch Rune, she had discussed with her master what she would require to continue the studies the two had begun the year previous. Kinari had assured her all would be taken care of, but it never hurt to reacquaint oneself with one’s plans. In all the confusion which seemed to stem from her involvement with Rune, it was more than likely she was forgetting something.
She scarcely noticed the approaching footfalls, dismissing the sound as likely belonging to a passing servant. The voice which addressed her, as the steps came to an abrupt halt, was enough to banish that notion, along with all other coherent thought.
“Masakari.” The tone was distinctly disapproving. Masakari came to a stop herself, knowing well, before she took the time to turn and look, exactly what she would find.
The speaker held her arms tightly folded across her chest. Her brows settled with such ease into the deep creases that now held them that Masakari often found her to look strange without them. Even at such an early hour, the woman was groomed and attired as if she were soon expected at some meeting of great importance.
“Mother,” Masakari acknowledged.
Her mother drew a deep breath and released a heavy sigh, which Masakari took as a cue that she was composing herself for an argument. Rarely the target of her mother’s anger, Masakari was well accustomed to watching the rapid decline from that familiar sigh to a screaming match with Lyssa or her father.
“I had not expected to encounter you this way.” Her mother kept her tone even.
“I was headed to the stables,” Masakari said. “I hope to depart this afternoon.”
The lines in her forehead deepened momentarily. “Hardly an appropriate task for a captain.”
Masakari shrugged. “An excuse to stretch my legs,” she said. “And what brings you-” It suddenly occurred to her that the hall her mother had come from led to the dorms, but it was too late; the question had already been posed.
“I think you can well imagine. No,” she corrected herself. “Perhaps you cannot.”
“Mother,” Masakari started. However inexperienced she may be in her sister’s pastimes, she had cleaned up the mess enough times to have a fair idea what transpired when Lyssa and her friends got together. Lyssa was likely in enough trouble already without her divulging this, so she held her tongue.
“If that girl gets herself expelled again and I have to take a brat in with her…”
“Mother!” Masakari put a hand to her open mouth.
“It is not your concern. I do not, however, anticipate nor appreciate cleaning up your affairs. What in the name of the gods transpired last night?”
“Apparently a grevious lapse of judgement on my part,” she said
Her mother closed her eyes as she took another breath to steady herself. “You brought a stranger to the ball and he assaulted a woman one step removed from royalty. I should hardly think ‘lapse of judgement’ to suffice. Lapse of judgement is what your sister does on a daily basis. This…” She sighed, at a loss for words. “Do I hear correctly that you intend to make this commoner a part of your squadron as well?”
“If last night’s events were imparted to you in any accuracy, you would realize there is hardly anything common about the man,” said Masakari.
She gave her comment no heed. “Your deployment is to Lord Branimir’s territory?” she continued.
“Yes.”
“I need not remind you of his influence. It would benefit you and your friend that he learn to stay his temper.”
“In all fairness,” she said, “Lady Merrin-”
“Do you think I have never wanted to lash out at the woman myself? If not for the fact that half the court wishes they could have acted as your friend did last night, he would find himself in grave trouble. No matter how provoked the action may be, it is suitable neither to your reputation nor his safety that he commit it.” Her expression softened. “You may count me among your allies. Regardless of lineage, Headmistress Kinari is a knight without parallel. Were you not my own, I should still think she chose well in making you her disciple. Do try to respect the position given you and not force either of us to intervene on your behalf. Gods know I already do enough of that for your sister.”
Masakari forced a smile and meekly bobbed her head. “Yes, Mother. Thank you.”
“I must be on my way. Gods be with you on your journey.”
“And you, Mother.”
Rating : G to borderline PG-ish
Timeframe : morning after the last piece
Morning found Masakari on her way to the stables. Certainly, requesting of the staff that preparations be made for their departure that afternoon was work more suitable to a page, but the opportunity for a quiet stroll alone was not something to be wasted. The halls were relatively empty, as the majority of the palace’s many guests were bound to their rooms by the aftereffects of the previous night’s revelries.
As the thud of her boots reverberated off the widespread walls of the corridor, she ran down the checklist of items necessary to their trip. Before leaving on her journey to fetch Rune, she had discussed with her master what she would require to continue the studies the two had begun the year previous. Kinari had assured her all would be taken care of, but it never hurt to reacquaint oneself with one’s plans. In all the confusion which seemed to stem from her involvement with Rune, it was more than likely she was forgetting something.
She scarcely noticed the approaching footfalls, dismissing the sound as likely belonging to a passing servant. The voice which addressed her, as the steps came to an abrupt halt, was enough to banish that notion, along with all other coherent thought.
“Masakari.” The tone was distinctly disapproving. Masakari came to a stop herself, knowing well, before she took the time to turn and look, exactly what she would find.
The speaker held her arms tightly folded across her chest. Her brows settled with such ease into the deep creases that now held them that Masakari often found her to look strange without them. Even at such an early hour, the woman was groomed and attired as if she were soon expected at some meeting of great importance.
“Mother,” Masakari acknowledged.
Her mother drew a deep breath and released a heavy sigh, which Masakari took as a cue that she was composing herself for an argument. Rarely the target of her mother’s anger, Masakari was well accustomed to watching the rapid decline from that familiar sigh to a screaming match with Lyssa or her father.
“I had not expected to encounter you this way.” Her mother kept her tone even.
“I was headed to the stables,” Masakari said. “I hope to depart this afternoon.”
The lines in her forehead deepened momentarily. “Hardly an appropriate task for a captain.”
Masakari shrugged. “An excuse to stretch my legs,” she said. “And what brings you-” It suddenly occurred to her that the hall her mother had come from led to the dorms, but it was too late; the question had already been posed.
“I think you can well imagine. No,” she corrected herself. “Perhaps you cannot.”
“Mother,” Masakari started. However inexperienced she may be in her sister’s pastimes, she had cleaned up the mess enough times to have a fair idea what transpired when Lyssa and her friends got together. Lyssa was likely in enough trouble already without her divulging this, so she held her tongue.
“If that girl gets herself expelled again and I have to take a brat in with her…”
“Mother!” Masakari put a hand to her open mouth.
“It is not your concern. I do not, however, anticipate nor appreciate cleaning up your affairs. What in the name of the gods transpired last night?”
“Apparently a grevious lapse of judgement on my part,” she said
Her mother closed her eyes as she took another breath to steady herself. “You brought a stranger to the ball and he assaulted a woman one step removed from royalty. I should hardly think ‘lapse of judgement’ to suffice. Lapse of judgement is what your sister does on a daily basis. This…” She sighed, at a loss for words. “Do I hear correctly that you intend to make this commoner a part of your squadron as well?”
“If last night’s events were imparted to you in any accuracy, you would realize there is hardly anything common about the man,” said Masakari.
She gave her comment no heed. “Your deployment is to Lord Branimir’s territory?” she continued.
“Yes.”
“I need not remind you of his influence. It would benefit you and your friend that he learn to stay his temper.”
“In all fairness,” she said, “Lady Merrin-”
“Do you think I have never wanted to lash out at the woman myself? If not for the fact that half the court wishes they could have acted as your friend did last night, he would find himself in grave trouble. No matter how provoked the action may be, it is suitable neither to your reputation nor his safety that he commit it.” Her expression softened. “You may count me among your allies. Regardless of lineage, Headmistress Kinari is a knight without parallel. Were you not my own, I should still think she chose well in making you her disciple. Do try to respect the position given you and not force either of us to intervene on your behalf. Gods know I already do enough of that for your sister.”
Masakari forced a smile and meekly bobbed her head. “Yes, Mother. Thank you.”
“I must be on my way. Gods be with you on your journey.”
“And you, Mother.”