more pre-RaT's Story
a week or so after the ball - they arrive at the fort where they will be stationed
Rating : G
Masakari gave a detached survey of the open central chamber of their new living quarters. Captain Bergan shot her a curious look as his men paraded into the room laden with case after heavy case. Rune wondered if their new host was anticipating dealings with a pampered princess as Masakari directed the soldiers to stack her belongings with care in an empty corner, and the man tried to conceal his anxiety at the rapidly growing pile.
“I hope there‘s enough room here for you,” the stout little man was saying. “This is a military base, not a palace, after all, M’lady.”
Though he had been introduced to the world of nobility in the capitol, Rune still found the notion that such a place should be unsuitable for the needs of five people astonishing. This chamber alone could have fit his father’s entire house.
“This will do fine,” Tess said, laying a hand on his shoulder. “I assure you, we do not require much.” The captain cast her a disbelieving glance before returning his attention to Masakari and her growing collection of items at the far end of the room. “Books,” Tess explained. “Lady Kinari has tasks in mind for us in addition to fighting.” Eyeing the bare walls, she frowned. “We may be in need of some shelves.”
“That‘s no problem,” the captain said, looking somewhat relieved. “There’s a meeting room off the hall on the left where we could put them.”
Rune hurried to relieve one of the soldiers of his own bag. The man made move to object to his offer of assistance, but quickly backed off as the head of the calico cat emerged from the pocket where she had been sleeping. Tucking the bag under one arm, Rune lifted the flap and removed the animal. Once deposited on the floor, she scurried into into the hall.
Rune watched the cat until she passed from sight, then turned his attention to the rest of the exits, wondering what might lie beyond. Leaving the others to sort out Masakari’s horde of books, he wandered into the dining room.
A large, sturdy table of dark glossy wood, surrounded by heavily padded chairs with high, rigid backs, dominated the dining area. To the rear, a massive cabinet of the same wood, with glass doors, housed stacks of plates and rows of glasses. This room, like the one previous, was lined with thick rugs and the walls were bare, save for a line of simple sconces. Through a broad doorway to the right, he spied a kitchen and immediately felt the need to investigate.
It was enough to put the kitchen that was Berna’s pride and joy to shame. An enormous iron stove towered against the rear wall, rimmed by smooth wooden counters. More cabinets than he could imagine ever being able to fill hung above. A sturdy frame, laden with an assortment of pots and pans, dangled from the ceiling at the center of the room. A pair of doors led to the rear and to the right, while two more open portals offered access to the dining room from which he had just come and the hall towards the front. Peering down the hall, he saw the cat, curled up in a dark corner at the end of a line of doors. He supposed it would be best to return to the group before investigating where any of these might lead.
The soldiers serving as Masakari’s porters had finished their task of hauling her mountain of books into the common room from the carriage outside and her attention was directed back to their host, who was now giving explanation of their new surroundings, indicating that their private chambers were to be found off the halls to either side.
“Very well, thank you,” Masakari dismissed him, “but let us get down to business.”
“M’lady?” he said.
“As you said, this is a military establishment,” she pointed out. “We have been deployed here to fight after all.”
“Yes, M’lady,” he said hastily, seemingly nervous to continue. “I’m sure you’ve heard about the sightings of… unusual creatures.” Around the room, the knights, now all intent on the captain’s words, nodded their agreement. “The difference here,” he continued, “is that we’re seeing not one or two stragglers, but waves of the things.”
The knights responded to this news with gasps and looks of shock and dismay. Only Masakari seemed unmoved. Rune pictured monsters, similar to the one he had encountered in the woods, attacking in droves, and the thought made him shudder.
“We will do our best to aid in eradicating this problem,” Masakari said. “I am familiar with demons. Though most of my squad has yet to see one, you will be hard pressed to find knights better trained than these.”
“Thank you, M’lady,” the captain said with a slight bow. “We can talk about strategy in the morning. Will there be anything else tonight?”
Masakari shook her head. “No, thank you.”
“Then I’ll leave you to settle in.” Giving a full bow to Masakari and a nod to the rest, he exited, leaving them to wrestle with the thought of organized masses of demons.
Masakari cast a look at the nervous faces about her. “It is late and we have traveled long today,” she said. “As the captain said, there will be time to discuss things further in the morning, and I assure you, whatever you may be thinking, you are all up to the task. I would not have selected you had I thought otherwise. For now, it would be best if we all were to find some rest.”
“I quite agree,” Tess said, regaining some degree of composure as she lifted her bags from among Masakari’s vast pile. “Let us go sort out these rooms.”
Rating : G
Masakari gave a detached survey of the open central chamber of their new living quarters. Captain Bergan shot her a curious look as his men paraded into the room laden with case after heavy case. Rune wondered if their new host was anticipating dealings with a pampered princess as Masakari directed the soldiers to stack her belongings with care in an empty corner, and the man tried to conceal his anxiety at the rapidly growing pile.
“I hope there‘s enough room here for you,” the stout little man was saying. “This is a military base, not a palace, after all, M’lady.”
Though he had been introduced to the world of nobility in the capitol, Rune still found the notion that such a place should be unsuitable for the needs of five people astonishing. This chamber alone could have fit his father’s entire house.
“This will do fine,” Tess said, laying a hand on his shoulder. “I assure you, we do not require much.” The captain cast her a disbelieving glance before returning his attention to Masakari and her growing collection of items at the far end of the room. “Books,” Tess explained. “Lady Kinari has tasks in mind for us in addition to fighting.” Eyeing the bare walls, she frowned. “We may be in need of some shelves.”
“That‘s no problem,” the captain said, looking somewhat relieved. “There’s a meeting room off the hall on the left where we could put them.”
Rune hurried to relieve one of the soldiers of his own bag. The man made move to object to his offer of assistance, but quickly backed off as the head of the calico cat emerged from the pocket where she had been sleeping. Tucking the bag under one arm, Rune lifted the flap and removed the animal. Once deposited on the floor, she scurried into into the hall.
Rune watched the cat until she passed from sight, then turned his attention to the rest of the exits, wondering what might lie beyond. Leaving the others to sort out Masakari’s horde of books, he wandered into the dining room.
A large, sturdy table of dark glossy wood, surrounded by heavily padded chairs with high, rigid backs, dominated the dining area. To the rear, a massive cabinet of the same wood, with glass doors, housed stacks of plates and rows of glasses. This room, like the one previous, was lined with thick rugs and the walls were bare, save for a line of simple sconces. Through a broad doorway to the right, he spied a kitchen and immediately felt the need to investigate.
It was enough to put the kitchen that was Berna’s pride and joy to shame. An enormous iron stove towered against the rear wall, rimmed by smooth wooden counters. More cabinets than he could imagine ever being able to fill hung above. A sturdy frame, laden with an assortment of pots and pans, dangled from the ceiling at the center of the room. A pair of doors led to the rear and to the right, while two more open portals offered access to the dining room from which he had just come and the hall towards the front. Peering down the hall, he saw the cat, curled up in a dark corner at the end of a line of doors. He supposed it would be best to return to the group before investigating where any of these might lead.
The soldiers serving as Masakari’s porters had finished their task of hauling her mountain of books into the common room from the carriage outside and her attention was directed back to their host, who was now giving explanation of their new surroundings, indicating that their private chambers were to be found off the halls to either side.
“Very well, thank you,” Masakari dismissed him, “but let us get down to business.”
“M’lady?” he said.
“As you said, this is a military establishment,” she pointed out. “We have been deployed here to fight after all.”
“Yes, M’lady,” he said hastily, seemingly nervous to continue. “I’m sure you’ve heard about the sightings of… unusual creatures.” Around the room, the knights, now all intent on the captain’s words, nodded their agreement. “The difference here,” he continued, “is that we’re seeing not one or two stragglers, but waves of the things.”
The knights responded to this news with gasps and looks of shock and dismay. Only Masakari seemed unmoved. Rune pictured monsters, similar to the one he had encountered in the woods, attacking in droves, and the thought made him shudder.
“We will do our best to aid in eradicating this problem,” Masakari said. “I am familiar with demons. Though most of my squad has yet to see one, you will be hard pressed to find knights better trained than these.”
“Thank you, M’lady,” the captain said with a slight bow. “We can talk about strategy in the morning. Will there be anything else tonight?”
Masakari shook her head. “No, thank you.”
“Then I’ll leave you to settle in.” Giving a full bow to Masakari and a nod to the rest, he exited, leaving them to wrestle with the thought of organized masses of demons.
Masakari cast a look at the nervous faces about her. “It is late and we have traveled long today,” she said. “As the captain said, there will be time to discuss things further in the morning, and I assure you, whatever you may be thinking, you are all up to the task. I would not have selected you had I thought otherwise. For now, it would be best if we all were to find some rest.”
“I quite agree,” Tess said, regaining some degree of composure as she lifted her bags from among Masakari’s vast pile. “Let us go sort out these rooms.”