HOME | DD

Description
Breakfast was good, pancakes and pekou fruit, with a light syrup that melted in Arrats' mouth. Observing Inlé, she was convinced the flavors must have reeled away from his tongue before he could taste it. It seemed the only way he could eat without showing any pleasure in the meal. Despite this, he was quick to send his compliments to the chef. His compliments were, Arrats noticed, perfect in form and delivery, but lacking in any real substance. Flattery went over well with the chef, though, so Arrats considered the compliment fine.

Afterwards, and perhaps because of the compliment, the chef (hearing that the boy was a visitor on his way out) shuffled into the dining hall and ushered Inlé--"not hearing no arguments, mind"--into the pantry where she proceeded to pack him a bindle of food to take with him. He politely followed and graciously accepted the foodstuffs as they were given him, restocking the shelves with light compliments along the way. The bundle was fairly large, containing even a small pot, and having a thin metal spit for a bindle-stick.

When he exited with his new supplies over his shoulder, Arrats found it difficult to contain her mirth. She could not picture, though it stood before her whole-cloth, this proud boy as a bindlestiff. The old chef stood proudly behind him, ladle on hip, and instructed him on proper methods for dealing with cook fires. Arrats's eyes were tearing when Inlé addressed her.

"Will you also need to supply Archcardinal?" A question, she realized, as retaliation for her mirth. The boy knew she planned to slip out unannounced.

"To the council hall?" she asked, thinking fast. "No, boy. It is not that far, though I thank you for your concern. I may need a light snack though, Matilde, if I may?"

Matilde had been the Tower's head chef for thirty years now, and had served in lesser roles since she was born to the previous head chef fifty odd years ago. Despite this, or perhaps because of this, she was nervously shy around the Archcardinal. She knew the Archcardinal's dietary preferences perfectly, and knew she would never be removed from her position, but still treated the Archcardinal with reverential respect. She had once told the captain of the guards that she felt like a child being asked permission by her grandmother when asked for food by the Archcardinal.

"Well," she began. "I really should say no, Ma'am. It'll spoil your midday, after all. But ..." She turned and disappeared into the pantry. Returning after a few minutes, she handed the Archcardinal a snack-filled handkerchief. She whispered conspiratorially to the Archcardinal, "Just be sure not to waste your appetite, Ma'am."

Arrats smiled. "Thank you, Matilde. I do so love your cooking. I know I will enjoy whatever you make when I return."

Making their way out of the dining hall, Arrats and Inlé wound their way through the tower until they were able to leave quietly out a smaller entrance than that at the front. In order to raise fewer suspicions, Arrats raised a glimmer-skin spell to imitate her formal attire as she exited the Tower. The spell dissipated as she rounded the first corner, revealing her more drab dress. By midday, the two had reached the city limits opposite those Inlé had entered that dawn. Here, the only difference was that the guards preferred cards to dice, and none noticed the smiling Archcardinal as she snuck brazenly away from Aurora. She would not be missed for an hour yet, and then the search party would still need to be assembled.

They walked in silence, as Arrats was at first too caught up in the fond memories she felt may soon be relived. When enthusiasm began to fade and life began to settle back in, Arrats became surprised again at her peculiar partner's stoic silence. She realized that it had been nearly four hours since they had left the city--seven since leaving the tower--and he had yet even to attempt conversation. (A thing she had done twice; once in the city and once after leaving, but to no effect.)

Finally, Arrats could no longer stand the silence, and broke it. "Inlé," she said. She had meant to continue, but as though breaking the silence had shattered him, Inlé collapsed. "Inlé!" Arrats repeated as she reached to catch the boy as he fell. But he seemed to fall away from her outstretched hands, hitting the ground without even an attempt at catching himself. Arrats knelt beside him, quickly inspecting him for injuries until his eyes fluttered open.

"My apologies," he said. "I believed I would be able to continue on until we reached an adequate place to camp. My fatigue has gotten the better of me. Let me rest a few minutes, and then we may continue." His eyes were closed before he finished his apology, and he was asleep before Arrats could respond. She chuckled to herself, as she set his head on her lap.

"Boy, what I wonder about you," she said to herself. She thought alone for a few more minutes before making a conclusion. "Fair enough. As payment for my guarding your sleep here, you'll have to answer any questions I ask. Ha! Never take anything from a witch, boy. Never, ha!" She chuckled to herself.

But the pause gave her time to rest her legs, the very subject she had meant to bring up before Inlé fell. She rested her legs and decided she would eat the contents of Matilde's handkerchief as Inlé slept. Pleasant surprise filled her when Arrats saw that Matilde had filled the bag with some of her favorite snacks. Minath berries(just now coming into season), a few hortane pods, a palm-sized bongala melon, and seasoned tea crackers lay displayed in a lovely manner as soon as Arrats opened the kerchief on the sleeping Inlé's chest--which had been commandeered as a table until she decided to wake him. If he plans to sleep during the day, Arrats thought, he should expect some ... accommodating treatment. She smirked and bit into one of the hortane pods, leaving the thin, tangy skin on.

Looking around her, she realized that the two had made excellent time. After four hours, Aurora was no longer in sight. Not even the Tower of the Mage was visible, though it could be seen for hours' distance normally. Arrats suspected some sort of enchantment involved, but she could not be sure. She had not thought to check while they walked, and there seemed to be no residual energy from the spell, if one was used. The mountains in the northwest were the borders of Ashkern, and Arrats wondered once more how the sister Tower in Briqueward fared. She worried for the sister towers often, since she lead them all by proxy. But it had been almost a decade since she had run her own tower personally, let alone visited the other towers. Perhaps that would soon change.

The grasslands surrounding Aurora were known to be mild and calm, and today was no exception. Knee-high grasses were the norm, and most of the animal life was small and peaceful. The sky was nearly cloudless all the way to the horizon. Outcroppings of serpentstone broke the surface occasionally, often shading larger vegetation or the odd spring. Everything was calm. Arrats fought the buzz of insect lullabies after she had finished her light snack. But she held on for only so long.

Description
Breakfast was good, pancakes and pekou fruit, with a light syrup that melted in Arrats' mouth. Observing Inlé, she was convinced the flavors must have reeled away from his tongue before he could taste it. It seemed the only way he could eat without showing any pleasure in the meal. Despite this, he was quick to send his compliments to the chef. His compliments were, Arrats noticed, perfect in form and delivery, but lacking in any real substance. Flattery went over well with the chef, though, so Arrats considered the compliment fine.

Afterwards, and perhaps because of the compliment, the chef (hearing that the boy was a visitor on his way out) shuffled into the dining hall and ushered Inlé--"not hearing no arguments, mind"--into the pantry where she proceeded to pack him a bindle of food to take with him. He politely followed and graciously accepted the foodstuffs as they were given him, restocking the shelves with light compliments along the way. The bundle was fairly large, containing even a small pot, and having a thin metal spit for a bindle-stick.

When he exited with his new supplies over his shoulder, Arrats found it difficult to contain her mirth. She could not picture, though it stood before her whole-cloth, this proud boy as a bindlestiff. The old chef stood proudly behind him, ladle on hip, and instructed him on proper methods for dealing with cook fires. Arrats's eyes were tearing when Inlé addressed her.

"Will you also need to supply Archcardinal?" A question, she realized, as retaliation for her mirth. The boy knew she planned to slip out unannounced.

"To the council hall?" she asked, thinking fast. "No, boy. It is not that far, though I thank you for your concern. I may need a light snack though, Matilde, if I may?"

Matilde had been the Tower's head chef for thirty years now, and had served in lesser roles since she was born to the previous head chef fifty odd years ago. Despite this, or perhaps because of this, she was nervously shy around the Archcardinal. She knew the Archcardinal's dietary preferences perfectly, and knew she would never be removed from her position, but still treated the Archcardinal with reverential respect. She had once told the captain of the guards that she felt like a child being asked permission by her grandmother when asked for food by the Archcardinal.

"Well," she began. "I really should say no, Ma'am. It'll spoil your midday, after all. But ..." She turned and disappeared into the pantry. Returning after a few minutes, she handed the Archcardinal a snack-filled handkerchief. She whispered conspiratorially to the Archcardinal, "Just be sure not to waste your appetite, Ma'am."

Arrats smiled. "Thank you, Matilde. I do so love your cooking. I know I will enjoy whatever you make when I return."

Making their way out of the dining hall, Arrats and Inlé wound their way through the tower until they were able to leave quietly out a smaller entrance than that at the front. In order to raise fewer suspicions, Arrats raised a glimmer-skin spell to imitate her formal attire as she exited the Tower. The spell dissipated as she rounded the first corner, revealing her more drab dress. By midday, the two had reached the city limits opposite those Inlé had entered that dawn. Here, the only difference was that the guards preferred cards to dice, and none noticed the smiling Archcardinal as she snuck brazenly away from Aurora. She would not be missed for an hour yet, and then the search party would still need to be assembled.

They walked in silence, as Arrats was at first too caught up in the fond memories she felt may soon be relived. When enthusiasm began to fade and life began to settle back in, Arrats became surprised again at her peculiar partner's stoic silence. She realized that it had been nearly four hours since they had left the city--seven since leaving the tower--and he had yet even to attempt conversation. (A thing she had done twice; once in the city and once after leaving, but to no effect.)

Finally, Arrats could no longer stand the silence, and broke it. "Inlé," she said. She had meant to continue, but as though breaking the silence had shattered him, Inlé collapsed. "Inlé!" Arrats repeated as she reached to catch the boy as he fell. But he seemed to fall away from her outstretched hands, hitting the ground without even an attempt at catching himself. Arrats knelt beside him, quickly inspecting him for injuries until his eyes fluttered open.

"My apologies," he said. "I believed I would be able to continue on until we reached an adequate place to camp. My fatigue has gotten the better of me. Let me rest a few minutes, and then we may continue." His eyes were closed before he finished his apology, and he was asleep before Arrats could respond. She chuckled to herself, as she set his head on her lap.

"Boy, what I wonder about you," she said to herself. She thought alone for a few more minutes before making a conclusion. "Fair enough. As payment for my guarding your sleep here, you'll have to answer any questions I ask. Ha! Never take anything from a witch, boy. Never, ha!" She chuckled to herself.

But the pause gave her time to rest her legs, the very subject she had meant to bring up before Inlé fell. She rested her legs and decided she would eat the contents of Matilde's handkerchief as Inlé slept. Pleasant surprise filled her when Arrats saw that Matilde had filled the bag with some of her favorite snacks. Minath berries(just now coming into season), a few hortane pods, a palm-sized bongala melon, and seasoned tea crackers lay displayed in a lovely manner as soon as Arrats opened the kerchief on the sleeping Inlé's chest--which had been commandeered as a table until she decided to wake him. If he plans to sleep during the day, Arrats thought, he should expect some ... accommodating treatment. She smirked and bit into one of the hortane pods, leaving the thin, tangy skin on.

Looking around her, she realized that the two had made excellent time. After four hours, Aurora was no longer in sight. Not even the Tower of the Mage was visible, though it could be seen for hours' distance normally. Arrats suspected some sort of enchantment involved, but she could not be sure. She had not thought to check while they walked, and there seemed to be no residual energy from the spell, if one was used. The mountains in the northwest were the borders of Ashkern, and Arrats wondered once more how the sister Tower in Briqueward fared. She worried for the sister towers often, since she lead them all by proxy. But it had been almost a decade since she had run her own tower personally, let alone visited the other towers. Perhaps that would soon change.

The grasslands surrounding Aurora were known to be mild and calm, and today was no exception. Knee-high grasses were the norm, and most of the animal life was small and peaceful. The sky was nearly cloudless all the way to the horizon. Outcroppings of serpentstone broke the surface occasionally, often shading larger vegetation or the odd spring. Everything was calm. Arrats fought the buzz of insect lullabies after she had finished her light snack. But she held on for only so long.