Airisk was just straightening his armor as the procession of guards and their lord appeared at the gate. He took a deep breath as he watched them enter and walked toward them. Airisk tried his best to appear casual, but this was the most excitement that House Spyrion had received in what he could possibly perceive as - well - forever. Being a rather peaceful town never really provided a lot of work for the guard. Not that he wished ill will on the town.
No, he hoped it remained peaceful forever, but part of him always hoped that he could somehow be what he always imagined himself to be. The man that he always daydreamed about in his lessons. Airisk had spent years polishing his lancer skills, but he felt like they were going to waste here. This was the biggest job he had gotten since he joined the guard, and it was simply escorting their new guests to their rooms.
"Welcome to House Spyridon!" said Airisk with a sweeping bow. He hoped he didn't sound as stiff as he thought. His own voice sounded alien to him. He mentally groaned as he stood up straight with a bright smile. "Lord Vykinn and honored guests. I am Airisk Sollari and I am here to guide you to Lord Spyridon." Oh geez... Someone kill me now.
-------
Kina had been setting up her stall for the past three days. In the first two days she sold well. She was certain to sew Zade's name into this town. She hoped so. Kina had to jump through hoops just to get such a popular spot in the marketplace. If she sold well enough, maybe they wouldn't mind her coming back to sell her wares again, instead of having to go aimlessly from town to town to town.
That was the dream anyway - to have a stable business relationship with a town close enough, but the marketplace had been totally dead today. She had even had enough spare time to brush her mare TWICE from head to toe. Kina was so desperate for customers that she hadn't left her stand the whole day, hoping to snare a customer. She was getting rather hungry.
The seemingly gaping hole in her stomach only seemed to deepen when she saw a man strut by with some meat buns in hand. She frowned and sighed. Maybe she should lock up for a while to go get herself some lunch... Kina didn't realize that she was staring at the man's food while she mulled the decision over in her head.
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
Friday, December 12, 2014
Spyrion preparing for guests..
Lord Theseus Spyridon was no longer the expected image of the lord of a warrior house. He was once a mighty force on the field. His powerful arms had struck many monsters and invaders down. He could smash rocks with his legs, and stare a man down to a puddle.
Now, his prime had passed. A once taut torso now held excess weight around the stomach. Hair receded. His arms carried little now, and the muscles of his legs had softened. So had his eyes.
While bemoaning the events that lead to his becoming the heir of Spyridon Castle, Theseus had found it to be happiest change of his life. Mourning had quickly been replaced with responsibility. That of his older brother's widow and daughter.
These are matters of long ago, however. Now, he prepared to meet with the convoy that approached the castle. Lord Jadis Vykin and his troops gathered in the courtyard. Hardened and grizzled. One could easily look at them and tell they lived in the outer towns. Lands that were still unruly.
It was times like these he wished for his stronger, younger self.
"Damn this unyielding metal!!" he gave a bellow.
Around the doorway came the mint-haired head of his niece, Nausicaa, who had grown up in all those years since her father's loss. "Uncle, what ever is the matter?"
"It's this confounded armor!" Theseus grumbled. Servants were about him, trying to fit him back into his former battle armor. However, the old armor had obviously crafted for a leaner man.
Nausicaa tutted with a shake of her head. "Why not wear your ceremonial armor? It's been recently fitted.."
"Lord Vykin is a true warrior, who continues to wage battles each day. I'd not have him see me as some posh layabout."
"Uncle..." Nausicaa chided. "Perhaps you no longer carry your blade on a daily basis, but any who would underestimate our forces would receive a quick comeuppance. Our men are still quick with a blade, and strong of heart. Lord Vykin has every reason to be asking for our soldiers."
Theseus couldn't help but smile at the young woman before him. Her spirit was one of the reasons he had spoiled her growing up. "Very well, my ceremonial armor then. Nausicaa, be sure you're prepared as well."
"Of course, Uncle!"
---
Elrin checked over his uniform. Nary a thing out of place. It was important to maintain appearances with another lord visiting. Truly, being in a warrior house in a safe town like this didn't add to much excitement, so a visiting noble gave much to do about the castle.
The sheikah himself was sort of at odds with where he should be. Although his tasks were more that of a servant, he was also a guardian of the young Lady Spyridon. He would be expected to be with her during this visit.
So he quickly traveled out to meet her in the hall. "Ah, my lady, you're already out here."
"Yes, we have guests after all. Granted, I don't think there's enough china for all the soldiers out there plus our own..." Nausicaa pursed her lips.
"They.. will be taken care of," Elrin said simply. With her, he found it best to often just go with her thoughts, than to bother explaining certain things. Such as the fact the servants and soldiers didn't use the castle's good china to eat with. It seemed irresponsible and wrong at times, but it often saved a long time in explaining something she took as given. The privilege of the noble, after all.
Now, his prime had passed. A once taut torso now held excess weight around the stomach. Hair receded. His arms carried little now, and the muscles of his legs had softened. So had his eyes.
While bemoaning the events that lead to his becoming the heir of Spyridon Castle, Theseus had found it to be happiest change of his life. Mourning had quickly been replaced with responsibility. That of his older brother's widow and daughter.
These are matters of long ago, however. Now, he prepared to meet with the convoy that approached the castle. Lord Jadis Vykin and his troops gathered in the courtyard. Hardened and grizzled. One could easily look at them and tell they lived in the outer towns. Lands that were still unruly.
It was times like these he wished for his stronger, younger self.
"Damn this unyielding metal!!" he gave a bellow.
Around the doorway came the mint-haired head of his niece, Nausicaa, who had grown up in all those years since her father's loss. "Uncle, what ever is the matter?"
"It's this confounded armor!" Theseus grumbled. Servants were about him, trying to fit him back into his former battle armor. However, the old armor had obviously crafted for a leaner man.
Nausicaa tutted with a shake of her head. "Why not wear your ceremonial armor? It's been recently fitted.."
"Lord Vykin is a true warrior, who continues to wage battles each day. I'd not have him see me as some posh layabout."
"Uncle..." Nausicaa chided. "Perhaps you no longer carry your blade on a daily basis, but any who would underestimate our forces would receive a quick comeuppance. Our men are still quick with a blade, and strong of heart. Lord Vykin has every reason to be asking for our soldiers."
Theseus couldn't help but smile at the young woman before him. Her spirit was one of the reasons he had spoiled her growing up. "Very well, my ceremonial armor then. Nausicaa, be sure you're prepared as well."
"Of course, Uncle!"
---
Elrin checked over his uniform. Nary a thing out of place. It was important to maintain appearances with another lord visiting. Truly, being in a warrior house in a safe town like this didn't add to much excitement, so a visiting noble gave much to do about the castle.
The sheikah himself was sort of at odds with where he should be. Although his tasks were more that of a servant, he was also a guardian of the young Lady Spyridon. He would be expected to be with her during this visit.
So he quickly traveled out to meet her in the hall. "Ah, my lady, you're already out here."
"Yes, we have guests after all. Granted, I don't think there's enough china for all the soldiers out there plus our own..." Nausicaa pursed her lips.
"They.. will be taken care of," Elrin said simply. With her, he found it best to often just go with her thoughts, than to bother explaining certain things. Such as the fact the servants and soldiers didn't use the castle's good china to eat with. It seemed irresponsible and wrong at times, but it often saved a long time in explaining something she took as given. The privilege of the noble, after all.
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Weapon of Choice
As with most of the town's protected by Hyrule's major houses, the streets of Aethros looked pristine, untouched by the skirmishes and death that reigned supreme elsewhere in the world. That was the point, she supposed, of paying tithes and taxes to a noble lord.
The lord of House Spyridon and his family never seemed like quite the warriors though, not in Ahn's eyes. It was an "inner" territory so to speak, the part of Hyrule that had been tamed first by their ancestors. Outlying territories like her lords, well, those required more grizzled warriors. Soft skills wouldn't cut it. So despite what ridicule her lord received for hiring a woman in his honor guard, Ahn knew it didn't so much as flicker in his mind. Jadis Vykinn knew what it took to defend him, to defend Geddon.
But battle-hardened men knew best when the time came for aid. And thus came his visit to Aethros, to the house of Lord Theseus Spyridon.
A small contingent of horses entered the castle's courtyard before dismounting. Ahn came forward to take her lord's reins while the knights waited for the stable boys to escort them away. He gave her a curt nod in acknowledgment, and as much as she hated to admit it, that alone made her swell with pride. Greyr, their captain and a good friend, cast a look and a knowing smirk in her direction and she only shot him a glare in response.
Their lord headed toward the castle entrance, leaving his honor guard standing in ranks with the horses, awaiting orders.
"Well Spyridon is certainly... stylish," Greyr said with a dry chuckle. "I wonder if any of them can fight. With a sword, not a glove."
"Don't be condescending... they protect their people," Ahn gave him a look, falling in rank beside him.
"Yes, but from what? Clashing drapes?" he gave her a sly smirk.
Smiles broke out across the ranks. Anyone with even a mild sense of humor couldn't last around Greyr. "No, clashing flower beds," she shot back. The jib earned her a short chuckle.
"Aye. I can see that."
----------
"I'll spare two rolls, fine lady, just for a smile," Cast replied, holding one out to Jarl first. "The kid's growing. Help keep some meat on him."
His remark didn't get the response he'd awaited, rather, no response at all as Jarl began motioning behind him, speaking about a man. Cast and Cresta exchanged looks, the blacksmith shrugging her shoulders slightly. Others would attributed it to the fancy of a child, but something refused to release its grip around Cast's lungs. He remembered who Garden used to be, even if a scrawny half-starved boy didn't seem familiar to her. He'd bought a Light Parcel from her when they were young, when she was yet in training, for his own mother. Only a fool would dismiss Jarl's words completely, knowing that.
But with Garden's discomfort, only a fool would dwell on it then and there either.
"Two meat buns for a smile. And then throw in the wool just because I'm delightful," he said again.
The lord of House Spyridon and his family never seemed like quite the warriors though, not in Ahn's eyes. It was an "inner" territory so to speak, the part of Hyrule that had been tamed first by their ancestors. Outlying territories like her lords, well, those required more grizzled warriors. Soft skills wouldn't cut it. So despite what ridicule her lord received for hiring a woman in his honor guard, Ahn knew it didn't so much as flicker in his mind. Jadis Vykinn knew what it took to defend him, to defend Geddon.
But battle-hardened men knew best when the time came for aid. And thus came his visit to Aethros, to the house of Lord Theseus Spyridon.
A small contingent of horses entered the castle's courtyard before dismounting. Ahn came forward to take her lord's reins while the knights waited for the stable boys to escort them away. He gave her a curt nod in acknowledgment, and as much as she hated to admit it, that alone made her swell with pride. Greyr, their captain and a good friend, cast a look and a knowing smirk in her direction and she only shot him a glare in response.
Their lord headed toward the castle entrance, leaving his honor guard standing in ranks with the horses, awaiting orders.
"Well Spyridon is certainly... stylish," Greyr said with a dry chuckle. "I wonder if any of them can fight. With a sword, not a glove."
"Don't be condescending... they protect their people," Ahn gave him a look, falling in rank beside him.
"Yes, but from what? Clashing drapes?" he gave her a sly smirk.
Smiles broke out across the ranks. Anyone with even a mild sense of humor couldn't last around Greyr. "No, clashing flower beds," she shot back. The jib earned her a short chuckle.
"Aye. I can see that."
----------
"I'll spare two rolls, fine lady, just for a smile," Cast replied, holding one out to Jarl first. "The kid's growing. Help keep some meat on him."
His remark didn't get the response he'd awaited, rather, no response at all as Jarl began motioning behind him, speaking about a man. Cast and Cresta exchanged looks, the blacksmith shrugging her shoulders slightly. Others would attributed it to the fancy of a child, but something refused to release its grip around Cast's lungs. He remembered who Garden used to be, even if a scrawny half-starved boy didn't seem familiar to her. He'd bought a Light Parcel from her when they were young, when she was yet in training, for his own mother. Only a fool would dismiss Jarl's words completely, knowing that.
But with Garden's discomfort, only a fool would dwell on it then and there either.
"Two meat buns for a smile. And then throw in the wool just because I'm delightful," he said again.
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