***
Camden
***
"Touch... touch... touch."
The child standing before Katherine wilted slightly, then pulled himself straighter, raising his wooden practice sword. "Again."
Katherine's tounge clucked, but she shifted her feet obligingly, pulling her own practice sword up at ready. "One."
The boy's sword came down, smartly cracking against Katherine's easy block.
"Two."
The tip came around. Once again, Katherine twisted, blocking the strike.
"Three."
The sword wavered halfway through the counter-strike, far enough past Katherine that she merely sidestepped the blow.
"I..." The boy collapsed to his knees. I noticed with approval that his weapon did not meet the earth; it was held at guard, and the child had done it instinctively. "Jhe Katherine, I'm spent."
She waved at him, a curl to the wrist in that signal-language the Armed used. He bowed, then turned, his tiny legs carrying him quickly out of the arena. I grinned as I heard his high-pitched shout for freedom as he turned down the hall.
"Weapons Room, Raven!" she called. The footsteps abruptly reversed direction, and we caught the briefest flash of jet-black hair as he flew by the entrance to the arena once more.
She walked over to the bench I was occupying and dropped down next to me with a snort.
"Yes, just look at how tired the wee boy is."
Katherine laughed. "He's all of six years old. I'm impressed he paid attention as long as he did."
It was my turn to snort. "At his age, I was learning to lead men."
She raised an eyebrow, smoothly grabbing her canteen without her eyes leaving my face. "I can believe that, actually. You have the manner of someone who never experienced childhood." She laughed at the face I made, tilting the mouth of the canteen towards me. "Camden, when did you ever play?"
"I played," I said, my voice surprisingly thin in my own ears.
"Played at what? Tell me about your childhood games." She swirled the bottle and then drank, staring at me expectantly as she swallowed.
I bit my lip, suddenly shy. "I suppose... when I was small, Elricht would play tracker-and-prey with me. I would cover my eyes and wait a while, and then try to find where my brother was hiding." I smiled, remembering how bloody difficult Elricht was to find. "Sometimes it would be hours before I would so much as find a sign of his passing, and it was years before I could go much further than an acre before I'd lose his spoor."
"Hmmm." She set the skin down at her side once more, staring thoughtfully across the arena. "I don't suppose Elric would be willing to take on some of the kids and play that game?"
"Elricht," I corrected. She tossed me an annoyed glare, then rolled her eyes. "You'll have to take it up with him, but I don't see why he wouldn't. He's very fond of children."
Katherine chuckled, rolling the canteen's cap back and forth over her knuckles. "Good for him. I don't quite get them, but they're cute enough." She flipped the cap in the air, catching it with the same hand. "The ones who come through here are a lot like you, though. They're only children by stature and the occasional show of... well, childishness." Her crooked grin flashed.
I sat back on the bench, resting my arms over the back. "I take it you don't have any children."
"Who, me?" She looked down at me, her eyes wide. "No, not me. I don't think I'm cut out for motherhood. Gerald..." Her lips flattened, and she sighed. "Gerald wants kids. Takes after his dad that way, with that 'the more the merrier' outlook on breeding."
"Ah. You don't."
"I..." She shook her head, leaning forward with her elbows on her knees. I could see her hands through the space between her waist and her elbow, her fingers curling and twining over each other, an unconscious reflection of her thoughts. "I do, I suppose. Just..." Her fingers froze, then splayed out. "Just not now."
I nodded, knowing she couldn't see me, but figuring she'd sense it anyway.
We sat there like that, silent. After a minute, she sighed, then dropped back against the bench and looked at me out of the corner of her eye. I tilted my head towards her, returning the stare more directly. She sighed, twisting towards me as she folded one arm over the back of the bench and rested her chin on her forearm. Her green eyes stared into mine openly, curious and... demanding, somehow.
"Why am I so easily familiar with you, Camden?"
"Hmm?" I blinked, taken slightly off-guard by the question. "I don't know. Perhaps you don't consider me a threat?"
She snorted, and I felt a small rush of pleasure at that acknowledgment that she did, at least to some degree. "Perhaps it's because I don't have many equals."
"Equals?"
She turned her head, her fingertips waving dismissively. "In most ways, Camden. You have some distance to go before you can really catch me, but you already keep me on my toes." Her eyes met mine again, her grin half-hidden behind her arm. "Rather, you're my equal in rank. The first I've..." Her voice trailed off, her eyes drifting out over the courtyard. "Well. It's been a while."
I shifted on the bench, then made the bold decision to help myself to her drink. She voiced no objection, simply watching me until I set it back down with a sigh.
"My rank..."
"Peacekeeper."
I nodded, the foreign syllables rolling through my head. "Yes, Peacekeeper. Jhe 'hAkribastes explained my function rather thoroughly, but he didn't mention yours." I paused, wondering how to best form my next question.
Katherine didn't wait for me to answer. "You want to know what rank I hold that would be equal to one as important as yours?" she asked, sitting back with a chuckle. "That's quite a chunk of story, Jhe Dh--" She blinked at my raised finger.
"Please," I said, my voice trembling with affected weariness, "please leave my clan name be?"
She laughed, the bright sound echoing off the walls of the Hall. "What am I to call you, then? You flinch every time I call you by your given name."
I grimaced. "Jhe Cruxradia, that... that mangling of an attempt you call my name is hardly... it..." I buried my face in the palm of my hand, my fingertips sliding down my forehead to pinch the bridge of my nose. I didn't have to look at Katherine to catch her reaction -- the bench was fairly vibrating with her silent laughter.
"What..." She burst into giggles, ducking her head and laughing into her cupped hand. "What should I call you, then?"
I thought for a moment, trying to translate my family name. "What is the word for... a plant with thorns?"
She tilted her head, eyebrows raised. "Roses?"
"No, a wild flower."
Her smile disappeared as she bit her lip, thinking. "Thorns?"
"Yes. On vines."
She blinked. "Vines... oh! Greenbriar?"
"Not a specific color, but yes. Briar. The clan is named for the seal placed on our lands, marked by a boundary of briars."
"So, Dhe..." She caught my flinch and smiled. "Your family name basically means 'seal of briar'. Briarseal."
"Yes, Briarseal. That's... that will work."
"Well then, Jhe Briarseal," she said, leaning forward and standing, "I bid you good evening." She offered her right hand, which I clasped firmly in my own, standing up to bow over it.
"You as well, Jhe Cruxradia." I straightened, then tightened my grip on her hand with a small smile as she started to pull away. "Shall we continue our discussions about rank and duty some other time, then?"
She laughed, flushing slightly. "I didn't think I'd get away with that for long. Yes, Camden, we can continue this later."
I smiled, performing another small bow. "I look forward to it, Jhe Cr--"
"Katherine, please." She smiled again, tension around the corners of her mouth. "Indulge me a bit with a small lack of manners?"
"I'll try," I said, surprised to feel a flush of genuine pleasure at the offer. "Correct me if I slip?"
"That's my job," she said with a small laugh. "One of, at any rate. Good evening, Camden."
"Katherine."
I watched her walk away, then turned and made my way towards the Jhe 'hAkribastes's offices.
***
'Sy
***
'Sy
***
I looked up as my office door eased open and my Peacekeeper let himself in. He shut the door behind him, then turned and executed a crisp bow. I nodded in return. "Jhe Dhealg'seala. Please, make yourself comfortable."
"My thanks, sir." He took a seat in front of my desk, dropping into it with the casual grace of the young and fairly careless. I noted it with some surprise. The young Laigr hadn't struck me as someone very capable of being so at ease.
"May I offer you something to drink?"
Camdhegn shook his head. "No thank you, sir."
I folded my hands in front of me, leaning forward and taking care to keep my body language fairly casual. "What can I do for you?"
My Peacekeeper ran his eyes across my desk, then glanced at my hands before looking up to my face. "Can you tell me anything of Jhe Cruxradia?"
Outwardly, I smiled pleasantly, keeping the sinking feeling of dread firmly out of view.
"There isn't much I could tell you that Katherine couldn't relate herself. Have you asked her whatever question is bothering you?" I rather hoped this wasn't developing into another situation that would put Gerald and Katherine at odds again. We had just finished reconstruction from the last time some poor boy had gotten it into his head to make a play for her company, and were still negotiating proper compensation for his family.
Camdhegn frowned, drumming his fingers on the arms of the chair. "I spoke with her, yes, but she dodged my inquiries into her position here." He smiled, the expression not quite reaching his eyes. "She did manage to translate my family name so that I suffered less insult to my clan by way of tripping tongues, however."
I laughed, wondering at how badly Katherine had managed to distort the syllables of poor Camdhegn's name, and relieved that there was no sign of developing infatuation in his voice. Professional curiousity was perfectly... or rather, mostly safe territory. "I do hope she translated it into something you're willing to hear for the rest of time." I smiled at his surprised expression. "She is also a Poet. If she's translated your name, Jhe Dhealg'seala, you can be certain that not only has it been recorded that way rather permanently, but in a manner of days everyone you meet will be addressing you by that name as if you were born to it."
"Poet?" His already pale features had gone ghost-white at my news. "Has she erased my name? Has the name of my father been..." His fingers tightened, digging into the fabric of his seat.
I shook my head, making a note to ensure he became a bit more familiar with the Poets and their... methods. "No, that isn't what I meant. I only meant to warn you that the entire population will be addressing you as..." I raised an eyebrow.
"Briarseal."
"...As Jhe Briarseal before the sun sets tomorrow."
His fingers loosened their grip on the chair, and he visibly relaxed. "Ah. That... that is acceptable. She did translate it with my approval. I just... Jhe 'hAkribastes, it is difficult as it is to set aside my clan in even an honorable way such as this..." He sighed. "The thought that the name Dhealg'seala would be lost was horrifying."
"I understand," I said, the ghost of my own name flashing through my memory. I didn't share the Peacekeeper's positive associations with the name I had originally worn, but the profound sense of loss was there nonetheless. "Briarseal is close enough in meaning that it doesn't pain you any?"
Camdhegn frowned. "Pain?"
At least Katherine had managed to preserve the intent of his name with her efforts, then. I waved a hand. "She was accurate enough that it isn't bothering you?"
"As I said, Jhe 'hAkribastes," he said, his smile softening what could have been a vaguely condesending tone, "she was careful with the translation and consulted me. We discussed the meaning of the name and selected a wording that I felt appropriately captured the sound and the intent. It is not a disagreeable thing to me."
I nodded, fighting back the urge to bury my face behind my hands at the blatantly Poetic tone of his voice, resigning myself to the idea that I was going to have to share my Peacekeeper with the other Hall. "That is a relief. Poets can do a great deal of damage with their word-play if they're not careful. Not," I said, holding a hand up, "that I'm insinuating that Katherine is in any way incompetent or careless, but her sense of humor can be... a trial."
Camdhegn laughed.
"As for her position," I continued with a small smile, "that is something best discussed with her. She is... her duty puts her at odds with me, and I have an unfortunate tendency to describe it in less than flattering detail." I smiled, letting him see the slight exasperation I felt whenever I pondered her role. "She is necessary to what we do, but..." I tapped my fingertips and laughed. "As I said, she is fairly literally at odds with me by virtue of who she is. I daresay her description of the Advocate would be truer than any I could give."
"I doubt..." Camdhegn pursed his lips, then sighed. "I don't understand, but I will take your word on it."
I sighed. "You will soon enough. Feel free to return and commiserate once she is done with you."
He nodded and stood, recognizing the dismissal in my voice. "Good evening, Jhe 'hAkribastes."
"To you as well, Jhe Briarseal."
The Peacekeeper paused, then smiled. "That will take some getting used to," he said, bowing low.
I nodded, and watched as he let himself out of my office.
Before I left my office for the night, I made sure to restock my wine supply in anticipation of his return.
***
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Comments
19 April 2009
8 min 49 sec
Will we ever learn what Sy's given name is/was, or the names of his and Lui's parents?
Nothing? Nothing? NOTHING? Nothing, tra la la?
-Jereth (David Bowie), "The Labyrinth"
9 February 2009
2 weeks 2 days
Yes. ^_^
I am the bridge-jumping friend your parents warned you about.
19 April 2009
8 min 49 sec
What's Kathe's general age here? Teens, early twenty's, mid-to-late?
Nothing? Nothing? NOTHING? Nothing, tra la la?
-Jereth (David Bowie), "The Labyrinth"
19 February 2009
9 hours 4 min
If you wait for a couple more of the main trilogy updates, you will understand why we've generally been unable to answer these questions.
She was about 22 or so when she got assassinated.