The First Blight: Curse of Dumat [RP/Closed]

[ShadowFolk]

"Thank you... I do not deserve it." but she would have been lying if she said it didn't look inviting. She entered the room, just about ready to close the door when she stopped. "I did not mean to be so harsh to you earlier. The constable has me on edge, is all. I hope you'll forgive me. Good night. Or..or good morning. I'm not sure which is appropriate." Sleep was prickling at the front of her mind. She offered up a weak smile before close and locking the door, crawling into bed. Perhaps Sloth would aid her well enough to give her enough peace to sleep.

 

[FortyThree]

"Yes, well.. You won't have sweet dreams, so I won't wish them on you.. But you deserve them."

Sighing, Diocles decided to get back to the barracks. He'd best get changed for when the rest of the wardens awoke.

 

[duckflesh]

An hour after dawn Trajan Vorenus appeared in the mess, banging his staff on the flagstones, shouting that he expected all new recruits to be armored and assembled in the courtyard within a half hour.

He ducked his head into the womens' barracks and shouted the same order, then made his way to the male, finding Diocles there.

"We're going to have some training in the courtyard, please prepare to supervise. And if you see Constable Thaedrin, tell him I'd like a word."

He began turning to leave without waiting for a response, but then paused.

"Oh, and... where is Susan? She was not in the mess or the barracks. Not fled, I hope. She won't last an hour."

In the yard, Alrik was moving about with purpose, arranging targets and measuring out parcels of ground. Delphina sat on a tree stump stringing her bow, a bowl of porridge balanced precariously on one knee.

 

[FortyThree]

"..Ah! I believe she was meditating outdoors after her arduous late night.. Training Shall I fetch her, or let her rest?"

Already having dressed, Diocles began the arduous task of stringing his bow. If he was teaching anything, he doubted it was close quarters combat.

 

[ShadowFolk]

'Susan' remained blissfully unaware of the call to the courtyard or her name being once again destroyed. She lay on the fancy bed, much more comfortable than the ones in the barracks, and curled herself into a ball under the sheets. Sulahn'nehn did not often call on Sloth for anything other than suppressing her talents and lulling those who suspected. But it was an exception she was willing to make.

She did have sweet dreams. No magisters, blood mages, archdemons, or laboratories. Only happiness. The wonderful stories the demon wove together for kept her in a deep, peaceful sleep.

 

[duckflesh]

Trajan glanced at Diocles' bunk to confirm that it did not contain any elves. "Fetch her, please."

 

[FortyThree]

"..Of course, sir."

Diocles slung his bow across his back, hefted his quiver, and set out, initially heading in the wrong direction, circling around the long way to Sul's new room. He leaned up against the door casually, knocking on it after confirming the halls were empty.

"Time for training, Susie."

 

[ShadowFolk]

Was it a new day already? It had seemed a short time since her lovely dreams began and already something was breaking up the illusions of the Fade. The waking world called.

Sulahn'nehn's eyes opened slowly and then shut shortly after. She rolled over, pulling the sheets to cover her shoulders, too comfy to leave. It was far too soon. No, no. She'd just have to get up for training in a few more hours.

"Nooo..." she groaned.

 

[FortyThree]

Rolling his eyes, Diocles knocked again.

"Sul. Come out or I'm coming in, we don't have time."

 

[ShadowFolk]

She took it back. All humans were sleep depriving jerks. She sat up and sighed. So much for sleep. "Alright. I am awake."

Reluctantly, the elf edged out of the large bed and out of the room. She gave it once last look, trying to decide what the punishment would be for defying an order. Not worth it, likely.

She ran her fingers through her hair, getting any knots out, "Training, is it? ...If there is ever a next time for that bed, I request a longer stay."

 

[FortyThree]

"Sorry, darling, but it wasn't my call, the Commander mentioned you by name. ... Well, he tried to, anyway."

He gave her a small smile, then pointed the way to the courtyard.

"Ladies first. And, if I ever get you into that bed again, I will do my best to let you rest as much as possible."

 

[Cinnonym]

Constable Davinius was in the courtyard already, no less perfectly groomed as usual despite a restless, grueling night. An absence of sleep was not at all unusual for him, and so he would not let it influence his performance. He paid no mind to any recruit without a staff, and ran drills with them beside his own mages. It was not only the new who would benefit from practice. Conjure, maintain, release. Swiftly, orderly, quietly. He walked the line and observed as they kept time, until one of Delphina?s archers came to murmur in his ear. With a nod, she scurried off again.

?Continue,? Thaedrin told his mages as he marched quickly up the steps and returned to the Great Hall to locate Vorenus. When he did, he gave a stiff salute. ?You wanted to speak, Commander.?

Lingering on the steps outside, Ghil nudged Ulrin with an elbow. ?What other weapons do you use, besides the tiny knives??

 

[ShadowFolk]

"If it isn't out of place, I will hold you to that."

All these pet names with him. They sounded genuine to her and that was the odd part. She was having trouble locating the air of 'you are pet' about them. And she didn't know what to do with that. Except smile sheepishly at it.

She wasn't expecting to see Thaedrin in the Great Hall and she made it a point to not lay her eyes on him again, passing by without so much as a hello.

Making it to the court yard would not have been so bad if it didn't look like most had begun already. It would be impossible or near impossible to slip in unnoticed. She picked up a staff and filed in with the other mages.

 

[duckflesh]

"Ah, Constable."

Trajan spoke to him in a low voice, and for the moment the hall was empty.

"You do not seem to have a handle on your temper, Thaedrin. The recruits do not have to like you, but they DO have to respect you. They will not if you persist to bicker with them like children. Are the dreams preying on you overmuch? The doctor could give you something to help you sleep."

 

[Cinnonym]

Thaedrin's jaw set tightly; already the conversation was a lecture. He could think of several choice words to use regarding the recruits, or Komnenos, but it would do him no favors to let them fly.

"It isn't sleep that concerns me," he murmured. His arms folded defensively. "What else am I to do to maintain my authority when I am disrespected in such a way?"

 

[duckflesh]

"When you are at my table," Trajan said patiently, "You are not on duty and will tolerate ribbing like an adult. At other times, you are not obligated to accept disrespect from those below you. Set unruly recruits to shoveling griffon shit and I doubt they will persist in such behavior."

 

[Cinnonym]

"Yes, Commander. Please forgive last night's outburst, it was unseemly. It was an honor to be invited to your table." Thaedrin had a bitterness that settled in his chest, no true remorse for his actions but an anger at having been placed in this position at all. His lips pursed, pausing before speaking again, "Was that all you wanted to discuss, or will I return to my drills?"

 

[duckflesh]

"How was your excursion to the fade?"

 

[Cinnonym]

"Effective." Thaedrin turned to look out the doors and into the courtyard, where the mages were running drills. Sulahn'nehn was there, and already he was pleased with the progress she'd made. "She's not mastered the art, not overnight, but she has replaced her fear with rage and it makes her more potent. More willing to channel and strike to cause harm. My regimen was very... stressful... But you said yourself, they do not need to like me."

 

[duckflesh]

"Excellent, very well done. I'll let you go, then."

He waited for Thaedrin to head back outside before going out himself, drifting from station to station, watching as the training went forward.