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"Metaphores" by Sylvia Plath
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I will be honest with you. I have an absolutely terrible day and received news that (while it isn't life threatening by any means) has vexed me to such a degree (partially because of how it was dealt with) that I can not write this evening. If I could bring myself to settle down my mind enough to write, the post would still turn out... crappy. I'm sorry. All I can say is that I will I can't post tonight, I will post soon.
Alright! I should have it up tomorrow evening.
i think it would be a good idea if after/during your next post we time skipped to the following morning.
Kaitlyn sat in the empty, cramped, dimly lit upper hallway of the tavern. Behind her, she could hear Thea moving about in the room but she had no idea what the mage was up to. Her thoughts turned inward and in her mind she imagined all the possible ways this night could have ended differently. If she had agreed to curl up in bed with the mage, if Wendell was alive, if she hadn’t agreed to escort Thea, if she’d never joined the Templars at all. At the robust age of 23, she’d probably be the wife of someone with a child on her hip and one on the way. She’d never gone back to the village she’d grown up in after she left to join the Templars. It seemed a little late now.
The Templar gave a start when Thea came out of the door behind her. Her lids felt heavy. Had she fallen asleep during her watch? She must have been more out of it than she was giving her credit for. Kaitlyn stood up as the mage approach but quickly sat back down again at Thea’s order.
"If you will not stay with me, then I shall stay with you….” The words hurt. Kaitlyn wanted to say something, to try to explain her feelings better to the mage. Andraste, knew she’d made a mess of it last time. But what else was there to add that wouldn’t make things even more awkward than they were already?
Kaitlyn watched as Thea rubbed the salve over her arm, while trying to not show her nervousness as the other woman’s closeness. Blue light, similar to the same spell Kaitlyn had used earlier in an effort to cleanse her wound, tingled across her skin. She wanted to tell Thea that trying to heal the wound was pointless, but she couldn’t bring herself to forming the words.
”I don’t need tea.” Kaitlyn said, forcing a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. The slave had made the pain lessen significantly although it was by no means gone. ”As for taking a break, I can’t make any promised. Maybe you could ask the Darkspawn to go easy on us next time?” Maker say there wouldn’t be a next time.
They sat in silence for a while. Despite Kaitlyn’s best effort she could hardly keep her eyes open. Perhaps the mage had put some sort of sleep inducing herb into that balm. ”This is just silly,” Kaitlyn whispered. She wondered if Thea was also struggling to stay awake. ”I didn’t pay good gold so we could sit outside a room. Please go to bed, Thea.” She hoped the mage understood that she meant that bed. ”It is my duty to keep watch. It is my place,” from the corner of her eye, Kaitlyn could see Thea hadn’t budged yet. ”It would make me feel better to know you are sleeping comfortably. We have a long, hard ride tomorrow. Sitting out here all night will only make you more sore and you’ll want to be in top shape just in case-“
The Templar gave a start when Thea came out of the door behind her. Her lids felt heavy. Had she fallen asleep during her watch? She must have been more out of it than she was giving her credit for. Kaitlyn stood up as the mage approach but quickly sat back down again at Thea’s order.
"If you will not stay with me, then I shall stay with you….” The words hurt. Kaitlyn wanted to say something, to try to explain her feelings better to the mage. Andraste, knew she’d made a mess of it last time. But what else was there to add that wouldn’t make things even more awkward than they were already?
Kaitlyn watched as Thea rubbed the salve over her arm, while trying to not show her nervousness as the other woman’s closeness. Blue light, similar to the same spell Kaitlyn had used earlier in an effort to cleanse her wound, tingled across her skin. She wanted to tell Thea that trying to heal the wound was pointless, but she couldn’t bring herself to forming the words.
”I don’t need tea.” Kaitlyn said, forcing a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. The slave had made the pain lessen significantly although it was by no means gone. ”As for taking a break, I can’t make any promised. Maybe you could ask the Darkspawn to go easy on us next time?” Maker say there wouldn’t be a next time.
They sat in silence for a while. Despite Kaitlyn’s best effort she could hardly keep her eyes open. Perhaps the mage had put some sort of sleep inducing herb into that balm. ”This is just silly,” Kaitlyn whispered. She wondered if Thea was also struggling to stay awake. ”I didn’t pay good gold so we could sit outside a room. Please go to bed, Thea.” She hoped the mage understood that she meant that bed. ”It is my duty to keep watch. It is my place,” from the corner of her eye, Kaitlyn could see Thea hadn’t budged yet. ”It would make me feel better to know you are sleeping comfortably. We have a long, hard ride tomorrow. Sitting out here all night will only make you more sore and you’ll want to be in top shape just in case-“
Should I type up another post for Nym or go strait to Charles again?
I have two suggestions for you:
1) We could time skip to the evening.
2) The Rebel bomb could go off in Section 8.
1) We could time skip to the evening.
2) The Rebel bomb could go off in Section 8.
Enrick Valdea
I nodded at Kassie’s suggestion. Even from our distance, it was easy to make out his side of the conversation he was having on his cell. No matter what the other person did, they didn’t deserve to be chewed out like that in public. The conversation turned darker as the man openly threatened to expose her. Since I didn’t recognize him as one of the Rebels, I assumed he was referring to something else. Ass hole. This was definitely going to earn me some good karma points.
”Watch and learn, pupil,” I said, teasing Kassie, ”Watch and learn.”
The strategy I’d use to get this guy’s finger prints would be very different from the one I used on Ms. Essair. Even if I wanted the man to feed Parcheck (which I myself was against), I doubt he was kind spirited enough to give in to the suggestion. Nope, I would have to rely on common decency, assuming the man had any, something I was beginning to very much doubt.
I didn’t head immediately in the man’s direction, and I could see out of the corner of my eye that Kassie seemed to be a bit nervous as I took my time. Instead, I started packing up my extra hotdog supplies since I was done for the day. I didn’t do it neatly either but instead threw the extra condiments, buns, uncooked meat, spare napkins and other odds and ends inside until they formed a nice pile. Last, but not least, I carefully placed the can on top, making sure not to leave any fingerprints of my own on it. Looking out of the corner of my eye, I saw that I had to hurry. My target was already starting to head back towards the security office.
With one quick flip of my wrist, I locked up the stand and placed the keys in my pocket. Then I lifted the box with both my hands. It was large but deceivingly light. My uneven packing made the pile shift around, making it a bit awkward to carry. Perfect. I started off in a brisk walk, weaving a bit as I struggled to keep the contents contained.
The man and I were walking head on towards each other. As expected, my target was still busy yelling at his hapless victim over the phone and wasn’t really paying much attention. I slowed my walk just a bit and continued to weave.
BAM!
His shoulder hit my left upper arm, causing me to go off balance. I struggled to gain control of the box but a few condiment containers and the can slipped off and fell to the ground. ”Hey!” I called out. ”Watch where you’re going.”
”I’ll call you right back.” the man said gruffly into his phone and pulled the device away from his ear. Before he could say anything else or turn his temper on me, I interrupted him.
”Do you mind,” I said indicating with my eyes to the spilled contents.
It was clear, by the withering look he gave, he was judging the validity of my manhood. Before he could object, I shuffled the box awkwardly from side to side, like it was heavy, and offered up a please.
”Whatever.”
With another look that said he’d rather be picking up used toilet paper than my objects, he graciously deposited the fallen items back on the pile. He quickly turned around and walked away before I had a chance to thank him. Continuing on my way, I carried my items three blocks to the vendor substation. After shelving away the contents of the box in their correct location and clocking out, I returned to the stand.
”Here you go, my lady.” I said, presenting a small cardboard box to Kassie. Inside she would find the aluminum can, fingerprints and all. ”I think I’m going to head back to my place. See you at Club Esscro later tonight?” I’d be back on the clock again but at least with the loud music and smoking atmosphere, we would get a better chance to talk and lingering around here after I closed the stand would look a bit suspicious.
Louisa Essair
"Also I would like to know if you would care to go out for dinner?"
”Sir?” I said. I felt heat brush across my cheeks and I was certain I was blushing. There was no way that Mr. Lockheart had actually asked me out on a date. I must have somehow misunderstood him. Looking at his face, it was clear he was waiting for a reply.
”Get a hold of yourself, Louisa!” I tried to mentally shake myself. Everyone knows office affairs are frowned upon and that’s when people are on the same level. He wouldn’t risk jeopardizing both of our jobs. This isn’t a date. This is business. But she couldn’t stop her heart from pounding when she thought of the fact that Gabriel Lockheart had actually asked her to dinner.
”I mean, yes, of course.” She continued. ”Of course I would be honored to talk with you some more about Section 8 over dinner.” She’d best make her escape quick before she embarrassed herself even more. What should she wear? She didn’t want to put on one of her business suits. He saw her in those all the time. On the other hand, she didn’t want to be obvious. If he didn’t feel the same way about her things would, at best, be awkward and at worst, abusive. Something similar had happened between a secretary and a technician at the same level as Lockheart and that man was openly making the woman’s life hell. While she didn’t suspect Lockheart was that kind of guy, it never hurt to be careful. Maybe her friend, Claudette could give her advice on what to wear.
”Should we meet there?” I suggest, before leaving his office, ”Or would you like to pick me up at my place?” My cheeks heat up again, ”Or…uh… I could come by and pick you up if that works better.”
Alright! My first post is much longer than my usual ones, I just wanted to get a good introduction of both of my characters. By the way, feel free to change the chapter whenever you feel it is appropriate.
.
Prologue
”I take it, you know why you’re here?”
One very red eye brow rose up on the face of Vert Riskel. ”No. Please do tell.”
The man across from him cleared his throat as if hoping the sound would clear away the bard’s expression. It didn’t. ”I invited you here to-“
A loud boisterous laugh echoed through the room. ”Invited? Do you invite all your guests to your house in chains? Tell me, is it the only way you can get people to endure your company.”
The man across from him didn’t even blink at the insult. Instead he rearranged his legs into a more comfortable position and reached over for his tea cup. ”Rumor is, Vert, that you have had your hands in many pies but that you are the person to talk to about the recent events in this war.”
Vert rolled his eyes. He knew this would happen one way or another. The question had always been when, not if. Vert Riskel wasn’t a canary but he knew when it was a good idea to sing like one.”And where would you like me to start?”
”From the beginning of course.”
”You want to understand the events of a war that spanned two continents and spread across eighty years? Let me see. Once Erimead was made of different providences. The providences on the edge of the eastern ocean were under almost constant attack from…”
The man waved a hand at Vert to get him to stop. ”No, I know all that already. Skip to the part I don’t know.”
”Look it’s all interconnected- the first war and the second one. You can’t just chop them in half and start the story in the middle.”
”Are you always this difficult?” Vert didn’t reply. ”Well then start by telling me about someone who had an important role to play in the second war and go from there.”
Vert thought about this. ”Like myself?”
”No.”
”My lover then?”
”No! No! No. “ The man sipped his tea quietly for a few minutes. Vert was about to suggest that the whole thing was futile and excuse himself from the affair when the man spoke up again. ”Tell me about Lady Laurel.”
Vert scuffed. ”You mean Laurel Falco?” he waited for the other man to nod before continuing. ”Laurel wasn’t a lady. She might have been a Knight but she certainly wasn’t a lady. She was the daughter of a fletcher. Poor Laurel had the terrible luck to be forced to escort the most vile, ruthless, scheming man I have ever met. If I ever run into Delegate Salodis in a dark alley…”
”Start with the girl. Then you can tell me about him or anyone else of importance later on.” the man took another sip from his cup, ”They say she was beautiful with shiny brown hair, a slim waist, and almost luminescent skin.”
”I don’t know about luminescent, but she was nothing short of admirable.”
Chapter 1
Laurel reached for the letter of assignment in her pocket and unfolded it. The parchment was worn in places from all the use but no matter how many time she had read the message, the words never changed.
High Knight Laurel Falco to report to the residency of Delegate Kolton Armus Salodis to ensure the safety and comfort of his excellency, by whatever means necessary, in response to the summons of the Ruling Court.
The letter at first had made Laurel feel incredibly happy. Here was her chance to prove herself to her superiors in the High Guard. Despite her recent promotion, the assignments she was given were still of the most unpleasant nature. Guards men much lower rank than her were given jobs like sentry duty or patrolling some of the more major roads. Meanwhile, she seemed to be perpetually assigned to take tavern shifts. It wasn’t so much the busted lip and bruises she obtained while breaking up bar fights as the vomit and other body fluids she had to endure while escorting the patrons back to their houses. So she when she received her new assignment, she had been exhilarated. Now she would finally be able to prove that just because she was born to lower birth, didn’t mean she was any less a competent soldier. This feeling lasted only a few days until rumors about her assignment became so loud that even she had found them hard to ignore.
She knew the assignment would be dangerous, especially now when tensions were running high. What she hadn’t known was that one of the Delegates had already died shortly after receiving his summoning. Not only that, but rumor was that both he and his guardsmen had been murdered in cold blood. In addition, five other High Knights in the squadron who had been offered the assignment had turned it down. Delegate Salodis, like most in the Ruling Court, was well known and, also like most, not very popular. He was said to have a nasty disposition, not that he was cruel, just that he was “not tolerant”. A bad report from someone so far up the chain, like a Delegate, would be career suicide.
Laurel swallowed her nervousness as she tried to bring up the courage to lift the knocker. She’d sent a letter, yesterday, notifying Salodis of her assignment and requesting for them to depart as quickly as possible. She’d never received a reply either because he hadn’t gotten the note or he hadn’t cared to write one. It was impossible to tell with these upper class types. This was the reason why Laurel had been standing nervously outside the door for five minutes.
”Come on, Laurel. You’ve faced Drakes, and city mobs, and drunken brawls. How bad could Delegate Salodis actually be?” With that she lifted the silver knocker and released it three times.
At first there was no response and Laurel was half tempted to crawl back to the barracks. If Delegate Salodis refused for her to accompany him, there was nothing she or her superiors could do. Just as she was about to turn around, the thick wooden door opened so quickly that the brown hair in her bun rushed forward and flew into her face.
”Yes?” The man sneered down at her. From his older complexion and his servant’s livery, Laurel guessed this was not Salodis.
”I am High Knight Falco.” Laurel said and presented the Letter of Assignment. ”I’m here to escort Delegate Salodis to the Ruling Court. He has been summoned to an emergency meeting. I sent a…”
With one look from those dark black eyes, Laurel shut her mouth and waited while the man read over her letter.
”Just you?” The way he pronounced just made it clear he thought Laurel was inadequate for the job.
”Yes. After what happened to one of the other Delegates, the Guard Captain thought more discretion was necessary. Too many people running about might cause a stir and a large group is a slow moving target.”
”I see.” Laurel half expected the servant to shove the door in her face. Instead he pocketed the letter and showed her in. ”Please wait in the parlor. It’s the first door to your right.” The man disappeared deeper into the house as Laurel opened the door to the directed room.
Inside a fire burned brightly while large heavy curtains framed magnificent windows which were open to let in the afternoon sun. The room was spacious but well furnished with a serving table, couch, and two wing back chairs. On the side board sat an empty tea set made of almost transparent glass. Laurel took one round across the room, taking in the various wall paintings that exhibited popular spots around the providence, before settling into the couch. Her grey eyes continued to dance about the room while she waited for Salodis to arrive. She’d never been in a place as fancy as this and wondered what it would be like to live the high life and what price someone might pay to ensure they kept it.
”I take it, you know why you’re here?”
One very red eye brow rose up on the face of Vert Riskel. ”No. Please do tell.”
The man across from him cleared his throat as if hoping the sound would clear away the bard’s expression. It didn’t. ”I invited you here to-“
A loud boisterous laugh echoed through the room. ”Invited? Do you invite all your guests to your house in chains? Tell me, is it the only way you can get people to endure your company.”
The man across from him didn’t even blink at the insult. Instead he rearranged his legs into a more comfortable position and reached over for his tea cup. ”Rumor is, Vert, that you have had your hands in many pies but that you are the person to talk to about the recent events in this war.”
Vert rolled his eyes. He knew this would happen one way or another. The question had always been when, not if. Vert Riskel wasn’t a canary but he knew when it was a good idea to sing like one.”And where would you like me to start?”
”From the beginning of course.”
”You want to understand the events of a war that spanned two continents and spread across eighty years? Let me see. Once Erimead was made of different providences. The providences on the edge of the eastern ocean were under almost constant attack from…”
The man waved a hand at Vert to get him to stop. ”No, I know all that already. Skip to the part I don’t know.”
”Look it’s all interconnected- the first war and the second one. You can’t just chop them in half and start the story in the middle.”
”Are you always this difficult?” Vert didn’t reply. ”Well then start by telling me about someone who had an important role to play in the second war and go from there.”
Vert thought about this. ”Like myself?”
”No.”
”My lover then?”
”No! No! No. “ The man sipped his tea quietly for a few minutes. Vert was about to suggest that the whole thing was futile and excuse himself from the affair when the man spoke up again. ”Tell me about Lady Laurel.”
Vert scuffed. ”You mean Laurel Falco?” he waited for the other man to nod before continuing. ”Laurel wasn’t a lady. She might have been a Knight but she certainly wasn’t a lady. She was the daughter of a fletcher. Poor Laurel had the terrible luck to be forced to escort the most vile, ruthless, scheming man I have ever met. If I ever run into Delegate Salodis in a dark alley…”
”Start with the girl. Then you can tell me about him or anyone else of importance later on.” the man took another sip from his cup, ”They say she was beautiful with shiny brown hair, a slim waist, and almost luminescent skin.”
”I don’t know about luminescent, but she was nothing short of admirable.”
Laurel reached for the letter of assignment in her pocket and unfolded it. The parchment was worn in places from all the use but no matter how many time she had read the message, the words never changed.
High Knight Laurel Falco to report to the residency of Delegate Kolton Armus Salodis to ensure the safety and comfort of his excellency, by whatever means necessary, in response to the summons of the Ruling Court.
The letter at first had made Laurel feel incredibly happy. Here was her chance to prove herself to her superiors in the High Guard. Despite her recent promotion, the assignments she was given were still of the most unpleasant nature. Guards men much lower rank than her were given jobs like sentry duty or patrolling some of the more major roads. Meanwhile, she seemed to be perpetually assigned to take tavern shifts. It wasn’t so much the busted lip and bruises she obtained while breaking up bar fights as the vomit and other body fluids she had to endure while escorting the patrons back to their houses. So she when she received her new assignment, she had been exhilarated. Now she would finally be able to prove that just because she was born to lower birth, didn’t mean she was any less a competent soldier. This feeling lasted only a few days until rumors about her assignment became so loud that even she had found them hard to ignore.
She knew the assignment would be dangerous, especially now when tensions were running high. What she hadn’t known was that one of the Delegates had already died shortly after receiving his summoning. Not only that, but rumor was that both he and his guardsmen had been murdered in cold blood. In addition, five other High Knights in the squadron who had been offered the assignment had turned it down. Delegate Salodis, like most in the Ruling Court, was well known and, also like most, not very popular. He was said to have a nasty disposition, not that he was cruel, just that he was “not tolerant”. A bad report from someone so far up the chain, like a Delegate, would be career suicide.
Laurel swallowed her nervousness as she tried to bring up the courage to lift the knocker. She’d sent a letter, yesterday, notifying Salodis of her assignment and requesting for them to depart as quickly as possible. She’d never received a reply either because he hadn’t gotten the note or he hadn’t cared to write one. It was impossible to tell with these upper class types. This was the reason why Laurel had been standing nervously outside the door for five minutes.
”Come on, Laurel. You’ve faced Drakes, and city mobs, and drunken brawls. How bad could Delegate Salodis actually be?” With that she lifted the silver knocker and released it three times.
At first there was no response and Laurel was half tempted to crawl back to the barracks. If Delegate Salodis refused for her to accompany him, there was nothing she or her superiors could do. Just as she was about to turn around, the thick wooden door opened so quickly that the brown hair in her bun rushed forward and flew into her face.
”Yes?” The man sneered down at her. From his older complexion and his servant’s livery, Laurel guessed this was not Salodis.
”I am High Knight Falco.” Laurel said and presented the Letter of Assignment. ”I’m here to escort Delegate Salodis to the Ruling Court. He has been summoned to an emergency meeting. I sent a…”
With one look from those dark black eyes, Laurel shut her mouth and waited while the man read over her letter.
”Just you?” The way he pronounced just made it clear he thought Laurel was inadequate for the job.
”Yes. After what happened to one of the other Delegates, the Guard Captain thought more discretion was necessary. Too many people running about might cause a stir and a large group is a slow moving target.”
”I see.” Laurel half expected the servant to shove the door in her face. Instead he pocketed the letter and showed her in. ”Please wait in the parlor. It’s the first door to your right.” The man disappeared deeper into the house as Laurel opened the door to the directed room.
Inside a fire burned brightly while large heavy curtains framed magnificent windows which were open to let in the afternoon sun. The room was spacious but well furnished with a serving table, couch, and two wing back chairs. On the side board sat an empty tea set made of almost transparent glass. Laurel took one round across the room, taking in the various wall paintings that exhibited popular spots around the providence, before settling into the couch. Her grey eyes continued to dance about the room while she waited for Salodis to arrive. She’d never been in a place as fancy as this and wondered what it would be like to live the high life and what price someone might pay to ensure they kept it.
Whatever you think is best. Sorry for not responding. I never read your edited post.
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