Home Away From Home (3)

Sert led the way to a small building within the central core of Atlantis. As we walked, he revealed that it was prepared to be my home upon Atlantis for as long as I needed and wished to be there. I remained silent as I showed around this small house that consisted of only two bed chambers, a small greeting area at the door, and a small cooking area.

“Meli would get one of the chambers and I shall stay in the greeting area to leave the last bedchamber for yourself Sir.” Sertian announced as we returned to the greeting room. “I believe that either Meli or myself can arrange to cook for you without taxing ourselves.” he added slowly. I noticed him glancing pleadingly toward Meli for acceptance to his offer.

“I believe we can all have chances cooking for the group or have food sent to us from the Royal Kitchens.” I stated before Meli could react. She looked at me thankful. “As for the sleeping arrangement,” I continued slower, “they are agreeable until larger accommodation are available for us.”

“Why would they set larger accommodations sir?” Meli asked perplexed. I could see her mind simple could not seeing beyond us being simply living here without other complications or exposure to Atlantis.

“The Council will surely assign a new attache to Lord Kestrel upon discovering my reassignment by her Holiness Annianka.” Sert answered directly. I glance once more at this simple soldier with a new sense of wonder. “Plus an Envoy like any other high Ambassador will require larger and more private areas to meet with guests to discuss treaties.”

“And I would like an open area replicating the outer world to meditate and converse more privately with those closest to me.” I continued easily falling into my role of Envoy. “A training area outside for our sparring session would also be a necessity if you wish to follow her Holiness' request upon me.” I added with a sly smirk. Meli and Sert nodded slowly with my requests wordlessly. Mild confuses flowed from Mekiliean's mind while nothing I asked for ruffled Sertian. I thanked Annianka mentally for adding this politically minded man to my retinue receiving a whispered giggle as a welcome.

“I will let them know as I informed them of my reassignment.” Sert said. I felt the shyness that rushed through him as he glanced down to the emblem that was etched upon his breast. I placed my hand upon his shoulder bringing his eyes to meet mine. I nodded to him curtly as he smiled bashfully at my understanding to his present resistance.

I slowly returned to inspect this residence with Meli at my elbow while other thoughts slowly began forming in my mind. We ended in the kitchen before I voiced my own questions about her and Sertian that would also expose to me the underlying customs of Atlantis or so I hoped.

“Do you not have your own lodging in Atlantis?” I hazarded. Meli stopped placing the items on the kitchen counter and shelf to turn slowly toward me.

“I sleep at the Healers' Hall with the other initiates.” she informed me slowly. “Before that I was in the orphanage until I either found a group to initiate with or I turned 201, Sir.” she explained. I could feel how she wished it was different but she could not lie to me about her life without betraying her acceptance to my ability to see into her mind. “Sert lived at the same orphanage before he was accepted into the guards gaining a place in the trainees' hall.” she added without my prompting her.

“This would be indirectly your first true residence then.” I remarked with a shrug. I moved the small kettle to fill it with water and place it upon the hook in the hearth that blazed to life with but a small thought from myself. I sense her eyes still upon me as I performed these simple actions. “I let you prepare the leaves for tea since I perceive you want some which is always a good side to discussion.” I replied over my shoulder to her.

“Your gift at work?” she asked. I felt the fear from her mind while her body showed no sign of it when I turned to look at her.

“No.” I interjected with a small smile. “You have been placing leaves aside while storing out items upon the shelves.” I continued. Her body revealed nothing but I felt the relief in her mind and soul at my words. She nodded to me before placing herbs and leaves she would first smelt into a mortar bowl. She said nothing more as she seemed to slip into an automatize motion of selecting and crushing more leaves and herbs in the mortar bowl with quick and practised pounding of the pestle. I slowly removed the pot of boiling water from the fire when she placed the crushed mixture into a tea pot. I added the water to the tea pot until it was filled and returned the kettle to hearth's edge to remain warm while the present batch of tea steeped.

“Do you truly believe it right to learn about your proteges without revealing to us how you know our most holy and noble Heart, Annianka?” Meli asked in the silence. I simply shrugged before taking a seat at the small table in the kitchen. She moved with the tea in hand to seat across from me. “Or not reveal how you arrived upon our shores in the most ennoble state?” she added softer. I felt the curiosity that raced through her mind and discovered my naked state of arrival on the island of light. I remained calm and silent externally while my mind searched for a possible answer that could satisfy her curious nature.

“Annianka will inform you if she has not already about our connection.” I returned finally. “As for my uncouth arrival,” I began with a regretful sigh, “once I understand and discover this information, I will explain it in full detail to repay for your kindness toward me.”

We sat in silence for a few minutes as she digested the information I had handed her. My embarrassed look was not feigned as I try to understand myself how my clothing were stripped from my form when I slipped under the waves in the whirlpool of the sinking Greek ship I had rode upon. Meli finally broke the silence as she began explain to me in short phrases the life both her and her close friend Sert had live through before being assign to my side.

I felt Sertian's anger and frustration before he even entered the home we shared and resisted snapping back at him as he joined us in the kitchen. His hand trembled as he sipped his tea quickly, ignoring the heat from it in his haste to control his emotions before voicing the problems now facing them.

“They agreed to all your request Sir.” he stated bluntly. He had emptied his cup before speaking but his anger was still raging under the surface that he tried to keep calm. “The new liaison will be bringing us to our new residence at the end of the week.” he continued through gritted teeth. “As I was returning I had an encounter with one of the royal guards warning me to be prepared for a fight when their Captains visit with this Kestrel being.” he finally admitted. I felt the anger ebb as he spoke these words. “”Captain Ent and Captain Hope with her replacement will be here within the next few day or so to size up your threat potential to Atlantis.” he concluded.

“What of Captain Rez or Captain Jäz?” Meli whispered to him. I feigned not hearing her words.

“Jäz is still away and no word from the Ursus about their Captain's reaction.” Sert answered calmer. I chuckled drawing both of their attention. The bewildered look and feelings I received made me laugh louder still.

“I fear they will find me as harmless to Atlantis as the Holy Heart Annianka has stated me being.” I told them easily. They nodded unconvinced while their mind debated the point since they saw him as honourable as any true Atlantian but still hiding his motives and feelings from them. I bade them a goodnight to give them a moment to speak privately. I listen to them with my abilities in silence as they verbalized their mental debate to each other but both finally agreed without my manipulation to watch and wait. I smiled in private as a flash of them travelling with me and learning the hard way that my silence on some subjects was to protect them as much as myself. I slipped slowly into dreaming about being in my home beyond the stars willingly.

Arms & Armour (2)

“Lord Kestrel!” the guardian of the armoury greeted us. He was smiling and his thoughts reveal his joy at meeting an outsider in his lifetime. “I have set aside the armour for you and your retinue as specified directly by Her Holiness.” he informed us quickly. “I believe you and your companions will find them very proper for your stay on and off of Atlantis.” he concluded. He moved aside waving us into the reinforced building.

He held out an older style of black dyed double layered leather armour with metal strips running between the layers for added protection. This brigandine was flexible and better protection than most armour found outside of the Atlantis even if it was a older style here. The glyph of High Ambassador was etched neatly into the left side of the chest plate without a country name or symbol attached to it. The fit was perfect even over the silken white cloth that I had been dressed in upon my arrival here. The guardian clipped the white gossamer half cloak at my shoulder with clips holding it firmly in place. The contrast of black and white was stunning to see but disconcerting to me after the multiple years of hiding myself from bearing the white of my truer title. I did not grumble as I stared at my reflection in a nearby mirror. The flash of it turning black upon my shoulders was ignored since I knew it to be but a vision and not reality of this moment.

For Sert, a normal Atlantian thin leather armour dyed black with the embossed glyph of Ambassador's honour guard set clearly upon his heart seemed more fitting for being in my service. He resisted donning it as he examined the armour's glyph.

“This is beyond my status as a simple trainee!” he protested half in fear and half in awe.

“Her Holiness Annianka specifically ordered that it be so Sertian.” the guardian replied with a hidden smile.

“It is your position while in my service, Sert.” I added with finality. He nodded once before slipping the armour on him. It fit like a second skin upon his body leaving no doubt that it was made for him to wear proudly.

Meli did not protest as she deftly adjusted the tanned leather strap armour upon her body. The strap was not just made to protect her but allow many places to attach pouches to hold different healers' trappings such as stones, herb bundles, and medical devices. She kept her blue healers' robes under the multiple straps that covered her body with ample protection. Once properly place, the etched glyph of Ambassador's medic could be seen upon her breast. I could sense the acceptance at this gift placed upon her but one question remained high in her thoughts.

“Why was it not dyed black like the other two armour sets?” she asked slowly. The guardian shrugged his lack of knowledge.

“Even a placed healer must still be removed from the group she is associated with.” I explained calmly. “Even an Ambassador's Healer must but ready to help any that need her service.” I continued. I could see understanding forming in Sert's mind. “The neutral colour shows this fact without any doubt possible to others.”

“Odd reasoning but understandable.” she answered after a moment.

“And what type of weapons will your party be requiring?” The armoury's guardian stated. He had moved toward a archway that lead deeper into the armoury. “We do not have axes or maces upon Atlantis unfortunately.” he added with a hint of sorrow in his voice.

“Let us see your selection so we may judge for ourselves what would be acceptable.” I replied easily. He showed us into the back room that was lined with weapon racks of all sorts including more racks in the middle of the room. The largest army in the outer world would barely be able to carry off one tenth of the weapons present here. The lion's share of the weapons were long swords of multiple different styles with a multitude of pole arms as second in numbers. This was not a surprise for me since they were the typical weapons of the Atlantian guards both Royal and Council linked. I walked slowly down the aisles eyeing each weapon closely.

I finally selected a longsword with an old world curve to it making it more of a grand scimitar than a typical longsword. I moved to stand by a simple table where a lone but ornate great sword sat with the marks of reserved upon it. The guardian approached holding what at first appeared as a basic staff in hand.

“I was told that this should also be offered to you directly.” he stated. He held out the unstrung bow-staff with a matching quiver of arrows under his arm. I stared without reaching for this weapon that would denounce my true title to all that heard the legends of the brotherhood of light half stolen by other deities. I slowly took the staff from his hand wordlessly waving off the quiver.

“Is it not of full use without the arrows?” Sert asked confused by my refusal. I smiled mischievously as I held the staff in the bow position with my free hand placed as if notching an arrow on the non-existent string. As I slowly drew back my hand, the ends of the bow-staff bent and a projectile of purest light formed without explanation. I held the arrow of light in place as they all stared dumfounded by this feat before slowly returning it into the nothingness they had seen it form in. I chuckled at their shock while waving Sert forward to the weapon racks.

Sert selected quickly a longsword and halberd combination both bearing the Ambassadorial guard glyph. He stood motioning with his head for Meli to move forward to make her selection. I only half watching them while still examining the exquisite sword that lay upon the table. Meli returned a few moments later carrying a simple unadorned healers' staff. The Guardian stood in silence noticing my interest in this piece.

“A gift from a loving daughter to her Council member father.” I whispered with a wry smile. The guard sputtered in disbelief.

“How did you know?” he asked finally. The perplexed look on his face screamed as much as his emotions at me over the fully shock he felt. I smiled politely at him before giving a parting bow. He stood watching at the door to the armoury while my group walked away in silence. I did not speak again until clear of ear shot from the guardian.

“I must warn both of you that I can see possible futures and into others' minds when people are focusing on a thought or emotion.” I told them. I sis not hide that this was just part of what I could do to their minds. My two companions look at each other for a moment before answering.

“Her Holiness did mention that you had similar gifts to herself but different in nature.” Meli stated slowly.

“And we have no fear of you seeing in our thoughts.” Sert added confidently.

“Beware of what you offer since I sometimes get images without willing my gift to work.” I told them directly. They nodded their acceptance while I saw in their mind that they did not truly understand what they agreed to.