Post by gear on Sept 1, 2011 14:54:41 GMT 10
Title: A Glorious Enterprise
Rating: PG
Word Count: 814
Card: Summer
Bingo: Outdoors + family + summer + lazy afternoon + heat
Summary: The Queen has an interesting proposal for a glorious enterprise.
A/N: Can be read as a sequel to A Sergeant's Hope or can stand alone.
Musenda had found it surprisingly easy to adapt to life in the Tortallan army. He was a good soldier, with an aptitude for horses, heavy weapons (although he refused to take any credit for this, instead saying that if they had his size, they’d be able to handle javelins with the same ease) and command. His knack for command was shown in the only way that it can be – in the heat of battle, earning him a field promotion to sergeant that was later confirmed by his commander. The other men warmed up to him quickly after he proved his worth, helping him improve his Common, and telling him about their family back home. If any of them noticed his reticence about returning the information, they were smart enough not to press. The various hardships of military life – sleeping outdoors, the chance of wounds, bad food and worse working conditions – hardly held up to the hardships of life as a slave – sleeping with shackles, the constant threat of a whipping for the slightest infraction, near starvation, and forced labor. In near permanent fear of being sent back to Carthak (yes, Tortall was nominally a free country, but that did not mean that no one would be tempted) Musenda was careful to preserve his place, keeping his head down, the shiny pink scars on his wrists covered, and never, ever doing anything that might attract unwelcome attention.
So when, one lazy summer afternoon, one of the messenger boys came to his tent saying that her Majesty wanted to see him, his first thought was that one of his men was playing a joke on him. His second thought was that someone had found out his history and they were going to send him back to Carthak. He dismissed that thought – surely the Queen did not tell former slaves they were about to be deported. But if neither of those ideas were correct, why did she want to speak to him? He was startled out of his thoughts by the messenger, saying that he ‘shouldna keep royalty waiting.’
The Queen really was beautiful – her title ‘The Peerless’ was fitting, Musenda thought as he bowed deeply, noting as he did so that there was another woman there as well. While waiting for someone to speak, he observed the lady. She was short – almost half his size – and she had the look of a fighter, even armed with only a belt knife. He was wondering whether she was a bodyguard when the Queen began to speak.
“You are, undoubtedly wondering why you have been called here,” Queen Thayet said, mild amusement coloring her tone.
“Yes, your majesty.”
“You may call me Thayet,” seeing him about to protest, she went on, “My Lady is fine if that is if that makes you uncomfortable. I have a … proposal for you, and you will do me no good if you keep bowing and scraping. I have courtiers enough for that. You have been recommended to me by your General as a good commander and flexible enough to deal with changing conditions. It has come to my attention that, while the army and The King’s Own are good at confronting other armies and obvious threats they are … less adept … at hunting down bandits and other such things that require more … elasticity. To remedy this, I have decided to make a group devoted to such things, called the Queen’s Riders. I would be in command, but as being Queen tends to take up much of my time, my second will run most of the day to day affairs. This,” she gestured to the woman who had remained silent through the entire conversation, “is Buriram Tourakom, though most people call her Buri. She will be the second in command. You would, if you choose to be, in charge of preparing the trainees – giving them horses, teaching them, making them learn how to work in groups, dealing with the washouts, etcetera. Do you accept? You may take a day to think about it if you like.”
While she had explained the purpose of this new organization, Musenda immediately saw the use of such a thing. How many times had he been tracking bandits just to find that the loud progression of the army, and their big, slow horses, had scared away his prey? Certainly more times than he could count.
“I would be honored My Lady.”
She gave him a genuine smile. “Thank you. I am sure that you like to speak to Buri, the new recruits are arriving in four months. I know that you have much to do.”
Four months? As he left with the tiny woman, Musenda’s mind whirled with thoughts and plans and ideas.
“I was thinking that we would have them ride ponies for more flexibility over varied terrain …”
Yes, this was going to be the start of a glorious enterprise indeed.
Rating: PG
Word Count: 814
Card: Summer
Bingo: Outdoors + family + summer + lazy afternoon + heat
Summary: The Queen has an interesting proposal for a glorious enterprise.
A/N: Can be read as a sequel to A Sergeant's Hope or can stand alone.
Musenda had found it surprisingly easy to adapt to life in the Tortallan army. He was a good soldier, with an aptitude for horses, heavy weapons (although he refused to take any credit for this, instead saying that if they had his size, they’d be able to handle javelins with the same ease) and command. His knack for command was shown in the only way that it can be – in the heat of battle, earning him a field promotion to sergeant that was later confirmed by his commander. The other men warmed up to him quickly after he proved his worth, helping him improve his Common, and telling him about their family back home. If any of them noticed his reticence about returning the information, they were smart enough not to press. The various hardships of military life – sleeping outdoors, the chance of wounds, bad food and worse working conditions – hardly held up to the hardships of life as a slave – sleeping with shackles, the constant threat of a whipping for the slightest infraction, near starvation, and forced labor. In near permanent fear of being sent back to Carthak (yes, Tortall was nominally a free country, but that did not mean that no one would be tempted) Musenda was careful to preserve his place, keeping his head down, the shiny pink scars on his wrists covered, and never, ever doing anything that might attract unwelcome attention.
So when, one lazy summer afternoon, one of the messenger boys came to his tent saying that her Majesty wanted to see him, his first thought was that one of his men was playing a joke on him. His second thought was that someone had found out his history and they were going to send him back to Carthak. He dismissed that thought – surely the Queen did not tell former slaves they were about to be deported. But if neither of those ideas were correct, why did she want to speak to him? He was startled out of his thoughts by the messenger, saying that he ‘shouldna keep royalty waiting.’
The Queen really was beautiful – her title ‘The Peerless’ was fitting, Musenda thought as he bowed deeply, noting as he did so that there was another woman there as well. While waiting for someone to speak, he observed the lady. She was short – almost half his size – and she had the look of a fighter, even armed with only a belt knife. He was wondering whether she was a bodyguard when the Queen began to speak.
“You are, undoubtedly wondering why you have been called here,” Queen Thayet said, mild amusement coloring her tone.
“Yes, your majesty.”
“You may call me Thayet,” seeing him about to protest, she went on, “My Lady is fine if that is if that makes you uncomfortable. I have a … proposal for you, and you will do me no good if you keep bowing and scraping. I have courtiers enough for that. You have been recommended to me by your General as a good commander and flexible enough to deal with changing conditions. It has come to my attention that, while the army and The King’s Own are good at confronting other armies and obvious threats they are … less adept … at hunting down bandits and other such things that require more … elasticity. To remedy this, I have decided to make a group devoted to such things, called the Queen’s Riders. I would be in command, but as being Queen tends to take up much of my time, my second will run most of the day to day affairs. This,” she gestured to the woman who had remained silent through the entire conversation, “is Buriram Tourakom, though most people call her Buri. She will be the second in command. You would, if you choose to be, in charge of preparing the trainees – giving them horses, teaching them, making them learn how to work in groups, dealing with the washouts, etcetera. Do you accept? You may take a day to think about it if you like.”
While she had explained the purpose of this new organization, Musenda immediately saw the use of such a thing. How many times had he been tracking bandits just to find that the loud progression of the army, and their big, slow horses, had scared away his prey? Certainly more times than he could count.
“I would be honored My Lady.”
She gave him a genuine smile. “Thank you. I am sure that you like to speak to Buri, the new recruits are arriving in four months. I know that you have much to do.”
Four months? As he left with the tiny woman, Musenda’s mind whirled with thoughts and plans and ideas.
“I was thinking that we would have them ride ponies for more flexibility over varied terrain …”
Yes, this was going to be the start of a glorious enterprise indeed.