Post by Idleness on Jan 4, 2016 6:12:00 GMT 10
Title: Fool’s Errand
Rating: G
For: Seek
Prompt: Kel and the King's Own: shenanigans!
Summary: Kel and Raoul turn the tables.
Notes and Warnings: Enjoy!
“Excuse me, Lady Knight,” a voice said hesitantly.
Kel looked up from the report she was reading over a very early breakfast in the King’s Own mess, in preparation for another day spent drilling new recruits. A young man who looked vaguely familiar stood before her.
“Yes?”
“I’ve been sent to find some horizontal tent pegs for Third Company. No one seems to have any. Do you know where I can find some?”
Kel smiled inwardly, but didn’t let her amusement show on her face as she examined him. This was an old trick.
“You’re new to the Own? I don’t believe we’ve met,” she said.
“Yes, my lady. Wilmer Herring, my lady,” he said, bowing. He spoke with a city merchant’s accent and suffered from bad acne. Kel figured he must be only seventeen. “I beg your pardon for interrupting your breakfast.”
“It’s all right. Sit down, I’m just waiting for Raoul and then I’ll help you,” she said. Raoul was chatting with the steward who was filling his porridge bowl.
Wilmer sat down.
“Who asked you to get the pegs?”
“Corporal Wolset, my lady. He said he needs them before training starts today.”
“Ah, and who else have you asked besides me?”
The lad rattled off a list of names, including Dom, Lerant, and Volorin.
“And none of them could help you?”
“No, ma’am,” said Wilmer.
Kel looked at him over a spoonful of porridge.
“Wilmer, has it occurred to you that you’ve been sent on a fool’s errand? Think about it. A tent peg is a small stake you drive into the ground.”
“Oh,” he said, looking crestfallen. “They’re having a laugh.”
“Don’t worry about it. You’re not the first city boy to fall for it and you won’t be the last,” said Kel cheerfully.
Raoul’s tray landed on the table next to Kel.
“Gods, I’m looking forward to a long sleep in tomorrow,” he yawned. “Wilmer Herring, isn’t it? Are you getting something to eat, lad?”
“He’s been sent to find some horizontal tent pegs for Corporal Wolset,” said Kel, straight-faced.
Raoul raised his eyebrows and looked at Kel.
“I’m afraid we’re all out of horizontal tent pegs.”
“Yes, I’m afraid so—it seems no one in all of Third Company knew where to find them,” Kel replied, raising her eyebrows back at him.
“Is that so?” Raoul said, stirring his porridge as he regarded Wilmer. “So your comrades are still lounging about in their night shirts while you go on a wild goose chase?”
Wilmer shrugged, cheeks red.
Kel looked at her former knight master, a plan forming in her mind.
“You know what they say about idle hands, sir. How about an impromptu inspection?” she suggested.
“At the next bell, say?” Raoul suggested, stroking his chin.
“Sounds reasonable to me,” said Kel. “That’s in, oh, twenty minutes?”
“Plenty of notice,” said Raoul, an evil grin spread across his face. They looked at Wilmer, who now appeared quite nervous. “But we can’t send the poor lad back empty handed.”
“No, sir,” Kel agreed, smiling at Wilmer. “You’ll find some pegs in the stables. Get one and give it to Corporal Wolset.”
“And when you do, tell him that you borrowed it from me and I expect him to return it by the end of the day. Personally,” added Raoul.
“Don’t forget to warn him that Lord Raoul and I will be performing an impromptu inspection at the next bell,” said Kel, grinning.
“Are you really going to do an inspection?” Wilmer asked, alarmed.
“Gods no!” said Raoul. “We’re going to have a nice peaceful breakfast and go over some reports.”
Wilmer fled the mess hall as soon as they dismissed him. Raoul raised his glass of apple juice in a toast.
“Nice work, Kel.”
“I have a good teacher,” she grinned, raising her own glass.
Rating: G
For: Seek
Prompt: Kel and the King's Own: shenanigans!
Summary: Kel and Raoul turn the tables.
Notes and Warnings: Enjoy!
“Excuse me, Lady Knight,” a voice said hesitantly.
Kel looked up from the report she was reading over a very early breakfast in the King’s Own mess, in preparation for another day spent drilling new recruits. A young man who looked vaguely familiar stood before her.
“Yes?”
“I’ve been sent to find some horizontal tent pegs for Third Company. No one seems to have any. Do you know where I can find some?”
Kel smiled inwardly, but didn’t let her amusement show on her face as she examined him. This was an old trick.
“You’re new to the Own? I don’t believe we’ve met,” she said.
“Yes, my lady. Wilmer Herring, my lady,” he said, bowing. He spoke with a city merchant’s accent and suffered from bad acne. Kel figured he must be only seventeen. “I beg your pardon for interrupting your breakfast.”
“It’s all right. Sit down, I’m just waiting for Raoul and then I’ll help you,” she said. Raoul was chatting with the steward who was filling his porridge bowl.
Wilmer sat down.
“Who asked you to get the pegs?”
“Corporal Wolset, my lady. He said he needs them before training starts today.”
“Ah, and who else have you asked besides me?”
The lad rattled off a list of names, including Dom, Lerant, and Volorin.
“And none of them could help you?”
“No, ma’am,” said Wilmer.
Kel looked at him over a spoonful of porridge.
“Wilmer, has it occurred to you that you’ve been sent on a fool’s errand? Think about it. A tent peg is a small stake you drive into the ground.”
“Oh,” he said, looking crestfallen. “They’re having a laugh.”
“Don’t worry about it. You’re not the first city boy to fall for it and you won’t be the last,” said Kel cheerfully.
Raoul’s tray landed on the table next to Kel.
“Gods, I’m looking forward to a long sleep in tomorrow,” he yawned. “Wilmer Herring, isn’t it? Are you getting something to eat, lad?”
“He’s been sent to find some horizontal tent pegs for Corporal Wolset,” said Kel, straight-faced.
Raoul raised his eyebrows and looked at Kel.
“I’m afraid we’re all out of horizontal tent pegs.”
“Yes, I’m afraid so—it seems no one in all of Third Company knew where to find them,” Kel replied, raising her eyebrows back at him.
“Is that so?” Raoul said, stirring his porridge as he regarded Wilmer. “So your comrades are still lounging about in their night shirts while you go on a wild goose chase?”
Wilmer shrugged, cheeks red.
Kel looked at her former knight master, a plan forming in her mind.
“You know what they say about idle hands, sir. How about an impromptu inspection?” she suggested.
“At the next bell, say?” Raoul suggested, stroking his chin.
“Sounds reasonable to me,” said Kel. “That’s in, oh, twenty minutes?”
“Plenty of notice,” said Raoul, an evil grin spread across his face. They looked at Wilmer, who now appeared quite nervous. “But we can’t send the poor lad back empty handed.”
“No, sir,” Kel agreed, smiling at Wilmer. “You’ll find some pegs in the stables. Get one and give it to Corporal Wolset.”
“And when you do, tell him that you borrowed it from me and I expect him to return it by the end of the day. Personally,” added Raoul.
“Don’t forget to warn him that Lord Raoul and I will be performing an impromptu inspection at the next bell,” said Kel, grinning.
“Are you really going to do an inspection?” Wilmer asked, alarmed.
“Gods no!” said Raoul. “We’re going to have a nice peaceful breakfast and go over some reports.”
Wilmer fled the mess hall as soon as they dismissed him. Raoul raised his glass of apple juice in a toast.
“Nice work, Kel.”
“I have a good teacher,” she grinned, raising her own glass.