Having been forced to retire early last night I was awake quite early this morning. Feeling a little restless, but presently relaxed I'd risen and dressed by the time I felt the stirrings that had occurred the last three mornings. Being completely conscious I was able to observe the effects dispationately and determine that the driving source was external. I now faced a dilemma, I could shut the connection down or I could allow it greater rein in an attempt to back track the real source, although an idea had started to form as to the most likely source. I chose to take a gamble. Suffice to say, that when Corporal Lentish arrived , he found himself trapped between the bed and the door. I will give him his due through, he either has remarkable self control or somebody had threatened him with very dire consequences if anything happened. From my point of view things were equally as dire. I was having to divert more conscious effort in restraining myself than I wished , and it therefore took me a lot longer than I had intended to confirm my suspicions. It also meant that despite his best efforts both of us were in very compromising positions when Jexz arrived.
The ultimate effect of her arrival was to disrupt the connection allowing the Corporal to beat a hasty retreat. I was then forced to do two things explain what had happened and restrain her from charging down to the stables and attempting to Lynch the Unicorn. I said I'd take care of that in the morning , but I would need her help. I would also need the Corporal to come to my room as normal. I needed her to speak to both him and his superiors and explain it was a side effect of the pregnancy and it would pass in a day or two now I was being treated for a hormone imbalance. Her initial reaction was somewhat hostile but I explained that to solve the problem I had to be in two places at once - at least as perceived by the Unicorn. To achieve this I would need to reply this mornings memory whilst somehow making my way to the stables, and for this part I would need her help. I would also prefer it if I managed to remain clothed for the duration of the journey. She didn't sound convinced but at least was prepared to do as I asked.
As Jexz left I organized myself a bath, then dressed and went down to the Great Hall for breakfast. Cordelia was there along with Isla. I'd nearly finished eating when I felt the telltale sign for a set of tendrils landing and a few minutes later Charity, Alfred, and Allagahn walked in through the main doors. With everyone present an impromptu planning session happened, and as usual a sort of plan was formed, which as usual went wrong as soon as they tried to implement it.
The failing step was the use of Fred's shaman to punch a gate into the Keep of the Four Winds, so avoiding having to fight either their way down from the roof or up from the courtyard. This resulted in Plan B which was to use the pattern at Carnelian to teleport into the Keep. The only problem was this was that trumping to Carnelian wasn't possible as Fiona was blocking trump. This resulted in frantic sketching by Charity and Cordelia, so that they could trump to a shadow close to Carnelian, and then shadow walk from there - I think Cordelia sketched the port city where we'd ended up with Llewella and Benedict but I didn't think she'd been there.
Anyway they all trumped out about 3 this after noon leaving Jexz and I here on our own.
Like all plans mine failed contact with execution, not because it was a bad plan, but because we hadn't anticipated the scene we found in the stables when we got there. I can only assume that the Unicorn was exerting some sort of influence over the three women as what they were doing was entirely unnatural and caused me to completely lose control of the vision I had been replaying. This caused the Unicorn to react at it managed to partially retract its appendage and turn its body before my foot connected with it. This of course meant I didn't cause it as much pain as I'd intended but server to stun the girls back into reality, who hastily gathered discarded uniforms and fled the stables.
Of course at this point I also realized that I was wearing only a short skirt and Jexz was holding the robe that she'd just about managed to keep around me as we crossed the courtyard. I was also too close to the unicorn and it could sense my physical state. It leaned forward, leering as it did so and tried to push its head between my legs, extending its tongue as it did so. This just made it easier for me to pummel its head. It reacted by tossing me across the stable and grinning at me "So you've worked out my little ploy I'll now have to devise a new one unless you want to turn me loose" I told it I wouldn't release it in a thousand years and from now on the stables would be out of bounds and locked. It just laughed .
I turned to leave, only to find a dozen soldiers watching me and a frantic Jexz trying to get to me with the robe she carried. It occurred to me then why Cordelia behaves in certain ways in particular situation. If I'd taken the robe from Jexz and pulled it about me it most likely would have indicated to those watching that I was embarressed by the state of undress I found myself in. It would also have provided them with a greater talking point than they already had. Therefore I simply left the stables giving the Captain orders that the stables were off-limits to all female soldiers as I did so. I strode across the Courtyard, with Jexz trailing in my wake, ignoring the rising sense of panic engendered by the fact that I knew everyone was turning to look at me. As soon as Jexz was inside the hall I grabbed the robe from her and pulled it about myself. I do not have Cordelia's confidence or lack of social morals when it comes to parading about unclothed.
I endured a lecture from Jexz as we climbed the stairs to my quarters, but managed to persuade her that I would be all right and just wanted a quite lie down - which was actually the truth - and that she didn't need to fuss over me. As she turned back the way we'd come and I'd remembered that the Corporal Lentish was still in my quarters. By the time I entered my bedroom where he had been told to wait I had reached a state similar to that induced by the action of the Unicorm but this time I knew this was purely a reaction of my own generation. This wasn't the first time I'd experienced this sort of reaction but this time was somehow different. Previously I'd had my position and status to consider and therefore my sense of duty had prevented me from acting upon any desires I may have had. This time I wanted to give into them.
As I entered the corporal jumped to his feet, like a flushed deer. I told him to relax and sit down again - I wanted to talk to him. I poured myself a cup of tea, now somewhat luke warm, from my breakfast tray and asked if he wanted a cup. He declined. "Before I ask you to go fetch me a fresh breakfast, I would like to make you an offer. When I was at home I had a number of personal staff, most of whom were female. The situation here is a little different and I find myself in need of an Agitant rather than a maid or midwife. If you were to accept this position, I would require your complete trust and loyalty as it could place both of us in a very difficult position. Please do not say anything now but take this letter I have written to your Captain. It requests you be released from your current duties and be given a special assignment as my personal adjitant with duties as assigned by myself. If you choose to accept the position, give the letter to your Captain and come back with a fresh breakfast. If you wish to decline send someone else citing that I'd requested it after yesterday's incident."
When he grabbed the letter, breakfast tray, and hurried from the room my spirits dropped as I had the distinct impression he'd not be returning. In frustration I'd nearly gone after him, but instead had gone into Cordelia's room where I knew she had some alchoholic beverages. I'd returned with a half full bottle of something called "Jack Daniels Tennesse Whisky", climbed into bed and poured myself a glass.| Back | ||||
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| Hero of the Hour - Sorcha | The Keep of the Thirteenth Hour |