Day 76
Zylen’s morning was abruptly started by the sounds of shouting from the floor below his. Startled awake and unsure of the cause, he didn’t bother changing out of his nightclothes this time as he darted for the nearest staircase. Expecting another staff member caught in an attack by their resident pest, he was partially correct as he looked down the hall.
An injured cast member hastily thrown aside, Clancy had once again thrown herself at the pest. While less raw anger fueled her assault on the creature, she tore into them, not allowing for escape based on the trail of loose cotton starting close to where the staff member lay recovering. Finding its attacks blocked by the Pearlcatcher’s braced arm, it constantly aimed away from the appendage, only for its motion to be predicted and blocked once more. In a horrifying turn of events, Zylen watched the creature bite directly onto the metal limb, sounds of crunching carapace ringing out as the larger combatant’s claws found its shoulder and gripped as tight as she could. In that moment, the beast finally found its chance, darting upwards in an attempt to reach her throat.
Finding its reach short, it resorted to digging into her chest. Tearing apart the fabric in seconds, it soon found her scales, continuing its desperate clawing and biting. Within moments the tide of the fight had turned, but instead of making an attempt to finish off their foe, the pest backed away, a shrill hiss escaping its maw as Zylen finally got a glimpse of the shining green chitin under torn doll fabric. Once a safe distance away, it bolted off the best it could, half limping as it rushed to where it had appeared from.
The morning was far from over however, as the Fae now had to help escort both Clancy and the injured staff member to Mariela for care. Clancy appeared to fare better than Howl from what he recalled of the Tundra’s fights with the pest. Even as they found their way into the infirmary, the historian was a little more than sluggish, only complaining of a dull ache in their chest instead of the excruciating pain that threatened to leave the staff member unconscious. Safely receiving the two, medical staff quickly found beds for the two of them, one leaving to wake the doctor.
Just as he thought the chaos of the morning was over, he stumbled into another argument breaking out in the dining hall, this time between the usual courier and Jeremiah. The Banescale stood over the Nocturne with a scowl plastered across his face as he nearly lashed out at the servant. It was only after he pried his eyes away from the two that he caught Howl reading through a letter with Tulu, the two guards passing worried glances between each other as they took turns glancing at the paper.
Leaving Jeremiah alone, Zylen instead turned to the other two, “What’s the problem today?”
Tulu was the one to answer, “Sounds like the professor didn’t like yesterday’s events. Gave us a replacement mission, specifically for myself and Jeremiah. It doesn’t sound like he’s aware of Elanor’s decision to take it up. He hoped a replacement task would prove satisfactory. Instead he’s infuriated Jeremiah. Not to mention Howl’s been worried sick for Elanor.”
“What’s the mission about?” Zylen didn’t have time to deal with the other’s concerns. Half his fans half-spread and the other lowered in clear irritation, the professor’s most recent chore better have been worth it.
“Something about an alleged warzone. Claims about visitors to the area inexplicably fighting and the like. I’m being brought in for my fighting expertise in case we get caught in the ‘crossfire’. We’re fairly certain Jeremiah’s there as part of his job description. With Elanor’s life potentially on the line, the fact we got assigned an extra task, and our new task threatening to injure myself and him, he hasn’t been taking it well to say the least.”
“Can’t say I blame him,” he watched the Banescale flared out his wings dramatically before storming off. “He and Elanor are close since they share an office space. The two are practically like how…” he trailed off, “Forget about it.”
He left the dining hall before questions could be directed at him. His morning ruined, he was no longer hungry and no longer in a good mood. Flaring his frills out in anger as he realized he had yet to change out of his bedclothes, he made his way back to his room. As he changed out of them and into clothes for the day, he wondered if he’d even go through with working today. He needed to clear his head and the library would only make things work.
Leaving the mansion, he went somewhere he knew he’d always be welcome. Taking a side path of cobblestone, he was left with two options. The first was a brief turn into the rows of greenhouses that Thorn talked fondly about the quality of. The second was a long winding path to the observatory. Both were places where the other Fae spent his free time, and unlike everyone else, he didn’t bother Zylen or any others seeking his company. Wanting to be as far away from the others, he chose the latter, thinking it would prevent him from being followed or checked up on.
Settling in the orrery that lay around the entirety of the main observatory, he took up a position on his back, happy the day was partly cloudy. He didn’t know how long he gazed at the passing clouds until he fell into an untimely nap. Feeling refreshed upon waking, he thought himself alone until he caught sight of Thorn flying about, tending to the various plants hanging around as decoration. While staff normally tended to them, the older Fae took pleasure spending free time caring for some of them.
Spotting Zylen now awake, he raised his fans in a joyful greeting, “Sleep well?”
“As well as I can after this morning,” Zylen grumbled, his own fans still low. He took a moment to rise to his feet stretching, “Please tell me yours was better.”
“Oh don’t worry, I heard the fighting myself. Jeremiah’s been angrily up and pacing the halls since I’ve been awake. Heard his practical tantrum long before I saw him. Youngster can’t stand being sent off while his mentor figure is away and in potential trouble.” The botanist’s fans lowered slightly as he sighed, “Glad he’s protective of Miss Sykion though. Better he be overprotective than not care at all.”
Zylen did his best not to take the unintentional jab to heart. He’d been trying but found it difficult over the past couple weeks. Keeping his fans raised in feigned happiness, he tried to reflect it back in his words, “Well, I’m glad you care about him. I worry for him sometimes with how often he’s assigned to Saile’s tasks. Especially considering how some of them have turned out in the past.”
He watched the other Fae pause, fans unchanging as he lowered the watering can he’d been carrying. Taking a seat, he looked up at Zylen, “Do you think Saile would ever send me out on one of these tasks? Be honest with me.”
He struggled to find a lie, sighing before speaking the truth, “If you want honesty, I wouldn’t put it past him. You’re far from a first pick, but if your specific knowledge and skills are required at any point, don’t be surprised. Whether or not the dangers we encounter are intentional, it’s clear he picks the tools for the job, so to speak.”
“Is that how you think he views us?” Zylen watched Thorn’s fans droop in sudden concern, “As tools to perform these tasks?”
Zylen caught his own fans dropping as he thought over it. While he wasn’t subject to it, dragons like Elanor and Micah received regular material to work with and study as part of their job. Meanwhile, he and everyone in the archives worked on acquired material, organizing what was lost from those that once held their positions. For someone like Clancy, tasks were a break from the mundane work done every day. However, when Apollyon or Jeremiah got assigned, it was directly taking them away from work that held information that would benefit the household as a whole. Perhaps that was the reason behind such a bitter viewpoint. Yet he couldn’t shake the idea that these regular tasks were being assigned to them since Saile was too old and frail to perform them himself.
In the end, he let out a huff, fan position unmoving as he made eye contact, “I don’t know Thorn. I really don’t know.”
@Galehaut @TrashMomma @Spectator @megara17 @Jetdrana @CirrusAscending @Tynethyne @Drachenschwinge @nekopallet @MisterMylez
Long story short, flipped heads. Team was Micah, Jeremiah, and Thorn and somehow no one died. Micah has gained a level and will be updated accordingly. I lost all my writing vibes halfway through this so I'm sorry if it's not great. I do have plans for the next day of the story, so hopefully that'll serve as enough motivation.
I'd say the most important thing to pull from this is that I'm slowly but surely fleshing out the actual manor grounds/estate now. I want to give it plenty of extra structures, such as separate housing for staff vs. the cast, a boathouse near the lake Zylen visits, the mentioned observatory and greenhouses, and so on. I'm hoping to use these buildings in the future, whether as places the plot takes things, or as a simple backdrop, such as what I did today.
Anyways, this is another thing I look forward to developing, and I may or may not try and fully map this out eventually. If I don't make some sort of art or use a map maker of some kind, I'll see if I can commission a piece or two. Having a visual for Magpie Manor and the surrounding area would probably be a major benefit for the Pinkerlocke.