Holtek had to admit that after the excitement of being assigned to such a large task by the Commander himself wore off, he was truly frightened by it. It weighed on him without cessation over the next few weeks. He spent less time outside than ever before. The work in the library kept him busy by day, and by lamplight at night he researched the current events records from the last 10 years for any clue as to the whereabouts of the suspicious boy. The last good record was from a children's camp 200 or more lengths southwest that had been overtaken by a single maddened prisoner. This was shortly after the turn of the Winter.
Holtek laid his head down on his desk, eyes askance at the map beneath his nose. What DID he truly intend to do when he found this boy? Was this even the same boy from Tallenbrough raid? It was highly unlikely the two were even a little related, no matter what the Councillors were telling the Commander. An even bigger question loomed in his mind. What exactly did the Command intend for the boy once he was captured? Perhaps all the Winters of menial work in the library had softened Holtek for he had this strange empathy for the boy buried deep behind his desire to win fame and attention for the completion of this mission.
Another issue presented itself shortly after Holtek began the planning stages of the mission. He had no real clue what to do. Before joining the S.K.M.S and promptly being placed in support staff, he was just a lowly fort brat marching along with the other village idiots from town to town grabbing whatever food and arsenal could be had from the secluded villages just outside of the Alagany border. Idiots led by Idiots for the good of the Kingdom alone. At no time in his entire life had he ever been asked to so much as lead soldiers into mealtime prayer, much less into the field. If it weren't for Mauhaim, Mau for short, Holtek would have eventually felt inclined to flee the great country of Alagany altogether.
Mau was perhaps Holtek's only true friend here at the Higher Learning and Combat Training facility. For all of Holtek's ignorace and meekness, Mau was every bit as sharp and stout. From the moment Holtek laid eyes on the squatty dark youth, he knew the man was destined for a leadership role. It was rumored that Mau was from an ancient family of half-breeds that lived in the Yohei Desert for hundreds of Winters before the start of the Great War. The Mafaeri of the Yohei were notorious for their invincibility in battle. All boys, and even some of the highborn girls of Yohei were given a tempered steel blade on their 4th Birthday, marking a ceremonial end to their childhood. The Winters leading up to their adulthood were spent in combat training and mock battles (between villages that often grew so fierce that actual skirmishes rose and fell like the sun). Mau was no exception to this other than he was in himself exceptional.
Mau's only true shortcoming was a combination of his love of conversation and his inability to speak especially coherently. Born with a cleft pallet, Mau was razed into defending himself through violence to combat the consistent torment of the other village children. From age 6 to shortly after his arrival to the facility, Mau simply did not speak. Instead he used a variety of intricate hand signals to convey commands. Useful skills for a reconaissance mission, not so much leading soldiers in noisy close combat.
Holtek lifted his head from the desk just in time to hear a rap at his door. Before he could rise to answer it, Mau bounded in and set a plate of food next to him.
"Brekkasth!"
Holtek surveyed the food, taking note that the food never really changed by the meal or even by the season. It was always dried meat, a stew of grain and eggs, and some sliced fruit that had almost past its prime. This morning a nearly black banana lay along one side of the plate.
"I broff goot wine of lasth nigh too." The way Mau spoke, the quiet murmuring didn't help in making him understood, was something Holtek had long since gotten used to.
"Wine, now there's something I could go for right now." Holtek rubbed his face as he proffered his cup to his friend. "Maybe a little wine before our lesson will help loosen our mental tongues." This was the routine as it had been since the beginning of the last Equinox except for all the recent work he did at night. Usually Mau would wake him, they would eat, then Holtek would spend the hour afforded to them before their day began teaching Mau how to use Thought-Speak. It was a slow process since Mau had little to no makkis ability whatsoever, but if nothing else, Holtek was unusually patient.
Mau cracked a wide smile and pointed at Holtek. He began making his usual signals when Holtek grasped his hands and shook his head. "No signals, I want to hear what's so damned funny in Thought." Mau closed his eyes, his smile only dropping slightly as he concentrated.
ih-ih... ihn... ih-ihn, ink f-face
Ink face? Are you resorting to name calling?
Ih-ih-ink, map-ihink ahn y-your f-face! Holtek could hear the sounds of Mau's Thought laughter through his struggling to form coherent words. The sounds of blades crashing together, the mewling of a cat, the beat of a festival drum, all these things made up the source of Mau's true happiness.
It must have been from lying down on the map. Zchi take me! I would have thought the ink had dried on that old crusty thing Winters before I was even thought of! Now, start with the Soldier's Creed.
I-in my honor, I d-d-defend
The Kingdom of Alagany and her golden banner
The double headed lion is my life, my love, my beauty and strength
With valor I lay my life at her feet, With Fervor I raise my blade for her
For war and for peace, for justice and and treachery
I am your servant, your sheild, and your steel.
It was the one thing poor Mau could get through all the way without stuttering past the first line. It was a start, if nothing else. The rest of the hour comprised of Mau struggling through reciting common drinking songs and snippets read from one of Holtek's many volumes of poetry. There was no mistaking progress was being made, albeit slowly. As soon as Mau finished the last line of "My Mistress Stole my Tunic" he began signalling furiously. There was simply no backing down once Mau had one of his crazy ideas that he had to share. No amount of commanding him to use Thought would stop his hands until his thoughts were all aired out. Holtek caught the gist of it. Mau wanted to help him provide a mission plan to set before the Commander in exchange for all the work Holtek had done with him. He then made a signal Holtek didn't recognize.
"Secret Birdcage Garden?" he asked dubiously. Mau shook his head and signalled again, more slowly this time. Holtek just shook his head.
Shah-Shahadow Generaral. I w-will be one f-f-f-for you.
The art of the Shadow General was one that was well known in technique but lesser known in substance. There was always talk that some great leader was simply a front man for a genius tactician that wanted to remain anonymous. In most instances the General and his Shadow were seldom seen together and spoke entirely in Thought. The General moved as the Shadow commanded, while the Shadow pretended to act as just another soldier. Holtek had to admit, in a weird twist of irony, having a Shadow that was well known as his companion as well would be less than expected.
I will give this great consideration. It will be a great honor to lead with you, Father willing, but I must full assess the risks involved here. I cannot and will not knowing place you where there is a great chance of your getting hurt.
All battles are have riskses. The best riskses are the ones t-taken for a good c-c-cause.
And with that, Holtek had no choice but to accept. The logic was simply too sound.
Holtek laid his head down on his desk, eyes askance at the map beneath his nose. What DID he truly intend to do when he found this boy? Was this even the same boy from Tallenbrough raid? It was highly unlikely the two were even a little related, no matter what the Councillors were telling the Commander. An even bigger question loomed in his mind. What exactly did the Command intend for the boy once he was captured? Perhaps all the Winters of menial work in the library had softened Holtek for he had this strange empathy for the boy buried deep behind his desire to win fame and attention for the completion of this mission.
Another issue presented itself shortly after Holtek began the planning stages of the mission. He had no real clue what to do. Before joining the S.K.M.S and promptly being placed in support staff, he was just a lowly fort brat marching along with the other village idiots from town to town grabbing whatever food and arsenal could be had from the secluded villages just outside of the Alagany border. Idiots led by Idiots for the good of the Kingdom alone. At no time in his entire life had he ever been asked to so much as lead soldiers into mealtime prayer, much less into the field. If it weren't for Mauhaim, Mau for short, Holtek would have eventually felt inclined to flee the great country of Alagany altogether.
Mau was perhaps Holtek's only true friend here at the Higher Learning and Combat Training facility. For all of Holtek's ignorace and meekness, Mau was every bit as sharp and stout. From the moment Holtek laid eyes on the squatty dark youth, he knew the man was destined for a leadership role. It was rumored that Mau was from an ancient family of half-breeds that lived in the Yohei Desert for hundreds of Winters before the start of the Great War. The Mafaeri of the Yohei were notorious for their invincibility in battle. All boys, and even some of the highborn girls of Yohei were given a tempered steel blade on their 4th Birthday, marking a ceremonial end to their childhood. The Winters leading up to their adulthood were spent in combat training and mock battles (between villages that often grew so fierce that actual skirmishes rose and fell like the sun). Mau was no exception to this other than he was in himself exceptional.
Mau's only true shortcoming was a combination of his love of conversation and his inability to speak especially coherently. Born with a cleft pallet, Mau was razed into defending himself through violence to combat the consistent torment of the other village children. From age 6 to shortly after his arrival to the facility, Mau simply did not speak. Instead he used a variety of intricate hand signals to convey commands. Useful skills for a reconaissance mission, not so much leading soldiers in noisy close combat.
Holtek lifted his head from the desk just in time to hear a rap at his door. Before he could rise to answer it, Mau bounded in and set a plate of food next to him.
"Brekkasth!"
Holtek surveyed the food, taking note that the food never really changed by the meal or even by the season. It was always dried meat, a stew of grain and eggs, and some sliced fruit that had almost past its prime. This morning a nearly black banana lay along one side of the plate.
"I broff goot wine of lasth nigh too." The way Mau spoke, the quiet murmuring didn't help in making him understood, was something Holtek had long since gotten used to.
"Wine, now there's something I could go for right now." Holtek rubbed his face as he proffered his cup to his friend. "Maybe a little wine before our lesson will help loosen our mental tongues." This was the routine as it had been since the beginning of the last Equinox except for all the recent work he did at night. Usually Mau would wake him, they would eat, then Holtek would spend the hour afforded to them before their day began teaching Mau how to use Thought-Speak. It was a slow process since Mau had little to no makkis ability whatsoever, but if nothing else, Holtek was unusually patient.
Mau cracked a wide smile and pointed at Holtek. He began making his usual signals when Holtek grasped his hands and shook his head. "No signals, I want to hear what's so damned funny in Thought." Mau closed his eyes, his smile only dropping slightly as he concentrated.
ih-ih... ihn... ih-ihn, ink f-face
Ink face? Are you resorting to name calling?
Ih-ih-ink, map-ihink ahn y-your f-face! Holtek could hear the sounds of Mau's Thought laughter through his struggling to form coherent words. The sounds of blades crashing together, the mewling of a cat, the beat of a festival drum, all these things made up the source of Mau's true happiness.
It must have been from lying down on the map. Zchi take me! I would have thought the ink had dried on that old crusty thing Winters before I was even thought of! Now, start with the Soldier's Creed.
I-in my honor, I d-d-defend
The Kingdom of Alagany and her golden banner
The double headed lion is my life, my love, my beauty and strength
With valor I lay my life at her feet, With Fervor I raise my blade for her
For war and for peace, for justice and and treachery
I am your servant, your sheild, and your steel.
It was the one thing poor Mau could get through all the way without stuttering past the first line. It was a start, if nothing else. The rest of the hour comprised of Mau struggling through reciting common drinking songs and snippets read from one of Holtek's many volumes of poetry. There was no mistaking progress was being made, albeit slowly. As soon as Mau finished the last line of "My Mistress Stole my Tunic" he began signalling furiously. There was simply no backing down once Mau had one of his crazy ideas that he had to share. No amount of commanding him to use Thought would stop his hands until his thoughts were all aired out. Holtek caught the gist of it. Mau wanted to help him provide a mission plan to set before the Commander in exchange for all the work Holtek had done with him. He then made a signal Holtek didn't recognize.
"Secret Birdcage Garden?" he asked dubiously. Mau shook his head and signalled again, more slowly this time. Holtek just shook his head.
Shah-Shahadow Generaral. I w-will be one f-f-f-for you.
The art of the Shadow General was one that was well known in technique but lesser known in substance. There was always talk that some great leader was simply a front man for a genius tactician that wanted to remain anonymous. In most instances the General and his Shadow were seldom seen together and spoke entirely in Thought. The General moved as the Shadow commanded, while the Shadow pretended to act as just another soldier. Holtek had to admit, in a weird twist of irony, having a Shadow that was well known as his companion as well would be less than expected.
I will give this great consideration. It will be a great honor to lead with you, Father willing, but I must full assess the risks involved here. I cannot and will not knowing place you where there is a great chance of your getting hurt.
All battles are have riskses. The best riskses are the ones t-taken for a good c-c-cause.
And with that, Holtek had no choice but to accept. The logic was simply too sound.
