November 29, 2008
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YACAS 9-10
Still more chapters to go. At least you get another icon?
Rowan caught onto the language easily enough, the sentence structure almost the same and some of the word meanings were similar, while others were completely different which made making the distinction a bit thought at times, however Clyde was a good teacher and kept trying to give him ways to try to counter the awkwardness of it all. Rowan still talked with a very heavy accent, which he discovered Clyde hid by his smoothed tone, although Rowan highly doubted that he would be capable of such an adaptation to the new surrounding, at least not until he became more used to using the speech patterns and such, which he hoped that he didn't have to. He wanted to be home at the palace with everything in its rightful place before he ever needed to admit that he needed this language for anything more than infiltration into an alien society.
Clyde on the other hand didn't like teaching, nor did he like the fact that Rowan was sometimes a very hard student to teach, especially when he kept getting distracted by the smallest things, like trinkets and such. Though naming things was somewhat important, he had to admit, conversational common was a tad more important at the moment as it would allow him to talk to some of the other slaves or even some of the guests he was going to be greeting at the door so that he wouldn't call for him if he were busy to try to translate and see what the visitor wanted. he had been interrupted fro everything from getting the mail to Amelia and her persistent requests to try to steal Rowan away for a week or two so that she could "train him" properly. Either way, the whole thing was troubling and he couldn't wait until it was finally done and over with.
"Again, recite the poem again," Clyde replied, already moving through the reading portion rather fast.
"i don’t see why I have to," Rowan grumbled, not liking the thing a bit, but could understand a little of why Clyde chose it for him to read allowed. It was medium difficulty and used some of the words that meant different things than he was used to them meaning and would allow him to understand the difference a little more. Another thing that annoyed him was the fact that he wasn't allowed to speak in his natural tongue during this sessions, and had to speak the common of this world or else he wouldn't be allowed to eat, or had to wear a ridiculous costume of some sort. And the constant threat of having to deal with Amelia and her 'training' was unsaid, but every time Clyde began thinking, Rowan knew exactly what the other was doing and he hated the other male for it.
"It's to help your comprehension," Clyde replied stubbornly. "Now read it or else I'll start letting Amelia address the classes, and we all know that you'll be learning something other than how to read."
Rowan suppressed a shudder that threatened, and instead read the ridiculous poem allowed, hating the fact that the romance in it was sickingly sweet and made him want to gag. Clyde didn't seem to enjoy it either, but apparently found that it had some merit for his learning process. When he was done, he was asked the usual questions of what did the poem mean and how and why he had found the reasons. It was a simple task but rowan wished that there was some other poems or stories that he would be able to read that either didn't give him a tooth ache or bore him to the point of almost falling asleep as he read it, which usually resulted in being smacked in the head by a stick of some sort, usually a ruler, which he didn't like.
"I guess that will be all for today," Clyde nodded, dropping back into the more comfortable tongue of his own common, something rowan was relieved for. "Please work just as hard tomorrow and try to practice what you have learned today."
Rowan left the small room quickly, happy to finally be done with the lesson and maybe converse some more with he salves in the kitchen. they usually had all the latest gossip, and news from other slaves or the town. How they had such information he had no idea, but was usually grateful for it since it did a bit to relieve the boredom that usually crept up on him at this time of day unless there were visitors, that he was getting better at greeting too. One day he was sure to get this all down pat enough for Clyde to once again focus on the way to get them home. However that didn't mean that he couldn’t enjoy his stay while he was here!
Clyde on the other hand took a deep cleansing breath, wondering just how long he was going have to do this for. It wasn't that Rowan was a slow learner, it was the other things that he would be doing if it weren't for these damn lessons that no one else was qualified for. heading for his records room, he was stopped by Senkora who handed him a note, one that he was rather pleased to receive. Grinning as he read the contents, he patted her on the back and went to his office. This day was going to turn out very interesting in dead, much more interesting that he previously thought.
=lets go visit another character since we haven't in a little while. I'm happy i finally fit Amelia in there somewhere! she's such a fun character.=
Fairfax looked around his small plantation, the rice being harvested as well as some other water plants on the more swampy side of the property while the others were out tending the crops that needed a bit more arid land to grow properly. It was then he heard the drums, something that wasn't uncommon, but it didn't sound like the usual drums he heard, but different beats and different patterns, ones he didn't recognize from the more prominent tribes of the area. Large animals seemed to gain intelligence, forming nomadic tribes that rarely stayed in one place for very long, however some seemed to have staked out territories, sometimes Fairfax thinking that they were intruding on a part of it.
Just as suddenly as they started, they stopped, which concerned Fairfax even more. Kenya even seemed to be a bit high strung, the dragon whining which was something that dragons rarely did, Kenya would rarely do it either. Something was definitely up, something he wasn’t so sure that he wanted to go investigate at the moment. It was bad enough that they didn’t know half of what was stalking in the jungle, he didn’t need to go looking for trouble whenever he had the whim that there was something else dangerous out there. There were plenty of known troubles that seemed to like to come out at the most inopportune times, picking off his workforce and even his guards if there were enough of them and they were cleaver enough.
Kenya settled down after awhile, but kept his eyes darting about, even going as far as get on top of the house to keep a better lookout of the area, the other dragons sensing the tensions were also out in full force, inspecting the area for anything unusual and finding nothing that they didn’t already expect. However, the feeling that something else was lurking nearby never left, which made him wonder why his master didn’t have something a little closer to town, where everything would be better guarded, or even get more like himself so ti would be a tad bit safer for him and the other dragons of the area. He could only hope that he and the rest would be enough to counter anything that dared to come near the plantation, although he worried that they weren’t.
=into the jungle/the mighty jungle/the shamans drink toniiiiight=
Kipoo was the youngest to venture near the other sider’s camps, and places where they were setting up to settle the land. The beaches were great sources of food and water, although lately, the inland outlets seemed to be better as the pollutants that were half a world away were slowly seeping into the atmosphere and coming to this yet untainted side. He never witnessed such wonders, and neither did his brothers and sisters who were in command of this trip, he was only a lookout and tag along, to make sure the fire beasts didn’t find them. They all had witnessed the terrible power of the fire beasts in the wild, and even tamed a few of their own. However, these different breeds seemed more ruthless somehow, and more loyal to their captive master.
“We are going back,” Nukoea, the leader, said, leading the small group of seven back to the main camp, where it was safe and they would tell their chief what the strangers were doing and how they seemed rather intent on staying. Just because they hadn’t found them yet didn’t mean that they weren’t going to, nor did it mean that they weren’t to be slaves like the tribes that were found before them and were slowly losing their identity with the jungle and Universe with each new generation, no matter how much it seemed the others tried to make sure that their legacy lived on in some way. “We must inform the others of this. If we do not, I fear that our tribe will fall like the others have.”
With quick nods, everyone packed the small bags and the supplies they had taken with them for the few day trips and started to head back into the thick underbrush. Kipoo kept looking back, in awe at the structures and how tall they were able to get them, and all the way they were able to manipulate animal skins and dyes! Even make such powerful people that they had problems with for many cycles of the suns suddenly submit and had them bowing to them in ultimate defeat. It was all amazing yet scary at the same time, for there was little to nothing that was stopping the exact same thing happening to his own tribe, and his own people.
“Kipoo, hurry up,” Nukoea hissed. “We don’t need them finding us because our youngest is stupid and won’t follow the orders. You will not become anything but a farmer and tender of children if you keep this up.”
That made Kipoo jump into action, the boy picking up the pace and following with the group much to their and Nukoea’s satisfaction. If there was one thing they couldn’t have, was someone lagging in the group on such an important mission. He just hoped that one day, he would be able to explore the wonders at his leisure and not be afraid of being a betrayer to his people as well as not become a slave. However, he knew that would never happen, and should be content with what he was able to see, and would never be able to fully describe to those that asked him about it.
=Fade to the night, and the tribe because I’m a cop out=
The festival that night was a very celebratory one, filled with good food from the earlier kills, some fruits and even some hard to make wines and other drinks to thank the Universe for the safe return of their comrades, although they weren't so sure about the news they would bring about the newcomers. A large fire was set in the middle of the camp, the dancing around it had stopped, as had most of the feast for the moment as the chief beckoned the powers bestowed upon him by the Universe to beseech it for the answers that they sorely needed to know. Such as if they were to be destroyed by the newcomers or would they be captured and integrated like the other tribes had been.
A trance had befallen him, something that was induced by prayer and concentration rather than any sort of drug or fasting. The whole camp sat silent, awaiting the judgment by the Universe that was going to befall them and what their future would hold. It would seem that even the jungle held its breath, as not one sound could be heard by any of them, as if it, itself, knew that this would be important for its own survival. The sharp gray eyes shot open, making those in attendance lean in closer, to better hear what was going to befall them and their home.
"It says that we will fall if we are not careful," the chief said, looking around the camp at the worried eyes. "We must be wary of these newcomers, as they wish to bring their sort of thinking to us, of machines and pollution and slavery. They want us to turn away from the universe and start to worship the mere ones who created this world instead of even their creator. We must not let them take us over like they have taken over our brethren."
"I have seen the wonders," Kipoo said. "They are an interesting race that needs to be watched more. It seems they are more complex than we thought, as some treat those that are captured with humanity while others are spat upon and worked to death. I am not sure if that is the way things are supposed to work, but I'm sure a little more study would lead to more insight."
"Very good, Kipoo," the old chief said. "You are turning out to be a fine strategist and would have done very well if the wars were still going on, however it seems these newcomers have forced a different sort of war upon us. We must research them, as you said, to ensure our own survival.
"Nukoea, you will take the same group again, and will try to learn more about these people. Capture one of the slaves so that we may learn their language as well, so we can be one step ahead of their little game and ensure our own freedom and survival."
Nukoea was a tall shaman, skin hard and gray as the rest of his brothers, although his trunk was a little on the short side, his tusks were nothing to shake a stick at. All those here in attendance were his own people, proud decedents of Elephante, the one who prayed to the Universe to allow his kind to live on proudly, even though he tried to save them on a different planet and failed, ending up dead himself. They all were said to resemble him in some way, and then in others developing their own traits. Nukoea was said to have his height, which was something sought after since it would allow him to tower over any opponent and use his sturdiness to overcome any enemy.
Bowing to the old slate gray chief, head decorated in feathers of many colors, he looked over the rest of his people, the people he was trying to protect from the new threats of the ones from over seas. "I will take my group and hopefully will come back victorious with your request, chieftain. Universe forgive me if I somehow disappoint you."
That seemed to appease the whole camp, cheers going up, although he didn't look any more cheerful. It was dangerous work, trying to capture a slave with those damn fire breathers always around, he would just have to find a different camp of theirs to pick one off from, one not so protected by the beasts and something they would be able to run away from much easier.
On the other hand, Kipoo was excited about the whole thing, his tusks just coming in and his shorter stature still giving him a child like appearance. he didn't mind, but was rather excited about this second adventure, as he was rarely let out of the camp like the others who were still more than a few suns from being called a full adult. He was said to have the brain and wits of Elephante, and therefore was viewed rather highly than some of the others, since he was quick on his feet and was never afraid of a challenge that would mean physical or mental progress. he couldn’t wait until he was back on the trails, examining the new comers and their ways.
"We will have to be more careful this time," Nukoea said under the drums and singing. "This won't be just an observation this time, but a capture and escape, and with a unwilling captive, this will make a quick get away imperative, leaving little to not time for hesitation. Do you understand, Kipoo."
"Fully," he responded, gleefully going through some plans already in his head. There were so many ways for them to counter than with the fire beasts! They did have minimal magic, that he seen, but they didn't use, or maybe even couldn't use, the magic to go from one place to another. Although it was very weak, they could use it to get back to camp if they had to, which let him think of some rather risky operations. "However, we might want to take another astral shaman. Just in case we botch something up and have to make a quick get away."
Nukoea nodded in agreement. "I will consult with you tomorrow then and we will go over some plans. May the night find you well."
"May the night find you well.”
Fairfax didn’t want to spy, not that there were two of his enemies under the same roof, which made things easier and more complicated at the same time. Where it allowed him to check on them both more regularly under the guise of trying to integrate Rowan into society, it would allow the two allies to plot while he would be caught completely unaware of any situation that may come up. Snorting at the thought, he continued the way down the dusty road, rain not having fallen for the day yet, which wasn’t really surprising, as the dry season was nearly upon them.
He arrived at the mansion a few moments later, Senkora meeting him at the door as well as Rowan, who was becoming more fluent in the common of the land, not surprisingly as Fairfax was actually trying to help Clyde in teaching the other from their home world, in a some sort of uneasy truce. or at least it seemed uneasy to him. Things could have been worse though, especially since he was there nearly every day. Clyde seemed to try to not take notice of him coming over, and the rest of the house hold kept out of his way as usual. He guessed that they knew that he wasn't really welcomed and therefore tried to keep out of his way in case Clyde decided to kick him out for no apparent reason, although that hasn't happened yet.
"Hello Senkora, Rowan," he said as he stepped on the porch, Senkora dropping in a curtsey and Rowan in a bow. Both were finely dressed which meant that Clyde was either entertaining guests at the moment or planned to. It wasn't odd for the other to through parties, to try to keep the good will around. "I see you're in your finest."
Senkora just nodded, turning away to go back to her duties per usual, as she wasn't good at conversation for obvious reasons. Rowan however, scoffed, which meant that there were strangers here or Amelia, who he found more annoying than anyone else in the town.
"Yah, they showed up a few hours ago and need to leave, they're getting on my nerves," Rowan spat in his home tongue. "I don't see why Clyde invited all these people over. I mean, they haven't done anything exciting and only stand around, sometimes look at me, snicker, and go back to their conversations. And they keep asking me annoying questions over and over again as if I 'm nothing more than an animal that doesn't know the proper way to use communication nor has a brain of their own."
"Forgive them of their ignorance," Fairfax recommended. "When Clyde and I were sent here, we were dropped in a field and had to work our way up slowly until we both could live without the other. Be thankful that you have either of us to rely on." Although he wondered just how much help he would actually offer to the other if he needed it. "Also, I will be stealing you away for your history lesson, as well as to examine how the culture has evolved and even of all the new tribes we have been finding on this side of the world if time allows, then again, if it will keep you from this damn party, I would have no problem in going over to explain such things to you."
"It'd be a lot better than hanging out in there," Rowan grumbled, looking at the fair sized crowd that would surely grow as the evening came on full force and Senkora and the other kitchen slaves served dinner. Although he would most likely miss it, he had no doubt in his mind that he would be able to get at least a plate or two directly from the kitchens earlier than anyone else. Maybe even get some for Fairfax if the lecture was interesting. As long as he didn't have to be the center of this freak show any longer, he might even be kind enough to make sure the other was well fed and maybe a little drunk in the process.
Fairfax shook his head, heading inside behind rowan, who was doing a good job at playing the butler. Clyde's instructions must have been getting through the other's thick skull, or even Rowan actually wanted to learn something, which was even more rare, since the other was a know it all most of the time. He was led into the room they used for Rowan's instruction, closing the door behind him but leaving it unlocked as since this was apparently a party to honor Rowan's "progress" into the society and how well his "training" was going, he would most likely be getting bothered and it would be easier if the door wasn't constantly locked.
"If you want, I can get us a few plates of dinner before the large feast if you tell me now," Rowan said, taking off his overcoat, the blue vest and white shirt stark against the bright yellow walls. Clyde was never known for his sense of color. "that way we won't have to deal with that damned group out there more than we need to."
"Please do that then," Fairfax offered. "I still have to get my books ready and a few things organized." With that, he watched Rowan look out the doorway and dash out, the door slammed behind him most likely foiling any attempt at secrecy that he had going through his mind. He had everything set up by the time Rowan came back, obviously distressed that he was most likely found out, but seemed otherwise unscathed.
"Senkora said she would take care of it," Rowan said, plopping down into a chair, slouching and crossing his legs. "Although knowing her, that means we'll have enough to feed a room full of twenty instead of two. I understand her dedication to Clyde and making the guests comfortable, but sometimes I think she tries too hard to try to please the guy."
"Such are the qualities of a loyal servant," Fairfax replied with a nod. "Clyde also raised the girl like his own daughter, until the townspeople began to ridicule him for taking in a girl of no merit as his charge. However, she is still treated with respect, which is good, and it never seems as if she minds the work she's given, although Clyde does tend to go easier on her than the others. She's a good girl otherwise."
"I didn't need her life story," Rowan replied crossly, something else most likely bothering him. "Lets just get this over with. I can't wait for dinner to get here and this will pass the time."
"Very well."
The lesson went on for a few hours, rowan learning a lot about the other continent and societies and how they changed or degraded themselves as the years went on, getting the feeling that both Fairfax and Clyde had little more than a hand in some of them. Fairfax and Clyde were both rivals, and wanted some control over at least some sort of "kingdom" so it didn't surprise him that they went for high ranking offices, and would just fall off the face of the planet, still living comfortably, but to make sure that less legends of their "immortality" would be spread across the world. Although Rowan was sure that if he had stayed on the other side of the ocean and learned some of the legends, he would find at least a couple that focused around the two.
Dinner came, Rowan's assumptions were right in guessing that they would be brought a rather large portion. Fairfax thanked the slaves and locked the door, not wanting any more interruptions than what were necessary, although it seemed that the party was in full swing with the main attraction learning about the world. Maybe Clyde had scheduled like this to make sure that Rowan would get some sort of reprieve from the drawl and stares of the wine drinking idiots that they had to share the planet with. Both of them couldn’t' wait until they returned home, Rowan to make sure Clyde ascended back to the throne while Fairfax to prove that Faolan wasn't the evil dictator that both Rowan and Clyde seemed to portray him as.
A knock at the door came as Fairfax was finishing up, having a feeling that he knew who it was already. Clyde was at the door, smiling like a polite idiot, beckoning that Rowan come back out, that the main group of guests were there and wanted to meet him. With an undignified sigh, Rowan got up, donned his overcoat, and tried his hardest to look happy and excited about being there and meeting all these interesting people. It was a lot harder than he thought it was going be, as he was poked and prodded, and the women would ask him if he had anyone 'special' on the other side while the men wanted to know how in the world he came to their little planet and threaten him if he did 'try to take their women'. As if he would steal them away and never let them return as sort of trophies from this planet that he was able to visit.
Both of which annoyed the hell out of him and made him want to go lock himself away again so he wouldn't have to deal with such idiocy and ignorance about him. He sort of wished that he had built up a history like Fairfax and Clyde, so he didn't have to deal with such problem, although he was sure that they had their own hurdles to go through. Although, his own seemed to be a bit worse, at least he thought it was. He was pretty sure that being poked and prodded by strangers wasn't in their trials and tribulations.
"yes, well, I can speak the language after some hard work," he replied to yet another seemingly high ranking social nobody. "Clyde has been very insistent on my training, and have Mr. Fairfax to teach me the culture of this interesting world. I would love to return home, of course, as I never intended to intrude here, however until a means of getting myself there become into existence, I guess I'll have to make due and learn your very interesting cultural history."
Lying through his teeth was something that came easily to him, as it was part of his jobs in the past. What he wouldn’t' give to be sneaking around again, looking for possible leads into the palace, fooling guards, lying to other officials to make them think he was on their side and was a double agent going in to report to Faolan. Those were the days, although the days when Clyde ruled were a bit boring at times, there never seemed to be enough work done for him to catch a break, dealing with the other nations, their spies, seeing what factions had popped up in the country, listening to rumors of a hostile army coming in from the south, so many things were going on back then! He only wished that they both had fared better in that kind of environment, as now it seemed that both of them were stuck here and without a leader, their dwindling faction would crumble before Faolan's forces.
He excused himself, heading outside, lying again, saying that he wanted to see if he could recognize any constellations and maybe find out what direction he needed to go to be able to return home. He only wished that his home really was just another star system, and would be able to build some sort of craft that would allow him to return. However, Tran dimensional potation just wasn't possible yet, and with all the restrictions on this planet thanks to "The priest and priestess", he would already be home, even never would have come here to this plane since Clyde would have found a way to return home as well, and Faolan would be out and there would be peace filled days once more. That was something he couldn't wait for, he missed the way that land was, this one seeming much harsher yet the people here were a bit more helping. He guessed it had to do with the way the society was set up or something like that.
During his musings, he failed to see the figures stalking in the high grass, as much as they crouched down, their tall figures wouldn't be hidden well by the grass, it didn't help that they were also bulky and their gray hides were shining in the very late sunlight. He didn’t' look up until there was a shout, and about five of the Elephante were able seen, carrying away two slaves, both struggling to get away, confused what was going on. With a shout, Rowan seemed to have startled them, but after a bit of overheard chanting, they were gone, no where to be seen.
That brought most of the company out of the house, as Rowan returned to the estate, barely a quarter of the way towards where the slaves had been captured. There was astral magic here, somehow those slave snatchers were able to use it on a world that supposedly disallowed it, or at least it did to all of Clyde's and Fairfax's attempts to get home. This was interesting to him, although to the nobles and such it seem to concern them about the state of their own homes and slaves, thankfully making them leave much earlier than they most likely had planned. Clyde didn't have a good look on his face either, as if he were mad that two of his slaves were the ones that were taken, although with the news that he would be bringing, he was sure that Clyde would have a different point of view of it.
After the last guest had gone, Clyde cornered Rowan to question him about what he had seen in the field, and compliment him on how well he was fooling the populace with his usual skill in trickery.
"These elephant looking things took two slaves," Rowan replied. "I mean, I've never learned about them, so I guess no one else knows of them either, which doesn't really surprise me. There seems to be a lot of mysteries in this world that need to be found out. But they used astral magic to get away. I'm not sure if they're from this plane or not, but either way, if we can find a way to get a hold of them, communicate, then we would be able to find a way back home."
That brought the grin back to Clyde's face. "I see, well, looks like there is some good to come of this, although I'm still curious about why they were taken."
"They didn't seem like they cared about who they took," Rowan recalled. "I mean, they seemed like they just wanted to grab one or two and run, which mean that the chances they're going to be killed is slim, but maybe to perhaps learn about you who have come overseas and have been enslaving every tribe that you seem to find."
"Would make sense," Clyde grinned. "Although it's much to late to trace the signature or even run into the woods. I'm sure they have their own defenses to make sure the beasts don't get to them, however, night is a dangerous time, although it's the time where we are at our best. I have not encounter all of the creatures that take residence in this world yet, and I don't plan to. Understand."
"I'll go tomorrow then," Rowan replied. "See what I can find."
"No can do, you have to accompany me to the auction, as Vivienne wants to make sure I'm taking proper care of you," Clyde replied with a heavy sigh. "I can understand why she's doing yet, but it annoys me that she didn't even bother coming to the party to see, or was on her way when I sent everyone home to try to calm the rest of the household down."
"I see," Rowan scowled. He wanted to see who that was that captured the slaves! To see what they were going to do with them and maybe learn about another inhabitant that he would be encountering sometime in the future. "The day after?"
"I cannot say for sure," Clyde replied. "I would love to let you go ahead and have at it, however, I don't know my schedule as of yet and will have to make any adjustments as necessary. Plan on it since I highly doubt that anything will come up between then and now."
With a nod, Rowan went back to his room, grinning like an idiot. Things were finally getting interesting.
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