Chapter 49
charclone
Well-known member
Bozes flinched at Pina's glare in the morning.
"Would you please explain why you felt it necessary to risk antagonising NATO, so soon after we made progress on the treaty?" Pina questioned, her face stern and upyielding as she stared at the blonde knight. She crossed her arms, leaning forwards slightly in her chair. Her voice carried a cold tone, one that informed Bozes exactly how annoyed Pina was with her.
Bozes straightened herself where she stood as she answered, burying her nervousness. She still failed to meet Pina's gaze.
"The knights, that is, we have been growing… rusty. The exercises and training have been helpful, but… when I heard about the Warrior Bunny's festival, I realised that it would be a great way to test our strength against them. They are a famed warrior people, what better way to test ourselves and them?" Bozes' resolve grew as she explained her reasoning, her fidgeting slowly fading.
"And revenge for the stain on my honour, and on the honour of the Order, from the defence of Italica, had nothing to do with your request for a series of duels, which Sir Richard may participate in?"
Bozes' expression dropped as her friend and Liege struck the core of the issue with a precision usually displayed with a lance on horseback.
"I… they wouldn't dare do anything!" She protested, her voice rising in indignation, finally looking Pina in the eye. "We are guests, and it is a fair tournament!"
"They are a different culture, and we are barbarians to them!" Pina shouted, shaking her hands in the air for emphasis. "Sir Richard is close to the King! I saw a recording of the awarding ceremony being shown. They are displaying and constantly talking about our nation in something called news broadcasts! His victories and constantly being discussed, alongside other victories by NATO against us! Does that remind you of anything? What would the emperor have done if I asked him for a war against a barbarian tribe that had slighted me?"
"You wouldn't-" Bozes started.
"No, but Richard may!" Pina exploded, before collapsing into the chair she didn't remember getting out of. She groaned. "The Empire is outnumbered, without them raising their armies. We would be crushed in mere days if they were taking this war seriously. I won't ask you to throw any fights. But keep to the rules, and make sure Richard has no grounds for which to find an excuse."
Bozes winced, swallowed any further protests, and nodded.
Pina sighed in relief as she left.
"Gods, please don't let anything happen."
Hannah flicked the sabre in her hand, testing its weight and speed. Her eye's tracked the glittering blade, following its subtle curve to the curved guard and hilt. She heard this hiss of air against its razor-sharp edge.
"If this is what you made for me, I can't wait to see what you made for Tara." She laughed gleefully and giddy. "Show me?"
"Nope." Richard grinned. "It's for Tara's eyes first before anyone else."
Hannah pouted at him as she sheathed her sabre.
"I'm glad I was able to get it done before the end of the festival," Richard said, leaning against the table in the smithy. "What with all the extra work prepping for the Long Patrol."
"How's that coming anyway? Any chance I can join?" Hannah asked.
"Yeah, I put your name on the list of potential officers." Richard shrugged. "No idea if you will be chosen, but if you chose to accept you will be tested and drilled. If you pass? You'll end up going through part of the same training with me, Tara, and a couple of others already confirmed to be made the senior officers in the Long Patrol."
"Really? Tara?" Hannah frowned. "Don't want to lose her that badly? Or do you just not think she will be made Queen?"
"She doesn't want to be queen." Richard sighed in weariness. "She's rehashed the argument several times now, but… I don't see the situation improving, and the festival doesn't seem to be having the effect she wanted, from what I heard. The people are more in favour of their own state, yes, but the leadership is more fractured than ever, based on her complaints."
Hannah nodded in sympathy.
"I've seen the same. More and more are backing Tara, despite her wishes, especially with the still constant flow of refugees and escaped slaves." She shook her head. "So, speaking of the Long Patrol, how is it coming along?"
"Well," Richard rubbed the stubble on his chin in thought. "Edgar is drilling me on leadership and tactics, and we finally figured out what we are doing for supplies. Going to be getting a crap ton of old Lee-Enfields pulled from somewhere, Canadian Rangers I think, a couple of British machine guns, and even more Inch-pattern FN FALs than the rifles, from several sources. Cheaper than buying new ones, even through NATO, and the ammo could be compatible."
Hannah blinked.
"I understood a fraction of that. So, we are getting some weapons?"
"Small arms, yeah, and old ones at that." Richard shrugged. "Still need to acquire uniforms, though. We are getting a bunch of US helmets, so that helps."
Hannah nodded.
"It's a lot of work to get a force equipped. I remember seeing the warriors train and training with them. It took months to forge enough blades for everyone, and most didn't have proper armour." Hannah said. "Would we be wearing armour?"
"Eh," Richard shrugged, unsure, the table creaking as he moved. "Probably not. Too expensive. Though, we're still figuring things out. Anyway, I'm off to give Tara her blade and watch the game."
"Oh, right, there were a bunch of games being played today between teams, wasn't there?" Hannah said. "A couple of the teams were from NATO, weren't they?"
"No, teams were mixed," Richard replied, pulling an item wrapped in cloth from a hidden spot beneath the table. "There was at least one NATO soldier in each of the teams for the Earth sports being played, and a couple of Americans joined in for the Warrior Bunny's traditional games."
"Most of the different sports are just variations of the same game, played differently by each tribe." Hannah corrected. "But, anyway, haven't they already started?"
"Yeah, but there was part of a ceremony Tara wanted to meet with me beforehand," Richard explained. "Anyway, I'm off."
Hannah smiled as he took off at a jog, his gift for Tara concealed in its cloth wrapping under his arm.
Tara paced back and forth.
Her stomach was slowly turning itself in knots. Things looked fine, but the reality was, the festival was a failure.
"Tara!" She leapt at Richard's call.
"Richard!" She laughed, tension bleeding out of her body at the sight of her lover. "You here, great!"
"So, what was it you wanted to show me?" The Canadian knight had something under his arm, Tara noted, as her eye's flickered toward it.
"Yes. Come with me." Tara grabbed his hand, pulling him along. "The leaders and I are supposed to observe at least one each of the games… so I made sure we would have this game to ourselves, the others already planning to see other games, or have already done so."
Richard followed her up a set of stairs, part of the rear of the bleachers that had been constructed for the games by NATO engineers who their officers decided had too much free time.
He blinked at the size of the private box as Tara led him into it.
"It was meant for all the leaders to attend at once, but that didn't happen," Tara explained. She bit her lip.
Richard noted that she was blushing, even as the crowd murmured outside. Seems the walls were thin.
Tara sat on one seat and gestured for him to sit next to her. She waited for him to take the seat, before reaching underneath it, and pulling out a sheathed blade. It was in the style of the Warrior Bunny's traditional blades.
Richard shook with laughter as she handed it to him. He handed her the wrapped blade he carried to her in exchange.
"Did Hannah have anything to do with this?" He asked as the laughter subsided.
"She… mentioned you lacked a knife or short sword to protect yourself," Tara admitted.
Richard snorted in amusement as he inspected his blade. Curved, with a broad blade, it was vaguely reminiscent of a Kukri, though it lacked the same extreme angle of curve, and was in the opposite direction, with the longer edge sharpened. It was detailed with an intricate pattern in the blade, shallow enough not to endanger the integrity of the blade, but deep enough to be seen. It reminded him a little of the US Bowie knife if it had a curve to it.
Tara pulled the cloth from her own blade and inspected it. She noted the deliberate similarities between the traditional Warrior Bunny blades and the Kukri, being an interesting hybrid. She snorted, noting the copper wire down the back edge that spelt out 'Rome shall perish—write that word/ In the blood that she has spilt' from Boudica, an Ode. It gleamed in the light, and she admired the complex wrapping done in the leatherwork around the handle. A wide, flat, pommel ended the hilt, providing a counterweight and catch.
"Where… how…?" Tara stumbled.
"I forged it myself." Richard put his arm around her shoulders, drawing her into a hug.
Tara sheathed the blade, grabbed him by his collar, and pulled him into a kiss. As they separated, Richard blinked in surprise, his cheeks flushed, matching Tara's. Also matching were the grins on both of their faces.
They would have continued, had the crowd outside not broken out into a cheer as the teams made their way onto the game field.
Tara blinked, remembering her duty, and leapt to her feet. She drew her new blade and walked to the front of the box, where she could be seen.
Richard didn't remember what speech she made, but he remembered the way she made her blade flash in the light as she saluted the teams with it.
After several moments, the game began, and she returned to her seat.
"So, about the blade you gave me…" Richard began slowly. "I don't suppose you would be willing to teach me how to use it?"
"Of course." Tara grinned.
Out of the corner of his eye, Richard caught the sight of something that felt familiar to him. He dismissed the sight a moment later.
'Impossible for her to be here. My sister would have no reason to be allowed past the NATO checkpoints.'
Any further thought on the subject vanished as Tara sat in his lap.
"Now, where were we?" She gave him an impish grin.
"Would you please explain why you felt it necessary to risk antagonising NATO, so soon after we made progress on the treaty?" Pina questioned, her face stern and upyielding as she stared at the blonde knight. She crossed her arms, leaning forwards slightly in her chair. Her voice carried a cold tone, one that informed Bozes exactly how annoyed Pina was with her.
Bozes straightened herself where she stood as she answered, burying her nervousness. She still failed to meet Pina's gaze.
"The knights, that is, we have been growing… rusty. The exercises and training have been helpful, but… when I heard about the Warrior Bunny's festival, I realised that it would be a great way to test our strength against them. They are a famed warrior people, what better way to test ourselves and them?" Bozes' resolve grew as she explained her reasoning, her fidgeting slowly fading.
"And revenge for the stain on my honour, and on the honour of the Order, from the defence of Italica, had nothing to do with your request for a series of duels, which Sir Richard may participate in?"
Bozes' expression dropped as her friend and Liege struck the core of the issue with a precision usually displayed with a lance on horseback.
"I… they wouldn't dare do anything!" She protested, her voice rising in indignation, finally looking Pina in the eye. "We are guests, and it is a fair tournament!"
"They are a different culture, and we are barbarians to them!" Pina shouted, shaking her hands in the air for emphasis. "Sir Richard is close to the King! I saw a recording of the awarding ceremony being shown. They are displaying and constantly talking about our nation in something called news broadcasts! His victories and constantly being discussed, alongside other victories by NATO against us! Does that remind you of anything? What would the emperor have done if I asked him for a war against a barbarian tribe that had slighted me?"
"You wouldn't-" Bozes started.
"No, but Richard may!" Pina exploded, before collapsing into the chair she didn't remember getting out of. She groaned. "The Empire is outnumbered, without them raising their armies. We would be crushed in mere days if they were taking this war seriously. I won't ask you to throw any fights. But keep to the rules, and make sure Richard has no grounds for which to find an excuse."
Bozes winced, swallowed any further protests, and nodded.
Pina sighed in relief as she left.
"Gods, please don't let anything happen."
Hannah flicked the sabre in her hand, testing its weight and speed. Her eye's tracked the glittering blade, following its subtle curve to the curved guard and hilt. She heard this hiss of air against its razor-sharp edge.
"If this is what you made for me, I can't wait to see what you made for Tara." She laughed gleefully and giddy. "Show me?"
"Nope." Richard grinned. "It's for Tara's eyes first before anyone else."
Hannah pouted at him as she sheathed her sabre.
"I'm glad I was able to get it done before the end of the festival," Richard said, leaning against the table in the smithy. "What with all the extra work prepping for the Long Patrol."
"How's that coming anyway? Any chance I can join?" Hannah asked.
"Yeah, I put your name on the list of potential officers." Richard shrugged. "No idea if you will be chosen, but if you chose to accept you will be tested and drilled. If you pass? You'll end up going through part of the same training with me, Tara, and a couple of others already confirmed to be made the senior officers in the Long Patrol."
"Really? Tara?" Hannah frowned. "Don't want to lose her that badly? Or do you just not think she will be made Queen?"
"She doesn't want to be queen." Richard sighed in weariness. "She's rehashed the argument several times now, but… I don't see the situation improving, and the festival doesn't seem to be having the effect she wanted, from what I heard. The people are more in favour of their own state, yes, but the leadership is more fractured than ever, based on her complaints."
Hannah nodded in sympathy.
"I've seen the same. More and more are backing Tara, despite her wishes, especially with the still constant flow of refugees and escaped slaves." She shook her head. "So, speaking of the Long Patrol, how is it coming along?"
"Well," Richard rubbed the stubble on his chin in thought. "Edgar is drilling me on leadership and tactics, and we finally figured out what we are doing for supplies. Going to be getting a crap ton of old Lee-Enfields pulled from somewhere, Canadian Rangers I think, a couple of British machine guns, and even more Inch-pattern FN FALs than the rifles, from several sources. Cheaper than buying new ones, even through NATO, and the ammo could be compatible."
Hannah blinked.
"I understood a fraction of that. So, we are getting some weapons?"
"Small arms, yeah, and old ones at that." Richard shrugged. "Still need to acquire uniforms, though. We are getting a bunch of US helmets, so that helps."
Hannah nodded.
"It's a lot of work to get a force equipped. I remember seeing the warriors train and training with them. It took months to forge enough blades for everyone, and most didn't have proper armour." Hannah said. "Would we be wearing armour?"
"Eh," Richard shrugged, unsure, the table creaking as he moved. "Probably not. Too expensive. Though, we're still figuring things out. Anyway, I'm off to give Tara her blade and watch the game."
"Oh, right, there were a bunch of games being played today between teams, wasn't there?" Hannah said. "A couple of the teams were from NATO, weren't they?"
"No, teams were mixed," Richard replied, pulling an item wrapped in cloth from a hidden spot beneath the table. "There was at least one NATO soldier in each of the teams for the Earth sports being played, and a couple of Americans joined in for the Warrior Bunny's traditional games."
"Most of the different sports are just variations of the same game, played differently by each tribe." Hannah corrected. "But, anyway, haven't they already started?"
"Yeah, but there was part of a ceremony Tara wanted to meet with me beforehand," Richard explained. "Anyway, I'm off."
Hannah smiled as he took off at a jog, his gift for Tara concealed in its cloth wrapping under his arm.
Tara paced back and forth.
Her stomach was slowly turning itself in knots. Things looked fine, but the reality was, the festival was a failure.
"Tara!" She leapt at Richard's call.
"Richard!" She laughed, tension bleeding out of her body at the sight of her lover. "You here, great!"
"So, what was it you wanted to show me?" The Canadian knight had something under his arm, Tara noted, as her eye's flickered toward it.
"Yes. Come with me." Tara grabbed his hand, pulling him along. "The leaders and I are supposed to observe at least one each of the games… so I made sure we would have this game to ourselves, the others already planning to see other games, or have already done so."
Richard followed her up a set of stairs, part of the rear of the bleachers that had been constructed for the games by NATO engineers who their officers decided had too much free time.
He blinked at the size of the private box as Tara led him into it.
"It was meant for all the leaders to attend at once, but that didn't happen," Tara explained. She bit her lip.
Richard noted that she was blushing, even as the crowd murmured outside. Seems the walls were thin.
Tara sat on one seat and gestured for him to sit next to her. She waited for him to take the seat, before reaching underneath it, and pulling out a sheathed blade. It was in the style of the Warrior Bunny's traditional blades.
Richard shook with laughter as she handed it to him. He handed her the wrapped blade he carried to her in exchange.
"Did Hannah have anything to do with this?" He asked as the laughter subsided.
"She… mentioned you lacked a knife or short sword to protect yourself," Tara admitted.
Richard snorted in amusement as he inspected his blade. Curved, with a broad blade, it was vaguely reminiscent of a Kukri, though it lacked the same extreme angle of curve, and was in the opposite direction, with the longer edge sharpened. It was detailed with an intricate pattern in the blade, shallow enough not to endanger the integrity of the blade, but deep enough to be seen. It reminded him a little of the US Bowie knife if it had a curve to it.
Tara pulled the cloth from her own blade and inspected it. She noted the deliberate similarities between the traditional Warrior Bunny blades and the Kukri, being an interesting hybrid. She snorted, noting the copper wire down the back edge that spelt out 'Rome shall perish—write that word/ In the blood that she has spilt' from Boudica, an Ode. It gleamed in the light, and she admired the complex wrapping done in the leatherwork around the handle. A wide, flat, pommel ended the hilt, providing a counterweight and catch.
"Where… how…?" Tara stumbled.
"I forged it myself." Richard put his arm around her shoulders, drawing her into a hug.
Tara sheathed the blade, grabbed him by his collar, and pulled him into a kiss. As they separated, Richard blinked in surprise, his cheeks flushed, matching Tara's. Also matching were the grins on both of their faces.
They would have continued, had the crowd outside not broken out into a cheer as the teams made their way onto the game field.
Tara blinked, remembering her duty, and leapt to her feet. She drew her new blade and walked to the front of the box, where she could be seen.
Richard didn't remember what speech she made, but he remembered the way she made her blade flash in the light as she saluted the teams with it.
After several moments, the game began, and she returned to her seat.
"So, about the blade you gave me…" Richard began slowly. "I don't suppose you would be willing to teach me how to use it?"
"Of course." Tara grinned.
Out of the corner of his eye, Richard caught the sight of something that felt familiar to him. He dismissed the sight a moment later.
'Impossible for her to be here. My sister would have no reason to be allowed past the NATO checkpoints.'
Any further thought on the subject vanished as Tara sat in his lap.
"Now, where were we?" She gave him an impish grin.