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Post by Retrograde on Apr 12, 2018 3:35:18 GMT
Barshiger shifted in bed, an intense throbbing in his temples. He rubbed at his eyes, grumbling quietly to himself. He had been married last night, and had consumed probably more alcohol than he ever had before, combined. The price of the fun last night was a hangover so wicked it was like he had been cursed. He looked around, seeing the daylight on the outside of his yurt, and sighed.
Feeling a warm body next to himself, he pushed up against it. It was his new wife. Haian, he thought. He could not be sure, since he had only met her twice, once very briefly (two months ago), and once where they were both incredibly drunk (last night). He thought it almost a miracle that they had both managed to make it to their marriage bed together.
"Hey," he said softly. "So this is just a proposal, but what if we avoid the second day party stuff and just stay in bed all day?"
His voice was deep and pleasant to the ear, much like his body was pleasant to the eyes. His service in the auxiliaries had made him fit, and the luck of genetics had given him a square jaw and a handsome face. It had given him significant luck with the ladies before.
"Also, if you know any hangover remedies, I could really use one."
He gently put an arm on the girl's shoulder, hoping he wasn't talking to someone comatose.
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Post by Zoilus on Apr 12, 2018 4:13:14 GMT
Frankly, this wasn't the morning Haian had been expecting with the Gad princeling she now called husband. Her ears were ringing, her head throbbing, and the only thing in the world she wanted was to slip back into the sweet oblivion of sleep...but. He kept bumping into her, and she thought he might've been saying something too? She couldn't make out anything over the buzzing in her ears, especially not in Gad, which she was still struggling to master. She sighed, curled up into a ball, and pulled the blanket completely over herself. Hopefully he'd take the proper meaning from that.
Sadly, sweet oblivion did not come rushing to claim her. Damnation. As quickly as she'd made her nest, she unmade it and sat up, staring at Barshiger the whole time. He hadn't been her choice, certainly, but...perhaps there were worse burdens to bear? He was handsome enough, kind enough, but she didn't know him. For all that being an important man's daughter had gotten her, her place among the shamans, the luxury she'd grown up with, it now seemed she had to start paying back.
"I.." she started in the Bartone tongue before realizing her mistake. Thinking through the headache, she started again in Gad, "Could you...say again?"
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Post by Retrograde on Apr 12, 2018 4:21:03 GMT
Barshiger stared at her for a moment, before he realized what was wrong. He would have smacked his forehead, but his head was in enough pain already. Instead, he summoned his knowledge of his wife's language to bear.
"I was asking if you had a hangover cure," he said with a distinct Gad accent, "and if you just wanted to stay in bed all day."
He smiled at her, taking her appearance in. Though he had little choice in the marriage, he had resolved to enjoy it as much as he could. His brown eyes twinkled slightly, almost masking the fact that they were bloodshot.
"I think you might have actually drank more than I did."
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Post by Zoilus on Apr 12, 2018 4:45:13 GMT
Haian didn't think she'd ever heard a Gad speak Bartone before; it was always the other way around, for obvious reasons. Still, it wasn't an unwelcome change- a Gad accent certainly made it sound odd, though.
She was quite aware of him looking at her, but that was no different from back among her own people. Her long onyx locks, sparkling hazel eyes, smooth skin and lithe form drew the poor boys in like flies to honey. Barshiger was a bit older than those boys she'd loved to tease (among other things) in her old settlement, but he was no fossil either. And judging by how things were going, how polite and considerate he was being on this of all mornings, well, he could absolutely be made to work as her husband.
She still wasn't sure when she'd be used to that word, though.
But what had he been saying? "A cure..? Uh, no. Probably one of the higher mysteries the shamans keep for themselves. And, uh, speaking of them, we can't stay in bed all day: they have to marry us again today, the Bartone way." She gave him a sheepish smile, "They traveled a long way, yes? Like me? Need to be there, despite our, uh, condition."
"As for the drinking...well, I didn't know kumis was so good!"
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Post by Retrograde on Apr 12, 2018 4:55:17 GMT
Barshiger flopped his head down onto the pillow, and gave and exaggerated sigh. "Right. I had forgotten about that. I swear, when I am king, I am just going to merge the two traditions to spare our sons and daughters."
He rose from bed, letting the covers fall off of him, and cracked his back. He felt the cool morning air against him, and searched for his clothing. He could find his, but no trace of Haian's. Where it could have gone, he was not sure. Instead, he took his silk shirt, and tossed it along with his sash to her while he pulled on his pants. Then, he smirked at her.
"If we don't have any priestess cure, then we're doing it military style: hair of the dog that bit us."
He wandered out from the yurt. "Hey, can we get a bucket of ale here?" He called out. Some servants nodded and came rushing with a heavy pitcher of the stuff. He waved them off, and headed back inside.
"So, second ceremony. Remind me, which is the one who doesn't like me, your mother or your aunt?"
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Post by Zoilus on Apr 12, 2018 5:11:07 GMT
Watching Barshiger get dressed was a nice distraction, so she decided to take the last few moments of relaxation she could. "Merge them? I think this will be our first disagreement: what would they learn from that?" But then he started shouting for ale. She'd actually never had a drop of the stuff until yesterday evening, and hadn't exactly liked it, but if her tongue's suffering spared the rest of her body, so be it.
Getting up, she carefully lifted the their sleeping mat from the ground, revealing her neatly folded clothes underneath. It seemed that some things never changed, no matter how deep in the cups you were! Similing, she quickly changed, and was presentable when the ale bearing servants arrived. She snapped her fingers at them, motioned for a cup, and drained it in one drought. Perhaps she was feeling better...?
"It's both, I'm afraid. Aunt wanted me to marry her son, to give him a chance to succeed my father, and mother wanted me to more completely devote myself to the gods. But cousin Adaric is a toad, and the gods didn't make me," she motioned to her face and body, "for abstinence. But on the bright side, father likes you!"
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Post by Retrograde on Apr 12, 2018 5:19:48 GMT
Barshiger drained one cup, quickly followed by another, then dismissed the servants. Thankfully they had enough sense to leave the bucket behind. He looked over at Haian, rubbing the back of his neck.
"We are lucky you are not Gad, then. Mothers have the final veto on their children's marriages. Mom likes you though, always sang your praises after the meetings she had with you and your father."
He wandered back over to her, sitting down next to her.
"I am sure those two will come to love me in time. I am told I am quite charming," he said with a teasing tone. "You want to try for breakfast or should I get you something to uh... Empty your stomach into first?"
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Post by Zoilus on Apr 12, 2018 6:20:16 GMT
Haian gave Barshiger an incredulous look, “I’m not eating until the ceremony tonight. Not being able to keep down your wedding feast is, ah, a bad omen.” Her gaze softened, “But thank you for the offer. For now, I think this should be enough,” she said as she drained another cup of ale. Perhaps she would learn to love this swill!
“Those ‘meetings’ with your mother, though, I think are misnamed. I’ve never met two people who so skillfully and so obliviously talked at one another for as long as my father and your mother managed! I never even got a word in! But,” she pouted, “I’m happy I made a good impression, at least.”
“And about my mother- she doesn’t hate you, not really. She’s just frustrated with the situation she’s found herself in, so, uh, try not to be charming with her. Give her space and time, and,” she grinned, sliding in close to Barshiger. He face turned scarlet, and she whispered in his ear, “Save that charm for me!”
As quick as she moved in, she hopped up, and moved towards the tent flap. Turning around, she gave her new husband a wink, “Now, my aunt, she’ll always hate you, so be as charming as you like. I have to go to a little ceremony this morning with the other shamans that will be laying the cosmic groundwork for our…,” she licked her lips, “union, and you’re allowed to come. For everyone who isn’t my mother or aunt, it will make a very good impression.”
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Post by Zoilus on Apr 12, 2018 18:14:03 GMT
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Forge of Titans-Prequel II
Aphras, First Tribune of the Second 'Azure' Legion, leaned back in his saddle, finally able to relax. After marching north and west with his detachment for nearly a month, the resplendent, if isolating, vision of nature had finally given way to the dirty smoke and roaring chatter of General Barshiger's encampment. The march was supposed to have been the easy part of this assignment, but between bandits, marauders, and the substandard harvest of the past few years...well, it hadn't been difficult, but it certainly was annoying. These the weren't the kinds of problems that would vanish when he linked up with the main army, but at least he wouldn't be the only one responsible for them anymore!
As he grew closer to the main camp, what Aphras could only assume was a sentry rushed up to him, and started barking in a language he couldn't understand. Gad? Aphras sighed, and in his slowest, simplest Imperial Haestian, replied, "I am First Tribune Aphras, here with your reinforcements. Direct me to the General at once."
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The elements of the Second Legion hadn't come alone, however. From the capital in Tirobashta, the high legates and direct functionaries of the emperor had decided that to help further shore up the army in the north against this new incursion, more numbers were required: to that end, a well sized and easily available band of mercenaries had been acquired. Kavehris had known the boss was looking for better contracts than what the caravan merchants usually paid, but getting this close to Imperials for a battle they were desperate enough to hire them for? It made her suspicious, a few sacks of aureii be damned.
What made things worse was that the Second Legion were mostly Elogaeans, and while most of the company, Kavehris included, were Qadam: those wounds weren't healing fast, and close quarters were only causing friction with them. Well, that had been the case until she and her men stopped a night raid or two into the camp: adversity could make friends of anyone, it seemed.Kavehris and some of the boss's other top dogs had actually started rubbing shoulders with the Legion's ranking officers after that, even the high-and-mighty First Tribune...once you got a few drinks in them, you could barely make out the difference between merc and legionnaire!
Still, even with a little increased camaraderie, the march had been a slog, and she was more than happy to see the huge Imperial camp: it was time to but up her tent and let someone else take the gods damned night watch!
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