mogget_cat | To the Old Kingdom

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rachel,
yrael

To the Old Kingdom

(From here.)

The door he gallantly opened for her opened out into gently lapping waters, lit from overhead by a multitude of stars uncountable. So many together, they give off a glow stronger than the light of the full moon, singing softly of promised rest for those below. The insubstantial spirits of the dead rise from the waters, some quickly, eager for their eternal rest, and some slowly, fighting the pull even as they rise, foot by foot.

The two of them step down slightly into the water that only rises to their ankles, and Yrael closes the door behind them.

"As you can see," Yrael smiles. "I have been practicing even when not at the Milliways lake."

Despite the fact that the waters of Death aren't exactly the same as other water.

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"It is sad, what the barbarians did to our lofty Great Hall, with its tall windows of colored glass that turned the air inside into all the colors of sunset," the prince's voice is wistful as they turn from the staircase down a corridor to the right. "The thought that we should see it again restored..."

It's what keeps him going.

"You were no better off in those swamps than I, remember." He says, then pauses. There are voices coming, servants, talking of the midwinter feast coming up. Yrael steps forward to a small door in the wall. "In here," he says, opening it.

"It will be" she stated, firm and resolute. She'd believe nothing else. They'd see the flame washed halls again. They would.

"True, but I didn't have the luxury of complaining now did I? You called me a vicious snake for making you walk despite the illness...I won't forget that you know" she poked him gently in the ribs as she scooted into the room.

He shuts the door behind them, and listens quietly as the servants pass, still talking about all the food they're going to have to prepare.

"Actualy, faithful guard," he says as they step back into the now-clear corridor. "I was trying to point out the vicious snake that happened to be right near your leg at that moment, while we walked through the swamp. It must have been unclear, as I was so ill at the time."

"Sure you were, Highness. Just like you were trying to warn me about the strawberry tart after that?"

Take that as you would.

"Maybe we should stay for dinner" she noted, after the servants had passed "They said fish in there didn't they?"

"Clearly, I was delirious with the fever."

The treasury was just off to the right, around a corner. This time of day, there was only one guard, and he looked bored.

"...there is better food to be found in the marketplace, actually. Royal fare is all fripperies and no substance, even with the fish," he says, quietly.

"I would hope so, because wild tarts would have to investigated once we took care of our little assassin problem..." she noted quietly, peeking around the corner.

"We play "Don't see us, don't hear us" or do we yell boo?"

"I do not think yelling 'boo' would do us any good. He's a Charter Mage, if not a very strong one."

He tilts his head, almost seeming to listen. The Charter Magic, both the ambient Charter Marks of the castle and the feeling of it being used more actively elsewhere, Sameth probably skipped lunch today to keep working on whatever he might be inventing, would serve as a good silencer. One more spell probably wouldn't be heard.

"He can just fall asleep at his post, I think." Maybe if he's lucky, he'll wake up again before it's noticed that he fell asleep on watch. There are some rigorous punishments for that sort of thing.

It is little trouble for a couple of drawn Charter Marks, linked together and sent to him, to cause the guard to slowly lean back against the corridor wall and go limp. The heavy metal armor keeps him from falling to the floor, bracing him against the wall. The door to the treasury is clear.

"Show off" she muttered, poking him in the side again "I could have just leaned on him a little, no magic necessary you know" she chuckled.

"What else are loyal guards good for?"

"It is the curse of royal birth, a predisposition towards showing off and doing things more flashily than they could otherwise be done," he says, quickly sidestepping the poking and grinning at her.

"Loyal guards are good for... helping pick out the best treasure that would do far better as gifts and things than sitting around doing nothing in some dank treasury." Yrael winks. "Also, we should grab some Old Kingdom derniers in case we find anything we like in the marketplaces."

"Ah, well, you do have a point there majesty. You're designed to live your life in the spot light...must have been that pony on your third birthday. You've been insufferable since" she snickered.

"I can try, and I'll certainly give my all...." she admitted, peaking into the treasury. Sadly, it wasn't piled and spread about like a shining dragon's horde...but it was still impressive because of the sheer amount of boxes in there...

He spreads his hands as they walk through. "It wasn't even a very good pony."

He raises his eyebrows a little, seeing the boxes. "They've actually paid attention to this part of the treasury. I suppose the people in charge of knowing exactly how much money is owned by the royal family finally rebelled. Now I don't know which box contains what, and opening them means we might leave some sign that we've been here."

"Hey, it's wasn't the pony's fault that you thought it should jump over everything" she snorted.

She eyed the boxes too, then shrugged "Well...it looks like there's a door on the other side there? Maybe the spring accounting hasn't gotten too far yet?"

"At least it came in useful when I wanted to get out of that Spring feast, with all those horrid costumes. The court's faces were priceless."

"Let us hope. I'd rather they not know that someone has been using their funds for the past two years..." He goes to the door and opens it. A grin lights his face. "Perfect." And he goes in.

She had wanted a dragon's hoard? Here.

"Well, Highness, a broken arm and leg don't really constitute a "safer" recourse..." she teased, following.

Oh...my...the shiny...

"It's going to be like looking for a needle in a haystack" she noted simply.

"How was I to know the grand visier couldn't hold his liquor?" He says, defensively.

He wanders through, skirting the large piles of gold coins and the occasional trinket. There are some small piles of only necklaces, or only rings, or only a certain kind of coin. "Or a specific kind of needle in a needle stack. It looks like they have just started on organizing and recording the contents of this room. All the better for us."

"Study, highness. It was written down for you" ah, the trials of royalty. So many quirky couriers to know...

Then she grinned and started to drift away from his side, the better for them both to cover as much territory as possible! "There's a whole pile of little carved animals.." she noted from a corner "Weird..."

His highness sticks out his tongue at his loyal guard. "I thought that is what I kept you around for, when not saving me from assassins. You saw more of the royal court than I did."

Probably because the prince was off gallivanting around the capital city.

"That is strange," Yrael says, making his way between two large piles of coins and strange, ornate jewelry. "...this probably is here because everyone was too afraid they'd blind someone if they wore it." He holds up a necklace so ostentatious that the actual shape of it is lost in all the shine. Facets glint everywhere.

Bling bling.

"I am not your social stand in" she sniffed, planting her fists on her hips. "And for the record, if I have to be? I'm denouncing you when we get our country back and stepping in as Princess so i get payed more for the trouble"

"Oh...gods...hide it!" she whimpered, shielding her eyes comically. "It's a weapon of state..." then she groaned "Jeweled...chamber pots."

He blinks, eyebrows raised. "...and who are you, my loyal guard's social stand-in?"

...Yrael looks contemplatively at the bejeweled chamber pots. "If I had ever shown the royal family respect before? This would be when I stopped."

But he's never respected them, so he doesn't need to bother with stopping.

"Think one of them would make a good Christmas present or something?" He grins. "I can just see the surprised delight spreading over someone's face as they open their gift to find..." He points at the one citrine-bedecked silver one, "...that."

Clearly, whoever chose yellow gems to go on a royal chamberpot had no respect for the royal family, either.

"I am your Loyal Guard, Sworn to be at your side, even when you go running off around the city. Do you have any idea how many stripes I've taken because I let you skip out on functions? As if I should have any control over you..." yes, it was all his fault.

Then she poked a chamber pot thoughtfully..."I guess someone could plant a tree in one or something? I mean...no other real use..."

Or they could give one to bar for a punch bowl!

"Clearly you had not had enough practice keeping up with me, as you got lost on that glacier while we were coming here."

The fact(?) that she was the one who knew where they were is irrelevant.

Perfect punchbowl. In fact,

"I think I know what I am getting Tom and Door for Christmas, now." Yrael blows sharply into the ~~chamberpot~~ punchbowl, sending a small cloud of dust into the air.

"It's easy to follow you, highness, after all, it's not as if you've ever contemplated camouflage..." she noted blandly. White when running? Not the greatest.

"Well, I hope they appreciate it" she chuckled, looking around for a discarded bag for ease of carrying...

And finding...broken bits!

Those were interesting...

"You stood out more on the glacier than I, sirrah" he says, aloof and princely.

Yrael makes a great flag of truce, in a pinch.

"I still need to get something for Svava and for Archie, and for Jason and Khemrys and Elizabeth and Moiraine and..."

Everyone. Silly Bright Shiner, waiting until last minute.

"We crossed the glacier mostly at night and I didn't relish the thought of FREEZING" she pointed out. "Blame your family for clothing the guard in red."

She was busy sifting through the broken bits, some of the ages past lost pieces falling to dust in her hands as she did so "Hmmm...there was a boat kind of thing near the animals? Archie and Svava like boats..." she noted.

"Actually, we did that for a reason. It made the guard easier targets than us. Distant glaciers were not taken into account." The Not'Cat Formerly Known as ~~Prince~~ Yrael leans over to pull a sack from where it was half-covered by a pile of silver coins.

"They do. I got Archie a model of a Belisaerian merchant ship, a year or so ago. What one is this?" He picks up the scale model of a ship and peers at it.

"Ha!" He grins. "I'm surprised it hasn't rotted. It's been over two hundred years since the Old Kingdom had a seagoing military force. Little need for one, when the primary threat can't cross running water."

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