Stories from Eave: Rin's Tale 9

Chapter 2

That night Rin’s dreams were troubled.  It wasn’t dreams of Redcap goblins, but of tall, statuesque blondes that haunted her dreams.  She woke breathing fast and sweating a little bit.  “Get yourself together girl,” she muttered to herself as she cupped her head with a hand.  She rolled out of bed and shook the cobwebs of the night from her head and stumbled over the bathroom.  She stared at herself in the mirror and yawned deeply.  It was going to be a long day.

Looking refreshed as she tugged up her glove on her prosthetic hand, she went to the kitchens to fetch herself and Itami’s breakfast.  Normally, it would have been brought up to Itami’s room by a servant but Rin walked down to take it from him.  She threw on some more fruit a loaf of bread and some additional ham made from a cudder.  There were no animal native to Earth or any number of worlds that the humans have colonized before crash landing on Eave save for a close approximation of a chicken that was made in the early days of the crash from scavenged genetic technology.  Dogs, cats and even ferrets were kept as pets and they survived and thrived despite the giant proportions of the native fauna.  Cudders were a close approximation of an Earth pig.  At least that is what the first forced colonists said of the giant six-legged creatures that stood as tall as a man.

Rin passed through the outer chamber’s to Itami’s room where Sir Hanar stayed.  He was taking a bath and Rin left him the extra food that she brought up with her after calling out to him that she brought him breakfast.  She sighed as she stood outside Itami’s door.  She steeled her nerve and knocked on the door, before going in.

“Put the breakfast on the table,” Itami called out from behind a privacy screen.  Rin put the tray down and sat down to eat.  She picked at the ham and the bread with some butter made of the aurach’s milk and sweetened with the honey made from the large native bees that lived on Eave.  “Oh,” Itami said when she came around the screen.

Rin stood up and then knelt down.  “Your highness.  I apologize for my behavior yesterday.  You of can of course defend yourself and the policies of North Realm.  Forgive me.”

Itami just stood there for a moment before speaking.  “Oh Rin.  Get up.  It is I who should apologize.  I know you were only looking out for me.”  She reached out with her hands to pick Rin up off the ground.  She hugged Rin.  Itami broke the hug.  “But seriously now, I know you are very smart, so take it easy on those of us who aren’t.”

“Of course Itami,” Rin responded with a smile.  “Again I am sorry.”

The two young women sat down and ate there breakfast and made of idle chit-chat.  Rin asked her how was schooling like for the two weeks she was gone.  Itami asked her about Rin’s brother and his impending marriage to an eladrin.  Rin hid it well, but a part of her was crushed that Aylen was getting married.  It was a fantasy anyway and she smiled as she ate.

“So,” Itami said a little apprehensively.  “I have been meaning to ask you something.”

“What is it?” Rin said as she bit down on the last of her bread.

Itami looked a bit uncomfortable but she took a deep breath and exhaled.  “Well, I have been asked by Rikkard to attend a pro-democracy meeting…”

Rin’s first and immediate answer as to say know, but she thought about it.  “Well, I am not too sure.  I am going to need more information on it.  We are also going to have to get Sir Hanar’s take on it and let Captain Vaughn know that you are going, IF we decide to go.”  Sir Hanar wasn’t going to like it and Captain Vaughn of the Maarke’s police force attachment that was assigned to guard Itami would absolutely hate the idea.  However, unless there was a direct threat on the Princess’s life, the decision belonged to Rin.  “We will let the good Captain know where it is so the place can be vetted.  I assume Rikkard at the very least have also been cleared, otherwise they wouldn’t have gotten so close to you already.”

Itami nodded.  “Yes mother,” she said sarcastically.  “I swear, you are just like her.”

“Not everyone will have your best interest at heart, dear.  We are just being careful.”  Rin smiled and cupped a hand over Itami's.