Searing 10 120 Age of Steel
Fae’ethalan
Male Appearance
Earthy Brown Eyes
Earthy Brown Hair
(Not) Wearing Mask
Fae’ethalan
Male Appearance
Earthy Brown Eyes
Earthy Brown Hair
(Not) Wearing Mask
Lessons From
A Snake
Dryka stood quietly in next to a fellow training Geraet. The two stood ramrod straight as they waited for their instructor to pay attention to them. Dryka glanced quickly at the full Geraet who was sitting at a desk reviewing the some type of paperwork. The young Fae was nearing graduation and was making visits to working members of the group. Today the two of them had been assigned to the Geraet Valina, one of the greatest housekeepers out there.
The robe and mask did much to hide the age of the woman who she was training under on this day, but Dryka noticed the hands of the woman were wrinkled, and slowly beginning to develop a claw like appendage. He pulled his gaze back when he saw the pen being set down. He saw out of the corner of his eye as Valina stand up, and was impressed with the speed that she moved. There was the rustle of skirts as she moved to stand before the two trainees. The house keepers mask was completely opened around the mouth allowing her voice to be heard clearly. There was a frown as her eyes studied the two of them behind a mask.
“Well you look promising.” She said finally, her voice rigid but her words promising. “You are Claudian.” She said pointing one gnarled hand at the Dryka’s one.
“Yes Geraet.” Came the soprano response from the masked figure next to her.
“Then you would be Dryka.” She said moving the aged finger in Dryka’s direction.
“Yes Geraet.” Dryka said his voice steady. He wondered at this introduction. The housekeeper watched them for a moment before speaking again. “You both are ready to graduate and join us in the as the hands of the Emperor.” It was very much a statement, “You have been sent to me for the hardest part of your training.” Again a statement, but Dryka could feel the unease of the Geraet next to him. He was also a bit confused, they had gone through years of grueling training and tests to get them to this point. What did she mean the hardest part. “Sit on the couch and take those masks off. We are all siblings.” It was true that their teachers had taught them that they were a group and that they served the Emperor first but were loyal to each other as long as it didn’t affect the first loyalty.
Dryka didn’t hesitate and took a seat on the comfortable couch something not often offered to him and the other trainees. While he settled into the couch he looked over and saw Valina take off her mask as she settled into a comfy looking chair. Dryka paused for a moment before removing his own mask. The face behind his instructor’s mask was one of beauty, age, and a cool calculation. He then glanced over at Claudian. He had seen her face a few time before as would happen when one was trained together for all of these years.
The young man focused on the older woman who was as intently watching them. “What is the purpose of the Geraets.” She asked suddenly.
“To serve as the hands of the Emperor, to bring his strength to the people of the Imperium.” Both said in unison.
“What does that actually mean.” She asked.
“It means that we and are talents our gifts from the Emperor to his loyal servants.” Claudin replied promptly but Dryka hesitated. It was the standard answer given when they were children, but Dryka felt there was something more.
“Straight from the script dear sister.” Valina said her statement not really showing any thoughts behind it. She paused and looked at Dryka, “You hesitate.”
Dryka shifted uneasily and then finally spoke. “That statement is true.” He said quickly but then embolden by housekeeper’s expression he continued. “I think it means more then just going and cleaning rich people’s houses or balance there check books. While that is nice and helps with some stability, we are one of the Emperor’s forces for true stability in the Imperium.” He paused realizing he was going around in circles.
“You have the idea even if you can’t clearly state it.” She said and gave them a smile. Well Dryka though it might have been one, but if it was then she clearly didn’t use it often. “I stated that this will be the hardest part. I am well aware that you have been through the hell hole of training to find your talents.” She tried to smile again. “I to went through that phase. No you are well trained and will receive your assignments.” She looked at Claudin. “You will take my place here unless you manage to completely bungle something up between now and then. No know you have to learn how to be useful back to the Emperor.”
“We obviously tell him anything bad we hear about, such as treasons talk.” The young woman said.
“Again straight from the text book.” Valina said back. She looked at Dryka. “Can you give me something original.”
Dyrka paused and felt like a little animal faced with a snake who wanted it for lunch. He finally spoke. “We have to do more then pass reports back, we have to work to influence those around us.” He paused not seeing any emotion or response for the old woman but continued. “If we are only listening we for casual conversation we won’t often hear something incriminating. We need to learn everything about our situation and manipulate it.”
She tried smiling again, and Dryka wished she would stop. “Excellent.” She said. “What can you tell me about the family in this house.” She suddenly asked.
“The head of the house is well respected, he does well with his proprieties and business, his only really big drain is his eldest son whose habits have embarrassed the family and to an extent the Emperor.” Claudin said and there was a hint of reproach in her voice. Dryka watched the house keepers expression and saw a glimmer of pride in her eyes. Dryka was aware of the whisper made in the school that Valina was one of the great Geraet’s of this generation, her only failure was the son. He had once been promising youth, but not anymore.
Dryka’s eyes opened wide as something came to him. “You did that on purpose.” He blurted out. The woman looked at him and grinned. This came naturally to her unlike the smile, but it sent a shiver up Dryka’s spine.
“You have the making of a great Geraet.” She said and then said. “Yes I did, and that activity earned me the personal recognition of the Emperor himself.” She turned that predatory grin on her replacement. “He was promising but he also found a crowd that pushing him to treasonous activities. I won’t bore you with all of the details, but basically I made sure he was no longer useful to those traitors.”
“So while there is a bit of embarrassment now, the families wealth and influence will continue to support the Emperor, where as even if the son hadn’t ever actually joined a movement, as he came to power he could influence a move away from the Emperor.” Dryka said. “So in the long run you have secured this family for another generation.”
“Exactly. We are the hands of the Emperor, or you could even say we are his spies. Our job is more then being a tattle tale, it is doing what we need to in order to keep order in this land and keep the wisdom of the Emperor the guiding light of the Imperium.” The Housekeeper said. “But this is what I teaching you now. How to use the tools at our disposal, while at the same time not making it obvious. The reason the Emperor puts us in as servants is because servants are easier to forget about. No one questions a servant walking the house or a business.”
“So we need to be able to act but do it in such a way that we don’t stand out.” Dryka said. “so that when people go to point fingers they don’t instantly jump to the Geraet in the house. We are the walls that people talk to not excepting an answer or even a response beyond what we are told to do.”
“Yes.” Dryka shivered again at that grin as his teaching continued. “Remember that the Emperor will reward you for helping to save the lives of his people and protecting us from the insides.”
Dryka nodded his head taking these lesson’s into account and storing them away. Yes the time to serve the Emperor was coming soon.
A Snake
Dryka stood quietly in next to a fellow training Geraet. The two stood ramrod straight as they waited for their instructor to pay attention to them. Dryka glanced quickly at the full Geraet who was sitting at a desk reviewing the some type of paperwork. The young Fae was nearing graduation and was making visits to working members of the group. Today the two of them had been assigned to the Geraet Valina, one of the greatest housekeepers out there.
The robe and mask did much to hide the age of the woman who she was training under on this day, but Dryka noticed the hands of the woman were wrinkled, and slowly beginning to develop a claw like appendage. He pulled his gaze back when he saw the pen being set down. He saw out of the corner of his eye as Valina stand up, and was impressed with the speed that she moved. There was the rustle of skirts as she moved to stand before the two trainees. The house keepers mask was completely opened around the mouth allowing her voice to be heard clearly. There was a frown as her eyes studied the two of them behind a mask.
“Well you look promising.” She said finally, her voice rigid but her words promising. “You are Claudian.” She said pointing one gnarled hand at the Dryka’s one.
“Yes Geraet.” Came the soprano response from the masked figure next to her.
“Then you would be Dryka.” She said moving the aged finger in Dryka’s direction.
“Yes Geraet.” Dryka said his voice steady. He wondered at this introduction. The housekeeper watched them for a moment before speaking again. “You both are ready to graduate and join us in the as the hands of the Emperor.” It was very much a statement, “You have been sent to me for the hardest part of your training.” Again a statement, but Dryka could feel the unease of the Geraet next to him. He was also a bit confused, they had gone through years of grueling training and tests to get them to this point. What did she mean the hardest part. “Sit on the couch and take those masks off. We are all siblings.” It was true that their teachers had taught them that they were a group and that they served the Emperor first but were loyal to each other as long as it didn’t affect the first loyalty.
Dryka didn’t hesitate and took a seat on the comfortable couch something not often offered to him and the other trainees. While he settled into the couch he looked over and saw Valina take off her mask as she settled into a comfy looking chair. Dryka paused for a moment before removing his own mask. The face behind his instructor’s mask was one of beauty, age, and a cool calculation. He then glanced over at Claudian. He had seen her face a few time before as would happen when one was trained together for all of these years.
The young man focused on the older woman who was as intently watching them. “What is the purpose of the Geraets.” She asked suddenly.
“To serve as the hands of the Emperor, to bring his strength to the people of the Imperium.” Both said in unison.
“What does that actually mean.” She asked.
“It means that we and are talents our gifts from the Emperor to his loyal servants.” Claudin replied promptly but Dryka hesitated. It was the standard answer given when they were children, but Dryka felt there was something more.
“Straight from the script dear sister.” Valina said her statement not really showing any thoughts behind it. She paused and looked at Dryka, “You hesitate.”
Dryka shifted uneasily and then finally spoke. “That statement is true.” He said quickly but then embolden by housekeeper’s expression he continued. “I think it means more then just going and cleaning rich people’s houses or balance there check books. While that is nice and helps with some stability, we are one of the Emperor’s forces for true stability in the Imperium.” He paused realizing he was going around in circles.
“You have the idea even if you can’t clearly state it.” She said and gave them a smile. Well Dryka though it might have been one, but if it was then she clearly didn’t use it often. “I stated that this will be the hardest part. I am well aware that you have been through the hell hole of training to find your talents.” She tried to smile again. “I to went through that phase. No you are well trained and will receive your assignments.” She looked at Claudin. “You will take my place here unless you manage to completely bungle something up between now and then. No know you have to learn how to be useful back to the Emperor.”
“We obviously tell him anything bad we hear about, such as treasons talk.” The young woman said.
“Again straight from the text book.” Valina said back. She looked at Dryka. “Can you give me something original.”
Dyrka paused and felt like a little animal faced with a snake who wanted it for lunch. He finally spoke. “We have to do more then pass reports back, we have to work to influence those around us.” He paused not seeing any emotion or response for the old woman but continued. “If we are only listening we for casual conversation we won’t often hear something incriminating. We need to learn everything about our situation and manipulate it.”
She tried smiling again, and Dryka wished she would stop. “Excellent.” She said. “What can you tell me about the family in this house.” She suddenly asked.
“The head of the house is well respected, he does well with his proprieties and business, his only really big drain is his eldest son whose habits have embarrassed the family and to an extent the Emperor.” Claudin said and there was a hint of reproach in her voice. Dryka watched the house keepers expression and saw a glimmer of pride in her eyes. Dryka was aware of the whisper made in the school that Valina was one of the great Geraet’s of this generation, her only failure was the son. He had once been promising youth, but not anymore.
Dryka’s eyes opened wide as something came to him. “You did that on purpose.” He blurted out. The woman looked at him and grinned. This came naturally to her unlike the smile, but it sent a shiver up Dryka’s spine.
“You have the making of a great Geraet.” She said and then said. “Yes I did, and that activity earned me the personal recognition of the Emperor himself.” She turned that predatory grin on her replacement. “He was promising but he also found a crowd that pushing him to treasonous activities. I won’t bore you with all of the details, but basically I made sure he was no longer useful to those traitors.”
“So while there is a bit of embarrassment now, the families wealth and influence will continue to support the Emperor, where as even if the son hadn’t ever actually joined a movement, as he came to power he could influence a move away from the Emperor.” Dryka said. “So in the long run you have secured this family for another generation.”
“Exactly. We are the hands of the Emperor, or you could even say we are his spies. Our job is more then being a tattle tale, it is doing what we need to in order to keep order in this land and keep the wisdom of the Emperor the guiding light of the Imperium.” The Housekeeper said. “But this is what I teaching you now. How to use the tools at our disposal, while at the same time not making it obvious. The reason the Emperor puts us in as servants is because servants are easier to forget about. No one questions a servant walking the house or a business.”
“So we need to be able to act but do it in such a way that we don’t stand out.” Dryka said. “so that when people go to point fingers they don’t instantly jump to the Geraet in the house. We are the walls that people talk to not excepting an answer or even a response beyond what we are told to do.”
“Yes.” Dryka shivered again at that grin as his teaching continued. “Remember that the Emperor will reward you for helping to save the lives of his people and protecting us from the insides.”
Dryka nodded his head taking these lesson’s into account and storing them away. Yes the time to serve the Emperor was coming soon.
