05-21-2018, 08:26 AM
Erik and Brynhild watched a small distance away as Minerva gave a dead priest his final rites, filling his grave in as she went.
“What do you think?” Brynhild asked, breaking the silence.
“Of what?”
“Minerva.”
“She's nice, and leagues cheerier than her brother.” Erik replied, picking his words carefully. The last thing he needed was for his retainer to realise he was attracted to the tombguard girl, lest she demand favours in exchange for not telling Sigurd.
“Why do you think someone wants her dead?” Brynhild wondered out loud.
“To get to Marcus, I assume.” Erik replied, watching as the death priestess moved onto the next grave. Brynhild murmured her agreement with his theory.
“Do you have any idea who’s behind it?” She asked.
“Well… I doubt they're from another cult. The tombguard don't have many foes among the faithful, and those they have are too small to consider drawing our attention. And those without any powers wouldn't even think of it.” Erik said, scratching his chin with thought.
“Do you think it's a coven, then?” Brynhild said, tilting her head to the side in curiosity.
“I'd wager on it. No idea what their gripe with Marcus or the tombguard is, but they must be large to consider attacking them.” The priest said, a hint of dread in his voice at the thought of a large coven of witches and magi.
“What are we talking about?” Minerva said brightly as she stabbed her shovel into the ground, having finished giving the last body their last rites.
“Nothing important.” Erik said, conscious not to reply too quickly.
“If you say so. Care to help me with the grave digging?” Minerva asked. “I don't mean to trouble you but it's slow work, and I could use some more hands.”
“Of course.” Erik said, perhaps a little too eagerly. If it bothered Minerva, however, she didn't show it.
“Great!” She said with a smile. “Let me just grab a couple of shovels.”
The trio got to work digging new graves, the air silent except for the clanking sound of shovels striking the frosty earth. Minerva worked diligently, a faint smile on her face even as she chipped away at the cold dirt. Erik and Brynhild were slightly less focused on their digging, however, their eyes darting around to ensure no assailants came out of the thin, wispy fog unseen. Fortunately, or possibly unfortunately, no assassins showed themselves, and within a few hours the trio had dug a dozen graves between themselves. Erik wiped sweat from his brow as Minerva announced that they had done enough work for the day. Despite the chill in the air, the work was surprisingly taxing and he found himself almost dripping with sweat. Brynhild and Minerva had fared no better, although the tombguard didn't seem to mind. The mindbreaker girl, however, wasn't feeling the positivity.
“Erik.” She hissed telepathically. “You didn't tell me we’d be doing so much hard labour.”
“I didn't know myself.” He replied with a shrug.
“I’m drenched in my own sweat and I stink!” She thought dramatically, a sour look crossing her face. “Please tell me that they have baths here.”
“They have baths, they're not savages.” Erik said, almost rolling his eyes. “Don't go running off to the bathroom when you should be guarding me, though.”
The retainer simply grunted in annoyance at her charge.
“Come on, let's go back to my house to wash ourselves off.” Minerva said, beckoning for the mindbreakers to follow her. The pair obeyed wordlessly, both glad to be able to wash themselves, although Erik was much more reserved than his half-annoyed, half-celebrating retainer.
Erik had imagined that the Augur house would be nice, but didn't expect the mansion that awaited him.
“Just you and your brother live here?” Erik asked, struggling to keep the incredulous tone out of his voice.
“Yep, ever since our parents, uh, passed on.” Minerva said, a small hint of sadness slipping into her voice. Erik was crushed to see the cheerful girl upset, even just a mote.
“I'm sorry.” He said, unsure of what else to do. Most priests in the north had heard when two high ranking tombguards were killed, leaving their son in charge as the youngest high elder in the cult’s history, but that did little to soften the impact when Minerva’s smile dropped for a moment.
“It’s alright, I know you didn't mean to offend. You're in a similar boat, are you not?” She said, her eyes full of sympathy as they swept over Erik.
“Well… About half as much as you, I suppose.” Erik said, choking a little on his words.
“Don’t worry.” She said, flashing the mindbreaker a reassuring smile. “We’ll be reunited with them in the afterlife some day.” The priest nodded back at the girl. It offered some respite, of course, but didn't completely numb the sting of loss.
“Let me show you inside.” Minerva said, seemingly back to her cheerful self. “Marcus should still be out, so you don't need to worry about, well, butting heads with him.”
“Damn…” Erik muttered under his breath, but apparently not low enough to escape Brynhild’s ears.
“Erik!” She hissed. “What did I tell you.”
“Don't worry, we won't have another game of ‘who can throw the other off the mountain first’. Unless he's dumb enough to want a rematch.” He replied, almost a grinning at the exasperated expression on his retainer’s face. Entering the manor, Erik’s jabs at Brynhild were silenced by awe. Looking even more regal inside than out, the manor had no expense spared in its construction. The interior of the building was made of fine wood, rather than the stone and various eldritch materials most of the mindbreaker temple city was constructed from, including the Vrell household.
“By the Gods…” Erik said in wonder, drawing a giggle from Minerva.
“It is quite impressive, isn't it.” She said. “Oh, my apologies, I don't mean to brag. Let me show you to the guest baths.” The tombguard led her bodyguards up a flight of polished stairs and down a hall to a marvellously constructed marble bathroom.
“Who shall go first?” Brynhild asked, a desperate look in her eye. Erik sighed, deciding that he had tormented his retainer enough for today.
“Go ahead.” He said wearily.
“Oh, bless you, Erik!” She said, hugging him roughly for a second before rushing into the bathroom. The priest couldn't help but chuckle to himself at the girl.
“I hope you don't mind waiting.” Erik said, turning to Minerva. “It's just best to let her go when she gets like that.”
“Oh, it's fine.” Minerva said, smiling warmly, before averting her gaze slightly. “So, are you two…”
“Hmm? Oh, Gods no. We’re just close, she's been my retainer since I was ten, maybe younger.” The psychic, chuckling slightly.
“Retainer?” The tombguard inquired, staring blankly.
“You don't know what a retainer is? I guess the tombguard don't have them…” Erik thought out loud. “She was assigned to me as my bodyguard and companion when we were young.”
“Ah, I see.” Minerva said. “And you really don't have any romantic feelings for her?”
“No, we’re really just good friends.” Erik insisted. “My love for her is purely platonic.”
“So why are you standing so close to the bathroom door?” The tombguard girl inquired.
“We can't be further apart than we can communicate telepathically.” He said. “So I can't get too far away.”
“Hmm. And you've never tried to sneak a peek?” Minerva asked, her grin growing slightly as she teased the mindbreaker.
“No, of course not.” Erik said, the wise words of his brother ringing in his ears as he spoke.
‘Look, Erik, you've got a prime opportunity. I know the rules, okay, as long as you don't touch her or yourself to the thought of her, you're not doing anything wrong!’
The pair idly chatted while Brynhild bathed, until the priestess emerged from the bathroom in a clean tunic. She still wore her cloak, which had managed to stay clear of sweat.
“Where did that come from?” Erik inquired.
“There's clean clothes in the bathroom, it's amazing!” She said.
“I’ll get someone to take your clothes for cleaning.” Minerva said, before turning to Erik. “Do you want to go next?”
“No, you can go.”
“Oh, thank you.” The tombguard said as she entered the bathroom. Erik stretched his tired muscles as he waited for his turn, before noticing that Brynhild was grinning at him.
“What?” He asked, having no idea what she could be grinning at.
“You said you love me.” She grinned.
“Platonically.” Erik corrected.
“Eh, it's the best any girl other than Freya has gotten.” The retainer said with a shrug, before lowering her voice so just Erik could hear her. “Well, Minerva might be coming to take that title, though.”
“Huh?” Erik asked, thankful for his ability to restrain his emotions, keeping his surprise in check.
“We’ve shared a psychic link for almost ten years, reading each other's emotions is so easy you don't even realise you're doing it most of the time.” She said, smiling wryly.
There was a moment of silence between the two mindbreakers. “Okay, what do you want?”
“At least two variations of ‘you’re amazing, Brynhild’ a day for the next week, and you have to do my share of our chores.”
“Fine…” Erik said, exasperated. At least it beat having Sigurd tease him about his infatuation with Minerva. That truly was a fate worse than death.
“What do you think?” Brynhild asked, breaking the silence.
“Of what?”
“Minerva.”
“She's nice, and leagues cheerier than her brother.” Erik replied, picking his words carefully. The last thing he needed was for his retainer to realise he was attracted to the tombguard girl, lest she demand favours in exchange for not telling Sigurd.
“Why do you think someone wants her dead?” Brynhild wondered out loud.
“To get to Marcus, I assume.” Erik replied, watching as the death priestess moved onto the next grave. Brynhild murmured her agreement with his theory.
“Do you have any idea who’s behind it?” She asked.
“Well… I doubt they're from another cult. The tombguard don't have many foes among the faithful, and those they have are too small to consider drawing our attention. And those without any powers wouldn't even think of it.” Erik said, scratching his chin with thought.
“Do you think it's a coven, then?” Brynhild said, tilting her head to the side in curiosity.
“I'd wager on it. No idea what their gripe with Marcus or the tombguard is, but they must be large to consider attacking them.” The priest said, a hint of dread in his voice at the thought of a large coven of witches and magi.
“What are we talking about?” Minerva said brightly as she stabbed her shovel into the ground, having finished giving the last body their last rites.
“Nothing important.” Erik said, conscious not to reply too quickly.
“If you say so. Care to help me with the grave digging?” Minerva asked. “I don't mean to trouble you but it's slow work, and I could use some more hands.”
“Of course.” Erik said, perhaps a little too eagerly. If it bothered Minerva, however, she didn't show it.
“Great!” She said with a smile. “Let me just grab a couple of shovels.”
The trio got to work digging new graves, the air silent except for the clanking sound of shovels striking the frosty earth. Minerva worked diligently, a faint smile on her face even as she chipped away at the cold dirt. Erik and Brynhild were slightly less focused on their digging, however, their eyes darting around to ensure no assailants came out of the thin, wispy fog unseen. Fortunately, or possibly unfortunately, no assassins showed themselves, and within a few hours the trio had dug a dozen graves between themselves. Erik wiped sweat from his brow as Minerva announced that they had done enough work for the day. Despite the chill in the air, the work was surprisingly taxing and he found himself almost dripping with sweat. Brynhild and Minerva had fared no better, although the tombguard didn't seem to mind. The mindbreaker girl, however, wasn't feeling the positivity.
“Erik.” She hissed telepathically. “You didn't tell me we’d be doing so much hard labour.”
“I didn't know myself.” He replied with a shrug.
“I’m drenched in my own sweat and I stink!” She thought dramatically, a sour look crossing her face. “Please tell me that they have baths here.”
“They have baths, they're not savages.” Erik said, almost rolling his eyes. “Don't go running off to the bathroom when you should be guarding me, though.”
The retainer simply grunted in annoyance at her charge.
“Come on, let's go back to my house to wash ourselves off.” Minerva said, beckoning for the mindbreakers to follow her. The pair obeyed wordlessly, both glad to be able to wash themselves, although Erik was much more reserved than his half-annoyed, half-celebrating retainer.
Erik had imagined that the Augur house would be nice, but didn't expect the mansion that awaited him.
“Just you and your brother live here?” Erik asked, struggling to keep the incredulous tone out of his voice.
“Yep, ever since our parents, uh, passed on.” Minerva said, a small hint of sadness slipping into her voice. Erik was crushed to see the cheerful girl upset, even just a mote.
“I'm sorry.” He said, unsure of what else to do. Most priests in the north had heard when two high ranking tombguards were killed, leaving their son in charge as the youngest high elder in the cult’s history, but that did little to soften the impact when Minerva’s smile dropped for a moment.
“It’s alright, I know you didn't mean to offend. You're in a similar boat, are you not?” She said, her eyes full of sympathy as they swept over Erik.
“Well… About half as much as you, I suppose.” Erik said, choking a little on his words.
“Don’t worry.” She said, flashing the mindbreaker a reassuring smile. “We’ll be reunited with them in the afterlife some day.” The priest nodded back at the girl. It offered some respite, of course, but didn't completely numb the sting of loss.
“Let me show you inside.” Minerva said, seemingly back to her cheerful self. “Marcus should still be out, so you don't need to worry about, well, butting heads with him.”
“Damn…” Erik muttered under his breath, but apparently not low enough to escape Brynhild’s ears.
“Erik!” She hissed. “What did I tell you.”
“Don't worry, we won't have another game of ‘who can throw the other off the mountain first’. Unless he's dumb enough to want a rematch.” He replied, almost a grinning at the exasperated expression on his retainer’s face. Entering the manor, Erik’s jabs at Brynhild were silenced by awe. Looking even more regal inside than out, the manor had no expense spared in its construction. The interior of the building was made of fine wood, rather than the stone and various eldritch materials most of the mindbreaker temple city was constructed from, including the Vrell household.
“By the Gods…” Erik said in wonder, drawing a giggle from Minerva.
“It is quite impressive, isn't it.” She said. “Oh, my apologies, I don't mean to brag. Let me show you to the guest baths.” The tombguard led her bodyguards up a flight of polished stairs and down a hall to a marvellously constructed marble bathroom.
“Who shall go first?” Brynhild asked, a desperate look in her eye. Erik sighed, deciding that he had tormented his retainer enough for today.
“Go ahead.” He said wearily.
“Oh, bless you, Erik!” She said, hugging him roughly for a second before rushing into the bathroom. The priest couldn't help but chuckle to himself at the girl.
“I hope you don't mind waiting.” Erik said, turning to Minerva. “It's just best to let her go when she gets like that.”
“Oh, it's fine.” Minerva said, smiling warmly, before averting her gaze slightly. “So, are you two…”
“Hmm? Oh, Gods no. We’re just close, she's been my retainer since I was ten, maybe younger.” The psychic, chuckling slightly.
“Retainer?” The tombguard inquired, staring blankly.
“You don't know what a retainer is? I guess the tombguard don't have them…” Erik thought out loud. “She was assigned to me as my bodyguard and companion when we were young.”
“Ah, I see.” Minerva said. “And you really don't have any romantic feelings for her?”
“No, we’re really just good friends.” Erik insisted. “My love for her is purely platonic.”
“So why are you standing so close to the bathroom door?” The tombguard girl inquired.
“We can't be further apart than we can communicate telepathically.” He said. “So I can't get too far away.”
“Hmm. And you've never tried to sneak a peek?” Minerva asked, her grin growing slightly as she teased the mindbreaker.
“No, of course not.” Erik said, the wise words of his brother ringing in his ears as he spoke.
‘Look, Erik, you've got a prime opportunity. I know the rules, okay, as long as you don't touch her or yourself to the thought of her, you're not doing anything wrong!’
The pair idly chatted while Brynhild bathed, until the priestess emerged from the bathroom in a clean tunic. She still wore her cloak, which had managed to stay clear of sweat.
“Where did that come from?” Erik inquired.
“There's clean clothes in the bathroom, it's amazing!” She said.
“I’ll get someone to take your clothes for cleaning.” Minerva said, before turning to Erik. “Do you want to go next?”
“No, you can go.”
“Oh, thank you.” The tombguard said as she entered the bathroom. Erik stretched his tired muscles as he waited for his turn, before noticing that Brynhild was grinning at him.
“What?” He asked, having no idea what she could be grinning at.
“You said you love me.” She grinned.
“Platonically.” Erik corrected.
“Eh, it's the best any girl other than Freya has gotten.” The retainer said with a shrug, before lowering her voice so just Erik could hear her. “Well, Minerva might be coming to take that title, though.”
“Huh?” Erik asked, thankful for his ability to restrain his emotions, keeping his surprise in check.
“We’ve shared a psychic link for almost ten years, reading each other's emotions is so easy you don't even realise you're doing it most of the time.” She said, smiling wryly.
There was a moment of silence between the two mindbreakers. “Okay, what do you want?”
“At least two variations of ‘you’re amazing, Brynhild’ a day for the next week, and you have to do my share of our chores.”
“Fine…” Erik said, exasperated. At least it beat having Sigurd tease him about his infatuation with Minerva. That truly was a fate worse than death.
*The emperor of mankind yeets erik into a sun*
[Today 08:03 pm] Erik Vrell : Bruh
[Today 08:03 pm] The emperor of mankind : don't worship gods
[Today 08:03 pm] Erik Vrell : Bruh
[Today 08:03 pm] The emperor of mankind : don't worship gods