This chapter sounds kind of weird, so if you have any suggestions about how
I could improve it, I would be very happy. :-) Thanks for the reviews!
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Bastal turned out to be a well-fortified base. It was surrounded by a tall wooden wall topped with metal barbs. A stone wall was in the process of being built around the fort. Although it was still fairly short, the new wall was obviously quite sturdy. The Freak Show's guide led them through the only gate and into the city. Most of the building were small structures constructed of logs or mud bricks.
The knight took them to one of the larger houses.
"Wait here," she ordered, vanishing into a room beyond.
The Freak Show had been stuffed into what appeared to be a tiny conference room. A small oak table and a limited number of chairs with red silk cushions sat in the center. The room was built to seat only a few people at a time. Nine girls plus a bowl of porridge made it uncomfortably cramped inside. Sir Roderic and an elven woman entered, making the situation even worse.
"Which one of you is the leader?" Roderic demanded.
"The Freak Show has a complex system of social structure." Ara lectured. "We believe that no freak is above another and there is no set leader. We all share the power and--"
"You!" Sir Roderic interrupted, pointing at Ara. "Come here!"
"Someone needs an attitude adjustment," Ara mumbled under her breath.
She had to climb over Kee-Kee, Chippy, and Elizabeth to reach the Solamnic commander.
"This is Alija Moonwing, a Silvanesti cleric who is going to test to see if you're lying when you say you are not in Bastal to spy."
Alija reached toward Ara and closed her eyes. Ara looked rather startled, although nothing appeared to be happening. Alija turned away after a few seconds.
"They mean no harm," she told Roderic.
The commander nodded and thanked the elf. Alija left quickly, apparently not comfortable being so close to so many humans.
"It seems that you are allowed to stay. Before I take you to your new homes, we have to get you some decent clothing."
Chippy glanced down at her tank top and shorts.
"We forgot to change into Dragonlance clothes!" she gasped. "I knew we were forgetting something!"
Sir Roderic gave them a very strange look. Kee-Kee elbowed Chippy in the side in an attempt to silence her sister.
"Do you have a problem with denim?" Ray-Ray demanded, gazing down at her faded jeans.
"Edna, come here!" Roderic hollered.
The young Solamnic who had guided them to the city earlier scurried in.
"Yes, Sir?" she saluted as she spoke.
"Take these girls to the tailor to have their measurements taken. I don't want their bizarre clothing attracting attention."
"Yes, Sir." Edna answered with a bow.
Squirrel wondered how many times a day Edna said 'Yes, Sir,'.
Edna took them down a wide street that appeared to served as an open air market during the day. The Freak Show stretched and breathed the fresh air, glad to be out of the confines of the tiny meeting room.
"This is the tailor's shop," Edna explained, rapping on the door of a squat wooden building.
A sleepy looking man answered the door.
"Mr. Yorin!" Edna greeted the man warmly. "I am sorry to disturb you this late, but Sir Roderic wanted to have several newcomers fitted for new clothes immediately."
"Not a problem at all," Mr. Yorin assured her. "Come in, all of you."
They spent the following hour in the shop. Mr. Yorin and his apprentice, Anna, rapidly took measurements and later helped them choose fabrics and clothing styles. The tailors even agreed to make Porridge some scarves to wrap around himself.Their new outfits would be delivered when they were finished.
Chippy yawned widely when they exited. It had been a long day.
"Shall I show you to your cottages for the night?" Edna asked, her voice as formal as always.
"Please do," Squirrel murmured.
"Normally you would have to share a house with at least a couple other people," Edna informed them. "But we're trying to make our numbers look as large as possible to any observing enemy by filling all of the empty residences."
Edna stopped in a dark ally. The red and silver moons provided the only light. The houses that lined the narrow passages were dark and unused.
"Sir Gerard told me to let you choose any of the cabins here and tell me which one you've taken. He needs to know which buildings are occupied."
Once their new living space had been established, the group split up for the night.
Kee-Kee unlocked the door of her new home and glanced around. The main room served as a kitchen and living area. It was equipped basic furniture such as tables and chairs as well as a wood-burning stove. While it had everything she needed, Kee-Kee could tell that she would have to do some major decorating. It was so. . . clean. A few tidy bedrooms lay off the kitchen and living area. The small house was even advanced enough to have it's own bathroom, complete with indoor plumbing. She was greatful that they would not be forced to use outhouses.
Meticulously neat things such as this cottage annoyed Kee-Kee. However, she was too tired to make a decent clutter at the moment. Yanking her favorite blanket, which named The Blood Stained Shroud of Agranoth, out of her bag, Kee-Kee curled up on the soft bed in the largest bedroom and within minutes had fallen asleep.
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Bastal turned out to be a well-fortified base. It was surrounded by a tall wooden wall topped with metal barbs. A stone wall was in the process of being built around the fort. Although it was still fairly short, the new wall was obviously quite sturdy. The Freak Show's guide led them through the only gate and into the city. Most of the building were small structures constructed of logs or mud bricks.
The knight took them to one of the larger houses.
"Wait here," she ordered, vanishing into a room beyond.
The Freak Show had been stuffed into what appeared to be a tiny conference room. A small oak table and a limited number of chairs with red silk cushions sat in the center. The room was built to seat only a few people at a time. Nine girls plus a bowl of porridge made it uncomfortably cramped inside. Sir Roderic and an elven woman entered, making the situation even worse.
"Which one of you is the leader?" Roderic demanded.
"The Freak Show has a complex system of social structure." Ara lectured. "We believe that no freak is above another and there is no set leader. We all share the power and--"
"You!" Sir Roderic interrupted, pointing at Ara. "Come here!"
"Someone needs an attitude adjustment," Ara mumbled under her breath.
She had to climb over Kee-Kee, Chippy, and Elizabeth to reach the Solamnic commander.
"This is Alija Moonwing, a Silvanesti cleric who is going to test to see if you're lying when you say you are not in Bastal to spy."
Alija reached toward Ara and closed her eyes. Ara looked rather startled, although nothing appeared to be happening. Alija turned away after a few seconds.
"They mean no harm," she told Roderic.
The commander nodded and thanked the elf. Alija left quickly, apparently not comfortable being so close to so many humans.
"It seems that you are allowed to stay. Before I take you to your new homes, we have to get you some decent clothing."
Chippy glanced down at her tank top and shorts.
"We forgot to change into Dragonlance clothes!" she gasped. "I knew we were forgetting something!"
Sir Roderic gave them a very strange look. Kee-Kee elbowed Chippy in the side in an attempt to silence her sister.
"Do you have a problem with denim?" Ray-Ray demanded, gazing down at her faded jeans.
"Edna, come here!" Roderic hollered.
The young Solamnic who had guided them to the city earlier scurried in.
"Yes, Sir?" she saluted as she spoke.
"Take these girls to the tailor to have their measurements taken. I don't want their bizarre clothing attracting attention."
"Yes, Sir." Edna answered with a bow.
Squirrel wondered how many times a day Edna said 'Yes, Sir,'.
Edna took them down a wide street that appeared to served as an open air market during the day. The Freak Show stretched and breathed the fresh air, glad to be out of the confines of the tiny meeting room.
"This is the tailor's shop," Edna explained, rapping on the door of a squat wooden building.
A sleepy looking man answered the door.
"Mr. Yorin!" Edna greeted the man warmly. "I am sorry to disturb you this late, but Sir Roderic wanted to have several newcomers fitted for new clothes immediately."
"Not a problem at all," Mr. Yorin assured her. "Come in, all of you."
They spent the following hour in the shop. Mr. Yorin and his apprentice, Anna, rapidly took measurements and later helped them choose fabrics and clothing styles. The tailors even agreed to make Porridge some scarves to wrap around himself.Their new outfits would be delivered when they were finished.
Chippy yawned widely when they exited. It had been a long day.
"Shall I show you to your cottages for the night?" Edna asked, her voice as formal as always.
"Please do," Squirrel murmured.
"Normally you would have to share a house with at least a couple other people," Edna informed them. "But we're trying to make our numbers look as large as possible to any observing enemy by filling all of the empty residences."
Edna stopped in a dark ally. The red and silver moons provided the only light. The houses that lined the narrow passages were dark and unused.
"Sir Gerard told me to let you choose any of the cabins here and tell me which one you've taken. He needs to know which buildings are occupied."
Once their new living space had been established, the group split up for the night.
Kee-Kee unlocked the door of her new home and glanced around. The main room served as a kitchen and living area. It was equipped basic furniture such as tables and chairs as well as a wood-burning stove. While it had everything she needed, Kee-Kee could tell that she would have to do some major decorating. It was so. . . clean. A few tidy bedrooms lay off the kitchen and living area. The small house was even advanced enough to have it's own bathroom, complete with indoor plumbing. She was greatful that they would not be forced to use outhouses.
Meticulously neat things such as this cottage annoyed Kee-Kee. However, she was too tired to make a decent clutter at the moment. Yanking her favorite blanket, which named The Blood Stained Shroud of Agranoth, out of her bag, Kee-Kee curled up on the soft bed in the largest bedroom and within minutes had fallen asleep.