The samurai were quickly settled into their quarters. The main body of the
guard was in a barracks formerly belonging to a cohort of the King's Own.
They would also share the Own's mess hall and stables. Since it was a
regiment of mostly noble young men, the barracks was fairly luxurious
compared to what they were used to, and all of the men were perfectly
happy.
Captain Taro had been given the room mean for the captain of the cohort. This came with a small dressing room attached, which probably served double duty as a bedroom for a squire, and this Kel quickly took possession of. After all, she was a takuro, the Yamani equivalent of a squire. Kel looked around the small room with satisfaction. It was small, she conceded, but it was more spacious by far than anything she'd had in a long time, and the furnishings were all amazingly luxurious. Her things had already been tidied away by one of the many palace servants, and her formal uniform was laid out on a chair.
This was her formal uniform rather than her everyday one, since tonight she would be serving at the state banquet dinner. Captain Taro had been invited to sit at a place of honour at the High Table, and had immediately told Kel to make herself ready. She would wear a black velvet tunic with his personal crest embroidered on her shoulder in the middle of the single red stripe that she was required to wear from her left shoulder to her right hip on her front and back. This came over a silk black shirt and soft woollen breeches. She belted her tunic securely with a stiff, red leather belt and slid her dagger into its sheath. Even at a formal meal where swords were banned, she must not be totally weaponless and unable do defend her lord and lady.
This was all very nice, she admitted, at least to look at, but it was damned uncomfortable to wear, at least compared to what she was used to. It felt almost too nice. Kel made her way to Master Oakbridge's office with a sense of resignation, after all there was nothing at all she could do about it. Master Oakbridge was the Master of Ceremonies at the palace, and organised the serving on such occasions. She had had to serve under him once. That had been at the Midwinter Festival, when even the pages were conscripted into serving the huge numbers of guests. There was a fleeting chance that even he might recognise her. She dismissed the thought. She had changed so much, grown in particular, that with her black hair and strange uniform, anyone who hadn't known her well and was expecting to see a Yamani boy would see him and not the probationary page who had served at the palace for one short year.
There was already a crowd milling around in his reception room. All of the boys, young men rather, standing there were squires and in various colours and styles of uniform. Kel reasoned that she should probably have known most of them, but the only one she recognised was red haired Cleon of Kennan - after all, with his hair and height he was hard to miss. To her surprise, he was wearing Mindelan colours, meaning that he must be squiring one of her brothers, probably Inness. Anders was wounded of course, and Conal was such an unsavoury brute she couldn't see even Cleon accepting him as a knight master, no matter how desperate he was.
One of the squires noticed her standing in the doorway. He appeared to be a few years older than she was.
"Can I help you? I'm Yancen of Irenroha." Kel bowed to him politely, Yamani style. Scanning her memories, she realised that she should have recognised him, although he was a good few years older. "I am Akio, takuro to Captain Taro. I am to serve at the banquet tonight."
"Welcome to the palace. Master Oakbridge will probably be here soon." When the man came at last, he announced that 'Akio' would be serving at the High Table with one of the oldest squires. That meant she'd be serving the royal family, the important Yamanis and some of the most important Tortallan nobles. It was one of the largest tables, and required two squires to serve it properly. It was also the place of the greatest responsibility since they were waiting on the King himself. Kel managed to survive it, just, and came away feeling that she hadn't totally disgraced the Yamanis.
Captain Taro had been given the room mean for the captain of the cohort. This came with a small dressing room attached, which probably served double duty as a bedroom for a squire, and this Kel quickly took possession of. After all, she was a takuro, the Yamani equivalent of a squire. Kel looked around the small room with satisfaction. It was small, she conceded, but it was more spacious by far than anything she'd had in a long time, and the furnishings were all amazingly luxurious. Her things had already been tidied away by one of the many palace servants, and her formal uniform was laid out on a chair.
This was her formal uniform rather than her everyday one, since tonight she would be serving at the state banquet dinner. Captain Taro had been invited to sit at a place of honour at the High Table, and had immediately told Kel to make herself ready. She would wear a black velvet tunic with his personal crest embroidered on her shoulder in the middle of the single red stripe that she was required to wear from her left shoulder to her right hip on her front and back. This came over a silk black shirt and soft woollen breeches. She belted her tunic securely with a stiff, red leather belt and slid her dagger into its sheath. Even at a formal meal where swords were banned, she must not be totally weaponless and unable do defend her lord and lady.
This was all very nice, she admitted, at least to look at, but it was damned uncomfortable to wear, at least compared to what she was used to. It felt almost too nice. Kel made her way to Master Oakbridge's office with a sense of resignation, after all there was nothing at all she could do about it. Master Oakbridge was the Master of Ceremonies at the palace, and organised the serving on such occasions. She had had to serve under him once. That had been at the Midwinter Festival, when even the pages were conscripted into serving the huge numbers of guests. There was a fleeting chance that even he might recognise her. She dismissed the thought. She had changed so much, grown in particular, that with her black hair and strange uniform, anyone who hadn't known her well and was expecting to see a Yamani boy would see him and not the probationary page who had served at the palace for one short year.
There was already a crowd milling around in his reception room. All of the boys, young men rather, standing there were squires and in various colours and styles of uniform. Kel reasoned that she should probably have known most of them, but the only one she recognised was red haired Cleon of Kennan - after all, with his hair and height he was hard to miss. To her surprise, he was wearing Mindelan colours, meaning that he must be squiring one of her brothers, probably Inness. Anders was wounded of course, and Conal was such an unsavoury brute she couldn't see even Cleon accepting him as a knight master, no matter how desperate he was.
One of the squires noticed her standing in the doorway. He appeared to be a few years older than she was.
"Can I help you? I'm Yancen of Irenroha." Kel bowed to him politely, Yamani style. Scanning her memories, she realised that she should have recognised him, although he was a good few years older. "I am Akio, takuro to Captain Taro. I am to serve at the banquet tonight."
"Welcome to the palace. Master Oakbridge will probably be here soon." When the man came at last, he announced that 'Akio' would be serving at the High Table with one of the oldest squires. That meant she'd be serving the royal family, the important Yamanis and some of the most important Tortallan nobles. It was one of the largest tables, and required two squires to serve it properly. It was also the place of the greatest responsibility since they were waiting on the King himself. Kel managed to survive it, just, and came away feeling that she hadn't totally disgraced the Yamanis.