Out on the Ice, inside the Ruin Ship, Milla Talon-Hand sat upright on
her bed. She just finished a patrol around the Ship and very tired. With
nothing else to do, Milla studied a map of the Dark World, planning what
she should do next.
She was tracing a line that led to the Castle with her finger, when she thought of Tal. It seems to her, that Milla misses the adventure she had with Tal about two circlings ago (as in Icecarl reckoning). They had parted since, and Milla thought of him every day. She wondered if he, too, thought of her.
"Tal has more important things to do than think of me," she said, "But, surely, he hasn't forgotten about me. But, it's almost three cir-"
Saylsen, one of Milla's comrades in the infiltration of the Castle two circlings ago, stepped inside the room carrying a bowl of hot soup. She placed the bowl beside the map, and clapped her fists in the Icecarl greetings.
"Greetings, War-Chief. Here is your dinner," she said.
"Many thanks," replied Milla, "Um, Saylsen?"
"Yes, War-Chief?"
"I am taking a leave of absence for a while."
"And where are you going if I may ask?" she said, "And your business there?"
"Uh,I am going to the Castle. To visit the Emperor," she informed her, her cheeks going pink.
"Ah, of course." Saylsen replied, smiling. "We shall ready your sleigh." And she left, still grinning.
"I shouldn't have said that to her," Milla said aloud, feeling embarrassed. "But, there's no turning back now. I ordered them already."
She drank the soup in three gulps, grabbed the things she needed, and went out of the room, still blushing.
She was tracing a line that led to the Castle with her finger, when she thought of Tal. It seems to her, that Milla misses the adventure she had with Tal about two circlings ago (as in Icecarl reckoning). They had parted since, and Milla thought of him every day. She wondered if he, too, thought of her.
"Tal has more important things to do than think of me," she said, "But, surely, he hasn't forgotten about me. But, it's almost three cir-"
Saylsen, one of Milla's comrades in the infiltration of the Castle two circlings ago, stepped inside the room carrying a bowl of hot soup. She placed the bowl beside the map, and clapped her fists in the Icecarl greetings.
"Greetings, War-Chief. Here is your dinner," she said.
"Many thanks," replied Milla, "Um, Saylsen?"
"Yes, War-Chief?"
"I am taking a leave of absence for a while."
"And where are you going if I may ask?" she said, "And your business there?"
"Uh,I am going to the Castle. To visit the Emperor," she informed her, her cheeks going pink.
"Ah, of course." Saylsen replied, smiling. "We shall ready your sleigh." And she left, still grinning.
"I shouldn't have said that to her," Milla said aloud, feeling embarrassed. "But, there's no turning back now. I ordered them already."
She drank the soup in three gulps, grabbed the things she needed, and went out of the room, still blushing.