Chapter 19
Kira was at the end of her patience. Breg's exuberance could be both uplifting and annoying at the same time. Breg argued with Kira for most of that day and it was a very long day indeed. They had guard duty for a few hours that seemed like an eternity on the ice. Breg had started to converse with Kira endlessly about trivial matters that didn't interest Kira in the slightest. Then when Kira was at breaking point she saw two figures come out of the snow. It was Milla Talon hand herself and Emperor Tal of the Chosen. Kira couldn't believe her luck. After exchanging a few passwords with Milla, Kira was left to guard Tal although she knew he didn't need it. Tal then started to talk to Kira which was an unnerving thing because she didn't know how to treat him. Obviously with respect but he was not of the ice and he was a stranger to the Ruin Ship as far as Kira knew so she just kept her distance and only replied in grunts and nods, portraying no emotions. Breg on the other hand couldn't stop her giggles at Kira's confusion and only annoyed her further. After a few minutes of waiting Tal was invited inside.
When they were relived of their post it was straight into training with the other shield maidens. They went on a hunt for an old selski, which to Kira was boring because she was always on look out with Breg. Kira and Breg were on watch once again for another few hours until the rest of the other shield maidens and the other shield maiden trainees returned.
The hunt was apparently fruitful just as Kira predicted. She saw the bags of selski meat that the others were carrying and was told to by her senior to help with the other bags. Kira shouldered two bags easily and started off towards the group with out any complaints. Breg on the other hand could keep her mouth shut, this resulted in punishment.
"Hey why do we get stuck with all the boring jobs, Kira? I only wanted to go on the hunt and I was denied again," Breg complained a little louder than she had meant.
Kira shot her a glance to silence her but it was too late. The head shield maiden had over heard and made the two take back all of the selski meat.
"You like work? Good, then I suppose you wouldn't mind taking all the bags back to the Ruin Ship," The head shield maiden said looking at both of the two girls who were lingering.
Kira nodded dejectedly but didn't object, she knew it would only further their punishment. Breg on the other hand couldn't keep quiet.
"But we have been on guard duty for over a month now and we would like to go on the hunt," Breg said a little indignantly.
"You want to hunt? Then I will assign you to glow jelly fishing for a month," the shield maiden said.
Kira knew that this was unfair and had to say something even when she knew it bring her more punishment.
"Salama we have been on guard duty for a long time but glow jelly fishing for a month is not fair," Kira said stoically as Breg brightened.
"You will help her then, you two will fish for glow jellies for a month and not do anything else," Salama ordered and moved off to join the others.
"So you do care," Breg said teasingly.
"I only wanted to help you and I get stuck with more punishment," Kira groaned and lifted another bag under her arm.
Hours later Kira and Breg carried the last bags into the store room on the Ruin Ship and were handed glow jelly rods by Salama.
"Go fish for twenty each and come back, you will both do this everyday for a month. When you have completed average work the other cadets do," Salama instructed.
Breg frown but didn't say anything to Kira's relief and they moved off to fish for the main source of light the Ruin Ship used. Kira and Breg went up to the frozen lakes where they met other sea urchin fishermen and women. They were herding barrels full of seaweed and urchins on to the wreska carriages. Breg and Kira looked for the closest thin ice pool they could find and started their little activity. They were in the cold snow for hours when they finally caught their first glow jelly. Breg was practically ecstatic jumping up and down as she tossed the jelly into the bucket.
"One down nineteen left to go," Kira said dully.
"Cheer up Kira we're having fun," Breg said and smashed another hole into the ice to start again.
Another four hours and Breg had caught a large glow jelly and a heap of others. When she had caught at least eighteen Kira started to get nibbles. Kira had hoped she would get a large one but it was only a very small one but it shined bright enough. Kira tossed it onto her bucket and was surprised to see Breg all done.
"I'll help you," Breg said and crouched next to Kira still smiling broadly and humming a tune.
Kira didn't mind the closeness. It was freezing at the lakes and she needed all the warmth she could get. The song Breg was humming was also soothing and it helped to get Kira's morale up. Just as Kira started to hum along with Breg, her rod twitched and jerked.
"Quick pull it up," Breg urged.
Kira nodded and hefted hard. Kira was expecting only a small jelly to appear so when a whole string of small jellies came up Kira was taken aback and almost dropped her rod. Breg helped to steady her rod and help her pull. The count was at least ten small brightly shining jellies. Things were looking up.
An hour later of humming and fishing they caught at least fifty of the jellies and they gratefully headed back. Everyone at the lakes were gone and safely warm in the ship probably sleeping so when they returned they to the back entrance they were surprised to see Salama awake and waiting. Salama took one look at the buckets and ordered them to eat and sleep. They didn't say a word instead they clapped their knuckles and moved off. It was hard to clap knuckles with a bucket of glow jellies. Kira did it well enough but Breg was already slipping and sliding of the ice before her hands could meet. The large bulbous glow jelly she caught had managed to make its way out and before Kira could stop her, Breg was trying to salute and catch the escaping jelly. The result was an embarrassing show for their senior trainer.
"Clumsy girl," Salama muttered before going inside.
Breg and Kira were on their way to eat when they once again met Milla and they could hardly contain their awe and giddiness when she looked their way. They clapped knuckles immediately and watched as she gracefully walked around the corner.
"Wow we met Milla Talon Hand in person," said one of the girls.
"Breg please you're acting like a child," said the other girl who Milla knew as Kira.
"Oh stop acting like you're not as excited as I am you just met a living legend!" Breg continued.
"A shield maiden does not show her feelings to anyone," Kira replied stoically.
"Oh please for once act your age and be happy for once," Breg said brushing off the rule."
"You will never be a shield maiden if you keep acting like that," Kira said shaking her head in distain.
"One day I'll be the best shield maiden there ever was and I'll do it without being an ice cold warrior who keeps abiding by every rule," Breg retorted
Kira shook her head and continued her onslaught of doubt.
"You wouldn't last long against anything if you portray your emotions as you are now," Kira said just as stoically as before.
"Oh bleh!" Breg retorted poking her tongue out playfully.
Kira was about to punch her playfully when Salama came out from the feasting hall and ordered the two to hurry up. After the meal of selski meat it was back to the sleeping quarters. Breg always laid next to Kira for warmth and Kira never minded. Breg fell straight to sleep in her furs while Kira remained awake.
"Today wasn't so bad. I got to meet two living legends," Kira thought they she looked at Breg and smiled.
"She does nothing but get me into trouble and annoy me but she always gets me out somehow and she isn't a pest when she helps," Kira contemplated before falling into sleep and the counting pattern.
Kira was at the end of her patience. Breg's exuberance could be both uplifting and annoying at the same time. Breg argued with Kira for most of that day and it was a very long day indeed. They had guard duty for a few hours that seemed like an eternity on the ice. Breg had started to converse with Kira endlessly about trivial matters that didn't interest Kira in the slightest. Then when Kira was at breaking point she saw two figures come out of the snow. It was Milla Talon hand herself and Emperor Tal of the Chosen. Kira couldn't believe her luck. After exchanging a few passwords with Milla, Kira was left to guard Tal although she knew he didn't need it. Tal then started to talk to Kira which was an unnerving thing because she didn't know how to treat him. Obviously with respect but he was not of the ice and he was a stranger to the Ruin Ship as far as Kira knew so she just kept her distance and only replied in grunts and nods, portraying no emotions. Breg on the other hand couldn't stop her giggles at Kira's confusion and only annoyed her further. After a few minutes of waiting Tal was invited inside.
When they were relived of their post it was straight into training with the other shield maidens. They went on a hunt for an old selski, which to Kira was boring because she was always on look out with Breg. Kira and Breg were on watch once again for another few hours until the rest of the other shield maidens and the other shield maiden trainees returned.
The hunt was apparently fruitful just as Kira predicted. She saw the bags of selski meat that the others were carrying and was told to by her senior to help with the other bags. Kira shouldered two bags easily and started off towards the group with out any complaints. Breg on the other hand could keep her mouth shut, this resulted in punishment.
"Hey why do we get stuck with all the boring jobs, Kira? I only wanted to go on the hunt and I was denied again," Breg complained a little louder than she had meant.
Kira shot her a glance to silence her but it was too late. The head shield maiden had over heard and made the two take back all of the selski meat.
"You like work? Good, then I suppose you wouldn't mind taking all the bags back to the Ruin Ship," The head shield maiden said looking at both of the two girls who were lingering.
Kira nodded dejectedly but didn't object, she knew it would only further their punishment. Breg on the other hand couldn't keep quiet.
"But we have been on guard duty for over a month now and we would like to go on the hunt," Breg said a little indignantly.
"You want to hunt? Then I will assign you to glow jelly fishing for a month," the shield maiden said.
Kira knew that this was unfair and had to say something even when she knew it bring her more punishment.
"Salama we have been on guard duty for a long time but glow jelly fishing for a month is not fair," Kira said stoically as Breg brightened.
"You will help her then, you two will fish for glow jellies for a month and not do anything else," Salama ordered and moved off to join the others.
"So you do care," Breg said teasingly.
"I only wanted to help you and I get stuck with more punishment," Kira groaned and lifted another bag under her arm.
Hours later Kira and Breg carried the last bags into the store room on the Ruin Ship and were handed glow jelly rods by Salama.
"Go fish for twenty each and come back, you will both do this everyday for a month. When you have completed average work the other cadets do," Salama instructed.
Breg frown but didn't say anything to Kira's relief and they moved off to fish for the main source of light the Ruin Ship used. Kira and Breg went up to the frozen lakes where they met other sea urchin fishermen and women. They were herding barrels full of seaweed and urchins on to the wreska carriages. Breg and Kira looked for the closest thin ice pool they could find and started their little activity. They were in the cold snow for hours when they finally caught their first glow jelly. Breg was practically ecstatic jumping up and down as she tossed the jelly into the bucket.
"One down nineteen left to go," Kira said dully.
"Cheer up Kira we're having fun," Breg said and smashed another hole into the ice to start again.
Another four hours and Breg had caught a large glow jelly and a heap of others. When she had caught at least eighteen Kira started to get nibbles. Kira had hoped she would get a large one but it was only a very small one but it shined bright enough. Kira tossed it onto her bucket and was surprised to see Breg all done.
"I'll help you," Breg said and crouched next to Kira still smiling broadly and humming a tune.
Kira didn't mind the closeness. It was freezing at the lakes and she needed all the warmth she could get. The song Breg was humming was also soothing and it helped to get Kira's morale up. Just as Kira started to hum along with Breg, her rod twitched and jerked.
"Quick pull it up," Breg urged.
Kira nodded and hefted hard. Kira was expecting only a small jelly to appear so when a whole string of small jellies came up Kira was taken aback and almost dropped her rod. Breg helped to steady her rod and help her pull. The count was at least ten small brightly shining jellies. Things were looking up.
An hour later of humming and fishing they caught at least fifty of the jellies and they gratefully headed back. Everyone at the lakes were gone and safely warm in the ship probably sleeping so when they returned they to the back entrance they were surprised to see Salama awake and waiting. Salama took one look at the buckets and ordered them to eat and sleep. They didn't say a word instead they clapped their knuckles and moved off. It was hard to clap knuckles with a bucket of glow jellies. Kira did it well enough but Breg was already slipping and sliding of the ice before her hands could meet. The large bulbous glow jelly she caught had managed to make its way out and before Kira could stop her, Breg was trying to salute and catch the escaping jelly. The result was an embarrassing show for their senior trainer.
"Clumsy girl," Salama muttered before going inside.
Breg and Kira were on their way to eat when they once again met Milla and they could hardly contain their awe and giddiness when she looked their way. They clapped knuckles immediately and watched as she gracefully walked around the corner.
"Wow we met Milla Talon Hand in person," said one of the girls.
"Breg please you're acting like a child," said the other girl who Milla knew as Kira.
"Oh stop acting like you're not as excited as I am you just met a living legend!" Breg continued.
"A shield maiden does not show her feelings to anyone," Kira replied stoically.
"Oh please for once act your age and be happy for once," Breg said brushing off the rule."
"You will never be a shield maiden if you keep acting like that," Kira said shaking her head in distain.
"One day I'll be the best shield maiden there ever was and I'll do it without being an ice cold warrior who keeps abiding by every rule," Breg retorted
Kira shook her head and continued her onslaught of doubt.
"You wouldn't last long against anything if you portray your emotions as you are now," Kira said just as stoically as before.
"Oh bleh!" Breg retorted poking her tongue out playfully.
Kira was about to punch her playfully when Salama came out from the feasting hall and ordered the two to hurry up. After the meal of selski meat it was back to the sleeping quarters. Breg always laid next to Kira for warmth and Kira never minded. Breg fell straight to sleep in her furs while Kira remained awake.
"Today wasn't so bad. I got to meet two living legends," Kira thought they she looked at Breg and smiled.
"She does nothing but get me into trouble and annoy me but she always gets me out somehow and she isn't a pest when she helps," Kira contemplated before falling into sleep and the counting pattern.