Post by Darko on Mar 25, 2014 21:40:36 GMT
Prologue
A knock on the door. "Miss Arrabella?" The knocker quaintly calls.
I groggily open my eyes and stumble out of bed, plodding towards the door. Standing on my toes, I manage to reach the control panel and the ornate door opens. Looking up, I see Lucius, the manservant. He smiles down kindly at me and gestures that I should follow him. Wearily, I do so, quietly inquiring as to where we are going.
"Your parents wish to see you," he explains curtly. I'm confused - it's late and they never disturb my sleep. We walk for some time through my home; the long passageways with their expensive artwork and statues, the expansive rooms with their gilded furniture.
Eventually we reach the landing pad. I only come here when we're expected to welcome more powerful noble houses or if we need to go elsewhere in the Hive, which is rare seeing as everything is always brought here.
Ahead I see mother and father. Father is wearing grandfather's old armour and has a rifle slung over his shoulder. The family sword, its hilt engraved with the symbol of our house Faydra, is sheathed at his side. Mother is standing next to him, a single tear rolling down her face.
Lucius stands aside and I hurry over to them. "What is happening, father?" I ask, almost hesitantly. He drops to one knee and looks me in the eye. I look at his face now, it is sad, but proud. He is still young by noble standards, his brown hair cut short neatly and his kind eyes, also brown unlike mother's green eyes which I inherited, bore into my own. He smiles faintly before embracing me.
"Arrabella my love, I have to go away now to fight for the Emperor, do you understand?" He asks. I'm stricken by this, almost feeling dazed. I always knew this would probably happen - the tutors always taught me that it is tradition for the nobility of our planet, Kholzek Prime, to serve in the Imperial Guard. Yet somehow I still felt shocked, father hadn't told me about this, why didn't he tell me?
He leans back, clamping his hands firmly around mine. "It is a great honour. By the Emperor's grace I will return home one day," he said forlornly, his voice almost cracking.
"You behave yourself for your mother Arrabella, no more adventures, she's the head of our House now and that means she has a lot of work to do."
"I promise I will do as you say," I meekly reply. I look away for a moment before saying what everyone is thinking. "You're not coming back, are you father?" There is a pause and he doesn't answer.
"I'll join the Guard some day too and see you again, I swear it on my honour," I say determinedly. He laughs slightly but sighs. Kissing me on the forehead, he then stands and turns to leave. There is a shuttle waiting on the landing pad. He turns for a moment and waves, then he is gone.
Four years later
I thrust with the sword, but he dodges and counters swiftly. Turning his blade aside I dart forward, placing the tip of my sword against his throat.
"Submit," I demand. Sheepishly, Tristan acquiesces, dropping his own blade. Triumphantly, I turn to mother. She smiles, although Tristan's father, Lord Ramirez, is not so pleased.
"Well done," Mother says. I grin, proud of my victory.
"Yes, I concur," Ramirez agrees. "If only you were so proficient with a blade Tristan. Yet again you display your ineptitude, losing to a girl younger than yourself. I shall deal with you later," he scorns.
I glance at Tristan nearby, who looks down dejectedly. I actually feel sorry for him, Lord Ramirez always punished him harshly. I'd seen the bruises, Tristan had shown me once a few months ago. But if I held back and let him win then we would seem weak, mother had expressly told me about that. Ramirez only respects strength and losing his support would be very bad for us indeed.
"Come Tristan, we have dallied here long enough," Ramirez says. "We must return to our own spire at once, I must negotiate the trade contract with the Lord-Governess this evening."
Tristan does as commanded and walks to his father's side. Lord Ramirez nods at mother. "Lady Faydra," he says, as if the name of a lesser noble house sticks in his mouth like an unpleasant taste. She smiles back, before summoning Lucius to show our guests out. When they have left, the smile fades and she drops in a nearby armchair with a sigh.
I regard her and realise just how worn out she looks. Since father left she'd taken on a huge responsibility. Recently I learned about the complicated politics in our city - so many lesser noble houses like our own vying for dominance and the favour of the more powerful ones since the most powerful noble house was apparently investigated as mother put it, being very vague. This happened around ten years ago. All of its assets were frozen and every member of its family disappeared, taken away in unmarked ships. The Lord Governess did nothing to stop it, which I never understood, seeing as she was the all-powerful sovereign of Kholzek. Mother always refused to speak on the matter and she had specifically told my tutors not to tell me.
The power vacuum left after that meant that many lesser houses had a great opportunity and our house had prospered, but many others had lost everything in the power struggle, overcome by their rivals. In recent years our house had only managed to survive and continue to gain power through swearing fealty to houser Ramirez, which was a dubious move at best as Lord Ramirez is not well-liked by the other high houses. However, he is powerful, ambitious and successful, which benefits us in the long run.
"Arrabella, go and find your brothers, it is time for their lessons," mother instructs me. I nod and turn to leave. As I do so she speaks into a small broach containing a vox and asks for what she dubs her medicine. Lucius would bring it, I knew, just as I knew it wasn't really medicine. Mother takes obscura, relying on it to take the stress of a day away. It is highly prohibited of course, but she is wealthy enough to get away with it undiscovered. I hate it - she always has the worst moods after using it, but without it I do not think she could manage. I look at her and see my own future if I stay here. Thinking of father, I know my destiny lies in the stars, escaping the dreary aristocracy and their political games.
Six years later
Finally! Finally I'm old enough to enlist. Mother hates the idea but she won't stop me, she knows it would go against the tradition of each first born serving in the Guard. Of course, being the first born isn't a requirement but it is respectable to follow tradition. I am the first born and I choose to follow that tradition. Had my younger brothers wished to enlist when they reach my age, mother would never allow it. They'd never sign up anyway, they're more comfortable playing mind games and debating politics while I prefer to spend my time training with a sword.
Mother is quite distraught but I believe she will be okay. My brothers will soon be old enough to share responsibility in another few years and as much as it upsets her, I won't break the oath I made to father ten years ago. This is my destiny, I can feel it. I spend hours pining over the military records of the most famous regiments and examine the family murals in detail. Live or die, I'll find my place in the hall of heroes alongside my forefathers.
I've already been declared fit for service by our doctor and my accolades more than qualify for the Guard. Tomorrow will be my first day of basic training and I can't wait. Father used to talk about it, he was my age at the time when he first enlisted and served in several campaigns before the regiment returned home, allowing him to continue our family's lineage. I don't know that I'll ever want to return home, there is so much of the galaxy to see - the Imperium has a million million worlds if not more and then there is so much to see beyond its borders. Mind you, I'm not going out there for sight-seeing. I'll be standing shoulder-to-shoulder with my brothers and sisters in glorious battle.