Preparing (Rukan)

[Edward of Pirate's Swoop]

Edward dreaded his morning so far. Today he went to war, today he would begin his journey on seeing if he was worthy to bear a shield... today he said good-bye to Annie for a little while. He had woken up this morning dreadfully early from a fitful sleep, and had not been able to return into slumber. He had gotten up and packed.

He made his way to the stables, slightly incoherently, to get a head start on brushing down his horse, so he had plenty of time to do his knight master's horse. Stefan waved hello at him sleppily as he fell back into slumber on a haystack in the corner, and his horse, Sierra, nieghed to him softly, nuzzled nicely inbetween his Knight Master's horse, and Rukan's.

He stepped in to the stall with his horse, and got his tackle. He grabbed some oats and put it into a chewing bag for Sierra to happily chew on as he carefully brushed her down. Edward loved his horse, and always made sure she was carefully looked after. He even had an apple in his pocket to give to her when he was done. There were a few things Sierra didn't like about being brushed.

He took out his first brush, and started to carefully brush at her lovely brown-red coat.

[Rukan of Pearlmouth]

[brown]Rukan had woken up at a fairly normal time for her. She'd gotten used to early risings when she had been on the Border, and when she'd arrived in the Capital, she'd decided that losing that habit would probably be a bad idea. So, she woke up every morning at about the same time, never allowing herself to sleep in, lest she get into the habit of it.

And now it was the day that she left for the border, to go back to what she'd been doing before. Except that there were two drastic changes. The first one was that the war had been officially proclaimed, and the second thing, Edward and his knight master were joining them. At least, they were going down in the pre-first-wave-wave at the same time. And Rukan was almost positive that they'd been stationed at the same spot. Something that made her happy and saddened her at the same time.

She shook her head as she entered the stables, her head was so full of contradictions this morning! Something that she wasn't happy about, as it was giving her a headache. She paused, her head mid-shake to see Edward brushing his horse. She looked down, putting an easy smile on her face and then continued into the stable.

"Good morning Edward!" She grabbed her equipment and headed over to NightStar was stalled. The black horse was awake slightly, having been awakened when Edward had entered. She looked around, she was used to being on the road, not trying to ready a horse in a proper stable. She had forgotten where the oats were held. "Where are the oats again, Edward?"[/brown]

[Edward of Pirate's Swoop]

Edward heard someone walk into the stables, but at first didn't think much of it, then he heard Rukan's cheery tones behind him telling him "Good morning." He stopped brushing and turned around to greet her, not really happy that she could be so awake at this time in the morning and he could not.

"'Mornin'," he answered half-sleepily, "Good?" This was not a morning that Edward would describe as good. "Oats, there." he pointed to a cubboard on the other side of the haystack where Stephan slumbered. He gave his head a shake and returned to brushing his horse, "And what would make this morning a good one, dearest Rukan?"

[Rukan of Pearlmouth]

[brown]Rukan laughed and shook her head, finding it funny how tired Edward seemed to be, and his responce to her though she didn't answer, aside from her laugh. Really though, Edward would have to get used to the early mornings pretty fast, as they were extremely common. Even when it wasn't war, there was always things to do on the border.

She smiled, "Thanks." Then sighed, looking at her horse, "I hope you don't mind not getting any oats as I get you ready, as I'm not going to wake Stephan up this early." Though she did grab some hay on her way into the stall, two large handfuls. She put them down, where NightStar would have easy access to it.

She grabbed a brish and started to brush the horse. She shrugged at Edward's question, "Every morning alive is a good one, dearest Edward." Him calling her 'dearest Rukan', even in jest, made Rukan want to hide her face, though she kept her expression the same and was glad that the light was dim enough that the faint blush on her cheeks wasn't noticeable. This was going to be a long journey! "Besides, you'll get used to early morns, pretty fast. Then, you'll be hating the late evenings!"[/brown]

[Edward of Pirate's Swoop]

Edward girmaced again as Rukan laughed at his comment. If he were anymore awake, he would have laughed with her, but this morning, he was quite serious on how this morning could be desribed as "Good". He reached up and rubbed his eye with his sleeve. Oddly enough, he wished he could have a cup of Spiced tea.

"Welcome." Edward said automatically, as he usually did when someone said 'Thank you' or 'Thanks' to him. It was a habit he would never get rid of, and obvously, he didn't mind, but sometimes when someone was being sarcastic it could cause some interesting awkward silences.

Edward thought about what she said thoughtfully, and the nodded in agreement. "I suppose that would be true would it not?" He hadn't thought to think about it that way, but, he supposed, he had never been in a war before, so he had no idea. He grimaced again as she spoke of their soon-to-be sleeping patterns, but it woke him up rather quickly, knowing he may be getting a lack of something he cherished deeply. "Great. Lack of sleep... I don't operate well on lack of sleep!" Suddenly Edward's eyes were wide with worry.

What if he fell asleep in battle?!?!

[Rukan of Pearlmouth]

[brown]Rukan smiled, as she started to brush her horse, both of them were ready for the road again. There was only so much time that Rukan and NightStar could comfortably stay in a city. They liked the travelling, it was a great time to think, and it used to be a great time to get away from her feelings and pretend that they never existed. But that second part wouldn't be happening on this trip. It would be a constant reminder in her ear. He like Anne, not you. Why would he care about your feelings? Usually she was able to drown that voice out on the road, but she doubted that would happen on this trip.

She looked around, making sure that she knew where all of her tack was, not wanting to have to rush around and find it. No, it was in its proper spot. Where she'd hung it when she'd come in from her last time riding NightStar, which wasn't that long ago. She may have been at the palace, but that didn't mean that she was going to stay inside and on its grounds.

She smiled, "It do be true. And half the time you'll be waking up, wondering if your in the Black God's Realm due to how dark it is when you get up." She chuckled, keeping back the grimness that would have accompanied that statement were she talking to someone else. Edward's knightmaster hadn't taken Edward very far before, so Rukan didn't want to ruin his first trip to the border. But it was interesting trying to saddle two horses in pitch black, in a hurry.

She laughed outright, feeling tears appear in her eyes. She shook her head, "You'll get used to it quickly Edward, don't worry about it! Everything'll work out." She smiled coyly, "Though always remember to check and see if the bag that you're going into is yours. Some of the knights and soldiers get really mad when you go into their bag, even if you are still half asleep." Now that had been a scary ordeal!![/brown]

[Janus Arctus Tiranus]

((Don't bother noticing me, I'm just posting to watch, so post huge stuff in between my posts, and I'll post when I think something is important.))

Janus watched from the top rafter as he stroked a little bird at his feet. He watched with a smile as Edward spoke with little Rukan, two squires ready to ride to their doom, and if they survive, possible Edward heartbreak. You see, Janus had been watching their lives for years, and if there was nothing that was more obvious than Edward liking Annie, it was that Rukan loved Edward.

It was obvious, and nearly all the staff knew it. Rukan loved Edward, Edward loved Annie, and now Annie returned the favor. Poor Rukan. But perhaps, Rukan would get her chance, would she not, and make little Edward have to choose: hidden love? or love that he ould be open about.

Janus watched the two mingle and a cruel smile feel upon his face. His plan would work slendidly.

[Edward of Pirate's Swoop]

Edward walked around to the other side of his horse, trailing his hand along lightly so she knew where he was, and continued brushing out the other side of her body. "Great, no light either." He was not liking this idea of war at all. Where was the glory he wanted? Why couldn't he sleep in? Don't people need their strength? No sleep and war just do not mix!

Edward eyes went wide, and he looked at Rukan over his horse. "Do I want to know how you know that?" He said with a look of minor horror on his face. "And do I want to know if you've done it or not?" That was certaintly a thing Edward would be very careful not to do. Embarrasment gallore!

[Rukan of Pearlmouth]

[brown]Rukan chuckled, "You just need to keep your stuff the same way every night, so that you know immediately where it is, even when you're at a new camp spot." She shrugged it wasn't too bad. At least in the dark it was easier to get dressed, at least for her it was, she knew that none of the men in the group could look at her, and their had been a few soldiers that were in their twenties that had seemed to want to 'look' at her.

She shuddered slightly at the thought, touching the sword that she had hanging on her belt, even at this early hour. It was only fear of the sword that kept most of them from trying anything. Others.... well, they were quickly deterred.

Rukan blushed, "It wasn't my fault! I was trying to find something for Joel's ((her knightmaster) stuff, and I reached into the bag, and what I found wasn't what I was expecting." She shook her head, that had been a nightmare trying to explain![/brown]

[Edward of Pirate's Swoop]

"I'm keeping my bag right next to yours if that is the case." Edward had a very bad memory for things like that. Rukan would make sure he didn't grab anyone elses bag, 'cause as much as it would be seen as more of an accident after explaining that he was new, it is possible he could very badly hurt for it.

Edward watched as she shuddered and put her hand down, probably to the sword that hung there even at this early time in the morning. Now he really didn't want to know what exactly happened. Poor Rukan!

"Aww, poor Rukan. That must have been quite horrifying!" Edward grinned, even though he was quite sorry for her. He even giggled a little. "Don't worry, I shall look before I grab!" He stuck his toungue out playfully.

[Rukan of Pearlmouth]

[brown]Rukan grinned, “And I’ll be sure to switch it with someone else’s bag. Someone who’s got a bad temper.” She gave a chuckle, to show that she was joking. She wouldn’t do that to Edward, she wasn’t that mean! She wouldn’t wish that experience on anyone…. That she was friends with. People she disliked, yeah, she could see herself doing that.

She brought her hand back up, putting it on the horse again, as her other hand continued brushing. She knew that everyone had great expectations for war, battle, and just that general experience, and she wasn’t going to ruin it for them.

She stuck out her tongue at Edward, not caring whether or not he could see her. “It was! And I don’t appreciate the sarcasm!” She stuck up her nose in a snobbish manner, to show that she was joking. “You’d better! And if I see your tongue again, I’m gonna pinch it!”

She smiled, content, her eyes focusing on NightStar again. She was enjoying joking around with Edward, just spending time with him was a blessing. Especially as she wasn’t crying this time![/brown]

[Edward of Pirate's Swoop]

"Goodness," Edward said, his tiredness washing away after these few moments with Rukan, "What have I done to create such wrath?" Edward grinned with her, to show her that he knew she was joking, and that he hoped she would not do that, for the love of the gods.

He was done brushing his horse down, so he started combing out Sierra's mane. She liked this part, for he was always very gentle, holding the hair in such a manner that it wouldn't hurt when the comb brushed through her delicate mane. Edward never was cruel to animals. Artemis was quick to drill that into his head, and then had Alynta not too long after to help torture him not to. Edward didn't think he would grow up to be cruel anyway. He was one of the only people who didn't use a whip on his horse, and he was sure Sierra loved him for that.

Edward pulled his toungue back in his mouth and hid behind his horse. "Yes, ma'am!" Sierra turned her head and looked curiously at him, as if to say "You are a coward. She's half your size." and twice my experiance! Edward said in his head, along with his thought of Sierra talking.

[Rukan of Pearlmouth]

[brown]Rukan laughed, and said in mock anger, "Why, you've barely spent any time with me in the past year! Surely you could have visited me once a month!" She knew that that would have been impossible, as it took a fair amount of time to actually get to where they were stationed on the border, and Edward's knight master was busy doing other things.

Rukan paused in her brushing to work a bur that had somehow managed to get into the mane of NightStar. Something that she found odd, seeing as she'd just combed it the day before. She was used to that happening while they were on the road, but she hadn't thought that NightStar would be able to get some in her mane, just standing and laying in a stall. She smiled slightly at Edward's 'Yes, ma'am!' Only Edward would take her serious on that, which was a refreshing change. Usually when she was preparing the horses it would just be her, so it created fairly boring mornings with no one to talk to.

She looked over at Edward, or at least at his horse, as she couldn't see him. She knew that this subject would get brought up no matter what, and she figured that she might as well be the one to initiate it and get it over with quickly. It wasn't that she disliked Annie. No, Rukan loved Annie in a sister/friendly manner, but she couldn't help that jealousy as Edward liked Annie, but so far Annie hadn't reciprocated those feelings to Edward, so Rukan was able to stand being near them both at the same time. "Annie's pretty upset that she's not going to be able to go to the border at all. Why do you think their Majesties are bing so strict about it?"[/brown]