Tosra & The Auction, day 35

Miniatures

I look at all the new miniatures the guards have made for table-top battles. It's mostly Bodil who has made more 'enemies'; a knight, a spearman and an ordinary person with an axe. And then there is Alith's ballistas. Because one isn't enough and it makes it more fair or 'interesting'. Gunhild has carved a couple of monster figures like trolls, but I suspect that Gunhild had planned for it to be something else but isn't even close to be good enough to carve it. So I pick out appropriate values and stats for the various new units based on Chronopia's miniature battle rules. Hillevi has made more houses and a lot of prettier terrain. Her small fences and stone walls are really nice. Jane has promised to help them paint when she returns, because she also think they should be painted, and will buy colors especially for them. Everyone just take for granted that Jane's art paint are Jane's art paint, and no one touches her paint, brushes and tools without Jane's permission. Then again, I don't like people messing with my stuff in my bedroom or office.

There is often a miniature battle game going on in the guards day room, some take time and pauses, and the larger table is always full of something. They play other games as well, like Chess, and sometimes just simple dice games. Hillevi really loves miniature battles, but the dice is her main enemy and she thinks that the others play unfair even when she wins. Gunhild tries to get Hillevi to accept that nothing is unfair in a battle for life and death - there is only winners and losers - and Gunhild loves that the dice and completely free movements introduce a more realistic element of chance than in Hnefatafl or Chess.

It's good that they have let Hrappr, Jalida and Elvira play a couple of times when they had nothing important to do, and also that they try to help each other and the staff learn to read and write Norse and math. I have tried to continue to give all lessons in math, drawings and other stuff, but I forget and have so much else on my mind, that I've really not help the staff enough. That Jane and I are so very good at reading and writing our languages, and that we both know at least another language, has motivated them all to try to get better at Norse.

It's a pleasant autumn day so I go for a walk with just Alith. I need more time for myself, and it's hard with humans around me all the time, even though I've started to accept it.

Hah, humans around me; there may be only Jane in the whole world. However, there are many Elves around me. I really need to get use to using the word 'person', but that doesn't fit in all languages and situations. I make stupid mistakes since I'm thinking in Swedish, English and Norse. The problem is that something like Swedish 'människor', is used like the English word 'people', but the Swedish word 'människa' means 'human' in English. But they're Elves. Including me or Jane in certain ways fucks it up badly since we're Humans. At the same time a phrase like "oh come on, be human." have a completely different meaning here. Same with being 'a human being'. Add Swedish, and Norse, and me and Jane being from different nations too. Messy. Jane only have English and Norse to deal with, and she still complains. At least Norse isn't a completely different language, but that is it's own problem since I might throw in a Swedish or English word since I don't know if they have something similar or even the concept, and that might end badly. I've learned that.

I would have preferred to go by myself, but I accept that I always need a guard with me, and I know that Alith see it as a personal matter and she prefers to accompany and guard me, than to let someone else do it. For example, she didn't accompany them to Borgarsandr since I stayed here, which is a bit like Ciara, and both disapprove when I have only Alith with me as my protection. Although Alith likes it when we are alone and can be friends, more than Lord and Guard. I enjoy that too. Less formal.

The sex we sometimes have is obviously part of the reason why we have a more personal connection between us, than I have with the other guards, but also because we have known each other the longest even though it is only been a few months. Bodil is also more quiet and happy to stay in the background. Alith has also taken part in the most sensitive tests with blackpowder, even though it in the beginning was because she had nothing else to do - which is entertaining considering that she is some what of a weapons fanatic and could have miss it.

When Alith and I then continue to hang out as friends or she's just lurking in the background, a better contact has logically been built up in a self-reinforcing circle. At the same time, I have deliberately avoided forming the same close connection with Bodil, Gunhild and Hillevi.

Alith admits that she is ashamed that she hasn't be able to prevent, stop or protect me both times I've almost died, and see it as she have failed in her service and life, where I survived due to my own skill or others help. She takes it really personally, and is focused on it never happening again because she thinks I am too important for the future of the kingdom - for the future of them all. So more than anyone, Alith has become my personal bodyguard. Where I go - she will come along. She do let me stay out of sight, as long as I'm in the mansion or she knows I'm protected. Honestly, I should be thankful to have a bodyguard that devoted.

I think all the guards know we've had sex at least once, but I'm not going to ask them for confirmation. It has been a few times, and if it happens again, it happens; if it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen. It's fun and nice, but I have no desire for Alith. She is just a special friend who is my bodyguard most of the time, and I believe she sees it in a similar way. Her service here is just a stage in her life, and she dreams of seeing the world, participating in raids and becoming famous. I should be able to help her see the world, and she is becoming know by just being around me, which will surely open doors for her in the future.

It's evening and Ciara sits beside me and do a bit of work while she basically waits for me to finish, so we can go to bed, when there is a knock on the door and Iselin smiles as she wonders if she's interrupting something. Iselin is back and everything feels good again in life, and all three of us think so. Our journey and shared experiences mean that the three of us have a special bond. It's not that late so we decide to make it a sauna night. Just me, Iselin, Kari, Ciara and Jane, with increasing heat and three dips in the cold water bathtub. Dark fabric panties are a good idea, but Jane is the only one wearing a bra. Like it hides much. Iselin and Kari update us on Borgarsandr news and how their shopping trip has gone.

When Kari and Jane take a turn in the bathtub, Iselin whispers that she has a message from Kadlin, the guard at 'The Blushing Maiden' and I decide to tell Ciara that I own the place, and also about Klaahof and the Red Maiden in Reiekrône and so on. Ciara is just happy that I own more, and that I've forced the changes in Borgarsandr. Then she barely cares about it.

Kadlin sought out Iselin, because she has discovered that one of the Maidens, Rannow, have understood that I am the real owner, as she already knew that Radgeirrson secretly owned 'The Blushing Maiden', and discovered the changes in connection with my visit to Borgarsandr. Rannow literally asked Kadlin what she had seen, and after Kadlin had promised not to spread it further, she confided in Kadlin that I am the true owner, so that Kadlin would tell her what she had seen. Rannow is a freeneck woman who have worked at The Maiden for many years, even though she is the same age as Kadlin and only 19 years old. She was 'trained' by Radgeirrson, and was really pleased with what happened to Radgeirrson, and enjoyed seeing his torment. Rannow bought her freedom 2 years ago, and plan to continue to work as a Maiden for as long as she can, because she doesn't want to work in the field or with animals, and she works with the better guests. She even have some regulars. Her age means that Rannow must have been 14-15 year old when she started working as a prostitute, and before that she was trained by Radgeirrson. Damn.

Damn! I didn't consider that there could be young girls working as prostitutes at The Blushing Maiden. I have to give a new order to Ranhlif about a minimum age.

According to Kadlin, Rannow havn't told anyone else that I am the true owner, and Iselin perceived it as Kadlin was willing to kill Rannow to protect my secret - if I wanted it - but Iselin managed to assure Kadlin that the secret isn't worth taking a life. But Kadlin did the right thing by telling us and keeping her cover, so Iselin gave Kadlin a small bonus.

Eventually I fall asleep holding both Ciara and Iselin. My cuddly fanatic, and my nerdy goddess.

Life is good.