Categories > Original > Fantasy > The Will of a Warrior
-Keck and the others were seated at a long rectangular table made out of some kind of metal. The Brawl sat at one end while the Ramin sat at the other. The chairs had backs to them that made Gullna feel very uncomfortable but his companions didn't seem to mind.
-"I don't believe we have met before Parotaken," Keck said. "What has become of Rohetakue?" The smug Ramin gave an evil smile in response to the question.
-"My predecessor proved incompetent and has since left us," Parotaken said. "I am the emperor now." Keck looked to Tarock and Vartock and they shared his concern. Rohetakue had been one of the more reasonable Ramin emperors and was the only reason the Brawl and Ramin hadn't gone to war many years ago. With him gone things would be difficult.
-"I trust you know why we are here?" Keck asked. Parotaken seemed amused. He sat comfortably in his chair and looked at the four Brawl with a smile on his face, as if they were there to entertain him.
-"Oh we can get to that later," Parotaken said dismissively. "First let us eat; you all must be hungry from your journey." He snapped his fingers and several Ramin servants brought in trays of food, much of which Gullna could not even identify.
-The food was placed on the table and Keck shot Gullna a glance, reminding him of what he had said before. Gullna looked at the Ramin and watched as they picked up strangely shaped pieces of metal and used them to lift their food. Gullna looked down at the table and found some pieces of metal for himself. He picked them up and began to eat as the Ramin were.
-Parotaken watched the Brawl eat with an amused smile. Keck and the others ate their food calmly and Gullna tried his best to mimic them. The food tasted strange to Gullna, there was a lot more flavor than he was used to. Gullna also noticed a younger Ramin boy sitting next to Parotaken. He was staring at the Brawl with a very hateful expression that made Gullna uneasy.
-"I heard that Brawl liked to let their tails swing around in the air," the child said. There was something almost insulting in his tone. "Why are yours wrapped around your waists? Are you afraid someone is going to step on them?" The boy smiled with the last remark but Keck showed no sign of being offended. He simply looked at the boy calmly before he answered.
-"Only the young, brash Brawl let their tails hang loosely," Keck said calmly. "Usually to impress the females. Older, wiser Brawl keep their tails around their waists. It's more practical and more dignified. Cubs and pups let their tails swing wildly because they can us them to hang from trees and such and their parents can grab them to calm them down. For the most part letting our tails hang down is considered childish."
-"Besides," Vartock added with a smile. "I pity the Ramin who makes the mistake of stepping on my tail." Parotaken gave a condescending smile at Vartock's boast.
-"I hope the food is to your liking," Parotaken said. "I'm afraid our cooks don't know how to prepare Brawl dishes." The Ramin smiled at each other as if the emperor had just said something funny, Gullna didn't get the joke the others just seemed to ignore it. Vartock gave a vicious smile.
-"Well if you like I could teach them my favorite dish," Vartock said. "Roast Ramin, I spotted a few juicy looking ones earlier." Tarock and Keck looked at Vartock with veiled amusement. The Ramin for their part were staring at him with disbelief.
-"You eat Ramin?" The boy asked with his voice shaking. Keck looked back at the boy thoughtfully, the look of fear on the child's face was amusing but he knew he had to explain Vartock's meaning.
-"Only the ones we kill in battle and only if there is no other food available," Keck said. The boy looked to the emperor and Parotaken nodded to the boy confirming what Keck had said. The boy no longer looked at the Brawl with hatred, now there was fear in his eyes.
-"They also eat their own kind son," Parotaken said to the boy. "Don't you?" He glared accusingly at Keck and Keck stared defiantly back at the new Ramin emperor. Things were definitely going to be difficult with Rohetakue gone.
-"I don't believe we have met before Parotaken," Keck said. "What has become of Rohetakue?" The smug Ramin gave an evil smile in response to the question.
-"My predecessor proved incompetent and has since left us," Parotaken said. "I am the emperor now." Keck looked to Tarock and Vartock and they shared his concern. Rohetakue had been one of the more reasonable Ramin emperors and was the only reason the Brawl and Ramin hadn't gone to war many years ago. With him gone things would be difficult.
-"I trust you know why we are here?" Keck asked. Parotaken seemed amused. He sat comfortably in his chair and looked at the four Brawl with a smile on his face, as if they were there to entertain him.
-"Oh we can get to that later," Parotaken said dismissively. "First let us eat; you all must be hungry from your journey." He snapped his fingers and several Ramin servants brought in trays of food, much of which Gullna could not even identify.
-The food was placed on the table and Keck shot Gullna a glance, reminding him of what he had said before. Gullna looked at the Ramin and watched as they picked up strangely shaped pieces of metal and used them to lift their food. Gullna looked down at the table and found some pieces of metal for himself. He picked them up and began to eat as the Ramin were.
-Parotaken watched the Brawl eat with an amused smile. Keck and the others ate their food calmly and Gullna tried his best to mimic them. The food tasted strange to Gullna, there was a lot more flavor than he was used to. Gullna also noticed a younger Ramin boy sitting next to Parotaken. He was staring at the Brawl with a very hateful expression that made Gullna uneasy.
-"I heard that Brawl liked to let their tails swing around in the air," the child said. There was something almost insulting in his tone. "Why are yours wrapped around your waists? Are you afraid someone is going to step on them?" The boy smiled with the last remark but Keck showed no sign of being offended. He simply looked at the boy calmly before he answered.
-"Only the young, brash Brawl let their tails hang loosely," Keck said calmly. "Usually to impress the females. Older, wiser Brawl keep their tails around their waists. It's more practical and more dignified. Cubs and pups let their tails swing wildly because they can us them to hang from trees and such and their parents can grab them to calm them down. For the most part letting our tails hang down is considered childish."
-"Besides," Vartock added with a smile. "I pity the Ramin who makes the mistake of stepping on my tail." Parotaken gave a condescending smile at Vartock's boast.
-"I hope the food is to your liking," Parotaken said. "I'm afraid our cooks don't know how to prepare Brawl dishes." The Ramin smiled at each other as if the emperor had just said something funny, Gullna didn't get the joke the others just seemed to ignore it. Vartock gave a vicious smile.
-"Well if you like I could teach them my favorite dish," Vartock said. "Roast Ramin, I spotted a few juicy looking ones earlier." Tarock and Keck looked at Vartock with veiled amusement. The Ramin for their part were staring at him with disbelief.
-"You eat Ramin?" The boy asked with his voice shaking. Keck looked back at the boy thoughtfully, the look of fear on the child's face was amusing but he knew he had to explain Vartock's meaning.
-"Only the ones we kill in battle and only if there is no other food available," Keck said. The boy looked to the emperor and Parotaken nodded to the boy confirming what Keck had said. The boy no longer looked at the Brawl with hatred, now there was fear in his eyes.
-"They also eat their own kind son," Parotaken said to the boy. "Don't you?" He glared accusingly at Keck and Keck stared defiantly back at the new Ramin emperor. Things were definitely going to be difficult with Rohetakue gone.
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