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we shall keep the shield wall fast
IP: 82.19.140.112
Posted on June 17, 2013 at 04:23:42 AM by t r i s t a n

“I’ll throttle him!” the cook raged slamming her rolling pin down hard against kitchen worktop, “him and his damn dogs.” Tristan, hiding in one of the cupboards a few metres away pressed his mouth into his sleeve in order to smother his laughter. He held the two puppies in his hands, but they had remained mercifully still so far. Perhaps they were scared of the cook...or maybe they were just stuffed full of chicken. In his defence, the Prince had not intended for the puppies to eat the chicken. He had been walking along the corridor minding his own business, when the two dogs had vanished. Tristan had continued along the corridor, peeking into each room to see if he could spot them. He did. In the kitchen. They had found their way up onto the counter and were eating one of the chickens in its roasting tin. He had pulled them off as quickly as he could, but not before he had heard a loud shrill voice from the next room bellow “what on earth is that noise!” The door had burst open a second later and Tristan had phased himself hurriedly into one of the kitchen cupboards, his knees drawn up towards his chin and a puppy in each arm.

The kitchen boys all dived as the way as the cook began to pace furiously up and down the kitchen floor, and the Prince watched her through the crack by the hinges. Attracted by the noise, servants had begun to pack the corridor on the other side of the wall. That ruled out phasing. He was stuck. There was no other choice. He was going to have to make a run for it. Tristan released the puppies and pushed open the cupboard, unfolding himself back into the kitchen. The cook wasn’t looking his way. One of the kitchen boys spotted him, and Tristan raised a silencing finger to his lips. When the boy smiled, Tristan winked and began to edge his way through the crowd. He had almost made it to the door when a voice from behind him shouted “there he is!” Tristan swore. He began to run, pushing his way through the packed corridor with the puppies on his heels. He reached the corner, and closed his hand around the wall, using it to project himself around the turn before continuing his sprint. He took the stairs two at a time, his boots pounding against the stone.

The prince came to a panting stop on the third floor and leant against one of the broad windowsills. The window was slightly ajar, and he heard a voice drifting in from outside, if you insist on being such a dork. Curiously, Tristan turned around and pushed the window open a little further. He was just in time to see the book, followed by a collection of paper, thrown into Lake Lilith by one figure who was surrounded by four others. Opposite them stood a slightly smaller figure...a very familiar one. It was Thoth. The prince’s frown deepened. He was aware, often uncomfortably so, that he had more friends than Thoth did. He had not considered however that others would have thought to give his friend any sort of hard time. Are you wearing a necklace beakface? That was it.

Tristan turned around and ran back down the stairs the way that he had come, only when he reached the second floor, he left the staircase behind. It did not take long for him to march to and across the courtyard and through the archway that would admit him to the area of grass upon which the group had been standing. He was just in time to see Thoth dumped unceremoniously into the lake. No one noticed that he had arrived. They were all too busy laughing. Tristan’s first instinct was to shout, but he checked himself and called the puppies to heel with a click of his fingers. He took a few steps across the lawn and leaned against the sapling that stood near to where the laughing group were standing, his arms folded across his chest. “I’d have thought,” he said as the giggles began to quieten a little, his right eyebrow quirked, “that you had better things to do, Tarquin, than tossing people into lakes. You know, since you’re always doing such important things for your Father.”

If Tristan had not been so concerned for his friend, then he might have laughed. All of the people on the bank turned their heads towards him in unison, with the same surprised expression on their faces. Surprised, then panic struck. Tristan’s other eyebrow raised to join the other as he fixed them with a look that was all his father. Unfolding his arms, the Prince moved over the grass towards them. He was greeted by Jennifer who rested a hand on his arm, “we didn’t mean anything by it,” she tried to reassure him a little breathlessly, “it was just a bit of fun.” Tristan ignored her and looked down into the lake to make sure that Thoth was safely above the surface. The Prince removed Jenny’s hand and turned instead to Tarquin. He took another step forwards until he was standing at the older boy’s side and draped his arm companionably around his back. He held out his other hand, “I’ll take that, thanks,” Tristan said, tipping his eyes in the direction of the pendant in Tarquin’s hand. The boy hesitated, but reluctantly did as he was instructed. The prince smiled at him and nodded closing his fingers around the blue star.

He had, quite deliberately, retained a rather light and ambiguous tone throughout the entire exchange. He had never managed to pull off the sternness that his father had long since perfected, but had realised as of late that he could find his own way of doing things. Tristan could tell by looking at their faces that they couldn’t quite tell whether he was amused, or annoyed. Brilliant. “Were you having fun, Tarquin?” Tristan asked conversationally. Tarquin nodded, his expression taking on a rather defiant look, “yes,” he replied, “I was, actually.” The prince grinned at him. “Well, in that case,” he laughed, using his arm around Tarquin’s back in order to force him forwards. It was easier than he had expected, he reflected as the older boy crashed into the lake with a splash. He must have taken him by surprise. Tristan crouched down and offered his arm to Thoth in order to help him out of the water. He ignored Tarquin’s furious spluttering. “I swear, Tarquin,” Tristan said, “if the next words out of your mouth are I’ll tell my father then I will laugh in your face. Doesn’t work quite so well with me, does it?”
photography by Dominic’s pics | Mark Cutler at flickr.com






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