[Mkguild] Patrol pt V

[Jack Moore]

AN: Took me forever to work on this. I hope you enjoy it.

Patrol pt. V

My Watch House is in a building so generic I once forgot where it was. And
I’ve been at the same house for as long as I’ve been back in Metamor Keep.
The one way you can tell is to look for the lantern.
I know what you’re thinking, lanterns are everywhere. They kind of have to
be for light. But a Watch House always has a lantern hanging over the
doors. It matches the lantern on my tabard. And it is never put out.
I’ve seen the lantern over our Watch House out twice. Once during the Three
Gates. The other time during the last Yule.
Yesterday I didn’t have much time to look for the bull. I slipped into the
door to the plain house. Hopefully I’ll get some time today. I entered into
the Watch House and almost walked smack into Tarsier.
"Hello Corporal Janelle." The Warden said.
"Hello Isaac." Isaac was the one and only mage in our Watch House. We’re
supposed to have four to each Watch House. We’re also supposed to not be
understaffed and underpaid. Such is life.
Our only mage was a Tasier. Just imagine a tiny monkey with the giant eyes
of a gecko and long thing tail. His tabard was oversized and covered him in
a tent of blue fabric.
Isaac was for some reason standing in the entranceway, muzzle in a leather
bound volume. His unblinking green eyes were flicking back and forth at the
speed of sound. His tail, as it did when he was in thought, was wrapped
around his neck.
"You have a desk." I said. "Why not go and read there?" Did you know I
might soon be your new Sergeant? Perhaps I was a bit anxious. But at the
same time, I wanted someone to acknowledge my good fortune.
So why didn’t I say anything? People can’t acknowledge what they don’t
know.
"I was struck by something. This I may lose it if I go to my desk. Must
deal with this now." Isaac said. He didn’t say anything about any potential
promotions though, to my disapointment. "Finding order for magic is a
demanding task." I sighed.
"Yes, it is. I’ll see you out there Isaac." He gave a wave without glancing
from his book. I slipped past his form and further into the building.
Our Watch House is small and cramped. Most of the bottom floor was taken up
by holding cells. The few other rooms were the briefing room, the Watch
House library (now with one full bookcase!), and a storage room where
Isaac’s desk was located.
I made my way through the crowded and dusty hall to Sgt. Tibble’s desk.
Before him stood Warden Bantry, supporting a spiny-tailed lizard on his
arm.
"Anyway, when I got there he was trying to break down his employers door."
Bantry said, "But he was so drunk. Scalies don’t handle their booze if you
know what I mean and it showed with this guy. His method of trying to break
down the door involved head butting it in. So in my capacity for mean
justice, I figure two days in a cell could help him.
"Cell number four is empty." Tibble said, scratching on his ledger. "Take
him immediately." The spiny-tailed lizard’s glassy eyes focused on Tibble.
"You know…you look like a pork chop I had last week." Tibble rolled his
eyes, but his knuckles noticeably tightened.

"Come on scale-tail, enough outta you." Bantry said, taking the lizard into
the back hall.
"Corporal please come forward." Tibble said without changing his position
at all. I approached, my hands clasped beside my back. "No open cases for
you. Triche is assigning you watch duty today. By yourself." I frowned.
"By myself? Shouldn’t I have a Warden with me?" So Triche can see how
skilled I am as a leader?
"Triche wants you by yourself today." Tibble said. "He wants to see how you
handle yourself working on your own." I nodded.
That makes sense. I thought. As a Sergeant I will be investigating cases by
myself. And this is the opportunity to prove my abilities. Tribble kept
writing in his ledger,[Noir Wolf5] scared side of his face facing me. If he
knew what Triche wanted me doing, he didn’t let on. Come on, Triche had to
tell you what he wants to do with me. I’m not proud of it, but I really
wanted someone to mention I could soon be a Sergeant.
"I’ll get right to work Sergeant Tibble." I said.
"Get to it then Corporal. Dismissed." I saluted and turned back down the
hall. As I exited, I bumped into Remmie coming in.
"Oh hey Janie!" Remmie chirped. "Leaving already? We’re not together
today?" I shook my head.
"Triche wants me to do a patrol by myself." Remmie raised an eye ridge. "I
might actually soon be undergoing a change in position Warden."
"You’re finally going to get promoted! I knew it!" The next thing I felt
was a cold mass leaping on me in a hug. Remmie’s big arms squeezed me until
I ached. "Congratulations." I blushed through my scales.
"Thank you Warden." I managed to push her spotted body off of me. "Now I
must get to work."
"Alright, you get to it." Remmie said. "If you want, when you do get
promoted, you should come with me to the Deaf Mule tent for a drink. It’ll
be fun."
"That will never happen." I said. Remmie whined.
"Awe, why not?"
"I have to get promoted first." I said. "And I’m not interested." Remmie
sighed.
"You know, having some fun? Getting to know the others on the watch?
Wouldn’t kill ya Janie." To this I had no response but to reassure myself
of the certainty of my actions. I am her superior, sharking a drink would
be too unprofessional. Besides time spent drinking is time that could be
spent working.[Noir Wolf8]
And I could keep working. I’d work all day, be a parent all night and
eventually be Justicar of Metamor Keep. This was just one step.
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