2. Explorations

Braedin had been wandering for what seemed like an eternity, seeing the stables, the mews, the kitchens, the laundry, the maid's hall, and the Barracks. There were some comely maids, and Braedin made sure to smile at them, exchanging greetings with those who seemed especially promising. Perhaps they would help him later, in little ways, such as helping him clean, or big ways, such as helping him scratch a very particular itch. One never knew when connections such as those would come in handy.

Having explored as much of the fortress as he could access on the first day, the brawny blonde climbed back up the stairs and re-entered his room. A young man slept on the bed Braedin's bag hadn't claimed, making the room feel much less empty than it had been. The few personal things Braedin had brought needed to be placed around the room. A small photograph of himself and his sister on his last birthday, a few books that he had taken from the library at home (with his mother's permission), and the blanket that he had slept with since infancy. This last was tucked beneath his pillows, hiding it from view.

That established, Braedin flopped down on the bed that was just as soft as it had promised to be. He stared at the ceiling for a while, and attempted to associate this new place with "home". For the next four years, it would be his true home. His mother didn't want him back until he was a Knight. His inability to go home was the price he had paid for this schooling. The price was steep, but in the end, it would give him the power to surpass his sister in prestige, and perhaps be the greatest man to come out of his family in several generations.

This contemplation was not good for him, it led him into a downward spiral. So, with a soft growl, he flung himself up from his bed and sat at his desk, pulling his favorite book towards himself and opening it to his favorite passage. Perhaps it would soothe him where his thoughts had hurt. He sank into the novel, his thoughts far from the room which contained his body.