Cleaning - Athenaeum Style

Kal left Mnemosyne's office in low spirits. He had protested the whole thing - and here he was, like a 15 year old warrior being disciplined. But he should have known better. He made his own choices, and he couldn’t blame that on Amaranth – even if he had wanted to. Besides, tattling wasn’t his style. And really, was that likely to make Mnemosyne think a little better of him. Not likely. She’d probably say just what he was thinking himself, and he’d fall further in her eyes. Maybe Amaranth would go talk to her later and explain – but if she did, that was Amaranth’s own business – Kal wouldn’t ask her to stick up for him if she didn’t want to.

But for now – he had work to do. Thankfully – it wasn’t going to be too terrible. Walking with Amaranth, Adratos, Septima and Augustin he turned to address them. “I know this seems bad, but lucky for you all – you’ve got me on your side – the Athenaeum’s number one trouble maker. I was always getting in trouble like this when I was your age. I can’t count the number of times I’ve cleaned the stables.” To prove his point, he nodded to one of the slaves as they entered.

The man grinned as he recognized Kal. “Lord Kallistrates – Just when I thought you were too old for this sort of thing, I get word from Mnem that you’ve done something irresponsible again… And here we all thought raising Miss Tahirah would knock some sense into you. But oh, well. At least you know what to do.”

Kal flushed sheepishly. “The only sense Tahi has tried to knock into me is fashion sense, and she says that she has failed miserably. But – I certainly do know what to do, so there’s no reason for you to hang around…” he mumbled. “Goodnight Eryx.”

“Goodnight Kal” the man said as he left.

Kal waited for Eryx to leave before turning to the group. “Back to what I was saying, I’m fairly experienced at this. And yes – as Mnemosyne said, this should take all night. The key phrase there being SHOULD. That phrase operates under the assumption that we are dealing with regular mortals, when in fact – we are quite the talented group. We have magic – and can use it.” He twisted his hand, and a gust swept into the room, moving under Kal’s expert control around the horses so as not to spook them, lifting all of the old straw and taking it out back to where the waste went. “See. This shouldn’t take long at all,” he said with a grin.

“Adratos – I know centaurs have some power over horses. If you could kindly ask these fellows to go out to the field, and return in about an hour, I’d be grateful. Amaranth – we need to wash down these stables, then bathe the horses when they come back. With your water magic that should be simple, yes? And Severa – it’ll be easier if the water is warm. I know you’re new to fire magic, but I did see you practicing. You have a lot of potential – and I don’t think warming the water is beyond you, or warming the breezes I’ll use to blow the place dry. Augustin, you can help me out with the sweeping, and the… heavy lifting” Kal finished, looking at the noxious piles of feces in the stalls. “Seeing as you haven’t made any advances towards my sister, we can work together… as long as that remains the case” he added icily.

“So do we have a plan?” Kal asked.

Kal smiled. "Now you're getting it! I can indeed" he replied, lifting the crates with a flourish of his hand. Three powerful breezes surrounded the crates, propelling them upward with a huge heave.

Kallistrates had a flare for the dramatic when it came to magic - but he was powerful enough that most people were quiet about his flamboyant tendencies - if they knew what was good for them. With his other hand he made a flicking motion, and he swept the old hay to the same place he had swept the old straw.

"Mi'lady, I believe it is your turn" he said, mock bowing to Amaranth, grinning. Punishments were easier when he made the work a game. He had discovered that when he was a warrior here, and it was no different now.

Adratos was pissed when he left Mnems office. He had done nothing wrong and he was still paying the consequences.

As they reached the stables, he listened to Kalls orders, even though he was not happy with the flirtation he had with Amaranth, he was still a mentor and obey was on his list.

"Okay, sir. I'll get the horses and within an hour I'll come back." he said, trotting to get the horses, calming them down and they soon followed him to the exit. He patted some of them, while having a caring look on his face "It's okay, we will just go for a walk."

"I'm coming!" Severa snapped at the mentor and walked over to the horses. She wasn't incredibly happy with the verdict, as many others, but they had chosen to do something not allowed, and they were paying the price. Karma. "And do not call me Septima!"

"I do not like animals," she muttered as she picked up one of the brushes and approached one of the horses carefully. The bay mare looked at her curiously and sniffed her when she got close. She stood frozen, waiting for it to bite her or something, but it just shook its head, licked her hand and went on standing.

She started brushing the thing and it closed its eyes pleasantly. From behind another horse nudged her and started sniffing her as well. She tried to push it away but it just kept coming. "What do these things not understand when I say I don't like animals!"

"But.. but.." Severa protested as she slowly approached the thing's head with her hand. She nervously petted the horse on it's nose and it whinnied under her touch.

"I really don't like animals," she muttered as she turned away from the horse, who settled with just watching her, ears forward in a curious way. She continued brushing the dirt off of the other mare's body, looking over her shoulder nervously every so seconds, noticing that more horses were staring at her.

"Oh great, please don't tell me I have a hidden talent for these beasts, the irony would kill me."

"Oh great, the horses are getting dumb then...." Adratos mumbled as he watched them nudging on Severa.

"They don't bite much. What the hell are you so scared?" he teased Severa with a smirk, while patting some horses.

Severa glared at Adratos. "I'm not scared of them, I just don't like them," she said slowly, as if talking to an idiot. Shortly thereafter, however, another nose nudged her and she jumped almost a meter away.

"Pedicabo ego vos et irrumabo " she hissed angrily, though it's unclear if she meant the horse or Adratos. Or both. In any case she continued awkwardly scrubbing the one horse, even though Amaranth had already done five or so.

Adratos contained a laugh as he heard Severa cursing to the poor horse "Hey buddy, better quit before she hurts you..." he said while patting the horse in question.

((That was definitely my most artistic roman swearing in my book btw, you don't want to know what it means xD))

"Fine, I shall," she turned around and stalked away, pushing a horse nose out of her way first, it just stared at her as she walked back into the stables.

"Kallistrates, did you need my help warming your wind, I believe I'm ready now," she certainly was annoyed enough...

Amaranth had finished washing down the entire insides of the stables, and now all Kal needed to do was dry them down. But with just cold air - he was just as likely to create an ice field rather than a dry environment. Now technically Kal could do it himself. Though he wasn't the greatest fighter in the world, his magic was first rate. And his lady was the goddess of the hearth. If he didn't have at least a little fire magic - he'd be letting her down. He touched the opal pendant he was wearing.

Opals were powerful magical stones. They could store magic - or magical potential - of any type because of their shifting facets. A mage with the right kind of opal could channel whatever type of magic he or she needed, even if that magic wasn't strictly in their nature. It was difficult - yes - but Kal had certainly had enough practice on the road.

However - he knew that Severa needed to explore her own magical potential far more than he needed to train his. So if he let her do a little of the work for him, what was the harm in that. It was teaching her - not laziness at all!

"Yes, please Severa - your help would be greatly appreciated." Kal called, summoning a large breeze, having it slowly swirl around his hand.

"Do you know what you have to do, or should I help you? We wouldn't want to burn down the stables now would we?"

"Oh - and Amaranth!" he called "Save the flirting for when the work is done - thank you! I have other places to be! You too Adratos!"