@Juno ((OOC: I threw the "M" up cause I feel like this might deal with some heavy stuff.))
The day had started off well enough. He'd spent the last day of his week leave at Ilia's house, spoiling Tali and practicing some basic combat maneuvers with Verrin and Mika. His nephew and youngest niece had their hearts set on being dragonriders, just like their uncle. Their mother wasn't exactly thrilled, but she hadn't stopped him from showing them how to properly hold their little wooden swords and giving them a few drills they could run through while he was away.
A kiss for his sister and a warm hug from her husband, then he was sent off, back to the barracks. He sighed quietly to himself and shook his head with a wry little smile as he approached the low stone building.
He loved spending time with his family, really he did, but it was nice to be getting back to work, to be
doing something.
Bane caught sight of him before he saw the dragon circling above the barracks with a few others, and gave a sharp call of greeting. Verik paused and tilted his head back, then grinned when he caught sigh of the familiar green and bronze shape. He raised his hand in welcome and the dragon dove to meet him, his bulk shaking the ground as he landed with a dull
thud and shuffled his wings in against his sides.
"Hey, old boy," Verik laughed, walking forward to pat his flank and accepting a greeting nuzzle against his shoulder. "You have a good few days off?"
Bane chuffed and tossed his head; it had been fine, but he was ready to be out on patrol again.
Verik chuckled again and nodded in agreement. "Aye, me too lad," he said with a lopsided grin as he strolled into the courtyard of the barracks, Bane at his side.
He drew up short at what he found. Two men were shouting at each other just outside the training yard. He recognized one of them-- Anselm, a junior member of his own unit-- and he was pretty sure the other was a recently-appointed captain from a different regiment, though he couldn't remember his name.
"--personal slaves aren't
forbidden on military property," the captain was saying sternly. "But you know this is frowned upon."
"And I keep telling you, he's not
personal," Anselm shot back, scowling. "He's just here for cleaning duty and things like that. Makes more sense to have
him do it, that way the rest of us can be putting our efforts into something actually important!"
The captain scowled. "That undermines the
point of barracks duty and you know it."
Verik glanced around, hoping to find an escape route before either of them noticed him--
"Ah, Sergeant."
Damnit.
The captain gestured him forward. "Anselm is in your unit, is he not? Maybe
you can talk some sense into him." He glowered. "He is unfortunately not under my direct jurisdiction."
"Ahh..." Verik glanced between the two men. Oh gods, he hated this. He cleared his throat. "Well, er...where exactly is this slave you're talking about?"
Anselm rolled his eyes. "I'll go get him," he muttered, stomping off. He was grumbling about "ridiculousness" under his breath all the way.
