The Unreached Duchy

Chapter 17

Rus, I didn’t mean it like that. I promise, it’s just I’m trying to relax and you girls look like you’re having some real fun. Apologies for snapping at you both.” Namtao said apologetically while he single handedly stroked Rusalka’s tail fins that hung off the divan and rubbed his head with the other hand. Namtao did not realize what he was doing until it was too late, he stopped just as suddenly as he started and turned a shade of pink that rivaled Senara’s tail fins.

“We forgive you Namtao.” Senara chimed in with a smile and giggle at seeing Namtao turn pink, “Besides, if we stay mad at you then you may not let us continue playing with your Senet game set anymore.”

“It’s not so much the talking about work that gives me a headache; it’s the talking about work and trying to deal with the headache that the Mimas gave me while on duty.” Namtao said as he continued to rub his head. “The screeching that you heard the other night in the open is nothing compared to what they sound like up close and that’s still quieter than what they sound like in a hallway.”

“They’re the most beautiful creatures I’ve ever seen. I don’t know why they’re not on Senet game pieces. They’d make the game so much more exciting to play.” Rusalka said as she flipped her tail fins by Namtao’s ear in a playful manner, since it also seemed to cause Namtao to turn different shades of scarlet in embarrassment. Senara looked like she wanted to join in on the fun of teasing Namtao and she felt like she wanted to leave the two of them alone all at the same time.

“You two are the most impossible to get to laugh and relax sometimes, do you know that?” Rusalka pouted as she stopped moving her tail fins and crossed her arms defiantly across her chest, letting her blue hair fall around her shoulders.

“Not always Rus” Senara said “Sometimes you’re the one that is nearly impossible to relax, especially when we get anywhere near a volcano.”

“Or anything that can make lava for that matter” joked Namtao, “but she’s right Sen. We have to relax because the last few days have been hard on all of us and everyone’s on edge still. Rus and I were nearly seen by human ship. Rus was actually hit by the same human ship. That’s dangerous, not just for us but for Makara as a whole right now.” Namtao said in a suddenly serious tone. “I can’t speak for Rusalka but I was actually scared about what could happen.”

“Namtao, one thing I’ve learned from all of my work with human is that they all accept fear. They say that’s the easiest way to tell if they’re still alive because if they have feared something than that means they can still feel other things too, like gratefulness. One human even told me that after he was rescued, he felt relief he could choose to live on land and never have to go into the water again.” Senara stated with a matter of fact tone that she always used while working; when helping human move to their respective towns to learn the customs, Senara was not allowed to use Mimas to get there but she was always allowed to travel home by a mima if she wished.

“Do they ever learn anything about our ways of life from you before you get to their town or city?” Namtao asked respectfully and inquisitively because he truly wanted to know if anyone did learn anything before they got to their destinations.

“Well, sometimes I can teach them a little bit of Senet before we get to the town or city; but not usually, I don’t leave Samosata unless I’m in Bucatius. So I’m usually home within a couple of days.” Senara said. “I find Senet so relaxing, sometimes if a new human is going to Anthesterion then I might get a chance to explain some of how Senet works.”

“Has it ever made sense to any of them? I know it sounds confusing at first but since they haven’t grown up around it, some look at our tiles when we play at Cassini as if we’re doing something wrong.” Rusalka said, “As close as I work with humans, I have never gotten close enough to ask about their way of life after Makara rescues them. Isn’t that odd?”

“No it’s not odd Rus,” Namtao replied, “We save them and then give them a choice to live among us. Before I forget and leave without telling you Sen, part of the Infirmary and Caserma was damaged during the volcano erupting. Rumors going through the Ranks is that masons from Dacia and Thracia are going to have to come help and that the Escorts will be greeting them off the ships.” Namtao continued as he got up and started to make sure he had all of his Trireme gear before he left.

“Ugh, ok.” Senara responded. “Well alright then. Have a nice sleep Nam.” Senara replied without raising her gaze from the Senet game she and Rusalka were in the middle of playing.

“Night Tao.” Rusalka said simply as she watched her silver scaled best friend slip back into the water way that ran through the entire structure and as he made his way out.

With that, Namtao left to sleep in his rock and lava cave home that was next door to Rusalka to sleep away as much of his 24 hours off duty as he possibly could.

Namtao’s house was nothing to brag about to anyone but it was more effusive. It was a still considered a simple structure for housing and shelter. There was an opening that was facing

When he went back on duty after the volcano eruption, Mount Avesta erupted; trapping everyone at the Infirmary and the Caserma inside, including all of the animals in the Royal Stables. Namtao was assigned to work at one of the sites closest to Caserma and he decided to send Titian, his Colo colo companion, up into the air for a status report to see if Titian could see anything helpful from the sky