Day of an Embvikk soldier

Auroh and her nestmates came to a rude awakening. “Get up, alarm! Auroh is in danger!” Drauch shouted at them. She shared her name with the Mgihthni, the Hidden Royal, though of course they would not be in danger. Though soldiers did know of their name, no one knew what they looked like. So, of course, they were not truly in danger, Drauch decided that was the best way to get everyone in the pack of Muzoval’s up. If he had said the name Viur or said Voiced Royal, Thnidroh , instead, then the danger might have been legitimate.
After the initial shock wore off, Auroh stretched and sluggishly got up. Others of her pack were either berating Drauch or beginning the day themselves. Auroh couldn’t bring herself to be angry with Drauch: He’d been up for a while now and was ready in his armor. More importantly, it was his turn to prepare food today, it wouldn’t be pertinent to attack him.
From the window, Auroh could see the night was going to be a pleasant one. Not that most nights weren’t present in Embvikk, but there was not a sign of wind, so no sandstorms. The night was cool, too, so very unlikely for spark weather. And rain is such a rarity. No, the weather was clear and perfect; she could clearly see each piece of the Shattered-night.
From their next, the pack moved to the bathing chamber. Everyone was either too grumpy for being woken up that they wouldn’t talk or they were still half asleep; no one talked. Dustbathing was a pleasant affair, the sand felt wonderful rubbing against Auroh’s scaethers. Afterwards, her pack broke off into pairs to check one another for blood-scaethers. Sometimes, someone was too rough rolling around and broke a few.
Her pack, the eight of them, were not blood related. They were her fellow guards, Muzoval she would die for. She loved them as she would her blood pack, and they loved her. The bond they had, it was necessary if war were ever to come. Or, if someone were to attack the palace.
But that wasn’t a worry at then, for what next was to go eat. While they spent time bathing, Drauch was preparing their daily meal. They only needed to eat once a day and then was the time she became hungry. In a few days, they would have meat. In the meantime, it was nice to have a pack member who likes to prepare food, and Drauch was that star. He knew just how to break and cut the root vegetable, likely to be a Geuvliut, that it would be easy to bite into. And, he knew how to use spices to make the flavour pop. Auroh herself wasn’t terrible at preparing food, she was pretty good by her estimate, just dull in comparison to Drauch. Everyone in the pack was.
After sharing a meal, the pack meandered to the armory. It was time to get ready for their shift. Auroh stepped up to her armor, chainmail and scalemail overcoat with many wards etched into the rings of the chainmail. Auroh checked the primary stones that the wards used as power. One’s power was depleted. She plucked the green stone out and placed it in a crucible in the ground nearby. It would have to stay there overnight to gain back its energy. From the crucible, Auroh plucked another defensive ward and put it in place of the other one.
Auroh didn’t particularly like the uniform, the color the same green as the sand and the palace walls. But it was form over function and the suit was meant to protect her. The next part of her ensemble was her weapon: A long thin hollow tube that she strapped to her side. On the front end of the tube was a sharp orange spike made of glass. In a pinch, she could stab someone with the spear. But what made it dangerous is what the spike capped off, what was inside. A piece of a captured storm raged silently in the tube. The spike provided two services, to encase the storm and, when the tube was opened, to control the storm.
Finally was her crown. Like the mail, it had enchantments etched into the metal work. But it provided a different purpose, it was a multitool. Not as strong as the mail in its purpose, but able to do much. As her crown was set, she felt it creates a deeper connection with her pack as they too put on their crowns. One of its features.
Finally, the pack left their barracks and headed to their post. During wartime, which Auroh had not experienced in her life, they would meet up with their captain. Now, her pack were palace guards and were expected to know what to do. Auroh bowed her head to passing scribes.
They greeted with auras happiness the prior guard as they enter the guardroom. They all look exhausted, lips drooping, and perk up at the sight of Auroh and her pack. She was not envious of their shift times, to work during the day when everyone should be asleep. The sleeping guard, as they called their shift, was rough. Having to deal with the brightness of the day-band? How have they not gone blind, Auroh did not know. Not to mention the heat.
The pack of sleeping guards swiftly exited, leaving the waking guards to take their place. They were likely going to a bathhouse. This was something Auroh was already wanting for, even though she had yet to even start her rout.
She would walk alone in the halls, stopping occasionally to guard a select position. Usually, it would be a room where someone of importance was scheduled to be. She would stand on look out, waiting around while nothing happened. Well, not nothing, just nothing interesting. People pass by, but Auroh is prohibited with speaking or looking directly at them. She must take their presence, asses their threat, and let them be as they’re just a pair of nobles wandering the halls.
Occasionally, on her patrol path, Auroh would cross one of her pack, or one of a different guard’s pack’s. They would exchange quick and quiet words, they had gotten good at not getting caught. They had grown very accustomed to the castle they guarded and the denizens routines. They also knew each other's routines and their brief meetings became somewhat scheduled. What would have made them less likely to get caught was if they could communicate through telepathy. If they did this, however, it would open them up to a third party, something dangerous for all those around them. They had to keep their minds locked away. That’s besides the fact she wouldn’t let anyone in anyways.
The rest of the night dragged along with nothing happening, like every other day. At least it gave her time to think.
Her pack’s shift ended as the bright day-band peaked over the dunes. She left her temporary station and marched to the guard station. The sleeping guard had been waiting there and met her with well-rested frowns. She was not the last of her pack to arrive, they were the ones to receive the most glairs.
Auroh and her pack make a quick stop by the barracks to sort away their armor and weapons before heading to the town proper. Their destination: the bathhouse.
The bathhouse was as popular as ever. Cut into the one lake that was the abundant source of water for the town, the building stood tall and noticeable. The water they curated there from the oasis was made just perfectly warm, or cool if wanted.
It took time for Auroh and her pack to rented a pool, to wade through the crowd and wait for a private pool to open up. Once they were in the water they spent their night talking and relaxing. Auroh loved the warm water and to sprawl out. She waved her wings and tails to watch the small waves. She stayed quiet while listening to her pack ramble on about what one noble did or what bird happened to fly by that day. She saw Drauch get his claws and beak sanded. She hoped someone would frighten the bathhouse worker, make one nail a tad shorter than the rest. She would never do that. They needed their beaks and claws sharp for work.
The day grew bright and the pack grew weary, so they decided to head home for the night. Some of her pack would tiredly say hello to people they knew on the way home. Regulars at taverns some of them would stay at or the occasional overly-friendly stranger.
Back at the barracks, before curfew, Auroh nestled in with her pack and fell asleep.