Reassignment
(Another Lorna thing I wrote, takes place before the campaign)
Lorna’s heels echoed against the marble floor in the halls of the House of Eternity, not so loud as to deafen, but certainly loud enough that anyone nearby could hear her arrival well in advance. A small piece of her wanted to curl into a ball making that much sound, but she held her head high, bustling through the maze of corridors and rooms until she came to her destination.
After all, the sound honestly didn’t bother her all that much in the grand scheme of things. It was what, or who, waited on the other side of the door that worried her. Again, it wasn’t a rational fear. She’d performed adequately in her duties thus far, so a personal summons from Sochrat, the head of the House of Eternity, had taken her aback when she’d received it in the mail.
He didn’t generally meet with just anyone, nor without good reason.
Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the ornate and lacquered doors three times in quick succession. No doubt she’d arrived somewhat early, but that was simply good practice. Making someone wait without a good reason reflected poorly on one’s work ethic.
“Please, come in,” a smooth voice responded, hardly muffled at all by the wood.
Lorna placed a hand on the door, then removed it to smooth her skirt out one more time. Prestidigitating any wrinkles away and arranging her hair just so, then entered.
The office shattered whatever expectations she’d built for it through the whispers she’d overheard over the few years she’d worked with the house. Tomes of every size, shape, and age lined a grand bookshelf, the combined magical potential causing the hair on her arms to stand up momentarily. A lush area rug embroidered with a dazzling array of colors lay on a floor of deep mahogany. A fire crackled in the hearth, not only filling the room with more heat than any other room in the House, but also a faint herbal scent along with the wood. It almost cast a slight haze, dreamlike and unreal.
She had to admit, it was dazzling. A throat cleared just ahead of her, breaking her out of her reverie as she snapped her attention to the being standing behind the desk at the far end of the room. Lorna’d only met him briefly in passing when she was hired, as a formality. Each person who came to the house was presented with a small charm and a welcome from the being who ran the intricate workings.
That meeting failed to capture the sheer presence he carried one on one. Even more magical than the books, without any comparison. Given his lich status that wasn’t much of a surprise. Still, it was impressive how overwhelming he was one on one. An elaborate illusion, but an illusion nevertheless.
“I take it that you like my office, Ms. Tekite?”
Gods above she’d been staring! She forgot to even greet him as she walked in! Lorna’s face burned and she bowed her head. Daring only slightly to peek up at her boss after a few seconds passed.
“Oh my gosh- I apologize sir, I got carried away.”
Sochrat chuckled and waved his hand, the rings on his fingers never quite making a sound.
“It’s perfectly alright, no need to apologize. I do take pride in my collection. I curate my surroundings carefully.”
Lorna clasped her hands together to keep them from fidgeting, hearing her mother’s distant chastisement for not keeping eye contact. She had the distinct feeling though every time their eyes met that he was seeing through her. The faux pas could be excused in this instance.
As he moved out from behind his desk and in front of her, the colors of his robe shifted, off-white cascading into a iridescent rainbow that never fully overcame the pearlescent sheen. If Lorna cared much about appearances, her own vest and skirt would be quite drab in comparison. Luckily for her, such matters didn’t rank high on her list of priorities.
“I assure you that this will not take very long, so you may take a seat if you’d like.”
Sochrat gestured to the fireplace and the leather chairs beside it, and Lorna took her cue. Heart now taking the hint as to where this might be going.
How would she break the news to her parents? So soon after they’d moved too…
“Of course sir. I’m honored that you called me to meet with you.”
“Well, I prefer to have a conversation face to face over written correspondence. It’s more personal. While it’s not always possible, I make the time where I can to give news in person.”
Well, better in person than a letter of dismissal in the mail. Still.
The prospect of finding a new job with her… admittedly rather specialized skill set that paid anywhere near what they’d need to keep up with payments loomed large over her. Worst case scenario they’d be without a home and it’d be all her fault-
“Ms. Tekite, are you alright?”
“Yes,” she lied, trying to push past the lump in her throat, “Just… a lot on my mind right now.”
Sochrat regarded her for a moment, confused. Then something clicked and he clasped his hands together, tilting his head to the side. Expression neutral, which did not reassure Lorna in the slightest.
“Ms. Tekite, why do you think you’re here?”
All thoughts ground to a halt, Lorna’s mouth dried out entirely. Each response that came to mind was possibly ruinous at best. Too demanding- too cowardly- too much of a deflection- Her leg bounced before she stilled it, forcing herself to focus. A simple answer worked fine for most situations, it’d work here too.
“I… I don’t know e-exactly. But it’s about my last job- isn’t it? Did I do something wrong?”
Sochrat looked at her, onyx black eyes flat. Then he smiled, giving a soft chuckle and shaking his head.
“Ah that explains it. You’re not in trouble. The work done in Urumatsu earned the stipend for your family’s new home after all. That’s no ordinary occurrence. No, the reason I called you here is because the House is in need of your help in a different capacity. This is simply a change of position.”
“Oh.”
Oh. That… She’d… Well that was better than she’d hoped. The knot in her chest loosened and her shoulders dropped. The weight of the world dropped off of her back.
“My apologies for not making that clearer. Now, it’s an unorthodox move, but the House of Eternity I believe would be served well by you if you were to be moved to a surveying position.”
What?
“A… surveying position sir?”
Lorna struggled to picture what that would even entail for her. Almost all of her training lay in the planning of cities, looking at efficiency on large scales. Long hours drafting maps in an office.
She’d used reports from surveys before, familiar with the requirements that any report needed but… Well it wasn’t exactly something she’d ever done herself.
“Indeed, you do have a discerning eye when it comes to large-scale planning, but sometimes buildings can slip through the cracks and out of our view leading to… well. You’re familiar with those sorts of events, unfortunately.”
“I am…” Lorna frowned, memories of the buckling supports obvious to even a small child, the trips to the healer, her family’s life upended for nothing, “very familiar.”
“That’s why you’re a perfect fit Ms. Tektite. I have no doubt that you’ll succeed.”
“I suppose so,” Lorna chewed on her lip, biting back a multitude of ‘what-ifs’, “When will I have to get started?”
“The details aren’t all finalized as of yet, so you don’t need to worry about uprooting yourself. Once everything is put into place, we can discuss the finer points. I trust that you’ll adjust fine when the switch is made, yes?”
Lorna straightened her back and gave her best smile, leaving no room for doubt. In his mind anyways. Her own brain swirled with uncertainty that could be addressed at a later date.
“Of course, sir! I always give my all, this won’t be a problem.”
“Excellent.”
From the wall, a deep chime rang out from the clock, loud enough that Lorna could feel the vibration in her chest. Socrat stood up, gesturing for her to follow.
“Unfortunately I will have to cut this particular meeting short, I have another appointment momentarily. Thank you for all of your hard work Ms. Tekite, we will speak again soon.”
Gathering all of her frayed nerves and lingering questions, Lorna gave a quick bow and scurried out of the room. Catching the eye of the Baron briefly as she left. They gave her a nod and nothing more before heading into the office themselves. Leaving Lorna to sift through her thoughts.
Surveying… Her usual spellbook wouldn’t be practical if she had to move constantly. The thing was practically falling apart as it was. She’d need something that could move with her… a clipboard perhaps. Plus keeping notes would be a breeze.
The prospect of traveling across Sakana, clipboard in tow, did send a little thrill of excitement through her. After all, she’d never been to many of the isles, so that was a benefit! Not to mention that this job meant more hands on work, fewer nights spent alone by her own light fretting over small details.
On the other hand, she didn’t exactly want to have to leave the city so soon. Urumatsu took months, and she’d only now had a chance to spend any time with her family. They’d definitely have their opinions about the job, her mother especially.
Well, one way or another, Lorna would adjust. This was her job now, and she’d follow wherever it took her.
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