Editing Story:ROAD TRIP! (Warhammer High)/Part Four (section)

===Dining With Wolves===


After a moment, Konnar spoke again.  “Dignitaries from Terra, Nocturne, Inwit, a Rogue Trader Fleet, the Imperial Army, and more besides have visited us over the last few days, as guests or allies or both.  Some have gone, some will join us for a supper tonight, and either way remember them well.  Show them our hospitality, as we are all kin beneath the Emperor’s just hand.  And brothers, as new dispatch orders from Terra arrive, and reinforcements come from Terra or our own camps, remember always our mission and name.”  His Juvjk words grew harsh.  “For the Emperor and Mankind, we are the Wolves of Fenris.”

“Vlka Fenryka!” the crowd proclaimed, to muted applause.

Bjorn leaned over to where Freya was listening enrapt.  “Little Pup, go get your friends, this is the perfect time for them to join us.”

“Yes, Eldest,” Freya whispered, wiping her tears away.

She rose and discreetly made her way back to the door, cracking it open.  Alex and the others were standing there, all looking a bit unnerved by the animal roars and foreign words they had heard chanted from the other side.

“Come on in,” Freya whispered.  “The prayer’s done,” she said.

“All right,” Remilia answered for them, leading the others into the room.  A few heads turned and nodded polite respect to them as they passed, heading up to the table at the head of the room.  Konnar had retaken his seat, awaiting the rows and rows of skjalds and servitors that were now bearing food up to the head of the table.  As per the tradition of the Fang, the Wolf Lords were granted their food last, but had the largest portions.  With so much of the Fang empty, it wouldn’t take long for their own food to arrive.

The teens took their seats at the end of the table, which had been left open for them, as Freya sat back down next to Bjorn.  Redwind, who had elected to remain until his ship departed the next morning, nodded politely at them as they sat.  “Hello again, friends,” he said in Gothic.

“Hello, your Lordship,” Alex replied.  “Good to see you.”

“How was your trip this afternoon?” Redwind asked.

“Well, we were attacked by krakenspawn,” Alex said.

Redwind raised one eyebrow.  “Oh?  That’s always good exercise,” he said.

Alex stared at him.  “For a Space Marine, maybe!” he said.

Redwind conceded the point.  “Fair enough.”

Alex shook his head and fell silent.  Down the table, Freya winced, but kept her lips sealed.

Bjorn leaned back from the table as the servitors deposited the food before them.  “Freya, have you given thought to staying on Fenris after your future education has ended?” he asked.

Freya nodded.  “I think it would be worthwhile, Eldest Bjorn.  I really do think so.  But I confess…I don’t know what I would do here.  I could never keep up with you or any of the other Wolf Brothers in battle.  And if I can’t fight with you, what would I do?” she asked.  She lifted her leg of grox and tore off a chunk with her teeth.

“A reasonable question, Freya, but you will always be this system’s Blood Princess,” Bjorn said.  “Perhaps you could administrate or even train at one of our Aspirant camps.”

Freya nodded.  “Possible.”  She paused to swig at her drink, noting the others’ eating with a hidden grin.

Remilia at least seemed comfortable eating with her hands, and Venus seemed to be ignoring the sounds and sights of the rest of the room, but Alex and Jake were both looking a bit stunned at the size of the portions they had received, and were much more hesitant.  A Long Fang at Remilia’s side was also barraging her with questions.

“I would, if I were asked, but I honestly don’t think that politics are my future,” Remilia said.  She glanced over her plate to answer the Long Fang’s question about her own post-college plans.  “And besides, I think I’d play more to a business future.  You know?  Rulership isn’t really my thing.”

“Don’t sell yourself short, Lady Remilia,” the Wolf said.  “I’m sure the Dorn family is as strong in guiding political tides as they are behind the stock of an Assault Cannon.”

“You’re too kind,” Remilia said.  She searched for an easier topic.  “Do you know what the Astropathic turnaround is for this planet from Terra?” she asked.

“It varies hugely on the tides of the Warp.  A day?  A year?  It’s nearly random,” the Fang said.  “The average time is a few days.  The tides are cooperative right now, though.  Two days, I would say,” he added.

Remilia nodded.  “Good.  I’m awaiting a message from home.”

Alex, meanwhile, was fielding a few questions of his own.  The Wolf at his side, a member of Redwind’s inner circle perhaps, was politely interrogating him about his relationship with Freya.  “An athletic meet at your school?” the Wolf asked.

“Yes,” Alex said, cutting into his dinner.  “I’d sort of known her before, but that was when I asked her out.”

“What does that mean?” the Wolf asked.

Alex blinked.  “What?  Asking her out?”  The Wolf nodded.  “Er…it’s going with them somewhere in a romantic context, I guess,” Alex fumbled.  Did they not have courtship on Fenris?

Freya sensed the rising awkwardness from that end of the table and cringed internally, but there was precious little she could do at that point.  Perhaps fortuitously, Lord Redwind spoke up at that point.  “Lord Carlin, do tell.  How exactly do schools work on Terra?  I understand you and our little sister met there,” he said.

The rugby player nodded.  “Well, it used to be more varied, but it’s pretty standardized now.  There’s twelve or thirteen standard grades of mandatory schooling, then you can go and get a degree if you can afford it – many can’t.”

“I see.”  Redwind polished off his food.  “And that’s where Sister Freya is going to be for the next few years?” he asked.

“Yes, she and I are going to attend a Terran college together for a while,” Alex supplied.

Redwind hesitated for an instant, his eyes darting over to where Freya was happily munching away on her own food and speaking to Bjorn.  Alex noticed, but suddenly, he didn’t feel like explaining his relationship to yet another person, especially since its endpoint was still nebulous.  He turned his own eyes back to his food and resumed eating.

As the meal ended, the five travelers stayed in their seats after a subtle gesture from Freya.  The tables below were getting rowdier as the Wolves took to the evening’s drink, and a few tuneless songs began from some of the long wooden benches.  To the surprise of the non-Fenrisians, the assembly broke up gradually, rather than all at once.  Some of the Wolf Brothers took off as soon as they were done, leaving their dishes behind and nearly racing for the doors, while others lingered, telling stories, drinking, or doing something else.  As Bjorn rose, however, many of the Brothers below paused and climbed to their feet in respect.  When Bjorn walked out, returning to his own quarters, the room resumed its air, and the tone of conversation grew much louder.

Venus shot a glance Freya’s way, and Freya nodded, rising as well.  When she stood, the reaction was greatly different, with many of the Brothers actually pausing to call out something or other in Juvjk as she passed.  She acknowledged the hails with cheerful waves and toothy smiles as the others filtered out behind her.

Once safely in the halls, Freya let out a breath.  “Man, I missed that,” she said.

Remilia spoke up.  “I can see why.  It must be great to be back, huh?”

“You bet,” Freya said.  She spun on her booted heel to beam ecstatically at the others, and somehow didn’t notice their varying levels of disquiet.  “So, what did you guys think?” she asked.

“I think your brothers can probably still hear us,” Venus said under her breath.  Freya nodded and lead them down the halls to the lifts.

“To answer your question, that was pretty intimidating,” Jake said.

Freya nodded.  “I understand.”  She looked back at them, to see Jake avoiding her gaze.  “Are you all right, though?” she asked, surprised.

Jake nodded.  “Yeah, that was just really overwhelming, you know?  So loud…and a room with several thousand Astartes in it, too.”

Venus tilted her head.  “Pretty much all anyone asked was what Terra was like.  How about you guys?”

“Everyone just asked me about my relationship with Freya,” Alex said.  “I mean, I understand why, but…” he trailed off.

Freya turned away, disappointed.  “Okay.  Well, we won’t do it again,” she said.

Remilia and Venus both winced at the suddenly morose tone of her voice.  “Look, Freya, don’t take it personally,” Jake hastened to say.  “I’m a bit shaken by the kraken.  And it’s just a little off-putting being around that many Space Marines at once.  Shit, I never even saw one until four years ago.”

“Yeah, I know.”  Freya sighed.  “I think I’ve just been sort of…operating under the assumption that there was a way I could make you guys comfortable here, that’s all.”

“I’m sure we can, I just don’t think communal meals are going to happen,” Jake said.  He grimaced.  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you feel bad.  I just wasn’t ready for that.”

Freya shifted her shoulders, thinking.  “All right.”  The lift carried them up to the level where they were staying.  As they moved down the hall, Freya lagged behind the others.  She paused as they reached their rooms.  “Look, guys, I’m not gonna figure this out on my own.  What can I do to make this more interesting for you all?” she asked, point-blank.

The others exchanged looks.  Remilia spoke up.  “Frankly, Freya, the best time I’ve had yet here was when were out climbing.  Is there any other place we could go like that?”

“A few, maybe.  We could try out on the mountains a bit, but…” Freya sighed again.  “That’s pretty dangerous.  The Ice Fiends live out there.”

“That sounds like a great name for a rugby team,” Jake commented.

Alex blinked.  “It…it DOES.”

“So you guys aren’t mad?” Freya asked.

Venus waved her off.  “’Course not.”  Remilia shook her head as Jake opened his door.

“Yeah, it was just a little much to see the Wolves like that,” he said.

Freya nodded, eyes downturned.  “Okay.”

Venus thought for a moment before following Jake into their room.  “Hey, Freya, is there a separate kitchen for this level?” she asked.

“A kitchen?  Uh, no, the skjalds cook for the entire fortress from the levels between here and the hammerhold,” Freya said.

“Hammerhold?” Venus asked.

Freya explained.  “It’s like an armory.  The Iron Priests are quartered there.”

Venus grinned.  “Cool.  Can I check it out tomorrow?” she asked.

Freya thought for a moment.  “Sure, that would probably be okay,” she decided.

“All right, I’ll do that,” Venus said.  Remilia walked into her own room as Venus ducked into hers to change.