Fate Weaver's convergence

C74 Winter's story 4

"Kiyomi..."

The sound of someone's voice roused me from my post-breakfast nap, the sound of the fireplace crackling with activity filling in the white noise of air flowing through the room. The warmth and crackle of the fire stacked upon a filled stomach and the cold outside; I was easily lulled off to sleep.

"Kiyomi, wake up."

"Hyuh? Huh? What's going on?"

I woke up slowly, my eyelids slowly opening as I was nudged awake.

"Mornin' kid, sorry I was late."

Looking up from the couch, I was shadowed by Stanis.

"Morning Uncle Stan."

I sat up slowly, posting on one arm as I wiped the other over my eyes. At a glance, he was just wearing his gambison, boots, and trousers unlike his regular get-up.

"What are we doing today? Mama said something about looking at the wall. Going to the barracks?"

I asked in a groggy tone, my memory of the morning foggy thanks to the strange dream that left me with a slight headache.

Grabbing me, Stanis lifted me over his head and shifted me, placing me on his shoulders.

Holy shit slow down, I'm too damn tired for this!

"Dizzy- Ugh. Mean!"

I lightly patted Stanis's head, earning a chuckle from him.

"You with me now?"

I leaned over his shoulder and nodded.

"Mhmm, I think breakfast floored me. I'm not used to staying home right after."

"Well, I hope you got some energy in you for this. You're gonna help me inspect the troops, maybe watch a mock battle. We'll grab some lunch, then inspect the wall in the afternoon. How does all that sound?"

"Sounds great. As long as I can spar with you Uncle Stan."

Stanis laughed weakly, tilting his head slightly.

"Eeeeh, maybe Kiyomi. Wouldn't do the troops well to watch their Captain get whooped by a little girl though."

I patted his head once more as I teased.

"It's fine, I'll only beat you barely~."

"Alright then, maybe. Let's get your sword before we go."

"And these are the barracks!"

We walked through the city haphazardly for roughly half an hour before reaching the barracks. I was unsure of what to expect, but it wasn't the fortified square that jutted from the wall. It was just short enough to be obscured to the outside, but from within it seemed like a sorely obvious military structure compared to the housing around us. Walls jutted out and came around to meet at the front, being split only by large wooden doors. They were peppered with windows and small openings, presumably for spears and arrows. Along each corner, a guard stood as they idled. One was smoking while another stood watch, and a third simply pushed snow from the battlement with the flat side of a rake. Flags were raised along the center point above the main door, one was green, for the state of public safety. The other, however, held the crest of the Lord's family.

"This is the guard's Barracks?"

I asked looking upward as we approached. I'd always assumed they would have been based out of the structures around gates, or the keep. The structure looked as if it was built into the wall, its structure flowing as if the barracks preceded the wall.