Ptar: Ceilus and the revolution

10. Taking a break

The trumpets sounded. Rose woke up. She was sure it was going to be a great day, the day before ranking, the storer tournament day. No classes for the day and the opportunity to watch a competition between storers. The recipe for a fun, laid back, day.

Rose got up. She looked at Lily's bed, which was empty, having already been tidied up, and concluded that her roommate had, as usual, gotten up early. Why have a morning call if you were going to wake up before it? Rose made her way to the bathroom to empty her full bladder, she had to stop drinking water before going to sleep, but, for some forsaken reason, she always felt thirsty. After having sat down on the toilet she took off the underwear she slept in and hopped into the shower. The warm water trickled down her spine. It relaxed her. She almost wished she could stay there the whole day, but then she'd turn wrinkly and she certainly wouldn't let that happen. She washed her belly button vigorously; the previous night Lily had told her that it was the dirtiest part of the body, well, not so much told as forced to talk and it just so happened to be the first thing out her mouth, and the last. Come to think of it, did Lily say that on purpose to stop Rose's talking? She wrapped up her shower and got out of the bathroom, drying her wavy red hair with her towel, it went down to her shoulders, the perfect length, short enough not to get in her way in the middle of a fight, but long enough to be gorgeous, not that she needed it to look beautiful, her green sparkling eyes and freckles did the trick. Rose put her underwear on and then moved on to her uniform. The academy's uniform was unisex, which, to Rose, seemed to mean dull colours. It consisted of four parts, first the pants, which were dark red, one leg at a time, next the shirt, white, head, left arm, right arm, then the vest worn on top, which was also mostly dark red, having integrated leather shoulder pads, next, a flannel, red, armband with Ptar's symbol, a white circle with a Warhammer over a flame, lastly, the black boots, left foot and tie the knot, right foot and tie the knot. Rose reached into one of her desk's drawers, inside were two identical daggers and two patches of black cloth. She wrapped each dagger in the cloth and hid them in her boots, making sure the blades' handles was easily accessible. She did this every day, without those daggers Rose felt unsteady, even with no danger in sight, her heart pulsed faster, she sweated and was incapable of keeping calm. Finally, she looked at herself in the mirror. "Looking good," she thought to herself, spinning. She hadn't brushed her hair, but, as usual, there was no need, it looked good on its own.

Now ready, Rose made her way out the dorm. The outside was cold. Winter was still afoot and noticeable. It should be only half a month more before spring's arrival and Rose yearned for it. Refdour had only one uniform for the whole year, too cold in the winter, too hot in the summer. The justification the principal had for it was that enduring the temperature endured soldiers, but Rose suspected she was just stingy.

Lily stood ahead, already in place, ready for inspection, next to her was Fita, chatting. Rose joined a group of girls to her left; they were all second years, six in total, probably engaged in meaningless gossip, perfect.

"Hello," Rose said, entering the circle.

"Hi, Rose," One said.

"Good morning," Said another.

"Hi," Said a third one. And so on...

"What were you talking about?" Rose asked the group.

"Arlen" Said Benathy, the one directly to Rose's right.

"He's been spending time with this short girl with black hair," Said Ebele, the one who stood before Rose, interrupting Benathy.

"I saw him helping her in the weapons class, yesterday," Said Joss, the blonde girl to Rose's left whose voice was excruciatingly strident.

"So, Rose, what do you think? Dating or not dating?" Said, also from Rose's left, Aliyah, whose hair had been dyed dark green, which was becoming a trend.