10-23-2017, 09:48 PM
(This post was last modified: 08-06-2023, 05:04 PM by Jay Carpenter.)
Continued from The Hunt
![[Image: JAKAsh4.jpg?strip=info&w=427]](https://i1.wp.com/thefirstage.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/JAKAsh4.jpg?strip=info&w=427)
The solarium grew warm with the midmorning light. The top floor of the apartment was domed in glass above and lined by lead paned windows on all sides. Light bless his tailor; the new uniform breathed much more pleasantly than the original wool blend. The latticework of bronze surrounding the individual panels were patinated green and orange long before he was born framed the room with an urban beauty. Gleaming wood floors stretched unhindered across the empty space; excepting present company of course. Stretched couches strategically positioned provided respite from socializing on foot. Man-height planters brought some nature to the heart of the city view. The Kojimas hosted many a glamorous event within these windows. There was no need to count them all again. Jai knew the exact number of panes currently encapsulating him their prisoner. There was no need to study the freedom beyond either. This was home; as much as it could be labeled. He knew it as well.
The house in which he was raised was not a house at all. There were no houses to speak of in Tar Valon. The island-city was filled with large scale construction not individual structures. Some were miniature spires piercing the skyline as private residences or public offices. Here and there a ribbon of bridges could be seen spanning the masses from the streets below. Others were wide buildings molded into sprawling apartments to rival the mansions of more traditionally laid out cities. The remainder, such as this tower, sold off blocks of floors, with each new owner molding the insides to their tastes. The top five floors of this building was purchased by his greatparents, and molded into the masterpiece it was long before he was born. The surrounding streets below were dotted with cafes and shops. Guard houses were positioned at regular intervals as well, but so expertly camouflaged by the beauty of the pavilions around them, their relatively simple structures were easy to overlook. If Jai were allowed to cross to the window, the glitter of sun drenched fountains would seem small from this height.
He stretched his neck back to ease the tension built up just under his skull with a few fresh squeezes. Light. He could go for a walk right about now. At least a cold drink. If he wasn't under constant watch, that was. His guard was not to be trifled with.
The cough of one clearing their throat jerked him back to reality. For about the tenth time. "Sir?"
Polite, barely. Jomini Henri, although he was built more like a clean-cut ferrier than a painter, looked about ready to throw his tablet on the ground. Once Jai rolled his eyes forward once more, he lifted his brows. Both amused and apologetic at the same time.
"I did it again, didn't I?"
A touch of a grin to add some evidence of sincerity and Jai repositioned himself. The cushion was padded enough, but the narrow back of this stool felt like it belonged in a dungeon.
An exasperated, "Yes!"
hit him in the face. To which Jai raised his palms and soothe the painter's emotions before he stormed off. Or threatened to.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry, Jomini. Please, I will stay focused. I swear. How much longer will the session go this morning?"
Jai did his best to hold his expression steady and face forward, but catching Jaslene's eye over Jomini's shoulder and he couldn't help but sneak a wink. "How many hours have we been at this?"
Already the painter was reabsorbed in his work, diligently looking up now and then to copy the figure of the Asha'man seated before him. So Jaslene answered, holding up three fingers. One for each hour ticked by in the bright room. He felt himself sag with a sigh, but pulled his shoulders back before Jomini noticed.
Jaslene's company was a helpful distraction to pass the boring hours. There were about a dozen things he would rather be doing right now, but a promise was a promise. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't think of an excuse good enough to break his mother's heart. Family tradition and all that. His was the only Kojima face missing from the gallery downstairs.
"You're different today,"
Jaslene glinted with curiosity as she stretched out her arm to pet the brown and white spaniel curled by her feet. Jomini did not seem to notice their conversation.
"Yeah? Well call it jealousy that he likes you more than me. Hawk is my bloody dog."
He called the dozing hound over, but all he did was go belly up by Jaslene. Jai rolled his eyes. No bloody loyalty any more. Maybe he should hide bacon in his pockets..?
She laughed and scratched his belly until his tail whipped happily on the floor. "Probably because you named a puppy, Hawk."
She curled her fingers around his big, floppy ears. Twelve years ago Hawk had been a puppy small enough to fit in Jai's palm. Now, the lanky spaniel could make a guy break a sweat picking him up. Hawk was a great name for a dog. It was work not to frown. If he were going to live forever as a portrait, he intended to make it look good. Not goaded into a frown forever by Jaslene Foxsus...er, Basinthe. It was still hard to think of his childhood friend (and the first love of his life) as his best-friend’s wife.
"Pins still straight?"
He tilted his chin a sliver. She smiled, playfully studied his outline, and nodded. He touched them anyway. Just to make sure.
Jaslene rolled her eyes. And continued as before, unfazed by his change in subject. "I'm serious. You're different. That must have been some Razor."
Of course she knew all about the Razor. She’d been in the tavern the day he and Fate Sedai cast their wager that led him back to Arad Doman, back to all the politics, back to the court of the King, and back to hell. Jaslene knew all about the Razor, but she knew nothing about the hunt he attended. Or the party afterward. If she did… best not to think about it.
He smirked. Jomini looked up just then. As studious as ever but as he touched the handle of his brush to his lips, he squinted calculations of something behind those eyes of his. Thoughtful seconds passed before dipping a cloth into water and swiping Light only knew what from the canvas and furiously rework it. Blood and ashes! His mother's suggestion that Jaslene keep him company for the sitting sounded fine at the time. Bloody women! All in on it together, he'd bet his sword hand. Just to keep him smirking long enough to get the expression on canvas. There went the suave, charming city sophisticate he was going for. Likely, he'd end up living forever looking like some bumbling idiot. Bloody women. Suppose it was better than eternal frowning.
Smirk effectively smoothed a few seconds later. Maybe the Oneness? No. That was not how future Kojimas should remember him. Assuming there were future Kojimas after the Last Battle. "The Razor.. Yeah. It was."
He drifted toward the view again. A quiet amusement touched his expression again. Nythadri would be back in the Tower by now. A good mile away, he could see the white structure of it standing guard over the entire islandscape. So close. Bloody women.
Thankfully, before Jomini could jump down his throat again, news of a delivery reached his ears. Finally! An excuse to get up. And if it was the note he expected, it meant a change of civilian clothes for the first time in more than a decade. Not that he would be modeling the getup any time soon.
Apologies ensued. Jomini scoffed something about not being paid enough. Jaslene's brows feigned chastisement. But Jai was already half way to the stairs by then. He managed to scrub Hawk's obliging head on the way and paused briefly upon catching a glimpse of the portrait. It didn't look half bad. Bloody smirk and all. And he flew downstairs.
Tar Valon
The solarium grew warm with the midmorning light. The top floor of the apartment was domed in glass above and lined by lead paned windows on all sides. Light bless his tailor; the new uniform breathed much more pleasantly than the original wool blend. The latticework of bronze surrounding the individual panels were patinated green and orange long before he was born framed the room with an urban beauty. Gleaming wood floors stretched unhindered across the empty space; excepting present company of course. Stretched couches strategically positioned provided respite from socializing on foot. Man-height planters brought some nature to the heart of the city view. The Kojimas hosted many a glamorous event within these windows. There was no need to count them all again. Jai knew the exact number of panes currently encapsulating him their prisoner. There was no need to study the freedom beyond either. This was home; as much as it could be labeled. He knew it as well.
The house in which he was raised was not a house at all. There were no houses to speak of in Tar Valon. The island-city was filled with large scale construction not individual structures. Some were miniature spires piercing the skyline as private residences or public offices. Here and there a ribbon of bridges could be seen spanning the masses from the streets below. Others were wide buildings molded into sprawling apartments to rival the mansions of more traditionally laid out cities. The remainder, such as this tower, sold off blocks of floors, with each new owner molding the insides to their tastes. The top five floors of this building was purchased by his greatparents, and molded into the masterpiece it was long before he was born. The surrounding streets below were dotted with cafes and shops. Guard houses were positioned at regular intervals as well, but so expertly camouflaged by the beauty of the pavilions around them, their relatively simple structures were easy to overlook. If Jai were allowed to cross to the window, the glitter of sun drenched fountains would seem small from this height.
He stretched his neck back to ease the tension built up just under his skull with a few fresh squeezes. Light. He could go for a walk right about now. At least a cold drink. If he wasn't under constant watch, that was. His guard was not to be trifled with.
The cough of one clearing their throat jerked him back to reality. For about the tenth time. "Sir?"
Polite, barely. Jomini Henri, although he was built more like a clean-cut ferrier than a painter, looked about ready to throw his tablet on the ground. Once Jai rolled his eyes forward once more, he lifted his brows. Both amused and apologetic at the same time.
"I did it again, didn't I?"
A touch of a grin to add some evidence of sincerity and Jai repositioned himself. The cushion was padded enough, but the narrow back of this stool felt like it belonged in a dungeon.
An exasperated, "Yes!"
hit him in the face. To which Jai raised his palms and soothe the painter's emotions before he stormed off. Or threatened to.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry, Jomini. Please, I will stay focused. I swear. How much longer will the session go this morning?"
Jai did his best to hold his expression steady and face forward, but catching Jaslene's eye over Jomini's shoulder and he couldn't help but sneak a wink. "How many hours have we been at this?"
Already the painter was reabsorbed in his work, diligently looking up now and then to copy the figure of the Asha'man seated before him. So Jaslene answered, holding up three fingers. One for each hour ticked by in the bright room. He felt himself sag with a sigh, but pulled his shoulders back before Jomini noticed.
Jaslene's company was a helpful distraction to pass the boring hours. There were about a dozen things he would rather be doing right now, but a promise was a promise. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't think of an excuse good enough to break his mother's heart. Family tradition and all that. His was the only Kojima face missing from the gallery downstairs.
"You're different today,"
Jaslene glinted with curiosity as she stretched out her arm to pet the brown and white spaniel curled by her feet. Jomini did not seem to notice their conversation.
"Yeah? Well call it jealousy that he likes you more than me. Hawk is my bloody dog."
He called the dozing hound over, but all he did was go belly up by Jaslene. Jai rolled his eyes. No bloody loyalty any more. Maybe he should hide bacon in his pockets..?
She laughed and scratched his belly until his tail whipped happily on the floor. "Probably because you named a puppy, Hawk."
She curled her fingers around his big, floppy ears. Twelve years ago Hawk had been a puppy small enough to fit in Jai's palm. Now, the lanky spaniel could make a guy break a sweat picking him up. Hawk was a great name for a dog. It was work not to frown. If he were going to live forever as a portrait, he intended to make it look good. Not goaded into a frown forever by Jaslene Foxsus...er, Basinthe. It was still hard to think of his childhood friend (and the first love of his life) as his best-friend’s wife.
"Pins still straight?"
He tilted his chin a sliver. She smiled, playfully studied his outline, and nodded. He touched them anyway. Just to make sure.
Jaslene rolled her eyes. And continued as before, unfazed by his change in subject. "I'm serious. You're different. That must have been some Razor."
Of course she knew all about the Razor. She’d been in the tavern the day he and Fate Sedai cast their wager that led him back to Arad Doman, back to all the politics, back to the court of the King, and back to hell. Jaslene knew all about the Razor, but she knew nothing about the hunt he attended. Or the party afterward. If she did… best not to think about it.
He smirked. Jomini looked up just then. As studious as ever but as he touched the handle of his brush to his lips, he squinted calculations of something behind those eyes of his. Thoughtful seconds passed before dipping a cloth into water and swiping Light only knew what from the canvas and furiously rework it. Blood and ashes! His mother's suggestion that Jaslene keep him company for the sitting sounded fine at the time. Bloody women! All in on it together, he'd bet his sword hand. Just to keep him smirking long enough to get the expression on canvas. There went the suave, charming city sophisticate he was going for. Likely, he'd end up living forever looking like some bumbling idiot. Bloody women. Suppose it was better than eternal frowning.
Smirk effectively smoothed a few seconds later. Maybe the Oneness? No. That was not how future Kojimas should remember him. Assuming there were future Kojimas after the Last Battle. "The Razor.. Yeah. It was."
He drifted toward the view again. A quiet amusement touched his expression again. Nythadri would be back in the Tower by now. A good mile away, he could see the white structure of it standing guard over the entire islandscape. So close. Bloody women.
Thankfully, before Jomini could jump down his throat again, news of a delivery reached his ears. Finally! An excuse to get up. And if it was the note he expected, it meant a change of civilian clothes for the first time in more than a decade. Not that he would be modeling the getup any time soon.
Apologies ensued. Jomini scoffed something about not being paid enough. Jaslene's brows feigned chastisement. But Jai was already half way to the stairs by then. He managed to scrub Hawk's obliging head on the way and paused briefly upon catching a glimpse of the portrait. It didn't look half bad. Bloody smirk and all. And he flew downstairs.