At Somersby-Too Far from Home

[makesthings]

The wind was blowing from the South and Sameth wished he could change it, but the Charter wasn't even there.

Today in class, Cochrane had been lecturing them on the merits of democracy and kept giving him pointed looks so that he had to try and speak up for monarchy.

It was horrible and he didn't do a good job of explaining things since so much of it depended on the Charter and explaining his family's hard history.

In the end, he didn't feel like much of a prince and going outside didn't help since nothing felt quite real enough.

So he ended up in his room staring down at a piece of paper and wishing for ideas, but all the things that he wanted to do needed the Charter.

Comments

[wordofa_sayre]

"It's the wrong way," Nick argues, but that doesn't stop him from dashing after Sameth -- especially since Cochrane's looking out toward the cricket ground and would surely spot them if they headed that way.

"You just know he'd call us out for 'malingering.'" He makes an attempt at mimicking the bad-tempered tones of the Games Master as he growls,

"If you can't find something better to do with your time on your own, gentlemen, I'll find an occupation for you!"

[makesthings]

"Of course he would, he's been wanting to put something on me all day. Through here."

They've rounded one of the older parts of the school and are nearing the bell tower which is at a slight angle. Sameth considers the door which is unhelpfully locked and pushes on it.

[wordofa_sayre]

"Won't work," he informs him, with a dolorous air. "Marks started locking it after he tossed me out."

Nick's crouching down now at the corner of the tower, peering cautiously out in Cochrane's direction.

"I don't think he saw us--"

[makesthings]

"Should be a way in. Do you have any wire on you?"

He's kneeling down to look at the lock, there must be a way through it.

[wordofa_sayre]

"On me? No--"

He digs in his pockets anyway, coming up with a ball of lint, a few coins, an old jumble, and a nail.

[makesthings]

"I might be able to get through the lock. Is there a window or something that we could go through?"

[wordofa_sayre]

"Marks nailed all the shutters closed," Nick admits, a little guiltily.

"But hang on, we may be in luck-- look there!"

A beat, in which Cochrane starts waving at a student on the other side of the ground. As the teacher starts toward the distant figure, Nick darts a mischievous grin at Sameth.

"Although it seems like Hopkiss is about to have a time of it."

[makesthings]

"He nailed the shutters closed? Just as long as he doesn't know its us."

After some searching in his pockets, Sam finds a bit of wire and starts working at the lock.

[wordofa_sayre]

"More like as long as he can't prove it's us," Nick points out, watching this process with real interest.

"He'll be suspicious anyway."

[makesthings]

"He's Cochrane. I think I've almost got it."

He concentrates and then grumbles,

"Too far from the Wall."

Though the lock obligingly opens.

[wordofa_sayre]

Nick doesn't bother to correct him, as it's no wonder Sam's got Cochrane on his mind.

Instead --

"Brilliant!" he exclames, as the door swings ajar. "Well done, old chap."

"Now come on, before we're spotted."

[makesthings]

Sam looks behind him as he ducks inside and starts to call up the Charter and instead moves to look for a candle,

"We need some light."

[wordofa_sayre]

"Not for long," Nick assures him. "All we've got to do is get up the steps, and they go around the edge of the wall -- can't miss them--"

Evidently he can still trip over them in the dim light, though, as he promptly demonstrates upon finding the first riser.

[makesthings]

"Light is helpful and I hate steps like that, you need to know them. Too damn far from the Wall again. Wait, here's something."

While searching about, Sam finds the end of a candle and a match in his pocket.

[wordofa_sayre]

"Useful sort of thing to have with you," Nick observes, from where he's now comfortably sprawled out on the floor.

[makesthings]

"No Charter here and its useful to have a quick bit of light sometimes. I don't trust torches, they break too easily."

He turns around trying to see what's actually in this old tower.

[wordofa_sayre]

"Some day I'm going to find a way to test the attrition effect on this Charter of yours," he informs Sameth, right before leaping to his feet.

"Up the stairs, old chap. That's where all the fun is."

[makesthings]

"Things break near the Wall especially if they use electricity and other things. I'll show you if you can ever convince your uncle to let you near the Wall."

Sam starts up the stairs, keeping the light on the risers.

[wordofa_sayre]

"What, don't you think I can be convincing? I'm hurt, Sam, truly."

Nick follows after him, given that Sam's the one with the light.

[makesthings]

"I know you can be convincing but you know what all those government types are like about the Old Kingdom. You should hear some of the things I've heard my father say after he's had to visit with them."

[wordofa_sayre]

"It's different when you get to know them," Nick counters. "Everyone's got their little ways about them, that's all."

[makesthings]

"I guess, but he gets tired of having to remind them that yes, we do exist."

[wordofa_sayre]

"Of course you exist. Can hardly miss that," he scoffs, and scrambles up the rest of the stairs to catch up with Sam before the other young man reaches the top.

"Hold on, hold on--"

[makesthings]

There's only so much farther he can go since the stairs start to get wobbly,

"Not the way some of them talk. I wish I had something to shore this up with."

[wordofa_sayre]

"Well I'm not them, now am I? Steady on, now--"

He puts his hand on Sam's shoulder and steps up, pointing with the other at the sliver of light showing between the roof and the top curve of the large bronze bell.

"Do you see them?"