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

[makesthings]

He does make his way over though Sam takes the time to say,

"No, its not. Yes, wood does make sounds and all but not like this. I've heard noises like this in some of the tower rooms near my workshop. I once went exploring and almost broke my arm when some fell on me."

[wordofa_sayre]

"Should have moved out of the way," Nick says, blithely.

[makesthings]

"I did that's why I didn't break it."

[wordofa_sayre]

"Well, good show, then," he retorts, instantly reversing himself.

The ladder wavers in the air as he pulls it fully upright and starts to push it out over the drop.

[makesthings]

"Is there space for it?"

Sam's trying to see without putting too much weight on the center of the floor, but there are only so many places he can be.

[wordofa_sayre]

"Sure there is, all we have to do is--"

He leans forward, attempting to steady the ladder... and then leans too far.

Wood rips against wood as the ladder's feet skid against the catwalk, and then it slams down against the arch. Pulled off balance, Nick staggers and falls sideways, clinging like grim death to the thin beam of wood.

[makesthings]

When the wood rips, Sam yells out and tries to grab for Nick to keep him from falling too much farther and then the wood under him starts going with loud cracks,

"Charter!"

[wordofa_sayre]

"Sam, no, get back!"

The ladder creaks and shudders, then the end of it slips sideways along the arch, dragging Nick along with it.

It comes to rest with a thump against the bell, sending up a loud peal and startling the birds into flight.

[makesthings]

"To where?!"

Sam has to let go of Nick when he gets pulled out but the wood under him is still going and he tries to get a grip on a nearby rafter.

[wordofa_sayre]

"Away from the edge!" Nick yells. He's dangling over the drop now, with a solid grip on the slender span of the ladder and no foothold at all--

--and, incredibly, he's laughing.

"Told you the ladder was strong enough! It's the bloody catwalk that's the problem!""

[makesthings]

Holding onto the rafter, Sam inches his way back onto the catwalk but doesn't let go of his grip as the wood keeps creaking,

"How are you going to get down exactly?"

[wordofa_sayre]

"Um, I'm still working on that," Nick admits.

One hand slips a little, and he hastily tries for a better grip.

"Got any suggestions?"

[makesthings]

"Climb up the ladder to the rafter. I could try to edge out to where you are and you could grab onto me."

Outside there's the sound of voices since the bell ringing was rather too loud to miss.

[wordofa_sayre]

"Good a thought as any--"

He swings back and forth a little, then reaches for the next rung, and the next.

[makesthings]

Sameth watches him and strengthens his grip on the rafter as light comes from down below,

"Who's up there?! If you damage that bell, you'll pay!"

"Charter, Nick, hurry up! We're caught."

[wordofa_sayre]

"Window," he gasps, as he stops moving from rung to rung and hangs still. "Before he gets up here. Can climb out that way, there's a ledge--"

Nick begins to swing back and forth, back and forth, picking up momentum in what looks like preparation for a jump.

"Just let me--"

[makesthings]

"Nick, stop that, the ladder might go."

He keeps edging towards Nick on the rafters and going over spells in his head as he grumbles in Nick's direction,

"Why couldn't you do this someplace useful where I can actually do something? Wyverly was at least closer to the Wall, Mother and Ellie were trained there. Don't put too much pressure or you'll crack the ladder!"

[wordofa_sayre]

"No time," he snaps. "Look out, on three-- one--"

The ladder creaks with the force of his swing, and slips a little further down the bronze face of the bell.

"Two--"

--creak, slip--

"Three!"

As Nick launches himself forward into the air, toward the catwalk, Sameth's dire prediction comes true. The end of the ladder cracks and splinters against the bell, jerking Nick up shorter than he'd expected.

The result of this is that instead of getting enough forward momentum to slam into the stone wall and let it take some of the force of his landing, it's the already-overstrained catwalk that takes the brunt of it as he crashes into Sameth, instead.

Wood shatters under them, and the two young men go tumbling down in a wild flailing spiral of arms and legs, landing with a crash on the stairs below amid a storm of broken boards and splintered pieces of what used to be the bell tower catwalk.

[makesthings]

At the sound of the crash, the men who were below start running and look down at the sprawl of wood and bruised young men.

Sameth groans and looks up to Marks' face and the sounds of a gathering crowd,

"Do you have an explanation for this Mister Sayre and Your Highness? Perhaps you both think that the rules aren't meant for you. Your families will be hearing about this. On your feet and clear up this mess."

[wordofa_sayre]

"We're all right, sir, thanks for asking."

Nick winces as he struggles upright, brushing wood chips from his school uniform, and then directs a cheerfully brazen grin at Marks.

"Good thing Sam and I happened to find that weak spot on the catwalk, eh? Someone might have been hurt going up to ring the bell!"

[makesthings]

Sam groans again as he stands up, there's no way Nick can talk them out of this. Marks glares at Nick and Sam though Nick gets most of it,

"Yet to get in here to check for a weak spot, you just happened to unlock the door? You'll have to do better than that, Mister Sayre if you ever to follow in your uncle's footsteps. Perhaps you have an explanation, your highness."

With a weak smile, Sam looks at Marks and tries to think of some reasoning,

"Well, sir. You know that I do have an interest in how things are made and built. So Nick thought he'd show me the fine craftsmanship of the old bell."

[wordofa_sayre]

This time Nick's wince has nothing to do with his bruises. Still, he rallies aand tries again.

"It was locked?" he starts, only to be cut short by an inarticulate noise as Marks swells up, turning purple with temper, at which point the Games Master steps out from behind Marks and glares them both before turning to Sameth.

"I'm pleased to hear that you have an interest in something, your Highness," Cochrane spits. "We'll have to see if we can occupy your time in putting it to use."

[makesthings]

When Cochrane appears, Sam tries to make himself smaller and winces more, shifting so that he's almost behind Nick,

"I'm glad to be of use, sir. Nick and I always are."

[wordofa_sayre]

"Quite right."

He hastily finishes dusting off his jacket with overlarge movements, trying to distract Cochrane's attention from Sam.

"Before we start cleaning this up, we'll just nip on over to the infirmary, sir -- have Sam here checked over before the big match coming up, you know. If that's all right?"

[makesthings]

Cochrane will not be that easily distracted though his shouting has moved the crowd closer, he opens his mouth but one of the boys tugs at his sleeve,

"Were they badly hurt, sir? We can't see and can't lose both of them before the match."

"Of course they're not badly hurt and let go of me. You are both very lucky that you are so vital to the First Eleven."