The Cook
The Cook's Story
927th year of the Scarlet Empress's reign
(5th year of the Interregnum, under Regent Focuf)
Happiness is having a fully-stocked kitchen with four walls and a roof, and no one trying to kill you. Took me four years to realize this, and I'm only sad I didn't get it sooner. At least I've still got all of my limbs, my fingers, ears, eyes, and nose. I've known plenty of soldiers who aren't as lucky as me. I've just got this big scar running down the side of my face, from my right eye to below my lip. It was given to me by this barbarian who looked like his mother had fucked a cockroach. I mean it--the guy had these mandibles coming out of his face and five eyes. Plus half his body was covered in, what'd my sergeant call it? Oh yeah, "chitin". Damn stuff was as tough as steel, so I had to chop apart the half of the bastard that was still flesh and blood.
After that, I decided soldiering was no longer for me. Not if I had to go hunting Wyld-tainted bastards. Now if I ever got a lead on the Fae bastard that converted that entire city into bug-people, I might pick up my sword and armor again. What was done to those poor bastards, it still haunts me at night. I don't like bugs all that much now.
Oh, I still finished out my enlistment. House Tepet ain't a bad House to belong to, as far as Dynasts go. Sure, the lot of them Dragon-blooded are incestuous little bastards, but in House Tepet we've got the Roseblack. She's a damn good commander, and it was an honor to serve in the Vermillion Legion. Not that I talk about it much, even here in the City of the Steel Lotus. Too many ears, and the Roseblack has plenty of enemies. She's that damn good, more than enough to count for that waste of breath Tepet Lisara. If I never see that bitch again, it'll be too soon.
I cashed out, and made my way to the City of the Steel Lotus. Nothing ever happens here in the Principality of An-Teng. And, I'm a damn good cook. I learned at the feet of the best: my mother and father. Best cooks in all of Chiaroscuro. My family's been known for our prowess around the pot for generations. My skills were refined in the Imperial Legions and on the Kirighast campaign. I fed a lot of good men and women, and I joined them on the lines when needed. Being a good hand with a cleaver lends itself naturally to swordplay, I guess.
But anyway, I got to the City of the Steel Lotus and needed a job. I'll be honest, I also needed a good lay... it'd been a while.
No one in An-Teng messes with a soldier of the Legion--we've bailed their asses out multiple times regarding pirates from the sea, and bandits from Gem. What I'm saying is that no one robbed me, and I had a fair amount of jade script on me. A major I knew--one of the good officers, in the Vermillion--tipped me off to this brothel, called the House of Seven Dancer Shadows. It was a good joint, catered to House Tepet, and would be a good stop-over for me.
I found my way to it, and it looked like paradise. A three story house overlooking the riverbank in a quiet section of the city. I went in, got my action, and found out that they were in need of a house cook. Seems my fallen brothers and sisters were looking out for me from Stygia.
I took the job offer, and that night I went out to make my sacrifice to their memories, and thank them for helping to arrange things. I don't put much faith in Heaven... scratch that, I don't put any faith in Heaven at all. But my brothers and sisters in the Legion, that's a different story. I'll honor them until the day I die--and go to join them.
927th year of the Scarlet Empress's reign
(5th year of the Interregnum, under Regent Focuf)
Happiness is having a fully-stocked kitchen with four walls and a roof, and no one trying to kill you. Took me four years to realize this, and I'm only sad I didn't get it sooner. At least I've still got all of my limbs, my fingers, ears, eyes, and nose. I've known plenty of soldiers who aren't as lucky as me. I've just got this big scar running down the side of my face, from my right eye to below my lip. It was given to me by this barbarian who looked like his mother had fucked a cockroach. I mean it--the guy had these mandibles coming out of his face and five eyes. Plus half his body was covered in, what'd my sergeant call it? Oh yeah, "chitin". Damn stuff was as tough as steel, so I had to chop apart the half of the bastard that was still flesh and blood.
After that, I decided soldiering was no longer for me. Not if I had to go hunting Wyld-tainted bastards. Now if I ever got a lead on the Fae bastard that converted that entire city into bug-people, I might pick up my sword and armor again. What was done to those poor bastards, it still haunts me at night. I don't like bugs all that much now.
Oh, I still finished out my enlistment. House Tepet ain't a bad House to belong to, as far as Dynasts go. Sure, the lot of them Dragon-blooded are incestuous little bastards, but in House Tepet we've got the Roseblack. She's a damn good commander, and it was an honor to serve in the Vermillion Legion. Not that I talk about it much, even here in the City of the Steel Lotus. Too many ears, and the Roseblack has plenty of enemies. She's that damn good, more than enough to count for that waste of breath Tepet Lisara. If I never see that bitch again, it'll be too soon.
I cashed out, and made my way to the City of the Steel Lotus. Nothing ever happens here in the Principality of An-Teng. And, I'm a damn good cook. I learned at the feet of the best: my mother and father. Best cooks in all of Chiaroscuro. My family's been known for our prowess around the pot for generations. My skills were refined in the Imperial Legions and on the Kirighast campaign. I fed a lot of good men and women, and I joined them on the lines when needed. Being a good hand with a cleaver lends itself naturally to swordplay, I guess.
But anyway, I got to the City of the Steel Lotus and needed a job. I'll be honest, I also needed a good lay... it'd been a while.
No one in An-Teng messes with a soldier of the Legion--we've bailed their asses out multiple times regarding pirates from the sea, and bandits from Gem. What I'm saying is that no one robbed me, and I had a fair amount of jade script on me. A major I knew--one of the good officers, in the Vermillion--tipped me off to this brothel, called the House of Seven Dancer Shadows. It was a good joint, catered to House Tepet, and would be a good stop-over for me.
I found my way to it, and it looked like paradise. A three story house overlooking the riverbank in a quiet section of the city. I went in, got my action, and found out that they were in need of a house cook. Seems my fallen brothers and sisters were looking out for me from Stygia.
I took the job offer, and that night I went out to make my sacrifice to their memories, and thank them for helping to arrange things. I don't put much faith in Heaven... scratch that, I don't put any faith in Heaven at all. But my brothers and sisters in the Legion, that's a different story. I'll honor them until the day I die--and go to join them.
posted by Xaedalus at 12:57 PM
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