WIP Wednesday – Clan Beginnings: Clan, Honor, and Empire

Can you guess who the councilman is that Rajhir is about to meet?

            Rajhir dawdled at the offices where applications were being taken, glowing green indicators over their doors to indicate an aide was needed.  He recognized few names and the ones that did strike him as familiar, he couldn’t remember anything about the men themselves.  He scowled to think how disappointed his father Gegra would be if he knew how unprepared Rajhir was to practice his interviewing skills.

            It didn’t help that the lines were long at each door.  Applying and interviewing would take up his entire day.  However, it was what was expected of him.  Honor and Empire, always and forever, neverminding how much of an infernal drudge such duty could be.

            A jovial voice rose above the hubbub, catching Rajhir’s attention.  “Excuse me, coming through, need to get to my office, young fellows.”

            Rajhir turned to see a smiling Dramok in the blue robes of a councilman hurrying through the corridor, weaving through the hopefuls jumping out of his way.  The beaming man, his easy expression softening the lines of a strong jaw, didn’t look much older than Rajhir or his fellow applicants himself, and Rajhir soon noticed it wasn’t the councilman that had so many bumping into each other to clear a path.  Instead, they were making sure to avoid the extremely fierce and grouchy-looking Nobek at the robed Dramok’s side.  Clothed in a skintight armored formsuit, this paragon of deadly intent had a stare that made those it was cast upon pale.  It was hard to get past the brutish expression to notice the man was actually handsome.  Riveting, no less, with the chiseled lines of his face lending extra sternness to an already imposing aura. 

            They were a funny pair, the swaggering, smiling Dramok and his icy-eyed companion.  They also looked familiar to Rajhir, though he was sure he’d never met them.  He would have remembered them both.

            They stopped at a door just a couple of paces behind Rajhir.  The councilman waved his hand at the identifying panel and turned his cheerful countenance on Rajhir.  His smile grew.

            “Are you here to interview for aide?”

            Rajhir blinked and realized his lips were curling up in response to the nearly gleeful expression on the other man’s face.  It seemed almost impossible not to return the councilman’s infectious smile.  Rajhir wondered how he pulled it off.

            Almost dazed by the confidence coming off the other Dramok, Rajhir stuttered a little in his response.  “Uh ... yes, Councilman.”

            The lock clicked and the door opened.  The Dramok nodded to him.  “Come on in then.”

            Robes flapping, the councilman swept into the chambers beyond.  Rajhir started to follow and stopped short as his eyes locked with those of the Nobek who had accompanied the councilman.  His narrowed eyes glittering, the scary fellow looked Rajhir over carefully.  The man appeared like cold steel ... razor sharp and deadly.  It wasn’t just Rajhir who hesitated either.  The line forming to interview with the late-arriving councilman started a good six feet away from the Nobek.  No one wanted to get near the menace the man represented.

            The councilman’s voice drifted out into the corridor.  “Hey, I said you could come in.”

            Rajhir didn’t dare obey until the man’s Nobek companion nodded him through.

Release date not set.