In The Air Tonight

[Tobias]

The only terrible part of his job, Toby thought as he woke up, was the hours. Constantly making sure the slaves executed his plans properly wasn?t bad, but doing it as soon as they were awake and until they retired prevented him from sleeping much. Yvo hated seeing idle slaves by the scaffolding. With a wince he recalled the incident not two weeks ago in which he woke up drenched and on the ground with the enraged taskmaster standing over him.

Habit refused to let him return to sleep. The mink grudgingly got up, dressed, and went off for his morning walk. Before, he had nothing to do after instructing the slaves on their first project for the day, so he started wandering. After a while, Toby thought of his walks more as ever-changing paths dictated by the probability of meeting people he liked and other distractions from the sameness of Kotir than aimless wanderings.

He decided to go to the east wall, where the last stone was placed the night before. Even though the outer wall was one of the first things finished, his father wanted the completion ceremony held somewhere more accessible than the roof of the attic.

All the wolves were at the pointless ceremony. Toby only attended the thing to see this horrible chapter of his life begin to end. The slaves rolled the slab of stone across some logs, and then the pack pushed it the last few paces and congratulated each other as if they completed some integral part of the construction. He had stood to the side, unacknowledged, though the slow-worm around Zacari?s neck almost never took its eyes off him.
 
As he exited the northeastern guard tower he almost stopped, seeing Lady Kovari not fifty paces away leaning against the wall, transfixed by the forest. Toby considered turning back, but she turned her head a bit in his direction, and he didn?t want to seem scared.

?Why are you up here?? she said with the slightest hint of a growl as Toby was about to pass her.

He stopped. ?Er, I was just walking around.?

Kovari gave the mink another passing glance and turned back to the forest. ?I don?t suppose you?re doing something useful.?

Toby knew this wasn?t heading anywhere good. ?Well no, I?ve done my job,? he said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. ?But I?m leaving soon.?

?Fates know I would.? she muttered. He wasn?t sure if she wanted him to hear that or not. ?Preoccupy yourself until then. Kotir does not provide for those who do not work.?

?Yes, Lady Kovari.? Toby wondered why she was up here so early. She sounded too tired to really chastise him.

Taking that as the end of the conversation, the mink started down the rampart, but Kovari?s voice stopped him again.

?Architect. Do you enjoy living in the buildings you design?? She sounded genuinely interested for a change.

?No, my lady,? he replied frankly. ?I?d rather live outside them.? He began to fear that that was the wrong answer as Kovari turned to him, but then she straightened and walked past him, expression unreadable.

Toby continued down the rampart, occasionally looking at the dining hall?s eastern edifice. The shadow cast by each merlon fit perfectly into one of the windows. The architect didn?t put much thought into most of his plans, but the outer wall was one in which he did. He wondered if anyone else would appreciate the shadowplay.

*   *   *   *   *

Father,

   I am writing to you to inform you that Kotir will be completed soon. Keeping with your instruction, I trust that you will allow me to return home. I?d very much like to see you and Victor and Mary again soon.

Your son,
Toby

?No.?

Toby sighed and leaned back in his desk chair. No word had come from his father since his leave from Kotir. Maybe he?d forgotten about him. He wouldn?t put it past him.

The architect crumpled the letter, set fire to it with the candle on his desk, and tossed it into the corner of the room, where a small pile of ashes sat on the cold stone floor. He pulled out another sheet of parchment and inked his quill.

Father,

   Kotir will be finished mere weeks from now, and although it is going to be later than you expected, nobeast seems to care. So, since I have done what you said, I should be allowed home upon its completion. I?m sure you and Victor and Mary want to see me again as much as I want to see all of you.

Your son,
Toby

?What the ?gates am I writing??

Toby incinerated the letter. Not even bothering to re-ink, he grabbed another sheet and tore a third of the bottom off it.

To Darius Forst:
   I?m leaving.
-Toby

Satisfied, he folded the paper and slipped it into the construction report Ula had approved to send off to Rolf. Who was his father to tell him where he could and could not go?

*   *   *   *   *

Toby entered the barracks, which was practically his second home. Boredom was not allowed here, he quickly discovered after the first few all-nighters in the place.

He walked down the half-deserted row of crudely divided rooms looking for the only female mink in Kotir, Adrian. She?d arrived with the last of the guard a month ago, and that was more than enough time for Toby to fall in love with her.

He felt someone ram into his left side.

?What are?? he started, but then he recognized the attacker, who was grinning mischievously. ?Adrian! I was hoping to, ah, run into you. Do you want to come to the feast with me??

He could?ve sworn he saw her blush a little. ?Your timing is remarkable, Mr. Forst. I was just leaving by myself.?

He nodded to the sheathed rapier lying on her cot. ?You?re going to leave without your weapon??

?Oh come on, Toby. Do you really think I?ll need that?? she said. ?It?s a feast, not combat training.? She grabbed the rapier and pointed it at his chest in one deft movement. ?Unless you want me to beat you again.?

Now Toby was blushing. ?Yesterday was a fluke! You know as well as I do that I had to cut two short because Yvo was yelling for me.?

?Blame the sun, blame that banshee, but the record still stands one-five me.? she sang, tracing the numbers in the air.

She looked him up and down as if really noticing him for the first time. ?My, haven?t you dressed up for the occasion.?

He looked down at the maroon dress robe his father left behind. ?Well, I saw everyone else dressed ridiculously, so I decided to join in.?

?Nonsense, it?s better than this.? she said, pointing to her uniform.

?I think you?? he began.

?Look nice?? she finished, smiling. ?Even though you never see me wear anything different, you never fail to compliment it.? Had he really?

She returned her weapon to the cot and nodded towards the door. ?Now come on, we're going to be late!?

Toby looked out the nearest window and saw the still-shining sun. "It doesn't even start?? But she was already running down the hall. ?Until sunset!? he finished, smiling, and ran after her.

She looked back and said, "Then we'll have to entertain ourselves until then, won't we?"

---

Toby couldn?t believe how packed the dining hall was. He thought he?d made the room much larger. Then again, the women?s dresses probably took up at least a quarter of the room.

He wondered when, or even if Adrian could stop making him smile. Whether it was pointing out a uniquely absurd quality of one of the outlandish outfits everybeast was wearing (including his own) or the daintiness of the hors d?oeuvres (which tasted a tad bit salty), he could not keep a straight face for any amount of time. Perhaps, he thought, it was the wine he kept pouring into his system. He had nothing to do tomorrow anyway, so he might as well live the night like it was his last.

Around his fourth (or was it sixth?) glass he spotted Alan pushing his way toward them.

?O Captain, my Captain!? the mink cried, and waved his arms. He knocked three beast?s heads and one of their drinks before he stopped when Alan stood in front of him.

?I see you didn't waste any time getting this lovely young thing.? Alan said, winking at Adrian. ?So how did he get you to agree to come with him? He never listens to my advice.? 

?The last time I heard you give any advice, Captain, you shouted ?Don?t kill anyone!? into the barracks.? Adrian said with a giggle.

Alan blinked innocently. ?What's wrong with that?  No one's dead, are they??

?Nope, nobeast is. Splendid job, Captain!? Toby said a little too loudly. He started to applaud, but instead of a clap he made a crunch as his wineglass shattered in his paws.

?Oops.? Blood started seeping from several sizeable cuts.

?Y?should see the healer for those, mate,? Alan said. ?I?ll watch over Adrian here, and show her what a real gentlebeast can do.? He slid an arm around her and smiled a smile Toby didn?t like.

The private threw the captain?s arm off, concern suddenly etched her face. ?No, I?ll go with him. Look how fast it?s coming out!? Toby?s dress robe already had two shimmering stains darker than its own maroon color. Alan, help me get him to the infirmary.?

?Tsk, little cut like that?  I doubt he'll bleed to death before he gets there. And besides, Zacari is a magnificent healer. She'll hardly need your dazzling self to help bandage this kit. Come, have a dance with me.? He reached out and stroked her face.

Toby wasn?t going to let Alan ruin tonight, not now. Ignoring the pricks of pain, he balled his left paw into a fist and punched the captain in the jaw. Alan teetered, but did not fall as Toby had hoped.

The captain?s eyes flashed with rage. He punched the younger mink in the jaw and then on the nose. Toby was on the ground, blood now streaming from his nostrils. He looked up and saw Alan standing over him. ?Now, you really should get to the infirmary.? he warned.

?Captain!? A rat Toby recognized as Airya appeared from the folds of the crowd. ?Captain,??

?Stay out of this, wench!? Alan snarled.

Airya shrunk into her dress, making the thing look like it was engulfing her even more. ?But it?s urgent, Captain.?

The older mink paused. ?Make it quick.? His predatory eyes were still locked on Toby.

The sergeant surveyed the feastgoers around them and, apparently satisfied, continued, ?Some of the slaves have planned an attack for tonight.?

Alan looked up, and his scowl melted into a smile. ?When?? he inquired much too casually.

The rat pointed somewhere over the crowd. ?He?ll give the signal. We?re supposed to get over to the slave tables now.?

The captain looked at the architect again. ?I?ll kill you later, Forst,? he said, and shoved off into the crowd.

Adrian stooped down and pulled Toby upright. ?Why on earth did you do that?? she asked.

?He was getting on my nerves.? There was so much blood now it was hard not to look at it.

Adrian studied him for a moment. ?Tobias Forst, I have seen that beast get on your nerves plenty of times, but never have you actually done something about it. He will kill you, you know.?

Toby sighed. A fuzziness was creeping into his head from the base of his neck. ?Yeah, but he might not have the chance??

And he promptly fainted into her arms.