#SaturdayScenes #KillMatch

Kardia is a world where history has been firmly planted in our future, every luxury being disposed of and an archaic future is the best we can hope to see. Gladiator's once again roam the Earth as slaves to the throne and competition is deadly. 

Librarea is a nineteen year old Gladiatrix, a female Gladiator, claimed by House Aelius since she was only seven. She dreams of nothing more than to fight through to her twenty-first birthday when the law states that she will finally be released from her duties as a warrior. But just like her father before her, she may never make it. 

Heath, a vicious opponent who was narrowly beaten in their matching, has decided it isn't enough. He's been granted a Kill Match and the prize, if Librarea wins, is more than just her life, but the life of her sister as well.

*

All I could dream of were Liv's screams and by morning I was exhausted. I woke before both boys, their peaceful faces making it impossible for me to want to wake them. They deserved to rest a little longer before the horrors of reality woke them. I snuck to the door still in the clothes I had put on the day before, too pained to have changed out of them.  Carefully, I pulled the door open, cringing at the slight creak of the hinges before stealthily slipping out. Just as I was closing it tightly behind me, I could feel the presence of someone else.

"Good morning, Ferus."

The deep baritones of Marcellus threatened to echo down the hall. I turned to my right signaling for him to be quiet and to follow me. Remarkably he complied, a carefree shrug being his only response. I moved down the stairs, not bothering to acknowledge him. When we reached the first floor he lightly grabbed my shoulder spinning me around to face him.

"Would you like to tell me what that was all about before I drag you back to your room?" He questioned.

I roll my eyes at his ridiculous threats.

"Both Nile and Nero were still sleeping soundly. I have better manners than to wake them us, so I decided to get breakfast myself. I didn't expect you to still be mulling about my hall." I raise my eyebrows in suspicion, demanding an explanation. 

"Save those looks for the others, girl. They don't scare me." He grinned. "But because I'm in a good mood, I'll answer you. Nero didn't want you sneaking out. He also doesn't trust that friend of yours, so he asked me to stay and be sentry." He walked past me toward where the kitchen was located. "He's pretty intelligent. It only took a few hours and here you are. Well, as long as I'm here too we might as well get some food."

Marcellus walked a few steps then waited for me to join him. I shook my head in disgust but knew I had no choice. If I wanted help it would do me some good to learn when to pick my battles. Even though I didn't care for my companion, it was minute annoyance. I followed him through the house and into the kitchen. 

Sweat beaded relentlessly on my brown and I cursed myself for how weak I was becoming. I hated sustaining serious injuries, simply because of the time it took to retrain my muscles to obey. By the time we got there, I wasn't sure how I was going to be able to make it back. Thankfully, Marcellus was in an especially cheery mood and didn't force me to swallow my pride and ask him for help. He simply moved a sitting still against the wall and went about shuffling through the pantries. I quickly took a seat, all but flopping myself down from relief. 

My ribs felt as if they might push through skin if I moved another inch and my lungs threatened to quit being useful all together. I could barely head Marcellus' movements over my heavy panting. I closed my eyes focusing on deep breaths and the tiny cracks throughout my spine that followed several of them.

"Ah, Barret, you beast. I knew you'd have something good tucked away." Marcellus' giddy lilt interrupted my meditation and I opened my eyes.

He turned to walk back toward me, looking rather triumphant. 

"If you say one word to the cook, I will blame you entirely." He warned. "And we both know who he'll believe." I nodded knowing the truth of his threat.

Slowly he unwrapped the parcel in his hand, splitting his plunder in half and handing it to me. I moved the odd ball in my hand, inspecting it's seemingly gooey texture.

"What is it?" I implored.

He rolled his eyes dramatically, as if I were a bane on his soul. 

"They're pulmentum's. Barret only makes them for himself unless they are specifically requested by Lanista Aelius or the Etruscan. He doesn't want to waste his time making them for peasants. At least that's what he's told me. I'm not entirely sure what's in them, but I know they're unlike anything else I've ever tasted." He popped one in his mouth, closing his eyes and smiling as if he was in Heaven. 

I turned mine over once more, then smelled it. Sweet scents that reminded me of goats milk wafted to my nose, a spicy undertone mixing in with each breath. It looked to be meat with cheese and salt but I couldn't figure out what else. I shrugged and popped the bite into my mouth. Instantly my eyes dropped closed on their own accord. The spicy and sweet aroma staying true to the taste of the item with just a hint of saltiness. The meat tore easily, exposing the creamy center. I bit down and a light crunch was found bringing a new nutty flavor into the mix. I finished, licking at my teeth and trying to consume what was left of the flavor. I opened my eyes to a beaming Marcellus.

"So?" He tapped his fingers against his side impatiently. 

I moved my tongue around one last time, making sure it was entirely gone.

"That was... unexpected. It's like a jumble of all of the perfect foods rolled into a tiny, little ball. How does he get away with not making these all of the time?" I asked.

Marcellus laughed, throwing another one into his mouth.

"They apparently take a very long time to make. Weeks, I was told. I only know about them because I was training with Alexander when he requested a few. Since then I've been snooping around the kitchen as often as I dare, taking some from Barret's personal stash." He said.

I smiled at him, shoving the feelings of disdain I had for him becoming a Guard aside. I genuinely liked him and this just added to the many reasons why were had gotten along as children. I threw another one in my mouth and was sad to see only one left in my palm. Before I could ask if there were more, a very angry Nero came storming in, towing along an equally irritated Nile in his wake. I looked to my sentry and smiled again. 

"Looks like we've been caught."

 

 

Downsizing

Because tiny homes are...

I haven't been able to finish that sentence yet because I'm still debating it. 

Let's start from the beginning shall we?

I've been M.I.A. from G+ for a while because, well, I've been M.I.A. from anything that doesn't have to do with work or buying a house. They've been all consuming and I fear they're going to continue to be until the 27th of May. 

What's the 27th you ask? 

It's our closing date. I'm crossing my fingers it  happens before that, but that is our contracted date to be given over the keys and deed. 

YES! We found a home! 

And this time we're pretty sure there's nothing going to stop us from buying it. *Knock on wood*. The inspection has been done and the property was found to be beautiful. The well inspection has been done and there's some slight things but they can easily be fixed. All that's left is the appraisal. 

So, let's get to the fun stuff!

That's the view from the kitchen/dinning room. The house you see across, is pretty far away and that huge gap between? That's a fairly large river, jam packed with steel-head and river otters. 

Now this? This is the front of the home. You see how it's divided by a breezeway? Here's where the Tiny Home reference comes in.

It's actually two pods. In one pod it's a kitchen and dinning room. In the other pod it's a bedroom, office and bathroom. 

Is it odd? Yes. Do we love it? YES. 

The whole house is about 700sqft. 

That's all folks. 

Now, before you go buggy eyed, you have to know, it's on an acre. And that it is just my husband, myself and our two (smallish) dogs. We don't want children and we are not planning to expand in any other way. 

Although we have lived in small spaces before, we've lived in 1200+ sqft for the past three years. In those three years, I have accumulated a few things that I am very fond of. So fond of, in fact, that yesterday my husband and I had our first tiny home fight. He basically wants to dump everything and start over since we'll have to custom build every piece of furniture so that we get the most out of it (my husband builds custom furniture). My poor, little, hoarding heart couldn't handle it. 

But what about all the records and the record player? 

What about the beautiful antique roll top?

What am I going to do without my wrap around office desk?

HOW THE HELL DO I COPE WITH GETTING RID OF MY CUSTOM BOOKSHELF?

Yeah, it got serious. 

I do understand they're just things, really I do. But they're things that mark memories in my life. How will I remember the old man neighbor we met when we first moved in here? The one who had cancer and passed away? The one who before he died, knew I'd wanted an old record player and given me his along with his lifetime collection of records? What will remind me of the first project my husband and I ever built together if I don't see it holding the precious books of my childhood? What about the grand staircased bed we made for our old dog? The one with his name stitched into the sides?

It's silly to think that I'll forget, but I will. It will turn into, "oh, I remember that" instead of, "You see that piece there..." 

But they can't go. There isn't room and no amount of wishing is going to make that place grow. 

So why don't you find a different house, you say.

Have you ever walked into a place and the smell, the light, the soul of it, just made you feel like home?

That's why. 

This house is a piece of Washington that we remember from our childhoods. A place where there's more trees than people. Where it's a one lane road in or out and all you can hear is water. It's the heart of my homeland and I don't want to let it drown out with the rest of the progressing world. More than anything I want to keep this piece of the Pacific Northwest mine for as long as I possibly can. I would giveaway every memory to keep just this one.

It doesn't make it hurt any less but I do believe it'll be worth it. 

That's why I've decided to document the fights, the trials and the success of moving into this space. There's so many things we want to do with it that I haven't done since childhood and I know it's going to be a hell of a ride. So, naturally, I'm sharing it with you. 

Here's to growing up wanting the things you grew up hating. 

:)