“Wake up miss Eringuard. You are late.”
A tired groan slipped past her lips, the shift of fabric as the mass huddled under the blankets shifted over onto her side, back facing the majority of her room.
“Miss Eringuard! Wake up! You are late! Master Mirus will not tolerate this!”
She rolled onto her back and sat up in one motion. “Late? Ah crap! Mirus is going to kill me!” The blankets were thrown back against the wall haphazardly, dainty feet slipping out of bed to touch down on the cold floor. A shiver ran up her body as she pushed herself up out of the warm comfort of the feathery tomb. She stumbled over her own two feet as she made her way to the dresser. “Why didn’t you wake me up sooner?”
The mechanical voice mimicked a sigh, some whirs and clicks accompanying as it moved around the room.
“I tried, three times before this. Just as I told you six times last night to go to bed earlier.”
The droid folded its mechanical arms as it hovered near Eringuard. Her fingers fumbled through her clothes as she flipped through the organized piles, searching for the card marking her training clothes. She was quickly growing frustrated with the state of the time. “Make yourself useful and guard the door. Please.” She had almost forgotten her manners.
“You know I am not a security droid, Miss Eringuard.”
The droid did as she asked anyway. It was hard getting the fleshy pale human in front of it to move this fast, denying the request of assisting in preserving her dignity would just slow things down. Even in night shorts and a tank top, Eringuard was not fond of surprise guests. The droid turned away to face the door. She was a touchy human.
“Your privacy is secure. Please dress quickly. You are ten minutes late.”
“Ten minutes?! You couldn’t have told me that sooner!?” She frantically pulled a light gray shirt from the drawer and slipped it over her head. She smoothed the fabric out and pulled a pair of black pants from the drawer. She bounced on one foot as she put her leg through, almost teetering over onto the floor with the lack of balance.
Pants up, shirt on, she rushed into her bathroom, grabbing the brush and started to run it through her hair.
“Miss Eringuard, you do not have time to brush your hair. You are very late.”
“I am not going out looking like I just got out of bed!”
The droid hovered over to her stand and picked a pair of shoes up that were designed to be more telling of the ground than normal footwear. It would not be good to go training in bare feet, at least that was the medical droid’s opinion.
“Miss Eringuard, your hair will just get messed up in training. You are now fifteen minutes late.”
She sighed and set the brush on the sink where it always set. “Alright alright…” She rushed out the bathroom, taking one step too many and hitting her foot on the bed. She bit her lip and rubbed her foot, forcing back the yelps of pain.
She took a deep breath to slow herself as she stood back up and made her way out of her room. Ritualistically, she placed her hand on the wall and started walking. The droid followed after her.
“Miss Eringuard, you need to walk faster if you wish to get to your training without raising more of Master Mirus’ ire. Please, Allow me to lead you-”
“No!” She cut off the droid and picked up the pace, hand skimming the wall recklessly. “I can find my own way around. I do not need someone to help me-“
She hit something solid, warm, and somewhat squishy rather unexpectedly. Eringuard stumbled back several paces before falling onto her ass. “Sorry, sorry!” She quickly picked herself up and bowed before the person she had run into. She recognized the signature as Rhiann’s, the one person she did not want to run into in this sorry state.
“Miss Edmons. You are a mess.” The taller woman gestured to Eringuard’s hair and backward shirt.
The red head flushed brightly, biting her lower lip. “Sorry Ma’am. I’m really late for training with Master Mirus. I was in a rush…”
“My dear, there should never be a rush when it comes to beauty. Take care of this. I don’t want to catch you looking like you crawled from bed again.”
Eringuard bowed her head. “Yes ma’am. I’m sorry.” She waited until Rhiann continued walking down the hall and her footsteps a faint echo on the metal. Crimson stained her pale cheeks as she chewed her lip. When all was quiet again she snapped at the droid. “I told you I should have made myself presentable! This is hardly proper for a lady! And why didn’t you tell me my shirt was on backwards?!”
“Madam please, do not yell. I couldn’t possibly know if your shirt is forwards, backwards, inside out, or right side in when I’m turned away as you dress. You are twenty minutes late for your lesson. You will have to make due for now.”
She gave a frustrated groan of anguish, and then quickly pulled her arms in to turn her shirt around and right it. At least she could do that much. She walked slower, running her fingers through her hair to try to at least be presentable. Without the wall to guide her though, she quickly got lost trying to find her way.
She placed her hand on the wall again, looking… hopefully near presentable as the Droid silently hovered behind her. She was still far too proud to ask for help, especially that damned droid. She sighed as she slumped against the wall. “How late am I now?”
“Thirty minutes ma’am.”
She sighed; panic beginning to well in her chest. She had never been late in her life! And now here she was, late for her first lesson.
“You look like you could use some help miss.”
She raised her head from her crossed arms, stretching her force sight out to find the source. It was someone she didn’t quite know. She’d only been in his presence once. “Oh… I’m fine…” She rubbed her eyes.
“You don’t look very fine.” A hand wrapped around her wrist as she started to pick herself up from the floor. He easily hauled her lithe frame up from the floor.
“I’m okay. I’m just… A little late for training with Mirus.” She did not fight the help, but rather welcomed it. It was hard getting up off the floor when she didn’t know where anything was.
“Hey, no problem. I’ll take you to him.”
“Thank you sir. My name is Eringuard. It’s nice to meet you sir.”
“Adem. Nice to meet you. “
She blushed, feeling his eyes staring at her. She was used to being stared at or getting comments about how creepy she tended to look with the blank forward gaze.
“Do you need me to guide you?”
“No no. Just… lead the way. I can follow you.”
He nodded and started down the hall, she followed him in silence at first, but the nag following made sure to break that silence.
“Ma’am. You are now fourty-five minutes late for your training.”
The look of stress on her face intensified and she wrung her hands together.
“Relax. I’m sure he won’t be too upset. He should understand about being late since you’re… you know.”
She took a deep breath and nodded, remaining silent the rest of the way. She could only imagine the ways that Mirus would punish her for being late. She chewed her lip as they walked, eventually he left her in front of the room that Mirus and she would be using. She barely noticed him leave. The droid had to apologize for her; she was too lost in thought.
The droid had to open the door and give her a shove inside. She stumbled but allowed the momentum to carry her inside. Already she could feel something… cold and dark gazing at her. The taint of the force emanating from him made her shudder and hesitate, but she pushed forward.
“You’re late Erin.” Mirus’ voice echoed across the room. Her heart sank.
“I’m sorry master Mirus. I do not have a good excuse. “
“Nice start with this apprentice. What do you expect from a former Jedi?”
She bit her lip and bowed her head low in apology. “Let’s hear the excuses anyway.” Mirus again, his voice a little closer.
“Time is difficult for me sir. Sometimes I have difficulty following a normal day rhythm.”
“Likely excuses.” The second voice retorted with a cold tone.
“Erin, this is Nashiro Kakos. One of our crewmen.” Mirus motioned to Nashiro, causing a ripple in the force that Erin followed.
“It is nice to meet you Master Nashiro.” She bowed low again as a chill traveled down her spine. He was scrutinizing her, looking over her every flaw.
“What a mess of an apprentice. We can discuss our business after you finish with this… woman.”
Her cheeks burned bright red. What a first day… She held her head down as Nashiro’s foot steps faded away.
“Put your shoes on, let’s get started. And don’t ever be late again.”