2025-09-25, 05:27 PM
Tuukka waited at the edge of the cloisters. He had only been at capital for a few days, and it was all still exciting. He had been serving with the border jaegers for the last couple of years. Securing the kingdoms borders to the east. Often for weeks he and his men had been on patrol.
Then he had been called to the capital, apparently for receiving a medal for his work in the border skirmishes. For him being from the rural region the capital was still a bewildering place.
"There you are, our hero from the Eastern Border." It was Lumi, a slightly older protocol officer at the Queen's estate. Tuukka never liked what the media had made out of him for saving the Queen's cousin from the mongrels of the wastelands.
"Our queen's secretary said that we should go in. She is eager that you miss nothing of the proceedings, things are taking a little longer than she expected but she will be along soon."
"Yes." Tuukka said, uncertain what to do next.
For the day of the medal giving he had been dressed in his finest uniform. There was not a single stain or imperfection on it, the fabric clung tight to his well developed body. All the medals and insignia shone freshly polished like his spit shined shoes. His hair was shining, his chin smooth and well shaved like that of a recruit.
"Come on, we will go through the gardens." Lumi suggested. "They are one of the marvels of the palace. Have you been to the palace before?"
"No." Tuukka replied and followed her through the formal garden, then they passed into an area of higher hedges and small alcoves with plush sofas under little awnings. They came across a junction where different paths met. There were alcoves on marble plinths around it. One held a Crimson guard.
"Look, a Palace Guard." Lumi said, pulling Tuukka to a halt in front of the alcove.
Tuukka looked at the soldier, he seemed exotic and powerful, as he was dressed in a skin-tight glossy crimson catsuit, and thigh length boots, wearing a crimson codpiece. He was standing still almost like a statue, his face covers behind a s similar crimson helmet.
"I bet it is your first time seeing one up close."
"Er, yes." Tuukka stuttered embarrassed.
"I have heard that all their thoughts are concerned with obedience, servicing their masters and mistresses." Lumi explained. She took Tuukka's hand and removed his white glove. "Touch him, there's no harm, you will not believe what that gloss feels like."
Tuukka self-consciously let Lumi touch his fingers to the gloss of the soldiers boot. As he did he felt a tingle run through him.
"See?"
"Yes." Tuukka said entranced. The Crimson Guard made a sharp almost robotic movement and looked down at him, and Tuukka felt it difficult to look away, surprised that someone could be so different, so exotic, but still a soldier like him. He had a lot to learn a lot at the capital. Maybe after receiving his praise and possibly a medal he would be transferred to a posting in the capital.
"Come on, or we will be late." Lumi said pulling Tuukka on.
Before they entered the large court chamber they were required to undergo another security check. Tuukka saw another pair of Crimson Guard standing at to alcoves and overseeing the procedures. After they had cheeked one of the courtiers performed a ritual washing. Cleaning his face and hands. It seemed a little bit unnecessary - who would come and met his Queen dirty, but palace protocol demanded it. Then he was given from the Royal Jelly.
They both entered the large court chamber and Tuuka and Lumi found places near the back of the crowd waiting with a couple of other military, police and border guard soldiers, but they had a reasonable view of where the proceedings would happen. Tuukka slowly noticed how the Royal Jelly spread a feeling of warmth and content through out his body.
The courtiers hushed as the Queen entered and took her place on the throne, on the raised dais. She wore black silk jodhpurs and a matching cropped jacket. At either side stood her Vizier Otso Rask, and the Chief of the Crimson Guard Aino, Rask wore voluminous brocaded clothes like most of the courtiers; Aino was in her distinctive quilted red leather, skin-tight trousers, long boots and a jacket like the Queens's.
The court waited silently as the Queen looked down her list of proclamations for the day. Finally they started calling up police and border jaegers to receive their medals. Then a soldiers, a private was promoted, an officer given the Lions Order. Tuck started thinking he might have been forgotten.
"Lieutenant Tuukka Nyyrikki," The Queen spoke clearly. At first it did not sink in, then as it registered, the protocol officer pushed him forward eagerly. Tuukka flushed, realizing that he was being summoned for a direct audience with the Queen. He would receive his promotion directly from her. The courtiers around him made way and Tuuka walked slowly past them and out on to the open floor of the court. He approached the dais and bowed, his eyes kept down.
"Lieutenant Tuukka Nyyrikki?" Dalia confirmed.
"Yes, your highness." He croaked nervously.
"News from your heroic acts has reached the capital. You have performed most fervently and rescued my cousin." Tuukka looked up and into the face of the Queen. His Queen. When he had been recruited from the farm of his parents to become a simple solider and later when he had been allowed to ascend to the royal officers academy, he had never dared to think that he would be invited to the court.
"Such a hero like you deserves the highest military reward our kingdom can offer. You are loyal to me?"
"Yes, your highness." Tuukka replied quickly.
"Good, then you will surely relish what I am ordering. It will show your utmost loyalty and obedience." The Queen paused as the court waited entranced to hear what the order would be. "You will be relieved of your duties as a border jaeger and stripped of your rank. Furthermore you will be stripped of your family and given name and will become my property."
"Yes, your highness." Tuukka stuttered, not really recognising what it all meant.
"Wait, there is more, you will become part of the Crimson Guard. You will be transformed into one of my personal soldiers, with only one name, your collar name Tursas." A hushed whisper ran through the court.
"Yes, your highness." Tuukka said numbly. He knew little of the Crimson Guard. Before his encounter with one a few minutes before, he had only heard about it in rumors, even back in the Royal Military Academy there was this rumor about the Palace Guards being transformed using biotech or some other of the forbidden techs.
"Then your thoughts will only be concerned with being obedient and loyal rather than endangering a member of the Royal Family." The Queen joked, and the court responded with polite laughter.
"The order comes into effect immediately."
Then he had been called to the capital, apparently for receiving a medal for his work in the border skirmishes. For him being from the rural region the capital was still a bewildering place.
"There you are, our hero from the Eastern Border." It was Lumi, a slightly older protocol officer at the Queen's estate. Tuukka never liked what the media had made out of him for saving the Queen's cousin from the mongrels of the wastelands.
"Our queen's secretary said that we should go in. She is eager that you miss nothing of the proceedings, things are taking a little longer than she expected but she will be along soon."
"Yes." Tuukka said, uncertain what to do next.
For the day of the medal giving he had been dressed in his finest uniform. There was not a single stain or imperfection on it, the fabric clung tight to his well developed body. All the medals and insignia shone freshly polished like his spit shined shoes. His hair was shining, his chin smooth and well shaved like that of a recruit.
"Come on, we will go through the gardens." Lumi suggested. "They are one of the marvels of the palace. Have you been to the palace before?"
"No." Tuukka replied and followed her through the formal garden, then they passed into an area of higher hedges and small alcoves with plush sofas under little awnings. They came across a junction where different paths met. There were alcoves on marble plinths around it. One held a Crimson guard.
"Look, a Palace Guard." Lumi said, pulling Tuukka to a halt in front of the alcove.
Tuukka looked at the soldier, he seemed exotic and powerful, as he was dressed in a skin-tight glossy crimson catsuit, and thigh length boots, wearing a crimson codpiece. He was standing still almost like a statue, his face covers behind a s similar crimson helmet.
"I bet it is your first time seeing one up close."
"Er, yes." Tuukka stuttered embarrassed.
"I have heard that all their thoughts are concerned with obedience, servicing their masters and mistresses." Lumi explained. She took Tuukka's hand and removed his white glove. "Touch him, there's no harm, you will not believe what that gloss feels like."
Tuukka self-consciously let Lumi touch his fingers to the gloss of the soldiers boot. As he did he felt a tingle run through him.
"See?"
"Yes." Tuukka said entranced. The Crimson Guard made a sharp almost robotic movement and looked down at him, and Tuukka felt it difficult to look away, surprised that someone could be so different, so exotic, but still a soldier like him. He had a lot to learn a lot at the capital. Maybe after receiving his praise and possibly a medal he would be transferred to a posting in the capital.
"Come on, or we will be late." Lumi said pulling Tuukka on.
Before they entered the large court chamber they were required to undergo another security check. Tuukka saw another pair of Crimson Guard standing at to alcoves and overseeing the procedures. After they had cheeked one of the courtiers performed a ritual washing. Cleaning his face and hands. It seemed a little bit unnecessary - who would come and met his Queen dirty, but palace protocol demanded it. Then he was given from the Royal Jelly.
They both entered the large court chamber and Tuuka and Lumi found places near the back of the crowd waiting with a couple of other military, police and border guard soldiers, but they had a reasonable view of where the proceedings would happen. Tuukka slowly noticed how the Royal Jelly spread a feeling of warmth and content through out his body.
The courtiers hushed as the Queen entered and took her place on the throne, on the raised dais. She wore black silk jodhpurs and a matching cropped jacket. At either side stood her Vizier Otso Rask, and the Chief of the Crimson Guard Aino, Rask wore voluminous brocaded clothes like most of the courtiers; Aino was in her distinctive quilted red leather, skin-tight trousers, long boots and a jacket like the Queens's.
The court waited silently as the Queen looked down her list of proclamations for the day. Finally they started calling up police and border jaegers to receive their medals. Then a soldiers, a private was promoted, an officer given the Lions Order. Tuck started thinking he might have been forgotten.
"Lieutenant Tuukka Nyyrikki," The Queen spoke clearly. At first it did not sink in, then as it registered, the protocol officer pushed him forward eagerly. Tuukka flushed, realizing that he was being summoned for a direct audience with the Queen. He would receive his promotion directly from her. The courtiers around him made way and Tuuka walked slowly past them and out on to the open floor of the court. He approached the dais and bowed, his eyes kept down.
"Lieutenant Tuukka Nyyrikki?" Dalia confirmed.
"Yes, your highness." He croaked nervously.
"News from your heroic acts has reached the capital. You have performed most fervently and rescued my cousin." Tuukka looked up and into the face of the Queen. His Queen. When he had been recruited from the farm of his parents to become a simple solider and later when he had been allowed to ascend to the royal officers academy, he had never dared to think that he would be invited to the court.
"Such a hero like you deserves the highest military reward our kingdom can offer. You are loyal to me?"
"Yes, your highness." Tuukka replied quickly.
"Good, then you will surely relish what I am ordering. It will show your utmost loyalty and obedience." The Queen paused as the court waited entranced to hear what the order would be. "You will be relieved of your duties as a border jaeger and stripped of your rank. Furthermore you will be stripped of your family and given name and will become my property."
"Yes, your highness." Tuukka stuttered, not really recognising what it all meant.
"Wait, there is more, you will become part of the Crimson Guard. You will be transformed into one of my personal soldiers, with only one name, your collar name Tursas." A hushed whisper ran through the court.
"Yes, your highness." Tuukka said numbly. He knew little of the Crimson Guard. Before his encounter with one a few minutes before, he had only heard about it in rumors, even back in the Royal Military Academy there was this rumor about the Palace Guards being transformed using biotech or some other of the forbidden techs.
"Then your thoughts will only be concerned with being obedient and loyal rather than endangering a member of the Royal Family." The Queen joked, and the court responded with polite laughter.
"The order comes into effect immediately."