A Lineage of Flame and Disaster (SomethingSecret & barelyAiwake)

[SomethingSecret]

Today was the day. Conrad Ritter awaited atop his colorfully barded horse at the entrance to Castle Grunfallow, surrounded by a cadre of knights as they awaited their long-expected delivery. Conrad watched with narrowed brows, his sapphire eyes keeping vigil upon the looming horizon penetrated by the road leading out of the solemn castle which stood upon a lonely hill, overlooking a sea of trees and meadows to each of its flanks. Where stood the castle, there too stood the lord: alone, ahead of the knights and ahead even of his wife Milena, who fidgeted uneasily in the saddle of her cream-colored palfrey. They had sat there for some time now, as the messenger had arrived, yet the promised arrival had not yet reached them.

Conrad's heart pounded in his chest as more time continued to pass. The delivery was no mere object, but a person: Philippa, his niece, whom he had long been separated from for a full decade now. Now twenty-two years-old, he remembered the innocent days of their shared youth together, of afternoons spent reading together, playing in the courtyard, and listening to the songs of minstrels. One day, their parents had all agreed it was best they be separated, but with the death of Philippa's mother and the disappearance of her father, Conrad remained her closest relative. Thus, she was to be delivered, but he was beginning to grow impatient. He turned back to his knights, waving his hand to urge them onward. As they began to trot forward, Conrad gave a look back at Milena, whose face had grown more than a little sour by now.

"I will return shortly, once I know Philippa is safe," he said. The sun in his face illuminated his clean-shaven features, as well as brightened the short dark-brown hair atop his head.

"Yes, of course," Milena said. "I would not wish you to worry too much for your family."

Conrad nodded. "Thank you, Milena," he said. Thinking little of it, he turned and joined his band of knights, who began to ride down the dirt path leading out of Castle Grunfallow, their eyes peeled for the horse and cart or carriage which bore the precious cargo of his long-lost niece, as the refreshing feeling of nostalgia slowly turned to dread in Conrad's stomach...

 

[barelyAiwake]

It had been only 3 days since her mother passed. A sickness had swept through the village and even with the best doctors, her mother wasn’t able to fight it. She wore a plain and simple black dress. They had come from a wealthy household but her mother preferred to not flaunt their status.

Young Phillipa Ead was now alone, the last member of her house. She never had siblings, and her father was called away some months back and had never returned. Her mother had told her he'd been killed. She felt it was better than the 17-year-old holding to hope that he would return one day. Here she was quietly mourning her mother and she could already overhear whispers of what to do with her. Her prominence in her village had made her future fodder for gossipers, as the men began claiming her hand for their sons and their sons and their families. Unable to take more of such talk, she’d left the funeral. Making her way to her empty home her head still swirling with the thoughts of her future and her mother's passing. Unsure what would become of her.

But that was when a pair of strong arms wrapped around her. “Cassian.” She called a smile finding her lips as she turned to see her Beau behind her. They had always been seen as improper, he wasn’t of the human sort, and he’d touched and held her in ways deemed improper. And with her mother no longer on the earth, she had no chaperone.

“How are you doing?” He asked caressing her cheek. wiping a tear that had fallen.

“As good as to be expected.” She said her voice soft, trying to hide the pain she felt. The horned young man held her close, running his hand through her long auburn brown hair.

“She was a good woman. Hell, she accepted me. God will be good to her.” He said holding the girl tighter as she sobbed. After a few moments, she calmed herself looking up toward him with a small smile. “And to make it worse the old men of the village are all trying to make ploys for my hand. As if my promise to you means nothing.” She said her tone showed her stress and agitation.

“Sweet Phi… You know it doesn’t.” He said, kissing her forehead. “I could make it so no other man would want you.” He said with a smirk dipping his head; kissing her neck.

She chuckled but pushed him back. “You know I’m not ready for that.” She sighed as the pair continued towards her home. Still being tended to by the servants. She parted ways with her beau giving him a kiss and sending him on his way.

She’d watched him leave before stepping into her home. “Miss Phillipa the arrangements have been made.” A younger girl approached, she had dark hair pulled up into a ponytail and wore a simple maid's outfit.

“Thank you, Amice.” She said, making her way to her room and was greeted by a small white animal that jumped up on her dresser staring at her. “Ptolemy.” She said petting the small fluffy animal's head, before focusing on what she was to be doing.

Returning a short time later she wore a simple dress and a hooded cloak, the girl known as Amice had joined her wearing an ornate dress, her medium-length hair worn down and curled. “Amice, are you sure about this… If something should happen.” She said a sour expression marring her delicate features. “Lady Phillipa, it is an honor to make sure you remain safe.” She said, Phillipa sighed giving the girl a smile; the pair left the home heading to a carriage that awaited. She’d had word sent ahead to her uncle that she would be arriving and of her mother's fate. She had to admit she was nervous to see the man after all the horrible things her mother had spoken of the younger man. But he was family.

---

The pair had traveled for five days, taking quite a few stops along the way. Late in the afternoon on the fifth day, they were nearly a stone's throw from her uncle's land when their carriage was attacked. The horses were ambushed and attacked, making them crash into a tree the carriage broke, throwing her from it.

She’d been knocked unconscious and the bandits assumed she’d been killed by the blow to her head and that also she was simply a peasant traveling with the rich girl. One of the men smirked, cutting her dress open not caring if she were dead, her body was still warm enough. But a noise made him and the others run off. Shortly after the area was swarmed with knights. Phillipa was still unconscious Ptolemy found his way to her nuzzling her cheek; hearing her groan even if she still hadn’t opened her eyes he took a defensive posture as the knights approached them.

 

[SomethingSecret]

They were about twenty minutes out from the castle gates when they stumbled upon the wreckage of the carriage bearing the expected guest. Conrad's mouth fell open, along with the rest of his knights, as they saw the damage and destruction. No doubt this had been the work of bandits, but for them to have been operating so openly near his castle boded poorly not only for the safety of his people, or even the trade lanes which traveled through his lands, but his reputation, which had already begun to slip in recent times, as he found himself more and more at the back of the court when the lords of the realm convened. He found himself of two spirits: one worried, one angry, and his shock turned to him baring his teeth at the wretched sight: a small creature watching over the corpse of the presumed Lady.

"Landis, take Henric, Lombard, and Isaac, and hunt down whoever did this. I doubt she would have been traveling alone, and what's more... they need to pay for what they've done..."

A more seasoned knight clicked his tongue to move his horse forward. "As you command, my liege," Landis said. Shortly after, he and three knights sent their horses into a gallop, following the road for clues. Conrad dismounted, as the rest of his knights looked around, wary. He walked over to the body, falling on one knee to examine her as the creature stood on end, glaring at the hesitant lord.

"Settle, little one," he said, gently. He held out his hand for it to examine, relaxing his shoulders. "I'm here to help..."

His demeanor seemed to be enough to disarm it, as the creature suddenly took a few steps back, allowing Conrad to see the full extent of the damage: a sliced dress, and a visible parting in her hair where she'd been struck, doubtless the blow which had left her dead. He took her shoulder, slowly rolling her over in the grass, grimacing as he looked down. However, upon seeing her front, he saw a small breath, his eyes widening. Slowly and tenderly he slid his hands underneath her, pulling her limp body in a comfortable bridal carry to his chest and standing, slowly turning around as the rest of his knights watched on.

"Thomas, help me get her into the saddle, in front of me," he said. "Do you have a curative?"

One of the knights dismounted, walking towards Conrad after retrieving a small vial of a blood-red liquid from his saddlebag hanging off his horse. Looking to his lord with a nod, he uncorked the small vial, tipping the young woman's head back and pouring the liquid into her mouth. It would have a bitter taste of bark and earth, although the liquid itself was thin and passed easily through the mouth. Once down her throat, her body would begin to glow faintly, as Conrad continued to cradle her in his arms, looking down at her and hoping it would be enough.

"Please, Phi..." he said, softly. "Please wake up..."

 

[barelyAiwake]

Ptolemy was bonded to Phillipa since she was still a child. The girl's friend, and guardian; he protected her from anyone outside the family, and even those within if directed to. Conrad shared the same blood as the creatures bonded so unless Phillipa told him otherwise, or he tried to hurt the girl; the man was safe with the creature.

Phillipa remained unconscious, unaware of how close she could have been to joining her mother in the afterlife. But as she’d felt the darkness pulling on her a warmth radiated through her. Her body felt like it was floating as the warmth surrounded her. Unaware of her uncle's worry, or him picking up her body to carry her back with him. But she had heard a deep voice. Calling to her, asking her to be well, and wake up. She groaned a little but her eyes still remained shut…



2 of the bandits ran off into the woods as the knights approached. Taking a moment to catch their breath when they weren’t immediately followed. They looked at each other and panicked, “We were told not to hurt anyone. Especially the lady-in-waiting.” A man with medium length messy blonde hair sighed as he began to pace a little. The other mana thin man with long dark brown hair and sunken flat blue eyes, was more blasé about their situation. “Ealdgyð, we got the lady, and that’s all that really matters.”

The man did tense up though for a moment putting his finger to his lips. “Bollocks! Do you hear that?” he’d asked his partner who had listened as well hearing the sound of faint galloping, but it was getting louder. The men continued running once more fearing the sound was knights searching for them. Running through the thick woods they had passed another man kneeling on the ground. “Roger…” The blonde man realized that the man on the ground was one of their group. The man who answered to Roger, looked up with a scared look in his eyes.

“What’s wrong?” He was questioned moving to show the girl they’d taken was lying on the ground gasping for air, bleeding from her chest. Within a few long gasps she was gone. “By God’s Nails!” The blonde called fury in his eyes. “We were supposed to deliver her alive!” He shouted his anger getting the better of him.

“True we were also not supposed to harm the lady-in-waiting.” The other man spoke with a sigh. The man known as Roger’s eyes widened.

“You hurt Amice!?” The man shot up off the ground pulling a dagger he had attached to his belt free holding it to the man's throat. “She wasn’t to be hurt!” He seethed emotion staring into the blondes eyes.

With a dismissive glance the blonde tried to walk past him, Roger pressed the blade to his skin drawing blood. “You wish to draw blades over a servant to some wealthy brat” The blonde seethed grabbing the blade held against his neck, his hand was wounded but he stabbed Roger.

Ealdgyð looked surprised as the man fell to his knees, the dark haired man gave an irritated groan. “Let’s go.” He’d begun to take his leave the blonde hesitantly doing the same.

~ ~


Shortly after the knights the lord had sent came across the scene looking shocked to see the bodies one of the men climbed off his horse inspecting the bodies seeing the young girl, bending down her body already beginning to lose some of its warmth. With a sigh he’d closed her eyes before turning his attention to the man who he’d noticed was still alive.

“OI, he’s still alive. Let’s get him back to the Lord.” A second knight dismounted hurriedly helping get the man up and on the horse so he could be rushed to face judgment. Once they got him onto the horse they told the knight to hurry and they would be not far behind. With a familiar click they were off.

Deciding to bring the young woman with them they were soon on their way back to their Lord, unaware of the eyes that watched as they’d returned.

 

[SomethingSecret]

Conrad watched as the potion reached Phi's throat, seeming to have its effect as some of her wounds and bruises were bound and healed, but still it seemed she would not awaken. Cursing under his breath, he turned to the knight next to him.

"Help me onto the horse," he said, his worry coming out as frustration. Handing her over to the man for a moment, he climbed the saddle, as the man shortly offered her limp body back to Conrad. He eased her into the front of him, essentially draping her over his torso and sitting front-to-front, her arms resting over his shoulders for support. Conrad clicked his tongue, as the rest of the knights also remounted, beginning to trot down the path back to the castle. The four knights he'd sent to rescue her escort would arrive later, he figured; for now, Phi needed to be taken to a bed for rest.

As they rode back at a decent canter, he began to feel something a bit strange. Perhaps it was the nature in which he'd found her, or perhaps it was due to their long-awaited reunion, or both, but Conrad felt tears begin to well in his eyes. He reached up to wipe away the tears, in doing so moving aside Phi's head for a moment, which now rested on his shoulder, turned so that she was facing him. He looked at her resting face, remarking on how delicate she looked, how fragile, and felt himself caught between the extreme joy of meeting her again, and the great concern he felt for her well-being now.

He would ride this way, either until she awoke again, or she was safely in a bed at the castle, wrapping an arm around her waist to keep her stable for the rest of the ride either way.

 

[barelyAiwake]

The knights made their way back towards their lord at a hurried, yet careful pace as they wanted to get the man back, but didn’t want to cause the dead woman further distress. As they rode the departed girl changed, startling the knight who transported her. Making him lose his grip causing her to fall to the ground. The man stopped hurrying off the horse inspecting the body, a little frightened by what he’d seen, as her features had changed. “Lombard!” He called the man turning to look back at him, “What is it?” he called. “The girl… She changed.” He said his voice showing the confusion he’d felt by what he was seeing.

“What is that supposed to mean?" The other man called as he too approached the deceased girl seeing the long brown hair she’d had was not shorter and pale, her pale creamy complexion was tanned and rougher. “Who is this?” He asked, looking up at the 2 men still atop their steeds.

“AMICE!” The injured man cried out struggling till he’d fallen from the horse making his way to the girl's side, tears in his eyes as he looked down at her before cradling her to him lovingly, leaving the men who watched on confused. “You weren’t supposed to be hurt. Those charlatans.” He said stroking the girl's cheek kissing her forehead before gently placing her on the ground standing weakly. “Take me to your lord! I wish to tell what I know. This was about the young la…” He’d begun but gasped gargling for breath as blood began pouring from his chest. He looked as if he’d been pierced but there was nothing there.

The men looked around nervously. Deciding for now to find their lord and tell them of what happened and their suspicions.


Phillipa was still unconscious as her tall, strong uncle took her upon his horse with him. Her arms draped over his shoulders he’d began making his way back towards his wife who was waiting for him, then off to their home. Though her eyes were still closed, her arms had moved to wrap tighter around whomever held her. “Cass…” She mumbled barely intelligible as she’d held her supporter tighter.

She remained unconscious the whole way to her uncle’s home, missing the glances of those whom they passed by, and his wife who looked a little perturbed with her. It was some time later Phillipa opened her violet blue eyes blinking as her vision came into focus seeing Ptolemy lying beside her, petting the little creature watching as he awoke rather eager to see her awake. “Hi Ptolemy. Where’s Amice… Where… Are we?” She was finally aware she wasn’t in the carriage, or the woods. Sitting up slowly finding herself alone in a room. The little creature crawled up on her and curled and she relaxed petting him slowly.

 

[SomethingSecret]

"No, they still haven't come back from their search," Conrad said. He was standing in the dining hall of the castle, looking out a window that held a vista of the surrounding forests and farmland from atop the raised earth that elevated the castle. His wife, Milena, dressed in a day-dress, sat at the table, nibbling at some bread and looking at him with a concerned expression, and squeaked when she realized a bit of bread had stuck to her chin. She was about as beautiful as one would expect from the nobility, with makeup that sharpened her face in all the best ways, and golden-blond hair that made her look like something out of a fairy tale at times.

"I know that must trouble you," she said, reaching a hand out to take Conrad's. "But you should really eat—hunger won't do anything good for your worry."

Conrad sighed. "No, I suppose it won't," he said, finally relenting. He was interrupted, however, by a young woman with sandy-brown hair rushing into the dining hall, her breaths heaving.

"My lord," she said, giving a hasty curtsy. "Lady Philippa... She's awake!"

Conrad stood up straight, his eyes widening. Before the maid or his wife could say anything, he rushed pass both of them, running up the flights of stairs and to the room where they had laid her to rest. His footsteps pounded throughout the halls, echoing each beat until at last he arrived, himself out of breath from the sprint, his large chest swelling and deflating with each of his rapid breaths. The nurse stood by the bed, her hands folded in front of her.

"Take it easy on her now," the nurse said. "She still needs her rest. But I thought his Lordship would like to come and say hello."

Conrad nodded, then took a few tentative steps into the room, his eyes locking on hers. She was just as he remembered her, only now, she was a woman grown, no longer the girl he remembered playing with when they were both still so much younger. His mouth dropped open slightly, as though he were seeing some kind of mythical creature long-forgotten, now made real in the flesh. At last, he made it to her bedside, where he kneeled by her and took her hand in his.

"Phi," he said, smiling warmly. "It's... it's so good to see you again. How are you holding up?"

 

[barelyAiwake]

The knights had made it back to the wreckage of the carriage, finding that their lord, the young woman and the other knights were gone. Looking around a moment they had figured that they must have returned home. The knights had continued their gallop wishing to report to their lord of what was suspected with the attack on the carriage.


They rode onward, coming to the castle they dismounted and took care of their horses before Landis went on ahead into the home. Searching for their lord he’d first come across his wife as she sat at the table her and the brunette woman looking at the doorway which perplexed him a moment. “M’lady?” he asked she seeming to only now notice him. “Yes, what is it?” She questioned a small sigh leaving her painted lips as she found herself curious about the girl they’d allowed to stay in their home.


“If you seek the Lordship, he went to check on the woman whom he rescued from the woods.” She announced before turning away. “But… M’lady…” He began the brunette woman stepping before him, “If I may, I can show where Lady Phillipa’s room is.” She said and he nodded offering her a smile as he stepped aside letting her leave the room first, so she could lead the way.


They kept a strolling pace so it took them longer to arrive at the room seeing their Lord beside the bed. Leaving Landis she went to attend to another duty within the home.

~ ~

Phillipa had closed her eyes once more but she wasn’t asleep, simply relaxing her head still ached but Ptolemy had been licking it, and it was already feeling better. She’d been aware of the woman who was within the room, but she hadn’t spoke to her, either not aware she was now awake, or simply deciding to not bother her.


But before too long she’d heard heavy breathing and the woman who had been lurking silently within the room finally spoke. But not to her, to a man. She hadn’t opened her eyes yet, but there was something that felt familiar within the man’s voice. Feeling his warmth as his hand took hers. She was breathing evenly her dress still cut away the blanket partially pulled revealing her undergarments as her chest rose and fell. She slowly opened her eyes as she turned her eyes to the stranger who’d known her name.


“Apologies…” She said her voice was a little rough as she spoke. “Who are you?” She questioned unconsciously giving his hand a small squeeze.

 

[SomethingSecret]

He smiled as she at last came to, unaware of the eyes of his wife peering into the room as he took Phi's hand in his own, squeezing perhaps a little too familiarly, a little too tenderly. In truth, he hardly had an idea of who she was now, only that he remembered the days they spent together in their youths some decade ago or longer, riding horses together, playing by the side of a lake and wandering through the forests together, pretending to be her protector with a wooden 'sword.' Alas, those days were long gone now, and so too was the boy that Conrad used to be, replaced by the commanding man he had been forced to become in order to lead his people. He wondered now what type of woman Phi had become in the meantime...

His eyes widened into circles as she spoke; did she truly not remember him? Had he simply imagined those better days? His hand slackened its grip upon Phi's, as his eyes grew more stern at the unintended betrayal.

"I..." he started to say. "Do you really not remember?" he asked. "Maybe you don't remember who I am, but surely you remember why you have come here? I am your uncle, Conrad, and I've accepted your request for a place to stay on account of your situation back home with your family being... well, gone. Nasty business, that..."

He nodded, feeling sheepish but continuing.

"You took a hard fall and were attacked by some bandits. I'm ashamed to admit that I didn't know they were within my lands, and that you fell prey to them. We were able to administer a curative before death took you, and now you are safe here, within my castle. The shame is mine to bear; please, if there is aught I could do for you to ease your suffering, please tell me and I will make it so. For the past, if nothing else... our past, and the companionship we once bore..."