True Calling (Atroxa x Effigy)

[Effigy]

Prologue​

Every time you try to do something good, it always comes back to stab you when you are least expecting it. What was with the world these days? Did the gods see it fit to abandon their creations? Or was this some cruel joke constructed by one of them in their oh so infinite knowledge to test man? Such questions were sound but when you had a group of ten maybe fifteen armed men surrounding you in the dead of night... Well you didn't have much time to bitch about circumstance.

None the less here he was, with everything he had to his name.. Which was sad since it consisted of nothing more then a poor set of armor, a longsword, and a name that held no power or claim. Formally known as Sir Durihan Aldwin the once knight had been disgraced and banished from the capital of the kingdom of Weldrich. Forced to take mercenary work the aged ex-knight was fighting for his life once more on a fool's errand it would seem. Coming to the town of Sleed he had taken up a job running out a handful of bandits from the local woods. The job was said to be nothing more then five poorly equipped bandits at best... Not fifteen... in armor. This was looking more like a raiding party then some petty thieves.

“Well what are you waiting for?! I'm not getting any younger!” Durihan shouted, sword unsheathed and gripped firmly between his hands. There was a snicker before one of the men charged at Durihan, a lance aimed right for Durihan. The ex-knight was still the same man, even if he was dishonored. The same man that stood against a hundred at the battle of the eastern hills... The same man who bested the greatest barbarian champion from the north in single combat.. Even if he was a little seasoned as he was getting close to forty years of age. The ex-knight side stepping and bringing his sword straight down. Too soon to actually slash his opponent, but perfectly timed to severe the iron tip from the wooden shaft of his weapon. A pivot of the foot and a swing of the sword and Durihan had his weapon above his head once more with his opponent coming to a stop with his failed charge. One large swift swing of his sword and the fool would be left on the ground, face split in half. Other would follow, striking and charging at Durihan as he did his best to defend himself.

Of course Durihan would win, would survive. A man of his skill didn't die to raiders... But the true enemy that every man faced was time... And it seemed to show it's weight on Durihan in that fight. Maybe if he was younger, faster, stronger... Maybe he wouldn't of gotten slashed in the back... Maybe he would have been able to duck fast enough to get out of that shield that smashed against the side of his head. It was never fun to play the game of hindsight and yet here Durihan was, a victor... But a battered one at that. If he had any chance at surviving it would be back in town, and with that final hope he started to move... Practically dragging his feet as blood dripped down his body. There was even a couple of arrows sticking out from his right shoulder. Each step causing the tips to strain against his inner flesh.

The woods seemed to grow creepier as Durihan trudged along. The trees darker, swaying even in the night breeze. Sets of eyes that Durihan could only assume were wild wolves or some creature waiting to carry his corpse away to devour. The man found himself stumbling a little, taking a few steps to the side to press against a tree. Was this really how he was going to die? He wanted so much to die for his King... For his Princess... Just the thought of her warmed Durihan's cold body. But that was a long time ago. Said Princess already having been married years ago. Now what admiration and pride he held for his King was an empty hole of disgust and hatred.. These days those dark emotions seemed more effective in fueling his actions then the happier ones. So with a grit of his teeth he pressed off the tree, focusing the best he could on staying up right as he continued towards what he hoped was town... But it seemed that maybe those wolves would get their chance after all as Durihan fell to the ground. A slow growing pool of blood starting to form beneath him as his face met with the dirt and twigs of the ground. Hopefully he wouldn't wake up when those damn beasts would start gnawing at his flesh.

 

[Atroxa]

The forest was a forbidding place, even during the day certain parts of it seemed to absorb what little sunlight penetrated the thick canopy overhead, keeping the place bathed in a perpetual twilight. At night, the light from the moon and the stars stayed well away, drowning it in a thick, inky blackness, more than enough to keep most people out. Some knew it's secrets well enough to tread over the knot-work of roots that carpeted the forest floor, even they did so carefully though, to be complacent in a place like this was to be suicidal. Locals told stories of the twisted beasts that wandered here, but really, the most dangerous thing about this place was a person's own mind. It was easy to get lost, to panic, to run and get yourself even more lost. You started to starve, grow desperate, there were many plants here and you told yourself that surely they were safe to eat. Unfortunately for these people almost all of the plants here in the forest were highly toxic, with effects varying from simple sickness to hallucinations. The creatures who lived here had developed immunities to their effects at the cost of many individuals over generations, humans had not done this. Even the predators had developed a resistance so that they could safely eat the meat of the prey, for a human to do so though meant growing very ill as their meat was tainted with the toxins of the plants. They had to be cooked and prepared a very certain way to make them safe. Most people just took the smart and easy route and avoided the deeper parts of the forest all together.

So it was odd indeed to spot a rider carefully guiding their mount through the trees, the horse stumbled once though and grew agitated, so the rider dismounted and gathered the beast's reins, leading it further in on foot. It was obvious by their size that they were likely very young, or very small for an adult, but it was hard to tell with a long hood and cloak obscuring everything but small, slender hands. Their shape made it more than likely that the rider was female, and as she walked she looked down and around her, stopping occasionally to bend down and examine a plant here and there. Sometimes those small hands dug into the dark loam of the forest floor and pulled the plant up with it's roots. It was dangerous to cut them at the stalk, so she did as her mother had taught her and instead wrapped some burlap around the roots and soil she'd pulled up, securing it with a bit of chord and then putting it in one of the saddle bags on her horse.

Occasionally she would hear movement, or catch it out of the corner of her eye, but she seemed unworried, and the wolves came no closer to her than they dared. Wolves, she had found, were skittish creatures. They were curious and opportunistic, but if you didn't make yourself a target, then they usually wouldn't take the risk of attacking you. Her horse seemed rather unhappy about having them around but they'd made this trek many times, and it knew to trust it's rider. They weren't far into their routine though before the cloaked figure stopped and looked up from the ground, hearing more than seeing a scuffle up ahead. Wandering closer her adjusted vision caught the shape of several wolves, they seemed to be bickering and fussing over something, but as she wandered closer, they spooked and ran off. They didn't go far though, lingering nearby, watchful and impatient to have their prize back.

Lilura's head tilted under her hood, looking down at an injured man, some sort of warrior by the looks of him. What was he doing out here? She wondered if he was dead, having a hard time seeing if he was breathing in the dark and with his armor covering most of his body. So the girl, as she was still very much a girl, extended a foot and prodded him with the toe of her boot where the arrows stuck out, seeing if she could get a reaction. A groan of pain told her that he was, indeed, alive. That made her sigh and she glanced at the wolves, still watching, then at her horse, Bayard, who was watching the wolves. “So much for gathering herbs...” she murmured with a hint of irritated resignation and reached down, taking the man's arm and pulling at him. “Come on then, get up,” she growled with effort, “Get up or I'll leave you to the wolves.” After much effort she got the beaten down warrior to his feet, pushing and prodding him to her horse's side.

“You're going to have to help me, I sure as hell can't carry you,” Lilura muttered at him, helping him as much as she could to lumber up into her slightly too small for him saddle. By the time they were done, her hood had fallen back and her face was a little red, the girl huffing a little as she'd grown a little out of breath. “I robbed the wolves of a good meal that's for sure,” she grumbled, gathering her horse's reins again, Bayard had stood with a sort of begrudging tolerance while the heavy, clumsy creature had climbed onto his back and now followed all too eagerly as Lilura lead him back the way they had come. Usually she made them stay in the forest for far longer, so he was happy to go back early, to the safety of his stall, even if he had to carry the heavy creature on his back and the wolves circling around them, unhappy at having their meal taken away.

The girl lead them from the forest out onto the hard pack dirt trail that lead to her home, her hood back still to reveal long black hair, fair skin, a lovely face, and large gray eyes. She was young, only just shy of eighteen, but only the blind would mistake her for a child, her eyes betrayed wisdom and intelligence beyond her years, and the stillness of her movements were far more sure of themselves than most of the unsure, eager girls of her age. Lilura walked with Bayard trudging along beside her, the girl having to keep him in check when her family's manor came back into view, his head lifting and ears perking, trying to drag her along with him towards the court yard, but she managed to hold him in check with an irritated threat thrown in for good measure. Balfour manor had been her home for several years, a shack compared to the grand castle she had called home when she had been a child, but it was where her family dwelt now, unwelcome very close to the capital.

Lilura woke one of the stable hands to fetch her guard, needing help getting the man off her horse and some where where she could tend his wounds. Galathe hurried into the stables only a few moments later, looking flustered, his dark red hair disheveled from sleep. “How many times do I have to beg you to stop wandering off into the forest at night?” the large man grumbled at her.

The girl only shrugged a little and gave a coy smile, “At least once more Galathe, now help me with this brute, I found him trying to feed the wolves in the forest.” They struggled together to get the man out of her saddle and the stable hand took Bayard to untack him and put him away while Lilura followed Galathe as he half dragged the man away. “Take him to the infirmary, I'll wake one of the nurses,” she told him in the tone of some one used to getting their way. Galathe heaved a flustered sigh but obeyed. He had half a mind to go and get her father, but he'd just be held responsible for the girl running off into the forest again, it wasn't his fault that Lord Balfour's daughter was as slippery as a fish, or maybe it was a snake.

 

[Effigy]

Of course he couldn't just die... Oh no he had to wake back up once the wolves started at his flesh. A sharp pain in his shoulder was the first terrible bite, Durihan letting out a groan of pain. Pathetic how he was awake again but had little to no energy to actually do anything about these damn wolves. Why was he so willing to give up now? It just seemed so easy... To finally let it all slip away, he didn't care anymore that much was for sure. But curious that wolves could speak. Wait what the wolves for speaking?

The man turned his head to the side, looking to see not a wolf but a figure. Why did the figure bite him on his shoulder? Poor Durihan couldn't even remember the arrows sticking out from his shoulder let alone how they got there. To his surprise he would start to rise, barely being pulled up by the hooded figure. It took some time but whoever this was had gotten him back up, his world shifting suddenly which only served to give him a headache on par with those that came with excess drinking. He was hearing words but what they were just didn't register in his head, and before long he was being pushed against a horse.

The prodding and pushing was getting annoying, but just like with his lack of luster in defending himself from those imaginary wolves, he pretty much went with the flow. Slowly lugging himself up and over onto the horse. From there it seemed he was free to pass out again, every so often the occasional trot stirring him from his slumber. It was fascinating really, it felt like every time he blinked there was a new scene around him. First it was a dense forest... Followed by a light wood, a dirt trail, gates, and then a castle. At the castle he was able to look to the figure who's hood was now off to reveal a woman. Hair as dark as the night... And skin as pale as.... The sight of her quickly faded as everything went black.

Durihan wasn't aware of time, wasn't aware of the care that was being given to him by a nurse. In that darkness he found himself back in capital, adorned in golden armor... His family sigil hanging in the great hall with the rest of the noble families. A voice calling out his name, one so soft and sweet it would thaw any heart of ice in seconds. He would turn and the walls would shift, the light turning into darkness and his armor would melt away. Suddenly he was trapped behind bars, hands chained to the floor and gashes along his back and chest showed what torture he had been through.

“AHHHH!!!” Durihan shouted loudly as he woke up, chest violent rising and falling, sweat covering him from head to toe. The last thing he remembered was fighting in that cursed forest.. and now he was in a bed? Stripped to is underwear with bandages along his body? What happened? Where was his sword and armor? It took a few seconds for him to realize that a nurse was in the room, already having jumped back after he had awoken so savagely. His questions could wait however, there was something more pressing that needed to be attended too. “Bring me food!” Durihan stated, practically ordered to the nurse. Dying was hungry business after all, and when he was brought food and drink the man would quickly begin devouring it. Any thoughts of etiquette far from his mind.

 

[Atroxa]

Lilura had returned to her room, enduring a rather boring lecture from Galathe on the way back about how dangerous it was to go into the forest at all, even more so at night and alone. She didn't listen, and he knew she didn't, she'd been going to the forest since before he'd been assigned to her personal guard and she would continue to do so. He had given up the heavy handed tactics of her previous head of security, they hadn't worked, and he'd met a rather unfortunate end so he didn't try to copy his predecessor. And the rumors that the very girl he was protecting had killed the former guard kept him a bit wary of pushing his luck with her. There was all the business with her mother after all, who was to say that she wasn't just as dangerous? The pay was worth it though, he had a small family to take care of after all. So he'd left her to retire to her room, going back to his own.

In the morning, the girl woke early, as she usually did, got ready, and joined her father and younger brother for a quiet breakfast. Her family didn't talk, not anymore. Lilura had nothing to say to her father and he had nothing to say to her that she wanted to hear, Lennox Balfour had lost his daughter's respect many years ago. Poor Vailean was caught in the middle, but the boy didn't seem to notice. He was younger than Lilura by several years, with the same gray eyes, but his hair was fair, like their mother's had been. This was the only life he could really remember, so it was perfectly normal to him. He ate and then was carted off by his guards to start his tutoring lessons, and Lilura left without a word to go and see to her guest. She didn't say anything to her father about him, nor did she attempt to hide it though. He'd find out eventually. The servants though had learned that it was just easier on them all if they left the young woman to her own devices.

Lilura went down to the infirmary, her long black hair pleated back into a braid that fell down her back, with a smaller braid looped around her head to form a band, beads and raven feathers worked into it. She no longer wore the long cloak from the night before but a dark blue gown, simple but elegant. She was beautiful, but even if they were welcome at the capital, young men would have been wary to approach her. She had a dark, cold look to her, eyes that calculated and seemed to know everything about you, even the things you didn't want anyone to know. Lilura unsettled most people, part of it was the legacy of her mother, the other part was just that she was abnormal for a girl her age, quiet and piercing, with the bearing of a woman many years her senior.

When she reached the infirmary she was greeted by the nurse, who informed her in a rather irritated manner of how their guest had greeted her for the morning. Lilura sighed and apologized to the woman, a rare thing to expect of any one of noble birth. No doubt, the young woman was just as arrogant as most nobles, arrogant and haughty, but she wasn't stupid. Treating the people you depended on on a daily basis, that surrounded you at every moment of every day like they were beneath you was a foolish thing to do. That same courtesy did not extend to guests, no matter their station, unless she felt they deserved it.

Walking into the infirmary proper, she spotted the recovering man awake and eating breakfast with the decorum of a savage. Lilura gave a fleeting look of disapproval before it changed into a friendly, sweet smile, “Good morning, enjoying your breakfast?” She asked him, her tone sickeningly sweet, obviously mocking him, before turning stern and sharp, the smile dropping into a glare, “If you are, I suggest you refrain from barking orders at any of my staff or it'll be your last. I'll happily have my guards reinflict the damage that our nurse and physician undid and deposit you back in the forest for the wolves.” If it weren't for the obvious youth of her features, the baby fat still clinging to her face and the small almost delicate build of her still growing body, Lilura would pass for a woman much older than herself. She'd been operating as the lady of the house since her mother died after all, being in charge came naturally to her by now.

“Now, who are you and what were you doing so deep in the forest?” She demanded of him, her tone not so threatening now, but still stern.

 

[Effigy]

Before the nurse could leave the infirmary Durihan couldn't help but mutter, “It couldn't of been wine?” He asked, even though he gladly downed the water he was given. This of course garnered no response and the man was left to himself. Whatever the case was Durihan was going to finish this meal before figuring out where his things were. It was great that someone helped him out but he didn't ask for any favors. The sooner he could leave the better in his opinion. Especially since he had some unfinished business with some prick back in town that told him to take care of fucking bandits. When he would see that runt of a man again he would make sure to wring his little fucking neck!

However his train of thought was quickly broken when someone entered the infirmary once more. Though this time it wasn't a nurse or hand maiden but a girl. One with black hair that was done up with feathers. What was she doing playing dress up? Durihan wasn't laughing but he definitely was giving her a look. How was he to know this was the lady of the castle? Let alone the person that actually saved his life the night before. He still had food left on his plate though so he continued his little feast until she spoke up. Spoke up would be the wrong words to use to describe her tone and choice in words. The girl had some sans to her that much was true and that made Durihan look at her with more intrigue then confusion now.

“I'll put those guards into the ground like the men I did the night before, girl.” Durihan stated, though he could only assume with how she presented herself, how she spoke her words that she was of noble blood. Not quite sure who she was but that didn't matter. It didn't take a genius to figure out who's care he was under. “But I thank you for saving my life and this delicious meal none the less.” He added before raising his cup, drinking the rest of it's contents before stopping now that someone was actually here to converse. This had to be the person that saved his life, had the same hair, and the same pale skin. And she spoke of interest in what he was doing in the forest... The better question was what was someone like her doing in the forest.

Call him old fashioned or at least trained enough in a past life he felt a compulsion to answer her and not just spout kurt remarks. “My name is Durihan. I was hired to rid the forest of bandits. Turns out to be raiders though and a lot of them at that. Thirty or so...” He added, always fun to tell a tale or two. “Where am I and where is my armor?” Durihan would ask, caring not for her name right now. She would see him move his food to the side, turning in bed to get up. A grit of his teeth would follow as he forced himself to get his feet on the ground. His wounds still ached after all and he wasn't getting any younger. “Gods damn it all..” He mutter, slowly standing up. Even in his late thirties the man was still strong, what wasn't covered in bandages showed muscle sculpted and defined for a warriors body. But also scars, deep and long scars that carried stories to them no doubt.

 

[Atroxa]

Lilura rolled her gray eyes at his boast, “Yes well they nearly returned the favor didn't they?” she asked him snidely. She highly doubted he'd be able to put up any sort of real fight right now, not in the condition he was in. Still though she listened as he gave his name and briefly explained why he'd been in the forest, rolling her eyes again at his claim that there had been thirty bandits. She frequented the forest and knew of the raiders he spoke of. There weren't thirty, more like half as many as that, she'd seen them at their camp at night, though they'd never spotted her. They'd heard her a couple times but she'd merely toss up a glamor and they'd think she was some deer or wolf and she'd get away before they could decide what they wanted to do about her presence.

When Durihan asked where he was she sighed a little, disliking that he was still demanding things. “You're in Balfour manor, and your armor is somewhere safe, not that it's worth protecting from the state of it,” the girl sniffed slightly in disapproval. Then the damn fool was trying to stand up, obviously still in pain and struggling to do even that. Lilura 'tsked' loudly in irritation and pushed him, trying to make him at least sit back down, “You'll stay on that bed or I'll have you tied down!” The girl growled at him, “You interrupted my work last night, I'll not have that be a waste of my time and energy to just have you bust your stitches and bleed out anyway.” She was far too irritated to survey him in an sort of an appreciatory manner at the moment, from what she could tell though Durihan was a fair bit older than her, and last night's beating was far from the first he'd received. He also didn't look like he bothered to take care of himself much.

Lilura wasn't a warrior but she knew enough about swords and armor to have been able to tell that his armor, while dated and dented, was of good make, expensive even, the same went for his sword. Judging by that and his general appearance, he was some sort of has been. An old warrior fallen on hard times and not handling it very well. “I'm Lady Lilura Balfour, and you're under my charge until you've recovered, so get comfortable,” the girl informed him. She wasn't sure if he'd recognize her family name or not, it depended on how important he had been at whatever point of his life where he hadn't had to trudge out into forests to fight bandits to make a living. His name tickled the back of her mind a little, but she couldn't place it, so she didn't dwell on it.

 

[Effigy]

Lilura was definitely quick on the tongue now wasn't she? And apparently on her feet as well, it didn't take Durihan that long to get up now did it? He was surprised to find the young girl standing in front of him once he had gotten his barrings, and even more so when she started barking at him to sit back down. “Like hell I will-” But before he could protest anymore the little girl pushed him, hell overpowered him in his current state and had him back on his ass on that bed. A mixture of annoyance and shock now played his face as he looked at Lilura, the two now level since he was sitting.

For the longest time the two just stared at one another. As if some sort of test of wills. Lilura definitely wasn't backing down from Durihan and Durihan wasn't going to let some girl get the better of him... Even if he was wounded. But here she was practically man handling him with her words and actions and here he was actually in shock of it. It wasn't like this was the first woman that had tried to get in his face, sure the situation was vastly different.. But still, Durihan didn't take this sort of shit from anyone.

But where was he? He was in her castle, he was in her care. He was her charge after all. Just the word made the man chuckle. He hadn't heard such terms in a long time. Almost as long as hearing the name of Balfour. Back when he remembered it the House Balfour was one of the six main noble families that served the kingdom. Of course there were many others but Balfour's wealth and pull within the courts of the royal courts put it above many of the other houses. But of course the conviction of Lady Balfour of Witchcraft had brought an end to all of that. That would make Lilura the Lady now... Well that made a lot of sense.

“I told you what I was doing in the forest but what were you doing there?” Durihan asked, still sitting there in defiance of his little captor and savior all dressed up in an elegant dark blue gown.

 

[Atroxa]

Lilura could tell that this warrior didn't know what to think of a small girl bossing him around and even man handling him a little, it was definitely amusing, but she kept a straight face and kept him in line. He might not be used to being told what to do but there was no way that Lilura was going to let him do as he pleased in her castle. Well, technically it was her father's but everyone who stayed around for very long soon realized that it was Lord Lennox's daughter that really ruled the roost. He was a nobleman after all, travel was often required of him, her brother was too young to be taken too seriously and also usually accompanied their father on his trips. That left Lilura in charge when they were gone. She sometimes went with them as well, but more often than not, she was here, and that was fine with her.

The young woman scoffed slightly though when Durihan asked her what she had been doing in the forest, dark, groomed brows arching at him in a condescending way. “That, sir, is none of your business,” Lilura told him tersely, “Now, I have business to tend to. You'll stay here and rest, either by choice or by force. I'm not above having a sleeping draught force fed to you.” Her hand brushed away a bit of imaginary dust, giving him a stern look, “The sooner you recover the sooner you can leave, just keep that in mind and behave yourself.” And with that she turned on her heel and left, informing the nurse that she would have a couple guards come down to keep an eye on their guest and handle him if he wanted to cause any more problems. And that she had permission to knock him out if he got to be too much of a handful.

That night at dinner her father finally mentioned that he had heard they had a guest, his tone a mixture of curiosity and disapproval. Lilura merely shrugged and told him that he'd been found injured in the forest but would be sent on his way once he recovered. He accepted the explanation and that was the end of the subject. The house staff weren't the only ones who had learned that Lilura was really the one in charge, her father had as well. It was the way things worked though, a man didn't really know how to run a household, that was a woman's duty. Lilura had filled the role well so far so he left it to her and just stayed out of the way, the lingering guilt and shame over having to turn on his own wife and rob his children of their mother also probably had something to do with the man's accommodating behavior with his daughter. After all, Lilura was never above reminding him of it.

Chapter 1 - Mutually Beneficial​

A couple of days passed with Lilura checking in on her guest from time to time and he was finally well enough to be moved out of the infirmary and into a room. He still wasn't ready to be released just yet, but he was getting there. In the mean time, Lilura had realized why his name sounded so familiar, and curiosity finally lead her to his room, knocking lightly at the door and waiting for him to answer. It was her castle, but she wasn't so rude as to just barge in on him. And if he had recovered well enough to leave the infirmary she was sure he wasn't weak enough for her to be able to over power anymore. So he'd probably just shove her back out, no she'd try to be on better behavior tonight, as long as he was that is.

 

[Effigy]

Well the last few days definitely had been different for Durihan now that he was held up at Castle Balfour. Where he usually only had a days worth of gold on him there was always the question of what inn could he afford and how much ale could go with it before he had to take on another job. Now the most pressing question was should he wake up or sleep in for another five or so hours. It was actually a relief, pride aside and all. Three square meals a day, could use some ale or wine but then again he was suppose to be “recovering”. There was no threat of attack, no cutpurse sneaking up behind him trying to make a quick steal. And the baths, heavens forbid the last time Durihan actually had a bath. Maybe he should get injuried more often.

After a couple days he would be well enough to actually move about, and so he was actually given a room instead of being confined to the infirmary. A cozier cage it seemed but a cage none the less. He was told to take it easy of course but at least now he could get out of bed on his own, move about actually do something with all the pent up boredom that was pooling inside. And the best part of all was actually clothing. Finer material then he was used to of course, but a nice pair of pants and shirt did wonders after a couple days of constantly changing bandages in his underwear. And surprisingly the company was starting to get better.

The visits from Lilura which had started off rather blunt and aggressive had become much more entertaining for the man.. Seeing how he had no other interactions save for the guards that stood as a constant reminder that he would be forced back into his bed or room if he tried to leave. Even if their conversations were trivial, a small jab here and there at each other in an attempt at humor, it was still nice to hold the interest of a woman. He found himself looking forward to Lilura's visit. One of which had consistently been after her dinner.

Durihan had been at the desk in the room he was given, his meal finished and set to the side as he looked out the window of his room. The sun seemed to fall early this time of year, night already creeping upon the land. The sound of knocking filled the room and Durihan would look to the door, a smile on his face as he answered. “Come in.” He stated, still seated though. What stories of Lilura's incompetent father or pathetic brother would she share with him today? It was quite amusing really how much more Lilura thought of herself then anyone else here at Castle Balfour. Which would have been a joke if not how the guards and hand servants seemed to emulate her in such a way. She truly did hold sway here, and who better to gain favor in then the one in charge? She saved his life after all.

 

[Atroxa]

She opened the door and went inside once Durihan's deep voice called from behind it for her to come in. She knew he'd be expecting her, no one else but the nurse ever came by and she had likely already checked on him today. Lilura usually came by after dinner and by the look of the empty plate sitting near by she figured he had just finished his meal as well. She didn't know quite what to make of the old warrior, she knew of his past a bit, so she knew that once he'd been a great knight, but now, well he was obviously getting a little past his prime. Durihan wasn't easy to like, he was gruff and proud, but lacked the charm that generally came with knights of any sort of standing. Likely due to being bitter and alone. In all, she didn't feel quite so much contempt for him now, but she still wasn't exactly fond of him either. He'd done nothing to endear himself to her or really earn her respect, she was neutral towards him if nothing else, but they didn't get many visitors out here so he was a curiosity for the moment, something to occupy her time that wasn't a part of her usual routine. He at least wasn't afraid to exchange insults and jabs with her, it was nice to be around some one who wasn't either indifferent towards or afraid of her for a change.

“Enjoy your meal?” She asked him, though it was clear by her tone that she didn't actually care, but that it was more a force of habit, asking polite questions she didn't really care about. As much as Lilura tried not to be like the vapid and shallow young women that she occasionally got to meet when they left the manor or had some noble family visit, she had still been raised with court customs. Her mother had taught her a great deal before her execution, she'd taught Lilura how to act, how to walk, how to talk, how to calculate and judge, how to think of the people around her as more pieces in a game. And of course, she'd had to teach her the proper mannerisms, though after years of being away from court itself, it had become a dull reflex, she knew if she ever did return to the capital, she'd have to put in more effort, but this was just Durihan.

Lilura sat in one of the comfortable arm chairs tucked into the corner, her long black hair free and falling over her bared shoulders and down her back, her posture straight and proper. “It must be nice to be back in a castle hmm? It's been how many years since your own fall from grace?” She assumed he knew about her family, it seemed like everyone knew, even commoners. His own though had been rather hush hush, there were rumors of course, they were wide ranging and varied from believable to outlandish. Everyone knew though that it had to have something to do with the royal family, as the king had worked very hard to keep it as quiet as possible. Either way, he'd had his title stripped from him, imprisoned, and then exiled. It was a surprise that he'd been allowed to live at all, let alone released.

 

[Effigy]

And there she was, walking with such poise and control. Lilura definitely had an air about her, one that reminded Durihan of a past life that seemed to sicken him now. And yet there was something else to the girl as she found herself a comfortable arm chair to sit upon. That distaste that he held for such things she also seemed to share, which only raised so many more questions and left the mind to wander. Though how far one could only assume when dealing with a Balfour. Word had spread through out the kingdom once the Late Lady Balfour was found guilty of witchcraft. Even commoners and exiles heard of the fall of the Balfour. How they kept what was now this castle was only through what backhanded deals Lilura's father could of made in such pressing times. Yet here Lilura was, almost a spitting image of her mother. Durihan could just imagine her mother, dressed in similar dark clothing with that same air about her that her daughter had now.

“I did, though I never knew a noble house to not offer wine or ale to their guests.” Durihan stated with a smirk, handing coming up to stroke the now groomed beard he had. He looked more the part of his old life, clean, groomed, and now well nourished. Though any smirk or light tone in the man's voice would soon fade once Lilura brought up Durihan's “fall from grace”. She would immediately get a glare from the older man, one that would strike fear into others. She definitely hit deep with those words, which was rather new even in their social banters.

“You consider this a castle? Merely a shack in comparison to what the Balfour's once owned.” Durihan spat out. What did this little girl know of him, of his past. Probably nothing but for anyone to remember such a thing. The Balfours were still in power back then. And that would put Lilura at what nine or ten years of age? Durihan had half the mind to back hand the girl and teach her some proper respect of her elders. Yet his situation was vastly different now. At least the Balfour name still held title in these lands.

“Did your mother not teach you how to hold your tongue when being civil? Or was that put on hold for her burning?” Durihan asked out of malice. It was sad on multiple levels really. One was just an older man lashing back at a young woman. Another was to try and hurt her with something so personal. But Durihan didn't care, why shouldn't Lilura feel some pain for bringing up such conversation? What sword was sharper then tongue after all?

 

[Atroxa]

Lilura did look very much like her mother, the same face, the same gray eyes, but her mother had been fair-haired, like her brother. She took after her father with that dark hair. Her mother had also been much more personable and friendly than her daughter, much of it had been a front, you had to be charming and social if you were to make it in any way among the courts of any kingdom, but still, she had not been so dark or cunning as Lilura. A lot of that probably had to do with what had happened to her family though, there was no telling how the girl would have turned out if her mother had never been found out and her family hadn't been forced to live on the outskirts of the kingdom, shunned like a bunch of lepers. It was only because her father had turned on his own wife that they had been able to keep their title at all. It made it very clear to Lilura at a young age what it was that her father valued most in life. He had been working diligently ever since to regain some of the power they had lost, there were even rumors that he might remarry, though just as many said it was through marrying off his daughter that he planned on getting back some proper footing.

Durihan's reaction was about what she expected, he was obviously still wallowing in bitterness and self pity, if the state of his armor and sword were anything to go by. If he had managed to move on then he'd probably doing much better for himself and to himself, it had been clear to Lilura when she brought him back that he hadn't been in the best condition even before those raiders had gotten a hold of him. So she didn't look surprised when he immediately started trying to insult her for bringing up his own past, she merely sat with that same sort of poise, watching him. She was taking everything in, observing. Had Durihan chosen to hit her though, he would have likely found that there was far more to the girl than meets the eye.

As it were though, he kept flinging verbal attacks her, rather weak ones really. “You really have been away from the courts for some time, if you think that anything you just said is in anyway remotely original or insulting to me anymore,” she told him coolly, “Sad isn't it? I've been living with my family's shame almost as long as you've been living with yours, but you seem to be handling it much more poorly than me. Not that that's surprising, I've found that men buckle far more readily under emotional strain than women do.” Her tone grew condescending and cold, judgmental, disgusted, “Men, you think you're so mighty because you can wield a sword, but what does any of that matter when you turn into children the moment your feelings are hurt?”

“At least my family wasn't disgraced because my father couldn't keep his cock in his pants,” she told him snidely, “Or at least that's the rumor I heard the most about you. Once again it wouldn't surprise me, given how prone men are to thinking with the wrong head. Was it the queen or the princess that cost you your pride? Or maybe the prince?” Lilura's full lips curled into a cruel smirk, obviously amused.

 

[Effigy]

Lilura was on a mission today it seemed. Or now was on one seeing how Durihan so brazenly crossed the line from civil insults to whatever the hell was now being spat between the two. This little girl definitely had a cruelty inside of her that seemed to come out whenever possible. Sure there was that stern yet understanding Lady of the House that Lilura seemed to play so well... But it was just that, a play. You started to realize just how two faced people were when your life started to revolve around killing people. One moment they are tough, ready to spill your guts. But when you disarm them... When you have them on their knees with their necks exposed to you... It's shocking how quickly men will turn into groveling messes. Almost funny how Lilura had this effect without even drawing a sword.

That glare that she had earned from Durihan didn't die down at all. The man's hand even curving down to grab hold of his arm rest in some attempt to control something. His grip tight as he sat there and took such abuse from a child. Every word made the idea of smacking some respect into Lilura all the more appealing. Though there was civility in this, it wasn't above Durihan to ask Lilura to leave his room. He had done it before and she complied. Though that was more from his exhaustion and not from his anger. Of course when she brought up the rumors of his disgrace, that would raise him from his chair in seconds.

“And what do you know of what lies in men's pants!?” Durihan stated, almost shouting as he started to walk towards Lilura. “Is this what you want, pull me from the forest. Expecting me to be grateful only to insult me and belittle me every chance you have?!” Now he was shouting, obviously pushed over the edge by just the utterance of a rumor. “Would you like it if I took you? With your fascinations of what I did?!” The man stopped before Lilura, there was hate now portrayed across his face. Nostrils flaring, eyes a blaze with anger. But in all of this Lilura would actually get an answer. In his anger Durihan did say “what I did”. However before either of them could press the matter the door to Durihan's room would swing open. Galathe storming in with a large brown leather bound book under his arm.

Completely unaware or even interested in what was going on before he entered, Galathe was quick to throw the book down onto the ground for Lilura to see. “You dare bring this black magic back into your father's house!? I knew you were up to something going off at night like you do! How many more of these book are there? It took me only seconds to find this on your damn shelf!” He shouted at her. Pointing down at the book. Surprisingly he came armed, his sword and knife hanging from his belt as he stood there in demand of answers. “Did you learn nothing from your Mother?” He asked her, with a hint of ache in his voice. Like discovering this was an act against himself. Why else would he allow Lilura to do what she did, sure she was quite stubborn and held sway over the castle, but what man could resist a young lady's smile. That promise in their eyes of what could be. Galathe had his fantasizes like any other man, but those were now tarnished by this sin.

 

[Atroxa]

Nobles were notoriously callous and cruel, not out of a desire to do harm but simply because they are so self absorbed that they don't comprehend the concept of their actions impacting others in a painful or harmful way. They don't care if they hurt some one, because no one but themselves mattered. This was not so much the care for Lilura, but it was an easy enough guise to hide behind, that sort of privileged obliviousness. No, with the young Lady Balfour, it was a much more active cruelty, she did nothing without a good reason, though it didn't have to be a good reason to anyone but herself. She enjoyed getting into people's heads, pushing and pulling them, watching them squirm. She had never laid a hand on anyone in her life, she did not lash out with physical violence, instead she waited for the most opportune moment to strike and she did with precision.

Durihan had done nothing to deserve the girl's attack, but she didn't need a reason, seeing how he reacted was good enough, the rush of having the power to bring him to such anger was more than enough to motivate her. Lilura was manipulative and cold, detached from the world around her, in a word she was a borderline sociopath. She'd been traumatized as a child, whether she liked to admit it or not, and because of the world she grew up in and the nature of the trauma, she'd been left to handle it on her own. Detachment had been the best solution at the time, so that was what she went with, and had stayed with ever since. She had difficult reconnecting with her own emotions now, and so instead forced others to experience their own while she watched in fascination. Lilura was, in her own twisted way, jealous of Durihan's rage and pain, that he felt anything at all over what had happened to him.

She gave a smirk though when he practically shouted at her, going on a senseless tirade, rebelling against the insult she had dealt him. The girl didn't look frightened or bothered at all, just looking up at him, poised and cruelly amused, and satisfied that she'd not only gotten such a rise out of him, but a confirmation on what she'd been implying. Lilura still didn't know which one he'd screwed, but he'd certainly gotten carried away with some one important. Before she could needle him a little more though, try to find out just what had happened, the door to his room banged open and Galathe came striding in. Her brows arched in surprise and she looked up at her guard with a slightly annoyed but surprised expression. “What is it Galathe?” She asked him tersely, jumping a little when he threw the heavy book on the floor at her feet.

Lilura peered down at it then looked back up, not looking nervous or scared, just annoyed. “I learned many things from my mother,” she told him coldly, ignoring the hurt tone in his voice, “Where do you think I got that tome from? Where do you think she learned her craft from? Her mother, just like I did.” She didn't bother hiding any of it from him, he knew, and now so did Durihan. She wasn't worried though, she could handle them both if she had to. She would have liked to not have to kill Durihan, but she would. She snorted softly at Galathe though, giving him a disdainful look, “I bet you wished I was sneaking off to meet some man after all weren't you? Would a broken heart be easier to handle than this?” She was perfectly aware of her guard's affection, he'd started it on his own, but she'd fostered it a little, strung him along, it was surprisingly easy to manipulate men, whether it be through rage or lust.

The girl stood then and sighed, her hands clasped in front of her, “You didn't even last as long as your predecessor before he went sticking his nose where it didn't belong. Maybe your replacement will be less of a disappointment.”

 

[Effigy]

Durihan felt suddenly like a third wheel as Galathe and Lilura engaged one another in whatever the guard was accusing her of. Sure Durihan was still angry but all that aggression seemed to subside for now in lue of this new event. The man stepping a few feet, standing next to the desk where he had set his plate. Black magic, witchcraft that wasn't a foreign concept to the Balfours now was it? Looking at Lilura it was strangely unsurprising though, the girl seemed to dress the part from time to time. Though practicing magic wasn't a big deal. It was practicing dark magic that got people concerned, Lilura wasn't even twenty.. What could she do?

“Once your father hears of this you'll also wish you had been sneaking off to meet someone...” Galathe stated, what compassion or sorrow was in his gaze was gone now as he looked at Lilura. That hurt expression now turned into anger that would drive his steps. The man bending over to grab the book once more, fully intent on exposing Lilura for her crimes.

Durihan moved again, the dinner plate falling to the ground as his hand grabbed something from it. Quickly he rushed Galathe, forcing the guard to a nearby wall. Normally there would be a struggle, punches and strangling till whoever was stronger or more cunning would get the upper hand and kill the other. But the two men stayed in the same position, the sound of something repeating itself over and over could be heard. Durihan's right arm going back and forth, in and out against Galathe's stomach.

Blood, thick and red started pooling at the men's feet as Galathe grew less and less life like with each passing moment. So maybe Durihan was carrying some aggression over from his previous conversation with Lilura, the excessive stabs with his dinner knife counting in the teens... the twenties. Durihan would stop though, letting Galathe's body slump to the ground. Durihan's right arm and lower part of his body now covered in Galathe's blood. Lilura's tome falling off to the side.

Durihan stood there, muscles taunt, breath heavy as he looked down at another defeated foe. Why he did it the man wasn't quite sure.. There were plenty of reasons. Maybe chivalry came back to come to the assistance of a woman, though that assistance turned quite barbaric in the act. Or perhaps the notion that his meal ticket was about to get taken away triggered some survival instinct to take over... Whatever the reason Lilura now had a dead guard in one of her guest rooms.

 

[Atroxa]

Lilura's gray eyes narrowed dangerously when her guard threatened to go to her father. No, not threatened, promised, he was going to him now and he was going to reveal her for using magic. There was no way for anyone who wasn't schooled in the arts to be able to tell in the tome he had found was dark magic or not, but given her mother's crimes, it would likely be assumed that it was dark magic. It wasn't actually, she kept those books hidden far better, but she knew her father would assume just like Galathe had. Lilura had no idea how he would react, but she had no intention of finding out.

As her guard bent down to grab the tome, she looked at Durihan, and all it took was a twitch, just a pluck of his mind. He was already unstable, already full of rage, all she had done was give him an idea, an outlet, and all Lilura had to do was take a step out of the way as the two men collided. She stood aside and watched as if she were observing something that was mildly interesting, her hands clasped back in front of her as she waited. When Galathe's body finally slumped to the ground, she let out a small sigh and bent down to grab her tome. The girl made a face as she saw a bit of blood on the cover and quickly wiped it off before tucking it back under her arm.

Lilura looked at her guest now, covered in Galathe's blood, then glanced at the corpse, her expression calm, as calculating as ever. It was probably in that moment more than any other that he had witnessed so far that the depths of her detachment was most obvious. She'd just watched a man be violently murdered, but she seemed about as perturbed by it as one would be bothered by seeing an insect be squashed. “Feel better now?” She asked Durihan, her head cocking to the side slightly. She didn't really wait for his answer, it was a rhetorical question anyway. “Now, the way I see things, you have two options. You can either be hung for murdering poor Galathe, or you can take his place,” She explained to him, “It's a good offer for the likes of you, decent pay, regular meals, a roof over your head.”

 

[Effigy]

There was always a strange weight that followed after the fighting was done. Be it some guard or a group of men, it didn't matter. After taking a life and no one else stood their ground the fact that your hands were stained with someone else's blood was not something to take lightly. Or at least it used to be like that. There was a time where Durihan had sought pennants for killing, even if he was a knight. But such guilt fades when death becomes a trade. And now that weight that followed Galathe's death was a reminder that one day someone else would feel the same when they took Durihan's life.

A voice would break Durihan's moment, the man turning to Lilura who was standing with that same poise she had entered with. This death was brutal by any means and yet here the young Lady Balfour stood as if it were nothing. The knife was still dripped with blood and clenched in Durihan's hand, a sight not many would take so lightly. What she had said didn't register with Durihan, but what she said after definitely held some worth in his head. An offer to take Galathe's place?

“What so I can be killed by the next guest you have at your castle?” Durihan asked in jest, shaking his head as he dropped the knife next to Galathe's body. What choice did he have though? This definitely wasn't below him in any way, hell he had done worse before and didn't make it out as nicely as he would in this situation. So now the question was what would the two of them do with Galathe's body.... Which probably should have been asked what would Durihan do with Galathe's body?

Durihan grabbed the bed sheets in his room, just to crudely wrap Galathe's open wounds so he wouldn't bleed down the hallways. Straight to the stables Durihan took the guard's corpse, tossing him onto a wagon. It had been a while since Durihan had dealt with horses in such a manner, finding a work horse he got the large animal hooked up to the wagon. Accompanied by Lilura the two headed off to the same forest that Durihan had almost died in days before.

“If I am going to be in your employment then you need to know I plan to kill a man in town. He goes by the name of Willard. Some half of a man that sent me to my death in these woods.” Durihan told Lilura as the woods started to thicken. At some point Durihan would have to carry the corpse if they were going to go deeper.

 

[Atroxa]

“Only if you're as stupid and weak as he is,” she shrugged at him, “And somehow I don't think you are.” Well, not in the same way, she did see Durihan as weak, he was a slave to the past, a slave to his emotions, he'd let them lesser him. But he had potential. She could make him strong again, she'd make him what she needed him to be, and they'd both benefit. He didn't really give a definite answer, but he did start wrapping up Galathe's body so she stood aside and watched for a moment. “I'm going to return this to my room,” she said, glancing at the tome in her arms, “I'll meet you downstairs.”

She left and went to her own room, tucking the tome back onto her shelf in it's spot and changing quickly. She had work to do after all, so she pulled on a pair of boots, pants, and a tunic, draping her long black cloak about her shoulders. That done, she went to her book case and pushed on it carefully, revealing a hidden alcove in the wall behind it, where she kept her more treasure books and other materials. The book Lilura grabbed was small, inconspicuous looking, and she grabbed a black sack sitting in the alcove as well, before she went downstairs, catching Durihan as he finished hitching up the wagon.

The young woman climbed up beside him and sat quietly until he spoke, glancing at the aged warrior before looking back ahead, the small book in her lap and the sack by her feet. “Very well,” she nodded, “Take me to where you killed those raiders.” Her gray eyes glanced at the sheet-wrapped body in the back of the wagon, “Galathe can come along too.” Lilura fell back into silence, opening the book in her lap and flipping through it quickly before she came to the page she was looking for and read until they got there. The writing was ancient, the dialect so old that it might as well be another language, diagrams and symbols were drawn along with the words as well, but anyone who knew a thing about magic would easily recognize them as spell circles.

When they stopped, she climbed down, and looked at the bodies around them, “Thirty men, hmm?” Lilura asked him dubiously, looking at the former knight with arched brows. She said nothing else on the matter though. “Put Galathe over here, towards the middle.” She grabbed the sack and pulled out a jar with what looked like dirt in it, set the book aside, and opened the jar. “I've done this a few times and was rather successful, but I've never done it to this scale...” She admitted to Durihan, sighing softly. Once he put Galathe's body where she wanted she started on the outside of the group of bodies, sprinkling the material from the jar as she went and speaking in low tones. The words were of the same dialect written in the book, only a word here and there were truly recognizable anymore, the rest would be hard to understand.

Walking in a roughly spiral pattern, she worked her way towards the center of the group, sprinkling the dirt-like material and speaking, making sure to pour a fair amount of the stuff on the bodies she passed. When she reached Galathe she stopped, poured some of the material on him as well and put it away before she pulled a knife from her pocket. Holding out her left hand, palm up, she cut into the fleshy part of the right side of her palm, wincing a little as she did, and let a fair amount of her blood drip onto Galathe's body, or more precisely, the dirt-like material on him. There was a soft hiss and it began to smoke and then glow a sickly green color, before it rapidly spread, going back the way Lilura had come, until the wobbly spiral of her path glowed brightly.

The young woman turned her face skyward, her gray eyes having turned milky and beginning to glow themselves as she spoke loudly in that old tongue. Her hands were out, palms towards the earth, before she brought them together with a loud clap, and stopped speaking. The glow of her eyes and the strange material began to fade, but as they did, the bodies around them began to stir and shift, picking themselves up off the ground one by one until Galathe stood in front of the young woman, his eyes dead and unseeing. Lilura looked almost dead herself, her fair skin pallid and bags under he eyes. The spell had taken a lot out of her and as she turned and walked back to the wagon, her steps were slow and unsteady, her hands shaking. “So then,” she tried to sound normal, but didn't do a very good job, “Shall we go pay a visit to this Willard?” She stood by the wagon, trying to find the strength to climb back up.

 

[Effigy]

“Excuse me?” Durihan asked as he looked to Lilura, she wanted to go to the raiders? Durihan had put a shovel in the back of the wagon to bury one body. He wasn't planning on burying anymore then that. However Lilura didn't repeat herself, in all certainty she went through her book like she was expecting nothing less then her order to be carried out and it left Durihan to rolling his eyes. He was on her payroll, at least for now anyways.

So he took the wagon further into the woods, coming upon the corpses of the men he had killed days before. Wolves had definitely had a field day here, throats exposed, limbs missing here and there. It had only been a few days yet the stench of death was strong here. Maggots and flies already getting to work on the delicious decaying flesh. Durihan's little lie about thirty men would come back to bite him in the ass once Lilura commented on it, again the older man rolling his eyes as he went to get Galathe's body. He was still out number and bested the lot of them.

Durihan had brought over the shovel too, not really sure what Lilura was talking about when she said she had done this before but not on such a scale. “What you mean Burials?” Durihan asked, brow raised yet Lilura was already off on her own doing gods know what. You usually didn't bring dirt, and so little at that. But as Lilura went around, as she sprinkled the dirt on the corpses... There was definitely something else going on. Her tone changed and she spoke in a language Durihan wasn't familiar with. He watched from the center as she walked around to each body, soon moving back to the wagon to watch Lilura get to the center.

When it came to the part where she extended her left hand Durihan eyes open wide, shovel still gripped in his hand. “Hold on!” Durihan shouted but it seemed to fall on deaf ears as the young girl cut herself. What sort of madness was this. Alright fine the girl thought she could do magic. It wasn't the first time that Durihan had seen magic, but this was just wrong. No one practiced blood magic...or...worse. Durihan found himself frozen in place as he saw what came next. A soft hiss... smoke... sickly green glow. What was first a childish claim to magic was now a prominent reality. And he had definitely seen this kind of magic before... Dark magic.

The dead slowly rose around Lilura, never had Durihan actually seen the act of necromancy. He had dealt with such vile creatures but never their source. Such dark magic was banned, and even then so rarely displayed. The mages of the higher order had constant hunts to keep such magic suppressed... yet here a girl not even a woman brought sixteen corpses back to life. At first Durihan stood his ground, ready to use that shovel as some sort of improvised ax, but when he saw Lilura stumble her way over he would move to help her. “So Galathe was right.” Durihan stated, looking over to the now reanimated Galathe who was just standing there with the others. Regardless of how Durihan felt at the moment he still wanted Willard dead, so he would help Lilura get back into the wagon. Tearing a bit of his sleeve off to act as a bandage for Lilura's hand.

The zombies moved once Lilura beckoned them too, each one of them turning towards town. They stepped with uneasy footing, weapons being dragged behind them as if their weight was a burden. Some even fell, only to get back up and try again at movement. In a slow trot, Durihan and Lilura followed, the man's grip tight on the reigns as he watched these undead make their way towards town. He would of slain such creatures in a heartbeat before... But now he was allowing them to kill? What part felt wrong and what part just didn't care was now raging inside of him. But as he sat and did nothing it was obvious which side was winning.

If it was a product of Lilura's spell or not, fog seemed to spew out from the forest. As if giving the zombies a sort of guide to their purpose. That fog crawling along the ground towards the only building that was still alive this late at night. The inn, a rough and loud place in any town. Men laughing and fighting, drunk off their asses. Women playing coy and entertaining such men. And among them Willard resided, merry as can be with his face red from drinking. Durihan called him half of a man but really he was just shorter then most. In no way a dwarf but still considered small by human eyes. He ran the inn and with it most of the trade that came in and out of the building. But such a thing didn't matter to the undead. The fog creeping it's way into the inn.

A sudden gust of wind would enter the inn, blowing out any light that dare shine in the building. The music would stop and patrons would look in confusion. “The hell!? Get those lanterns lit again!” Someone would shout, all the while the zombies would begin their descent. There was a sudden cry for help, sound of gurgling from the entrance to the inn. A clash of iron before another wound could be heard. A few of the lanterns were reignited and what they showed was a horror no patron was expecting. One of the zombies had entered the inn, a limb missing and the back of his head open to the inn.. But that hadn't stopped him from running a man through with a sword, or from sinking it's teeth into his throat. A few men would draw weapons, women would cry out in horror while others would flee. Windows would break as zombies reached through them, grabbing anyone nearby to kill. That fog creeping it's way between panicked feet, coming upon Willard that was already making for the stairs.

The horrors of zombies isn't just that they are undead... It's that they beget more. Each man or woman that was bitten by these undead minions would rise again, all with the same command that Lilura had given to the first bunch... The death of Willard. Sixteen became twenty, twenty became thirty. Instead of chasing survivors the thirty zombies filled up the bottom floor of the inn, advancing slowly upstairs in pursuit of Willard.

Willard was panicking, going to his room he was quick to break open a floor board. Quickly he grabbed what gold was there, stuffing it into a satchel. The room dark, the man unaware that this attack was all meant for him. The sound of floor boards creaking however filled his room, the small man quickly sitting up before slowly turning to see the undead at the door to his room. What followed next.. well, needless to say Durihan would get his revenge. From their wagon Lilura and Durihan watched the upper half of this half a man go through the second story window, falling dead onto the dirt street in front of the inn. Not much longer did it take the town's guards to form. Ten men in armor, the other forty or so just weapons in nothing more then their bed clothing.

“BAR UP THE INN!! KILL ANY STRANGLERS! WE WILL NOT LET THIS PLAGUE SPREAD!” One of the armored guards shouted, walking over to the half corpse of Willard that was started to crawl . A sword to skull ending Willard's chance at undead life. So the guards would contain the zombies in the inn before setting the structure ablaze. The town's people watching from the safety of their homes... But they didn't feel very safe. These horrors like the ones that came before crawled their way out from the forest... That forest of death should be burned, this was only one of the many reasons why peopled feared to even enter those woods. After Willard had been pushed through that window, Durihan had turned the wagon to take Lilura back to her castle. "A life for a life huh?" Durihan would ask the girl as they rode together. Though she still looked a little worse for wear to be carrying a conversation. But when did that ever stop her?

 

[Atroxa]

This whole thing was a very decisive move on Lilura's part, she was making a statement for her new guard, showing him exactly what she was capable of. Galathe's predecessor had seen her as nothing but a spoiled child who needed more discipline. She had poisoned him, and then Galathe had replaced him. Galathe hadn't seen her as so much a child, but a young woman, he'd been complacent for the most part, but of no real use to her. She needed some one she could use, some one who knew her for what she was and could even help her. Lilura had plans after all, grand plans, and she knew she couldn't do them on her own. She was a powerful sorceress, but she was still young and still building her strength. Already she was just as powerful as her mother had been when she had been killed, mostly because her mother hadn't been as dedicated as Lilura, she had practiced to keep the art alive. She'd passed on the knowledge to her daughter for much the same reason, but Lilura planned on using it.

“He was, but he was a fool as well,” she answered Durihan weakly as he commented on her former guard's accusations before she let him help her up into the wagon and wrapped the bit of cloth from his sleeve around her hand. The horse was uneasy, eyes white rimmed with fear at the smell of death and the unnatural state of the dead bodes around them. He stayed calm though, following after the small horde of shambling corpses at a safe distance and eventually figuring out that they weren't going to attack him. Lilura sat quietly, feeling worn down and tired, using what was left of her strength to guide the zombies. Thankfully they were easy creatures to control.

Even as her creations moved in on the inn, she sat quietly, watching and maintaining enough of a connection to keep pressing on them the single goal they had to achieve. Kill Willard. She could hear the people inside screaming and fighting, she'd never had her zombies kill anyone before, she'd only experimented with them a little, practiced, then released them, but she had just as much reaction to this as she had to Durihan killing Galathe. She knew she should feel some sort of guilt for killing these people, they were innocent in all this, but to her they were just collateral damage. It was true what they said, that it took a monster to create monsters.

By the time the guards arrived, Willard was already dead, the half of his corpse that had escaped the building grabbing handfuls of grass to drag himself with. Lilura just watched the inn get closed up and set on fire, her creations dying in the blaze. This at least provided a cover for Galathe's death, he hadn't been a frequent patron at the inn, but he'd gone enough times for him being there tonight drinking to be an acceptable lie. He'd died there, either by the zombies or the blaze, she'd just need to have Durihan's room cleaned and do away with whatever servant was unlucky enough to draw that lot and it'd be done with.

His question drew the girl's gaze back up to Durihan's face, giving him a small, tired smile and a soft huff of a laugh, “Something like that,” she answered quietly before she looked back ahead. “So then, now you know why I was in the forest the other night,” Lilura said, taking the jar back out of her sack and frowning at it's half empty state, “And now I really need to go back, there are several things I need to make more of this. And it's not easy.” She sighed and glanced into the forest, “Not tonight though, I'm tired.”

 

[Effigy]

Just watching the events unfold, Durihan was taken back. He could go on with himself how he used to kill such creatures but getting over that initial shock Durihan found himself longing to see what happened next. To many times had someone crossed him over these years and had been in a situation to simply laugh Durihan off and send him on his way. How many times had he fantasized about killing such men, out of just cold blood.. Out of misplaced anger. Sure most deserved it, others were just begging though. The rapist going on his way, a swordsman cutting down a challenger in what was to be an exhibition of skill, any man who wronged another... It wasn't some old knightly creed to bring justice, it was a desire to inflict pain, retribution upon those that deserved it. That could be argued by justice but what was the justice in sending zombies to kill a man? It was a line that Durihan found himself stepping over as he sat there and watched.

Set aside from the onset of death and now the bonfire that was meant to cleanse such a horrible event... The night was quite wonderful. A soft cool breeze that swayed nearby trees back and forth. A calm almost silent ride, well silent once the two had gotten far enough away from the calamity in town. Every so often Durihan would look to Lilura, out of concern no less. She looked ill, or at least she looked like she was dying when she had first cast that spell. Color was indeed returning to the girl but the way her shoulder shank, the way her eyes held a half open gaze. She was exhausted from it all, Durihan didn't need his new charge passing out on him. Just that thought that now she was his charge instead of the other way around made the man scoff a little, but other then that he didn't pay much to the thought.

“I'm assuming I will be accompanying you now on these endeavors?” Durihan asked as he looked to the woman, though she didn't even need to answer. All Durihan could do was chuckle a little, what had he gotten himself into now? He would whip at the reigns, getting the horse to travel a little faster now that Lilura admitted to her current state. The rest of the night went smoothly, though one could argue everything had gone smoothly, as if someone had manipulated each and every event.

Back at Castle Balfour Durihan brought the wagon and horse back to the stable. Lilura in all her pride got off of the wagon but in her current state was quick to stumble to whatever nearby object she could hold herself up with. Durihan shaking his head a little as he came over, without her permission or consent the man picked Lilura up. The young woman practically cradled in Durihan's arms. “I don't know my way around your castle yet, which way am I going?” He would ask, any protests to put her down would fall upon deaf ears. But once she gave him an actual direction the two would be off, heading for Lilura's room.

 

[Atroxa]

Lilura was ignorant of the power she held, and she would likely be more impressed with herself and in awe of the incredible power she possessed if she wasn't so tired. It was slowly sinking in though, what she had just accomplished. As to her, this was an accomplishment. She was a necromancer, not just a witch dabbling in the dark arts but a true necromancer. In the back of her mind she wished her mother were alive to see her, though she wondered if her reaction would be pride or fear. Her mother, after all, had not been a necromancer, merely knowledgeable in the dark arts. She hadn't been as dark or violent as her daughter, nor had she been the kindest person though. Surely she would approve of her daughter's plans though, and the means to which she would achieve them.

Durihan's question about the forest made her shrug her shoulders, “You're not required to. I have gone into the forest many times on my own. In fact, you would probably just get in my way.” She knew the forest, and it's creatures knew her, she was still in danger there, but not as much as most. People's fear was what did them in, it drew the dark inhabitants of the forest like a dinner bell, they could smell it. Lilura doubted that he would be able to reign himself in so well as to pass by them unnoticed as she did. She knew how to cloak herself in that darkness, to temporarily just become another creature among the trees. Durihan though would stick out like a sore thumb.

She was relieved when they reached the castle, climbing down carefully with her sack over her shoulder, the bag inside. She tried to take a couple of steps but her knees buckled and she had to lean against the stone stable wall so as not to simply fall over. Lilura scowled in frustration, disliking how weak she felt, strength and independence were important to her, so when Durihan scooped her up she of course protested. “Put me down! I can walk just fine, I don't need your help,” she growled at him in indignation. He ignored her though and simple asked which way they were going. Lilura glared at him for a moment before she finally gave an irritated sigh and pointed him in the right direction, the girl sulking in Durihan's arms.

 

[Effigy]

Like any brat would Lilura did in fact protest to Durihan picking her up. At least she was still human, or Durihan hoped she was after what he had just seen. But there was definitely stranger things out in the world the a little girl practicing dark magic. Things that would even make Lilura look the other way. Once she pointed Durihan would smirk and walk in the right direction, a look of victory on his face seeing how this whole day had pretty much been dominated by Lilura.

Durihan had only seen a few rooms here in castle Balfour but now that he was navigating the halls he found the place to be quite large. If it wasn't for Lilura then he most definitely would have been lost by this point. But as he walked he found himself rather content with how things played out. He was now Lilura's guard. Like she had stated earlier that meant food, pay, and a roof over his head at night. The last time he had held such a stable job would have been years ago. He wondered just how long he could hold the position... Or would he be a part of a line of failed guards that ended up dead by Lilura's manipulations?

“How many people actually know about what you can do?” Durihan would as Lilura after a long walk of silence. If he was going to be her guard he was going to make sure that whatever happened with Galathe wouldn't happen again. He was sure Lilura was aware how dangerous what she was doing, but she seemed to not care if she just left the books on her shelves for the prying eye. Did she want to get noticed?

 

[Atroxa]

Lilura glanced up at him when the warrior spoke, still sulking a little, but honestly too tired to really keep it up for long. “Just you, actually,” she answered, “The book that Galathe found is a magic tome, but not a dark one. It was my mother's but it's one that many would have if they've even so much as dabbled in magic. It's more of a beginner's guide than anything else.” She made a soft, irritated noise as she thought about that fool and his snooping. “But if he had gone to my father, I know that he would overreact and search my room, he doesn't know that I managed to take a few of her books before she was killed, I keep my more serious books hidden, but if he found them...” She frowned slightly, her tone bitter as she continued, “Well, he wasn't above turning on his own wife, I doubt he'd show much more loyalty to his daughter.”

She and her father didn't exactly get along, she wouldn't be surprised if he turned her in and head her imprisoned or executed just to get her out of his hair. She was a living reminder of his wife, and even though she did run the household for him, he could hire some one to do that. So in her father's eyes, she was relatively useless. Daughters were only good for marrying off to rich or powerful families to have better connections. And so far, no one had shown any interest in Lilura, their family's name was still too tainted, her mother's crimes too fresh.

They reached her room and she was more than happy when Durihan finally set her down, sitting on the edge of her bed with a sigh. “Well you're a guard here now, not a guest, so feel free to take any of the unoccupied rooms in the west wing. I'll take care of the mess in your old room and Galathe's death. Those guards burning down the inn created a convenient cover.” The girl yawned then and waved her hand towards her door, “I'm tired, I'll find you tomorrow to update you.” A clear dismissal.

 

[Effigy]

Good to hear that her secret die with Durihan if he was to be killed off. Though the thought made the man frown a little as if somehow a target was now painted on his back. Anytime he might slip up Lilura could let the arrow fly and seal her secret once more. And he was certain after tonight that the young girl would have no issue doing so if the situation arose. Even if she looked like such a frail little girl. One that could raise the dead.... The thought still erked Durihan a little yet he was pretty much the right hand in all of what happened tonight. So who was he to judge?

Lilura's yawn would break Durihan's train of thought, looking to the girl once more who was now seated on the edge of her bed. His own room? Well that was definitely a step in the right direction. He was going to bring up more things to ask about but Lilura was already waving her hand towards the door. This made Durihan smirk and he nodded, “Have a good night then, girl.” Durihan added, would be nice to finally get back to the polite insults instead of what the two had escalated too earlier that day.

Chapter 2 - Settling In​

The next day was definitely less dramatic, Durihan had moved to the closet room he could find to Lilura's in the west wing of the castle. Which just so happened to the the next room on the left to her own. Since he was no longer incapacitated by wounds and in need of proper equipment his armor and weapon was returned to him. And regardless of any offers to get him new equipment the man out right refused. Just one of the many signs that he still clung on to his past, even if he wouldn't admit it. Still there was no god damn wine with his meals! At this rate the man was going to go insane, call him what you will but any longer and a headache would be coming along.

The day was filled much more with education then anything else. A tour of the castle through and through, the kitchen, the dining hall, various rooms and facilities. Getting him familiar with the servants and other guards of the castle. Sure there were questions, but all were cast aside, what with Galathe's body found in the fire of the old inn. Just was surprisingly quick how Durihan filled the role all the sudden. Regardless it wasn't anyone's place to question. Except for Lilura's Father of course. Which at the end of this little tour would be at Lennox Balfour's study.

“Close the door behind you...” Lennox called out from his desk, obviously attending matters unrelated to his daughter's choice in guard. Durihan would shut the door behind himself, having put his armor and weapon on solely for first appearance with the lot of the castle. Quite a few knew of the wounded man that Lilura had brought days before, but now to have him stay? He didn't need the memory of his bloody body still fresh in people's head.

“You will be the third guard stationed with the safety of my daughter.” Lennox stated, eyes still on the papers he was signing and going through. “I'd rather have one of my own men take the position but I don't fancy whatever games they seem to get themselves mixed up in that results in death. But you... Durihan.” Lennox said as he looked up at the ex-knight. “You might very well do everyone a favor if you followed the pattern.” The man stated coldly, soon looking back down to his papers.

“You're a babysitter, over paid and meant to do one thing now that you are in my service. I want you to report back to me on my daughter. Anything suspicious, anything of note. She thinks she runs things around here but is only because I allow it. When the day comes that someone marries my daughter I would have her know well how to run a household. Anything else is a waste of a Balfour. Do you understand?” Lennox asked, his pen stopping in mid stroke but his eyes didn't come up to Durihan's. “I do. Is that all?” Durihan asked, almost spitting it out as Balfour so cheekishly insulted Durihan.

“That is all. And don't even think of trying what you did with the Princess with my daughter. You're life was sparred once, I will see you fed to the hounds piece by piece. Leave my study.” Lennox said rather coldly. Something that Lilura definitely had inherited from her father. Durihan turning and showing himself out of Lennox's study. Maybe all of this wasn't worth it, Durihan sure as hell knew that running a knife across Lennox's throat would make him feel better though.

And so Durihan's employment at Balfour Castle had begun. In truth he was just a babysitter. No need for armor, just his weapon but even then it was never unsheathed. It seemed he was there to keep Lilura in check, or at least that was how his role was suppose to be perceived. In reality Lilura did as she pleased. Which consisted of leaving the castle late in the night, in secluding herself in her room. As her guard Durihan made sure to stand by or follow. Even those trecks into the forest he did his best to follow. He was not as adapt at traveling in such a place though, more then once had he angered a pack of wolves or stepped on ingredients that Lilura needed. But he was learning.

Far into the week Lilura would go out again, only this time with the intent of performing her necromancy once more. Durihan charged with the job of acquiring a corpse. Something he wasn't exactly to fond of. But he would be paid soon for his first week of service, so he complied. Going to the town cemetery he would dig up a corpse and use the very same wagon he had transported Galathe's body. Riding to the edge of the forest where he was to meet Lilura. He had a cloak as well now that matched Liluras. A dark black one that made him seem more menacing then he actually was. To his surprise he didn't find Lilura, coming to a halt the man would turn in his seat. Was he early? Lilura wasn't going to start without him she needed the corpse after all.