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The Chronicles of the Chosen ||Celeana : Haru||

Haruchai

Haruchai

As you wish.
Joined
Sep 27, 2011
Location
United States (CST)
Harken well! This tale of places long ago and within another Crystal Sphere. A tale of good versus evil and man versus nature. Though not all who listen will take heed, there is a lesson to be learned, not only a lesson of what is good, but a lesson of what is right.

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Our tale takes place in the lands of Venthir and Tzallrach, lands which hold many races and species. Lands which, for many decades now, have been locked in conflict. It has been quite some time since these lands have seen peace, and yet there are those who do remember such a time.

Venthir has always been a monarchy, ruled by heredity and by a House as supposedly divined by God. For the last millennia this has been House Artak. One of a dozen High Houses, House Artak vied for this position of royalty, as has been the ways of Venthir since time immemorial. Whichever House rises to the top has earned the right to rule. Survival of the fittest. The man at the pinnacle of this nation, the Emperor that rules the lands with an iron fist, is one Kalen Artak.

This Emperor, though he has taken the guise of a man, is not all he wholly appears to be. Of this the people of Tzallrach are sure. It is part of the reason they fight so vehemently against being subsumed by his country, and why a Rebellion has been gaining strength.

One such man of Tzallrach, a man known as Lord Luca Mostich, has dedicated his life to defying House Artak. Hailing from a capital city called Lusitania, Luca has gathered unto himself a small force of highly trusted men and women.

It was not so long ago that Luca and his people managed to find ancient scrolls. Within these scrolls a prophecy was written of a young maiden, pure of heart, that could bring into the world the ultimate evil, born of a man that sought to rule the world. Though she would be innocent, if she could be found and slain before becoming with child, this would weaken the man who held the seed of destruction in his loins.

Luca believes that this man is none other than Emperor Kalen.

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Despite the conflicts that were visited upon the lands of Venthir and Tzallrach, the people often took time to celebrate life and love, and now was one of those times. The Festival of Apples was taking place in the capital of Lusitania, and outside the walls of that great city were a myriad of tents and vendors, not to mention quite literally thousands of people.

Luca was all smiles as he strolled along the earthy pathways of the festival, all too happy to be out of conflict and planning, even if only for a short time. It was nice to relax now and then and to simply... be. Tossing a vendor a coin he plucked a handful of large purplish apples from their bin and tucked a few in a pocket and kept one, taking a bite of the sweet succulent fruit as he looked about at those attending the festival. Laughter and music rang out over the festivities and Luca embraced this happiness within himself.

With a happy sigh he entered a makeshift tavern, calling out for a mug of strong cider. The specialty of the festival.
 
"My lord!" a man called to him, giving a smile as he laid a piece of coin upon the table, calling for a mug of his own. He was a lank man, tall and without much weight, gaunt face and a smile that was missing several teeth. Still, he was a well known peddler and to those that fought the emperor's rule, a smuggler, and he knew of Luca all to well. It was chance that had brought them together, but a chance he was willing to take, even in such an open setting. "You look in good spirits my lord, I'm glad to see you enjoying yourself..." he smiled and then took a long swallow of his cider before setting the mug down upon the scarred and scrubbed table.

"I ken well that you are likely not in the mood for business at such a pleasurable venture, but I've news of a certain lass deep in the affections of a certain man that might peak your interest," he spoke in hushed tones and then leaned forward to spill what he'd learned in his travels.

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The words that spilled from the peddler's mouth, was of a place, hidden away near the foothills of Argent Mountains, a day or two's ride from the town of Agathis. A keep, hidden away from the rest of the world, and guarding a treasure most unique. That treasure of course, was the girl of which he spoke.

Lady Kaitlin, was a girl who had grown up, only knowing one certain thing. She would marry the Emperor when she came of age. It was such a horrible reality that more than once, she'd tried to escape her prison but always managed to be caught and dragged back, the security becoming more stringent, making her freedom even less likely. Her life before this imprisonment, she couldn't recall. For as long as she could remember, she had lived here, under guard, destined to be an empress to a man she'd met a handful of times through her growing up. She had received an education with strict tutors, and had learned to read and to write, to sew and to compose music and to dance. Empty things, meant only to impress the Emperor. On his visits, she'd been shown off to him, forced to show him what she had learned and he had smiled, with eyes as cold and empty as the steel blade he kept at his hip.

Now she was too old for governesses, and had guards, and from what she'd managed to gather, with her eighteenth birthday coming up, she'd soon find herself being removed from this place to marry the man she was most frightened of. She wasn't quite sure what marriage entailed, but she did know that it meant she'd be leaving with him and while the idea of leaving this place was one she welcomed, she guessed that marriage to the Emperor would be a worse sort of prison than the one she resided in now.

Walking along the high walls, she glanced back at the keep. A two story stone structure, with high wall shrouded by trees and hills, tucked away and hard to find, especially in the thick surrounding forest. She frowned and looked forward, taking her usual path, twirling a rose in her hand. She was wearing a simple green dress, her long red hair braided and falling over one shoulder, tied with a green ribbon that matched her dress, wishing she knew of a way to escape her fate, but knowing she'd exhausted all attempts at fleeing. Any day now, she'd be forced to marry and that was certainly a frightening thought.
 
Luca listened to the tale that the man told, and truth be told, he believed the veracity of the man. None of the information he'd ever heard from the man had proven to be false, and it was well known he was a rigid detractor of the Emperor. Rumor said that the man had once spent some time in one of the Emperor's torture dungeons and that was how he'd lost his teeth and contributed to his gaunt appearance. Whether this was true or not didn't matter to Luca, and he soon thanked the man.

Finishing his cider, Luca thought for a time, unsure how best to proceed. He could take others and might have an easier time in infiltrating this keep, but a group of people might also be discovered too easily. Luca decided that perhaps the best way to proceed was by himself. So, gathering himself he left the tavern.

As he walked through the festival Luca took particular note of the happiness and festive attitudes of the people. Something he rarely got to truly enjoy. Entering the city proper he made his way back to his home, where he gathered up his things and prepared to make the journey from Lusitania to Agathis. The most important possession he gathered was his sword, and thus armed, he packed his saddlebags and made his way quietly out of the city, using the gate opposite the Festival of Apples so he could slip away unseen.

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Traveling eastward, it was quite a journey to Agathis, and by the time Luca reached that city he was coated in road dust and had tired of sleeping outdoors. He only wanted a soft bed and a warm meal. He dared not ask about the hidden keep lest he give away his purpose.
 
Looking at the bit of parchment before her, she felt her heart sink into her stomach. Sinking down on the nearest chair, she shut her eyes and tossed the parchment aside. The emperor was coming. By date of the parchment, likely within the next fortnight. It didn't give her much time, and then she would be a bride to that cruel being. She got up from the table, needing to walk, to pace, to do something that erased the nervousness she felt. There was nowhere to go in this place to find peace of mind but she sought a safe haven anyway.

With nowhere else to go, she sought the garden, hugging herself tight, staring at the beautiful vegetation, trying hard to not panic. No one here would listen to her grievance. Her place here was ward, nothing more. No friendships, and those that had become close to her, had been removed from service. The emperor desired only pure isolation of his bride to be, and that was exactly what she was.

Tears filled her eyes and she shut them, wishing she knew if a way to escape, but knowing it was futile. There was nothing to be done except accept her fate, unless a miracle happened.
 
Keeping his purpose hidden, Luca got a room in the city and did indeed get that hot meal and warm bed he'd been thinking of these last few days. The next morning he left the city. Heading toward the foothills of the Argent Mountains. There were literally miles and miles he could explore, but luckily the man back at the Festival had given him all the information he knew. The knight directed his mount for over a day, the foothills soon entered, and Luca kept looking.

It was the evening of that first day that he found what had to be the right place. On the surface it appeared to be some ruins, though if what the man had told him was true, this was the hiding place of the Chosen. After a bit of reconnaissance Luca did determine that there was much more to the place than one might discern at first glance, and like any keep the defenses were built into the location.

Having come prepared, Luca spent the next little bit preparing to enter the ruins atop the cliff, which would then descend into the keep proper. There was no other way to enter the keep, and he had been told there would be guardians, though he was not sure just what sort.

Entering the crumbling ruins, Luca began to search for the entrance into the Keep of the Chosen.
 
Kaitlin slid her fingers through her red hair as she finished loosening the braid. Guards were outside of her door, as usual, and with the window overlooking a high cliff, there was no going out that unless she wished to descend to her death. Tying the strands back with ribbon, she put on a simple dress then readied herself to go to temple for prayer. This would likely be the last time she found peace at temple, before the Emperor came to collect her. As she exited the bedchamber, the two guards flanked her as she ascended to the temple. It was at the highest point of the place she called home, carved into the mountain's side, a shrine to the goddess of healers and mothers. She slowly closed the doors behind her, bolting it shut, making her way down to the shrine. Rumor had told of a secret tunnel, that had led to this place, but she had never found it, not in all of her attempts at escape.

Once the door was bolted, she took off her shoes, making her way to the alter, kneeling before it and offering flowers to the shrine before looking up at the idol before her, lighting a candle. Once that was done, she began to pray aloud.

"I know I pray often, but I hope this time, my prayer shall be heeded. I know that my life is already written, but I pray that the path laid before me is not the one. The emperor, I know is cruel and vicious and while I know it is my duty to obey him, and be his wife, I cannot find myself up to the task of obedience. I pray for salvation from the monster who rules this land. Please, answer my prayer," she whispered then shut her eyes, repeating the thought over and over again until a sound in the room pulled her from her thoughts. She opened her eyes then turned her head, looking about in the mostly dark temple, seeing nothing. She pushed herself up from the kneeling position, glancing around before looking back at the goddess.

Kissing her fingers, she pressed them to the idol, hoping her prayer would be answered. Not realizing it may have already.
 
Luca drew forth his blade, the comfort of the heft of it spurring him onward as he entered the ruins. A simple word and the blade emitted a soft glow, acting as a torch and allowing him to see. The ruins were not terribly large, and the ground floor was easily explored, and Luca found a stone staircase spiraling down into darkness. Slowly he began to the descent, unsure of just what he might find, or what might lie in wait for him.

As he moved further and further, much longer than what it would take to simply descend a floor to another level, Luca's expression grew grim. He had begun to wonder just how far this staircase went into the earth when he swore he could hear someone talking. Stopping where he was he stood perfectly still, ears straining to pick up any more sound, and luckily he heard it again.

It was not far, this muffled voice, and Luca realized with a start that it was somewhere above him. Backtracking, he moved as silently as he could and finally felt he had found where it was coming from. A feminine voice beyond the wall could faintly be heard, and Luca began to search the walls of the stairwell for some sort of door or switch. Fingers that were experienced in searching for all manner of clue found a small gap between the stones, fingernails barely able to touch the small uneven tile within the gap. Luca hissed as the panel began to move, expecting a loud grating noise of stone on stone, and yet things moved nearly silently.

His blade was held close, and his eyes tried to pierce the darkness beyond as he realized that a large statue of the Goddess was sliding to one side, revealing beyond the wall some sort of small shrine or temple.
 
Kaitlin, having finished her prayer, had gone toward the door to collect her shoes and leave the temple when she heard movement again. Slipping her shoes on, she made her way back to the belly of the temple, eyes widening when she saw the goddess statue moving to one side, revealing a man with a sword that had light emitting from it. Her green eyes widened in shock, and she stood frozen as she watched the stone piece move with barely a sound. She might have run, but as she looked at the man, she had to wonder if it was the goddess' way of answering her prayers. Surely prayer did not work like that did it?

Instead of running toward the door, as all of her instincts screamed for her too, she remained in place, watching the darkened figure emerge from the rumored tunnel she hadn't believed to actually exist. At the sight of him, she seemed robbed of an ability to speak, or move for several moments.

"Who..." she began, blinking, glancing back at the direction of the door before looking back at him. "Who are you?"
 
Entirely unsure of what might be beyond the wall, Luca had little time to prepare himself and saw only a feminine figure just beyond the light of his blade. She seemed frightened, prepared to flee, and then she spoke. Luca's dark eyes searched her features and he was struck by how beautiful she was. Yet he also knew that this could very well be a trap, this woman some other creature using this comely guise to lure men to their deaths... or worse.

Stepping into the room Luca glanced around, ignoring her question for a moment as he took stock of the situation. The room was unadorned for the most part, though well kept, with little dust. That meant the room was tended to and used. The tip of his sword dipped downward, level with the woman as he spoke, his tone hushed but very serious.

"Who I am is of no concern to you at the moment. I am here and looking for a young woman. The one that is to marry Emperor Kalen. Do you know her?" he said, his eyes intense and boring into her own, looking for any sign of deceit or hostility. His sword remained ready, prepared to plunge into her breast and kill her should he deem her false.
 
As he encroached upon the only place she thought of as a safe haven, she stepped back, her heart hammering against her ribs as he assessed his surroundings then leveled his sword to her. She looked down at the blade, and as he asked about the young woman set to marry the emperor, it took all her self control not to fly into a panic.

"Know her? I...I am her," she answered, keeping her voice low, not wanting to rouse the suspicion of the guards not too far away and separated by only a thin panel of wood. She got a dreadful feeling that this man was perhaps not here to rescue her after all, and that the answered prayer was her being killed. It certainly would save her from being a wife to Emperor Kalen. She met his dark gaze again, but made no move to flee though she probably should.
 
Luca heard her words but it took a moment for them to truly register with the man. His eyes narrowed slghtly and he lowered his sword. "You?!" he asked, a bit incredulous.

He had expected someone a little more... spectacular. A woman who was beautiful, to be sure, and this young woman was that, but he had expected something simply a little... more. A woman perhaps not so youthful or so afraid of him. One that met the thrust of his blade without reticence or doubt.

No, this young woman was wholly unexpected and it gave him pause. She stood before his blade, frightened and on the verge of fleeing from him. The knight knew that there had to be guards nearby, that all she needed to do was shout and they'd come to her aid, ready to defend her to their last breath and take him with them.

Yet her words rang true, and Luca found that he could not, for whatever reason, simply run her through. Her blood upon his blade would be the shedding of innocent blood. Of that he was sure, and in many ways he had been prepared for it. Killing the mother of evil in some battle would have been the right thing to do, yet running through a young girl as she stood before him, frightened and meek... this was not the way of a knight.

"I have come to take you from this place." he said simply, voice quiet so only she could hear. "Should you want to escape the life before you, you have but to take my hand and come with me. Do so or perish, for I cannpt allow the Emperor to have you." he said plainly, giving her a choice as he lowered his blade, though kept it at the ready and extended his gloved hand for her to take.

The choice was hers.
 
Her eyes watched him, seeing as he contemplated her words, then lowered his sword. She had to wonder if the man thought she was more than just a pawn in the emperor's game, but she was certainly grateful when he decided to trust her word. That he offered her an escape, it was though her prayers had been answered.

Who was she to question the way of the goddess. Tugging her shoes on quickly, she nodded and then took his hand for him to guide her away. He was a perfect stranger but her fate with him seemed far better than when the Emperor came to collect her. "Best to shut the tunnel back, I doubt seriously they know it's there...perhaps they will think I managed another way to escape without their notice..." She whispered.
 
Luca was a bit surprised that she so readily pulled on her shoes and then took his hand. "I will cover our egress." he assured her as she told him to move the statue back and he held out his sword to light their way as they stepped through the hidden doorway. Once on the stairs Luca flipped the switch back to where it had been and the statue of the goddess began to slide back into place, once more silent as a ghost. There wasn't even a whisper of sound as it settled back into place and though part of Luca wanted to explore further down he realized that was folly.

"Lead the way up. I did not yet catch your name, young Miss." he said, glancing back as they ascended the stairs, expecting any moment to have others appear on the stairs... yet nobody did.

In fact, they would eventually emerge in the ruins above ground and Luca would lead her to his steed, sheathing his sword and helping her to mount the animal. He would then get in the saddle behind her, pressing close to her to fit them both to ride comfortably.

"Hold on." he said and spurred his steed along, soon leaving the ruins behind them as he made haste to the closest city.

Leaning into her, pressing his hard sculpted chest to her back, Luca spoke into her ear so that she knew the plan.

"We need to get you someplace, get you some different clothing and either cut your hair or color it. You know they'll be looking for you, so we need to make you look different than you appear now. I suggest we make you appear as my squire, as it will be much safer." he said. Having her appear as a young boy[/color] would hopefully throw off the trail.
 
She couldn't believe it. The ruins were certainly disappearing and she was on her way to true freedom. It was truly the most wonderful thing, knowing that distance was actually being placed between herself and those ruins and she shut her eyes to thank the goddess for saving her from the fate of the emperor, though it certainly was the beginning of a new life she'd never experienced. Until this moment, she'd only ever been groomed to be bride to a man that scared her to death, and now, she was with a perfect stranger, who seemed to be taking away from her fate and leading her into something unknown and foreign.

As he spoke of what needed to be done, she gave a soft nod. "I understand," she told him, not daring to glance back. The farther away from the ruins they rode, the better she felt. She'd certainly never been on a horse before this, and the experience was more than a little jostling. Still, a little inconvenience was better than a lifetime with a man of such a cruel nature, even if she didn't have much evidence beyond intuition and the whispered rumors of the soldiers and servants who'd always been present in her life.

"As to my name...it's Kaitlin...what's yours?" she asked, noting he hadn't given her a name either.
 
A man trained to be mindful of his surroundings and those around him as well, Luca could tell she relaxed as the ruins and the keep disappeared behind them. The knight had little doubt that she would soon be discovered to be gone, though they might be fooled into thinking she had fled on foot and that might buy them some time. Perhaps.

Instead of heading back toward Agathis, Luca headed in a more easterly direction, toward Col Ossa. A growing city that spanned over the Rivers of Baelli and Liathar, it was a booming little port city. It would also allow them to catch transport on the water from one of the two rivers. Hopefully that would throw off the trail, at least a little.

Her words were not ignored and Luca replied to her. "It is a pleasure to meet you Lady Kaitlin. My name is Luca. I suggest you come up with an alias for yourself, Kaitlin. Traveling under your given name will draw too much attention."

There was little else they could do until they reached Col Ossa and Luca soon spoke up again. "We will not reach our destination for another couple of days. We'll have to stop close to dusk and I'll have to hunt for some dinner. I hope you're not opposed to sleeping under the stars. I do have a tent, but it will likely not be as comfortable as the accommodations you're used to." he warned her.
 
She looked back at him and then forward. "Sir Luca, trust when I say that I'd rather sleep on the cold ground beneath a blanket of stars than spend another night wondering if the next day I shall be whisked away to marry the Emperor," she said softly and then let out a deep sigh, shutting her eyes and thanking the goddess once more for saving her from that horrible fate.

As to an alias, she certainly had no clue what she could refer to herself as, and still know it was herself. She'd only ever been Kaitlin. No middle name. No surname. Nothing. "If I'm to be known by something else, perhaps Kay or Kat? I think I might answer to that more quickly. I fear I'm not very good at creating a new identity for myself. But dying my hair and calling me a different name would certainly help keep me shrouded aye?" She asked softly, her voice barely audible under the sound of the hooves beneath their bodies as the horse kept up a fiery pace.
 
Luca could only nod as she spoke and he soon asked her questions of his own. "I would imagine that you would do about anything to escape the destiny planned for you by the Emperor. I am sure that you were watched closely. The Emperor is an evil and cruel man and I give you my oath that as long as I live I will do all in my power to keep you safe."

As she explained about herself a bit further, Luca felt a pang of pity run through him. No surname? He wondered if she even knew whom her parents were. He decided to think about what they might do for her identity as they rode and Luca didn't say much more until they stopped to make camp for the night.

Once he had gathered the necessities from the saddlebags, Luca started to pitch the tent and he soon had built a fire as well. "I'm not the best cook, but hopefully you'll at least have your belly filled." he said, and produced a few more things from his saddlebags, which seemed to hold far more in the inside than they looked like they might on the outside.

"So I know you said you had very few ideas on what to call yourself, and all I can recommend is that now you can be whomever you wish to be. If you travel with me as my page or squire that might fit best, but you'll need to at least appear to be a tomboy. Female knights are not entirely unheard of, but we can do what you feelmost comfortable with. For now we should make sure we get a good night's sleep after getting some food in our bellies."

By now there was a rabbit on the spit above the fire and Luca had the tent in place and a bedroll. "You use the bedrool and I'll sleep out here and keep watch." he told her.
 
As they stopped for the night, she did what she could to help but he was so proficient that he had everything ready in little time at all with her standing to the wayside, just watching him do what was necessary. For such small bags, they certainly managed to hold everything he needed and guessed they were magicked or something like that. Much as the wards that had been put in place at the entrances to her home he'd rescued her from.

"I'll be grateful for whatever food you want to grant me," she said warmly and then sank down on a nearby stump, watching as he cleaned a rabbit and began to roast it on the spit above the flames. "And I thank you for the bedroll..." She added, watching the meat turn slowly. It was a long process, cooking food like this, but it would be wonderful when it was done she was sure.

She contemplated her choices when it came to her identity, and how to shield it. She didn't know anything about being a page or a squire and even if it was just a ruse, she still should know something shouldn't she? "Cutting my hair seems best, and dying it. Would it be very difficult to hide the color of my eyes? They are so bright and green...I wouldn't know how to disguise them."
 
Her words did actually bring a chuckle and Luca shook his head as he looked at her, eyes twinkling. "Grant you? What food I grant you? I'd not pull you away from that horrible place to starve you, girl. You'll be well fed and well protected under my care. I promise you that, on my honor as a knight."

As they sat and discussed how best to disguise her, Luca formed a plan. "I think a glamor might work best. We can cut your hair, but changing the color of your eyes would be too difficult. Best to cut your hair, then find an item to change your appearance; a ring, perhaps a necklace, that will change your hair color, eye color and perhaps even your skin tone. I'll begin training you with the blade and present you as my squire. Female squires are not unheard of, so long as you do not mind playing the role of servant."

Luca knew that this was a gamble, but her bright red hair and her eyes would reveal her identity in short order to anyone looking for her, and with the power and reach that the Emperor had, they had to work quickly or they'd be discovered in a very short time.

The rabbit cooked slow, but once it was ready Luca produced a knife and began to cut meat from the carcass. It was hot and smoking as he placed it on the simple plate for her, and he fetched from the coals the potatoes he'd put there. he skin would peel away, charred and brittle, to reveal the meat of the potato was well cooked.

"My apologies for the simpleness of the meal, but at least it is the first meal under your newfound freedom." Luca said, hoping that she was appreciative.
 
"I've no trouble with that, playing the part of a servant," she promised and then took the offered meat when it was finished. "And as to the simple news, I don't care...I'm just glad to have something to eat," she said with a grin before pinching at the meat, taking small bites as she observed him. "What is it that a squire does for a knight?" She asked curiously, licking her fingers before taking another bit of rabbit, chewing thoughtfully and watching him for whatever answer he had to give.

"I fear that my understanding of Knights and hierarchy of such things is quite lacking so I would readily appreciate whatever you could tell me so that I can act least seem like I know what I'm doing."
 
Luca had settled and as she asked what her duties might entail he explained as well as he could. "A squire is not a servant, so much as a knight's apprentice. They take care of a knight's armor and weapon, saddle his horse and take care of the animal, help the knight into and out of their armor... that sort of thing. In addition, the knight teaches the squire weaponplay and the tenets of knighthood."

He knew that the young woman would not need to learn all that he had listed, as his armor and weapon were magical in nature and they needed little if any actual care. He could have lied to the girl, but he did feel that he needed to at least teach her how to defend herself.

"We can take a little time each morning, before we break camp, to start your weapons training. You are too small to wield a full longsword, but I have a short sword and a small wooden shield that would suit you well. Once we reach the city I will have you outfitted for some leather armor, perhaps some studded leather, and though we will likely need to keep moving as the Emperor's hounds will be after us, a little time spent each day will see you progress in weapons training. Be prepared for sore muscles and maybe some blisters. But better that than the Emperor's bedslave."
 
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