I was sitting in the library brooding over the events of the day in silence. Caleb was nearby but we were silent. I had all ready informed him that he was going to see the Kaiser with Azjah, without me, no matter what. As we sat together I heard footsteps enter the library. It took a moment for me to realize it was Klinton and Azjah.
"This was left for you, I would not trust the man if I were you." What man? Gift? Why?
I took the package and the card and felt it carefully. "You all right?" Azjah informed me that she was perfectly fine. Gently I opened the package. "You're going to have to tell me exactly which man this is from and what is within the package."
Quietly I listened as Azjah explained it was from the Earl, and within the package was an invitation to a symphony on Monday night. The wedding was in the morning so that wasn't a problem. However, it all depended on this house arrest situation. Technically we would either be dead by the Fete or we would be free to roam Rigel. This left the issue of trust. Yet, I didn't want to seem rude and get into more trouble.
"Well, I think I'm going to go if we aren't under house arrest at that point. It would be better then declining and getting into more trouble with all the nobles." I couldn't help but add a small smirk on the end of that sentence.
Rigel
Moderator: Azjah von Drachen Walde
-
Azjah von Drachen Walde
- Expert Adventurer
- Posts: 1138
- Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2005 1:13 am
- Location: Palazzo Drachen Walde
- Contact:
I cringed inwardly as Anne said she'd go to avoid further trouble with Peers of the Realm. The Earl had sent tickets for the symphony, the very evening of the day we should be sealing vows. He sought to get her away from our private festivities. Why?
The man's timing was uncanny, or too well informed. At the moment, I leaned toward his being too well informed.
She was right though, everything depends on the house arrest situation, and with that I glanced at the silent Caleb. "We will be escorted to His Majesty at 9:00 AM, we will see him before he begins his usual audiences. I hope you will be ready and present?"
The man's timing was uncanny, or too well informed. At the moment, I leaned toward his being too well informed.
She was right though, everything depends on the house arrest situation, and with that I glanced at the silent Caleb. "We will be escorted to His Majesty at 9:00 AM, we will see him before he begins his usual audiences. I hope you will be ready and present?"
Azjah Telyria Danaan
Marchioness von Triberg
Baroness von Drachen Walde
Marchioness von Triberg
Baroness von Drachen Walde
-
Azjah von Drachen Walde
- Expert Adventurer
- Posts: 1138
- Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2005 1:13 am
- Location: Palazzo Drachen Walde
- Contact:
Anne's announcement that she plans to go with the Earl to the symphony worries me, and yet, I have no grounds for telling her no. The man may be slimey to me, but Anne is a grown woman more than capable of saying yes or no herself; no matter my misgivings.
Dinner was served, and eaten in pretty much silence. The atmosphere rather subdued, and everyone headed for his or her rooms shortly thereafter. I would like to confer with Cara, but she too had left for her suite and time to herself. Klinton was quiet too. He and Anne were vying for who's fault this was, although in point of fact, the fault is mine alone.
I stood in front of the doors of the balcony running a brush through my hair, pondering how my mother might have handled this situation since she'd had so many more years of experience keeping the Kaiser appeased. The night air was cool, and sounds of the evening rose from the streets below. Who would guess that our lives were balanced so pecariously?
Images from my coming out season floated through my thoughts. Happier days to be sure. Those were days when my parents had enjoyed the favor of the Kaiser, days when my life had been so much simpler. A time when the world felt like a wonderful place, but all of that was before my parents died. Died. They were murdered despite the findings of the inquiry.
Turning from the moonlit vista below, I crawled into bed. It was a mistake to fall asleep thinking about my parents; it always was.
We were being announced at the opening ball of the Season, my second Season out. The lights glittered, and mother and father paused for our introduction at the Dowager Countess' home. The peers were present, and it was at such events that I met the eligible gentlemen of my time. And yet, none of them captured my interest. Mother and father were supportive, and would not enter into negotiations when suitors sought my father out to make an offer. Not all girls of my world were so lucky. I know several who were essentially 'sold' to the highest bidders. Such was not to be my fate.
My mother, Ozeana, was beautiful, intelligent, elegant and embodied refinement. She captured hearts everywhere that she went. My father, Tornach, was tall, and had a commanding presence. He was not a man many would cross openly, and as a Marcher Lord, he made his share of enemies, but never did I wonder if my parents loved me. They did.
The scene changed.
Their yacht was pulling away from the dock, and I was waving. They were going for a cruise to celebrate their anniversary, and I was returning to the university. I watched them go, thinking that I would have a week pretty much to myself unsupervised. My plans were in the works when my entire world changed forever. As the boat cleared the harbor mouth, an explosion ripped across the water. The fireball erupted from my parent's yacht with a force that sent bits and pieces flying for hundreds of meters.
Before the harbormaster could get a rescue boat out of the docks, the remnants of the yacht sank into the waves, leaving smoking wreckage in unrecognizable bits atop the water.
I woke with a scream of denial, sitting bolt upright in the wee hours of the morning. My heart was pounding. This time, the dream had shown me a face. The face of a man in a limousine smiling as the window slid closed. The face of the man who'd sabotaged my parent's boat, and taken them from me forever vanished behind the darkened glass and the mists of my dreams.
They were dead all over again. The pain was real all over again.
That man was preparing to take Anne to the symphony!
Dinner was served, and eaten in pretty much silence. The atmosphere rather subdued, and everyone headed for his or her rooms shortly thereafter. I would like to confer with Cara, but she too had left for her suite and time to herself. Klinton was quiet too. He and Anne were vying for who's fault this was, although in point of fact, the fault is mine alone.
I stood in front of the doors of the balcony running a brush through my hair, pondering how my mother might have handled this situation since she'd had so many more years of experience keeping the Kaiser appeased. The night air was cool, and sounds of the evening rose from the streets below. Who would guess that our lives were balanced so pecariously?
Images from my coming out season floated through my thoughts. Happier days to be sure. Those were days when my parents had enjoyed the favor of the Kaiser, days when my life had been so much simpler. A time when the world felt like a wonderful place, but all of that was before my parents died. Died. They were murdered despite the findings of the inquiry.
Turning from the moonlit vista below, I crawled into bed. It was a mistake to fall asleep thinking about my parents; it always was.
We were being announced at the opening ball of the Season, my second Season out. The lights glittered, and mother and father paused for our introduction at the Dowager Countess' home. The peers were present, and it was at such events that I met the eligible gentlemen of my time. And yet, none of them captured my interest. Mother and father were supportive, and would not enter into negotiations when suitors sought my father out to make an offer. Not all girls of my world were so lucky. I know several who were essentially 'sold' to the highest bidders. Such was not to be my fate.
My mother, Ozeana, was beautiful, intelligent, elegant and embodied refinement. She captured hearts everywhere that she went. My father, Tornach, was tall, and had a commanding presence. He was not a man many would cross openly, and as a Marcher Lord, he made his share of enemies, but never did I wonder if my parents loved me. They did.
The scene changed.
Their yacht was pulling away from the dock, and I was waving. They were going for a cruise to celebrate their anniversary, and I was returning to the university. I watched them go, thinking that I would have a week pretty much to myself unsupervised. My plans were in the works when my entire world changed forever. As the boat cleared the harbor mouth, an explosion ripped across the water. The fireball erupted from my parent's yacht with a force that sent bits and pieces flying for hundreds of meters.
Before the harbormaster could get a rescue boat out of the docks, the remnants of the yacht sank into the waves, leaving smoking wreckage in unrecognizable bits atop the water.
I woke with a scream of denial, sitting bolt upright in the wee hours of the morning. My heart was pounding. This time, the dream had shown me a face. The face of a man in a limousine smiling as the window slid closed. The face of the man who'd sabotaged my parent's boat, and taken them from me forever vanished behind the darkened glass and the mists of my dreams.
They were dead all over again. The pain was real all over again.
That man was preparing to take Anne to the symphony!
Azjah Telyria Danaan
Marchioness von Triberg
Baroness von Drachen Walde
Marchioness von Triberg
Baroness von Drachen Walde
-
Azjah von Drachen Walde
- Expert Adventurer
- Posts: 1138
- Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2005 1:13 am
- Location: Palazzo Drachen Walde
- Contact:
Nightmares
I woke with my scream of denial still reverberating in my room, and Klinton sitting on the end of the bed facing me. "Azjah - what is it babe?"
I was shaking as I told him it was a nightmare.
He moved and wrapped his arms around me, "I'd say. You're ok now."
I wasn't ok. The dream was as clear as if it had just happened again, only this time I saw the face of the man I believe murdered my parents, "I saw him this time... I saw his face this time!"
Klinton was still holding me tightly, "the dream with your parents again? You saw who's face?" His confusion was evident, I must have sounded like a raving lunatic.
Nodding, I told him the dream was of the day the yacht blew up, and again the memory of a limousine rolling slowly away with the window sliding up; but this time there was a face that I could recognize. "I can't prove anything Klinton, but I've never seen the face before in the dreams."
He nodded, "just calm down first babe. Take a few deep breaths."
I clutched the pillow hard and continued, "the Earl's face, much younger, and Anne's going with him!"
He looked at me with a bit of a start, "it was the Earl? Okay, we stop Anne. It's that simple. She'll understand. You don't have to prove anything right now."
No, I couldn't prove anything, and people would only think I was subconsciously inserting the face of a known enemy into the dreams of a tragic event. No one would believe me. The inquest had called it an accident, but it wasn't. I knew it in my heart; it was murder. But that was 16 years ago, and nothing more had ever come of the event. I'd grown up, moved on, taken over the companies, and buried the pain.
Closing my eyes, resting my head on his shoulder was soothing. "It comes back with just as much pain every time. I only wanted a week unsupervised, never a lifetime." Regret threatened to spill over, "and mother, she wouldn't be in this fix with the Kaiser."
He was slowly rubbing my back, just holding me for comfort, and I forced old memories back where they belong before telling him that Caleb would be going along. I needed to change the subject.
He nodded slightly, "good. I'm glad he's going. I will be ok."
I am not certain I agree that it's going to be ok. I reached up to lightly touch his face, assuring myself that he was quite real, "I'm not sure why you love a woman who's put you in danger twice now."
He kissed my hand, asking if I wanted him to stay the remainder of the night and I said yes. He was worried about upsetting Katarina again. Tonight, I do not care if the young woman is scandalized and he stretched out beside me, gently pulling my head onto his chest where I could hear his heart beating.
We talked about the Earl of Tuebingen when Klinton perked up, "you don't think he'd do anything to the Kaiser and try to blame it on Caleb?"
The Earl would gain nothing for himself by attacking the Kaiser. He's not in line for the throne, but if he could make it look like one of the other peers were involved, he could gain by removing a rival. This was something he was certainly capable of doing! "The Earl is up to something, I just do not know what that something is."
As I draped one leg over his, I glanced up with a grin, "Klinton?"
"Yes my dear?" as he was beginning to drift off to sleep again.
"You need to shave again." I was hard pressed not to burst into gales of laughter.
He looked down at me and laughed, "the itch has been driving me crazy. I'll be smooth for the masque, I promise."
I was chuckling as I told him he more resembled a hedgehog at the moment.
With a smile, he told me he could leave, but I would rather he stayed, and I grew serious the moment he suggested that he could go back to his own room.
Settling in next to him, I thought about his hidden grotto, the place he'd taken me for a night virtually alone, and how much I had loved it there. The fresh scent of falling water, the plant life that surrounds such a place, and the absence of humanity. Right now, I would have loved nothing more than a chance to return there, away from all of this insanity.
With a smile, he agreed it was rather nice, "perhaps we should just move there, become hermits. Make love all day, bathe in the falls, then sleep."
His words had me thinking again. It was the middle of the night, but sleep did not want to come. I looked up at him in the faintly lit room, "Boy or girl?"
He gave me an odd look, and quietly, very seriously said, "Azjah - I'm a boy."
I dropped my head onto his chest with a groan. I had never had a moment's doubt about HIM! And then the rat was laughing at me.
"So boy or girl what?", he finally asked me.
I had never broached the subject since I'd never expected to have children, and I could hear the uncertainty in my voice, "I mean, if we do survive this and go back, would you want a son or a daughter first?" For many of my friends, their spouses usually wanted sons first, and in my world, sons are usually arranged to be the first born. It keeps property and titles in the family that way.
He chuckled, he knows how much the thought of being a parent unnerves me after the debacles with Anne's children. "Ours," he finally said, adding, "that is all that matters to me. What ever is in the stars for us."
I thought about that before adding, "by the laws here, primogeniture only works for boys. If we are daughtered first, she would not necessarily inherit when we're gone."
He gave me a serene smile, "she would still be taken care of."
Yes, she would always be taken care of, but she would lose much as well, and I'm torn about that, "while we have great technology here, there are things that I wouldn't want to encumber a child with as a patrimony," I told him. When that time comes, if indeed it does, I will have to tell him that we could arrange for our first to be whichever we would prefer. The technology exists to nearly guarantee that we would get whichever sex we desire for our first born.
I was frowning as I considered our situation with the Kaiser. Klinton gave me a slow hug, "Azjah, let's live for us for awhile. We don't need kids anytime soon."
True, but I felt he should know about how inheritance works here. There is much at stake for our heirs, if there ever are any.
I hugged him back, he clearly did not want to talk about that right now, "Baumann will have your tuxedo here tomorrow to try on and a tailor to fit it while Caleb and I are with the Kaiser."
He nodded and was once more drifting toward sleep, and silence fell for a few minutes. But, sleep was still not going to come for me. "Klinton? What happened to your parents?" I knew his father had been murdered, we'd gone through that when Maddux wanted to believe that Klinton had been responsible for the assassination attempt on my life, but he'd never spoken of his mother.
He told me his mother had died when he was born, and that his father, Bensin, had never even told him her name. His father had given him no information regarding his mother. No pictures, no name, nothing. Bensin had also taught Klinton how to fence, and Klinton seemed reluctant to say much more about either of his parents.
We digressed into a discussion about whether or not we should go through with the wedding. I explained that a Writ of Dissolution would be next to impossible to obtain from the Kaiser, especially under the circumstances we now find ourselves. To seek what would be called a divorce in RhyDin would not be allowed from the Kaiser. Not for peers, and especially in our case.
I admitted to being frightened, and I feel I've disappointed him with my admission. We are both a bit frightened of what our future holds, and in the end, we fell asleep believing we are doing the right thing, but both of us being a bit frightened by the whole thing.
I was shaking as I told him it was a nightmare.
He moved and wrapped his arms around me, "I'd say. You're ok now."
I wasn't ok. The dream was as clear as if it had just happened again, only this time I saw the face of the man I believe murdered my parents, "I saw him this time... I saw his face this time!"
Klinton was still holding me tightly, "the dream with your parents again? You saw who's face?" His confusion was evident, I must have sounded like a raving lunatic.
Nodding, I told him the dream was of the day the yacht blew up, and again the memory of a limousine rolling slowly away with the window sliding up; but this time there was a face that I could recognize. "I can't prove anything Klinton, but I've never seen the face before in the dreams."
He nodded, "just calm down first babe. Take a few deep breaths."
I clutched the pillow hard and continued, "the Earl's face, much younger, and Anne's going with him!"
He looked at me with a bit of a start, "it was the Earl? Okay, we stop Anne. It's that simple. She'll understand. You don't have to prove anything right now."
No, I couldn't prove anything, and people would only think I was subconsciously inserting the face of a known enemy into the dreams of a tragic event. No one would believe me. The inquest had called it an accident, but it wasn't. I knew it in my heart; it was murder. But that was 16 years ago, and nothing more had ever come of the event. I'd grown up, moved on, taken over the companies, and buried the pain.
Closing my eyes, resting my head on his shoulder was soothing. "It comes back with just as much pain every time. I only wanted a week unsupervised, never a lifetime." Regret threatened to spill over, "and mother, she wouldn't be in this fix with the Kaiser."
He was slowly rubbing my back, just holding me for comfort, and I forced old memories back where they belong before telling him that Caleb would be going along. I needed to change the subject.
He nodded slightly, "good. I'm glad he's going. I will be ok."
I am not certain I agree that it's going to be ok. I reached up to lightly touch his face, assuring myself that he was quite real, "I'm not sure why you love a woman who's put you in danger twice now."
He kissed my hand, asking if I wanted him to stay the remainder of the night and I said yes. He was worried about upsetting Katarina again. Tonight, I do not care if the young woman is scandalized and he stretched out beside me, gently pulling my head onto his chest where I could hear his heart beating.
We talked about the Earl of Tuebingen when Klinton perked up, "you don't think he'd do anything to the Kaiser and try to blame it on Caleb?"
The Earl would gain nothing for himself by attacking the Kaiser. He's not in line for the throne, but if he could make it look like one of the other peers were involved, he could gain by removing a rival. This was something he was certainly capable of doing! "The Earl is up to something, I just do not know what that something is."
As I draped one leg over his, I glanced up with a grin, "Klinton?"
"Yes my dear?" as he was beginning to drift off to sleep again.
"You need to shave again." I was hard pressed not to burst into gales of laughter.
He looked down at me and laughed, "the itch has been driving me crazy. I'll be smooth for the masque, I promise."
I was chuckling as I told him he more resembled a hedgehog at the moment.
With a smile, he told me he could leave, but I would rather he stayed, and I grew serious the moment he suggested that he could go back to his own room.
Settling in next to him, I thought about his hidden grotto, the place he'd taken me for a night virtually alone, and how much I had loved it there. The fresh scent of falling water, the plant life that surrounds such a place, and the absence of humanity. Right now, I would have loved nothing more than a chance to return there, away from all of this insanity.
With a smile, he agreed it was rather nice, "perhaps we should just move there, become hermits. Make love all day, bathe in the falls, then sleep."
His words had me thinking again. It was the middle of the night, but sleep did not want to come. I looked up at him in the faintly lit room, "Boy or girl?"
He gave me an odd look, and quietly, very seriously said, "Azjah - I'm a boy."
I dropped my head onto his chest with a groan. I had never had a moment's doubt about HIM! And then the rat was laughing at me.
"So boy or girl what?", he finally asked me.
I had never broached the subject since I'd never expected to have children, and I could hear the uncertainty in my voice, "I mean, if we do survive this and go back, would you want a son or a daughter first?" For many of my friends, their spouses usually wanted sons first, and in my world, sons are usually arranged to be the first born. It keeps property and titles in the family that way.
He chuckled, he knows how much the thought of being a parent unnerves me after the debacles with Anne's children. "Ours," he finally said, adding, "that is all that matters to me. What ever is in the stars for us."
I thought about that before adding, "by the laws here, primogeniture only works for boys. If we are daughtered first, she would not necessarily inherit when we're gone."
He gave me a serene smile, "she would still be taken care of."
Yes, she would always be taken care of, but she would lose much as well, and I'm torn about that, "while we have great technology here, there are things that I wouldn't want to encumber a child with as a patrimony," I told him. When that time comes, if indeed it does, I will have to tell him that we could arrange for our first to be whichever we would prefer. The technology exists to nearly guarantee that we would get whichever sex we desire for our first born.
I was frowning as I considered our situation with the Kaiser. Klinton gave me a slow hug, "Azjah, let's live for us for awhile. We don't need kids anytime soon."
True, but I felt he should know about how inheritance works here. There is much at stake for our heirs, if there ever are any.
I hugged him back, he clearly did not want to talk about that right now, "Baumann will have your tuxedo here tomorrow to try on and a tailor to fit it while Caleb and I are with the Kaiser."
He nodded and was once more drifting toward sleep, and silence fell for a few minutes. But, sleep was still not going to come for me. "Klinton? What happened to your parents?" I knew his father had been murdered, we'd gone through that when Maddux wanted to believe that Klinton had been responsible for the assassination attempt on my life, but he'd never spoken of his mother.
He told me his mother had died when he was born, and that his father, Bensin, had never even told him her name. His father had given him no information regarding his mother. No pictures, no name, nothing. Bensin had also taught Klinton how to fence, and Klinton seemed reluctant to say much more about either of his parents.
We digressed into a discussion about whether or not we should go through with the wedding. I explained that a Writ of Dissolution would be next to impossible to obtain from the Kaiser, especially under the circumstances we now find ourselves. To seek what would be called a divorce in RhyDin would not be allowed from the Kaiser. Not for peers, and especially in our case.
I admitted to being frightened, and I feel I've disappointed him with my admission. We are both a bit frightened of what our future holds, and in the end, we fell asleep believing we are doing the right thing, but both of us being a bit frightened by the whole thing.
Azjah Telyria Danaan
Marchioness von Triberg
Baroness von Drachen Walde
Marchioness von Triberg
Baroness von Drachen Walde
-
Azjah von Drachen Walde
- Expert Adventurer
- Posts: 1138
- Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2005 1:13 am
- Location: Palazzo Drachen Walde
- Contact:
Visitors While Away
Morning dawned clear and cool. Katarina knocked and from the absence of warmth beside me, I knew Klinton had retreated into his rooms earlier.
I bade her enter, and she set about preparations for a second trip to the Kaiser. Today I would wear a silk dress of bittersweet shades, the deep orange chemise was overlaid in a rich russet shear lace. the collar was high in the back, and falls away to expose my throat and a good deal of my chest in the front. Décolletage is en vogue, and to stand before the Kaiser means being current in today's fashions. The long sleeves fall in a frothy cascade nearly to mid thigh, and a short train of lace pools at my feet. Katarina coifed my hair in a formal chignon, replete with tiny braids appearing to keep the mass constrained. I wore no picks today. I want no mistake about my intentions toward the Kaiser. Instead she wove a small bit of babies breath and a single bloom from the drixora in a rich orange into the side of her hair-do. Jewelry would be emeralds today. The deep, clear gems, set in gold would set off the russet and bittersweet, yet still the only ring was Klinton's diamond. The message remains clear.
Today I would wear heels, but not my trademark stilettos, and a pair of silk russet gloves. I was ready. I could only hope that Caleb was ready as well.
As I reached the library, I could hear Anne talking to Caleb. She was trying to convey how important it was that he make a good impression on the Kaiser, but I do not believe Caleb will bend much, if at all.
We were escorted from my home once more to the Imperial residence. At least we are still guests of the Kaiser, and not being taken to the ultra modern complex where we would lose our status as guest, and become something far more foreboding. That transition is one I hope we can avoid today,
As we departed from the house, I failed to see the car bearing the Earl of Tuebingen's car parked down the block. He paid a visit to Anne while we were away.
I bade her enter, and she set about preparations for a second trip to the Kaiser. Today I would wear a silk dress of bittersweet shades, the deep orange chemise was overlaid in a rich russet shear lace. the collar was high in the back, and falls away to expose my throat and a good deal of my chest in the front. Décolletage is en vogue, and to stand before the Kaiser means being current in today's fashions. The long sleeves fall in a frothy cascade nearly to mid thigh, and a short train of lace pools at my feet. Katarina coifed my hair in a formal chignon, replete with tiny braids appearing to keep the mass constrained. I wore no picks today. I want no mistake about my intentions toward the Kaiser. Instead she wove a small bit of babies breath and a single bloom from the drixora in a rich orange into the side of her hair-do. Jewelry would be emeralds today. The deep, clear gems, set in gold would set off the russet and bittersweet, yet still the only ring was Klinton's diamond. The message remains clear.
Today I would wear heels, but not my trademark stilettos, and a pair of silk russet gloves. I was ready. I could only hope that Caleb was ready as well.
As I reached the library, I could hear Anne talking to Caleb. She was trying to convey how important it was that he make a good impression on the Kaiser, but I do not believe Caleb will bend much, if at all.
We were escorted from my home once more to the Imperial residence. At least we are still guests of the Kaiser, and not being taken to the ultra modern complex where we would lose our status as guest, and become something far more foreboding. That transition is one I hope we can avoid today,
As we departed from the house, I failed to see the car bearing the Earl of Tuebingen's car parked down the block. He paid a visit to Anne while we were away.
Azjah Telyria Danaan
Marchioness von Triberg
Baroness von Drachen Walde
Marchioness von Triberg
Baroness von Drachen Walde
Just Like Toffee
I had been wandering Azjah's vast house when some servant or other called my name. "Miss. Xile!"
Turning around I waited for their footsteps to stop near me. "Yes?"
"His Grace, the Earl of Tuebingen is here to see you ma'am."
The Earl of Tuebingen. The man who invited me to the opera, I was planning on sending him an answer but it was still early. Oh well, he would know soon enough. As quickly as possible I found my way to the front entrance.
"Milord Tuebingen, what a pleasant surprise."
My hand was quickly enveloped in his, and wasn't released until he brushed his lips to my skin. "The pleasure is mine, dear lady." For some reason the whole scenario reminded me of wealthy prince courting a young maiden.
"I received your notice, and I'm pleased to say that I would love to attend the symphony with you. However, in case you haven't heard, we are currently under house arrest and that would make things difficult."
In my minds eye I saw his smile fade and figured he would leave at that point. How wrong I was.
"I'm very sorry to hear that, but I'm sure the Marchioness, being as talented as she is, will fix the problem soon enough. It is a shame though, that someone as beautiful as yourself must remain in the confines of this estate."
The man had a tongue made of toffee. Sweet, smooth, and seductive. It made me cautious. Azjah said I wasn't to trust him, but I wasn't going to do something stupid and get myself into more trouble. Besides, he had complimented her hadn't he? Maybe that's why I shouldn't trust him. Maybe, he was buttering me up.
"Azjah has all of my confidence, in fact, she's left today to clear up this matter immediately." There was a slight pause and then I quickly invited him into the sitting room. It wouldn't be polite, I figured, to have him standing in the doorway. Though I rather hoped he would decline.
"I've brought you something Milady," there was a slight awkward pause before he remembered my eyes. "A bouquet of lovely flowers, to compliment your natural beauty. And some chocolates for someone who deserves a little extra goodness in their lives." Smooth as toffee. I politely took the chocolates and flowers and called a servant over to place them in my room.
"Milord Tuebingen, I am very flattered but I'm not quite sure I understand why I deserve all this."
"Oh please, call me Kendrick. Milady, when I first met you, I was astounded at the resilience that you had. I can tell that you've had a difficult time and I'm amazed that you still press forward. Your personality, coupled with your charming beauty made it imperative that I get to know you better."
The man was good. Very good.
"Call me Anne, everyone else does." Awkwardly I shifted from side to side. "Well, once again, I'm very honored. I'm sorry I don't entertain well, I'd try and show you around the grounds but I've yet to explore them myself."
His arm linked with mine and he patted me on the hand. "Well then Anne, why don't we explore the grounds together?"
Turning around I waited for their footsteps to stop near me. "Yes?"
"His Grace, the Earl of Tuebingen is here to see you ma'am."
The Earl of Tuebingen. The man who invited me to the opera, I was planning on sending him an answer but it was still early. Oh well, he would know soon enough. As quickly as possible I found my way to the front entrance.
"Milord Tuebingen, what a pleasant surprise."
My hand was quickly enveloped in his, and wasn't released until he brushed his lips to my skin. "The pleasure is mine, dear lady." For some reason the whole scenario reminded me of wealthy prince courting a young maiden.
"I received your notice, and I'm pleased to say that I would love to attend the symphony with you. However, in case you haven't heard, we are currently under house arrest and that would make things difficult."
In my minds eye I saw his smile fade and figured he would leave at that point. How wrong I was.
"I'm very sorry to hear that, but I'm sure the Marchioness, being as talented as she is, will fix the problem soon enough. It is a shame though, that someone as beautiful as yourself must remain in the confines of this estate."
The man had a tongue made of toffee. Sweet, smooth, and seductive. It made me cautious. Azjah said I wasn't to trust him, but I wasn't going to do something stupid and get myself into more trouble. Besides, he had complimented her hadn't he? Maybe that's why I shouldn't trust him. Maybe, he was buttering me up.
"Azjah has all of my confidence, in fact, she's left today to clear up this matter immediately." There was a slight pause and then I quickly invited him into the sitting room. It wouldn't be polite, I figured, to have him standing in the doorway. Though I rather hoped he would decline.
"I've brought you something Milady," there was a slight awkward pause before he remembered my eyes. "A bouquet of lovely flowers, to compliment your natural beauty. And some chocolates for someone who deserves a little extra goodness in their lives." Smooth as toffee. I politely took the chocolates and flowers and called a servant over to place them in my room.
"Milord Tuebingen, I am very flattered but I'm not quite sure I understand why I deserve all this."
"Oh please, call me Kendrick. Milady, when I first met you, I was astounded at the resilience that you had. I can tell that you've had a difficult time and I'm amazed that you still press forward. Your personality, coupled with your charming beauty made it imperative that I get to know you better."
The man was good. Very good.
"Call me Anne, everyone else does." Awkwardly I shifted from side to side. "Well, once again, I'm very honored. I'm sorry I don't entertain well, I'd try and show you around the grounds but I've yet to explore them myself."
His arm linked with mine and he patted me on the hand. "Well then Anne, why don't we explore the grounds together?"
Anne Ellis Feren
Whispered Warning
I sat curled up on the couch with Ken beside me, his arm draped loosely around my shoulder. Perhaps it was the fact that we'd spent the whole afternoon together uninterrupted or that we'd talked so much, but I was beginning to trust him.
The walk around the grounds had been absolutely amazing. It was uncomfortable at first but the man new his stuff. He began by asking basic questions, what I did for a living, where I was from...and I found myself answering all of them honestly. He showed a genuine interest. In return, I found out a good deal about him, something I'd never accomplished with Caleb.
Lunch had been served on the grounds and I managed not to make an utter fool of myself. He was charming, and so I pushed the little warning to the back of my head. During our walk I had mentioned how fond I was of dancing. It was something I enjoyed immensely, as a pirate and after. Yet, recently, I hadn't had the opportunity and with my blindness I didn't know what to expect.
At that point he took my left hand and placed it on his shoulder then wrapped his right hand around my waist. He was slow and careful not to dance quicker then I could follow. Perhaps he gave someone a queue but I heard faint music in the background, which soon intensified. He was marvelous.
After a dance or two, the pair of us laughing, he scooped me up and took me into the house. The moment we passed through the doors I was let down so I could keep my dignity. Kendrick continued to be the perfect gentleman. Every last thing he did amazed me, and the best part was, he had is faults. Most of which he admitted, and a few which I discovered. For instance, he was a little stiff when he danced. Or the way that he would space out (only twice did this happen) and then apologize so profusely it made me laugh.
And here we were, sitting together on the couch in complete silence and no more strangers then myself and Caleb. Some time later, I'm not sure how long, he whispered reluctantly about him leaving soon. We stood up and I took him to the door. Once again he took my hand and kissed it, and I stood there, moments later, with that nagging warning in the back of my head.
The walk around the grounds had been absolutely amazing. It was uncomfortable at first but the man new his stuff. He began by asking basic questions, what I did for a living, where I was from...and I found myself answering all of them honestly. He showed a genuine interest. In return, I found out a good deal about him, something I'd never accomplished with Caleb.
Lunch had been served on the grounds and I managed not to make an utter fool of myself. He was charming, and so I pushed the little warning to the back of my head. During our walk I had mentioned how fond I was of dancing. It was something I enjoyed immensely, as a pirate and after. Yet, recently, I hadn't had the opportunity and with my blindness I didn't know what to expect.
At that point he took my left hand and placed it on his shoulder then wrapped his right hand around my waist. He was slow and careful not to dance quicker then I could follow. Perhaps he gave someone a queue but I heard faint music in the background, which soon intensified. He was marvelous.
After a dance or two, the pair of us laughing, he scooped me up and took me into the house. The moment we passed through the doors I was let down so I could keep my dignity. Kendrick continued to be the perfect gentleman. Every last thing he did amazed me, and the best part was, he had is faults. Most of which he admitted, and a few which I discovered. For instance, he was a little stiff when he danced. Or the way that he would space out (only twice did this happen) and then apologize so profusely it made me laugh.
And here we were, sitting together on the couch in complete silence and no more strangers then myself and Caleb. Some time later, I'm not sure how long, he whispered reluctantly about him leaving soon. We stood up and I took him to the door. Once again he took my hand and kissed it, and I stood there, moments later, with that nagging warning in the back of my head.
Anne Ellis Feren
-
Caleb Feren
- Adventurer
- Assassin For Hire
- Posts: 126
- Joined: Thu Apr 15, 2004 5:26 pm
- Location: Where the job takes him
He stepped into the night. The wall which he had setup to protect his life had shattered. In one swoop, the heart which he had come to know and guard had been torn from him.
They knew not what they had unleashed tonight. Tonight, the assassin was reborn.
He smiled as he leaned back against the door that led to the estates. He nodded to the guards that stood sentry there, and watched as they continued to eye him carefully. He took a few breaths of the cool air, and closed his eyes. In his mind, he took at emotion that had come to life within him and burned each one away. After five minutes, he opened his eyes again, and found the guards had returned to watching the perimeter. That was the last that the saw.
The morning came, and with it, the count of bodies that were found grew. Each one had been torn asunder in different ways. Some were found with slit throats, others found with missing hearts. There were even some found with their entrails wrapped around their necks, choking them to death. Yet each held a clue to who had done it. Each one had been done with a weapon that had been commissioned specifically for the Earl of Tuebingen.
They knew not what they had unleashed tonight. Tonight, the assassin was reborn.
He smiled as he leaned back against the door that led to the estates. He nodded to the guards that stood sentry there, and watched as they continued to eye him carefully. He took a few breaths of the cool air, and closed his eyes. In his mind, he took at emotion that had come to life within him and burned each one away. After five minutes, he opened his eyes again, and found the guards had returned to watching the perimeter. That was the last that the saw.
The morning came, and with it, the count of bodies that were found grew. Each one had been torn asunder in different ways. Some were found with slit throats, others found with missing hearts. There were even some found with their entrails wrapped around their necks, choking them to death. Yet each held a clue to who had done it. Each one had been done with a weapon that had been commissioned specifically for the Earl of Tuebingen.
Though you may run, you can never hide..
-
Azjah von Drachen Walde
- Expert Adventurer
- Posts: 1138
- Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2005 1:13 am
- Location: Palazzo Drachen Walde
- Contact:
Internal Strife
To say that the meeting with the Kaiser went badly would be a terrific understatement.
As Caleb and I were escorted back into my home, he walked in with rage emanating from his being. As he passed the door, he slammed it so hard, the walls shook down to the foundation.
I shot him a look after tossing my gloves onto a nearby table. "Caleb, sometimes you have to play the political games." With that, I headed for the kitchen and a cup of hot tea.
I could hear Klinton ask Caleb what had happened, and as I returned with the tea, Caleb turned rage filled eyes toward me. "The only games I play are the deadly kind. I will *not* bend a knee to some pompous ass who thinks he's put here to make puppets of whomever he sets his bloody eyes on... I will not do it to the damned Old Man, nor will I do it to anyone."
I glared back with pure ice, "we'll be dead. You just don't get it, do you? He holds all of our lives in his hand, and you want to piss him off!"
Klinton stepped between Caleb and I, "what's the story? We off house arrest or not?"
Caleb's voice took on a deadly tone, "no Azjah, you will be dead, my life is already forfeit."
I turned very slowly to look at him, "you think you can escape? Think again." The man simply refused to recognize that his actions impacted the lives of 18 other people. Either he didn't realize it through his bloody pride, or he didn't care, which was even worse.
Klinton broke the silence as he looked from Caleb to me, "I'm assuming we're still on house arrest? That's fine by me. Wouldn't have it any other way."
I couldn't believe what I was hearing. His tone was all in earnest. His body language shrieked that he had already had an altercation with Anne during our absence.
"We are ordered to attend the Fete, but we are under house arrest, and we made absolutely no headway convincing him that Caleb is not here to murder him."
Caleb sneered, "the jackasses which his 'excellency' has put to guard this house are as ignorant as they come, and dumber than sh*t."
I hissed at Caleb's words, setting the porcelain cup down so hard that the saucer cracked, "you speak treason in my home with spies and guards surrounding us!" Fury at his behavior threatened to spill over further. Caleb's disrespect for a host and her liege had reached intollerable heights.
Anne entered, her voice a cold one as she told Caleb to shut up.
Caleb snarled back at me, "they want to kill me? let them come... my life means nothing."
I was shaking with pure rage, "We won't live to see tomorrow at this rate, they won't stop with just YOU!"
Anne scowled, "might as well just kill ourselves now."
Klinton gave Anne a quick glare, "what the hell Anne, I'm game, any guards want to take a shot?" His voice was rising in volume with each word he spoke.
Caleb gave me a grin as he lifted a hand to Klinton and Anne, "there you have it Azjah."
Anne sputtered, "I was being SARCASTIC Klinton!"
My gaze locked on Caleb, "you want to be cavalier with your life, that's your business, but I don't appreciate your attitude when it comes to Anne, Klinton, my staff, nor my own life."
Klinton slammed his hand against the wall, "this is total bullsh*t! I am half tempted to become an assassin myself!" His anger echoed in the room, humming dangerously with all of the rest of the angry vibrations emanating from all four of us.
Caleb's cold eyes met mine, "what you appreciate, and what you get are two different things."
I'd had about as much as I could take for one day, "Caleb, it wouldn't take much to convince him you're not here for him, but you don't give a rat's ass that you'll kill about 18 people in the process." His pride was monumental, and I've never met anyone with such an unbending personality.
Anne spoke up about that time, "you're a perfect prick, you know that? I don't want to hear, see, or know you after this, got it?"
Caleb smiled at me, "if you want to convince him, fine, but do it around me. I will not bend to him, nor anyone."
Klinton turned to me, "I'm going home."
Anne told Caleb that she couldn't believe he was going to throw away everyone's lives like this.
It was escalating into something truly horrifying.
Caleb looked hard at Anne, his voice dropping back into that deadly menace, "you have already made that perfectly clear, Xile. I hope you enjoyed your day with that jackass Earl."
Anne turned bright crimson, "I've got no idea what you're talking about."
I looked hard at Klinton, we would have to talk later about the fact that he cannot just go home. I thought he understood that we are the virtual prisoners of the Kaiser now. "What Earl?"
Caleb continued, "do I not? did he not arrive just as we left? did he not leave before we arrived?"
Klinton looked at me, "Tuebingen came here today. Anne spent the afternoon with him."
Worry flooded through me, "oh no." I couldn't believe that Baumann had let him in to see Anne, nor that she'd spent the afternoon with the man. The only good thing right now is that she cannot leave the property, and Tuebingen wouldn't dare try anything under this roof.
Anne's voice cut sharply into everyone's thoughts, "Just shut up Caleb! Just shut up. I spent an afternoon with him, so sue me. So kill me!"
His voice was barely above a whisper, "I have no need to. You have done so yourself, and with you, me."
Klinton spoke up, "Anne, I could care less that you spent the afternoon with him. I'm asking you to stop speaking to him, as of right now."
Caleb turned and gave me a look filled with pain, "that Marchioness, is why my life is forfeit."
Anne was scowling, "last time I checked I didn't kill either of us Caleb. Yeah, I made some stupid mistakes yesterday, but I'm willing to fix relations with the Kaiser."
Caleb moved toward the door that he'd slammed shut earlier with an expression that said he'd said too much to me.
Klinton gave him a half smile, "care for a game of Russian Roulette?"
Anne puzzled a moment, "through all the arguing, I don't get how I'm the reason his life is forfeit."
I told her that Caleb needed to tell her. It wasn't my place to point out that the man was taken with Anne, and her actions with the Earl had pretty much just driven a stake through his heart.
Klinton was fuming as he said "let's just leave. We can start over. Forget the royalty."
I sighed, none of them understood. "You can't go home Klinton, I wish you could. I wish you all could return to RhyDin. It was wrong for me to bring any of you."
"Azjah, we are not married yet. I can leave." He was prepared to just walk out, and his words stomped on my heart. He believed he could just walk away from me and return to his old life in RhyDin. I wish he could, but he doesn't understand the danger he is in right now.
"Klinton, house arrest means you can't get off world. You'd be arrested the moment you set foot off the property for unlawful flight!" He'd have added charges, and in an imperial world, he could be deprived of life or liberty for that offense.
His ire was rising, "and when arrested, what happens? Eventually they'd just want to be rid of me."
Tiredly I told him that he would be at His Majesty's discretion. He wasn't listening to me, there was little more point in belaboring the danger further.
He continued, "that, or I will make a request to the Kaiser to simply leave and never return. I think he'd be glad to be rid of me."
Anne added that she thought the Kaiser would be glad to be rid of us all.
They do not fathom that our house arrest for possible treason is grounds for execution. Attempted flight to avoid the charges would compound the problem to the point that execution was more likely than not. The Kaiser is not going to simply let them go. "You don't understand, any of you. An Emperor doesn't look at it like that. We don't have the same rights and privileges you're used to in RhyDin. Cara could tell you."
I glanced at Caleb, "please come back here and explain to Anne. It's going to take all of us to get out of this."
Caleb's voice was hoarse, "explain what? I have made it clear time and again, yet she is blind to it."
Anne sounded resigned, "Caleb, I've asked you to explain so many times. Subtle hints don't work. I'm sorry that I'm an idiot, but I'm blind, heck, I've got suspicions, but I've learned that assumptions make a mess of things."
Klinton shook his head at me. "This is the stupidest thing I've ever done. Just stupid."
I paused, wondering what he believed was so stupid, but Anne continued before I could ask him.
"So unless you come straight out on bended knee and tell me what I've been waiting to hear, then no, I'm not going to believe anything! I can't ficken propose to you. And screw it, I'm not waiting forever."
I gave Anna a smile she couldn't see, "Anne, while Caleb can't seem to say it himself, he's taken with you. Seriously taken."
Caleb was being spiteful, "you've made that perfectly clear today Xile."
Anne was nearly in tears, "Oh stink, one afternoon of enjoyment without you and you go all jealous and throw away everything. I don't have a ring on my finger in case you hadn't noticed." She rose and walked out as Klinton siad, "you want a ring Anne? Take hers." meaning my engagement ring. So, he was breaking off our engagement.
I held together, long enough to suggest to Caleb that he go after Anne.
He looked at me, and his eyes took on a dark blue glow, "you want to see political games Marchioness? Then games you will have." With that he was gone.
I watched him depart, taking a second to compose my thoughts before facing Klinton, "did you mean that?"
He was seated on the floor, where he'd slid down the wall earlier, "I don't know what I mean Azjah. This is insane. I'm not doing it anymore."
In that moment, realization hit me. My friends, and the love of my life were not cut out for this world. I had no right to expect them to go through this. "If you will excuse me?" And I turned to go to my rooms.
He said only one word, "go."
I went upstairs, closing the door to my suite and began to draft a petition to the Kaiser. Several drafts later, I sealed it and called Katarina. I slipped the ring from my finger, handing it to her with instructions that she deliver it to Klinton, and the missive to Baumann, who would see it delivered by special courier to the Kaiser.
I locked my doors, all of them, and changed into silk robe. The night air was chill, but not as cold as I felt inside.
A knock came at my door, but there was no point in answering. He wanted to go home. He'd reminded me that we were not married, he could leave if he wanted to do so. He'd told Anne she could have my ring. He'd been clear. He wanted me out of his life.
The door knob rattled, and I told him to go away. The next thing I heard was someone trying to knock the door down! It could only be Klinton. I turned toward the door, hoping the lock would hold. "Go AWAY!"
He hit the door again, and the wood gave a sickening 'crack'. He was hurting himself with each slam against my door, and my will power was rapidly disappearing.
I ran from the balcony and leaned against the door, "Klinton, stop this, you got what you wanted."
He stopped slamming his weight against the rapidly weakening door, and I heard him slide to the floor with a groan, "I didn't want the ring back Azjah..... I just wanted you to take the cash."
I unlocked the door and threw it open, "You are beyond a cad!"
He looked up at me, "this is just too much Azjah."
I walked into the hallway, noting that his shoulder was dislocated. "Come on, you need some help to get that put back in place."
He shook his head, "I'm not movin'"
I knelt beside him, "I've sent a message that should let you go home. Why not?"
He looked long and hard at me, "When I get up from this spot, you and I will be done forever, OR, together forever. And I'm not getting up until it is one or the other."
My surprise was written in my face. "You made it rather clear that you wanted nothing more to do with me."
He nodded, "and yet, here I am."
"Yes, here you are with a dislocated shoulder."
"And a ring."
"I sent the Kaiser ..." my words cut off as he reminded me that he now had my ring.
He sought to reach into his pocket, but could not reach it, "Right there, in that pocket. What'd you send him?"
Taking a deep breath, hoping he wouldn't ask too many questions, "an offer."
"An offer of what?" he pressed.
"An offer to allow everyone to go back to RhyDin."
He looked suspiciously at me, "and what exactly would have to take place for that?"
I shrugged, "only what I have to offer him. It doesn't matter, come on, let's get you up."
He wasn't accepting my explanation, "I'm not satisfied that we've met the requirements for me to move yet. What did you offer?"
"A couple of things, my titles, my holdings. This isn't good for you to remain here."
He studied me closely, "so you give all that up, you and I go back to RhyDin, and we are together forever?"
I gave him a slow look, "I may not be allowed to leave, but if I am, yes."
He remained firmly planted on the floor, "then I can't move yet, can I? What's the story?"
I settled cross legged on the floor with him, "I offered the Kaiser my life and holdings in exchange for letting the rest of you go. Now will you let me help you up?"
He shut his good eye slowly, "so, we are done then? For good?"
I don't have any answers at the moment, "I don't know, but it's not what I wanted."
He remained stubbornly seated, "I have an idea - blame Caleb. Tell the Kaiser he sent it."
I gave him a horrified look, "I can't do that."
He sat there looking at me, "Okay, then tell him the truth, and that you didn't mean it."
I sighed, "it was the only thing I could think of to assure that you all get out of here. It will take all of us Klinton to make this turn out, but we're not working together."
He agreed, and asked me if I had any ideas how to get us to work together. I didn't. The only thing I knew for certain was that he was going to go into shock if I didn't get him off the floor.
"So where are we Azjah?"
I sighed, "we are where we were before this all went to Hades. Under house arrest with Caleb having fallen for Anne, and my having fallen for you, and none of us seeming to be able to keep it together."
He began to struggle to his feet, "kindly remove the ring from my pocket."
I leaned close enough to retrieve it.
"What does it mean to you?"
I looked at him after studying the ring I held once more, "It means a promise of love and fidelity."
He nodded, "do you want to put it back on your finger?"
"I never wanted to take it off, but it seemed you wanted me to."
He gave me a slight frown, "if we are going to spend the rest of our lives together, please learn to not take my anger literally. If I were to break it off, I would not do it in a fury."
"Alright, does that mean you're staying?"
He smirked slightly, "Is there any way to get you and still leave?"
I handed him the ring back, "No, how about you put this where it belongs?"
He slid it onto my finger and then asked me for a doctor.
Baumann sent for the physician.
Caleb had vanished, and I hope he's found Anne.
The physician had treated Klinton and he was resting comfortably, so I retreated into my rooms. Now I have to hope the Kaiser will reject my offer. A long sigh whispered from me as I sat on the chaise on the balcony in the darkness.
A form shimmered into visibility, and Lucien's voice whispered with a velvet caress, "Marchioness, the message has been retrieved." Lucien handed me an unopened parchment.
I've stopped asking Lucien and Gabriel how they always know when to intervene, and when not to. They never give me a straight answer anyway.
He stood there looking at me with black, predator's eyes.
"Go ahead Lucien, what's on your mind?"
We spoke for the next several hours about the situation with the Kaiser, and the Earl of Tuebingen, and Caleb. I am forever grateful Lucien is on my side.
As Caleb and I were escorted back into my home, he walked in with rage emanating from his being. As he passed the door, he slammed it so hard, the walls shook down to the foundation.
I shot him a look after tossing my gloves onto a nearby table. "Caleb, sometimes you have to play the political games." With that, I headed for the kitchen and a cup of hot tea.
I could hear Klinton ask Caleb what had happened, and as I returned with the tea, Caleb turned rage filled eyes toward me. "The only games I play are the deadly kind. I will *not* bend a knee to some pompous ass who thinks he's put here to make puppets of whomever he sets his bloody eyes on... I will not do it to the damned Old Man, nor will I do it to anyone."
I glared back with pure ice, "we'll be dead. You just don't get it, do you? He holds all of our lives in his hand, and you want to piss him off!"
Klinton stepped between Caleb and I, "what's the story? We off house arrest or not?"
Caleb's voice took on a deadly tone, "no Azjah, you will be dead, my life is already forfeit."
I turned very slowly to look at him, "you think you can escape? Think again." The man simply refused to recognize that his actions impacted the lives of 18 other people. Either he didn't realize it through his bloody pride, or he didn't care, which was even worse.
Klinton broke the silence as he looked from Caleb to me, "I'm assuming we're still on house arrest? That's fine by me. Wouldn't have it any other way."
I couldn't believe what I was hearing. His tone was all in earnest. His body language shrieked that he had already had an altercation with Anne during our absence.
"We are ordered to attend the Fete, but we are under house arrest, and we made absolutely no headway convincing him that Caleb is not here to murder him."
Caleb sneered, "the jackasses which his 'excellency' has put to guard this house are as ignorant as they come, and dumber than sh*t."
I hissed at Caleb's words, setting the porcelain cup down so hard that the saucer cracked, "you speak treason in my home with spies and guards surrounding us!" Fury at his behavior threatened to spill over further. Caleb's disrespect for a host and her liege had reached intollerable heights.
Anne entered, her voice a cold one as she told Caleb to shut up.
Caleb snarled back at me, "they want to kill me? let them come... my life means nothing."
I was shaking with pure rage, "We won't live to see tomorrow at this rate, they won't stop with just YOU!"
Anne scowled, "might as well just kill ourselves now."
Klinton gave Anne a quick glare, "what the hell Anne, I'm game, any guards want to take a shot?" His voice was rising in volume with each word he spoke.
Caleb gave me a grin as he lifted a hand to Klinton and Anne, "there you have it Azjah."
Anne sputtered, "I was being SARCASTIC Klinton!"
My gaze locked on Caleb, "you want to be cavalier with your life, that's your business, but I don't appreciate your attitude when it comes to Anne, Klinton, my staff, nor my own life."
Klinton slammed his hand against the wall, "this is total bullsh*t! I am half tempted to become an assassin myself!" His anger echoed in the room, humming dangerously with all of the rest of the angry vibrations emanating from all four of us.
Caleb's cold eyes met mine, "what you appreciate, and what you get are two different things."
I'd had about as much as I could take for one day, "Caleb, it wouldn't take much to convince him you're not here for him, but you don't give a rat's ass that you'll kill about 18 people in the process." His pride was monumental, and I've never met anyone with such an unbending personality.
Anne spoke up about that time, "you're a perfect prick, you know that? I don't want to hear, see, or know you after this, got it?"
Caleb smiled at me, "if you want to convince him, fine, but do it around me. I will not bend to him, nor anyone."
Klinton turned to me, "I'm going home."
Anne told Caleb that she couldn't believe he was going to throw away everyone's lives like this.
It was escalating into something truly horrifying.
Caleb looked hard at Anne, his voice dropping back into that deadly menace, "you have already made that perfectly clear, Xile. I hope you enjoyed your day with that jackass Earl."
Anne turned bright crimson, "I've got no idea what you're talking about."
I looked hard at Klinton, we would have to talk later about the fact that he cannot just go home. I thought he understood that we are the virtual prisoners of the Kaiser now. "What Earl?"
Caleb continued, "do I not? did he not arrive just as we left? did he not leave before we arrived?"
Klinton looked at me, "Tuebingen came here today. Anne spent the afternoon with him."
Worry flooded through me, "oh no." I couldn't believe that Baumann had let him in to see Anne, nor that she'd spent the afternoon with the man. The only good thing right now is that she cannot leave the property, and Tuebingen wouldn't dare try anything under this roof.
Anne's voice cut sharply into everyone's thoughts, "Just shut up Caleb! Just shut up. I spent an afternoon with him, so sue me. So kill me!"
His voice was barely above a whisper, "I have no need to. You have done so yourself, and with you, me."
Klinton spoke up, "Anne, I could care less that you spent the afternoon with him. I'm asking you to stop speaking to him, as of right now."
Caleb turned and gave me a look filled with pain, "that Marchioness, is why my life is forfeit."
Anne was scowling, "last time I checked I didn't kill either of us Caleb. Yeah, I made some stupid mistakes yesterday, but I'm willing to fix relations with the Kaiser."
Caleb moved toward the door that he'd slammed shut earlier with an expression that said he'd said too much to me.
Klinton gave him a half smile, "care for a game of Russian Roulette?"
Anne puzzled a moment, "through all the arguing, I don't get how I'm the reason his life is forfeit."
I told her that Caleb needed to tell her. It wasn't my place to point out that the man was taken with Anne, and her actions with the Earl had pretty much just driven a stake through his heart.
Klinton was fuming as he said "let's just leave. We can start over. Forget the royalty."
I sighed, none of them understood. "You can't go home Klinton, I wish you could. I wish you all could return to RhyDin. It was wrong for me to bring any of you."
"Azjah, we are not married yet. I can leave." He was prepared to just walk out, and his words stomped on my heart. He believed he could just walk away from me and return to his old life in RhyDin. I wish he could, but he doesn't understand the danger he is in right now.
"Klinton, house arrest means you can't get off world. You'd be arrested the moment you set foot off the property for unlawful flight!" He'd have added charges, and in an imperial world, he could be deprived of life or liberty for that offense.
His ire was rising, "and when arrested, what happens? Eventually they'd just want to be rid of me."
Tiredly I told him that he would be at His Majesty's discretion. He wasn't listening to me, there was little more point in belaboring the danger further.
He continued, "that, or I will make a request to the Kaiser to simply leave and never return. I think he'd be glad to be rid of me."
Anne added that she thought the Kaiser would be glad to be rid of us all.
They do not fathom that our house arrest for possible treason is grounds for execution. Attempted flight to avoid the charges would compound the problem to the point that execution was more likely than not. The Kaiser is not going to simply let them go. "You don't understand, any of you. An Emperor doesn't look at it like that. We don't have the same rights and privileges you're used to in RhyDin. Cara could tell you."
I glanced at Caleb, "please come back here and explain to Anne. It's going to take all of us to get out of this."
Caleb's voice was hoarse, "explain what? I have made it clear time and again, yet she is blind to it."
Anne sounded resigned, "Caleb, I've asked you to explain so many times. Subtle hints don't work. I'm sorry that I'm an idiot, but I'm blind, heck, I've got suspicions, but I've learned that assumptions make a mess of things."
Klinton shook his head at me. "This is the stupidest thing I've ever done. Just stupid."
I paused, wondering what he believed was so stupid, but Anne continued before I could ask him.
"So unless you come straight out on bended knee and tell me what I've been waiting to hear, then no, I'm not going to believe anything! I can't ficken propose to you. And screw it, I'm not waiting forever."
I gave Anna a smile she couldn't see, "Anne, while Caleb can't seem to say it himself, he's taken with you. Seriously taken."
Caleb was being spiteful, "you've made that perfectly clear today Xile."
Anne was nearly in tears, "Oh stink, one afternoon of enjoyment without you and you go all jealous and throw away everything. I don't have a ring on my finger in case you hadn't noticed." She rose and walked out as Klinton siad, "you want a ring Anne? Take hers." meaning my engagement ring. So, he was breaking off our engagement.
I held together, long enough to suggest to Caleb that he go after Anne.
He looked at me, and his eyes took on a dark blue glow, "you want to see political games Marchioness? Then games you will have." With that he was gone.
I watched him depart, taking a second to compose my thoughts before facing Klinton, "did you mean that?"
He was seated on the floor, where he'd slid down the wall earlier, "I don't know what I mean Azjah. This is insane. I'm not doing it anymore."
In that moment, realization hit me. My friends, and the love of my life were not cut out for this world. I had no right to expect them to go through this. "If you will excuse me?" And I turned to go to my rooms.
He said only one word, "go."
I went upstairs, closing the door to my suite and began to draft a petition to the Kaiser. Several drafts later, I sealed it and called Katarina. I slipped the ring from my finger, handing it to her with instructions that she deliver it to Klinton, and the missive to Baumann, who would see it delivered by special courier to the Kaiser.
I locked my doors, all of them, and changed into silk robe. The night air was chill, but not as cold as I felt inside.
A knock came at my door, but there was no point in answering. He wanted to go home. He'd reminded me that we were not married, he could leave if he wanted to do so. He'd told Anne she could have my ring. He'd been clear. He wanted me out of his life.
The door knob rattled, and I told him to go away. The next thing I heard was someone trying to knock the door down! It could only be Klinton. I turned toward the door, hoping the lock would hold. "Go AWAY!"
He hit the door again, and the wood gave a sickening 'crack'. He was hurting himself with each slam against my door, and my will power was rapidly disappearing.
I ran from the balcony and leaned against the door, "Klinton, stop this, you got what you wanted."
He stopped slamming his weight against the rapidly weakening door, and I heard him slide to the floor with a groan, "I didn't want the ring back Azjah..... I just wanted you to take the cash."
I unlocked the door and threw it open, "You are beyond a cad!"
He looked up at me, "this is just too much Azjah."
I walked into the hallway, noting that his shoulder was dislocated. "Come on, you need some help to get that put back in place."
He shook his head, "I'm not movin'"
I knelt beside him, "I've sent a message that should let you go home. Why not?"
He looked long and hard at me, "When I get up from this spot, you and I will be done forever, OR, together forever. And I'm not getting up until it is one or the other."
My surprise was written in my face. "You made it rather clear that you wanted nothing more to do with me."
He nodded, "and yet, here I am."
"Yes, here you are with a dislocated shoulder."
"And a ring."
"I sent the Kaiser ..." my words cut off as he reminded me that he now had my ring.
He sought to reach into his pocket, but could not reach it, "Right there, in that pocket. What'd you send him?"
Taking a deep breath, hoping he wouldn't ask too many questions, "an offer."
"An offer of what?" he pressed.
"An offer to allow everyone to go back to RhyDin."
He looked suspiciously at me, "and what exactly would have to take place for that?"
I shrugged, "only what I have to offer him. It doesn't matter, come on, let's get you up."
He wasn't accepting my explanation, "I'm not satisfied that we've met the requirements for me to move yet. What did you offer?"
"A couple of things, my titles, my holdings. This isn't good for you to remain here."
He studied me closely, "so you give all that up, you and I go back to RhyDin, and we are together forever?"
I gave him a slow look, "I may not be allowed to leave, but if I am, yes."
He remained firmly planted on the floor, "then I can't move yet, can I? What's the story?"
I settled cross legged on the floor with him, "I offered the Kaiser my life and holdings in exchange for letting the rest of you go. Now will you let me help you up?"
He shut his good eye slowly, "so, we are done then? For good?"
I don't have any answers at the moment, "I don't know, but it's not what I wanted."
He remained stubbornly seated, "I have an idea - blame Caleb. Tell the Kaiser he sent it."
I gave him a horrified look, "I can't do that."
He sat there looking at me, "Okay, then tell him the truth, and that you didn't mean it."
I sighed, "it was the only thing I could think of to assure that you all get out of here. It will take all of us Klinton to make this turn out, but we're not working together."
He agreed, and asked me if I had any ideas how to get us to work together. I didn't. The only thing I knew for certain was that he was going to go into shock if I didn't get him off the floor.
"So where are we Azjah?"
I sighed, "we are where we were before this all went to Hades. Under house arrest with Caleb having fallen for Anne, and my having fallen for you, and none of us seeming to be able to keep it together."
He began to struggle to his feet, "kindly remove the ring from my pocket."
I leaned close enough to retrieve it.
"What does it mean to you?"
I looked at him after studying the ring I held once more, "It means a promise of love and fidelity."
He nodded, "do you want to put it back on your finger?"
"I never wanted to take it off, but it seemed you wanted me to."
He gave me a slight frown, "if we are going to spend the rest of our lives together, please learn to not take my anger literally. If I were to break it off, I would not do it in a fury."
"Alright, does that mean you're staying?"
He smirked slightly, "Is there any way to get you and still leave?"
I handed him the ring back, "No, how about you put this where it belongs?"
He slid it onto my finger and then asked me for a doctor.
Baumann sent for the physician.
Caleb had vanished, and I hope he's found Anne.
The physician had treated Klinton and he was resting comfortably, so I retreated into my rooms. Now I have to hope the Kaiser will reject my offer. A long sigh whispered from me as I sat on the chaise on the balcony in the darkness.
A form shimmered into visibility, and Lucien's voice whispered with a velvet caress, "Marchioness, the message has been retrieved." Lucien handed me an unopened parchment.
I've stopped asking Lucien and Gabriel how they always know when to intervene, and when not to. They never give me a straight answer anyway.
He stood there looking at me with black, predator's eyes.
"Go ahead Lucien, what's on your mind?"
We spoke for the next several hours about the situation with the Kaiser, and the Earl of Tuebingen, and Caleb. I am forever grateful Lucien is on my side.
Azjah Telyria Danaan
Marchioness von Triberg
Baroness von Drachen Walde
Marchioness von Triberg
Baroness von Drachen Walde
Darkness
"You want a ring Anne? Take hers."
That was the last thing I heard as I walked up the stairs. I felt so hot and cold and horrible and sick that I needed to get somewhere, ANYWHERE. I locked the doors to my room then entered the bathroom and locked those doors too. Lifting up the seat to the toilet I retched once, then twice, then slid down the wall in a crumpled heap on the floor.
Tears flooded down my face; angrily I ripped off the bandages and threw them against the door. Uncontrollable sobs welled up inside of me. That was not how I had imagined telling Caleb how I felt. I had assumed he'd been taken with me. However, last time I'd made that assumption with a man I'd had my heart ripped out. This time was different, he had loved me, I was positive. But that was the key thing, he had.
Had.
Had.
No longer, just had.
Nails bit into my skin as I thought of that word over, and over again. It felt like my heart had been broken into the tiniest pieces, and you could fit them through the eye a needle. I could swear I was dying of a broken heart. I utterly believed I was.
All of a sudden I laughed, a horrible, maniacal laugh.
I didn't need to kill myself for punishment, nope; all I had to do was live. Living seemed to be more painful, more horrible. Death was an escape. An escape I couldn't take, because I deserved to be punished like this. Hadn't I ruined everything for Azjah? Hadn't Klinton yelled at me before they got back? Hadn't I spent the day with an Earl who supposedly murdered Azjah’s parents?
And Caleb. Oh gosh Caleb. What had I done? I don't know why I love the man, why I still love him, I don't understand it. I don't know a thing about him that normal people know about each other. Does he have a family? Does he want kids? Does he have a religion? What does he enjoy doing? Then again, we weren't a normal couple. He stalked me and I enjoyed it...and yet part of it drove me insane. This drive, this urge to be like a normal person and my love for him reminded me that things would never be normal.
All these thoughts swelled up in my head, I felt dizzy, cold, clammy...sickened. I leaned over and threw up again.
Why couldn't this be over, why couldn't things have gone differently? I tried to stand up, to reach the cupboard over the sink. I slipped on something, probably my stomach, and knocked my head on the bathtub. Groaning miserably I pulled myself up and threw open the counter. Something glass knocked over and fell on the floor shattering into pieces just like my heart.
Reaching out I found what I was looking for. My sleeping pills, the nightmares that had troubled me were nothing compared to this day. Popping open the cap I poured the contents into my hand. Three, four, how many did I take? The round tablets slid down my throat painfully and I crumpled onto the ground. Never mind the glass. It took a while, a painful, horrible, sickening while. Then I felt myself slip into the darkness. An utter and impenetrable darkness.
That was the last thing I heard as I walked up the stairs. I felt so hot and cold and horrible and sick that I needed to get somewhere, ANYWHERE. I locked the doors to my room then entered the bathroom and locked those doors too. Lifting up the seat to the toilet I retched once, then twice, then slid down the wall in a crumpled heap on the floor.
Tears flooded down my face; angrily I ripped off the bandages and threw them against the door. Uncontrollable sobs welled up inside of me. That was not how I had imagined telling Caleb how I felt. I had assumed he'd been taken with me. However, last time I'd made that assumption with a man I'd had my heart ripped out. This time was different, he had loved me, I was positive. But that was the key thing, he had.
Had.
Had.
No longer, just had.
Nails bit into my skin as I thought of that word over, and over again. It felt like my heart had been broken into the tiniest pieces, and you could fit them through the eye a needle. I could swear I was dying of a broken heart. I utterly believed I was.
All of a sudden I laughed, a horrible, maniacal laugh.
I didn't need to kill myself for punishment, nope; all I had to do was live. Living seemed to be more painful, more horrible. Death was an escape. An escape I couldn't take, because I deserved to be punished like this. Hadn't I ruined everything for Azjah? Hadn't Klinton yelled at me before they got back? Hadn't I spent the day with an Earl who supposedly murdered Azjah’s parents?
And Caleb. Oh gosh Caleb. What had I done? I don't know why I love the man, why I still love him, I don't understand it. I don't know a thing about him that normal people know about each other. Does he have a family? Does he want kids? Does he have a religion? What does he enjoy doing? Then again, we weren't a normal couple. He stalked me and I enjoyed it...and yet part of it drove me insane. This drive, this urge to be like a normal person and my love for him reminded me that things would never be normal.
All these thoughts swelled up in my head, I felt dizzy, cold, clammy...sickened. I leaned over and threw up again.
Why couldn't this be over, why couldn't things have gone differently? I tried to stand up, to reach the cupboard over the sink. I slipped on something, probably my stomach, and knocked my head on the bathtub. Groaning miserably I pulled myself up and threw open the counter. Something glass knocked over and fell on the floor shattering into pieces just like my heart.
Reaching out I found what I was looking for. My sleeping pills, the nightmares that had troubled me were nothing compared to this day. Popping open the cap I poured the contents into my hand. Three, four, how many did I take? The round tablets slid down my throat painfully and I crumpled onto the ground. Never mind the glass. It took a while, a painful, horrible, sickening while. Then I felt myself slip into the darkness. An utter and impenetrable darkness.
Anne Ellis Feren
Communications from Rigel
Preparations for tonight's fete are subdued. The Kaiser has kept House Arrest in place, but demanded the Marchioness' presence at the Masque. He either wants her close to watch over her and her guests, or he doesn't really believe she's a danger to him. It is difficult to say at this point.
Lucien spent several hours discussing their options given the danger all of them are currently embroiled within. Court intrigue has always been de'riguer, but this kind of intrigue can have deadly effects that we need to avoid.
Lucien would be at the Marchioness' side at all times from here on out. We will not risk another attempt on her. She won't like it, but no one will see him, with the exception of the Marchioness herself. That was a gift we felt she deserved after she saved our lives. We cannot vanish from her, nor remain invisible to her even if we wished to do so. She will have to deal with absolutely no privacy for the moment. Besides, she knows we hear everything anyway. I do wonder if she's told Mr. Caer that little detail, or whether he's been sufficiently exposed to vampires to know that even whispers cannot hide from our hearing? Having a vampire around means there are no secrets of any kind. Having two around guarantees no secrets.
Caleb has vanished, further casting the household into danger if it is discovered that he is missing. The man believes himself immune to the requirements of life. It will cost him most grievously one day. He's dangerous in his own right, and not a human to be trifled with in any way. It is a shame that he has no sense of hiding in plain sight rather than standing out as rogue.
I have to laugh at Lucien. He will not be seen by anyone other than the Marchioness, and yet he will go in the spirit of the masque in black tuxedo, white shirt, and the feathered mask of an emperor penguin! It is rather a shame that no one will see him. Of special interest would be to see the look on the Emperor's face at his choice of costume!
My hunt for our intruders has turned up nothing so far. The trespassers have vanished like the morning mists. Our guest remains obdurate and annoying, and Rhaine has been no where to be found.
Lucien spent several hours discussing their options given the danger all of them are currently embroiled within. Court intrigue has always been de'riguer, but this kind of intrigue can have deadly effects that we need to avoid.
Lucien would be at the Marchioness' side at all times from here on out. We will not risk another attempt on her. She won't like it, but no one will see him, with the exception of the Marchioness herself. That was a gift we felt she deserved after she saved our lives. We cannot vanish from her, nor remain invisible to her even if we wished to do so. She will have to deal with absolutely no privacy for the moment. Besides, she knows we hear everything anyway. I do wonder if she's told Mr. Caer that little detail, or whether he's been sufficiently exposed to vampires to know that even whispers cannot hide from our hearing? Having a vampire around means there are no secrets of any kind. Having two around guarantees no secrets.
Caleb has vanished, further casting the household into danger if it is discovered that he is missing. The man believes himself immune to the requirements of life. It will cost him most grievously one day. He's dangerous in his own right, and not a human to be trifled with in any way. It is a shame that he has no sense of hiding in plain sight rather than standing out as rogue.
I have to laugh at Lucien. He will not be seen by anyone other than the Marchioness, and yet he will go in the spirit of the masque in black tuxedo, white shirt, and the feathered mask of an emperor penguin! It is rather a shame that no one will see him. Of special interest would be to see the look on the Emperor's face at his choice of costume!
My hunt for our intruders has turned up nothing so far. The trespassers have vanished like the morning mists. Our guest remains obdurate and annoying, and Rhaine has been no where to be found.
Gabriel Datrazanov
-
Azjah von Drachen Walde
- Expert Adventurer
- Posts: 1138
- Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2005 1:13 am
- Location: Palazzo Drachen Walde
- Contact:
Panicked Maid
The abysmal morning turned into afternoon much too quickly, and soon Katarina was hounding me to begin preparations for the masque. She fussed and hovered until I could delay no longer and I headed for my rooms.
I had asked her to send help to both Cara and Anne, so that we could all be ready to leave together. Cara would probably welcome the help. I am not so certain Anne will welcome the extra hands and pampering that goes along with preparing for such an event.
As I entered my rooms, the scent of ginger and orange wafted from the hot water drawn for my bath. HEAVEN! I sank into the deep pool of scented water with a grateful sigh. The heat of the water melted into my body, drawing the tension from it almost magically. Katarina set about shampooing my hair with a ginger scented liquid, and I closed my eyes in sardanapalian bliss as her fingers massaged through my hair. If there is heaven on Rigel, it is just like this moment in suspended time!
All too soon though, Katarina rinsed my hair, and held out the warmed bath sheet. My respite from the world was over. She worked more ginger scented oil into my skin and then she began drying and working on my hair, and I confess she is a gifted woman! She made my hair do things I would never have dreamed of to compliment the Harpy Eagle feathers that would be worked into the coiffure next. The effect was stunning.
Makeup was next, and we'd just begun discussing the right shades and tones when a frantic maid entered, "Marchioness! Please come quickly! We could not get an answer from Miss Xile's room, and when we entered, we found her - sleeping, but we cannot awaken her!"
I rose quickly, pulling a silk robe about me as Lucien appeared, "she is drugged, her blood is reeking of sleeping compounds," he told me softly. His expression said that the sleeping compound was too high a concentration to be simply a sleep aid.
I looked at my old friend; he would not mistake something like that in her blood. Such things absolutely reek to a vampire. The question now, did she do this herself, or did someone do this to her?
I sent Baumann for Klinton as I hurried to Anne's room.
I had asked her to send help to both Cara and Anne, so that we could all be ready to leave together. Cara would probably welcome the help. I am not so certain Anne will welcome the extra hands and pampering that goes along with preparing for such an event.
As I entered my rooms, the scent of ginger and orange wafted from the hot water drawn for my bath. HEAVEN! I sank into the deep pool of scented water with a grateful sigh. The heat of the water melted into my body, drawing the tension from it almost magically. Katarina set about shampooing my hair with a ginger scented liquid, and I closed my eyes in sardanapalian bliss as her fingers massaged through my hair. If there is heaven on Rigel, it is just like this moment in suspended time!
All too soon though, Katarina rinsed my hair, and held out the warmed bath sheet. My respite from the world was over. She worked more ginger scented oil into my skin and then she began drying and working on my hair, and I confess she is a gifted woman! She made my hair do things I would never have dreamed of to compliment the Harpy Eagle feathers that would be worked into the coiffure next. The effect was stunning.
Makeup was next, and we'd just begun discussing the right shades and tones when a frantic maid entered, "Marchioness! Please come quickly! We could not get an answer from Miss Xile's room, and when we entered, we found her - sleeping, but we cannot awaken her!"
I rose quickly, pulling a silk robe about me as Lucien appeared, "she is drugged, her blood is reeking of sleeping compounds," he told me softly. His expression said that the sleeping compound was too high a concentration to be simply a sleep aid.
I looked at my old friend; he would not mistake something like that in her blood. Such things absolutely reek to a vampire. The question now, did she do this herself, or did someone do this to her?
I sent Baumann for Klinton as I hurried to Anne's room.
Azjah Telyria Danaan
Marchioness von Triberg
Baroness von Drachen Walde
Marchioness von Triberg
Baroness von Drachen Walde
-
Azjah von Drachen Walde
- Expert Adventurer
- Posts: 1138
- Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2005 1:13 am
- Location: Palazzo Drachen Walde
- Contact:
I found Anne on the floor in her bath, crumpled like a ragdoll amidst broken glass. Her breathing was shallow and labored.
I had her moved to her bed, saying a quick prayer that we were not too late. As she was picked up the vial of pills spilled from her hand. She'd not taken them all. That was a good sign that this was accidental and not planned.
I had her moved to her bed, saying a quick prayer that we were not too late. As she was picked up the vial of pills spilled from her hand. She'd not taken them all. That was a good sign that this was accidental and not planned.
Azjah Telyria Danaan
Marchioness von Triberg
Baroness von Drachen Walde
Marchioness von Triberg
Baroness von Drachen Walde
Hangover
The fuzzy lines of consciousness started to come back, a fuzzy line that was all. I saw fuzzy things, everything spinning out of proportion. There were the oddest things, like a bottle of pills that said heartache on it. And then the sea, which was really the sky, which was really a swirling whirlpool with a big sharp stake at the bottom. It was all so darned confusing! The fuzzy lines sort of thinned out and then a familiar cold blackness settled in my mind.
A faint sense of texture, of touch, went up my fingers and registered with my brain. There was a slight dull roar in my ears, kind of like a humming noise. I tried to say something, but my lips and tongue wouldn't twist just right. Breathing was difficult and part of me just wanted to slip back into that senseless darkness.
The fuzzy lines threatened to come back. I'd have to fight it. So I fought it, I struggled to stay awake. Focusing all of my concentration on one thing, just one thing. I would stay awake if I could just focus on one thing. I needed to say something, even if no one was there. If I could twist my muscles to say one word then I would be satisfied.
With effort I produced a soft 's' sound. Then with one twisted contortion I slurred out the first word that came to my mind.
"Sorry"
A faint sense of texture, of touch, went up my fingers and registered with my brain. There was a slight dull roar in my ears, kind of like a humming noise. I tried to say something, but my lips and tongue wouldn't twist just right. Breathing was difficult and part of me just wanted to slip back into that senseless darkness.
The fuzzy lines threatened to come back. I'd have to fight it. So I fought it, I struggled to stay awake. Focusing all of my concentration on one thing, just one thing. I would stay awake if I could just focus on one thing. I needed to say something, even if no one was there. If I could twist my muscles to say one word then I would be satisfied.
With effort I produced a soft 's' sound. Then with one twisted contortion I slurred out the first word that came to my mind.
"Sorry"
Anne Ellis Feren
-
Azjah von Drachen Walde
- Expert Adventurer
- Posts: 1138
- Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2005 1:13 am
- Location: Palazzo Drachen Walde
- Contact:
Prayers
Anne slowly began to rouse, a hazy “sorry” slipped from her lips.
“Anne!” We needed to keep her working toward consciousness.
“ANNE!”
The physician came through the door, escorted by Baumann. He was given the vial of pills that remained, and made an examination of her condition, he drew an injection that he assured us would counter the effects of her apparent overdose.
He waited until Anne was lucid, checking her vital signs to make certain she had no reaction to his medication. He asked Anne several questions that I had wanted to ask, and then discovered that while she’d erred in judgment, there hadn’t been a serious attempt to end her life. She would be alright physically. It’s the emotional aspect that concerns me.
Anne has been through hell and back, it is bound to take its toll on her psyche.
I was prepared to disobey the Kaiser’s command and stay home with Anne, but I was reminded by Cara that to disobey him would bring severe penalties. As we debated who would stay, Anne announced that she intended to go to the fete. The antidote the physician had given her had brought her around quickly.
We had 5 hours until we had to be at the Imperial residence. It was going to be a very long night.
Silke stayed with Anne to help her get ready, as I exited her rooms to return to mine. Klinton was standing just outside Anne’s door, and his expression reiterated what he’d said last night, ‘this is insane, I’m going home.’
I wish with all my heard I had not brought people I care about here, into this intrigue and rivalry. They say hind sight is 20/20, mine is more like 20/10.
Katarina was speaking with a young man I have not seen previously, but as I entered, he gave me a quick how and departed.
“Who was that Katarina?”
She fidgeted a bit, “my brother madam.”
I seated myself once again, “Please do not allow him into my suite again.” I am not convinced that was all he was, but for the moment, I had to let it go.
We finished evening makeup and dressing. We had 2 hours to go when Katarina proclaimed me ready for the fete. I am going to have a splitting headache before the night is through.
Arriving in the library, I found Lucien waiting, resplendent in black tuxedo, snow white shirt, and the feathered mask of an Emperor Penguin. With a wave of his hand, he closed the library doors, “Marchioness, Mr. Feren is not currently upon your property.” Lucien tends to be sparse with words, but those words froze my blood in my veins.
“Can anything else go wrong?” It was a rhetorical question, and true to Lucien form, he did not reply. “Do we know where Mr. Feren has gone?”
“No madam, I have not alerted anyone to search for him. That is the fasted way to assure news of his disappearance reaches the Kaiser.” Lucien could follow, but he remained here.
A knock at the library door produced Cara as I bade her enter.
Cara was resplendent in her golden eagle costume. The colors suited her complexion beautifully. A more regal look would be very difficult to achieve. She would turn heads when we got to the fete. “Good afternoon Duchess, you look beautiful!”
Lucien remained mute. I realized that Cara could not see him standing across from me, and with an internal sigh, I realized that Lucien is all business and none will see him. I only wonder how close he plans to stick to me.
As everyone began to gather in the library, I prayed for an uneventful evening ahead of us.
“Anne!” We needed to keep her working toward consciousness.
“ANNE!”
The physician came through the door, escorted by Baumann. He was given the vial of pills that remained, and made an examination of her condition, he drew an injection that he assured us would counter the effects of her apparent overdose.
He waited until Anne was lucid, checking her vital signs to make certain she had no reaction to his medication. He asked Anne several questions that I had wanted to ask, and then discovered that while she’d erred in judgment, there hadn’t been a serious attempt to end her life. She would be alright physically. It’s the emotional aspect that concerns me.
Anne has been through hell and back, it is bound to take its toll on her psyche.
I was prepared to disobey the Kaiser’s command and stay home with Anne, but I was reminded by Cara that to disobey him would bring severe penalties. As we debated who would stay, Anne announced that she intended to go to the fete. The antidote the physician had given her had brought her around quickly.
We had 5 hours until we had to be at the Imperial residence. It was going to be a very long night.
Silke stayed with Anne to help her get ready, as I exited her rooms to return to mine. Klinton was standing just outside Anne’s door, and his expression reiterated what he’d said last night, ‘this is insane, I’m going home.’
I wish with all my heard I had not brought people I care about here, into this intrigue and rivalry. They say hind sight is 20/20, mine is more like 20/10.
Katarina was speaking with a young man I have not seen previously, but as I entered, he gave me a quick how and departed.
“Who was that Katarina?”
She fidgeted a bit, “my brother madam.”
I seated myself once again, “Please do not allow him into my suite again.” I am not convinced that was all he was, but for the moment, I had to let it go.
We finished evening makeup and dressing. We had 2 hours to go when Katarina proclaimed me ready for the fete. I am going to have a splitting headache before the night is through.
Arriving in the library, I found Lucien waiting, resplendent in black tuxedo, snow white shirt, and the feathered mask of an Emperor Penguin. With a wave of his hand, he closed the library doors, “Marchioness, Mr. Feren is not currently upon your property.” Lucien tends to be sparse with words, but those words froze my blood in my veins.
“Can anything else go wrong?” It was a rhetorical question, and true to Lucien form, he did not reply. “Do we know where Mr. Feren has gone?”
“No madam, I have not alerted anyone to search for him. That is the fasted way to assure news of his disappearance reaches the Kaiser.” Lucien could follow, but he remained here.
A knock at the library door produced Cara as I bade her enter.
Cara was resplendent in her golden eagle costume. The colors suited her complexion beautifully. A more regal look would be very difficult to achieve. She would turn heads when we got to the fete. “Good afternoon Duchess, you look beautiful!”
Lucien remained mute. I realized that Cara could not see him standing across from me, and with an internal sigh, I realized that Lucien is all business and none will see him. I only wonder how close he plans to stick to me.
As everyone began to gather in the library, I prayed for an uneventful evening ahead of us.
Azjah Telyria Danaan
Marchioness von Triberg
Baroness von Drachen Walde
Marchioness von Triberg
Baroness von Drachen Walde
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest