Meet the Robynsons

The lord sat down beside his wife, gesturing for the guards to step over.

"Please, take her downstairs. Tell her that I said to rest."

The guards picked up Lady Robynson and carried her downstairs, and Lord Robynson turned to Echo.

"A blade? They wouldn't dare. If they murdered me, there's no way my wife would name them as successor. Besides, they love her more than me. No matter how cold they may get, they wouldn't dare lay a finger on her. Perhaps you're right. A husband for Lucette...that could work. Our house's relations with another house could be improved, it would get her away from here...I only fear for her future husband. However, that really wouldn't be my problem, now would it? That is a good idea, though...would you help me? Will you be a messenger for me? Speed is of the essence, before Lars or Lucette manage to kill each other. I have a couple nobles that could work, if you'd deliver the message."

Lord Robynson's pen moved quickly, scratching along the paper in a neat, stylish script. Despite the man's age, his hand didn't shake in the slightest. Letter writing, it seemed, was one of Lord Robynson's strong suits. In under half an hour, two long and carefully written letters were folded up and sealed in envelopes with wax. He pressed his seal ring into the wax, stamping it with his family crest.

"Here you go, Mr. Swansong. One to Lord Rollin, one to his son Iric. They live in a castle to the east of here, three days ride away. You can make it in two if you go fast and don't stop for breaks. Take a horse, perhaps two if you think that will help. Take this, as well."

He pulled a small painting off the wall, depicting Lars and Lucette. Quickly wrapping it in a cloth and tying it shut, he thrust it into Echo's hands.

"Show them a picture of her, I doubt they'd take your word for what she looks like. No offence, of course. Tell them that I'm looking to bring our houses closer together, please don't mention the whole murdering thing. Go quickly, and pray that we're all still alive by the time you return. Demand an answer quickly, I'll expect you back within the week."

"Are you sure you want that one, sir? Its leg is a bit...off..."

The boy trailed off as Echo tended to the horse. He watched skeptically, then in slack-jawed shock, as the seemingly blind man somehow healed the horse and got kicked into the side of the barn. He rushed to help, but found that the man seemed unhurt. Deciding not to question it, he threw a saddle and reins on the horse and prepped it to head out.

"How did you...never mind. Good luck, sir."

Echo would find no further resistance leaving the castle, and would be able to set off on his way.

[Exit to Castle Rollin]

Echo greeted the lone guard upon his return to House Robynson, informing him that he wished to see the Lord at his first convenience. It had been a hard few days ride back from Castle Rollin, and the constant drizzle had him soaked to the skin. Nadir had been miserable for the entire journey, obviously wishing he could have stayed back in Castle Rollin under the watchful eye of the Lady of the house, but he seemed relieved that the journeying was over, and that he might once again find a little more comfort within the castle.

Echo hoped that nothing major had changed since his last visit, and he was keen to find Lord Robynson as soon as possible, and bring him the happy news. How they would go about convincing Lucette would be another matter entirely.

He dropped from the saddle, gave Radish the horse a hearty pat on the neck by way of thanks, and began to lead her towards the castle, following closely behind the guard.

Echo regarded the two guards closely as they escorted him through the castle. Was this some form of trap? Had one of the siblings finally taken control and ordered the guards to lock him away in the castle? He considered his options carefully as they finally arrived at Lord Robynson's quarters, but he gave out an audible sigh of relief as the Lord sprang from his bed, obviously still in good health.

"It is truly good to see you My Lord." Echo bowed deeply, genuinely happy to see that events had not progressed too far in his absence. "I'm pleased to report that Lord and Lady Rollin are delighted with the offer, and have graciously accepted the marriage proposal on behalf of their son, Lord Iric. They are keen to host the wedding at Castle Rollin as soon as feasibly possible. I believe Lord Rollin will make a worthy ally."

Echo wished he'd thought to pick up some untainted food for the Lord on his journey back, the small amount of stale bread and few carrots he had left were hardly a meal fit for a Lord. Nadir had unsurprisingly devoured all of the honey, which had been the only thing that stopped the hummingbird from complaining too heavily during the sodden ride back.

"Have you considered how you might convince Lucette to accept the offer? Young Lord Iric took a little persuasion, but Lord Rollin was adamant that he accept, and seems set on his son making it to the altar, even if he has to drag him there himself." Echo hoped to avoid the spectacle of both bride and groom being manhandled down the aisle, it wasn't a sight to inspire confidence in a marriage.

Nadir slept quietly on his shoulder, the bird taking the opportunity to rest now that the bumping and jostling of the long horse ride was over.

Echo grinned, nodding emphatically. "I look forward to seeing the looks on their faces when they see this miracle. You never know, maybe their reactions may tell you something about who the poisoner is." He didn't presume it would be that easy, but whoever had poisoned Lord Robynson would no doubt be shocked to see him in good health.

He agreed with the Lord, both siblings had good enough reason to poison him, and it seemed unfair that the poisoner may gain from the marriage, but if it calmed the situation at all, it would be a good thing. He sensed that Lucette would take the marriage instruction harshly, and feared she may see Echo as the one responsible. He resolved then to watch himself carefully around the bride-to-be, for she may not take this defeat with good grace, and her actions may become more desperate in an attempt to extricate herself from the engagement. On the plus side, he hoped Lars would be delighted with the news, and would bolster the house's defence against the devious sister.

With anticipation of the verbal conflict ahead, he dropped into step behind Lord Robynson, keen to offer the wily old patriarch all the support he could as he headed to inform his family of the news.

Echo turned to face Lars. "I've just returned from Castle Rollin, and as requested by your father, we've arranged for Lucette to marry Lord Rollin's son, Iric, at the earliest convenience. The marriage will be held at Castle Rollin as soon as you're all able to travel." He was keen to ensure that it didn't sound like it had been his idea, Lucette was no doubt going to be furious, and he'd much rather her ire be directed at her father than at him.

While he didn't want to steal Lord Rollin's thunder, he was keen to ensure that Lars understand the repercussions of the engagement. "With Lucette to be married, it seems that your father has decided that you will become Lord, and take over the castle upon his death, though I'm sure you'll agree that should be a considerable time yet." He considered both siblings carefully, keen to reiterate that their father was in excellent health, to see if he could gauge any unexpected reactions from either of them.

Nadir had woken up, the aromas of dinner obviously pulling him from his slumber. With the news relayed, Echo set about tucking into the beef stew, breaking the fast that the long ride to the castle had imposed. The stew was excellent, his hunger only amplifying the pleasure as he wasted no time in emptying his bowl and cleaning it with a hearty chunk of bread.

Echo kept his focus on the young Lord as he poured him the drink. While there would be no obvious reason for Lars to poison him, his paranoia at the situation didn't allow him to drop his guard for a second. Receiving the offered glass, he raised it slightly by means of a casual toast, and proceeded to take a long draught of the fine wine.

"You're welcome my Lord. It seems to be the best solution for the situation, and gives both you and your sister the chance to run your own houses." He was happy that it was Lars who would get to inherit, he'd taken something of a disliking to Lucette, and while he had no illusions that he and Lars would ever be friends, he much preferred the more level-headed of the two to take over when the time came. While Lucette would not outwardly be running her new house, Echo had no doubts that the manipulative female would prove to be the power behind Iric's title.

He turned his attentions to Lucette then, keen to see how her outrage might play out. He didn't envy the old patriarch having to deal with his firebrand of a daughter, especially with such a monumental life change in the offing. He wondered if it might have been wiser for Lord and Lady Robynson to name Lars as heir prior to revealing any news of the wedding, but he trusted the old man knew his children well enough, and would handle the situation as required.

Nadir was keeping a low profile, the hummingbird sensing the tension in the room, especially from Lucette who the bird had also taken a significant disliking to. Even if the young noblewoman were to offer the bird some of his beloved honey, Echo suspected he knew better than to accept it.

He was slightly taken about by the direct question. The fact that the assistant cook spoke his name, yet still wanted to know who he was, suggested the commoner had a genuine interest in where he had come from. Echo couldn't stop his mind running back over the events of his life, a flow of difficult memories filling him with unwelcome emotion.

His life had seemed set to be that of a noble, and his youth was spent amongst the finery and education of the wealthy as the heir to his father's title. That had all changed one day, when his mother had taken ill when he was just twenty years old. Stricken by the sweating sickness, she had been close to death when she whispered those five damning words into his father's ear. "Jackon is not your son."

Jackon. His birth name felt alien to him now, and he had neither uttered or heard it in the years since the events of that day. Blind Tad had given him the moniker of Echo shortly after meeting the injured man, when he had refused to give him his name, a name he felt he no longer owned.

The man he had hitherto called father had reacted badly. Consumed by anger and betrayal, and further rocked by grief with his wife's passing, he had taken it out on the young noble. Throwing him into the dungeons, he had been chained for weeks in the oubliette before the patriarch visited his anger upon him. With a red-hot poker he had decided to rob young Echo of the thing that most reminded the man of his former love, and gouged out the bright blue eyes that were a trait of his mother's family.

After weeks of further suffering in the dungeon, his father had finally calmed enough to come and see him again. While the anger was still there, a heavy pall of regret twinged his voice as he formally exiled the young noble. With no money or possessions, a commoner of the house had dragged him to the local monastery and dumped him at it's doors.

From there, Blind Tad had taken responsible for the vulnerable youngster, slowly ingratiating himself and bringing the youngster back from the brink of mental desolation. Teaching him the arts of perception and unarmed combat, the monk had given him a chance for a new life, and for this Echo would be eternally grateful to the blind old man. He smiled as he remembered the sharp-tongued old monk, missing the not-so-gentle mockery that he had continually shown the proud young former noble. He hadn't realised it at the time, but this mockery had broken down his pride, allowing the monk to build him back up with a healthier outlook on life.

As the thoughts washed past, he considered the young cook's assistant, the long pause seeming to bring a little confusion into his eyes. "Me? Ah, I'm no-one of note, and merely a wanderer travelling through in search of a little coin, keen to experience the wonders of the world."