Captain Blake's Home Archive

"He is a good man... Kind and just... And if he was killed... The men who killed him did it out of cold blood. Medan was full of honest and hardworking people, who were fiercely loyal to their king and prince, and in turn... me... Evrand worked hard in the name of peace. I cannot believe he would hide for very long if he did hide." She dropped her gaze, her voice softening to a very quiet tone. "I barely had a chance to be with him once we were married, but I love him. I see him in the faces of our children." Tears began to trickle unchecked.

"What will I tell them? How will I begin to teach them of the kind man their grandfather was? How brave their father was? And what will I do? I am alone again. I should have stayed in the forest. I should never have left Verri... Maybe they would still be alive."

"I don't understand why..." she muttered and swiped an angry hand across her eyes. Her shoulder sagged under his grip and she turned her head away. "My eldest son, if it is true that Evrand met his death, is rightly king of Medan. He should be on the throne, not that infidel." She felt so lost and, oh... "I am scared, Devrin. I am scared for the boys. Her head dropped forward. She shook it and sighed heavily. "What did he mean by revenge?" Could she do it? Could she get revenge on the man who killed the only family she had left?

She was still so very weak and now rocked by the news of home. She tilted her head back and looked at her rescuer, really looked at him. He had pulled her from hell, and he was now there with his hand on her shoulder. And she could not do anything in return as of yet. Her eyes dropped, and she instinctively leaned toward the only solidity there was to be had so she could grieve.

She kept to herself, only going outside into the garden to take refuge among the flowers. Sometimes she would take her bow out with her and shoot arrows at targets she created out of whatever discarded item would suit... Sometimes she would sleep curled up around her boys as they slept in baskets. As the weeks passed, she procured a few gowns, taking care not to spend too much of the gold she'd had on her person when they had found her; not wanting to let them spend money on her. She procured one gown only for being around the king in, as it was her duty to dress in such a fashion.

When the day came, she dressed carefully. It wasn't any flashy color, she felt that it would be disrespectful to dress brightly while in mourning... The shift was a soft, pastel green color, and the kirtle was a darker green. She wore a corset of simple copper links, and her hair was tucked into a snood. It was nothing spectacular for the fact she was grieving, but it suited the purpose.

She joined the others after she was ready, to wait for his Majesty.

She dipped into a deep curtsy, bowing her head forward in a show of respect. "Your Majesty." When she stood straight again, her chin was lifted. "Thank you." She couldn't help but let her gaze stray over to the winged horses. She had seen unicorns in her youth, but never a pegasus or two. She would look to the King as well, and was struck with his size more than anything.

He looked close to her age and very kind. It was sort of like seeing a mixture of her husband and his father. She felt a sta of sadness in her belly. The young widow smiled a wavering one, a smile that never touched the caramel eyes. "I trust your trip was a pleasant one, Majesty..."

Old habit. She waited politely for his reply, not disguising her intent observation of this land's king. She was definitely a royal, unabashed for it too.

She obliged and walked with Renaux to privacy. In there, she wouldn't sit without his leave. Assuming he gave it to her, she sank tiredly into the chair provided for her. She took a heavy breath before speaking softly, "Thank you for coming to see me. I realize that it must be a great inconvenience." She tilted her head as she peered at the monarch in front of her. "I gave my fate to King Hylon not so long ago that he would choose one from his kingdom for me to marry. I was born Princess of Verri, which had fallen some years before Hylon created Medan on part of it's lands. It was only logical he be given that choice, it was to unite an old kingdom to a new. I didn't have much time with Evrand after we married, but it was long enough that I bore his sons... I had to leave on quest not long after, and was captured. I do not remember much after that, I was so very ill."

She took a deep breath and continued, "The next thing I remember was waking up to find out I had given birth to my sons. I knew nothing of the downfall of Medan, or Verri.... Until I happened to overhear the servants tell of the events. Please, your Highness, I -need- to know more."

"I loved him very much." she said. She sighed and bowed her head for a moment. And then he spoke of what happened. She lifted her head and stared over his shoulder. Every time the name "Zephidel" was mentioned, she grew cold. Anger found her eyes. She might be a widow, but she was also a warrior. She stood and began to pace, listening to every word he said without interruption.

When his recountings were over, she was angry. "So he killed the king under pretense... Are there not rules of war, Sire?" She asked, clenching and releasing her fists in rage. "And our people... they are not safe... Oh, Gods..." She sat back down and began to worry her hands. "And I can do nothing..." Her voice was soft again... "I am not healed yet, and I am but one. I cannot go back and save our people. Nevermind the land! And our children... They are rightful heirs to that land, but I cannot take them with me and I cannot leave them here either."

"I do not know if I can handle being with many people... I... I am accustomed to being in the open. Marrying Evrand was a large change." She told him her extraordinary story, how she was a descendant of the ancients in the land of Verri. She explained about Croaria and some gems, as well as the scepter and how she was trying to stop history from repeating itself. She explained that she hired herself out as a mercenary for King Hylon as a front to keep her secret safe, only to have found that she could trust them with her life, and thus was arranged to marry Evrand. She spoke of the floating island and how she had been there with no way of getting out until the captain came along. It was a strange and unusual tale, to be sure, but truth, nevertheless.

"I am not sure that I am the right company for refined places." She gestured toward the ah... finery around them, the chair he sat in. "I was willing to try for Evrand, but he's... and... I've no money for clothing or to pay for boarding."

"Where would I go anyway?" she asked, bluntly. "The furthest I have desire to go right now is the garden... Or am I misunderstanding and you mean that you do not wish for me to leave your country? I can assure you, I have literally no place to go. I will go to your castle if that is what you wish, sire." She was so tired sounding by that point, so wary. "If it is better for security purposes. I just wish to keep in contact with the captain and his family freely. That is all. They've all been so very kind to me, especially his mother. And the captain... I would not be alive had he not found me."

She looked into his eyes at that point. He would be able to see she was defeated for the moment. Between grief and lingering weakness that would only be cured with jaunts in the woods and archery, she was docile.

“I am not offended, Sire... Just tired. Please forgive my outburst.” And then she watched him walk away. She left the room not long after him, and sighed softly. She first checked the children, and then she went back to her room to pull on her peasant clothes – Tunic and armor. She grabbed for her bow and quiver, going out for some target practice and a means to ease the rage she felt.

She was more than angry at the moment, that much would be evident by observation. She set up a swinging target and began to send arrows flying toward it... She grunted every time she notched and pulled the arrow back, curling her lip in a very angry manner every time she hit the target. The first few arrows missed because she was kind of weak still, but as her muscles warmed up, she began to hit the target over and over, rarely missing.

It was angering to know she was somewhat like a prisoner in that she couldn't even go out into a forest by herself, she had a special arrow for that anger... She pictured the murder of her father in law, and sent another arrow flying. She was soon covered in a sheen of sweat as she worked the muscles that she hadn't worked since before the twins were born.

Thhhh-twang.... THUNK.... Thhh-twanggg.... THUNK! It soon became a beautiful rhythm, pausing every now and then so she could collect the intact arrows. Thhh-twanggg.... Thunk!! She had the perfect stance, her feet spread just so, knees relaxed, shoulders poised, arms positioned, chest out... She worked through the burning she felt from the weakened limbs being stimulated, an intense expression written across her face.