|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 4:26 pm
Kyla Alessandra Dio
Ky felt she barely had time to think in the whirlwind of work and training and preparation over the next two months. Since so many of the villagers’ young women were absent, those remaining felt the need to step in and help out where their work was missed. At the same time, Joran fit combat training into every spare moment of the day, and even structured other tasks that needed to be done in such a way that they served as training. Rebecca and Kieran were set to ambush her at random moments during the day and night, and the political and historical lessons she was forced into with Allete, while interesting, caused more than a few headaches. Exhausted and sore each night, Ky still found the energy to whisper animatedly with her twin about the day’s events, and their intentions after reaching Zurin.
Preparations for their trip began subtly. After a few weeks, as the villagers adjusted to the change of pace and the shifted workload, they assumed that the group had arrived safely in Yantowin, and found themselves speculating whether the girls were enjoying their stay, and what kind of experiences they would be having in the larger town. A month after the soldiers’ departure, Kieve was heard in town speaking speculatively about various foreign herbs he could find in larger markets, and, after complimenting a neighbour’s intricate shawl (a present from her husband, passed down from his grandmother, and originally crafted in Tsarnia), Yvette made a wistful comment about precious dyes and different materials available in different regions.
Letters from some of the girls arrived, assuring their parents of their safety; some promised to bring a few trinkets from town upon their return in a few weeks. Members of the Bern household visited friends and mentioned their idea of planning a trip from Cambria. They gathered interest among the villagers in the trading opportunity and collected samples from various craftsmen and others to take with them, promising to achieve good bargains on their behalf.
Just over seven weeks after their dramatic departure, all of Cambria’s selected brown-haired girls returned safely, in the company of a much smaller group of soldiers who stayed the night and left quietly the following morning. No longer princess-possibles, they no longer required such a host of guards.
Preparations for their “trading party” had remained on schedule, and a date was announced for their outset. Final items were collected and added to their bundles of trading goods, and last-minute requests were made by the girls who’d only recently returned and learned of their imminent trip.
The morning dawned bright and clear, but as the day progressed, gray rain clouds began rolling into the western sky. Ky finished sharpening the last few arrows he’d been working on with some friends who enjoyed hunting, and left to find Allete.
“Hey Ela, excited for tomorrow? I almost can’t believe we’re really leaving.”
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 5:06 pm
Allετε Mαяιαηεlα διο  Allete had put even more effort into avoiding the soldiers that had returned with the rejected princess-candidates. Thankfully, they had only stayed the one night, and Allete had been rather gratified to find that commander from the last time had not returned with the girls and their inadequate escorts. Not that she had feared the commander or wanted more soldiers in her town, but the commander seemed the type to hold grudges and the tiny troop of soldiers sent back with the girls was plainlt unacceptable. How could the council do this to her people? Not only to kidnap them and hold them against their wills for months at a time, but to send them back with inadequate protection from the dangers of the road! The girls were all unable to defend themselves; if they had been attacked by bandits on the road, not a single one would have known more than to scream, cry, and perhaps struggle weakly. In private, she raged against her own inability to save her people from these injustices, not even allowing her friends and family see just how much she was affected. Every tiny scrape and bruise, every blister and sore, aching muscle the girls had gotten from the trip hit her like a blow to the stomach, bringing tears to her eyes and anger to her heart. Only Ky was privy to the storm of emotions the girls’ return had brought on, and even she was not told the true extent, though she likely guessed it.
The anger and despair fueled Allete’s desire to leave; she poured every spare moment into preparing for their departure and learning all she could from Catrin before they parted ways. In many ways, she acted as a person possessed, moving from one job to the next without resting, constantly planning for what they would do in various circumstances, how she and Ky could make the essential allies necessary to their return while still avoiding the notice of the council. Zurin might be a country of free trade and open policies and thus the perfect refuge for herself and her sister, but they would probably also rather wrap her up in chains and send her to the council than to get embroiled in a Roanian civil war.
Unless she could gain powerful supporters before the council got wind of her whereabouts. She would have to find a discreet method to gather allies. As soon as she revealed who she was to a single person, she would be in a race against time, since eventually word of her presence would get out. All people loved to gossip, but courtiers were the worst. The world of nobles was one of intrigue and information. He who knew the most information had the most power, and power was everything to a noble.
So Allete plotted. While she wrote lists of prices or items, when she packed her clothes or the few sentimental possessions she thought she could not live without, as she cooked and cleaned, helped out with the chores or weeded the gardens, she planned the steps to the intricate political dance she would perform upon reaching Bernay.
She was still considering how exactly to gain the support they needed when Ky's voice broke through her thoughts. Looking up from her last minute packing and the lists of objects she and her family needed on the trip, she smiled at Ky's obvious enthusiasm.
"Yes, I agree. But it's time. I was just going over all our packs again to make sure we hadn't forgotten anything. We might never come back here, and even if we do return, things will never be the same again. We can't afford to leave anything behind here."
She glanced out the window of their room at the busy village below and stood from her self-appointed task, "Let's take a last walk around and watch the sunset by the river. The rain clouds won't arrive here for another couple of hours and the sunset will be exceptionally beautiful for their eminent arrival."
The walk was one she would cherish in her memory, a reminder of the people she fought for and the lives she held in her hands.
-------
The next morning dawned cold and grey, the threatened rain coming down in a slow drizzle that dampened spirits as well as people. Allete was uncertain how to feel. She was glad to finally be doing something, going out into the world and fighting for her divine rights, but at the same time, she couldn’t help the sorrow that welled up in her heart as she took a last look at the men and women who had shaped her. She and Ky had been so young when they had first moved to Cambria, now they’d lived longer with the people of this small village than they had in the circles of court that she was heading towards. She would miss this place. For the first time since she had made the decision to leave, she thought about how much she would miss everyone. She suspected she would even miss Joran once she had been away long enough, after all, he was a part of that nebulous concept of home.
Pasting a bright reassuring smile on her face, she hugged the members of her family who would remain in Cambria, barely keeping her composure when Yvette broke out into tears, crying that her baby sister had grown up too quickly.
“Nonsense, Yvette, we’ll be back with new goods in a few months time,” she announced bravely, her eyes misting, “Goodbye, sister. Take care of yourself until we see each other again.”
Turning away from the well-wishers who had come to see them off, she stepped lightly into the saddle of her horse, a pretty sorrel mare named Wind Dancer.
Glancing over at her sister to see if she was ready, she heard Catrin at the head of their party, call out, "Let us be on our way now. As it is, the weather will make travel slow and we will likely have to ride past sundown to reach the next village for shelter."
|
|
|
|
|
|
silentbreeze90 Vice Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2012 12:12 am
Kyla Alessandra Dio
The goodbyes were difficult. Over the years Ky had made some pretty close friends; while they never learned her deepest secrets, they grew up together, got in trouble together, played and competed, shared work, and traded jokes. It was through making these friendships that Ky found her place in the village as a growing “boy,” and though ignorant of the fact, their acceptance of her and her family was what had insured their safety for twelve long years. A few of the older women among their neighbours shed a few tears, the remaining members of the Bern family may have dabbed at their eyes, but for the most part there was little sadness among those sending them off. To Ky’s friends and the other villagers, they’d be missed for a few weeks – a couple months at most – and then seen again bearing the fruits of their trades. Admittedly this would be the first time they had not seen each other for such a long time since Cambria became their home, but such a trip could hardly be considered a drastic separation. The truth weighed heavily on Ky as she kept a light smile on her face in accordance with their story. She could not help but feel the permanence the situation. Events in the months and years to come were anything but fixed, but it seemed likely that she may never have the chance to come back. Even if she ever returned, everything would be different.
No one stayed around too long because of the rain, and the group pulled out with little delay. Ky rode her own horse, a dappled gray mare named Silverbell, and rode in silence for some time, lost in thought. The air was crisp and clean, the drizzle from the clouds felt refreshing on her face. After a while though, the chill worked its way through her cloak, and just about everything seemed wet or damp; it was yet before noon and she was longing for a warm bath at the next village. As predicted, they arrived shortly after nightfall. Ky was grateful for the roof over their heads, for she knew they would not have such shelter every night of their travel.
As was to be expected of the season, spring rains kept them water-logged for much of the journey. Many nights on the road were spent camped out, sleeping in the covered wagon and a lean-to tent set up alongside, a few spare planks separating them from the muddy ground; a simple rotating watch was easy to keep with each member of their party covering a couple of hours. Whispered conversations preceded slumber under the pattering of rain on oiled canvas. The days passed in routine manner, safe from incident or noteworthy danger, and the soddening rains persisted.
Their fifth morning dawned clear and warm. As they rode, the steady thump of hooves accompanied birdsong, and the rustling of the forest around them played a subtle symphony, flowing around the metronome of each breath. Unnoticed at first, each bar and triplet settled into the chambers of her heart, synchronized to the time of each beat. As they continued northbound on the road, Ky truly opened her senses and took in the scents and sights and sounds of her country. They rode by a small settlement sometime in the afternoon and she waved to her people – an old woman, her spine curved as the head of her hoe, bent in her garden pulling up weeds; a young child, less than a decade, whining at the mother, hairs escaping their no-nonsense bun, single-armed gestures exasperated, while nursing a babe at her breast; four men in the fields, calling bits of conversation across the rows. The cluster of three farms took perhaps an hour to traverse.
Cambria had been her home for the majority of her remembered life, but the heartsong of Roanin pulsed in her lifeblood. For one day Ky actually forgot their mission; their plans and inevitable struggles rested far from her thoughts as she flew past them to a time in an indefinite future when she and Allete could travel every mile of their rich and beautiful country. She wanted to trace the outline of its borders along rivers and foreign trees. She wanted to swim in Lake Leona and splash her toes in Ardmalyn Sea. They would cross the southern plains and glimpse Assiru’s desert sands, boat the full length of the Red River, and shake many peoples’ hands. She wanted to feel and know all of Roanin, and this longing turned into a sort of dreamlike plan. Under the ruddy sinking sun, Ky signaled her sister and they rode abreast for a time, talking. Ky shared her feelings and suggested the possibility of a cross-country tour after Allete’s coronation. Their discussion was prefaced with many “ifs” and “assumings,” but she wanted to know if Allete thought it a good idea, and remotely plausible given the amount of work that would become their responsibility once they shouldered their rightful duties. That evening the group managed to set up camp just before the rains resumed, pouring out liquid dynamics, the constant refrain of Roanin Spring.
On the eighth night they arrived in Merryvale well after sundown. They planned to stay there together for one or two days, so that on the second or third morning, the twins would continue on to the border with Rebecca and Kieve, while Catrin and Kieran would remain in town longer, completing all the trades for Cambria’s villagers, before returning with the goods.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 12:41 pm
Allετε Mαяιαηεlα διο For three days, Allete fought an internal battle as they rode on to Merryvale, her sister’s suggestion firmly entrenched in her mind. She wanted to agree: she wanted to take a tour of her kingdom, meet her people, and become the best ruler possible for them. She wanted it so badly. Oh, she might not really enjoy crossing long stretches of rolling hills with scarcely any trees in sight, and hiking around the mountains didn’t exactly sound fun, but it would be worth it to get to know her people and learn about their lives: their joys and their sorrows, their ways of life and their ailments. She wanted to put faces to the thousands that she strove to guide and protect; a tour would be like a dream come true. And yet, it was likely to remain a dream, distant and unreal, at least for the first few years of her reign. She wanted to commit herself to the endeavour, yet didn’t want to give a false promise to the sister who was a part of herself.
The first few years of her reign would be difficult, probably even worse than she could possibly imagine. She would have to fight for every law she wanted passed, push, cajole, and blackmail to get the nobles currently in charge to obey her rule. And most of all, she would have to do it all without actually being able to trust anyone but Ky. Nobody knew what had really happened twelve years ago, but the increasingly heavy-handed methods the council and the regents were using to find Allete and Ky were proof that they had gotten used to their power and meant to keep as much of it as possible. Even if they had originally been loyal to her family, by now, many of the nobles would be thinking how nice life would be if they never had to follow the orders of the royal family again, especially not when the royal family only consisted of two girls who hadn’t even reached the age of eighteen yet. Leaving the capitol would be impossible for Allete until she had a firm hand over them.
She sighed as she plopped out of her saddle, stretching and trying to inconspicuously rub out the residual soreness from the saddle sores she’d discovered after their first day on the road. Thankfully the pain had faded as her body became accustomed to the continuous exertion, but every now and then, there were cramps that seemed to come out of nowhere to hit her in unpleasant places.
She glanced around the members of their traveling party, most of whom didn’t seem to be faring much better than she. Finding excuses to ride horses in Cambria hadn’t always been easy, riding continuously for a long time nearly impossible. Now they were riding more than they had since their original escape to Cambria and muscles didn’t even take a week to atrophy and lose strength and endurance. Twelve years would destroy even the best long-distance equitation muscles.
She looked as they made their way into the inn they would be staying at for a while. Small and homey, the entrance of the inn was made of smooth stained wood with a dark maroon rug at the entrance to lend it a feeling of warmth. As Catrin spoke to the inn’s owner about renting rooms, Allete looked deeper into the establishment, noting that the food seemed plain but hearty and smelled delicious after a long day of riding. That was good, since they would probably be staying here a while. They weren’t yet sure how long she and Ky would remain in Merryvale, but they would have at least one day of rest before moving on. They did still have to hash out the details of what their family would tell the village when they returned without them. They had made tentative plans, but without seeing Merryvale itself, there had been no way of putting details in to make the story a cohesive whole that would hold up under scrutiny.
As the innkeeper had their rooms prepared, Allete and her family sat down at one of the polished oak tables as food was set in generous portions before them. As the servants left, Allete decided to open up the conversation about the next step in their plans.
“Tomorrow we shall have to begin searching for a place which can be used as a cover for our settlement here and set up our system at that place so that any letters sent are redirected back home. That way, letters can be forged to allay any suspicions our neighbours might have when they never get replies from the well wishes and correspondence they send us. We must also determine the actual reason for our wish to leave Cambria. Does anyone have any suggestions on that to start us off?”
|
|
|
|
|
|
silentbreeze90 Vice Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2013 3:56 pm
Kyla Alessandra Dio
Years of constant training meant that Ky was always sore. She woke and went to bed with it, and she felt good. It was a pervasive sort of tightness in her muscles that translated to an awareness of her body as she moved. Of course, during training sometimes one group of muscles might take the focus, and then instead of the pleasant ache during a stretch, the acute soreness in one area would demand attention. Such was the case now, as muscles in her thighs continued to throb even when seated, though even as she longed for a nice soak in a hot bath, Ky felt mildly affronted by such thoughts and the idea that a few days of riding could produce such physical complaints in a supposedly fit body such as hers. Objectively she knew that while her training in horsemanship was quite good, and she rode often enough – at the very least a few hours a week to practice skills, and keep the horses exercised – it could not compare to a full day of travel spent entirely on horseback, let alone a week’s worth straight.
And similar days of travel seemed to feature prominently in their plans for the foreseeable future. Still, it felt good to settle in the warm inn for the night. The rich aroma of the night’s dishes teased a grumble from Ky’s stomach. Luckily she didn’t have to wait long before servers placed food before them and she dug in right away. The first few bites loosened some of the tension from her shoulders, and when the servants were out of earshot and Allete opened discussion, she was able to divert most of her attention from her plate.
It had been decided before leaving Cambria that Rebecca and Kieve would be the ones to stay with Ky and Allete, while Catrin and Kieran would complete the trades and return to the village. Unfortunately, the details of actually setting up the necessary facades could only be achieved upon arrival – hence this last bout of planning.
Tomorrow they would be staying in Merryvale, but it would not be a restful day. The family ate and sipped at watered wine as they plotted out the various tasks. They discussed the merits of using a fake address as opposed to purchasing or renting an actual space. They went over what provisions needed re-stocking for those continuing to Zurin. They planned a trip to the postal station to arrange for letters for Rebecca and Kieve to be forwarded to their home in Cambria, where Catrin could forge their replies. However, halfway through the meal, they still hadn’t pinned down the specific reasons around which to craft their story to send home with Catrin and Kieran – the story of why Rebecca, Kieve, Allete, and Ky chose to remain, what compelled them to stay in Merryvale.
“’Because they felt like it’ isn’t good enough.” Catrin grimaced. Making up a believable story was proving slightly challenging. Cambria was a close-knit community and they had been part of it for years. They couldn’t just leave suddenly without raising suspicion and even worry. “We need a reason – it can be a small detail, but I need to tell everyone something that won’t cause alarm, or worse, cause people to come rushing here themselves. So that means no striking it rich in a town of golden opportunity either.” She was referring to one of Kieran’s first ideas.
“What about an injury, then?” Kieran countered. “Like a broken leg or something. Nothing too terrible, but enough that it made sense to settle temporarily since travel would be too painful or do more damage. And a broken leg takes a while to heal.”
“But why would more than two of us stay? Broken arms all around?” Kieve cut in. “Besides, it does not take that long. With a forced healing you’d be up and about in days. Admittedly in normal circumstances I wouldn’t do such a thing, but even with the usual treatment of poultices and healings you’d still be travel-ready – given a wagon, which we have – in a week.” Kieran started to reply but Kieve continued. “And don’t go suggesting a plague next. People don’t take well to false plague scares.”
“I wasn’t!” Kieran defended. “I was just saying I got it.” He sighed and everyone picked at their food.
Ky pictured the setting they would be painting in their tale – two youths in an exciting, larger town; Kieve and Rebecca in a new home, keeping the twins out of trouble; family dinners would be a smaller affair with just the four of them. Suddenly it seemed so intimate, with Rebecca and Kieran playing the role of mother and father. Ky snorted at the idea.
“Why don’t we just tell them the truth?” Before anyone could so much as blink, Ky continued. “Rebecca and Kieve have eloped and want to celebrate a while as newlyweds. Allete and myself stayed behind to make sure they come up for air once in a while and eat three meals a day.” Ky was immensely pleased with herself when she managed to say it all with a straight face.
Allete was quick to hide a smile with her hand. Catrin and Kieran burst out laughing while Rebecca coughed around the bite she had just taken and Kieve spluttered into his wine. Rebecca was the first to recover.
“Very funny.” Rebecca said calmly in her normal tone. “But really, let’s figure this out.” Faces around the table turned thoughtful, though some of the earlier frustration seemed to have eased.
“Actually,” said Kieran, with a slow smile “I think we might have something here.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2013 1:24 pm
Allετε Mαяιαηεlα διο Allete tried to hide her growing elation with the joking idea her sister had come up with, knowing just how displeased Rebecca and Kieve already were with the immense pleasure that most of their group was showing about the idea. She would likely have felt the same way under their circumstances. Still, this seemed to be a solid idea, and the best one that had popped up so far. It had the added advantage in that they could pretend to go on a honeymoon with the twins in tow and the villagers would be likely to believe their tale and stay away to give the two “time alone.” Unfortunately, Rebecca and Kieve weren’t ready to admit that the idea was a good one, and they probably wouldn’t acquiesce so long as they thought this was another game to tease them. They were stubborn: after all, they had spent fifteen years without once admitting to anyone, possibly even themselves, that they had anything other than platonic, familial feelings for each other. They might eventually go along with it if no other ideas came up, but they would spend an inordinate amount of time arguing or trying to find a way around the idea unless they could be convinced that their friends weren’t just using this story as an excuse to embarrass them. A straight face and serious demeanor would make them feel less like they were being laughed at and more inclined to give in.
Kieve looked ready to do physical harm to someone for the first time in his life, though Rebecca was outwardly calm under the Kieran’s and Ky’s teasing. “Enough!” Allete interceded, and Kieran and Ky reluctantly quieted down while Kieve and Rebecca seemed a little relieved at the sudden reprieve. “This is a good idea,” she held up a quelling hand to stop the inevitable protest from Kieve, “It is only a story with some amount of credulity. Regardless of any arguments for or against may be, the point is moot unless anyone can think of a better idea.” When a penetrating stare around the table came up with no further suggestions, she nodded and continued, “the story will be believed, no matter what anyone in Cambria may think of your relationship now,” her gesture included the embarrassed couple and the rambunctious fellow trainees-in-arms, “because we will convince them to believe it. Besides, we may have to use the ploy again as we are travelling to make our little company less conspicuous; you may as well get used to the idea of being a couple now while the stakes are lower. Now, are there any objections?”
She met her co-conspirators’ eyes one at a time, one eyebrow raised sardonically to find no dissenters. Kieve still looked somewhat as if he wanted to argue, glaring into her eyes, before finally sighing and chuckling under his breath about how she was already getting accustomed to her position in life, while Rebecca merely shrugged her agreement behind a calm façade. The other three nodded enthusiastically, avoiding speaking to prevent the outbreak of another argument.
“Good, then we are agreed. Everyone get some sleep, we’ll have to make our preparations as efficiently as possible, so rest well for the morrow.”
They broke up then, heading for their rooms, though Catrin paused before leaving to place an approving hand on Allete’s shoulder and Ky waited for her sister at the bottom of the stairs to their rooms. Allete smiled contentedly with a small nod of satisfaction and followed the rest up the stairs. Contrary to her own suggestion, she stayed up late with Ky, making plans for various hypothetical situations and imagining ways to ease the hardships to come.
The next few days were filled with a frenzy of activity as arrangements were made, including the purchase of two pack horses to carry the provisions and luggage of the smaller group continuing on to Bernay. Their route to the capital was planned and re-planned, all possible detours were marked on the tiny map as they traced out the easiest and fastest methods of reaching the safety represented by that little star on the map. True, it was unlikely the little group would be discovered mid-journey, and even less likely that anyone would try to catch or kidnap them in the ever-neutral trading country especially since Zurin's guard was well known for taking good care of the minor disturbances that cropped up every few years. But Allete knew that the trip to Bernay was likely the easiest one she and her sister would likely have to make, and she wanted to be as prepared as possible. There was no reasonable explanation for her wish that this first trip was carried out without trouble, she just wanted, no, needed the reassurance that having a relatively uneventful trip would give her. In some deep part of her unconscious mind, she believed that the number of troubles they came upon on the road to Bernay would be an omen, or perhaps a metaphorical representation of the troubles of their road back to their own country and crown. She didn’t voice this feeling aloud, not even to her sister; it was too absurd to ever be spoken aloud, but she continued her planning in earnest, praying for a safe journey with only the normal hardships of a nomad way of life.
|
|
|
|
|
|
silentbreeze90 Vice Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 6:18 am
Kyla Alessandra Dio
Ky suspected the last few intense sparring sessions with Kieran that Rebecca had put them through had less to do with her mentor stepping up in Joran’s absence, than taking out a quiet revenge on the two. There wasn’t much time for proper practice, though, and they could only fit in a couple each day, before bed, and after rising early. Each day was filled with numerous tasks and errands as they gathered supplies, and made the necessary preparations. Still, Ky savored every moment spent with Kieran.
So much about their grand undertaking demanded patience and planning, much travel across the land, and innumerable challenges yet to come. Despite the fact that they were finally on their way, gears in motion, setting out and taking action, every day passed with their goal just as distant, and their pace felt downright plodding. So much that she and Allete were striving forward to existed in a far off future that she just wanted to chase down and capture at once. So many late nights they had stayed up together, dreaming of when that future would be their present, their journey behind them, and their goals achieved.
For the first time, though, Ky felt the days rushing past too quickly, and she wished to slow their journey, just for a moment. Leaving Cambria had been difficult, but now their party would be cut in size again, and this time she would lose her best friend, with whom she had spent the vast majority of her waking hours for the past twelve years. Kieran was her older brother, unrelated by blood. He was protector, mentor, role-model, and companion to Ky; she had been somewhat in awe of him as a child, so great was her admiration. Over the years she had trained with him, learned from him, and confided in him. As she grew older, they grew even closer, found respect for each other, and their personalities easily recognized and formed a strong friendship between them. Ky sometimes felt guilty that she felt closer to this not-brother than her own twin, but while she loved her sister, they just didn’t connect in the same way.
Three days passed, and it was time for goodbyes. It was a private send-off, from their rooms at the inn – after all, Catrin and Kieran would be staying for at least a few more days, if not a week, finishing up all of the trades on behalf of their neighbours in Cambria, before returning. This time there was no need to hide emotions – beyond the usual restraint inherent in their own personalities, and the knowledge that they did, in fact, have to leave at a reasonable hour. Hugs all around found them standing and talking by the door for almost half an hour more before they finally shared one last embrace with each person and gave their parting words.
Walking down the stairs and into the stables gave everyone enough time to collect themselves, and the fresh air dried damp eyelashes quickly. Only two of their bags had to be repacked, to distribute the weight more evenly. The new packhorses were robust yet docile creatures, and took their burden easily. Within the hour they were off and well on their way. That morning had dawned bright and clear, and though there was a slight chill in the air, the roads were wide and dry.
Unfortunately, not three hours later, they faced delay when they came to a fallen tree. It completely obstructed the path at a place where a ditch on either side made going around too difficult, and even when unburdened, the packhorses wouldn’t jump it. It was dull, sweaty business methodically cutting the trunk into manageable logs to be hauled aside, and it took until well past noon. Once the way was clear they broke for lunch, before saddling up and continuing on their way.
Perhaps two hours later Kieve called a halt when he noticed Rebecca’s mount lose a shoe in front of him. She dismounted, cursed, and checked the hoof. There was no damage done, but she could only collect the shoe, and wrap the foot with padding – the horse was used to shoes, and with another day's travel until they reached the border (where she hoped to find a farrier), she didn’t want to risk an injury.
If one were to put much stock in omens, this less-than-smooth start to their journey might seem worryingly indicative of greater troubles ahead. Ky, however, was distracted from this thought as she watched Rebecca walking briskly alongside her horse. She had no trouble keeping pace with the walking horses, but Ky eyed Kieve speculatively and rather wondered how long it would take before he offered to give her a break, or perhaps ride double. Would a well-timed teasing remark be worth the reaction?
Yes, yes it would.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2013 1:20 pm
Allετε Mαяιαηεlα διο Allete was glad that every day was filled with things to do, preparations to make; if she hadn’t been so busy, she knew she would have been frozen in fear. She was afraid of what was to come, not of the challenges in getting her throne back, though that was also lurking somewhere in the back of her mind, but mostly of the changes that would inevitably occur, both in herself and others as they changed and grew apart over time and the distances that would be between them. It had been difficult leaving Cambria, though Allete’s excitement over taking up the journey to her birthright had at first put a buffer between her feelings and the knowledge that she was leaving her family behind. Already, Yvette, the nurse who was practically her sister, had been left behind, and now she would be parting with Catrin, the mentor she had often thought of as a surrogate mother. At least Kieve would be coming with them. Though he was still a bit surly from the repeated jibes from Ky and Kieran, he was a piece of home, a reminder of the happy days of Cambria, the days she wanted to give to all the people of her country.
Leaving Merryvale without crying was one of the hardest things she had ever done in her life up until that moment, but she knew she had to be strong, for the protectors who would worry if she broke down, for all the people who believed in her and her ability to stand strong in the face of adversity. Still, it was difficult as the minutes dragged on, and she withdrew into herself as the moment of their parting came ever nearer. When they at last exchanged their final farewells, she engraved the scene upon her mind. Catrin, a proud, gentle smile upon her face clasping both of Allete’s hands tightly as if she never wanted to let go, Kieran awkwardly patting her on the head with a grin that was so fake it almost seemed to be painful. Kieve, Rebecca, Kieran, and Catrin sharing a group hug with fervent whispered promises for the future. Ky and Kieran wrapped in a long, tight hug, hanging to this last moment together. Sitting up straight in her saddle, she patted her little sorrel for a final bit of comfort, and they rode out.
The minor, or not so minor inconveniences that plagued them that first day grated on Allete’s nerves, though she took care not to let it show in her demeanor. If the easiest part of their journey was beginning so slowly, what did that mean for the rest of their trip? Attempting to push the thought to the back of her mind, she instead examined Ky, who seemed more than ready to make a well-placed jibe at the expense of their companions with their newest trouble. Allete considered Rebecca, Kieve, and her sister. Should she intervene before Ky’s playful teasing convinced the long-suffering pair that one princess would be enough to take the throne? It would be easy enough to suggest a break and give Rebecca one of the pack horses while repacking the original contents it had been carrying in a way that wouldn’t be too much weight for either Rebecca’s horse or the other pack horse. Their luggage was not nearly as heavy as a person; even missing a shoe Rebecca’s gelding should have little trouble keeping up with the lighter load, and they would make far better time with everyone mounted.
Hiding a smile, she decided to leave Ky to her fun. She would wait until they stopped for the night to suggest it. Either way, they would likely be spending the night out under the stars, and they could make up the time tomorrow. She knew Kieve would bluster and bluff, but he was all bark without any bite. He wasn’t one to hold grudges, though she wouldn’t put it past him to give Ky a particularly disgusting concoction the next time she was feeling ill. And from what she’d observed, Rebecca’s revenge would be subtly exacted in demanding practices that would leave her sister too tired to think, much less tease her training instructor about a possible relationship in the making.
Kieve's expected invitation to Rebecca to join him on his horse, and Ky's subsequent jibe came within an hour, and the two reacted as Allete had suspected, Kieve glaring and huffing, while Rebecca seemed to quietly plot her revenge. She knew she’d be feeling sorry for her sister come evening, when they set up camp and Rebecca enacted her training session, but she also knew that her sister would feel it worth the pain since she’d gotten her little bit of fun. Besides, it was rather funny. Even Kieve and Rebecca would have been laughing if it had been anyone else in the same position, or at least quietly smiling much as Allete was doing.
That night, as Rebecca started her torture by training with Ky, Allete helped Kieve repack their belongings to get Rebecca mounted and make better speed until they could replace the shoe Rebecca’s horse had dropped. Allete hoped that they would reach their first destination, a rather large city situated across the river that marked the border, by mid-afternoon the next day. That would leave them the afternoon and evening to get the horse shod and cross the river into Zurin. In fact, when they had originally planned their route, they had hoped to avoid the large city, which was bound to be filled with guards and spies of the regents, in hopes of avoiding notice, but now they couldn’t chance that the tiny hamlet they would have chosen for their crossing would have a proper farrier to shoe the horse.
As she pulled out the first of their provisions, heating the leftover end of a loaf of bread and boiling some dried meat and vegetables in water while Kieve went into the surrounding brush to find them some fresh greens to add to the stew they would eat, Allete began to meditate, gathering energy from the life around her to enact a limited scrying spell of the city on the border. She wouldn’t be able to see much without ever having been there, but hopefully she could at least get a feel for the atmosphere and the overall layout of the city before they entered.
|
|
|
|
|
|
silentbreeze90 Vice Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2013 5:57 pm
Kyla Alessandra Dio
The next morning breaking camp was a painful experience for Ky, as every movement and change in position stretched sore muscles and elicited protest from her body. Clothing, she found more than a dozen new bruises blooming. On the road, she dozed in the saddle for much of the morning; even while awake, she was quiet and subdued – Kieve could have ravished Rebecca atop his horse with nary a comment from Ky. Silently, she did not regret her teasing, but she did feel that it might be best if further humor was left a while to be shared at a later date.
They arrived at Torrin’s Bend Crossing, the border city, in late afternoon. With directions from a passing citizen, they made their way to the city’s farrier only to find the man’s apprentices closing up shop for the evening. They made arrangements to come back early the next morning and then made their way through the streets. A strong presence of Roanin soldiers was evident, with a couple of guards posted every few blocks. At the riverbank, a newly constructed barrack suggested that this magnitude of force was either recently imposed or increased.
Rebecca and Allete walked on to find an inn for the night, while Kieve and Ky strolled through the dockside fishmarkets, conveniently located near the the official border crossing station. Kieve seemed satisfied that Ky had received fair punishment, or in any case, the heavy presence of the guards weighed on their minds, and the two were able to run surveillance without personal squabbles interfering. Three familes and a couple of merchants were waiting at the border station; Ky and Kieve saw them questioned and their belongings searched before they were moved to the end of the large dock to await the return of the ferry barges that would take them directly across to a similar border town in Zurin.
Small talk with the fishmongers revealed that early morning and sometimes late evening were the best times to cross, as recent conditions had led to a backlog of travelers during the day (ferrying ceased from dusk to dawn except in case of emergencies or sizeable bribes, due to concerns of safety and convenience). In years past, many fishing families might take the random passenger across from time to time for a discount rate to supplement income. Most lacked the equipment to ferry horses, livestock, or equally large and unwieldy materials, but having cheap, alternative methods of river crossing had usually benefitted all involved. A quick stop at the border station was still needed for regulations’ sake, but the additional services available helped those who travelled light and couldn’t afford more. This arrangement had changed. Apparently, around the same time that forces were sent out to investigate the existence of the missing royal twins, various other decisions were made including the tightening of border posts. Residents who regularly travelled between river cities could apply for a monthly free travel pass. However, all out-of-town travelers must use the official company ferry barges for passage.
Ky and Kieve returned to meet Allete and Rebecca, who gave the name of the inn they had found and shared other little tidbits they had overheard. They registered for their own room, ate dinner, and bedded down for the night.
In the morning, the trip to the farrier’s was easily settled quickly. After that they divided their possessions carefully, ate breakfast, and made their way to the docks separately in pairs. While the increased presence of the guard was a source of worry, they had found some merit in the accident that had led them to this city, as opposed to a smaller crossing. More traffic made it less likely that the officials who questioned them would remember individual faces among many. Splitting up into pairs would further separate any memory linking them together as one group. Rebecca and Allete arrived first, Kieve and Ky appeared sometime later, and they found themselves waiting to be questioned with two groups between them. Ky felt a strange mix of emotions as they waited, balancing the constant anxious gnawing at her stomach whenever she glanced ahead to Rebecca and Allete, with the flashes of nervousness and the occasional bite of resentment under the watch of the guards, and even long stretches of boredom when it was impossible to escape the fact that they just had to sit there waiting for hours. All along she kept her expressions controlled, although her knee might bounce from time to time, it seemed a normal enough expression of impatience and Kieve didn’t correct it.
Allete and Rebecca seemed to pass without trouble, although Ky could only deduce this from the lack of raised voices and the fact that after their questions and the customary check through their possessions, they were passed through to wait with the others on the loading end of the dock. It was difficult to keep from staring at their faces and straining to hear the whole exchange, but Ky knew enough to dissemble any appearance of familiarity. In the end, the next barge left with Allete and Rebecca, but without Ky and Kieve, as it met full capacity with the next family in line.
Posing as a father and son from the north, who had sold their farm – flooding having wiped out their seed stock just before planting – and were hoping for a turn of fate with a change of lifestyle in the continent’s trade capital, Kieve and Ky made it through the official’s questioning without so much as a raised eyebrow or a second glance. Their belongings were given a cursory check, and the official moved on to the next in line. Waiting at the end of the dock, Ky felt her boredom return, but did not initiate conversation with Kieve. She didn’t know quite where she stood with him at the moment. Beyond rehearsing their cover story early in the morning, they hadn’t shared much discussion over the past two days, and Ky knew that her recent line of teasing Rebecca had ruffled his feathers quite well, too. Then again, at the moment he seemed at peace, and quiet was nothing out of the usual for him. She also vaguely remembered his satisfied smile the morning prior, when she had woken so sore and physically chastised.
Soon enough another ferry barge tied up at the dock, unloaded its passengers and cargo, and they made their way on board. The journey was fairly smooth, but they spent most of it with their horses, stroking noses and murmuring soothing words. An hour later they had disembarked, and checked in with the Zurin-side officials. Then they set off to find Rebecca and Allete.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 11:13 pm
Allετε Mαяιαηεlα διο It had taken them longer than Allete would have liked to reach Torrin’s Bend. She had really hoped to be out of Roanin before nightfall: when she had scryed the night before, the guard presence had been far too strong for her ease of mind. Although they had split up after going to the farrier’s, spending the rest of their days apart, and booking their rooms in separate pairs, Allete was still somewhat nervous as she walked around the city. It didn’t help that she was with Rebecca, a woman who she only vaguely knew and was not completely comfortable teasing or talking to.
It would have been far easier if she’d been with Kieve, they knew each other well, having often spent time together as she learned what healing skills she might from him, but that would have left the two of them with only Allete’s magic as a defense, and the other pair without a healer in case of need. It was no wonder that they had split up the way they had, but it still made for a rather uncomfortable evening. Not that Allete was really shy, she knew she’d have to be able to handle hundreds, even thousands of people she had never met before when she gained her throne. She was a sociable enough girl, charismatic and outgoing; the problem was that Allete didn’t know how to treat her sister’s teachers. They weren’t complete strangers, yet she didn’t feel any overwhelming personal connection to them; they weren’t quite friends, though she somewhat considered them to be her extended family, and they certainly weren’t ordinary retainers, guards, or servants. She wasn’t quite sure how to treat them, but she had to figure out how to interact with Rebecca, quickly.
Now more than ever, it was important for Allete to keep things running smoothly in their little group since they would be stuck travelling together for the foreseeable future. Yes, she had allowed Ky her fun, but she knew that Ky’s good-natured teasing would only slightly discomfit the older couple, and wouldn’t truly hurt their relationship so long as she didn’t carry it too far. And she wouldn’t. Ky knew her mentor well enough to know when and where to stop, and wouldn’t push Kieve too much either. She wouldn’t risk truly offending either of them any more than Allete would though she would likely come much closer and push the boundaries a bit just for the sake of having something fun to do.
So as she and Rebecca found a cozy little inn for them to stay in, booked a room and did a little bit of shopping (and more importantly, gossiping) at the market, Allete was on her guard, moving calmly and slowly out of earshot of the guards and away from the direct line of their vision, as if there were something that caught her eye. They would be suspicious if she hurried away from them, so she moved slowly, but she also didn’t want them to realize that she was asking questions about their movements. Not that they were making any secret of their activities. It was rumored that the five newlywed men who had posted their banns so quickly had deemed the presence of the unruly guards enough incentive to ask for marriage despite lacking funds and residences to support their sweethearts. Then there were the rumors that the five fathers had agreed suspiciously quickly in spite of those same lacks. Oh yes, the guards had made their presence known, especially among the women. Every night, they went to the rowdier bars, gambled, drank, and started fights, then shambled back to their beds, accosting any woman walking alone on the street. In the mornings, they woke with splitting headaches and grumpily stomped down to imbibe more alcohol, which they seemed to believe would cure them of the result of their excesses. Well, at least it made them slightly more amenable until around noon when the buzz from the alcohol wore off and their grumpiness returned in full. It would be best to get over the river as early as possible, which was just as well since Allete had no intention of remaining on this side of the river longer than necessary.
The notable presence of the guards now put a slight kink in their plans. Originally they had meant to pass separately, each with their own names and papers, and forgeries had been made up for that contingency. Now, the papers had to be changed, and Allete sat down after dinner, using magic to clean off their fake names so that new names could be written. The documents were finished quickly then passed off to Kieve and Ky, and Allete went to bed early, hoping to sleep off her excess nerves. She woke just as nervous the next day, and worked hard not to show her anxiety as they waited in line to cross the river. The guard barely looked at them askance and passed them through with a few cursory questions, obviously more concerned about the long line of people gathered behind them. As they stepped on the barge that would take them across the river, Allete felt the tension slowly seeping out of her. There hadn’t been any trouble, and if the Roanin side of the border were any indication, it seemed likely that there would be no trouble leaving Torrin’s Bend far behind as they made their way to Bernay. This seemed to have been the first real piece of luck they’d had on their journey so far.
As she sat down on the bench, she a rather prosperous-looking gentleman seemed to be staring at her, or rather, at Rebecca from across the barge, where his cart was being backed into place to be properly strapped to the boat so it wouldn’t move during the crossing. Allete examined him curiously. A merchant most likely, considering his cart and his clothes: rather plush, but dusty and showing wear, and older, perhaps a little older than Rebecca. She couldn’t imagine why he was staring so specifically at them. Their clothes were no worse not better than any of the others on the boat, if he was looking for an easy sell, there were a few others who looked far more affluent, and the lines on Rebecca’s face from long hours training in the sun ought to imply that she was a weary, work-worn, penny-pinching mother to those who looked at her from an objective view. They were probably not the worst marks on this boat, but they were far from the easiest.
Lightly tapping Rebecca, she lightly commented on the man, knowing the experienced professional would never give away their topic by staring directly at the man. “Do you know that man? He’s been staring at you since we got on the boat.”
Rebecca merely shook her head imperceptibly, “I don’t recognize the man though there is something familiar about his face. It seems he has noticed your appraisal and come to talk at us.”
The man sat down across from them, smiling congenially as he looked back and forth between them, “How nice to see such a lovely couple of travelers, are you perhaps sisters?” Allete looked at the man slightly skeptically. Sisters? A teen and a forty year old woman? Surely that was stretching credulity a bit much. Allete shook her head, allowing her skepticism to show through. “Surely a woman as young as you could not have a child so old!” The man continued, and Allete nearly laughed at the age-old seller’s charm that had surely managed to convince many a woman to buy something above their price range. Not that anyone in their group would fall for something so blatant, but he wasn’t too bad a salesman for the average woman not stopped in intrigue. Instead she settled on a bored look as Rebecca tinkled out a laugh and thanked him for his kindness.
“Mom, don’t joke around, you don’t look anything like my sister; this guy is obviously trying to sell us something,” Allete feigned disapproval as Rebecca took on the role of flattered mother.
“Mari! How could you say something like that? The nice man was just making conversation!”
Allete ‘hmphed’ and pretended to sulk as Rebecca apologized for her rudeness. The man laughed, waving away the apology, “Oh, it’s no problem. So what are two beautiful girls like you doing on the road all alone?”
“Oh, we’re just heading to stay with some of my relatives. Since my husband passed away, things just weren’t working out where we were, so I decided it was time for a change. Mari here is just upset since she won’t be able to see her friends anymore. I keep telling her she’ll make new friends, but, as you’ve seen, she’s still a bit miffed.”
Allete threw her ‘mother’ a blistering glare and made a most unladylike snort as she folded her arms across her chest, “Well what about you?” She directed her question towards the merchant, as if trying to deflect the attention off of her childish tantrum, and he took up the conversation, telling funny little anecdotes for the rest of the boat ride. They split up as they left the boat, him to his cart while Allete and Rebecca were quick to pass through the guard station set up on the Zurin side of the border and into a hidden alley where they could wait for Ky and Kieve without meeting the man again. Allete never had figured out why he’d been staring at Rebecca.
Stevan Hollside, the merchant Allete and Rebecca had met was actually not a merchant at all. He was, in fact, a spy for the regents who had just returned from a meeting with one of their factors on the current political and economical status of Zurin. He had an eye for faces, and that mother had seemed so familiar and yet not at the same time. Had he perhaps seen her in the capital before the sudden assassination of all the candidates to the throne? He’d been working mostly in Roanin then, reporting on the demographics in his employer’s domain so that higher taxes could be levied in certain, politically weak, areas with nobody the wiser. It was odd that he couldn’t quite remember who she was; he usually had such a good memory when it came to knowing about people. He’d been so caught up in trying to figure out where he’d seen her before that he’d nearly blown his cover staring at her. The girl had noticed. He’d attempted to cover it up with charm, but he’d certainly have to be more careful in the future. He hadn’t gotten where he was without learning not to make an impact, and he’d certainly made an impact on that pair with his crude charm.
He made a note of her face in his mind as he moved on, going to the captain’s office to receive any new instructions and report on the response of the Roanian citizens to the increasingly heavy handed attempts to find the missing princesses. He’d probably never see her again, but it was always better to remember a couple extra faces and their stories.
|
|
|
|
|
|
silentbreeze90 Vice Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 8:27 pm
Kyla Alessandra Dio
Soon after leaving the border station, Ky and Kieve saw Allete and Rebecca step out from an alley and continue down the street. As they passed it they saw it was the perfect spot to wait unnoticed, watching the comings and goings on the main street. They followed at a distance and soon enough found their way into a fresh produce market. Here Rebecca and Allete stopped to look over various items. Kieve and Ky meandered through the stalls; Ky met up with Allete at a fruit stand, lifting a pear to feel for ripeness.
“It’s wonderful, the variety available in bigger cities with the benefit of mages and glass houses.” They struck up a lighthearted conversation, and soon Rebecca and Kieve joined them, officially “merging” groups. It was not uncommon for small groups of travelers to join together when paths intersected, rather, part of a social experience that also generally provided greater security on the road for the whole. It was a small play for an audience that likely wasn’t watching, but as much as they could, they were determined to keep a low profile, leaving none of the details that usually gave away a lie to chance. A number of those in the marketplace had the appearance of travelers, and surely the capital would be a common destination for some.
They purchased some fresh fruits and vegetables, and visited a butcher for a small amount of fresh meat. Then they walked the short distance out of town to set up a small fire and cook lunch. Skipping the chance to buy prepared meals would save a little money, but the markets offered nutritious fresh fruits and vegetables that would not be available on the road, and farmed animals that would be missed after a week of game and dried meat. The meal was delicious. With the greater efficiency already learned from their time on the road, they quickly cleaned up and continued on their way.
As they rode they passed a small group travelling slower due to two wagons. They covered a good amount of distance considering it was early afternoon when they left Torrin’s Bend, and set about making camp just as the light began to grey with dusk. Sitting around their small fire, eating a light dinner, they discussed their separate crossings in greater detail. Although it seemed they had all passed without close scrutiny, the large presence of the guards was a worrying indication of the conditions throughout Roanin. It would be important to accurately discern the state of Zurin’s political security and the living conditions of its citizens during their travels.
The likelihood that they would begin to cross paths with other travelers and possibly share camp sites would increase as they came closer to Bernay; the trade capital of Zurin was famed for its economy – all merchant’s routes included it, and the opportunities for work and commerce attracted visitors and immigrants. They group used their privacy this evening to discuss plans and tactics once again, given that their environment could change from day to day.
The strong presence of the guard in Torrin’s Bend had messed up their plans a little. Originally they had wanted to slip through a smaller crossing, separated with the twins together, and Rebecca with Kieve. It was to be the start of a separate tale, for any they would meet in Bernay who might choose to look closer at their stories and track their travels. Back in Cambria, preparing for their journey, when discussing methods of gathering intelligence and reaching out to allies, they had come up with a strategy to pursue as many avenues of inquiry as possibly, while maintaining the highest security. Assuming safe arrival in the destination of Bernay, Kieve and Rebecca would begin to reach out to old contacts and political figures, using their names and their old positions at court to assure potential allies of their identities, alliances, and the truth of their connection to the famed princesses. Meanwhile, Ky and Allete would keep their identities secret while they researched propaganda, rumor, and history at street level, questioning merchants and common folk, and checking the archives of news sources. They would work and live separately, meeting and communicating with a series of prearranged signals to share information and update each other on their state of progress.
However, the detour to Torrin’s Bend brought them under the sights of many more faces, with the purpose of such an increase in force almost certainly the drive to find the two princesses. Two youths of the expected age, matching the approximate description, and with unmistakable family relation, travelling alone, would only draw slightly less attention than two youths of the same depiction travelling together with a whole contingent of armed guards. As it was now, their cover stories had allowed them to pass without undue notice and deflected extra attention. They should be able to swap their pairings and enter Bernay in similar manner, but this small change in their plans created a bump in the continuity of their crafted tale. The stories would still serve their original purpose of fitting their identities to the common and the mundane, but those aspects were meant to deflect attention. If something else triggered attention, they no longer had the continuity of details in the greater lie to those with the resources to look more closely.
Rebecca summarized these changes and shared her unease with the state of the situation. Of course there was a chance that it would not be noticed or ever checked, but every detail and layer of deception added security to their falsehoods, and any such drastic change was a cause for worry. Ky half-jokingly suggested doubling back to create an “accident” whereby a small fire destroyed a few weeks worth of travel records, but even as she said it she knew such an event might draw attention to the border station where before nothing special set it apart from any other.
They settled down for the night with their usual rotating guard. Perhaps someone might have new ideas in the morning.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 5:20 pm
Allετε Mαяιαηεlα διο As the sun peeked over the horizon and morning light filtered through the dense trees to their campsite, Allete fidgeted with the spoon she was using to stir the boiled oats that would be their breakfast. Their discussion the night before had worried her for what felt like ages. She always took the last watch before dawn so that she could start a breakfast that wouldn’t end up with everyone poisoned, but last night she could have taken at least two other’s turns since she hadn’t been able to sleep anyways with thoughts and possibilities running through her head. Finally, though, she’d hit upon a possible solution. She just wasn’t sure how the others would react.
Oh, Ky would love it, that was for sure, she’d probably burst out laughing and ruin any chances of making it work. She shook her head. That was being completely unfair to her sister, even if she hadn’t said the thought aloud; that she was thinking of all the ways this suggestion could go wrong was another sign of her nerves. But this was a good idea! Really it was! It would completely remove the problems with their stories, or at least make sense to anybody who might eventually go around asking. Even Kieve and Rebecca would have to agree that it was a sensible suggestion! If they didn’t accidentally strangle her first. They wouldn’t mean to of course, but well… she supposed they’d have good reason to be irritated with her.
“Good morning!” she called out with false cheer as Kieve poked his head out from his tent, hair still ruffled with sleep. With a skeptical look at her, he merely shook his head, yawning as he made his way to the privy they’d set up outside camp. As she considered his reaction, she judged that she’d possibly made a mistake with her approach. Well it was a bit late now. She’d just push through with it.
She repeated the cheery greeting to more and more skepticism as the other two awoke and began packing up their tents. Hers, of course, had already been packed while she puttered anxiously about on her watch, wondering whether she’d even need her stuff by the time they broke camp and began moving.
As she passed out bowls of porridge, handing around the honey and some dried fruits for flavor, she remained smiling brightly as her three sleepy companions grew more suspicious of her uncommon cheer.
“Alright, out with it, Allete. What makes today such a wonderful morning?”
“What’s not to like about a sunny clear day for travelling?” Allete asked in complete innocence. The other three exchanged incredulous looks, questioning the excuse she’d come up with, and she huffed at their obvious doubt. “Oh alright, so there is more to it than that, but I figured you’d all like to finish your breakfasts first. ”
She took an exaggerated bite of her food as if to say that she meant to finish her food, even if the others weren’t willing to wait, but the other three were still staring at her and she finally gave in. “Well it’s just that I had an idea to solve the dilemma we were discussing last night. It occurred to me that any inconsistencies in our stories could easily be righted,” she paused and looked between Kieve and Rebecca, “if you two were to get married on the road.”
She couldn’t help but flinch as Kieve sat bolt upright, the bite of oats he’d just taken erupting from his mouth as he spluttered. She knew she should have waited until after breakfast.
|
|
|
|
|
|
silentbreeze90 Vice Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 8:16 pm
Kyla Alessandra Dio
Ky’s eyes lit up with barely contained glee. “Yes!” She choked out as she fell over, dissolved into laughter. It was too perfect, and Allete had been the one to think it up!
“No.” Rebecca shot a look at Ky and her businesslike façade cracked. She grabbed a boot conveniently within reach and chucked it at her head, hard. Ky got up a hand in time to soften the blow, but it still smacked her with an undignified amount of force. “I’ll tie you to that tree and use you for target practice. That’s enough!” She rounded a piercing glare at Allete. “Well why don’t you two just get married?! Because that would solve everything!” she snapped.
Abstractly, she recognized that Allete’s suggestion was made out of an honest and reluctant attempt to find a solution to last night’s discussion. Unfortunately, that did nothing to lessen her current agitation, and the fact that such an act would give Ky so much ammunition for her teasing. Her mind unwillingly ran through the next steps if such a plan became their course of action. They would likely forge a marriage license, but it would make the story that much more secure if they stopped in the next village and made things official with valid documentation. It would be a fake ceremony of course, and quite obviously would not be consummated – oh great gods, yes her face could get more red! It would be easily annulled at a later date, but upon returning successful to Cambria, under the reign of the rightful queen, it would be that much more difficult to convince their neighbours that it had been only part of a ruse. And… it wasn’t going to happen. The professional side of her brain had finally caught up and stifled that panicked line of thinking.
Rationally, she could see the idea had some merit, but even as it solved some of their problems, it left others. Yes, it left others, and that wasn’t just the selfish part of her brain speaking against forcing herself together with Kieve. (She sharply turned away from the forming image of the traditional kiss expected at the end of most ceremonies.) The biggest problem was getting Ky and Allete into Bernay without raising suspicion, and repairing the continuity of their constructed identities’ travels for those who might check – any irregularities would confirm deception and instigate closer investigation. If anyone they met in Bernay had seen either pair crossing at Torrin’s Bend, they would likely have a series of questions. Why are you together? The first would be easily smoothed over by marriage, but many travelers meet on the road, and becoming business partners could be equally as likely and innocuous a reason. What happened to your children? Answer: we’re off honeymooning! Not a terrible explanation for your own actions, but the whereabouts of your unattached offspring should be known in this case, they’d be expected in Bernay. Any reluctance to give a straight answer? Not as easily explained. Unexplained absence draws attention, and if you were travelling with purpose to Bernay, where would they have gone? Answer: they fell in love on the road, and as we parents had already decided to merge businesses, it makes great sense to merge families as well. They’re off enjoying themselves, travelling for fun before settling down to new lives.
Rebecca let out her breath with a low chuckle. Her face cooled and her features regained indifferent serenity, though her grin may have been cut with a slightly vindictive edge. “Yes, that’s actually exactly what we’ll do.” She pressed her fingers together and took on a thoughtful expression. Time to go over the details. It would also make sense for Allete and Ky to enter Bernay as a married couple, but neither pair should declare the whereabouts of the other. If Kieve and Rebecca were questioned, they could simply state that their children had married and were off traveling for a time (assumingly outside of Bernay). If Ky and Allete kept up their story of newlyweds, there would be nothing wrong with supposedly setting up their lives on their own.
The trick was to make connections that would be found if one were prompted to search, but in such a way that the connections themselves would lie unnoticeable to others until such a time. Those who knew of an existing connection would not be started by its conspicuous absence, but new contacts oblivious of such an existence would not be alerted to any such connection. It was a twisty tale and far from foolproof, but within the bounds of possibility, and certainly an added layer of protection. If they could pull it off.
The other problem was their paperwork – how much this would matter came down to how efficient the Zurinian officials were and how well they organized their files. Each pair entering the city should be able to do so, answering the basic questions without mentioning the other. However, if the system at Bernay’s city gates involved any form of cross-referencing, there was the chance that their surname would be linked to that of Kieve’s. Still, when they chose their fake names for their forged identification papers they had chosen surnames that were known to be common. Having the same name in this case would not lead to the expectation of relation, rather the slight possibility. Perfect – or at least, as close as they were going to get.
She began to explain the reasoning behind why such a plan could actually fare well, and Kieve seized upon the idea with enthusiasm. Ky was mildly disappointed with the turn of events, but she quickly followed the logic and acknowledged it as a decent plan. They then began to debate the option of a forged marriage license against a “real” marriage in some small village along the way.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2013 2:05 pm
Allετε Mαяιαηεlα διο Allete frowned disapprovingly as her sister reacted much as she’d expected, completely consumed by her laughter, and ignoring the possibility of physical danger from either of the adults. Really, there was a limit to the lack of tact any princess, even one who had grown up as a boy, could have, wasn’t there?
She flinched at the steel in Rebecca’s voice as she refused the suggestion and sighed in resignation. Well, she’d known that Rebecca and Kieve wouldn’t really like her idea. All set to argue in favor of her suggestion, she steeled herself only to hesitate as Rebecca threw Kieve’s boot at Ky’s forehead. Perhaps it would be better to wait until Rebeccca had calmed down a bit before trying to convince her. Allete didn’t think her reaction speed was good enough to block an attack like that aimed at herself, though she doubted the woman would actually treat her in the same way she was treating Ky. Ky’s treatment came as much from her repeated jibes as they did from her reaction to Allete’s newest suggestion.
She tried not to wilt at Rebecca’s threatening glare. Once she became queen, she would have to deal with many incensed people, some of whom would attempt the bodily harm that Rebecca would never actually commit. She couldn’t back down to a mere glare then, perhaps it would be best to practice now while she had the chance to survive any mistakes she made. Speaking slowly and calmly despite her inner disquiet, Allete firmly explained the reasoning behind her suggestion. It wasn’t a bad suggestion, though it might hamper whatever the two had between them for a while as they became accustomed to their new roles. It would inconvenience them, surely, but it seemed a viable solution. She stood behind her solution as the only possible proposal put forward yet. Besides, she might as well get used to standing up for solutions others found distasteful now.
Still, she kept an open mind as Rebecca finally calmed and put forth her own suggestion. Indeed, her scheme had some merit to it though Allete never would have even thought of the idea. In fact the idea seemed better than Allete’s own, providing a stronger base for them to build their web of lies upon. Never one to put pride before the greater good, she quickly abandoned her own plan, working with the others to hash out details for this next step in their plan.
They quickly decided on forging a marriage license rather than conducting an official marriage. Although it would take more effort and leave a slightly less protected open end, they couldn’t afford to have their “marriage,” despite not being real and not using real names, documented by the Zurin government. Even if the details of their travel never became public knowledge, they would still eventually become rather easy to find, and a public document marrying two sisters under fake names would certainly be used against them when that time came. Unfortunately, forging anything literally on the road without a proper table would be impossible, so they resolved to stay at an inn that night if at all possible. The loss of a couple of hours would be balanced by the ability to validate their cover stories, though a part of Allete still chafed at the delay.
The rest of the day passed without incident, and they arrived upon a relatively prosperous town where travelers wouldn’t seem out of place just before they had planned on stopping anyways. The actual marriage license was easy enough to forge, they had hidden away a few blank documents and had only their names, dates of births, and signatures to write; in preparation for the trip they’d prepared quite a few documents, just in case, and considering the stories they’d already given, a marriage on the road had seemed a likely option. All that was left was to forge a cleric’s name and seal the document. That night, they brought their saddles in with their luggage, opening a small secret compartment in Ky’s pommel just large enough to fit a small seal, about half the size of a fist, and a stick of colorful wax. Allete’s saddle included a similar compartment, seal, and stick of wax, the seal of Roanin used for all legal documents, taken when they’d first fled from the capitol, but Ky’s held the more useful piece for this undertaking. Her saddle contained a forgery of the Zurian seal created by Rebecca before they’d settled down in Cambria, just in case they were ever forced to flee the country. The town’s head cleric became their officiator, their ‘parents’ the witnesses, and the two girls signed their false names, Allete applying the barest hint of magic to heat the wax and stamp, applying it just over the end of the cleric’s signature.
She examined it from both sides, checking that the wax was clean and whole and that the burn pattern was clearly marked on the back. Perfect.
|
|
|
|
|
|
silentbreeze90 Vice Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2013 9:08 am
Kyla Alessandra Dio
The next few weeks took on the steady pace of routine, breaking camp, covering as much distance as possible, making camp. Occasionally they took shelter in a friendly farmer's barn, or an inn, but many a night was spent under the stars - or the cloth of a tent to keep off the rain. They passed a few travelers with wagons, extra animals, or children, moving at a slower pace, and were passed by a few express post ponies (or horses), rushing their lighter loads along their route.
They tended to pass through or around larger settlements during the day, making camp off the road at night. It was interesting to hear villagers and townspeople speaking with a slightly different accent; many words seemed to be pronounced more crisply, fewer "t"s were passed over, and some vowels seemed more controlled. Different dishes were served in taverns and street markets, with different spices featuring in new ways. There was an overriding sense of sameness in the day-to-day lives of Zurian people, and yet sometimes a turn of phrase might mark a difference, or the feel of foreignness might creep in more subtly, without specific origin. Every now and again Ky would take a breath and remind herself that she was not in Roanin anymore. For the first time in her life, she was not among her people. Fleeing from the capital, they had made a good home in Cambria, but now she had chosen to leave the country, in the hopes that they might soon return in full.
One week from Bernay, the group split into pairs. Rebecca and Kieve would continue directly west, arriving first, entering the capital through the East Gate, while Allete and Ky would circle out slightly, to enter by the North Gate, hopefully only a day or two later, three at most.
It was a little strange at first, and very quiet. They had lived together as twins, slept in the same room for all of their life in Cambria, shared meals, traded stories, but with such different personalities and favoured activities, while they were close sisters, their friendship had some gaps in the usual places commonalities and shared interests overlapped. They talked about their plans, and joked about how Rebecca and Kieve might be faring, but also spent a fair bit of time in relatively comfortable silence, hooves thudding in the loam.
Three days out from Bernay, the roads became quite congested with travelers, merchants and families making their way to the capital of Zurin, a country famed for its trade and industry. It was almost difficult to feel nervous about crossing the city border, as it just seemed part of a very busy business-as-usual day for the trade capital. With this underwhelming fizzle of tension, paired by the security of beautiful forgeries, courtesy of Allete's handiwork, it was hard for Ky not to go stir-crazy at the slower pace brought on by sharing the road (at this point it would be rude for anyone to shove ahead, as the order here was already establishing the order of passing through the city gate). It did not help that she could no longer fit in much fighting practice along the way, as she did not want to call for extra attention from their traveling audience - although she did extract a secret joy from the little gestures of a young husband's adoration she playacted, in keeping with their story for the city's guards.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
