• Placeholder • Broken Wings

[Griffin]

15th Saun 716

They had returned to his home. By the Seven it was a journey that Victor would have preferred to forget. Yet with every bump in the road, every flinch from the young woman in his arms, he felt his heart constrict. With a daughter of his own approaching her mid-teens, how could he not feel the terrible implications of their actions against Lei’Lira? The twin was given a small bedroom, sparsely decorated but with the addition of an iron bathtub and fireplace so that she could wash at her leisure. More important, he had ensured that the room was one with a lock, on the inside. It was vital to all their plans that he gained the girl’s respect and hopefully her trust.
Above the fireplace was a wall hanging, it was dusty, faded and frayed at the edges but it showed the original history of Rynmere and most important, the arrival of Warrick to the island. On the Fifth-teen Victor returned to the wooden door and knocked upon it. Balanced on his right hand was a tray of thick vegetable soup and fresh bread. The fragrant scent caused his own mouth to water and his stomach to gurgle, despite the fact that his own lunch had been long finished.
“Lei’Lira?” He knocked once more before entering, taking care to open the door slowly. He was intent on entering the room but wanted to give at least an illusion of security to the girl. The scars she bore were deep and they would last.
“Neice?” he had committed a few more words of Xanthea to memory. The tray was set down on a table and he lingered at the door, hands held behind his back. A soldiers training was hard to forget.
“Is there anything else that I can bring you? You must eat and regain your strength, brother’s daughter.”

[Lei'lira]

The trip to Uncle Victor's house was a blur of terror, pain, relief, and exhaustion in Lei'lira's mind. She couldn't say how long they had ridden, or which direction they had traveled in. For parts of it, she had been semi conscious at best, and in many ways, that was a mercy. It was an experience that she hoped to forget.

Her injuries had been seen to, and she had been seen to a room that while small, and sparsely decorated, was quite comfortable. The small size actually felt safer to Lei'lira, because there was less space to search for potential threats. The iron bath tub was a huge blessing. As was the lock on the inside of the room. The very trill she had been left alone, she locked herself inside, and made use of the bath tub, scrubbing herself raw in the desperate need to feel clean again. And in the trials that followed, she had made use of the bath tub many times each trial. Although the obsessive bathing helped a little, in the fact that it got the dirt of the bandit's camp off of her, it did little to make her feel truly clean. She could still feel the hands of those who had tormented her.

Most of her time was spent alone, for which she was deeply grateful. Much of it was spent locked inside her room, trying to convince herself that the nightmare was over. Even the servants seemed to realize that she needed her space. And the tapestry made a good distraction when her fears and thoughts threatened to overwhelm her.

When a knock on the door startled her out of a half daze she had been in ever since waking up from a horrible nightmare, her eyes flew to the door apprehensively. She had forgotten to lock it the night before, since exhaustion had dragged her into an uneasy sleep before she could do so. Her uncle entered the room, bringing with him a bowl of vegetable soup that smelled amazing. She couldn't help but keep a nervous eye on his hands. A man's hands meant pain. But even after he set the tray down, her uncle kept his hand behind his back, something that reassured her somewhat.

He asked her if he could bring her anything else, and her first thought was to say no. She didn't want to be a bother, or risk angering him by asking for anything. But her time in captivity had left her with a fear of not getting enough water. Even now, her throat burned at odd moments, as she remembered how extreme thirst had set her throat on fire.

"Maybe a glass of water? Please? And a piece of fruit?" she asked softly.

Her tone was somehow hesitant, hopeful, timid, apprehensive, and apologetic all at once. She hoped that asking for more than she was offered wouldn't anger the man who had saved her. She already owed him so much for rescuing her from the bandits.

[Griffin]

It was hard to tell if the girl’s condition had improved over the past few trials. She no longer looked as though she would break at a single touch but there was still something fragile and delicate about her. However, for the first time she did make a request and he nodded agreement. Victor departed the room, closed the door behind him, and returned a few bits later with the water as requested and a bowl of fruits. Apples, oranges, grapes piled on the wooden platter. He set these beside the original tray and returned to his position beside the door.
“Little bird,” he spoke slowly, taking his time to use the correct words and intonations of the Xanthean tongue, “you are welcome to stay with us for as long as you would like…but you cannot live within these walls forever. You are a young woman, there is far more life beyond the keep for you to explore,” he kept his hands tucked behind his back. There was an instinctive urge to help the woman and to comfort her, but he feared that even a touch to offer comfort would cause more harm than good.
“Would you come out with me tomorrow? Just to tour the gardens perhaps? I can take you down to the stables to see your mount?”

[Lei'lira]

Uncle Victor didn't seem to mind that she had requested something. Nor did he seem angry in the slightest, and for that, relief flooded though her. But she managed to hide her reaction until he had left, and even then, only a sigh of relief betrayed the release of the deep anxiety she had felt at the thought of making her request. When he returned, to her surprise, her uncle had brought not only the glass of water, and piece of fruit she had asked for...he had brought her a whole bowl of it. Apples, oranges, and grapes filled the wooden bowl, and Lei'lira thanked her uncle sincerely. Then she asked if he wanted some as well.

She had yet to try a type of fruit that she didn't like, but grapes were among her favorite. Once her uncle had set the bowl down, she selected one of the larger grapes, and popped it into her mouth. The burst of refreshing sweetness that filled her mouth made her smile a bit. Lei'lira glanced at her uncle, wanting to make sure he didn't mind if she ate in front of him. When he didn't seem to mind, she began eating slowly. The vegetable soup tasted as wonderful as it smelled.

As she ate, she listened to what her uncle was telling her. She was grateful for the offer to stay. Lei'lira longed for the comfort of her own home. Only there would she feel truly safe again. But to get there...she would have to travel through the wilderness. Her farm was a two day ride from Fort Warrick. What if she was attacked again? The very thought of that was enough to make her shudder with fear. She'd rather die than be captured again. Still...her uncle had a point. She couldn't stay there forever.

Her uncle's question caught her off guard, and she gave him a startled, hesitant look. But she gave the offer serious thought. Gardens were beautiful, peaceful places. And being surrounded by green, growing things was very peaceful. Perhaps it would help her find some peace of her own. Besides, even though she knew that she would have been told if Stra had suffered any at the hands of the bandits, she wanted to make sure that the mare was okay for herself. So she nodded.

"I'd like that, thank you. Maybe we could do both?"

Once again, she hesitated before asking, fearful that he would be angered by the request. But he had not been angered by her first request, and that gave her the courage she needed to make this one.

[Griffin]

The woman before him seemed to enjoy the food offered and it bought a smile to his features. More progress. His heart felt a little lighter when she agreed to venture beyond the walls she considered to be safe. Victor lent back against the chair in the small room, “I’m sure we can visit both. Your horse will be glad to see you,” he encouraged.
He couldn’t remain on such pleasant topics however and his gaze dropped to the floor in front of his boots, “the staff,” he struggled for the correct words, brows drawn in a knitted frown, “they say you have not written. I wondered if you had wanted to contact your sister. You have always seemed to be very close?” It played to his advantage that the girl hadn’t made an attempt. He hoped for an opportunity to weave her thoughts to the advantage of all Warrick without a direct confrontation.
The question had been set and the trap had been baited. Victor looked up at his niece and wondered what he saw in his expression. Pity? Care? Both were present in his heart. He hoped that the guilt was hidden though, or at least disguised. That and the determination to extend threads of control through her life, for the betterment of them all of course. With the Rebellion rising these were dangerous times.

[Lei'lira]

Lei'lira smiled slightly at her uncle's comment about Star. He was right. She, and the mare had shared a special bond since she had watched her being born while volunteering at Meadow Farms. It would do her some good to see Star, too. Although she trusted her uncle's groomsmen to see to the mare's needs for the most part, she was used to taking care of her animals herself, and deep down, she believed that no one would do quite as good a job as she would. After all, to her uncle's people, Star was just another horse. But to her...Star was a treasured friend.

Her smile faltered when Victor mentioned her sister, and the fact that she hadn't tried to write her. She had considered it...several times, in fact. But she had been told in no uncertain terms that Lazuli did not want to see her. There was another thing to consider as well. What would she say to her sister if she did write? Lazuli was recovering from being tortured. She didn't need to be forced to worry about her, too.

Deep down, Lei'lira was afraid of what Lazuli would do if she learned of what the bandits had done to her. Would she reject her...blame her? Lei'lira couldn't blame her if she did. She had been ruined...spoiled. And if it ever got out, it would have an impact on the entire family. Her shame could taint Lazuli in some way. Especially if she didn't distance herself from her. Perhaps it would be best if she didn't tell anyone. Uncle Victor knew, of course. But perhaps he could be convinced not to say anything? After a while, she realized that her uncle was still waiting for her to answer him.

"We are close, yes." she said softly.

"But...she's been hurt, too. I'm not sure how much you know about what happened to her...?"

Lei'lira paused, hoping that her uncle might tell her what he knew...and that he had information that she didn't.

"I don't want to upset her. She needs to focus on her own healing, not worry about me."

Her tone betrayed a painful fear of rejection, and the uncertainty of how Lazuli would react if she knew the truth.

[Griffin]

Victor lent his full weight back on the table and it creaked beneath him. He listened, silent to the stuttering and halted speech of his niece and waited for his moment. The girl edged closer to his intended target. Step by step and word by word she approached the baited trap that had been so carefully lain. “I know that she suffered at the hands of the King’s men,” he replied and his loyalty to the crown remained ambiguous. “Any further details and I’m sure Lazuli would be the best person to talk to you, however the pain may not be something she wishes to divulge or share…”
“Neice,” he paused as though the words weighed heavy on his tongue, “you are right to be concerned for your sister. She carries a heavy burden of responsibility. It will fall to Lazuli to steer and guide our family through darker times, she must be our light. She is strong and she will be a beacon.” The speech alternated between common and his broken Xanthean. Struggling to express himself clearly to the young woman in either language.
She had stepped up neatly to the trap and he looked down at large hands, “if she were to ever find out what happened to you…” he let the words hang, “you are loved Lei’Lira but should learn how you have been...spoilt, I fear the disgrace that would befall us.” That was entirely the truth. Because that may well find out how she’d ended up in such a vulnerable position in the first place.
“Child, I will protect your good name and your reputation. But I have no Immortal powers to disguise the truth if it comes from your lips. You must promise me, that you won’t tell a soul? Not even whisper it in the dark…to do so might put Lazuli at risk. It would destabilise her position and she is precariously balanced as it is.”

[Lei'lira]

Lei'lira gave her uncle a startled look. Had she heard him right? Or had she misunderstood something between her limited understanding of Common, and his lack of fluency in Xanthea?

"The King's men...?" she asked softly, her questioning tone asking if she had understood him correctly.

"But...?" this time her tone was utterly bewildered,

It was obvious that Lei'lira couldn't even begin to understand why the King's men would want to hurt her sister. They had both always been loyal to the crown; not breaking any laws, and always paying their taxes on time. So why...?

"I was out on an errand when it happened. All I found when I got home was a broken door, and some frightened animals. I thought maybe some bandits..." she explained hesitantly.

Her uncle was right, though. If Lazuli wanted to tell her what had happened, she would. And if she didn't want to...well, Lei'lira could understand that completely. After all, she had her own things she'd rather not talk about. The topic of conversation changed to that of her disgrace. She had known that the family would be disappointed in her...ashamed of her. She was ruined, worthless to them now. Lei'lira hoped that Lazuli would still accept her if she learned the truth of what had happened, but there was a small seed of doubt within her of even that. But she had never considered the possibility that knowing the truth would hurt Lazuli in some way; maybe even be dangerous for her to know. And yet...

"I have never been able to lie to my sister, Uncle Victor. If she asks me...I don't think that I can do so now. But in order to ask me, she would need to know the right questions to ask. And I certainly would never tell anyone else." she said with a shudder.

[Griffin]

“The best lies, are those that do not stray far from the truth,” Victor explained slowly. He advanced toward her. His instinct was to offer the comfort of a touch or to sit beside her on the bed, as he would his own children when they were distressed. He held himself back however and crouched instead beside the piece of furniture. “If she asks, you can tell her the truth to a point…tell you her were captured and that you were freed. Surely, that is all anyone needs to know? The danger is in the detail Lei’lira…if she asks further – tell her that you were hurt and it took you some trials to recover. Can you do this for her Lei’lira? Can you protect your sister with your words?”
He studied her pale eyes closely as though searching for some kind of weakness, or strength. Uncertain of what he would find. A broken spirit, or some kind of resolve. The girl loved her twin. There was an unbreakable bond between them. What Victor hoped, above all else, is that she could hold her tongue for long enough that the sting of betrayal would fade. Time was a masterful healer. If he could only seal her words within her chest then perhaps time would ease the scars.
The man reached out, carefully and set a hand on the bed beside her, “your actions will give you away if you are not careful, child. You will need to learn how to cover them, or to accept a touch without flinching…may I?” He raised a hand and held it close to her arm without placing it upon her skin. Waiting for permission.

[Lei'lira]

Lei'lira considered her uncle's words. But when he began to move towards her, she tensed, freezing in fear as she watched him with wide, anxious eyes. Perhaps he realized that he was making her very nervous, because instead of touching her as it first appeared he might do, he crouched down, and began speaking once more. The relief she felt when he didn't continue his advance was likely painfully obvious.

What he said made sense. No one needed to know the details of what had happened during her time among the bandits. She wanted to forget, and the less people knew, the more likely it was that she would be allowed to. And yet...

"I want to protect her. I do. But...what if she asks me directly if they..."

Lei'lira shuddered, unable to complete her sentence.

"She probably will ask. Or if not her, then someone else in the family. Like Grandmother. I hate to think about it, but there is a chance...I might be..."

Lei'lira shuddered again. This time, it took her several bits before she rallied herself enough to continue.

"I don't like to think about it, but there is a chance that I may be...with child. I won't be able to hide that from Lazuli. Once they know I was attacked by bandits, they'll know there's a chance...they'll ask. And I won't be able to say no. Even if I could...if there is a child..."

Lei'lira's shoulders shook as she began to cry. She didn't know what to do. The thought that she might be pregnant terrified her. The thought that Lazuli might be hurt if she was pregnant terrified her just as much. But what could she do? She wanted to believe that it wasn't an issue...that she couldn't be pregnant. But that would be a lie. And what would be worse? If there was a child, her family would either know what the bandits did to her...or they would believe that she had taken a secret lover. And she didn't think the latter was likely to be believed given the fact that she and Lazuli lived on the same farm. She wouldn't be able to hide something like that from her twin even if she wanted to.

Lei'lira fought to regain control over herself, and failed. It wasn't until her uncle placed his hand on the bed beside her that she was able to stop. And that was more out of fear than anything else. She stared at his hand with wide, wary eyes, barely daring to breathe. She tried to tell herself that he wasn't going to hurt her. Her head even believed that. But somehow, that didn't ease her fears any. Something had broken in her while she had been a captive of the bandits. It would take time before she would recover from that...if she ever could.

Still, her uncle's words made sense. She didn't know how she could learn not to flinch from a touch, but if she could...if she could make it seem like everything was okay, then maybe people would assume it was? Lei'lira knew that if Lazuli or her grandmother asked directly if the bandits had touched her, she would be unable to lie, and say no. But...maybe they wouldn't ask if she could somehow make it look as if she was okay? It was a fragile hope at best, but she was willing to try.

Lei'lira didn't think she could speak just then, so she nodded hesitantly. But there was something fragile in her eyes that suggested that didn't offer much hope of a successful outcome.