9:22 Dragon
"Josie!" Yves Montilyet called, looking around for his daughter. "Has anyone seen that foolish girl?" Everyone around the dining table shook their heads and he sighed. "I swear, the girl will be the death of me."
Above them, Josephine snuck into Lucille Trevelyan's library with a mischievous smile playing across her lips. The party downstairs had been so boring, momma introducing her to so many other people. Lord this and Lady that. She would much rather be looking around for adventure.
Inside the library was a single figure sitting alone, pouring over a book in front of him. Hearing the door open, he stood, turning to face the innocent looking little girl. He was older than her, but not one of those boring adults either. He was in his teenage years, tall and with chestnut hair coupled with a matching set of dark brown eyes.
"H-hello." He stammered, closing the book behind him. "What are you doing here?"
Josephine smiled at him, making him give an uncertain smile in return. "I'm just exploring."
He chuckled. "Right. Well, I'm not sure you should be up here. Should we go find your parents for you, little girl?"
Josephine put her hands on her hips. "I'm not a little girl!" She whined. "I'm ten years old!"
He threw his head back and laughed. "Ah, of course." His eyes crinkled upwards in a happy gesture. "Regardless, we should go and get you out of here, hm?"
He stepped forward, but Josephine turned with a mischievous smile. "Only if you can catch me!" and with that, she took off running through the empty halls of the Trevelyan castle. The boy cursed and sprinted after her, having half of a mind to just return to his books and leave this silly girl to believe she'd won.
Moments later, he caught up to her, taking the tiny Antivan girl in his arms. Josephine shrieked with laughter, kicking her legs out as he held her firmly in his arms.
"You're so fast!" She cooed as she calmed down, being set back onto the ground. "What's your name?"
He smiled at the silly little girl. "My name is Cantis. Cantis Trevelyan"
"That's a weird name"
Cantis chuckled. "I think so too. My mother picked it." He offered out a hand to her. "Come on. I'm sure someone's looking for you downstairs."
Josephine pouted, puffing out her lower lip, but took his hand anyway. "You're boring."
"You've no idea how many times I've heard that." He glanced over at her. "And what's your name?"
""I'm Josie!" She bounced onto her toes as she introduced herself. "Josie Mon… montil…. Montilyet." She struggled with her last name, only knowing that it was some weird word. "Why didn't momma make me meet you downstairs?"
Cantis shrugged. "I don't know. I've been up here all night."
"Why?"
He thought a moment, smiling at her insistent questions. He couldn't remember the last time someone had taken such an interest in someone as ordinary as him. "I just… wanted to read instead of meet people, is all."
"You're boring." Josie complained.
"And you," He smiled as their reached the balcony overlooking the feast and ball. "Repeat yourself often, little one."
Cantis pushed open the doors to the balcony and brought the little Josie along with him, poking their heads over the railing where Yves, Josie's father, was giving a speech.
"And I thank madame Trevelyan for such a lovely ball!" He cried with a mighty laugh. "Might I say that you have immaculate taste, although this all lacks a certain exuberance. Perhaps something less civilized next time?" He laughed again, in a joke that neither Cantis and Josie got. "No matter; so long as the wine flows, we will not want for enthusiasm!"
Cantis' father, the Bann Trevelyan, stood to respond, but didn't get a word in before he was interrupted by a figure approaching Yves, a mask on his face.
"Ser Montilyet?" He asked.
"Yes?"
"We warned you." Said he solemnly. "The house of Repose sends their regards."
A scream sounded as the figure drew a blade. Before he could lunge forward, Bann Trevelyan yanked a wine bottled and hurled it, shattering on the assassin's skull, knocking him flat. Josie's mother stood, and was promptly hit by an arrow in the back.
"Momma!" Josie screamed as Cantis stepped back from the railing, pulling her with him.
"Assassins! The word echoed in the hallway, and blades were drawn. There was a clattering of steel on steel, screaming and shouting. Distantly, a horn blew outside to signal for Trevelyan soldiers.
"Josie." Cantis murmured, feet rooted in place in disbelief and terror as the battle began beneath them. "Stay close to me." That, at least, he could manage.
He turned, and she was gone.
Looking around frantically, he caught a glimpse of her disappear down the stairwell!
"Shit." He cursed, sprinting for the little girl before she reached the dining hall. What in the world was she doing? The little one likely didn't understand what was happening, and was only going to help her mother.
Josie reached the dining hall before Cantis did, desperate to help her mother and father in whatever was happening. But as she ran through the hall, she was grabbed by one of the masked figures. She shrieked and kicked like she had when Cantis had caught her, although without a hint of playfulness.
"What do we do with her?" He asked to two other assassins who were standing around. "She's just a kid."
Another of the men shook their heads. "Doesn't matter. Orders were clear: Kill the Montilyet family and everyone who tries to stop us."
The one holding Josie nodded and flared the cold steel long sword in his hand. As he did so, he was tackled by a sprinting Cantis, taking himself, the assassin and Josie all to the ground. Another of the masked men lunged forward with his dagger, and Cantis stood, throwing himself in front of the blow meant for Josie.
The dagger slashed across his right eye, and he screamed in pain. Josie turned over, and caught a brief glimpse of it. She saw his eye being gored, saw the blood pour down onto the liquid amber of the floor. Her face went a pale white, and she fell into unconsciousness.
Cantis was in agony, but he didn't have time to feel pain. He shoved the man back and into his partner. The man he had tackled moments earlier was stirring, but he soon fell back down when the Trevelyan slammed a fist into his skull, knocking him onto the ground beside Josie. He ripped the longsword from the man's hand, standing. Now he too was armed.
He stepped over the unconscious Josie, protecting her. The daggerman lunged forward, lashing out with his blade, but it struck harmlessly against Cantis' defence.
Cantis slashed the man's leg, dropping him to the ground. With that he drove his blade deep into the final man standing, bringing him to the ground. The one who's blade had been taken by the Trevelyan stood, but was unarmed. Cutting him down, Cantis brought his blade down once more onto the daggerman.
Gasping, he dropped his blade and checked Josie. She was still alive, but very pale.
He looked up with a glare, daring anyone else to try and attack, but there was no one else. The Ostwick soldiers had arrived and taken care of the rest of the assassins. Seeing that, he collapsed onto his back, clutching at the crimson sin rolling down his eye.
"Josie!" It was Yves, who ran to his daughter's side, his wife alongside him, not feeling the wound on her back.
"Lad!" The voice was someone else, this time Bann Trevelyan seeing his son.
"I'm fine." Said Cantis. "Josie's alive, but unconscious. I think seeing the blood scared her."
"Bless the Maker!" Cried Josie's mother. "How did she survive?" Cantis remained silent.
"Lad," Asked Bann Trevelyan. "Did you help her?" Cantis nodded. "Maker's tears boy, that's the bravest thing you've ever done."
"You saved my daughter?" Cantis nodded again, and the mother of the girl rushed to his side, throwing her arms around the fallen Trevelyan. "Bless you! A very long and happy life to you!"
"I did what I had to." Replied Cantis. "I only did what seemed right."
"If there's anything we can do for you, or your family," Promised Yves. "We will do whatever we can. That is a Montilyet promise."
"There is something you could do for me," Smiled Cantis. "If it isn't too inconvenient."
"Anything."
"Could we get someone to stitch up my eye?"