Chapter 1
The Karland Lion greeted the riders as they approached the main gates. The black lion on a yellow field was bright enough for them to see thanks to the moon light and of coruse the dozens of flaming braziers along the walls. Faith peeked from behind Lord Oberon and could not help but marvel at the walls. Several men walked along the walls, their bows and crossbows slung over their back. Some of the men were shorter than the others and had a beard which went to their torso's. Oberon must've noticed her looking.
"Those are dwarves, Faith." He explained." House Karland has had a long and friendly relationship with the dwarven kingdoms in the mountains."
"My grandfather married a dwarven noblewoman." Lady Karland said as the riders and their mounts slowed down their ride to a trot." She took a lot of her kin with her when she moved upstairs."
Faith nodded at her before she went back to huddling behind Oberon. Lady Karland shook her head and rode forward.
"Who goes there?!" A loud voice rang from the portculis.
"Open your eyes, old man. It's me." Lady Karland said with a smirk on her face.
"Ah Lady Katarina, still as crude as ever. You know us dwarves cant see very well in the dark!" A dwarf stepped outside of the gatehouse and leaned over the wall. Faith could not see him clearly save for a grey beard when he neared one of the braziers.
"Curious. I recall you boasting about how dwarves have sharper eyes in the dark then any elf, no matter the age."
"Aye, well-" the dwarf muttered in his beard.
"And ears sharper then a fox to." One of the knights added.
"And the prowess of a bear in heat!" Another laughed.
"Careful now, I spanked all of your bums when you were little and no title is going to stop me from giving you all another one!" the dwarf retorted." I'll meet you lot downstairs. OPEN THE GATES!"
The metal gate opened as the riders moved forward. A small group of warriors bearing the tabard of the Karland Lion saluted at Lady Karland before they took her horse by the reigns while another took her banner. She dismounted as did everyone else in the party, including Lord Oberon and Faith. He helped the blonde girl down as looked at Lady Katarina." Spanked you did he?"
"Don't." she warned with a tone of mischief. She took off her helmet and waved her head which threw her long red hair around. The other female knights followed their lady's notion and also took off their helmets in the same way, even those with short hair. The men in their dark armour merely took off their helmet and left it at that.
Faith looked around her and despite it being night, she could see quite a bit of the Hold. There were houses all around them but all were neatly placed within the walls. The town hall was right ahead, which she believed was the town hall guessing by the board above the door. It was a two store building with four spires and the sigil of House Karland above the door. The market stalls to her left were empty of course but the stables on the other side of the road were filled with quite a few horses, even more so as the horses of the party were led in. but the castle above drew her attention. The castle was build upon a hill, complete with a drawbridge and a moat. Faith spotted more braziers, more banners and of course guards but it was to dark and far away to see clearly what race they were or what weapons or armour they wore.
Katarina walked over to the stairway as a dwarf walked down from them. Now in the courtyard Faith could see the man clearly. He was half the size of the tall Lord Oberon but his beard was down to his torso and just as gray as Oberon. His face was crackled and a long scar that ran across his cheek, but it was a kind face and his laughter filled Faith with warmth. "Good to see you again, my lady." He smiled at Katarina." How did the patrol go?" he glanced over to Faith." I see you brought a guest."
"Not a guest I'm afraid Grand Marshall Hadgar." Oberon replied and turned to Faith." We found her on the way back. Near Vestig."
"I see soot on her and smell burning…blood…" Hadgar mused." You think Vestig is the place where the smoke came from earlier? The boys at the Eagle's Nest thought as much."
"Maybe, the girl hasn't said much." Katarina handed her helmet over to a servant without looking." The things she did say during the ride back was to Lord Oberon."
"I have a friendly face." Oberon chuckled.
"Clearly." Hadgar chuckled as well and walked over to Faith." Are you alright, lass?"
Faith looked up at Oberon. As the older man smiled and nodded, the blonde girl turned to the dwarf and gave a quick nod.
"She said Orcs attacked her village." Katarina said." That and her name is all she remembered."
"Orcs?" the dwarf looked alarmed." So Thorvik's vision and the smoke…" He paused a moment to catch his thoughts." Vestig is but a stone's throw away from here."
Katarina nodded." I know. Tomorrow I'll send my Lionesses there to investigate but right now get Thovik to ready the Golems, just in case." The older dwarf slammed his fist on his chest where his guard was and quickly walked off.
"I'll arrange sleeping quarters for the peasant girl, Lord Oberon." Katarina said." I rather you wrote to the Citadel and informed them that the Orcs have indeed gotten here. I'll petition the House of Lords to round up more conscripts and ask the Eagle's nest to look for the Orc camp nearby."
"My name is Faith." Faith glared at Lady Karland. Both Oberon and Katarina alike blinked at the sudden proclamation.
"Excuse me?" Katarina frowned but Faith merely frowned in return." Do you know who you-"
"Lady Karland, please let this be." Oberon said." The poor girl lost her home today and is obviously in some kind of amnesiac shock. She didn't know how a dwarf looked like despite living in your lands."
Katarina frowned still, especially when she locked eyes with Faith.
"Please, Lady Karland. Your father was an understanding man who loved and protected his smallfolk. Please tell me some of that was inherited by his daughter."
"That is no excuse for allowing her to disrespect me."
"You treat me like I am nothing!" Faith shouted. The Lionesses and the knights all turned to the quiet girl who suddenly had found her voice." I may be a peasant, but that does not mean I will allow you to disrespect me." She did not stop, her mind told her to stop but her heart took over." Your protection failed today and a village got destroyed because of it. I saw hundreds of people dead, buildings destroyed and darkness consume everything."
Katarina had her hand on the pommel of her sword." I see you are angry, you want revenge?"
"Yes." Faith said without really thinking." I want to kill the Orcs for what they did! I want to make them feel the pain for every life they stole!" A red rage took hold. No, not red..blue. " I want to crush their bones and make them beg for mercy! I want to be the creature that haunts their nightmares! I want to unmake them!"
Katarina inspected her and looked her up and over." Are you willing to fight for me and Karland Hold? To face it's enemies and defend it's people?"
"Yes!" Faith exclaimed.
"My lady is what you should've said at the end of that sentence." She closed in to the blonde girl." You girl…Faith, need to learn your place. Or re-learn in your case. I want soldiers, not heroes or martyrs." Katarina said and walked off.
"Stop!" Faith called out as her previous found courage bled out like a sore wound." I want to fight, please! My lady!"
"Faith, I don't think this is a good idea my girl." Oberon placed his hand on her shoulder.
"I w-want to fight." Faith tried to control herself." I don't have anything else left…"
Oberon paused for a moment." Look into my eyes, girl."
"W-what?" Faith sniffed.
"My eyes, look into my eyes." He said.
Faith wiped her eyes and did as the Lord of Stormfall said. The older man peered deeply into her eyes and gently held her by her shoulders. He gave a quick nod. "Stay here please." Oberon told faith and ran after Katarina." Lady Katarina, a word if you please. "
"What is it, Lord Oberon?" Katarina asked." If this is about that peasant girl-"
"I want you to give her a chance please. She is angry, confused. But motivated. If the Orcs are indeed coming to your lands you will need every warm body you can get."
"I want people who can follow orders, Oberon. Not heroes who don't know the chain of command. She doesn't know how war works. There is more to it than two idiots hacking away at each other with pointy bits of metal." Oberon raised his brow at the Lady of Karland Hall before giving a shrug. "Well, yes that is more or less the core of the Idea..." she composed herself again." Why do you care? She is just some girl you found on the side of the road. You know NOTHING about her."
"I have a good judge of character and a gut feeling. You call it suspicious we found her. I call it fate. Lady Karland…Katarina, please give her this chance." Oberon asked. They stopped before the front door of the Town Hall." I remember a talented young girl with hair as red as fire who asked me to teach her how to fight despite the Lord of Karland Hold's wishes."
"I am not like my father, Oberon." Katarina said. "Nor am I six anymore."
"I'm seeing the same situation before me, fifteen years later." Oberon said." She has this…glint in her eye. She can be a proper soldier. She just needs a good tutor. And one chance to prove herself."
She sighed." I am not a cruel woman, Oberon. I care about the people who died in Vestig. They were under my family's protection for generations. I do and I can promise you that I will hunt the monsters down who are responsible for this." She looked over at the girl one last time before she drew Oberon closer." Noticed she not once mention her family? We presume she's from Vestig , how do we know she isn't some kind of Orc spy? We know nothing about her. I will only ride out to battle with people I can trust."
"I trust her." Oberon replied. " Do you trust me?"
Katarina looked at her feet as she cursed herself internally." Alright, she can join Ser Karl's Pikemen tomorrow."
"Thank you, Katarina." Oberon smiled." She will not disappoint you." "For our sake, I hope you are right." She replied and entered the town hall.
Faith saw Lord Oberon and Lady Karland argue as the other knights left her to her devices. Her previously gained courage bled out of her as she waited for something, anything.
"Don't mind Lady Karland." A friendly voice said. Faith turned as a young man in a long purple robe walked over with a large tome slung under his arm." She is a stern woman but deep down she cares about her people, and you by extension." He looked young, a bit older then Faith but younger then Lady Karland but not by much. His hair was dark brown but neatly cut short as a small beard grew on his chin.
"She looked like she was going to bite my head off…" Faith said.
"She has that with a lot of people." The boy chuckled and offered his hand." Thorvik."
Faith looked at his hand oddly. She extended hers." Faith."
"Nice name." Thorvik smiled and took her hand. She panicked for a moment but after a fast handshake the purple robed young man let go." And nice to meet you, Faith. I'm sorry for your village."
"Truth be told….I do not remember much about my village." She admitted." One moment I was dreaming, the next I was surrounded by…" she stopped and shook her head. " It's to early to talk about."
"It's alright, my apologies for bringing it up." Thorvik smiled." You remember anything about your dream?"
"I remember…a man in blue armour. He was fighting someone else…I don't remember who. I was running…" she shook her head." Nevermind, it's just some stupid dream."
"Some dreams are yes, but as my Master Radfael once said, dreams are needed for a man to grow just as much as food, water and air are."
"Really?" Faith asked.
"There is power in dreams. " Thorvik switched the tome over to his other arm." Dreams can give a man, or woman, ideas for the future. They can also Inspire, reflect on what you do in body and soul and are a key to your memory. They can change lives if planted correctly."
"Like visions?" Faith asked.
"Amongst other things. " Thorvik replied. He looked up as Lord Oberon walked back toward Faith." I will let you be Faith, I have some Golems to summon in case something bad tries to come our way." He smiled." I'll see you around im sure. Goodnight."
"Goodnight, Thorvik." She smiled and waved a little as he walked off to a large building with green runes embedded on it.
"I see you are making friends." Oberon smiled." You know who he is?"
"He said his name is Thorvik." Faith replied.
"One of Brother Radfael's best and brightest students. He is Karland Hold's scribe, he's the one managing the library and summons the Golems and other…creatures in case Karland Hold needs them. Pray to the gods that will not be for a long time to come."
"Did you talk to Lady Karland?" Faith asked.
"I did. I got you to train with Ser Karl tomorrow. He is a though but fair man. He will teach you how to be a Pikeman…woman…person. You are going to learn how to stab people with a pike." Oberon said.
"Thank you." Faith smiled and held him." Thank you…"
"Don't thank me yet….come, lets get you some food and somewhere to sleep. It's an early day tomorrow and you are going to need your strength if you want to fight orcs."
A few hours later, Faith slept in the guest room in the town hall. It was not the room of a highborn lady, she imagined Katarina rather died then give her a better room, but the bed was soft and the small window showed the courtyard outside. She faintly heard the owls hoot and some guardsmen chat as the moon began to set. A few hours until sunrise she thought. Lord Oberon was seated in a chair to the corner of the room. He was fast asleep guessing by the way he snored, but it wasn't to bothersome. Something else kept her awake though.
Her mind raced a thousand miles an hour now she had a moment to sit and think. She could only remember the village and this dream. She was being chased by a blue warrior. He was calling to her…there were orcs there as well. Was he part of them? Was it a dream? Did she have a family? Friends? A boyfriend? She only knew her name was Faith but was Faith even her real name? Why couldn't she remember? Eventually her weariness won out and her eyelids slammed shut in front of her.
She felt her spirit fly over Karland Hold. She saw Ser Hadgar snoring in his quarters near the gate as he held a flask of ale in his hand. She flew around the wall and saw the guards walk around them. She saw balista's and pots of oil being next to fireplaces in case of an attack. She could see inside the houses and saw people sleep, unaware of the slaughter that happened a mere stone's throw away. She felt drawn to the castle and flew there. She flew pat the guards and through the opening of the doors. She flew past portraits of the previous Lords and ladies Karland she assumed. She passed by several servants who cleaned the dust and other menial tasks. She stopped in front of a statue stood on one side of the throne room. It was a horsewoman who held her spear down to thrust an unseen vow as her horse leaned in to bite the same foe with his teeth. Veyon and Ran. The patron gods of Knights. She looked to the other side and saw a woman riding a horse as well with her bow aimed at a deer just in front of her. Dana, the goddess of the hunt. Those three names sprang to her mind like the names of siblings did. How did she know the name of these two gods? How did she know their names and not the one of her mother? Did she even have a mother?
"Hello." Someone said. Faith turned around and saw a little girl with blonde hair and piercing green eyes. She was dressed like a noble girl and eve had a little lion sown on her breast, where her heart should be. She smiled at Faith and tilted her head to the side." Whats your name? My name is Amelia."
Before she could react a noble man with red hair who wore a yellow silk shirt and a black cloak and trousers picked up the little girl. Faith could not hear what he said but he smiled at the little girl and pecked her cheek before taking her away. The girl called Amelia kept her green eyes on Faith until she turned around the corner.
Faith blinked until she heard a giggle. The giggle lured her to one room above. She flew above the stairs and followed the laughter. Two guards were stood in front of a large door, unmoved by the laughter. Faith pushed through the door and noticed one of the guards shuddered. She went inside the large room which had nice furniture everywhere, all in the shape of a lion. A large mirror in the shape of a lion holding it. An armoire in the shape of a lion's maw, a large rug from a lion's pelt…it was obvious who lived her. However the clothing on the rug drew Faith's attention. It was similar to the clothing she saw on the red haired man who took Amelia, but made for a woman. And more surprising she recognized a purple robe and the tome on the night table. Faith's eyes went to the bed as she saw movement under the sheets. She floated above as she saw a mess of red hair all over the pillows as a young scribe kissed the owner of said red hair. The giggle made room to roars of pleasure which was the sign Faith had to leave. With cheeks blushing red She flew as fast as she could out of the room back into the night sky above…where a red bat creature was waiting for her.
It screeched loudly which made Faith cry out in horrible pain as she began to fall down. She felt a dark blackness ooze around her as it spoke but one sentence." Weor, I found you …"
TBC