A.N.: I'm sorry about any text errors, my dear readers. Or simply not making the story look as good as it can. I'm working on mobile, and I can't make it look good or do half the stuff I can at school with a desktop. I'll try and fix it as I go, but it's very spasmodic and I do apologize. Also, it has come to my attention that the Naga in most DnD campaigns are not half human half snake, only human heads on snake, but I am going with the more conventional idea of Naga from the campaign I was looking into.
Ch 10: The Months That Tick By
Frostfall
There is something about Frostfall that Rowan just absolutely loved, and it had nothing to do with the season or the late harvest that steadily went to work. It wasn't even the festivales people celebrated. No, it was the food change. Frostfall was when it started to get cold, and when it started getting cold in Rilia it got really cold. The same defenses that gave the kingdom it fabled look turned it into a bowl of winds that constantly spun round and round, turning even mild seasons of cold into frigid seasons of ice. No matter how bad it would be normally, it was ten time worse in Rilia.
The frigid cold always made people stock up on supplies, especially meats and fuel. The change caused people to start serving out meats more often, something hot to fill the guts of the cold. And Rowan loved meat. Well, all people loved meat, but Rowan loved it more so. She couldn't get enough of it, and Frostfall to First Seed was filled with so many types of meat.
Richton made such wonderful meals, mostly meat centered, at this time of the year. Sweet hams and fish and so much more. Served with fresh fruits and sauces aplenty and covered or dipped or any other way of dressing the food. Rown especially loved the basic meat that was most common in one of the nearby kingdoms, that was filled with plains and had herds of cattle. She loved the meat of that kingdom, and often requested it. There were so many ways Richton could make it, and she loved each one.
It was the 27th of Frostfall, and Rowan was relaxing. After word of the attack had finally reached the castle, her mother had been in a full fledged panic almost, not leaving her father's study and insisted all three princesses stay inside there as well. It took Richton careful words to push the fear away, not that Rowan didn't understand. It was the same problem she herself had. The knowledge that something probably won't happen but the crippling fear of understanding it could.
That was a week and a half ago, and not much new has happened. The fireplace in every room that sported one housed at least embers at all parts of the day now. The cold was setting in, and the stones of the castle were really cold. Rowan had on her warmest shoes and still did a strange tapping dancing routine to speed down the freezing hallways so her feet didn't touch the floor as much. Instead of basic clothes she wore thicker, fur clothes now. Many civilians would scoff at seeing a princess in furs, but by the gods was it warmer than the dresses usually offered. Rina and Grace did not think the warmth was worth the embarrassment, but Rowan was a bit giggly when she saw them shivering around a fireplace early this morning in their dresses.
Her nose twitch, and she nearly bent over as she sneezed, pulling her cloak closer. It was some old fur of one kind or another, musty and old. But, it was just warm enough for this weather and worn enough to be dead and gone when she went to a better one. It was a bit large though, hanging off her frame and almost touching the ground. She hurried down the hall, passing a servant as she escaped to the little room that had been whispered to her this morning. It was already getting dark out, the candles on the walls flickering as a draft froze her to the core.
"12, 13, 14, 15, turn left…" Here she did an exact left turn, seeing a narrow hall barely big enough for him to shimmy into. She frowned, closing the fur cloak before going sideways, slowly pushing in and trying not to touch the rough walls. She didn't want to tear up this old cloak, it was the only thing saving her from the chilly draft coming down the hall that split her like a knife.
It took a while, bit when she pulled into the 'room' she was honestly surprised. When 'Bon said it was an old room, she assumed he was talking like a broom closet that was unused or something the size of the crack she scooted in from, or something that they both can't be in at the same time, but this was none of that. It was maybe 8 feet by 9 ft, so it was small for certain, but no broom closet. And he was already here, so they could both be in here at the same time. There was even a fireplace, which Barbontas was feeding the last log in the room into. The room had no furniture, no true markings, nothing. It really was a blank room.
"Barbontas, how did you find this?" Rowan chuckled, moving over to him. The fire hadn't been going for long, the room was still chilly, as the dwarf kid grinned. He beckoned her over, and she obeyed, seeing the only real thing in the room was a lone fur rug, like the ones in her father's old study. He sat down on one end, and she sat on the other, almost touching him. The fire was nice, ebbing away the cold that had cut into her earlier.
"So, I was runnin' grub down to one of the princesses, and one of their rolls flew off the plate! Rolled right on in that crack we come in from. Had to shimmy into at least grab it to through to the hogs, Master would be furious if I wasted food. But I kicked it in further on accident, and it tooled the rest of the way in here." He claimed, opening his arms at the small room. Rowan had to admit, it may have been small but it had potential. She never knew of it, and she had lived here her whole life. And nothing was here, so none of the staff probably knew of it.
"Well, what are we to do with it my dear 'Bon?" Rowan could only tease, grinning at his kid like pout as he used the iron rod he brought in to poke the fire place, stirring up some more flames and bathing them in more heat.
"Anything and everything, Rowan. I'm going to certainly find some more logs, snitch some from the reserves to keep this place warm, maybe put a curtain on this side to hide the glow, but the rest is open." He said, not really having a plan but that, shrugging.
"Some chairs would be nice, and a table. Maybe some weapons, that'd be nice." Rowan mumbled, her friend raising an eye. Furniture was not his first line of thinking. "But beyond that, anything!"
Barbontas nodded, and the two slowly started to bounce ideas. Weapons, decorations, food, plants, furniture, and everything in-between. But soon all words were hushed, the crackling of the fire the only sounds beyond their soft breathing, taking in the heat. There just wasn't any more to talk about. They spent a lot of time with each other. All the staff found him too young, and the only others near his age were Rina and Grace, but they were both scoffing at even Rowan having a friend in the staff. Loneliness draws people together.
Rowan waited a good while, before silently leaning into his side, wrapping her arm around him. In the wake of silence, where words dampen truth, actions were best. Barbontas did the same, scooting closer and wrapping one arm around his friend, the two just staring into the fire. Neither wanted to know life without the other nearby, for they had come to need each other in the way the greatest of friends do.
And it was in this position they both awoke to, hours away, the fire having turned into dying embers. Neither could say anything, Rowan rushing out in a hurry, a blush burning across her cheeks. Barbontas was slow to follow, being much harder for the dwarf boy to get out before hurrying the other way. Thus was innocence.
Evening Star
Months tick by like seconds on a clock, and Rowan soon found herself enjoying her afternoons with Barbontas more and more, as the outdoors grew too cold to bear and the garden was all but locked to them. The library held some reprieve from the lull of the castle, but only for a bit. The cold winter had affected the war, which had also reached an unexpected lull, and had kept the forces of Naga and Lord Dagon. The Naga were surly uncomfortable in the normal warmer months, and the colder would be dreadful. But the snow also halted all movement beyond cleared walkways inside the castle, and nothing would come in or out of the castle grounds for many weeks unless there was an emergency. And thus, no new entertainment.
Rowan spent a lot of time in their new hide away, slowly fixing it up. They had a rug by the fire, one that was old but finally dusted and warmed. Some logs stacked up by the far wall with the poker, and they had found a small table and two chairs that they had dismantled and slid in piece by piece. That had been an interesting lie to Angela. It was home within home. Rowan, while liking the staff and guards, wasn't very sociable. Bon' wasn't either, having not talked to most of the staff at all.
Evening Star was known for being at least twice as cold as Frostfall, which was the reason both of them were staying in the hideaway room this afternoon. Barbontas had been left off of dinner detail, and Rowan had finished her practicing, leaving them both a free afternoon. Rowan silently peeked around the hall, before grabbing the blanket she had been sneaking through the halls closer to her, sliding into the slip space and escaping into the room. Barbontas was piling another two logs into the fire place, as she threw the blanket onto the table, grinning. Barbontas nodded, getting up and side stepping out of the room, as Rowan kneeled by the growing fire, getting warmed up. The castle had no heating in the hallways and corridors, and even draped in a cloak and with the blanket, it was still a bit cold.
They had both agreed on how to start bringing in supplies. They would take turns, sneaking in and out to get the agreed decor while the other warmed by the fire and kept it in check. Barbontas was grabbing the food now, then she would run and get the cushions and they would eat. She had faked being sick to Angela, and she had sent the message to the rest of the family. Barbontas would normally eat with the other servants, but no one would notice him not eating with them.
It only took a few minutes, before he was sliding a tray into the space of the side step, very carefully and very slowly. Rowan was ready, reaching in and grabbing the tray, sliding it in as quietly as she could. It produced a soft screeching that grated on her ears, but it held their supper. She slid it into the room, picking it up and nearly yelping as she sat it on the table, pulling back her hand and blowing on her fingers. It was unexpectedly hot on the handles. And there was her friend, slipping into the room with a loaf of fresh bread in wax, which he sat neck to the tray. The tray held two bowls of soup, and two plates of meat, and a candle in the middle. It was very basic compared to what she was normally served, but it still looked good.
"Ok, yer turn." Barbontas said, brushing himself off as she nodded, slipping past him and out of the room. Looking back, she cringed at how obvious the crack in the wall was now. The light from the fire made the crack looked like an open door without the door. Looking up, she saw something now illuminated by the giveaway. A metal rod, hanging just over the start of the crack. Rowan nodded, running off to her room, spotting a basic banner that wouldn't look too out of place over the crack. She made note of it, sliding into her room and grabbing the two cushions she had stashed under her bed last night. She didn't see the raised brow on Angela's face as she watched the little princess grab the poorly hidden stolen goods and run out. She could only sigh with a soft grin, seeing how her charge had definitely made a new friend.
Rowan ran along her way, setting the cushions beside the spotted banner and jumped up, grabbing hold and quickly climbing up. It was different from the tree, but somewhat similar. Soon she was by the top, looking down. It wasn't that long a drop, but she was happy to see the cushions down on the floor, just in case. She slowly started shifting her balance from the banner to the wall, straddling the cloth between her legs while her toes wedged between stone blocks. She kept hold of the hooks, so that the banner and the bar were able to be manipulated without dropping her like a rock. She lifted the bar and banner, grabbing the bar and just simply tilting it, letting the banner slid off and fall to the floor, where it piled on the cushions. She set the bar back in place, switching hands as her left was hurting. She grabbed the bar with her right, letting go of the hooks and sighing, pushing out with her feet and dropping as she let go.
She really hated the fall, but the banner and cushions were useful for a softer landing. She bundled them up, running along. After the excitement of removing the banner, she was left cold again. Soon arriving to the hide away, she dropped the banner by the entrance, throwing the cushion in as she motioned him to come out. They stayed quiet, knowing if anyone heard them they would quickly be found. He hooked his hands together, chest level. Sh grabbed the banner with one hand, his shoulder with the other, and forced herself up. Stepping from his hands to his shoulder, she stepped up again. He then lifted his hands above his head, giving her a third stepping post and the highest she could go. Her fingers hooked into the hooks, and she lifted herself again, toes wedging into the crack as she lifted the bar. Now was the tricky part, forcing the banner onto the bar bit by bit, Barbontas feeding it up slowly. It was slowly ready, and and she sat the bar in its place, grinning/ They were on the outside, but it would be easy to push it aside to enter their room. Now was the tricky part, as she shifted her feet to try and get her legs around the banner to slide down. But, she had forgotten that her feet were in the crack, not between bricks. And down she fell.
Barbontas was lucky to be under her, as they both tumbled down, her falling on him as they both groaned, the thud from the fall loud enough to confirm that it was a heavy fall. Rowan slowly sat up, rubbing her side as Bon' rubbed his head, and then they both began to giggle. She slid off of him, nearly gasping as her side sag from pain as he stumbled up. They looked at where the entrance to their hide away was, nodding. Just a banner. Rowan slid it aside, sliding in as he shuffled behind her slowly, her muttering to him to close it. He slowly did so, as she surveyed the room. It was home, basically. Home within home. No mother to tell her to act more like a royal, or her sisters and their disapproving looks. Rowan loved them all, but it was all too much. This was a safe place, away from their eyes. She moved to the chain, setting the cushion on it and sitting down, grinning as Barbontas got in, doing the same without a word. With practiced ease, a small flame on a twig was used to light the candle, casting a nice glow over their food and themselves.
"Dinner is served." He claimed, finally speaking, and Rowan tried to hold it in, but soon she was giggling, and he was following. Soon they were both just laughing, not caring about the noise as they reflected on the night. It all seemed so funny now. All the falling, the sneaking around, the banner, the whole night was a resounding fail and success all at once. They slowly calmed, eating. The bread was hot, and the sou was closer to broth, but the meat was still perfect and the broth still delicious with a few vegetables in it, giving them something to dunk the bread in. All they were missing were drinks, but neither of them would ever dare steal a bottle of wine, and the other stuff was too protected to attempt right now. But it was still a good night.
And all throughout it, Rowan could only hope that every night could be this simple yet perfect. Soon, the food was consumed and they laid by the fire, just making small talk, until the candle burned out. This was their agreed leaving point. After the first night last month, where they had fallen asleep, they found the repercussions in the morning. When Angela went to wake Rowan up, and found her missing, there had been a small panic until Rowan had shown up to breakfast, getting an earful of how worried they were. Barbontas had also gotten a stern talking to from Richton, since he had arrived late for his working shift. The lessons for Rowan that afternoon were purposely long, boring, and bothersome about punctuation while Barbontas was forced to take a double labor shift and take out the chamber pots of the guards and servants. It was a nice night, but not worth the punishment.
They slowly got off the blanket they were laying on, slipping out one at a time. Barbontas used the last of his broth to throw on the fire and moved the blanket away. Letting the fire die. Out in the hall, instead of leaving, Rowan waited, keeping the banner open for him. It took him a minute, but he was soon slipping out as well. She couldn't help it, as she threw her arms around the dwarf boy, keeping herself close for a second before pulling back. He was blushing lightly at the sudden display of affection, as she grinned, leaving without a word. They went different directions, him to the left to the servants quarters and her to the right, to her room.
Neither would feel the cold, the warmth in their chests enough to ward it off.
The Shift
Rowan sighed, bundled up as she and the rest of the castle slowly went outside, her staying near Rina and Grace as her mother talked to the man in the strange cloak. Today was simply known as the Shift. The day between Evening Star and Morning Star, which would be the official new year. Today was a day of silence, until the hour before midnight. Then the country would be awake, praying and begging for a good next year. There would be offerings, prayers, spells to decypher the divine, and such until midnight, where people would celebrate the new year. The staff were also hanging around the courtyard and the gardens, drinking and enjoying the castle's fine assortment. Loriana has been and probably would be the only queen to ever share drink with commoners casually, even if they were staff.
Rina was tapping on her rapier, smiling happily. It wasn't threatening to Rowan anymore, but rather comforting. Her big sister was so good with her sword, just as strong as she was flexible. Chop a man's arm off or slide the blade into a chink in his armor, both were equal opportunities, and she would protect her. The nightmares had begun to truly fade. With the onset of the cold, and her constant company in Barbontas, they seemed to have subsided. So now she wasn't paranoid or frightened by her sister's enjoyment of the steel, but rather welcomed it.
The sound of a lute started up somewhere, followed by a harp. It wasn't that good, but it did add to the general happy mood of the night, as her mother and the cloaked man went their separate ways, her mother to Richton and the man pass them. Rina and Grace gave no looks to the person, just a black cloaked figure. But Rowan was shorter, and ducked slightly forward to catch a quick look at his face.
Young, pale, not average but not unique, a soft glimmer in front of his face. He turned and offered a smile, and she offered one back as he went on his way. The man went to the gate, and turned to the crowd. Now was the wait. There was two people keeping track of the stars and moon, waiting for the right time. It soon was upon them, as she felt a familiar warmth move to her side as her sisters moved forward. Rowan only had to look a bit over to tell it was Barbontas. He didn't say anything, and neither did she. Then there was fire, lighting up the sky in a glorious orange hue in the form of a reptile, a dragon, swinging and curling through the air. The hour was here and gone, the new year had started. Rowan didn't know what she was doing, and she supposed neither did her friend, but silently in the spasmodic flashes of light and darkness, they joined hands. And so began the new year
Morning Star
The first day of the first month of the new year, no one alive would know how a creature, a demon of the sea and dreams awoke truly, as it started its final beast, a horrible being that might shatter minds should eyes lay upon it, shifted to the surface. It broke into the air, long green tnetacles sliding forward to the midnight black beach. They dug in the dark sand. Portals slowly spun into existence in front of it, one for each tentacle, and they all showed the same thing. A simple castle, with a wizard at the gate spewing fire. Naga rushed forward, and the invasion would finally come to an end, with Lord Dagon as the victor.