A message and a visit
"What!" Warren exclaimed, "He...we can't send her to him... alone! The girl isn't well!" "What does he want with her," Nadine asked fearfully, "Will he return her?"
"It's not up to me," said the messenger, "I don't know the answer to your questions anyway. I was just sent here to tell you that Lord Dilandau of the Zaibach empire, wishes to see your daughter Gwendoline. He said your presence wouldn't be necessary, and that he'd have someone by here in the morning to pick her up. That is all." The messenger bowed respectfully and exited
"Warren," the woman pleaded gripping her husbands arm, "You can't let them take her. Who knows what that monster might do to her." "I know," Warren said studying the floor. "Lord Dilandau is a madman and a pyromaniac by reputation, and definately not someone I want our daughter within miles of, especially now, but what can we do?" "We could send her away," Nadine reasoned, "I have a cousin in the south who I'm sure would-" "It's no use," Warren said. "Doing something like that would only make things worse. We do not know that Gwendoline is in any danger. Perhaps he only wishes to question her, after all she was present when he and his men attacked that village." Warren put an arm around Nadine. "It will be alright, Nadine. I know you're afraid and it's okay to be afraid. We have to do this."
Nadine nodded, a tear running down her face. "It's just that we've already lost Gwenivere. I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to Gwendoline. She's been through so much and it's all but destroyed her." Nadine began to cry. "That monster!" she sobbed angrily, "Why did he have to pick our daughter?!" Warren comforted his wife.
***************
Gwendoline didn't need to be comforted. She was excited. "Yay!" she said, "I'm going on a trip!" she hummed merrily to herself as her somber mother and sister, Joy helped pack her things. "Will it be a long trip mama? Mama, why aren't you coming?" The girl had been thoughtlessly placing things, nnot all of which made sense, into her bag. But she was so caught up in this that she didn't notice her mother's struggle to not burst into tears. The urge to grab Gwendoline and lock her away to protect her was not far from Nadine's mind, but the woman simply said, "We'll see darling, we'll see."
Gwendoline secretly wondered if there would be fire on the trip. Ever since they came upon the burning forest and village, the hope of seeing another sight like it was never far from Gwendoline's mind. Perhaps there would be a fire where she was going. A big golden one. Gwendoline had never seen a golden fire before, only oranges, yellows, reds, and a bit of blue at times. Never gold, though. It was another obsession of hers. One that she would never share. She wanted it to be a secret, her own secret, and even though she'd never seen golden flames in real life, the shimmering, dancing flames were in her head and her mind, and there they'd stay.
***************
As the sun was justg rising the next day, a man rode up to the mansion and got off. "I have come for the girl," he said, "by order of Lord Dilandau. Is she prepared to go?"
Gwendoline's things were fastened on, and Gwendoline was hugged by her family members. Gwendoline was a little disappointed that no one was coming, but figured she'd be able to do more with no one to constantly be watching her. Gwenndoline didn't understand why everyone seemed so sad, it was just a trip right? "You be careful, Gwendoline," Nadine said gently touching her daughter's face, "Remember to be a good girl, alright?" "Sure," Gwendoline said as she got onto the horse.
As she and the man rode off, Gwendoline gave a look back at her home. She saw her mother run forward, "Gwendoline!" she shouted. "Bye momma," the girl said quietly, "I promise to bring you back something." The horse went around the bend and the mansion was now out of sight.
***************
It was many hours before they reached they're destination. The two of them only stopped once to a diner for a brief meal and rest. By the time they reached the fortess, Vione, it was nearing nightfall.
Gwendoline could hardly believe her eyes. The fortress was huge as she entered, it almost seemed to go on forever. She looked about her in wonder. It was definitely the biggest place she'd ever seen. She smiled to herself, thinking that it would have been even more lovely if it had been on fire.
"Hello," said a boy. He had pretty blue eyes and blonde straight hair cut neatly in a bowl ahpe. "I'm Chesta," he said. "I'll take you to Dilandau - sama." Gwendoline obediantly followed the boy up a few flights of stairs and down a hallway. They stopped in front of a door and Chesta knocked. "Who is it?!" a voice asked gruffly. "It's Chesta . Dilandau - sama. I've brought the girl." "Good," said the voice, easing just a bit, "Bring her in,"
When Gwendoline entered, her eyes actually lit up with surprise. "You!" she exclaimed.
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End of chapter! Please review! @_@
"What!" Warren exclaimed, "He...we can't send her to him... alone! The girl isn't well!" "What does he want with her," Nadine asked fearfully, "Will he return her?"
"It's not up to me," said the messenger, "I don't know the answer to your questions anyway. I was just sent here to tell you that Lord Dilandau of the Zaibach empire, wishes to see your daughter Gwendoline. He said your presence wouldn't be necessary, and that he'd have someone by here in the morning to pick her up. That is all." The messenger bowed respectfully and exited
"Warren," the woman pleaded gripping her husbands arm, "You can't let them take her. Who knows what that monster might do to her." "I know," Warren said studying the floor. "Lord Dilandau is a madman and a pyromaniac by reputation, and definately not someone I want our daughter within miles of, especially now, but what can we do?" "We could send her away," Nadine reasoned, "I have a cousin in the south who I'm sure would-" "It's no use," Warren said. "Doing something like that would only make things worse. We do not know that Gwendoline is in any danger. Perhaps he only wishes to question her, after all she was present when he and his men attacked that village." Warren put an arm around Nadine. "It will be alright, Nadine. I know you're afraid and it's okay to be afraid. We have to do this."
Nadine nodded, a tear running down her face. "It's just that we've already lost Gwenivere. I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to Gwendoline. She's been through so much and it's all but destroyed her." Nadine began to cry. "That monster!" she sobbed angrily, "Why did he have to pick our daughter?!" Warren comforted his wife.
***************
Gwendoline didn't need to be comforted. She was excited. "Yay!" she said, "I'm going on a trip!" she hummed merrily to herself as her somber mother and sister, Joy helped pack her things. "Will it be a long trip mama? Mama, why aren't you coming?" The girl had been thoughtlessly placing things, nnot all of which made sense, into her bag. But she was so caught up in this that she didn't notice her mother's struggle to not burst into tears. The urge to grab Gwendoline and lock her away to protect her was not far from Nadine's mind, but the woman simply said, "We'll see darling, we'll see."
Gwendoline secretly wondered if there would be fire on the trip. Ever since they came upon the burning forest and village, the hope of seeing another sight like it was never far from Gwendoline's mind. Perhaps there would be a fire where she was going. A big golden one. Gwendoline had never seen a golden fire before, only oranges, yellows, reds, and a bit of blue at times. Never gold, though. It was another obsession of hers. One that she would never share. She wanted it to be a secret, her own secret, and even though she'd never seen golden flames in real life, the shimmering, dancing flames were in her head and her mind, and there they'd stay.
***************
As the sun was justg rising the next day, a man rode up to the mansion and got off. "I have come for the girl," he said, "by order of Lord Dilandau. Is she prepared to go?"
Gwendoline's things were fastened on, and Gwendoline was hugged by her family members. Gwendoline was a little disappointed that no one was coming, but figured she'd be able to do more with no one to constantly be watching her. Gwenndoline didn't understand why everyone seemed so sad, it was just a trip right? "You be careful, Gwendoline," Nadine said gently touching her daughter's face, "Remember to be a good girl, alright?" "Sure," Gwendoline said as she got onto the horse.
As she and the man rode off, Gwendoline gave a look back at her home. She saw her mother run forward, "Gwendoline!" she shouted. "Bye momma," the girl said quietly, "I promise to bring you back something." The horse went around the bend and the mansion was now out of sight.
***************
It was many hours before they reached they're destination. The two of them only stopped once to a diner for a brief meal and rest. By the time they reached the fortess, Vione, it was nearing nightfall.
Gwendoline could hardly believe her eyes. The fortress was huge as she entered, it almost seemed to go on forever. She looked about her in wonder. It was definitely the biggest place she'd ever seen. She smiled to herself, thinking that it would have been even more lovely if it had been on fire.
"Hello," said a boy. He had pretty blue eyes and blonde straight hair cut neatly in a bowl ahpe. "I'm Chesta," he said. "I'll take you to Dilandau - sama." Gwendoline obediantly followed the boy up a few flights of stairs and down a hallway. They stopped in front of a door and Chesta knocked. "Who is it?!" a voice asked gruffly. "It's Chesta . Dilandau - sama. I've brought the girl." "Good," said the voice, easing just a bit, "Bring her in,"
When Gwendoline entered, her eyes actually lit up with surprise. "You!" she exclaimed.
****************
End of chapter! Please review! @_@