My apologies in advance for any spelling mistakes or writing errors. I try to check the chapters over after having written them, but it is unexpectedly difficult to find your own mistakes. Thank you for your patience.
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Lilinette watched as the woman's eyes sleepily opened, she seemed barely conscious. "Sleep" She muttered quietly, stroking her hair. She was unsure what had brought her to do something of the sort, but it seemed to work. The girl on the bed quietly drifted off once more as her body continued the process of healing itself.
When Marion next opened her eyes, she was temporarily misplaced with the amnesia one feels upon waking up. The first thing she saw, while the memories suddenly rushed back to her, was a huge outline of a man leaning over her. Tensing, she lashed out at him. Or at least she attempted to, but the effort fell on deaf shoulders as she simply fell back to her bed, crying in pain.
"Ah, careful now. Don't wanna get you all beat up again. The Little One'll never forgive me for it." He said quietly, chuckling as he pushed down on her shoulder to indicate for her to stay down.
"W-Who are you?" She asked suspiciously, putting on a fiery tone to play down the fear at her current predicament. The pain in her chest and back continued to nag at her, but she put it to the back of her mind.
"Me? I'm just a baker. My names Laurence if you're in need of one, but most folk just call me Baker anyhow. You can do the same, if you want." He said, looking at her searchingly for a moment. She simply continued to stare up at him suspiciously.
"What do you want with me then?" She asked, raising her voice in anger. She was a little surprised when he gave a panicked look and shushed her. It was not the response she had been expecting.
"Quiet, will you? Don't wanna be waking her up, this is the first proper sleep she's had since we brought you here." He exclaimed in a whisper, indicating to a girl sleeping by her bed. She was leant against the wall with her knees held to her chest, and her head tilted back, eyes closed. Marion suddenly remembered the girl, she had been the one she'd tried to save. The memory caused her to wince; apparently she hadn't been quite ready for such a situation yet.
"As for what I want with you, that'd be best asked of the Little One when she wakes up. She's been sleeping things off for a time now, so it shouldn't be too long. For some reason she's unduly protective of you, it seems." He said, eyeing Marion with curiosity before continuing.
"Don't suppose you'd be willing to expand on that, by the way, would you? Way I saw things, all I know is that someone went and killed four people out there tonight." He said passively, watching her carefully. Suddenly an afterthought occurred to him, and he looked behind him briefly. "With a very.. Unique lookin' blade, too. Ain't your standard sword, that's for sure." He added thoughtfully.
Marion cringed a little at the words, but by now had gotten the impression that she wasn't in any immediate danger. The girl had said she would help her, after all, not that she had actually been expecting her to. It was a surprise to find that she had kept her word, commoners were not known for that to her knowledge. Though even as she thought it, it was with a guilty conscience that she had made such an assumption. It was not the first thing she had been wrong about in their regard.
"I.. Yes, the sword is mine." She spoke after a moment, looking sideways down at the girl. "They were going to hurt her. I killed three of them. The fourth got me, I think, and then.." She frowned in concentration, lifting a hand up with care to hold her head. "Then.. Then she killed him, and pulled me away. Then she promised to come help me, I remember that."
Baker watched her for another moment, before simply shrugging. "Interesting times we're at, it seems. Worlds falling apart." Marion didn't miss the avoidance about why she had intervened, but did not question it. She was simply thankful that any more difficult topics had not been brought up.
"Yes. I've heard there is unrest in the Kingdom of France." She spoke quietly, in an attempt to keep with his small talk. The man simply stared at her, before sighing, placing his hand onto his forehead. Marion was unsure what she had said wrong.
"It'd be wise to keep your mouth closed about matters of that sort, girl." He spoke quietly. "It'll cause trouble, and get you attention you really aren't needing." She tensed a little at his words, but forced herself to relax upon realising that he'd be referring to the previous men. It was unlikely he'd know who she was, and it hurt her chest to tense anyway.
"Thank you for the advice." She said quietly. Her eyes were drawn back to the woman sleeping by her bed. It was remarkable, she thought to herself idly, how peaceful the girl looked. The last memory Marion had of her consisted of her killing a man several times her physique. To look at her now, she seemed angelic to the young swordswoman, and the sheer contrast almost had her doubting that it was the same girl.
It occurred to her that she had ended up being saved by the very person she had been attempting to save. Not only that, but the girl had made sure Marion was treated and cared for. "She is quite remarkable." She idly commented to Baker, her eyes not leaving the woman. It was only when he started chuckling that she looked up.
"She said that exact same thing about you, the moment she mentioned you." He explained at her questioning look, a grin on his face. "You two are like peas in a pod." He remarked, laughing again.
Marion looked at him oddly, but the laughter was infectious, and she found herself stifling her own. It didn't last long before her chest started to protest to the action, and she winced.
"Aye, settle down now. Don't wanna be pulling you apart just yet. You'll be needing a couple day's more rest at least before doing anythin' like that, by my reckoning." The man commented, his own chuckle still dying away.
"Anyway, I got work to be getting back to. Lilinette wake up, your... Guest is conscious." He said, a foot nudging at her. Her eyes flew open, but it was the only overt movement that showed her having been startled. Marion watched as she looked up at him, and then to her.
"So she is." The girl spoke in a soft tone. It held the same unique quality to it that Marion had heard before, and she again could not place what it was. Instead she studied the younger girl as Lilinette stood, intrigued by the unusual grace the movement held. It did not hold the finesse of an educated noble or the like, yet it was somehow similar in method while still holding a style all of its own. In some ways her grace was even more becoming than that of the norm.
Still though, it seemed inappropriate for her to ask of such things. And from what she could see, the other girl was scrutinising her with an intense gaze of her own. It was not unexpected considering the circumstances, but she still found herself feeling a little unnerved by it.
"How do you feel?" The other girl finally spoke. It was a simple question, but she was unsure whether to reply politely or honestly. Eventually, with a small sigh, she settled on honesty. The girl was caring for her, after all.
"Painful. My chest hurts me greatly, and my back and head too." She said quietly with a grimace. With her thoughts redirected to the injuries, their pain seemed to intensify somewhat.
"To be expected. You've broken five of your ribs, and took some rather hefty blows." Lilinette muttered, looking her over carefully. "But for the most part you should heal up. It'll take a while though I think." She finished.
"How long." Marion asked immediately. She did not like being unable to move, it made her feel vulnerable and restless just to think about. Though right now she was not in any huge hurry to move, it would be difficult soon, she was sure.
"A long while. You should be moving about in two weeks, or so Baker says." The girl replied with a tilt of her head. "Though you look better than expected right now. Perhaps you are a fast healer."
Marion gave a small moan of dispair. "Weeks? I cannot. I have... I need to leave before then." She said hastily, her hands clenching the sheets. "Otherwise there will be no end of trouble."
"Indeed? Well, I cannot move you for the moment, but I can have a message sent to your family, if you wish." Lilinette offered politely.
Marion merely flinched. While this girl seemed trustworthy, it was a very bad idea to tell of her heritage to anyone not of the court, for fear that they might use her for fiendish purposes. That danger was only exacerbated in her current immobility.
"I... N-No. I, umm... Let me think." She hedged. In truth, she was not sure what to do. From the man's implication of Lilinette sleeping, she had gathered she had been there a few days, but even that would cause trouble. To stay for weeks would potentially be very, very dangerous, and not necessarily for her. But she could not simply ask to be taken home.
Eventually, she decided on a course of action. "Yes. Let me write a letter, and have it taken to the... Seliúre estate. It is not far from the royal palace. I am his daughter." She finished, proud of her quick thinking.
Lilinette, however, simply stared at her uncertainly. She did of course know where the Seliúre estate was; indeed, you would be hard pressed to find someone who didn't. The man was generally accepted to be in control of the city, since the King had secluded himself within the palace after his wife's death. Most considered him to be the cause of all the strife within the city, due to the policies and nobles he had put into power. But from what Lilinette had managed to gather it seemed he was not truly an evil person, merely a notoriously bad judge of character. Though the end result was the same, she supposed.
"... Yes. I know where it is. I shall find you some paper and a pen, if you are wishing to ink it now?" She queried the girl.
"I shall, thank you." Marion replied with a nod. When Lilinette retreated to speak to the baker, she sighed tiredly, watching her leave. This was no doubt going to leave her in a lot of trouble. She just hoped her sword would not be confiscated again, I had been a pain taking it back last time, and she had been punished for that too. Though thankfully they had at least not bothered with taking it from her again, given the effort she had gone to getting it.
The vague sounds of the man from before moaning reached her ears, but she could not make out the words. Eventually Lilinette came back, holding the items carefully, before handing them to her.
"Thank you." She said quietly, before quickly writing down a letter for him, briefly explaining her situation. She made sure to write it as though his daughter, but signed it with her name at the bottom. After a moment of writing however, she paused, realising that the other girl was staring at her letter with a fascinated look.
"O-Oh, err, can you not write?" She mumbled embarrassedly. It occurred to her that Commoners often were not capable of such things.
"No, I can," Lilinette said, shaking her head. "But not nearly so well or so quickly. Baker has given me the occasional lesson, but I do not often have the time for them. My writing is fumbled at best in comparison to yours, and written at a snail's pace." She remarked, her eyes not leaving the page.
"But you can write then. Is that... Rare?" Marion asked nervously, unsure whether or not she was being impolite.
"You mean among us Commoners?" Lilinette replied seriously. Marion blinked in confusion before gasping, putting a hand to her mouth. Lilinette had been reading her letter, she realised.
"I-Is that, err, discourteous? I m-mean rude?" She queried, hurriedly correcting herself. The girl simply raised an eyebrow as she looked at her.
"I know what discourteous means, I'm not stupid." She remarked idly, causing the flustered Marion to go a deep red colour. She was unsure how to act here, and appeared to be making things even worse for herself. Her panic turned to confusion, however, when she heard Lilinette start giggling.
"You are so easily teased!" She said, laughter now coming out of her as Marion stared up, slowly realising with embarrassment what had just happened.
"T-That is mean." She mumbled, looking down to hide her blush. The younger girl had been playing with her, and she had fallen for it entirely. Lilinette's giggling continued for a moment, before dying down suddenly. Looking up Marion noticed that the girl was blushing herself, also looking embarrassed, though the older girl was unsure why. Clearing her throat quietly, the girl spoke.
"Well. To answer your question, it is not overly rare. Most of the settled families and shop owners know how to read and write basic for trading and the like, though perhaps not to the standard of yourself. It is rare among the Orphans though I suppose, but I am acquainted with Baker. Most of us cannot claim such a thing." She informed the girl. Marion stared at her.
"You are without parents?" She asked in a sad tone.
"It is the definition of the term." Lilinette replied with a joking half-smile. "I and many others. I am not the first, nor do I expect myself to be the last. Hopefully I shall make better for myself than most manage, however." She said quietly, looking upward in retrospection.
Marion simply remained quiet, unsure what to say that would not cause insult. Speaking had never been something she did well, despite her teachers best efforts, so she settled on saying nothing.
"Anyway, you require rest. I shall deliver your letter for you as you sleep." Lilinette spoke after a moment, nodding decisively. Marion simply nodded, speaking a quiet thanks to her. When Lilinette's hand gently pushed her down into a lying position, she was surprised by how quickly tiredness overtook her. Within a few moments she was asleep, and Lilinette left without another word.
Lilinette walked along the rich area in which the nobles lived. It was an area she frequented quite a lot, but rarely did she do so out in the open like this. It was a rather novel experience for her. Looking around, she was able to appreciate the large, ornate Gothic structures that surrounded her. Each was the abode of one of the city's nobles in their district of splendour.
Still, the impression she felt while walking up the street was decidedly one of ominousness and power. The dark appearance of the buildings, with the purposely not-quite-kept gardens caused a small shiver to run down the girl's spine, despite herself. The architect of these must have had quite the imagination, she mused with dark humour.
Walking up to the largest of the buildings, set a little away from the others, she was met by the two guards standing at the gate.
"Speak your purpose." The taller of the two commanded in a practised tone.
"A message for the Lord Seliúre." She answered concisely. "From his own blood."
The guard gave a brief look of hesitation at that, but nodded, quickly regaining his manner.
"Very well. Enter and speak to the Butler, he'll guide you." He stated, opening the gate to let her through. She simply nodded, quietly motioning her thanks.
She was soon met with a very impressive looking door, with a carefully sculpted knocker placed at its centre. Lilinette stood for a moment examining it, before pulling it up to use. It only took a moment before it was opened, and a tall well-dressed man looked down at her. She assumed he was the butler, and it was apparently confirmed by his tone, if not words. "Yes?" He spoke stiffly.
"I have a letter for his Lordship, from his daughter." That sentence brought a curious expression onto the butlers face. Lilinette couldn't readily define it, however it was most certainly not what she was expecting. It seemed some sort of mix between suspicion and incredulity.
"His Lordship does not ha-" And then he stopped, as though suddenly realising something. Lilinette's thoughts immediately began working at that, but she did not reveal them to the man. After a moment he simply held out his hand. "The letter then, if you will." To which Lilinette shook her head.
"I was entrusted this letter, and I shall see it delivered to its recipient only." She said firmly. She had expected the butler to be annoyed at that, but instead he simply nodded.
"Very well, please follow me." Apparently that was more common of messengers than she had expected. She shrugged to herself, not much caring either way, though she did make a mental note in case it could be of use in the future. She had been known to take on messenger jobs before, and this seemed like a good thing for one's reliability.
She was lead to a beautifully decorated room, where she was told to wait while Lord Seliúre was notified. A housemaid had bustled in within seconds of his departure, causing Lilinette to chuckle wryly; apparently she was not trusted to be left alone in the room. At least they were politely subtle about the fact, as the maid did indeed go around cleaning the room apologising for the interruption as she went.
Apparently the Lord had deigned her important enough to come downstairs himself, as she soon saw him walking into the room the butler in tow. He looked her up and down, though Lilinette could see he was not much sure what he was looking for. The action was done more for appearances than for anything else.
"Apparently you have brought a letter from my daughter." He spoke carefully. He was cautious of her, Lilinette noted.
"Aye, My Lord. I was hired to deliver to you her words." She said, handing the letter to him. The man took it and read silently. It was interesting to watch the minute expressions that crossed his face. She had not had time to read most of the letter, as her eyes were not well-practised with words and thus slow. After a while he looked back up at her.
"Would you tell me where I can find my daughter? She assures me that she is safe and in need of resting, but you'll forgive me if I would see for myself if that is truly the case." He said firmly. Lilinette immediately put herself on guard, and considered how to avoid giving Marion's location. She had Baker to consider after all, and giving his address to a Noble, regardless of who they were, was not going to happen.
"I'm just a messenger, My Lord. I took the job from street folk, but I'm afraid I don't recall the face of who." She said, carefully structuring her words. She had worked out a way to get out of this, though it would require playing a different character to her norm.
He frowned a little, having worked out some hidden meaning to her words, as expected. "And I don't suppose a few coins would help jog your memory?" He spoke with a slight tone of scathing. Apparently he did not like that sort of character, good. In response, Lilinette instead shook her head.
"No, My Lord. A messenger has to keep their practise clean. How would you react if your guards were to let people through for the sound of coin, My Lord? Forgive me, but I'm not able to tell you my customers. It just ain't right." She finished, purposefully giving her accent just a touch of the lower-class, but not enough to put the noble off, only to imply herself as not well off. Now she just hoped she had his character right. Otherwise, she might find herself at a knife's edge of a position.
But to her luck, his eyes softened slightly. "That is unusually honourable of you. Tell me, what is your name girl?" He asked. Her thoughts began rushing at that, as she considered what to tell him. While giving her name was a risky venture, if he was asking for why she thought he was, then giving him the truth could potentially give her a very good source of jobs. Working for a noble was dangerous, but reliable and paid well. Finally she nodded.
"I'm called Lilinette, My Lord." She said honestly. The man considered her for a moment.
"You do your job well, Miss Lilinette. I may have work for you in the future. Where may I find you?" He asked. Lilinette smiled a little to herself – this had gone perfectly. It was not often she had such good luck, but apparently fortune had been looking upon her kindly as of late.
Lilinette looked to the butler by his side. Stiff though he remained, he did apparently register her look, and gave a slight nod. Good, he would know how to put out word onto the street. Though servants generally thought themselves better than most, they were not oblivious to the outside world and usually knew how things were really done.
"I'll leave my details with your staff, My Lord." She said looking back to him. "They can contact me." Apparently this satisfied the gentleman, and he nodded. "Very well. Thomas will show you out. He finished, before walking out of the room. The butler did so, and at the door she looked up to him. "The Fleece, in Merchants." She spoke succinctly. He appeared surprised that she was from the relatively rich Merchant's District, but nodded anyway. It was still squalor compared to the gentry, but since it was primarily shops and steady families it was a fairly well-kept place, and The Fleece was a well reputed pub.
She walked out the gate, nodding with a slight smile to the two guards on her way. It never hurt to give soldiers and guards a kind eye, and it was the sort of thing that could potentially prove life-saving at some point in the future. People were both much more likely to protect you, and much less happy about killing you, if they saw you as a friendly face. It wouldn't stop an order to kill, but it might delay a blade enough to get out of its way.
But now she had other issues to deal with. Though she hadn't had time to consider it earlier, the butler's initial reaction to her was deeply suspect. It was not difficult to work out what he had been about to say, but it was more than a little strange to her mind. The woman had lied about her family, fair enough it was a reasonable thing to do, but to then claim Lord Seliúre as her father? That was… Well, idiotic, to be blunt. The man was hated by most of the city.
And why would he have accepted the letter in the first place? Obviously the woman had some real connection to him for that to be the case. Perhaps she was a minor noble cousin of his or something of the like, and was attempting to hide behind his admittedly powerful name.
The made sense, until she considered Butler's reaction to that tattoo. Why would a minor noble bring the trouble he had indicated? He spoke as though it was dangerous to even have here at all, but if that was the case then she had to be a powerful name. So why hide behind Lord Seliúre?
She frowned in frustration, stopping to try and clear her head for a moment, before continuing to walk. So, what would she do were it her, and she had a powerful name? Well, obviously she'd try to hide it, it was dangerous to be known as powerful when you were vulnerable, lest people try and take advantage of it. But obviously that wasn't what the girl had done since she had gone to the most powerful man in the city, so what else migh-
Oh.
No, there was one name that was more powerful. The Royal Family were certainly more powerful than Seliúre, even if they were not exercising it currently. And, now that she thought about it, since Seliúre was in control by their leave he would have been in regular contact with the Royals.
God, just what had she stumbled upon now?
