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Post by Deleted on Dec 23, 2010 12:01:37 GMT -7
Hair tasseled up atop her head, dark red tendrils curled down past her ivory skinned face while her grey eyes faintly caught onto what was going on around her. Her gown was of a simple emerald, the gown that her husband loved to see her in the most, and loved to show her off in. No straps to hold it up, it was held by the natural blessings she had received from her mother's side of the family.
The castle she resided at now was large, with an open garden in the back which held a radiant fountain in the middle. Ivy twined up around the old brick and stone walls, and Lilah much preferred to be outside the walls, where the world was warmer and more welcoming. Inside, most rooms were empty except for a few paintings and chairs. Maids often bustled around, butlers among them, cleaning and attending to the king himself or his guests that he always had. He held no time or place for his young wife, who often daydreamed of running away while at her husband's beck and call.
Their estate was acres wide, rolling green hills, with the backside bordered by a thick wood, and a small pond off to the left. It was gorgeous, even the servants quarters a good half mile from them were beautiful. The horse stable was next to the castle itself, the horses often heard baying and neighing in their confines. Lilah left the conversation of her husband as he walked and showed his newer guests his land, trying to gain an alliance with an upcoming battle growing nearer, and she went to tend to Tremor.
"Shhh, boy," she said soothingly in her natural accent, as she stroked the length of his large head, and he nickered softly beneath her hand as she slipped a carrot from her hand and let him munch it from her hand. "Good boy," she said with a gentle smile on her rosy lips, still stroking through the tresses of his mane that slipped forward between his ears.
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Post by God on Dec 23, 2010 15:17:52 GMT -7
Marcus trotted his snowy-white horse, Warbanner, across the countryside. He had free reign, for wherever he went, he belonged to no country. He was a knight-merchant, as they were called, men who, though once honored as knights, had lost their lord, or been exhiled, and now sold their skills as a horseman. He wore his silvery armor, with the gold cadaceus of his order adorning the breastplate. A silver sheild with the same emblem hung at his left, and a silver katana hung at his right. He wore no helmet, instead allowing his dark brown waves to cascade freely over his steely shoulders.
There was a commotion, a sound of dogs barking in the distance, and he spurred his horse into a gallop. It didn't take long to reach the cause. A peasant was running through the fields, from the direction of the border. An arrow flew. At Marcus' bidding, Warbanner lunged forward, allowing the knight to stretch out his hand and snatch the arrow out of middair, slipping it into his own quiver. It was a good shaft. The border guards pulled up short, as did the peasant. Marcus swung down. "Peasant, what is your business here?"
"I was fleeing Lord Duraine. He threatened to kill me if I did not bring him more crops, but I have no more! The same is true of many of us!"
"And you were trying to kill him?"
"Well, we thought he was a spy, sire."
"Did you even bother asking?"
"No, sire."
"Return to your posts, all of you."
The next few hours he spent with the peasant, developing a rather clear image of the nobleman who would be his target. One thing he would never stand for was a tyrant, and any man who kills peasants because they don't have anything to give fits that description. An hour later, he was crossing the border, then setting up camp two days away from the castle.
A minstrel arrived that day, telling tells of the silver knight who wore no helm. The lord would see him as a very useful asset, and perhaps even seek him out, especially since the minstrel claimed to have seen him on the road to the castle.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 23, 2010 18:22:19 GMT -7
Lilah was called for, to attend the final meal of the day, where the guests would boast of their travels and her husband lord was going to boast of his own accord and her own mouth would have to remain silent. She sat stock still, and she ate in silence as she was told to do. She had a brand beneath her gown, burned permanently into the skin upon her upper leg, a reminder of what status she held by her 'loving' husband. She had spoken out of turn to him, spoken down on his lack of intelligence, and the next thing she knew he had servants pin her to the bed and he was branding her, bringing her the most excruciating pain she had ever felt in her life. She had no desire, ever, to fall into that type of pain any longer. So, she kept her place, despite what he spoke about or how irritating her husband sounded.
Leaving the dining hall when she was permitted, she heard her husband's keeper, a sort of advisor/butler, tell a servant to fetch the so called 'silver knight' that they had heard about during dinner. Lilah was equally interested, wanting to meet a man who seemed to still hold onto his nobility and his courteousness. The men she was constantly placed around were rich, boastful, and completely swollen with greed and ale. It drove her absolutely insane. She felt completely alone even in a crowded room at one of her husband's parties. The wives or mistresses of the men were all focused on money as well, their appearance, and their lack of children. Less children, less money to give away, yet no one to carry on the name, and so forth.
So incredibly boring.
Lilah sighed and shook her head, heading up to her chambers and changing into her dressings for sleep, walking out on the back balcony to gaze upon the stars before her husband called her to bed once again for a night of emotionless 'love-making' which was him grunting before her and her feeling absolutely no pleasure in the action whatsoever. Love-making? She was afraid she'd never know of the actual sensation.
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Post by God on Dec 24, 2010 2:16:57 GMT -7
A bright light flashed across the sky above her. A shooting star, perhaps? Marcus flew by, his keen angelic eyes piercing the near-midnight darkness to inspect the castle he would be infiltrating. Frowning slightly at the sight of the unsatisfied young woman, he came about and headed back to camp. He was met there by the minstrel, a fallen messenger angel, who was leaning against a bored and busily eating Warbanner. "Mission accomplished, milord. Where to next?" "Keep your distance. I may have need of your crossbow." "Aye, milord." The angel faded into the shadows, and Marcus drew his blade to inspect it.
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Post by God on Dec 24, 2010 2:23:12 GMT -7
Warbanner, except Marcus' horse is snowy white, and wears silvery battle armor:
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Post by Deleted on Dec 24, 2010 6:27:42 GMT -7
Lilah gazed upon the sky, almost eagerly awaiting to see if there was another shooting star. But, alas, she was unsatisfied once more. Sighing, she heard the door close behind her and her husband call for her harshly, his tone slurred and drunken. She dropped her pale, long fingers from the balcony edge and turned, walking herself back into the bedroom, where they would lay together, and once he finally decided he was finished and rolled off of her, she could breathe again and lay on her side, facing the outward balcony. She curled up on the bare side of the bed, her husband having stolen the blankets in his sleep again, and she stared.
As she stared, she wondered, and she thought. Two dangerous things for women of the time to be doing, but Lilah did not care what others considered 'dangerous'. She shook her head for a moment, hearing her husband grunting in his sleep, and she winced and curled up further. The brand upon her upper, right leg was a smooth, bumped up branding that would typically be on the hind end of cattle. She traced her fingers over it, and sighed once more, closing her eyes lightly for a moment. Then, she felt uneasy. Typically, lying there with her husband without her nightgown on did not bother her. But this night, she managed to slip from the bed without disturbing her husband.
Grabbing her gown from the ground, she slipped on the sheen cloth, crossing her arms lightly as she gazed over towards the balcony once more, yearning. Sighing, she headed back and slipped back into the bed, slipping off to sleep. Another light sleep that would keep her tired.
Meanwhile, the poor servant sent to fetch this mysterious knight, did not get a good night's sleep. He trotted all night, very light on his feet and very high in his metabolism. He hardly got tired as he followed the path, his good memory serving him well as he remembered the minstrel's tale and followed the path towards this knight. He spotted a small camp, and he approached slowly, his tiredness now showing through as he breathed a bit heavily, rubbing at his dark eyes. He was a young servant, probably only seventeen.
The man approached the camp with caution, but he was just a messenger. He glanced around, searching for someone he could at least speak with. He just needed to pass the message on. Then, he could go back and get the dinner he was promised after he'd delivered this message, and maybe a few hours of good sleep on his cot in his quarters.
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Post by God on Dec 26, 2010 21:31:20 GMT -7
Marcus had no tent, but was sitting next to a fire with a boar roasting on it. There was a bedroll on the ground kitty-corner to the fire. He beckoned to the messenger. "Come, sit by the fire. Share a meal. The boar is almost ready."
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Post by Deleted on Dec 26, 2010 21:46:01 GMT -7
"Sir... I could not..," the boy said with a frown on his lips, knowing his place, but his stomach growling practically killed his words. Slumping, he carefully placed himself down on the ground near the fire, rubbing at his legs for a moment or two. "My master wishes a great knight to come meet with him, at his estate," he said stiffly, gazing at the fire as he did before leaning back against a small stone. He was exhausted, but he knew his duties. He looked towards the man, sighing. "Please, sir, are you this knight? I do not believe I could run any farther," he said weakly, daring to speak of his weakness this time. If he'd have said something like that in the household, he would've been struck.
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Post by God on Dec 26, 2010 21:56:05 GMT -7
Marcus smiled gently. "And how would a great knight be measured? By the expanse of his lands? The people he saved? Or perhaps by the people he has killed?" He drew his sword and with a single slash carved a chunk of meat from the boar, which he presented to the servant. "I am Marcus. What should I call you?"
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Post by Deleted on Dec 27, 2010 8:08:19 GMT -7
"I know not, sir," the boy said wearily, shaking his head. "I did not ask. He merely told me to fetch this silver knight who wore no helm. Nothing more, and nothing less," he said, sighing and then looking towards the meat with his mouth practically watering. Swallowing hard, he took the meat and mumbled an appreciative thank you. Taking a bite, he chewed before he responded. "Marcus, sir, I am Jonathan."
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Post by God on Dec 27, 2010 16:49:18 GMT -7
He nodded. "Well, Jonathan, eat your fill, then you can have the bedroll for the night. I will accompany you to your lord in the morning."
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Post by Deleted on Dec 27, 2010 17:50:52 GMT -7
"Thank you, sir, you are most kind," he said with a bow of his head. The boy was so thin that he ate half of what he was given before he was filled. Then, he took to the bedroll and was instantly asleep.
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Post by God on Dec 28, 2010 1:35:49 GMT -7
The next morning, Marcus roused the servant and packed up camp after a breakfast of pork. They headed out at an easy walk, so it took them until noon to arrive at the castle.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 28, 2010 8:11:47 GMT -7
Jonathan lifted himself up easily, helping them pack up by nature, and walked along easily until they reached the estate and castle around lunch time. He was merely thankful that he didn't need to run to let the master know ahead of time.
When they reached the castle, there was a worker tending to the gardens, whom was talking with Lilah. She was asking questions about the flowers, offering her help, and today her gown was of a red, orange tint. Her hair was pulled to one side, hanging down over her left shoulder, though some curls were stragglers. She stood when she heard people approaching, and dusted her hands onto her gown, obviously not minding at all.
"Welcome back Jonathan, there's lunch for you waiting in the kitchens," Lilah answered with a smile, before turning her gaze back on the man before her. "And who might you be, sir?" she inquired, turning on her politeness knowing that was required if her husband were to even acknowledge her existence in front of their guest.
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Post by God on Dec 28, 2010 23:41:46 GMT -7
Marcus swung down from his horse, patting Warbanner on the neck. After a brief glance around, Warbanner nickered and headed straight to the stables without the aid of a stable boy. Marcus turned to Lilah and bowed slightly. "I am Sir Marcus d'Icmelier. You are to finely dressed to be a servant. Be you the lady of this castle?"
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