Private Tales Bound by Fate

[Richard Henry the Eighth]

Richard shook his head watching Myrcella complaining about how cold the water was. Another sign of innocence he supposed, while Mrycella spent most of her time doing what she liked Richard was surrounded by dead bodies, dodging arrows and inflicting violence in one his father's many battles. "If you thought that was cold," The Bard Knight chuckled. "You would hate the Tundra."

Richard had been in the Tundra once during his travels. It was a winter wonderland full of ravenous beasts, tribes who resort to cannibalism and a kingdom that's full of backstabbers. Oh wait that's the opposite of a winter wonderland. It turned out that the Kingdom in the Tundra was no different than that of Elbion but at least very pretty to look at.

"I mean sure you've won the race," Richard replied. "But at what cost I wonder? With your ankle will you forever be a cripple? Or will contract frostbite from the freezing water because your body can't take it? I'm sure Celty would take delight at the situation you're in."

 

[Myrcella Bochanan]

"Yes, I suppose I would hate it..." But it wasn't as though she'd be wandering the Tundra in bare feet! No! She'd be bundled up in layers and either on horseback or carriage.

As Richard Henry the Eighth continued to poke fun at her expense, Myrcella thwapped him on the shoulder. Only to hit his armour and sting her hand. "Stop it! Oww!!" She shook her hand a bit and then rubbed it. "I won't be a cripple, Richard! And here I thought that you were capable of being a gentleman. But instead you just...you just..." Myrcella let out a frustrated scream that wasn't loud. She just needed to get that pented up energy out.

The more that he poked fun at her, the more that she was determined to oppose him at any chance she had.

This was all Celty's fault.

 

[Richard Henry the Eighth]

Richard laughed when Mycella tried to hit him on the shoulder. He wasn't wearing armor but the young woman recoiled in pain as though punched a suit of armor. Richard remembered a drunk man punching an armored Knight during his stay at a village inn. He ended not only breaking his arm but losing his head. "He wasn't using his head," the Knight told Richard. "So I took it off him."

Ahhh nothing like trying to laugh through the pain except that the Knight couldn't careless about the drunken patron and the entire inn was scared shitless of him. "Yes Mrycella?" The Bard Knight smirked heading for his Horse and taking out his fishing pole. "I just what? I became a person who is beyond a gentlemen that you can't think of a word?"

The Bard Knight began to cast out his fishing line to the water. He was a decent fisherman and his stomach was growling a bit. Suppose some lunch would suffice. "I got the perfect term!" He said smiling. "Richard definition: A brilliant artist and poet who treats women the same way they want to be treated!"

Richard laughed at Myrcella's expense. "In your case my little bully," he said. "As uncomfortable as possible, now continue scream my dear you'll attract the Howlerfish. They're very rare known for their nutritious meat though they have razor sharp teeth."

 

[Myrcella Bochanan]

Myrcella's own twin brother didn't bother her this much. He was more the quiet sort. And they often painted together.

Richard Henry the Eighth was quite different. And the fact that he thought that he was BEYOND a gentleman was purely laughable. And even more frustrating.

"As uncomfortable as poss--you don't know anything!"

Myrcella plucked her foot out of the water and got to her feet. From there she began limping towards her horse, wincing every time she put weight on her foot. All the while she was grumbling to herself. "....if he thinks that I'll be any sort of pleasant wife to him, he's got another thing coming..."

 

[Richard Henry the Eighth]

Richard began to hum a tune while fishing. "Brothers o brothers," he sang while from seeing Myrcella limp towards her Horse. "I don't recommend climbing on your Horse," he advised taking out a wooden basket to store any fish he caught. "You're still hurt and the last think you need is to put any weight on your ankle."

Horseback riding was difficult, Richard remembered hearing riders complain about ankle pain while they were riding. The ankles were important to maintain balance during riding. Myrcella would no doubt feel a lot of pain while riding. Of course her being a stubborn person, Myrcella wouldn't listen to word Richard would say unless......

The Bard Knight smirked grabbing her silk shoe that she left behind. "Is this a gift you left me?!" he happliy. "Your very expensive shoe! I wonder how much this costs? I mean I can go to Vel Anir and sell it to a peddler! They'll give me so much coins I might have to retire. Thank you my lovely Mrycella!"

 

[Myrcella Bochanan]

"I know that I'm still hurt! I don't need YOU to tell me!" Her foot began to warm up now that it was out of the water, and so did the numbing effect. She winced even more as she limped along, clenching her jaw as tears began to fall.

As Richard Henry the Eighth began talking about selling her shoe, Myrcella whipped her head around. "Go ahead! I'm going home to send a message to your Father! I'll tell him that there's been some mistake and I can't marry you!" Why would she want to spend the rest of her life being tormented like this? "Go marry Celty since you two scheme so well together!!"

She huffed and continued limping to her horse, stopping as she reached the side of the animal. How was she going to get on? Surely she wasn't going to ask for Richard's help. Seeing a boulder not far off, she began leading her horse towards it, just fuming.

 

[Richard Henry the Eighth]

"I don't know," Richard shrugged delighted that his fishing rod snagged something. "It seems that you are begging to have your foot amputated. They say if you don't keep your foot in place it's going to fall off! Are you sure you don't want to be a cripple?"

He had to admire Myrcella's resolve even if she's just being bratty. Still the more she walks worse her ankle injury will get. Might as well drop the pleasantries and attend to Mrycella's ankle weather she wanted to or not. Richard reeled the fish, he gave a small sigh when he saw it was just a guppy. "Oh you poor soul," he said to the small fish. "Imagine being free to swim to wherever you like only to be hooked away from the ocean."

The Bard Knight unhooked the small fish and it began to swim away, Richard wished that he was like that fish despite being trapped, it managed to escape thanks to him of course but still that guppy go out there happy and free. "It's hard to do that Myrcella," Richard said getting up. "When my father was the one who arranged the marriage."

Following Myrcella, Richard noticed that she was heading towards a boulder. It was much bigger than the others and spikier. Where has he seen that kind of boulder before...… "Myrcella," Richard called out. "Seriously you should slow down and immobilize your ankle! You will make it worse!"

 

[Myrcella Bochanan]

Myrcella didn't believe Richard Henry the Eighth when he said that her foot would fall off. Surely her walking on it would dlow the healing process, but as for falling off? That was just silly. He was silly. And ANNOYING!

She heard him reply about his Father, given that she wasn't moving very fast, despite her anger. "Yeah well, he doesn't own me! He can't tell me what to do!" He could give Richard orders, but not her. At least not while she was still unwed.

Once she reached the boulder, she turned around on her good foot so that she could climb onto it backwards. "I'm going home, Richard! I'll immobilize it there!"

Her horse started to panic, but to Myrcella, she figured it was due to the yelling. But then the boulder behind her moved and rose up, revealling itself to be a rock troll. Myrcella screamed as she was yanked off her foot by her hair, lifted high off the ground. Her horse reared up and took off, while Myrcella felt the troll's large hand grab her by the waist, letting go of her hair as he turned and started tromping through the trees.

"RIIIICHAAAAAAAAAARD!!!"

 

[Richard Henry the Eighth]

Richard sighed, stubbornness can only take you so far in this world. Myrcella will need to hone that in otherwise she could be easily manipulated by Elbion nobles. He was halfway to Myrcella until just then the boulder sprang to life revealing to be a Rock Troll. "Bloody hell!" Richard's eyes grew wide as the creature grabbed Myrcella and was about to take off.

The Bard Knight had dealt with Trolls before, they were dimwitted and very hard to take down thanks to their hardened rock-like skin. However there was a charm to them in their childlike innocence sadly the situation wasn't very charming. Richard unsheathed his sword from his Horse and sprinted to the Trolls location. "Hey!" Richard growled.

The Rock Troll dropped Myrcella but grabbed a fist full of her hair. It turned around to see Richard with his sword drawn out. "Gods be good," Richard's heart was racing who knows what the Troll could do to her. Trolls were known to eat people. "Let her go!" Richard growled.

"Huh?" The Troll said his voice sounding like stone breaking against one another. He slowly approached Richard, dragging Myrcella by the hair like a caveman dragging his captive. "What you want?"

"What I want," Richard said gulping. "Is to let the poor girl go."

 

[Myrcella Bochanan]

While Richard Henry the Eighth may have come across trolls before, Myrcella surely hadn't! And this one was UGLY!

She cried out as she was dropped to the ground, unable to avoid landing on both of her feet. The sheer pain that shot up her leg caused her to crumple, only to be dragged by her hair.

Now the tears fell freely. It wasn't as though she could run away or anything at the moment. Richard seemed to have caught the troll's attention and was...conversing with it? How was that going to save her? Maybe she'd just wait a few more moments to see.

 

[Richard Henry the Eighth]

Richard clenched his teeth watching Mrycella beginning to cry. This was sick, the woman was scared out of her wits having never seen a troll before. Trolls especially Rock Trolls were prone to raging fits of violence for the littlest reasons. Richard remembered a Troll wrecking havoc on a village because a flew into his eyes. The Village Elder punished him by forcing the Troll to build a bridge which he shockingly accepted. As violent as these trolls are, they can see reason.

"Why want girl?" The Troll asked gripping Mrycella's hair tight. "She make too much noise. Harry was sleeping dreaming of eating small men and pointy ear men."

Richard raised an eyebrow. "Elves and Dwarves?" he asked. "In any case, I want the girl because I care for her a lot."

"Well Harry is hungry, girl is makes Harry's ears hurt." The Troll turned around dragging Myrcella by the hair like a ragdoll. "You don't need to eat her!" Richard exclaimed. "You can eat me! Eat me instead!"

 

[Myrcella Bochanan]

Myrcella cried quietly once the troll complained about her noise level. But she was hurt! And dealing with the insufferable Richard Henry the Eighth that did nothing but tormenter her and---

Did he just say that he cared about her a lot?? Why would he say that? Was it just some attempt to pull the troll's heartstrings?

Well it didn't work. The troll wanted to eat her. But then Richard said something else unexpected...he offered to take her place. Although that wpuld free her from an impending marriage that was doomed to be full of arguments and anger, she couldn't have his death on her hands.

"No!...Wait!...Mr. Troll, sir...Do you like fish? Richard here can catch you plenty! They are much tastier and easier to eat than...well, us."

 

[Richard Henry the Eighth]

Richard raised an eyebrow, he was about to say that! There he goes again doing all that melodramatic nonsense and stuff. "Yes!" Richard said smiling. "I am a good catcher of Fish! You wouldn't like a human! They are nasty and bony! Like me! If you let go of the girl than I will catch any fish that your hearts desire!"

Did a Troll like Fish? They're rather infamous for their insatiable hunger. Richard had to try, he had to save Myrcella. "Hmmm," The Troll seemed to think about the twos proposition then frowned. "Harry hates fish!" Before turning around and beginning to run, dragging Mrycella on the ground by the hair.

"No! Myrcella!" Richard ran to his Horse and attempted to chase the Troll. He was astonishingly fast for a Rock Troll.

 

[Myrcella Bochanan]

"Owww!!!!" For now the pain of her ankle was dulled by the pain of her scalp as the troll dragged her while he ran.

Her plan didn't work. She had to come up with something else. "What about cakes??!!!" Surely a troll would love sweet cakes and pies, right? Much better than fish.

Myrcella watched as Richard Henry the Eighth began to catch up with the aid of his horse. Would he think to use his sword to cut her hair? It was a last resort of course. But better to lose her hair than her life! And she could feel her dress tear and her body bruise as the dragging continued.

 

[Richard Henry the Eighth]

"Shut up girl!" The Troll continued to drag Myrcella through out the forest by the hair as he ran through the forest towards his cave. "You make Harry's head hurt!"

Richard continued to spur his Stallion to follow the Troll. It was astonishingly fast, no Troll that Richard saw moved at such breakneck speed as this Rock Troll. Which meant that Myrcella must be in terrible pain. "Of course she is," he grumbled to himself. "What a stupid thing to say."

Richard sheathed his sword and reached for his Silver Lance which was snuggled onto the Horses side. He usually used it for jousting tourneys. Never in Richard's wildest dreams that he would actually use it in combat. With the lance in hand, Richard encouraged his Horse to gallop faster catching up to the Troll. It was a good thing that Richard chose silver, Monsters according the Monster Hunters he meets were weak against silver.

"Myrcella!" Richard yelled. "Hold on!"

 

[Myrcella Bochanan]

Myrcella's dress ripped all the more while she was being dragged. So much so that there was no amount of repairs that could make it beautiful again. Everytime she hit a rock or root of a tree that poked out of the ground, she cried out. This was not how she planned her day! Why was this all happening to her?!

"....Please....stop!...." She whimpered more to herself that anything else. She was being dragged further and further from home at such a quick speed.

The voice of Richard Henry the Eighth caught her attention, telling her to hold on when really she was sure that she wasn't going to endure this for much longer. Was he holding a lance? What was he doing? Whatever it was, Myrcella just hoped that she'd be released soon.

 

[Richard Henry the Eighth]

Rock Trolls obviously have a rocky hide making them particularly difficult to attack. They were vulnerable from the front however if Richard could only catch up to the Rock Troll. "Leave Harry alone!" The Troll cried out as he continued to drag Myrcella by the hair through the forest.

"Now Harry!" Richard said through clenched teeth as he galloped closer to the Troll. "It'll be hard to do so when you are carrying a girl of noble birth!"

"No-no?" The Rock Troll slowed down a bit likely to contemplate what Richard was saying. It seems that the word: noble is a new word for the creature. Maybe egging him on could slow him down some more.

"Noble!" Richard said getting riding closer to the Troll, he can sense his Stallion breathing starting to become erratic. By the Gods! A Stallion being out run by a Troll?! What are the odds! Richard needed to spare his Horse the humiliation of possibly being beaten. And of course rescue Myrcella.

"Are you born this dumb?!" Richard yelled. "Or do you have to put in the effort?!"

"Don't insult Harry!" the Troll stopped and turned around to face Richard only to be greeted by a Lance penetrating his chest, blood came spilling out almost immediately. The Troll roared in pain and released Myrcella's hair. Harry staggered and fell on to the ground rump first as he stared blankly at the Lance sticking out of his chest.

Richard's Horse neighed out of exhaustion and stood on its two hoofs forcing Richard out of the saddle. The Bard Knight landed head first on to the ground. "All right!" Richard said slowly getting up and rubbing his head. "You did well!" The young man then unsheathed his sword before heading to Harry.

"Myrcella!" Richard shouted towards her. "Are you alright?!"

 

[Myrcella Bochanan]

Fast. Slow. It didn't matter. Being dragged was being dragged. And while Richard Henry the Eighth exchanged some banter with the troll, Myrcella's body felt like she had been trampled on by the horses, even though she clearly wasn't.

Battered, bruised and bloody, Myrcella skidded to a halt once she was released, her head thudding to the ground. Her mouth just hung open in shock while she tried to contemplate what was happening. The troll was down. Sort of. Richard was on his feet, calling out to her. Yet no sound came out of her. Instead her arms moved a little in some weak attempt at trying to roll herself over.

But she was sore. Everywhere! Her corsett felt too tight and she just wanted it loosened. Parts of her felt as though it was burning and her head...she wondered how much hair she had left.

Maybe she'd be too ugly for Richard to marry now...that is if she was as bald as she imagined herself to be.

 

[Richard Henry the Eighth]

Myrcella looked awful to the point where if she wasn't waving her arms, Richard would've thought she was dead. For some reason, Richard felt that this was his fault that he allowed this to happen. "Myrcella!" Richard whispered reaching towards the young woman. "Mrycella it's going to be okay."

From the time he spent with Myrcella, this was the first time he saw her at a loss for words. She was shocked to see that this was happening to her. Damn it all Richard swore that he would protect Myrcella but he would never anticipate it being from Rock Trolls. Just as he was about to get closer to Myrcella, Harry sprung to life shattering the lance with a big slam with is arm.

Richard held his weapon in front of him as the Troll zipped right past him and grabbed Mycella's hair. "No!" Richard yelled as he saw Harry take a large locks of Myrcella's hair and tied it on a tree branch. The young woman was on her feet with hair unable to escape. "Man will pay!" Harry roared with the blade of Richard's Lance was still stuck on him.

The Bard Knight sighed and got to his stance. "Well," he said. "We did offer you fish."

 

[Myrcella Bochanan]

Going to be okay? She wished that were true. But right now Myrcella figured that she'd always be in pain. Just how badly did she look? She lifted her head up a little and looked down at her dress. It was torn and shredded, parts of her legs exposed.

The sound of the lance breaking scared her. It wasn't over?! Her hair was grabbed once more, only this time she was lifted from the ground. Myrcella screamed as she was forced to put her weight on her already injured ankle. Tears streamed down her face as she was forced to stand in place to watch as Richard Henry the Eighth and the troll were made to battle it out.

How ironic that they might die together....

 

[Richard Henry the Eighth]

Richard was no Monster Hunter but he knew a thing two about emotions. Anger makes people stupid and it's the same is true with monsters. Trolls are dim-witted brutes he is prone to making big mistakes. Harry roared Richard charging directly at him. Richard side stepped barely dodging the Troll though part of its rocky skin brushed off of Richard's cheek leaving a long red scratch.

The Rock Troll couldn't stop his momentum and he landed head first on to the tree. "Ow!" Harry clutched his head as he staggered back. Richard took the opportunity to land some vicious slices upon the creaiure striking at eyes, belly throat. Blood came pouring out from Harry as the blade tasted Trolls blood. "It's probably made of fat as well," Richard muttered to himself.

Harry tried to take a swipe at Richard but he ducked performed a quick jab at the Rock Troll's belly. Richard was a defensive fighter who prided him self in not getting hit. Pain is a terrible thing to feel if there's anything you want pain to do is to stop and Richard devised a fighting stance to make sure that he won't feel it. From the corner of his eye he saw Mrycella in tears anger filled him as he stared at Harry. "You have harmed Myrcella far enough!" he growled. "I will NOT let you hurt her any more!"

 

[Myrcella Bochanan]

Myrcella watched as the battle waged on between Richard Henry the Eighth and Harry the troll. It wasn't as though she could do anything else. She was left with no choice but to hang around and wait to see who the victor was, if any.

Hearing Richard proclaim his defence for her was...well not what she expected after what had transpired all day. He had seemed to delight in her frustrations and even after she had hurt her ankle, poking fun at her in every way possible. But now....now it was different.

He said that he had cared for her. Did he really? Or was it just due to their impending political marriage? One thing was for sure, and that was that if he were to win this battle, Myrcella was sure to find out just what kind of care for her he had.

Either way...such heroism had to be rewarded. Somehow.

 

[Richard Henry the Eighth]

“Harry want to eat!” The Troll yelled slowly getting up his entire torso full of cuts. Richard shook his head watching his blade drip with the Trolls blood. He hated violence though here he is inflicting it. “If only you’ve taken the Fish!” Richard spat. “We would never been in this entanglement.”

Richards eyes turned to Myrcella who was scared senseless. “If this woman dies!” He declares. “Than a whole country will be after you Harry. They will not rest until you and your family are dead! I don’t want to hurt you Harry! But you have hurt Mycella! A woman whom I swore to protect! If she gets harmed! Well let’s just say my humorous jest disappears and is replaced by some one unpleasant!”

The Troll recoiled in fear, his entire body shaking. “But Harry wants to-“

“I know!” Richard said gripping his sword. “But it is not this woman. For as long as I’m standing, I will protect Myrcella! If necessary i will sacrifice my life to ensure that she lives! You really don’t want face a wrath of a knight or a country for that matter! Leave and find some place to hunt!”

Harry face flattened appearing sad before leaving the two of them whimpering. The Bard Knight sighed and dropped his sword. “I can’t believe that worked he mumbled before running to Mycella and untying her hair. “I got you!” He said carrying her off of her feet. “You’re safe.”

 

[Myrcella Bochanan]

Myrcella watched as the fight changed into not so much being full of violence, but moreso an argument. And argument over Harry's hunger and what was on the menu, followed by more proclomations by Richard Henry the Eighth .

Those words and threats seemed to do more than Richard's sword did, for Harry soon ran off in fear and more than likely in pain. Did she feel sorry for the troll? Not entirely, especially after all that he had done to her.

Myrcella nearly collapsed into Richard as soon as he had set her free, crying and shaking as relief came over her. "Richard...I hurt all over...but thank you...and my dress...my hair...my ankle...I need a healer and a carriage...." She wasn't so sure if she could ride, not with how soreand cut up her legs and backside were. "Loosen my corsette...please..." It wasn't as though she was asking him to take it off. But she needed to be able to breathe better.

 

[Richard Henry the Eighth]

Richard smiled even after being dragged through the forest by the hair, the first thing Myrcella was concerned about was her dress and hair. Even after enduring a traumatic moment, the first thing the young woman worried about was her dress. "I know it's my fault," he said placing Myrcella gently against the tree. "I should've acted more quickly to save you."

Should he use his Bard abilities? Richard had learned the art of Bard magic while he was at College of the Bardic Arts at Alliria. The magic of song that Richard kept hearing as a child turned to a literal thing. Stories of Bards turning the tides of battles through their words. A song can sung by a Bard can either frighten or embolden a person it could also heal them.

Richard only knows the basics of Bard magic, his father wasn't the happiest when he learned that he skipped The College of Elbion and went to Alliria to learn about Bard magic. He had to be careful though, Richard often had a hard time harnessing the power and can lose his voice if he can't control the magic. "Myrcella," Richard whispered. "Hold my hand and look into my eyes."

It was a way to keep her at ease, the young woman wouldn't understand the power he possessed. Bard magic was fairly rare in Arethril as it is a difficult section of magic to master. Closing his eyes, Richard began to sing a song in the Elvish language. It was a song about the Elves relationship with nature and their bloody struggle amongst each other. Richard found the song sorrowful and hopeful and it was weaved into a song of healing:

Richard began to glow a purple tint as he sang and the bruises and cuts on Myrcella began to fade. The young woman's skin looked as though she was never been dragged by a Troll. Richard finished his song an breathed heavily. "That took a lot out of me," he mused before turning to Myrcella. "How do you feel?"