Private Tales Concerning Turn of Events

[Richard Henry the Eighth]

From the corner of his eye, Richard could see Myrcella blushing a bit though paid no mind to it. Knowing Myrcella, she'll probably say that she had a fever or something. The girl was stubborn. "Under the bridge," The Troll replied. "No funny business or you get squashed."

"Oh trust me," Richard laughed as he began following the Troll. "If it were funny business my bethroed will be dressed in a clown costume."

Richard winked at Myrcella as they descended to the Troll's lair.

 

[Myrcella Bochanan]

Myrcella didn't know of what kind of funny business this troll was expecting. Although Richard Henry the Eighth did have a sword and who knew what else on his person. Myrcella...well, she could only bite or use her fingernails to scratch. And maybe even kick with her good foot. But she certainly was no match for two trolls.

She smirked at the clown costume comment. "You would be in one as well, wouldn't you? Or would you be dressed like a horse?" Given that he had to carry her around while she was here, it was fitting.

 

[Richard Henry the Eighth]

Richard smirked. "I like to think that I'm a glorified servant," he said as they followed the Troll down to his lair. "Always have to submit to your every whim no matter now sensical it may be." Using his free hand, Richard poked Myrcella on her nose. "Your nose is so cute!" He teased. "And don't worry Myrcella I'll find a way to repair your beautiful dress. Somehow...…"

After about five minutes, the two of them arrived in the Trolls lair. The moment Richard stepped in, his nostrils was filled with onions and feces. "Oh dear," Richard said looking at Myrcella. "What a quaint home he has."

 

[Myrcella Bochanan]

Myrcella laughed as Richard Henry the Eighth said he was a glorified servant. Sure he would try to serve her every whim, but she wasn't going to take advantage of him like that. The same couldn't of been said a week or two ago. But now...now things were different between them.

She batted his hand away as he poked her nose. "Hey!...You're just jealous." She then stuck her tongue out at him playfully.

But then they reached the trols' lair. Myrcella scrunched her nose up at the smell. "It's...uh...something else." She glanced around, looking for the troll's wife. A female troll was something that she had never seen before. So she was very curious....

 

[Richard Henry the Eighth]

Richard chuckled as he placed his forehead against Myrcellas. "It's very small....." He whispered. "So small that I wonder if you can breathe through that? You might need to summon a mage to have him grow your nose a bit." Richard pinched Myrcella's "tiny nose" "You little mouse," he winked carrying her through the lair.

It was strange, Richard was oddly growing fond of Myrcella. His father once told him before a battle that a shared conflict places people closer together. Richard never anticipated that it would apply to the situation that he and Myrcella was in. "Yes," Richard said his boot landing on the bones of a Dwarf with a sickening crunch. "The bones really give it that homely feeling."

He was putting Mrycella in danger again, there was no way he was have her come face to face with a Troll again. Where was he going to place the girl however, if Richard left Myrcella up top, the Redcaps may have come back and recapture her? Staring at a round boulder on the right, Richard gently placed Myrcella down on it. "I don't want to put you in any more danger than I already have," he whispered placing a hand on her surprisingly soft cheek. "I'll go in and try to heal the trolls wife so we can get out of here."

Richard sighed. "Just stay here and wait for me," he said. "I won't be long I promise." The Bard Knight then used his other hand and began twirling her blond hair a bit. "It's remarkable," he said. "Even after all of the days you were held prisoner you still look beautiful."

Letting go of her Richard turned on his heel. "Don't worry," Richard said. "I'm taking you home no matter what the cost."

 

[Myrcella Bochanan]

Myrcella giggled in spite of herself as Richard Henry the Eighth made fun of her nose. She knew that it was of average size. However his was bigger, so what she had said could very well be true; he was jealous.

Yet despite their joking around, they were still in a very serious situation. One that they both needed to get out of.

Myrcella leaned into Richard's hand as he placed it on her cheek. It gave her a small bit of comfort. But she really wasn't looking forward to being alone. Still he continued to give her compliments, of which she could only give him a bashful smile. "I'll be waiting...Try not to get them mad." The last thing that they needed was to be chased again.

As Richard followed the troll, Myrcella brought her injured ankle up to look at it. The bruise was still of multiple colours, while the swelling had gone down a bit. But was it enough to allow her to walk? She wasn't sure. All that she knew was that she needed to see a physician.

 

[Richard Henry the Eighth]

Richard had encountered a few Trolls during his travels, they were pretty much like the books said: Huge, strong enough to break a tree and half, dim witted and prone to anger. Trolls had a love of drinking and strangely enough building particularly bridges. Though Monster Hunters regularly hunted wild Trolls, they placed them on their "be cautious" portion of their book of Monsters.

Despite their flaws, Trolls were popular amongst the commoners. They would happily fix bridges for the cheap price of bottles of booze. Considering how sometimes lords would ignore their peasantries request for basics needs like health care and infrastructure, it was up to the villagers to fend for themselves. Sadly Richard's family was no different on how they treat their commoners and he recalled hearing stories of his ancestors violently putting down revolts by their subjects.

"MISUS!" The Troll called out causing Richard to jump. "I think shouting would make things worse!" Richard said hastily. "Though I can see with a voice as loud and booming like yours I'm surprised your misses didn't get a migraine sooner."

"What?"

"Nothing."

A ear shattering roar filled the cave "yousa need to quiet!" a female Troll which looked eerily similar to the male Troll though her voice pitch was higher lumbered over towards Richard and The Male Troll her large hands covering her small forehead.

"Misus me found a singer to soothe painbrain!" The Male Troll said happily pointing at Richard. "Well," he shrugged. "I'm not perfect but I'll see what I can do."

"Mesa don't like magic," the female troll replied. "Don't want brain to blow up."

Just as Myrcella was checking out her ankle, a Redcap snuck by and grabbed her hair beginning to drag her from the boulder. Before she can scream another Redcap jumped down and placed gag in her mouth. "Tie her!" A Redcap said.

 

[Myrcella Bochanan]

Myrcella could hear what was going on. Quite easily too. The sounds of their booming voices echoed throughout the cave. Hopefully Richard Henry the Eighth could do well enough so that the trolls would let them pass. She wanted to go home. They both did.

Of course that idea was shot down in a flash. The Redcaps caught her by surprise. So much so that all she got out before the gag was put into her mouth was a gasp. Myrcella kicked with her good leg and punched, grabbed, scratched in a frantic manner, not wanting to be tied up or held prisoner again.

Despite the gag she still tried to scream. Tears began to fall due to her efforts. Why were the Gods so cruel to her??

 

[Richard Henry the Eighth]

The Redcaps began to tear at Mrycella's dress as they began to drag her. "Be quiet!" The Redcap hiss. "Or kill you I will!" However a kick by Myrcella's good leg hit the Redcap on the face as he went flying from the boulder. The other Redcap continued to tear at her dress in attempt to tie her. "Stupid dress!" he yelled. "It's so big!"

"Don't worry!" Richard said. "It's what your errr mister said. It's just a soothing song to lull your painbrain away. I've wrote it myself!"

It was an obvious lie but Richard really needed to get Myrcella out of here and besides it's not like the Troll couple can go to a library and find out. Assuming that they're aren't ran out by an angry mob. The female troll raised an eyebrow. "You sure?" She asked.

"Absolutely," and before the Troll could say anything else, Richard began to sing. A wave of purple cloud swirled above the female Trolls head. The Male Troll looked in awe as large drip of drool came rolling down his mouth. Maybe he was sleeping judging by the sounds of snoring but Richard was paying attention.

The Female Troll attempted to touch the purple cloud while Richard continued to sing but the cloud descended upon her. A bright light shone and the purple cloud dissipated, Richard finished singing as he sighed. "So how was it?" he asked rather nervously.

 

[Myrcella Bochanan]

Well if she managed to kick one Redcap away from her, then maybe she had a fighting chance! Myrcella kept moving so that it wasn't just her dress impeding them. The only command that she had responded to was the order to keep quiet.

But where were the other Redcaps? She pushed and shoved at the remaining one in a bid to get him within enough distance so that she could kick him too.

At least she wasn't being dragged as much. Then maybe when Richard Henry the Eighth was finished, he'd be able to see her being dragged away. Myrcella needed to ensure that outcome as much as she could.

 

[Richard Henry the Eighth]

Two more Redcaps jumped from the cliff above witnessing one of their own people being kicked by Mrycella. They began to rip more of Myrcella's dress off in an attempt to pin her down. "You bad girl!" One of them growled pulling her blond hair with astonishing strength as he tried to take Myrcella off the boulder. "Hold still!"

The Female Troll formed a massive grin showing off her dark yellow fangs. "The painbrain," she said enthusiastically. "It all gone! How do with singing?"

"It's all in the vocals," Richard shrugged. "It took me a while to perfect it my singing coach tore out what little hair he had when I continued to sing off key."

It was kind of true, Richard did struggle forming the magical incantations at Bard's College to the point where he was almost kicked out. Thankfully Richard managed to prove himself at the last minute. "Misus!" The Male Troll said woken up from his presumed sleep. "You are good?"

"Aye," the Female Troll responded. "Pain no brain me good feel like eating Cow."

"That's very nice," Richard said. "So does that mean that my love and I are free to pass your bridge? We also need instructions on how to get out from this cave city?"

"Problem no," The Male Troll said. "Large Path ahead with midget stone men."

"Where?"

"To the right show you I."

Vague instructions but at least the Troll will lead them to it. The Troll couple began to lead Richard out of their cave. "Myrcella!" Richard said cheerfully. "It worked! We can-"

The Bard Knight's eyes widened witnessing the young girl struggling against the Redcaps who were trying to tie her. "MYRCELLA!" Richard drew his blade immediately while the Redcaps whipped their head at his scream.

"RATS!" The Female Troll roared charging frantically at the Redcaps who were trembling at the sight of the two Trolls. One Redcap was stupid enough to attack the Female Troll, summoning his Sycthe but was immediately reduced to a bloody paste by a single punch by the Female Troll.

While the Redcaps were dispersing, Richard ran towards Myrcella and hugged her tight. "That's the last bloody time I'm leaving you alone!" He said looking into her blue eyes. "I'm a terrible at protecting you am I?"

 

[Myrcella Bochanan]

Myrcella cried out as her hair was pulled. Although the sound came out quite muffled. More pieces of her dress was torn off, yet still she kept moving so that it'd be more difficult for them. Perhaps she never would get out of this cave. Perhaps the Redcaps would kill her. So why not go out fighting? Her Father would of approved at least. No doubt that's the way that he died. How fitting that she did the same.

With her cheeks wet with tears as she continued to struggle, everything came to a halt as the trolls arrived. Myrcella wasn't sure if she should be relieved or...

Then she spotted Richard Henry the Eighth as he ran towards her. She held onto him tightly, pulling off the gag so that she could talk. "Richard! They tried to take me! But I fought...I fought!" That delay caused by her struggles could very well have saved her. If Richard was to come back and find her gone....

She met his gaze and held it. "Can we go home now?" Myrcella wanted as much pampering as possible. They both needed it. Hot baths, massages, warm soft beds with the comforting quilts...and food, proper foods and desserts. Oh how she missed the Estate more than ever.

 

[Richard Henry the Eighth]

Richard smiled leaning in to bump his forehead against Myrcella's. "Yes," he whispered. "I think we've had enough adventure for one day." Using his thumb to wipe the tears from Myrcella's face, Richard picked the girl up. "Good job on fending off the Redcaps," he said. "It seems that might fighting prowess has rubbed off you. Though it seems that the struggle has reduced your lower half of your to your breeches."

The Bard Knight winked staring at the Trolls. "They're going to take us to the direction in where we are supposed to go." he said. "Don't worry about the dress Myrcella, I'm a good sewer and while you think your dress is beyond repair. We Henries have a saying that goes: "If it's usable then it can be saved."

"Let's go!" The Female Troll said rather impatiently. "Want to drink in party."

Richard nodded in response. "We're coming!" he said. "Myrcella," Richard mumbled. "I love you."

 

[Myrcella Bochanan]

Myrcella wrapped her arm around him as he lifted her up, almost snuggling into him. In his arms she felt safe. It was a far cry from how she felt days earlier. She would have cringed at the thought. But now?...

It was then that she noticed the newest state of her dress. In her mind it was shredded beyond repair. But if Richard Henry the Eighth said that it could be fixed...

At least there was some good news. They were going to be shown the way. Myrcella's brow rose as he made his confession. Did she hear him right? He had mumbled, so she wasn't quite certain. But how did she feel about him? She did more than just tolerate him, that much was certain. She was falling for him....He had proven himself her hero time and time again. No doubt he would do so more in the future.

"I love you too..." She rested her head on his shoulder as he carried her. Myrcella was tired or maybe she was just spent from the fight. That and she was picturing being at home again.

 

[Richard Henry the Eighth]

That did not sound right.

Did Richard say that he loved Myrcella? Immediately his entire body flew into a panic, his heart rate rising exponentially. Those words he said to Myrcella weren't something that he rehearsed repeatedly, it wasn't said out of sarcasm. It was a plain statement one that wasn't arisen from any dramatics that Richard watched in the plays as a child though the events that transpired around the two recently can certainly count as one.

But was Richard truly in love with Myrcella? Was it a slip of the tongue born out of his unconscious desire? Was it to cheer up a frightened girl? Richard wasn't sure about all of this, of all the women to confess love for it was the woman he was bethroed to. A bethrothal that he didn't want all Richard wanted was to choose for himself, to live a life that was dictated by him. This wasn't supposed to be in the cards but then again life always finds ways to come back and bite you in the arse does it?

"I won't let you get hurt again," Richard was talking but he didn't feel like it was him. The Bard Knight felt that he was being guided by some unknown force perhaps the Gods forcing him to talk. "I want to always to put a smile on your face and whenever that you're in trouble that you can feel safe in my presence Myrcella. I pledge my love to you."

This did not feel right, but it did feel good.

 

[Myrcella Bochanan]

Myrcella smirked a little, but not in a mean way. He had said that to her before, that she wouldn't get hurt again. And yet she was attacked once more while he was helping others. She found it almost comical.

She would need Richard Henry the Eighth in her corner, especially when she would be taken away to Elbion. As he had stated before, she'd be thrown in to the political wolves' den. No doubt the others in the court would pounce on her, yet Richard would keep them at bay. He would be able to keep them in check. Or so she hoped.

And now he pledged his love. That surely wasn't a slip of the tongue. "I will...try not to be so stubborn towards you...And give you my heart." Well not literally of course. But she was trying not to be speechless. This was new territory for the both of them and they each had their own reservations about their betrithal. But it was better for it to work out than to not.

 

[Richard Henry the Eighth]

"Okay you got attacked that time," Richard smirked feeling that he was in control of his body again. "But I managed to fend them off."

The Trolls stared at Richard and Myrcella looking as though they wanted to stomp the two of them. "How about a rephrase this. Whenever you're in trouble, I'll always be there to pull you out of it." Richard suggested winking approaching the Troll couple. "No doubt there will hurdles for us to overcome but we can face it together."

"You humans talk too much." The Female Troll complain. "Make painbrain come back again.

"Don't worry," Richard said. "We'll be out of your hair in no time." the group began to climb up what Richard guessed to be stairs. The steps were so small that he was surprised that a pair of giant Trolls managed to successfully navigate them without slipping is beyond him.

"There!" The Male Troll said when they reached the top. "Follow stone midget to outside!"

Richard nodded. "Thank you very much!" he said. "We'll leave you in peace."

 

[Myrcella Bochanan]

Myrcella snickered as Richard Henry the Eighth made her another pledge. "Try to keep yourself out of trouble in the process." He was sure to have created a name for himself among the Redcaps. Though just what they wanted to sacrifice her to, she surely didn't want to find out.

As the trolls basically told them to keep quiet, Myrcella shut her mouth. She didn't want to face the wrath of a troll ever again. It hurt her head too much.

At the thought of them almost being out of the cave, Myrcella brightened up. "Thank you trolls." At least there were some nice ones out there. Maybe they'd eat the Redcap that they just killed. Or just keep it there to ward the others off. It was hard to say.

Myrcella softly whispered, "I hope the Gods will let us go home soon. My mother must be worried sick."

 

[Richard Henry the Eighth]

"But without trouble how can write my ballads?!" Richard said beginning to follow the statues of Dwarves along what appears to be an old road from the Dwarven city. "It is conflict that fuels a story without it what can I write about? A tale of me tossing knitting a dress for fine young lady that is not Mrycella?"

Richard held Myrcella close while he analyzed the Dwarven text below the statue. The Dwarven language have evolved over the years so some symbols Richard couldn't make out. Even the Dwarves themselves had difficulty translating their ancestors ancient language. It was one of the many reasons why they couldn't activate the machinery that was lost here.

"Celty will have my head," Richard said carrying Mrycella. "I promised her that I would help her with her arithmetic."

 

[Myrcella Bochanan]

Myrcella snickered. "I'm sure that I'd get in enough trouble for the both of us. Especially in Elbion." No doubt she'd do so too. She could say the wrong things or act the wrong way and it'd probably offend someone.

At the thought of Celty, Myrcella sighed. The girl had made Richard Henry the Eighth get after her and try to teach her a lesson. It wasn't fair or nice. But Myrcella was having the best kind of payback. She imagined the look of disbelief on her sister's face when she saw that her and Richard were getting along, and that made her snicker.

"Oh poor Celty. I'm sure that she could manage with her own tutors."

 

[Richard Henry the Eighth]

Richard shook his head. "Myrcella" he said. still looking at the stone Dwarves. "You really should be nicer towards Celty. Remember what I told you about what Celty? You should be nicer to her when we got back to your home. Who knows the Gods may be punishing for you for bullying Celty."

He remembered Celty creating a doll that looked oddly like Myrcella and began sticking needles on to her eyes. When Richard found out about it, Celty claimed that the Priests of a religion that has been long been forgotten had casted magic on to their dolls cursing them to inflict pain on to a victim. It is said that the victims blood, skin or an object that they hold dear was what was needed for the curse to work.

Richard barely remembered the cult and Celty had problems pronouncing their name. "This place seems to go on forever." He moaned.

 

[Myrcella Bochanan]

Myrcella sighed again. "Fiiiiine. I'll be nicer to her. She'll appreciate me when she's older you know. With my brother missing, she'll have to look after our Mother until she remarries. And with me being far away, she won't have anyone to rely on but herself."

When Richard Henry the Eighth spoke of some cursed doll, Myrcella just shut her mouth in shock. So this was probably all her doing. But she couldn't take out her revenge on her. The experience was horrible and given that Celty didn't have anyone like Richard in her life, Celty would surely have been eaten by a troll.

She was upset and mote than likely Richard could feel it. Yet his talk of their journey was a good distraction. "I bet there were millions of dwarves that lived here."

 

[Richard Henry the Eighth]

"I've heard she'll be happier to have your room to herself," Richard said continuing to carry Myrcella. "You haven't been treating Celty very well Myrcella. She probably sees your disappearance as a blessing." It was sad to see siblings hate each to the point where they wished that they just go away. Celty got more than what she wished but Myrcella was right, she will miss her once she's off to Elbion.

"Tens of millions," Richard corrected Myrcella. "It was said that Dwarven fertility rate was the equivalent to a Rat. Now after many wars against the humans, Elves and mostly themselves combined with rumored experiments that affected their reproduction. There are far fewer Dwarves than they were now."

Richard shrugged. "I still wonder," he said. "Where are the machinery that they created? In the age of wonders, the Dwarves created a technology that fought and serve their every whim."

 

[Myrcella Bochanan]

Myrcella frowned some as Richard Henry the Eighth continued to scold her about Celty. Right now she was done talking about her. She was done being made to feel guilty about her. Hadn't she suffered enough? Celty was more of the brat than Myrcella ever was, yet Richard didn't know that. He saw a different side of Celty. But no matter.

As Richard moved on to talk about the Dwarven City, Myrcella looked at their surroundings in wonderment. She tried imaging an abundance of Dwarves, but found it difficult to do so. She hadn't even been in a large city before, so just the thought of a population in the tens of millions was difficult to picture. The highest population that she had ever seen probably ranged to a couple of thousand. Nothing more. Who knows what she'd encounter in Elbion.

"Maybe what they created turned against them?"

 

[Richard Henry the Eighth]

Richard smiled when Mrycella frowned. "You look so cute when you're frowning," he winked holding her. "Even in your tattered dress." Richard wished that she and Celty at least patched up but that was unlikely. As they passed through more statues of Dwarves. Richard shrugged when Myrcella talked about a possible reason the Dwarven Kingdoms fell.

"That is one of the theories scholars proposed," he said. "There are monsters called Hellfire engines, Dwarven machinery possessed by evil spirts in which caused them to turn on their masters." Richard then saw a light up ahead and frowned. "Looks like we're nearly out." he clutching on to Myrcella. "Let's approach this cautiously. You never know what lurks there."