Private Tales The Death of Innocence

[Olvir]

Ollie shook his head. "No, no."

He told her with a soft smile, glancing towards the Knights. All of them seemed uneasy, unsure. This was...none of them had expected to find something like this. Not even Ollie. Yet all of them were loyal, good men. They would follow Ollie to the grave if they had to.

"There's a village nearby. Targom." He smiled. "We'll spend the night there."

There was no way in hell he was going to let her spend another night in this goddamn place. "Aisling will understand."

Once he told his sister all of this, once she knew what he'd found...there would be no consequences from his father. Or anyone else for that matter.

 

[Houri]

They're nervous... Ahdvi mused.

Perhaps it is just fear of their Lord? Vayu offered and Ahdvi replied with a simple snort.

Maybe they just sense how wrong this place is, Tiri said in her mournful, soft voice.

Or they know how much power is in here. How many broken people--

Could we stop describing young Houri as broken? Vayu snapped, cutting Ahdvi off from getting much further. But it was too late. Houri had heard and she couldn't say she disagreed with them. Her emotions were erratic and could be catastrophically dangerous. A part of her was terrified of leaving because here, behind that veil, she knew her magic couldn't accidentally hurt someone.

"If you're sure..." she said uncertainly then rose to her feet. She felt as though she should ask to go get her things but there was nothing to get. All she had were the clothes on her back. So she folded her arms over her stomach tightly and followed Ollie when he set the way.

 

[Olvir]

"I am." He told her with all the confidence of a Prince. "You're not spending another night here."

Not ever.

His voice was firm, but somehow with a gentle touch still ringing to it. He motioned gently to the two Knights he had spoken of, and they quickly fell into pace behind them. Dan stayed put, frowning, and letting out a sigh. He knew better than to try and stop Ollie.

It was not long before the two Nobles stepped outside.

The air outside was brisk, dark clouds lingering above. Gentle raindrops were falling from the sky, a soft breeze racing over the open air. Ollie slowly walked over towards his horse, gently grasping it's reigns. "We'll have to share for now, but it's not a long ride."

Ollie said with a smile. "Not gonna fall off, are you?"

He jested quietly.

 

[Houri]

We'll have to share for now, but....

Houri barely registered a word Ollie said once the pair stepped outside. It was not beautiful sunshine or an epic storm, the extreme types of weather one might think a person with her gifts would enjoy. But oh, wasn't it beautiful to a girl who had been a prisoner for four years? She tilted her face up towards the gentle rainfall and let it splash against her face. The wind combed through her hair like a lovers and it made her laugh with unadulterated joy. Forgetting the world, forgetting her problems, forgetting everything, the young girl outstretched her arms as if she wanted to embrace the night then spun in a circle.

For once all the voices in her mind shared the same utter happiness Houri did.

 

[Olvir]

Ollie didn't try to rush her.

His steps came to a slow stop as she paused, the wind rushing over them, the air suddenly turning slightly more crisp. He could imagine what the moment was like for her, that feeling of freedom, that sense of finally being outside.

It was a horror that Olvir hoped he would never have to face.

Houri had been in that prison for four years. Time that must have crept by at a snails pace.

Quietly he stood there, motioning for the two knights to gather their hoses. He did not interrupt the moment that fell upon his old friend, did not try move her. Instead he waited, smiling softly as she took in the air around her.

Not a single word spoken.

 

[Houri]

Houri spun until she was dizzy then came to a stop with a breathless laugh. The world kept on turning but that made it all the more fun. Three then two Ollies blurred in front of her and when she went to take a step she nearly tripped making her laugh all the more.

"I can ride," she answered breathlessly then glanced towards the horses. "But they don't always tend to like me," it was as if they could scent the different weather's on her skin. It made them nervous and frisky. Tentatively she offered her hand out towards Ollies Mount and let it sniff at her hand. The creatures ears pinned back then flicked forward. When it didn't attempt to bite her she swung herself up to sit in front of the saddles pomel where it began to frisk sideways.

 

[Olvir]

A hand gently patted the beasts side, his touch calming.

Out of his siblings he was most certainly not the best rider, that privilege belonged to August. He was good enough for an occasion like this though. A few seconds after Houri mounted up Olvir pulled himself up into the saddle behind her.

Fingers wrapped around the reins, and then with a quiet shout and a kick he pulled them away from the castle.

Slowly they turned away from the dungeon like abode.

The clouds above did not become any clearer, and the rain continued to slowly sprinkle down. Yet the air seemed to become less dense the further they moved away. The tightness in ones chest easing, and the surrounding landscape seeming to become more bright.

Every step was like a lifted weight.

Every mile a net drawn from the mind.

 

[Houri]

Houri couldn't stop staring. Her head swivelled to every slight noise and her eyes were wide as they took in the rolling, sloped landscape. The few times she had been beyond the walls of her home over the last four years it had been with a hood over her head. If she had somehow managed to escape she would have had no idea the type of environment she was setting off into. Uncertainty was a powerful tool to keep people in their place. A small cornel of anger seeded in her gut when she realised she would have survived fine out here. Even in the drizzly weather she could see the lands were fertile, plentiful and that she would have been able to find both game and water with ease.

"Is that it?" she asked softly when smoke begun to appear on the horizon. Her fingers dug into the horses mane in front of her.

 

[Olvir]

Targom was not a particularly impressive town. Mostly a farming community, the little village had likely fed the very castle that Houri had been trapped in for the last four years. Little more than a Dozen buildings composed the whole thing, with a dozen more farms laying scattered around Targom itself.

His head peaked up and over Houri's easily as the smoke came into view. "Yes, that's it."

They had stayed there not even a night ago. The Inn had been small, but comfortable enough to house all the Knights without much of a problem. As they rode into Targom Ollie had found that not much had changed since the previous day.

People still walked and milled about, the blacksmith was still working on his horseshoes, and neighbors were bickering about one garden or another.

A few moments later they reached the Inn, it's sign a lily, each petal a different color.

"Sleepy little place, isn't it?" Ollie asked as he slipped off his horse, forgettingfor a moment that it was likely the largest town Houri had been too since her imprisonment.

 

[Houri]

Houri was a lot less elegant getting off the horse and her legs wobbled when she hit the floor. Months of rations or not eating at all and not being able to exercise had wasted a lot of her muscles away. She put a hand on the horses side to steady herself when her vision blurred.

"Yeah... sleepy," she agreed in a faint voices.

Take a deep breath, Houri sucked in a lungful of air. And now out... she obeyed and her stomach settled along with her vision allowing her to let go. She took a proper look around at the normal lives these people were living and a small frown drew down her brows.

"Reminds me of some of the villages by my families Winter estates."

 

[Olvir]

Ollie half stepped forward when Houri looked like she was about to fall over. His arms nearly extending to catch her as she faltered. When she steadied herself he pulled back, a smile flickering over his features to try and reassure her. "We'll get you a bed soon."

He told her.

Briefly he wondered if they'd even given her a bed in that cell. Olvir hadn't taken the time to look, hadn't wanted to in truth. The fact that she'd even been locked in there in the first place was...utterly abhorrent. It still turned his stomach to think of what they'd done.

"Yeah?" He asked with a smile. "Suppose you've seen one Anirian village you've seen them all."

Ollie said with a smile, heading towards the front door.

As they stepped inside the warmth of the Inn swept over them. The scent of a fire, tobacco, and a stew wafted through the whole place. A woman looked towards the door as it swung open. Her face lighting up.

"Young Lord Weiroon! I didn't think we'd see you back here so soon!"

 

[Houri]

"I suppose," she said softly but her eyes still studied everyone. There was an air of innocence and naivety about Houri that was hard to overlook but there was also something darker. An edge that might have been chipped but that was still a finely honed edge. A weapon. Every person she assessed with a starved hunters gaze as she followed after Ollie. She was busy staring half over her shoulder at a boy running across the tiny street that she wasn't paying much attention to what lay ahead and as such she jumped at the sounds of a woman's voice.

"Lord Weiroon," Houri repeated and covered her mouth as the giggles bubbled up. "That makes you sound so grown up," she whispered. Ollie was only her senior by a year and there was no way she was letting anyone call her Lady Luana. That would always be her mother.

 

[Olvir]

Ollie glanced back at smiled. "Yeah well, I'm very adult now."

Despite the jest in his tone, there was a truth to what he said.

He had always been the baby in his family. The youngest by over a decade. An unplanned accident, he had never really been treated as...well anyone with any expectation. It had only been after the Revolution that both Aisling and his father had wanted him to take on more responsibility.

Something he knew both sides different in their motivations on.

"I ran into an old friend Miss Telsworth." Ollie said, explaining to the Innkeeper. "Wanted to make sure she got home alright. You wouldn't happen to have those rooms empty still?"

"Oh of course, My Lord! Would you like me to draw the young lady a bath?"​

Ollie glanced over his shoulder at Houri.

 

[Houri]

Ollie's comment only garnered more snickers behind his back. For her it seemed not too long ago that he had been teaching her how to make mud pies or set up pranks to play on their older siblings. The very thought of him being adult like him was hilarious. As the pair spoke her attention turned to examining the rest of the inn. There was a memory that tickled at the back of her mind she couldn't quite place but somehow this inn, the town, it felt familiar.

It was the sudden silence that had Houri glancing back.

"Me?" she raised a brow at the address of lady. "It's--" she hesitated. Was she a Dreadlord? "-- Just Houri," she murmured and dug her nails into the inside of her soft wrist. There were a multitude of soft crescent scars there. "That would be... nice. Thank you," she murmured.

 

[Olvir]

"You're very welcome, Dear."​

Ollie glanced down at Houri, frowning slightly. He could sense her hesitation, couldn't quite make out the scars, but could see the touch at her wrists. Lips thinned and he found his mouth dry as the words were lost from his tongue.

"Some meals as well would be a delight, Ma'am." Olvir said, his voice somewhat stoic. The elderly woman smiled.

"Of course, My Lord."​

She glanced towards Houri for a moment, a slight hint of concern in her eyes before she continued.

"I'll have that bath ready for you after the meal. Would you like Lamb or Beef?"​

The woman had asked that same question of Ollie and his Knights when they'd first gotten here. Most of them had just said whichever tasted better. Which had of course earned them a retort of both being exceptionally delicious. "I'll have the lamb this time."

He'd had the beef yesterday.

 

[Houri]

Choices. Kindness. Houri's nails dug a little further into her flesh to ground herself.

"Both?" She asked hopefully and glanced between the two to see if that was even allowed. What Ollie's men had managed to find early had barely been enough to touch the sides of her cavernous hunger. The woman looked momentarily surprised but she quickly covered it up and offered the young girl a warm smile.

"Of course, small thing like you needs all the food she can eat hm?" She smiled and Houri returned the gesture awkwardly. "Come, come, take a seat," she bustled them over to one of the free tables and Houri slid into one of the chairs quickly.

"I'll be right back with your food."

Houri watched her go and only seemed to relax once she was out of view. With a quiet sigh she let go of her wrist and picked up a napkin instead to play with it.

"I don't think I've used one of these since I was seven," she laughed under her breath and made a big show of shaking it out and placing it across her lap.

 

[Olvir]

Both.

The word made him smile. The simple sort of smile. He'd never known Houri to be a glutton, but the fact that she could afford herself that slight luxury after everything that had happened? He would gladly pay triple the price if he had to.

Before he could say a single thing the group was ushered towards one of the tables in a nearby corner. The knights sat themselves down awkwardly, but Ollie offered them quiet reassuring whispers. Telvir and Gren were good men, bit foolish at times, but good.

"Good time to get some practice in again." Ollie said, mimicking Houri's own motion with the Napkins. biting his tongue as he suddenly thought of a question that might have been prudent to ask her.

Now wasn't the time. Not out here.

Both of the Knights seemed to hesitate for a moment, and then quickly did the same as the two nobles. Draping napkins over their laps. Ollie looked at them, tilting his head as if he couldn't quite believe the sight. "Really? You didn't do that yesterday."

"Well...My Lord...she's a Lady..."​

Telvir said, glancing at Houri.

 

[Houri]

"We don't 'ave no such thing as 'ladies' here," the Proctor laughed as he grabbed a hold of her hair. "You belong to the Academy now."
​

Houri flinched at the memory.

"I'm not a Lady," she repeated as she had back then. Though back then the Proctor had still dunked her head into a barrel of freezing water until she had nearly drowned, just to make sure she understood those words. Her hands gripped the edge of the table. "I'm a-"

"If you're asking me they would have been doing Vel Anir a mercy just killing you back then. Nothing as broken as you could ever be a Dreadlord."
​

Another face. Another cruel tongue.

"I'm just Houri, you can call me Houri."

 

[Olvir]

The Knights looked at Olvir for a brief moment, clearly unsure.

Both of them had spent their entire adult lives either in the guard, or serving House Weiroon. Two places where rank and seniority was as important as could be. His father had had men flogged in the past for not using proper titles. Not that Ollie would ever care to do something like that.

So when the two men looked at him, he simply nodded. Both of the soldiers looked at one another, clearly trying to hold back some confusion.

"Of course, my l-Houri."

The Knight corrected, clearly trying to at least do his best. Though disposing of a lifetime of habit was hard for anyone.

Ollie smiled for a brief moment. Behind the bar the Innkeeper and her cook were furiously working on gathering plates. Both of them clearly putting extra care into those which would go to Houri. He watches them for a brief moment then turned back to hoss friend. "We'll get you some new clothes too."

The rags she was wearing couldn't be comfortable, or warm for that matter.

 

[Houri]

It was hard to tell who looked more uncomfortable; Houri or the guards. She looked relieved when Ollie changed the subject and with what appeared to be exercised control she let go of her iron grip on the table. Clothes. Such normal things. Normal things she hadn't thought about in so long. She picked at the grey threadbare tunic she wore with a dozen small moth eaten holes and the breeches that were a good few inches too short for her.

"I'm sure my father can pay you back once we get back to the city," unlike her older sister, Houri and her father had always been quite close. He wouldn't make her go back to the academy when he found out what had happened to her, when she explained her letters had been forced.

Unless he thinks you're just as broken as they did, Ahdvi muttered.

"Shut up," Houri whispered angrily to the voice.

 

[Olvir]

”I think I can still afford a few tunics and trousers.” Olvir jested with a slight smile.

The Republic had kept the Houses intact, but teach of them had paid a price for the privilege. Every single one of the Great Houses, and more than a few of the Minor Houses, had paid a massive tithe to the new government.

For most of them it had been nearly forty percent of their entire wealth. A fortune that had been used to rebuild Vel Anir, fund new government projects, and ‘right’ some of the ancient wrongs set forth by the old ways. He could still remember how furious his father had been, and could also remember how much…sense it had all made.

Even after the tithe the Houses were still some of the wealthiest institutions in all of Arethil. ”Don’t worry abou-”

He was cut off as Houri quietly spoke to herself. His lips thinned, but he couldn’t quite make out the words.

Concern flickered over his features, but he decided it was best not to press.

”We’ll rest here for the night, eat, get you clothes in the morning and then head back home. Okay?” It was three days back to Vel Anir, though Ollie thought it might be better to take four. He didn’t know how well Houri would travel.

 

[Houri]

The voices broke out into their own argument that Houri was able to tune into muted white noise. She had spent enough time with them alone, she wouldn't squander her time with Ollie. It took a lot of effort but she took great care to concentrate on every word he said about their plan and she nodded in agreement. All the while under the table her right leg jigged in a tell-tale restless habit.

"Mhm, yes, all okay," she said dismissively then leaned forward resting her elbows on the table and cupping her chin in her hands. "Tell me more - about home - my family. How are my parents, my brothers? Has Jiya given my father grey hair yet?" she laughed at the very thought. "And you! I didn't really get to say goodbye before..." her parents had given her over to the Academy. It had all happened so quickly after that snowstorm.

"Tell me everything!"

 

[Olvir]

Ollie blinked for a moment, not expecting the overwhelming questions that Houri threw at him. A slight frown crossed his lips, wondering how she would take some of the...news. "I...uhhh."

He glanced at some of the Knights, who obviously shirked away the moment his eyes wandered towards them.

"I am...uhh...not sure about your father." He said, just a smidgen of truth withheld. "Your brothers I think are well, I don't know much about them...or Jiya for that matter. She went away for a while...Elbion I think the rumors said. Only came back a few months ago. Things have been chaotic, Houri."

That was just news he'd heard from Aisling. "Home is...home is different now. The Houses...The King..."

How did he explain this? They were so young when she'd gone to the Academy, and he wasn't sure she had ever learned of how Vel Anir really worked. It had been a shock to him when his father had finally spoken honestly with him, and even now it seemed somewhat surreal.

"Vel Anir is a Republic now. There's a Parliament, which both our families were elected to." Luana more than Weiroon, of course. They had always been beloved by the people. "It's...it's good."

He said with a smile. "From what Elias told me the Academy is better now, and people seem to be happier...more more helped."

Ollie wasn't sure if that was the right word for it. "And me? I'm...I don't know. I feel...well, Aisling is the head of House Weiroon now, father stepped down and appointed her so I'm suddenly..."

He shrugged.

"Important." So it seemed anyway.

 

[Houri]

Jiya always wanted to go to Elbion, Mithrine spoke softly into her mind. The rest were still arguing somewhere in the distance but Mithrine came to take a seat beside her and bask in the happiness she felt at news about her family and the excitement she felt at seeing them all again. It had been far too long.

The look of happiness on her face only wavered slightly when Ollie went on to reveal the new change in leadership. That had to be it. That had to be why everyone suddenly begun to leave about a year ago. And if the change in leadership had led to such evil fleeing then what Ollie said must be true. It must be good. The slight mar in her brow smoothed and she went back to smiling with unadulterated joy. How wonderful Vel Anir had seen the light and stepped into a new Age!

She reached across the table and gently took his hand.

"I'm glad everything has worked out for you. With so many brothers..." she trailed off with a small frown, remembering the young boy who had been ignored by his older brothers just like she had been. "Well, I'm glad you found your place Ollie."

 

[Olvir]

Fingers furled around Houri's hand almost instantly, a reaction that he couldn't quite keep.

He wanted to dispute her claims, wanted to tell her the truth. That in actual fact he still had absolutely no fucking idea what he was doing...but he couldn't do it. the small spark in her eye, the gentle frown on her lips. Letting Houri down was almost painful in that moment.

"Ye-yeah." Ollie said with a smile. "Things are good."

It wasn't a lie.

Things were good, but the truth was he still had absolutely no fucking idea what he was doing. "But."

He said with a smile.

"Let's not focus on home, yeah?" The Noble interjected. "We have a few days before we get there, lets just try to have fun. Before we have to attend those damn Gala's again."