Private Tales The Siege of Salesia

[Kristen Pirian]

VEL NUMERA​

"Mayor Caspian."

"My Lady," said the same, bowing before her. "You summoned me?"

Kristen sat presently in the office chambers of the Pirian Manor. And though she now was the Lady of Vel Numera, some heavy memories accompanied this very room, this very seat. Ill memories. Her cousin Fyris, the previous Lord of Vel Numera, murdered right here; the blood had long been cleaned from the desk, yet in her mind's eye, that image could never truly be cleansed. And who was his murderer? Duresh, the very man who had at Garron and Walter Banick's bidding kidnapped her so many years ago, and who had thus with his own hands played his part in orchestrating the Battle of the Blades, claiming the lives of many fine Anirians.

Her business today dealt with an ill memory. Not the one concerning Fyris and Duresh—mayhap that would come some other day, and the chance to bring the latter to justice would arise. This ill memory harkened back to Kristen's earliest days as an Initiate. It harkened back to a certain jail visit. It harkened back to Edric, the most eminent of Initiates in her first class, the one both overtly and quietly acknowledged as being the most formidable among them all.

Where her cousin Fyris was dead, rest his soul, here now, perhaps, could something be done to save a life that was well imperiled. Perhaps...for it remained to be seen if she still lived. Hope was needed, the belief that it was so. Not only for the sake of an innocent life, but...as well...for there to be some resilience to the wishful light that Edric might not wholly be the monster Kristen thought him to be.

In all that death...was there yet life?

"Have you spoken with Captain Rennil?" she asked.

"Yes, I have, my Lady." And he then reported what Kristen wanted to know: a list of House Pirian's Stormguard, of those who were either stationed in Vel Numera itself or Vel Salvus or anywhere near enough for a timely arrival. What Kristen had in mind would require capability, of course, but trust and loyalty most of all. Caspian had also gotten from Rennil brief descriptions of each of the Stormguard, their temperaments and the like, for this Kristen had requested.

One of the names out of the many mentioned by Caspian caught her attention.

"Blair Rennick," she said slowly, this as she was engaged in some last moment consideration. And then she came to make the decision. "Yes. Could you send for her, Arnold? I should like to speak with her as soon as possible."

With a parting bow, he said, "Very well. It will be done, my Lady."

"Thank you."

And when Mayor Caspian had taken his leave, Kristen stood and went to the window. She looked out at the afternoon sun, crowning the vivid blue sky.

May hope be rewarded, she thought, and then went on to contemplate the danger that lay ahead.

Blair Rennick Fabien 'King' D'Amour Edric

 

[Blair Rennick]

"You're slacking today."

Blair's pout turned into a frown, then a scowl as she repeated the same mistake in the training ring. She bristled to make her frustrations known, had turned her back and tried to gather herself before turning back to her brother who had insisted they spar today.

He only gave her a pointed look, not one to repeat himself as he waited for her to talk. "I'm not sleeping well." She grit out, dropping her gaze.

"The dreams?" Octavian asked.

Blair only nodded. Her first death witnessed before her eyes. A small unit had been transferring goods from a checkpoint before an attack wiped them out. Herself and only a small few were able to be healed, some died from infection before help could come, but Blair spent two days staring at dead bodies before she gathered enough strength to move. No one had given her a hard time about it. A few somber looks full of understanding, and ghosts flickering in their glazed eyes.

"It isn't as frequent now." She said quickly to appease her brother, to make it be known she could endure.

And thankfully, she was summoned by another.

She parted ways from her brother, left him with the mess of training weapons to deal with, and followed to a horse waiting for her.

Blair had seen the Pirian home only a handful of times, but each visit seemed larger and grander than the last. The last time was to escort a Dreadlord on business, but this time, she was wanted by none other than Kristen Pirian.

The Daughter, well loved and well respected, Blair had often compared herself to the now Dreadlord, but she didn't attend the Academy like Kristen. Didn't have so many to educate on magic... and she always had to remind herself that her own ability to manipulate and create ice was not as strong as a Dreadlord was capable of. She wasn't a Stormguard because of magic, but because of her reliable strength.

Kress. She was nervous.

Blair took a mere moment to collect herself before rapping her knucles against the wooden doors, the summoner behind them. Nudging the door open, she poked her bright blonde head through the space and quickly spotted Kristen.

Stepping fully past the door and shutting it behind her, she bowed at the waist and greeted, "Lady Pirian."


Kristen Pirian Fabien 'King' D'Amour

 

[Kristen Pirian]

Kristen was still standing when Blair entered. She turned as the door was shut, smiling in genial reception as Blair bowed and greeted her.

"Stormguard Rennick."

But she would drop the formalities. For was it not appropriate, considering what she had in mind? No official venture of House Pirian nor Anirian Guard would this be, no.

"Blair," she said. "Please, have a seat."

Kristen took her own seat at the Ladyship's desk in the office chamber.

"How do you fare this day? Are you well? Tell me, if you will, of what is good, and what is perhaps ill."

Captain Rennil's assessment, as delivered by Mayor Caspian, was one thing, but Kristen endeavored to come to know Blair personally, to gauge her character for herself. After all, should Kristen deem her the one upon whom she would call for aid, they would be depending on each other. Indeed, their lives would be within one another's hands.

Blair Rennick

 

[Blair Rennick]

Hesitation overcame her, but as soon as Kristen made to sit, Blair felt rather rude not acknowledging the request. She cleared her throat to give her time to think of what to say as she crossed to the offered seat, but any words that were about to leave her lips stayed in her throat as Kristen asked her questions with such fine words, she felt dulled in comparison.

Her brows furrowed in a look of earnest, softening her face as she settled on an answer.

"Everything is in order, and my duty here is not too taxing on me." There, simple, vague, and a sufficient answer. She allowed a small triumphant smile, proud to hold her own in the company of the House she served. As a child, she thought being on the Stormguard meant something heroic, something grand, but after all she went through, Blair was glad to prove she could handle the duties and expectations to serve in the Pirian Stormguard.

"And yourself, Lad— Kris... Kristen?" It took everything not to wince, to speak her sentence without too much fault despite her hesitance at dropping the formalities.

Kristen Pirian

 

[Kristen Pirian]

The blade of informality, so to speak, turned upon Kristen. And yourself, Kristen? She would speak truthfully on it, despite the trying nature of it all. This was what she wanted, after all. Openness.

So with a wan smile she said, "If only I could entreat Aionus to permit me a small favor: more hours in the day, at least for a time. I have beyond even my most demanding estimations much to do in the wake of my return to Vel Anir, hardly an item lagging in importance behind its fellows. Rest does not come easily, for I fear at the setting of the sun that I have not done enough, and perhaps could have done more. Yet I must choose that which must be done, or requires my attention, first."

Gods, this was to say nothing of Alistair and Zinnia, for she had yet to part from the busyness of her House to appropriately reunite with them!

"Some things, however, cannot wait."

Kristen slid one of the parchments on her desk across and toward Blair.

"The Navy recently spotted something...concerning, to me."

The parchment was but a simple newsletter delivered by courier, one of the ways in which nobility stayed informed. Upon it were items arranged like notes, with concise details about this or that happening around the whole of Vel Anir, like a written form of word of mouth. Only one of these items, at the very bottom, concerned the Anirian Navy. It read simply:

— The Free City of Salesia is under siege by Cortosi forces.

Blair Rennick

 

[Blair Rennick]

Blair leaned in. As a sickly child, she had a better understanding of her letters than her brothers and sisters ever did when they had been her age. It was said she could decipher even the most unrecognizable of scripts, but still, Blair read the each note with speed and understanding. They all seemed rather mundane; concerns that need not their swift attentions, or better yet, responsible by any other Great House than that of the Pirians she served.

She had been about to hand the parchment back across the desk, until the last issue caught her eye and her attention. Her hand paused. Her gaze speared into the dried ink there.

Alertness was in her eyes, exhaustion weighing at her eyelids but were weak against the news of a siege.

"This is not the first time the Cortosi have been active." She stated, retracting her hand now and reclined into her plush chair. Blair chewed at her bottom lip, eyes falling back to the note as if it could change before her very eyes. "I thought I heard a company had been sent out to... deal with them."

But now, it seemed such efforts had gone ignored.

They were playing with fire... or perhaps there was another reason altogether. Blair looked to the Lady seated on the other side of the desk. The seat of power, at least that was what Blair thought of the very picture of Kristen there. The Daughter returned.

"What significance does Salesia have?" Came a question of caution.

Kristen Pirian

 

[Kristen Pirian]

"None," Kristen said. "None, to Vel Anir. None, to the Guard or the Navy. None even to House Pirian."

Kristen set her hands primly down in her lap, and sat straight in her chair once more.

"Yet it is in Salesia that I owe a debt. There it is in the heart of that city that I have a matter unresolved; a matter whose resolution I promised to the very man by whose actions the debt was incurred. We are bound in this, the three of us: myself, that man, and...an innocent woman, who may or may not already be dead. She may have been killed years ago, when I was an Initiate. I do not know. But now that Salesia is imperiled, I am bidden to act toward the fulfillment of my promise. I wish to see if this woman yet lives, and if she does, to save her from the cruel fortunes of war."

Kristen studied Blair for a moment.

"In this endeavor there shall be no aid nor recourse. If I were to ask my father Neil, or my Uncle Tobias, or any of House Pirian in a more official capacity, I am certain they would deny me—out of love and concern, if for nothing else. And why not? This seems on the surface a foolhardy endeavor in which to commit Pirian-sworn men. And in a sense, I do agree, for it is not a matter for Vel Anir nor the Navy nor House Pirian. It is a personal matter of mine. If I must see to it alone, then I will rise to honor's demands."

Kristen, then, rose from her seat. She rounded the desk and stood beside Blair. All the trappings of formality and hierarchy were gone, from her posture to her expression to where she now stood.

"I have not brought you here to command you, Blair. I wish merely to ask you, shed in this moment of my stature as Lady, as one woman to another, and giving to you all freedom to decline without fear of reprisal or ill regard: will you join me in this venture? Will you join me, that I might not do this alone?"

Blair Rennick

 

[Blair Rennick]

Blair frowned.

Beneath the facade, her thoughts began to muddle as Kristen spoke of a debt. The promise, the importance, all unique to that of the Pirian standing beside her. And that her gesture to stand by her side, towering over her, Blair had no other choice than to lift her head to meet the gaze of a determined young woman. The kindness, the goodness, that expelled through her lips and asked Blair to journey at her side, her thoughts muddled again with I can do this...

"I am no Dreadlord." She blurted. A quick series of blinks and Blair cleared her throat. She pushed back her chair to stand, but even at her full stature she was still looking up at Kristen. "I mean to say, yes, of course. I accept not out of duty to your House but as someone that wants to see more in this life... but I cannot help but think of the disadvantages."

Her smile was weak, nervous manifesting in the twitching at the corners of her mouth as they did not quite reach her eyes. "I will defend by your side, Kristen Pirian, but surely there are others that would be willing to join this cause? You have friends that could help, no? There is plenty of ground between us here and Salesia..."

It was a bid to call for those better than Blair. More capable, as her own uniqueness with ice manipulation could not compare to that of anyone Kristen knew by attending the Academy.

Before her, Kristen would see a soldier ready, but human enough to worry and be intimidated by the journey ahead.