The Narrator

Also in the depths of the sewers, albeit a sizable distance away from Taldur and his cohort of companions, a group of six adventurers walked forward self assuredly through the northern sewers, only the two individuals at the back showing any signs of anything but confidence.

This grouping of people was made up of the combined numbers of team Clairvoyance and team Regal.

Team Regal was a newly formed party that had only recently ascended to Bronze rank thus earning the right to have a proper party name.

The leading member of team Regal had been unable to come up with a compelling name for the team, so he had defaulted to something he had thought his fellow members wouldn't quip at.

Thus team Regal was born, and the leader found himself regretting the name already.

While one of his teammates had enjoyed the name, the other one seemed to dislike it greatly and made no attempts to hide her irritation.

That first member of Regal was not even present at the moment, having had business outside of adventuring to attend to, leaving him with only a snippy and deceptively impassive companion.

But then, perhaps the name was not what had really upset his only present teammate...

The leader of this party was none other than Joel Netheran Graftoff. And the reason he and his current party was accompanying Clairvoyance was more to do with personal reasons, then adventuring for the sake of adventuring.

Only recently the young man had planned to go to one of the sparring rings found in back of the guild to blow off some steam, but on his way to do that he had met Kale, who had offered to take his entire party on a brief expedition into the dungeon under the city.

Having never had an opportunity to enter the dungeon due to it being restricted to at least iron ranks or higher Joel had decided to take Kales's generous offer.

An offer that had extended to Tiaahn and Serreth as well, of which only Tiaahn had accepted.

The two young adventures had then gathered their gear and respective equipment and followed Clairvoyance downward, the youths refusing to speak to the other the whole while.

Like this, the trip downward was uncomfortably quiet, with no speech being exchanged between the members of team Regal, and so ser Kale Foostgoft Luchidor the third decided to regale his young companions with one of his past exploits.

Ser Kale's colorful depiction of the events were told and met with unanimous approval from both his respective listeners. The members of his own party rolling their eyes in an exaggerated, if cheery fashion.

They had heard stories like this often from ser Kale, they had even lived through them. So none of them felt inclined to stop the older mustached man when he got carried away by his storytelling.

Even as his golden plumage wobbled on his face as he came to the end of his somewhat grand retelling of history, the overall mood in the air was nonetheless improved.

Ser Kale had made sure to apprehend one concern long before it grew to be one.

A wise decision, as entering a dungeon in a poor mood was ill-advised.

Although despite this handling of concern, all of them were blind to a certain issue quietly tailing them at a distance, huge fists gripping enormous weapons as it followed its quarry. Nose intent on one single target.

Creeping behind them, the massive creature kept its distance, it was waiting for the right moment, it knew there would always be one, it had lived long enough to know this.

'All living things made mistakes.'

And the moment one such vulnerability was exposed, it would strike as it had been commanded to...

Joel

"'-And after I punched the *death worm right between the teeth, he spat me out, 'that' is how I put that silly sausage on the backfoot, the big ol worm never saw it coming when I put my blade in its brainstem."

Lifting his hands out in a showy gesture, ser Kale Foostgoft Luchidor the 3rd finished telling his recalling of a certain adventure he and his companions had gone on, involving three darkspawn, a couple *bandits, and a death worm.

It had been a gripping story.

Clapping his hands together with genuine praise as Kale closed his story, Tiaahn politely did likewise just slightly behind him.

Nodding his head with a slight smile Joel remarked out loud to the posing Kale.

"That was an interesting tale, was all of it true?"

Mouth set in a grin, Kale chuckled, massaging his plumed mustache.

"Of course, I have an impeccable intuition, when I got swallowed, it was all part of my plan to get inside the creature and strike a critical blow-"

"Poppycock."

From further down the passageway, a deep female voice called out shattering Kales's heroic posture with her words.

"It was all false, except for the part where he got swallowed whole by the worm, the rest of us had to rush in and butcher the beast before we could get him out of the gluttonous thing."

Turning back around to face Kale and his audience, Jadiiri continued impishly as she walked backward, both hands folded behind her head casually.

"Our glorious leader at the time was a blubbering mess, he almost went berserk after we got him out."

"*Ahem*," Kale coughed pulling at his golden handlebars uncomfortably, his stong manly pose broken, "I might have overreacted to being eaten at the time, but who can blame me! that creature got disgusting mucus all over my suit and victory was still ours for the taking because of my daring move."

"Daring move?" Jadiira snickered as she fingered her chin in mock consideration, " If I recall correctly, didn't you just trip and fall into its mouth after trying to jump away? I'm pretty sure that's how it went."

"No," Kale cleared his throat looking a little self-conscious, " it was completely planned, totally thought out. calculated, and executed."

"Yes completely planned out," Jadiira said confidently with an air of smugness, "Just like the hours spent washing out your slime drenched clothes later wasn't it?"

At this point Kale choked as if remembering something unpleasant.

"Don't remind me of that... I can still almost taste the stink still, ugh!" Joel watched as Kale shuddered, a little perplexed at the older man's reaction, "Such fiendish and perverse creatures that drip such putrid fluid should not be permitted."

Kale frowned and looked down, still shaking his head as thoughts of slithering mucus-covered creatures flitted through the mans' mind.

"Disgusting..."

Joel was surprised to hear such vehemence from the normally good-natured Kale and glanced over at Jadirri who seemed entirely unbothered.

Smiling reassuringly at Joel, the large woman turned her head and proffered teasingly towards Kale.

"You'd think," The amazon said before she winked slyly, "that our experienced and potent leader would be afraid of nothing, but no..."

Jadirri waggled a finger, one eye still closed in a wink before she finished cheekily.

"Even the smallest of slimes can give our dear 'K' pause, stops him right in his tracks once he sees the muck oozing off them."

Joel heard a giggle and turned to see Ferra the Jacouat holding a finger to her lips as she sniggered, while beside her Ulric the wall chuckled with the slightest of an upturn on his lips, the first Joel had ever seen on the hulking quiet man, the giants expression quickly returning to a stoic look as he returned his attention to the front where he and Ferra were serving as the vanguard.

Even though the amazon women's words might have been seen as insulting towards Kale, the overall tone of playful affection and camaraderie was not lost on Joel.

The party of adults was apparently sharing some sort of old in-joke.

Likewise noticing the redheads pert words, the frown on Kale's face lightened, the man sighing before readdressing the validity of his earlier tale.

"Haaah... I can't say your wrong 'Jadi'" Kale admitted with some reluctance, sheepishly replying as a rosy tint colored his cheeks, the man turning back to Joel after a quick glance at Jadiiri and the rest of his party, " and... I might have added just a little in for dramatic flair before." 

A pause stilled the air before it was again disturbed by a vocal redhead.

"Well, I'll be!" Jadiira crowed as she continued to strut backward, "He admits that his story was cooked up! It only took you years to finally breach that wall! was it our young friend's presence here that tipped you over?" 

Kale's sheepish look deepened, his mustache wobbling as he tried to maintain a poker face but failed horribly, the man burst out in good-natured laughter as he realized his own failed attempt.

"Ho! Ho! Alright alright! damn! you got me Jadi, your determination can't be denied." Kale said with the twinkle restored to his eyes, quickly turning to the waiting Joel to properly address him.

"Sorry Joel," Kale professed. "but most of that story was heavily exaggerated, while I did get the killing blow on the worm, it was only because it was heavily injured by the time my fellow adventurers got me out,"

"Although," Kale said with a satisfied smile as he walked on besides Joel and Tiaahn, "it was still quite the adventure at the time, and also an important lesson;  a reminder that even experienced adventurers like myself make mistakes and that caution is always prudent."

Kale tapped at his nose knowingly then chortled at his own jest, the mustached man waiting for Joel's reply with a relaxed expression.

While the second half of Kale's words were debatable, Joel wasn't disappointed by the first half, the story, while exaggerated, was nothing to get upset about, he had long since gotten used to the casual boasting that was characteristic of almost all adventurers.

Besides, Kale had a knack for storytelling that most people sadly lacked, Joel had enjoyed the older adventurers spiel, It had taken his mind off his own mishaps for a time.

Thinking this, Joel replied swiftly with a subtle smile.

"Oh no, don't be sorry sir Kale, I quite enjoyed the added drama, it does not make the story any more ridiculous than the ones I hear about my father all the time."

Joel wasn't kidding, to be honest, the stories he had heard about his father were even more far fetched and outlandish than the many Kale had told him. Joel knew his dad was powerful but the levels described in the scattered whispered tales he had heard were impossible.

Crushing a *wyvern's head with his bare hands, wrestling a troll to death wearing nothing but a pair of pants, and beating a *Hercant, 'a large raptor-like creature of tremendous speed,' in a one on one race.

No one could be that strong, and yet tales like that were very commonplace about his dad.

It made him wonder how much truth was in those tales.

Joel had never seen his father fight or even exert himself, but he held no doubts that his dad was mighty, he had felt his dad's silent wrath many years ago when he was 8, having once accidentally spilled a cup of juice on an important guest, that guest had been a representative of the Arian queendom, a beautiful woman of pure white hair and brilliant blue eyes.

That had been back before they had moved away from khadarran lands here to Octaal, Joel still did not know the name of that woman even now and at the time that said women had not seemed too bothered by the incident even asking him if he was ok when he was picking himself off the ground despite his spilled drink ruining her exquisite dress.

But while the lady had not been upset, Joel's father had been furious the whole while he had slowly removed himself from the room, the burning gaze of his father following Joel as he made his way out with heavy arduous strides.

It had been like an enormous force had been pushing down on him, his father's incredible strength could be felt in the weight of his ire alone.

It was a feeling that made most people buckle at the knees in sheer apprehension.

Joel had barely made it out of the room before he had collapsed panting in effort.

At the time, his dad had managed to conclude whatever business he had with that woman in a favorable light, so Joel had not felt the full brunt off his father's wrath.

Although he had still felt the taste of hot iron later that night...

Joel winced and shook his head as his thoughts touched on unpleasant memories for the fourth time that day, 'no, there is no reason to worry,' Joel consoled himself, 'I already took care of the Lescar situation, father will have no reason to be angry with me..."

As Joel tried to persuade his own person that things would be fine, Kale responded to the young man's earlier spoken words.

"Ahh yes.. your father..." Kale said slowly, his words becoming slightly guarded for a few moments,  the older man then remarking with some hesitation. "Altriaght... he is a... potent man." 

Kale's expression looked wry for a second and Joel thought he could detect a note of bitterness in the man's voice, but that moment quickly passed.

"Your father and I have crossed blades before, if only in a spar," Kale admitted as he eased back mid-step and stroked his golden facial hair, "he was a formidable opponent, he almost beat me at my own specialty, fencing." 

Glad for a distraction from his recollections Joel asked honestly

"Do you think you could beat him in a real fight?"

Kale's expression shifted into a slight frown before the man poked at his chin thoughtfully, saying out loud.

"I don't really know," Kale admitted, " I beat him in that duel, but from what I know of your father, fencing isn't his primary choice in martial arts, I honestly have no idea if I could beat him in a true test of steel, although I have a feeling Jadi here might be able to do it if it were a freeform fight with no rules."

Kale's, Joel's and Tiaahns eyes all turned towards the tall leather-clad women, who promptly snorted.

"Pah!  you flatterer K! You don't really think I could beat that frea- I mean that man" Jadiira glanced apologetically at Joel before shaking her head," what makes you think I could beat him?"

"Well Jadi," Kale reasoned, "you have a pretty unorthodox method of attack when fighting on your own, it might catch him off guard, and given that you have magic unlike myself, I would say that would give you a leg up against Altriaght."

Jadiira just laughed at this, wiping tears of mirth from the corners of eyes as she shook her head.

"I appreciate the vote of confidence, but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't stand a chance against that guy, he really is a freak of nature, no offense Joel." Jadiira nodded towards the listening youth.

"None taken," Joel replied as he marched on, he had heard this sort of chatter about his father for years, it did not bother him at all.

No, what bothered Joel was the clear bond of friendship showing strongly between the two older adventuring companions.

It reminded him that his own companion still wasn't talking to him...

Joel envied Kale's easy-going bond with his party a little; his bond with his own party was... shaky at the moment.

Joel looked back at his only present teammate, Tiaahn, as she walked quietly behind him, an uncaring expression on her delicate features.

Tiaahn was still giving him the silent treatment, refusing to speak to him unless it was absolutely necessary, going as far as to harrumph anytime he tried to talk to her.

She was still very much angry at him.

Joel was at loss for what to do, It had been a day since his careless words, and he had tried to apologize to her for them, but that only seemed to anger her further after her initial reaction of shock.

"Y- your sorry!?" She had gasped a stunned expression on her face before her eyes narrowed and a spark of fury lit in her eyes, the shock swiftly transforming into anger.

"I don't want a sorry, just- just-!" Tiaahn had struggled before hissing out, "Just leave me alone! I don't want to talk to you right now."

It hurt that Tiaahn had said that, but then she had been, and still was angry. Joel just didn't understand why his apology had backfired so badly. He had already consulted Kale just before they had left for the sewers, the older man apologizing for his advice going awry, only offering a single thought after that.

"I'm sorry for that my boy, but perhaps there is an extraneous reason why she took your apology so badly? Past trauma, some bad history?"

This sentence had caused Joel to dwell on the past, he had known Tiaahn for a long time, since she was eight he had been her friend and she, his. 

But this thought hadn't unearthed anything useful, aside from the fact that he had apologized to her at previous occasions and she had not become angry at him, although to be honest the last time he had apologized had been a long time ago way back when both he and Tiaahn had been under the age of twelve.

He normally never had fights with Tiaahn so there had never been much of a reason to apologize before, but now Joel was thinking.

'Did Tiaahn's anger have to do with her twelfth birthday or was it something else entirely?' The day when traditionally noble children became officially part of their house through a trial, the trial of *harrowing. A tradition that celebrated a noble child's survival up till then and initiation into the house proper.

The trial was what all who wished to become nobles had to go through, children included. It a symbol of superiority over the common man, not just meant to celebrate survival, but also meant to weed out weak nobles and children, children who failed their trials rarely lived long, that or alternatively they died in their trials. The trial was different from house to house, some houses Harrowings being barely a test at all, but Joel's own Harrowing had been... intense.

Joel remembered the touch of cold steel on his skin and shivered.

'Yes it had been very intense..' Joel had remarked to himself before redirecting his thoughts. 

'Maybe Tiaahns Harrowing was likewise hard on her?' Joel had parsed his brows, his own twelfth birthday had not been a pleasant experience for him, his father had been sure to insist that his trial of passing was strenuous and trying, something father insisted all his children had to do. Joel even still had some scars from that event, so perhaps Tiaahn's Harrowing had also been tough on her.

She had become far more callous and cold towards others after her 12th birthday. And being magically gifted, Tiaahn probably had to go through something very different from his own Harrowing.

Although he supposed that wasn't the only thing that could have set her off...

Eyes discreetly tracking his silent female companion Joel could only hope in time, she forgave him for whatever he had done to upset her.

The Narrator- In a garden years ago...

It had been a clear cloudless night. A night on which the crickets sang cheerily and the nocturnal flowers bloomed without a care in the world. An otherwise perfect night marred by an occurrence no one could have foreseen...

The night was a bright night on which all of the nobility of Octaal gathered to hold an event that took place every 10 years, An event called simply, 'the founding'*. Something all of the nobility, including the children, were invited to and expected to attend.

It was an event meant to celebrate the creation of the Octaal city-state, but more often than not, was used as an opportunity to size up the potential future competition, flaunt wealth, prestige, piety or alternatively build alliances between houses.

And while all of noble standing were invited, the adults and children were not catered to in the same place,  instead, they were sorted into two separate groups. The adults conducting their dances and political intrigues inside the council ballroom, while the children were kept outside in the garden courtyard where the said courtyard was dressed up to act as the children's own little social gathering.

This outdoor party only had children aged 3 to 11 present, younger children being cared for by their various housemaids while the mothers mingled at the ballroom, the older children also attending alongside the adults at the ballroom.

And while it was never called as such, the reality was that this 'social gathering' was more akin to a brief daycare than an aristocrats delegation.

This meant oftentimes that immature or free-spirited behavior well known to all children inevitably ensued here in the occupied gardens, loud shouts, laughter, and the pitter-patter of small feet being a common happenstance as flustered or harried servants tried to keep the boisterous kids manageable.

Some kids threw food at each other, others shouted at the tops of their lungs for the heck of it competing to outdo each other, yet more attempted to climb the fence to peek over at the adults, faces caked in icing and other foodstuffs, and some simply played board games quietly.

The maids and manservants preferred these subdued children above all the rest, having to do almost nothing to keep them happy as they focused their attention on the more noisy troublemakers. 

Yet not all children were so unconcerned and vociferous...

Among the more aged of these more focused noble children, the lifelong games of rose and dagger had already begun...

Not all being ready for its harsh nature.

Amongst this hubbub of commotion, and juvenile secrecy, a more sterling skinny youth moved around, not really a part of any of the groups, instead just an individual that hovered through the garden looking for a group that might not mind her presence.

All present, save for the servants, were of noble birth, yet this single waif-thin girl was not welcome anywhere, all the children avoiding the lone noble girl for some unspoken reason.

The girl glanced around not failing to notice this, her shoulders slumping slightly as the knowledge continued to dawn on her, a small heat flaring up inside her before dying down again. The only group that was not openly rejecting her were those too young to understand proper socializing. And being eight there was no way the girl could play with those considerably younger juveniles, the shame would be too great.

Eventually, with sad eyes, the 8-year-old noble girl stopped trying to join a group and instead simply sat in a corner of the garden on an empty chair, her lips pouting and eyes moist as she sipped at a cup of apple juice she had taken from the table in the center of the garden.

Relegated to watching rather than interacting, the golden-haired girl tuned out the background noise of playfully squealing kids, watching the proceedings of the garden without comment.

Nothing of much interest happened as the girl sat quietly, some of the younger kids managed to tip over a tray of pastries, and one of those kids stole a maids headdress. But other than that, the older noble children kept to themselves as they talked to each other in hushed whispers, occasionally casting glances at her, and the servants were either to busy to notice the girl, or strangely were moving away from her when they did detect her looking at them.

It was dishearting to the noble girl that even the servants were ignoring her, she couldn't imagine why. Had someone paid them to do that to make her feel even more secluded?

Lips further turning downwards, the girl leaned back into her chair, a glum almost teary expression on her face as she renewed her efforts to watch the happenings before her without breaking down.

'She had to hold it together...'

Trying to maintain a stony face that didn't match her youthful appearance The eight-year-old spotted something that caught her attention. A young-looking dark-haired maid, probably no older than 13, had dropped something on the ground without noticing before rushing off after a wayward and giggling toddler, who was trying to carry away an entire tray of pies.

Blinking and looking around as no one moved forward to claim the sprawled object, the noble got off her seat, placing her cup of apple juice on the chair as she patted down the pink puffy dress she was wearing, before moving over to the item the maid had dropped.

The girl attempted to bend over to reach the item but frowned as her puffy dress caught on itself. Her dress constricted her already almost malnourished waist, designed to purposefully enhance her childish charm, but right now all it did was impede her movement.

Snorting quietly and wrinkling a lip at the impractical dress her hard-eyed mother had forced her to wear, then flinching at what her mother would do if saw her reaction. The young noble shook her head then crouched down instead and quickly hoisted up the object, getting a good look at it.

It was a pendant, one that looked rather inconsequential and unimpressive to all but the most destitute of nobles, but it was something a mere servant might count as among their most prized of possessions.

Standing back up and holding the pendant before her eyes, the slender pink dress wearing girl noticed the pendant had some initials carved onto it.

P.T.S

Beginning to Humm to herself as she read the initials, the noble girl glanced over at the young maid who had dropped the pendant.

The maid had just finished carefully wrestling the tray of pies from the four-year-old and was in the process of placing it back on the middlemost table as she lead the wriggling and squalling kid by the hand towards one of the lounge areas prepared with pillows for the smaller children. Something that was placed there with the younger children in mind, for when they got tired.

Weighing the pendant in her hand as she thought to herself, the noble girl watched the same maid settle the rambunctious four-year-old down with an offer to read a book, the two of them sitting on the cushioned ground where the maid immediately began reading, picking up a sturdy looking picture book from a small pile set aside for just this purpose.

The noble girl patiently watched the maid settle the troublemaker with soothing words, minutes passing by as she read the book, the kid's eyes drooping closed as the maid neared the end of the story, falling into a light doze characteristic to all relaxed children.

Slowly and gently laying the child down with a small blanket over them, the maid straightened up gazing down at the sleeping child before moving away quietly back towards the center of the garden. Where after a moment of checking her pockets for something, a panicked look entered her eyes, the young woman rapidly checking herself over as she desperately pawed at her own clothes.

Mood improving at this sight, an opportunity having been spotted. The noble girl waited for the maid to finish her toddler wrangling, observing the maid's obvious distress, before deciding to head over to the distraught servant who was now scanning the floor with anxious haste.

Arriving before the searching maid, the noble girl stood silently waiting for the servant to notice her presence, something the servant girl did not do as she was entirely devoted to searching for her lost pendant, her back faced towards the 8-year-old as she lingered.

Realizing this, the noble coughed slightly before saying primly.

"'Ahem,' excuse me,"

"Huh!?" the maid startled with a jump, spinning around to face the noble with a flushed face, her eyes widening greatly, clearly shocked by the noble girl's sudden appearance behind her, her features twisting in embarrassment before she tried to lean back on her maid training and mellow her expression.

Not waiting for the maid to finish composing herself, the noble girl said in an even tone.

"Are you looking for something?"

Still flustered from her fright, and seeming even more nervous now that she was looking at the 8-year-old, the maid fluttered out hastily.

"Ah- no, milady, I was just checking to make sure I had not gotten any crumbs on myself-"

Raising a hand to stop the maid, the noble girl shook her head, she fully understood why the older girl was so fearful of her and why the maid only seemed to be catering to the younger nobles.

The young kids here wouldn't hold any significant power or understanding, but the older ones like the girl herself had enough comprehension and influence to be dangerous to servants.

If a servant displeased the wrong noble they could lose their position or receive punishment from their masters as retribution for wronging another high-born, and so, clearly, this young maid was worried about such a fate.

The noble girl did not blame her for thinking that way, something similar had occurred back at her house after all. She was still sad that her original attendants were gone, she hoped they were well where ever they were.

'Although, considering mother's temperament and distrust that's unlikely,' the girl parsed dismally to herself, her eyes growing sad before she came back to herself and spoke aloud to the maid in a disarming manner.

"It's ok, you don't have to cover up, you dropped this right?"

The 8-year-old girl pulled out the pendant and held it in front of the maid dangling it invitingly.

"My necklace!" The maid began, reaching for it before stopping in her tracks, her eyes drifting away from the pendant to instead hesitantly glance at the noble.

"Go on, take it, I just came over here to give it to you after I saw it drop out of your pocket."

Deftly taking the necklace back, the young maid placed the pendant securely in a breast pocket before curtsying somewhat nervously.

"Thank you my lady! Thank you! I'm sorry for making you involved in my clumsiness, please forgive me, my lady, I- I should have been more careful!"

Clearly the maid was still on guard, too afraid to simply say thank you, continuing to bow and scrape, other nobles might have enjoyed watching people grovel, but this girl did not.

"It's alright," the girl assured, raising a hand, "you don't have to keep apologizing it was no trouble on my part." pausing for a second the girl added evenly with a smile, "By the way, my name is Tiaahn if you wanted to know."

Tiaahn heard the maid let out a small gasp as she introduced herself, and thought that a little strange. it was not customary for a noble to even bother with introducing themselves to a mere servant, but it wasn't unheard of either.

Besides Tiaahn was more than a little tired of such rules, no one else here would even talk to her and she didn't mind befriending the servants. Some of her best friends used to be servants back before mother 'cleansed' the household.

Seeing that the maid was too stunned by her forwardness to immediately reply, Tiaahn prodded gently.

"What's your name? you look kind of like one of my old friends I used to know."

Blinking as her eyes darted about, the maid seemed to halt for a moment, having finally concluded something before she took a breath and said in a far more friendly if controlled voice, having asserted some measure of command over herself.

"Lady Tiaahn, If you so desire," the dark-haired maid inclined her head, her voice far more steady, "this humble servant shall tell you her name,"

After inclining her head deeply, the maid curtsied again this time more gracefully with practiced movements.

"My name is Kirri, 'Kirri Thanterone'"

Raising her head Kirri looked at Tiaahn her face serene but not entirely able to hide her nervousness.

"That's a nice name," Tiaahn complimented genuinely, " It sounds like one of the old founders' names, 'Thanterone...'"

Kirri's face twitched at Tiaahn's statement, but Tiaahn could tell the maid was not displeased by her praise, if nothing else her 'beloved' mother had taught her how to do that much...

"Thank you, my lady, for your kind words," the maid said with a shaky smile clearly trying to remain professional and having difficulty managing it, asking a second later with a polite tone "Is there something I can do for you Lady Tiaahn?"

"Yes," Tiaahn said matter of factly as she nodded her head with a small grin, "you are doing it right now, talking to me,"

"You- you just want to talk to me?" Kirri said with no small amount of confusion as she grabbed the hems of her maid dress.

"Yes," the noble girl confirmed with a fervent nod, a little perplexed by Kirri's adverse reaction, "I've tried to talk to almost everyone else here but they all just ignore me or glare at me. so I wouldn't mind if I had someone to converse with, and you aren't that much older than me, we could easily be friends! Can we be friends!?"

Tiaahn got excited near the end of her spiel and had to stop herself from yelling, it had been a long time since she'd had an opportunity to even hold a conversation with someone new, and scaring off her potential friend was not something she wanted to do.

She had been alone far too often.

Blinking at her, Kirri seemed taken aback at Tiaahn's enthusiasm and haltingly replied.

"Um... sure Milady"

Smiling Happily for the first time in a long while, the noble girl waved her hand dismissively at Kirri's form of address, "Just call me Tiaahn and I don't mind if you keep working while we chat."

"Yes... Lady- uhh- miss Tiaahn."

"Great!," Tiaahn beamed," don't mind me, I will just stick around, you don't mind if I offer the occasional helping hand either right?"

"Uhhh... of- of course not!" Kirri said uncertainly, looking unsure how to respond, but having little recourse to say otherwise.

"Let's go then!" Tiaahn said enthusiastically strutting off, her spirits now high, a befuddled maid following behind her.

The next thirty minutes were spent conversing with Kirri as the young maid continued performing her duties of babysitting the youngest children, Tiaahn helping the older girl settle the rowdier ones, oftentimes using the nearby books as Kirri had shown to placate them.

As they worked together, Tiaahn tried to get her erstwhile companion to open up, throwing the occasional question her way in an attempt to broach a conversation.

Kirri was quiet, and hard to break the ice with, being, curiously, very nervous even for the standards of a young maid, glancing around frequently as if worried someone was watching her before returning to the task at hand.

Tiaahn wondered if this was normal behavior for Kirri or if she was only doing it because of her presence.

She couldn't tell, eventually though, after the third squealing kid to knock over a table was quelled with a book. Tiaahn managed to learn a few things about the maid, the older girl having slowly warmed to her.

Kirri was a maid in training and technically not yet a fully qualified servant, she had only one living guardian, an elderly Senior maid Kirri only referred to as 'Ma' who incidentally trained all of the younger maids in the council's employ, and the pendant Kirri had lost was her mother's, something her deceased mom had gotten from her lover, Kirri's mystery father.

Tiaahn had jokingly said that perhaps Kirri had noble blood in her veins which made the older girl flush furiously again. 

Kirri was not very good at taking praise, but she seemed to enjoy it all the same. Tiaahn likewise enjoyed the primarily one-way conversation, even if she was the one doing most of the talking.

It felt good to talk to another person who actually listened.

Finally, after a full hour had passed of the two girls working, chatting, and Tiaahn discovering that Kirri had a deep love of dolls, the maid girl seemed comfortable enough to start engaging in conversation herself. Kirri's choice in topic, however, left much to be desired.

"So earlier you said I reminded you of a friend you used to have," Kirri asked curiously, "who was she? was she a good friend."

"Oh... Reibekka..." Tiaahn mumbled somberly, her mood plummeting as she remembered something, "yes, she was a wonderful friend, she was a maid in training just like you, although she was the same age as me and had a tendency to sneak up on people and spook them, she used to work for my family, but not anymore..."

'Not after she spooked mother that one time...'

"Used to?" Kirri questioned quizzically as she tucked a limp toddler into a makeshift bed, "if she was such a wonderful friend Why isn't she here with you now? what happened to her?"

Not wanting to go into details, Tiaahn said miserably, "She... She had to leave... Her parents were given a career offer they could not refuse."

Faced with an unpleasant remembrance, an echoing ringing began to play in Tiaahn's head, her mind going back in time to a certain place.

Drip...

Drip...

Drip...

Drip...

Drip...

"Tiaahn!"

"Tiaahn!"

"Tiaahn!? Are you ok?"

Coming back to herself with a start, Tiaahn realized she had been staring off into space for almost a whole thirty seconds, hastily she replied to Kirri's worried voice trying to make her own bright once more.

"Oh! yes, I'm quite ok, thank you for asking."

"Are you sure? you looked... sick."

"No, it's nothing I'm fine."

Looking At Kirri's unconvinced and worried expression Tiaahn quickly remarked.

"Ahh! just look at all these tired children! we should make sure these big babies get a full night's rest! yes?"

Kirri pursed her lips and continued to look concerned but did not push the issue, the two girls returning to settling the younger children.

Tiaahn shot a glance at Kirri as they worked, it was nice her new friend was already concerned for her, but Tiaahn did not want to talk about anything to do with Reibekka or home.

Working steadily the two of them made rapid progress and Tiaahn forgot about her past for a time as she focused on the task at hand. The task of corraling wild human beings.

It was difficult to keep some of the more lippy and volatile toddlers sedated, Tiaahn almost getting a small elbow in her nose for her trouble. but in the end, most of the kids under 5 finally were settled under small blankets, snoozing peacefully.

It was a late night for these youngsters, Tiaahn herself felt a little fatigued, the full night moon had long since risen high as the founding party had dragged on.

Wiping her brow with an exaggerated  "whew!" Tiaahn stared at the snoring kiddies, before glancing over at Kirri and smiling, the older girl smiling back.

Distantly Tiaahn could feel the disapproval and disdain of her colleagues as her fellow noble's eyes languished upon her, but she ignored them.

While she was indeed, a noble, Tiaahn had no qualms about doing things herself and felt no shame helping Kirri out even as others stared at her judgmentally. she would rather have a friend than the good graces of people who already seemed to dislike her, and her actions would not technically be breaking her promise to her parents to behave herself...

All the toddlers subdued, Kirri stepped over towards Tiaahn with an unbarred expression. 

"Thanks, Tiaahn, for the help," Kirri mumbled, clearly feeling the attentions of the watching aristocrats, her eyes downcast in embarrassment and something Tiaahn couldn't quite identify with the older girl's face hidden.

"Oh it was nothing," Tiaahn dismissed as she squinted at Kirri somewhat puzzled by her behavior, "I wanted to help after all."

Kirri looked up suddenly at this sentence, eyes widening before she whispered in a voice Tiaahn had to strain her ears in order to discern.

"You aren't like the other nobles at all, I can't let it happen..."

Not sure she had heard Kirri correctly, Tiaahn leaned in, a sense of disquiet growing in her heart.

"Sorry? Could you repeat that Kirri? I didn't quite catch what you said."

Instead of replying to Tiaahns asking, Kirri seemed to be at odds with herself for a few seconds, her face in a sort of thoughtful grimace as she had an internal conflict over something.

"Kirri?" Tiaahn whispered, reaching out with a soft gloved hand to touch Kirri's shoulder.

Eyes shooting back up to Tiaahn, Kirri's attitude shifted, a serious and slightly panicked expression set on the maid's face.

"Wha- what is it Kirri?" Tiaahn said breathlessly, her chest constricting and burning as she felt a touch of dread at the maid's severe reaction.

She had seen looks like this before on someone's face, and that had been the harbinger of terrible news.

Licking her lips nervously, Kirri eyed her surroundings with an anxious gaze pulling the smaller girl into a hug before whispering in her left most ear.

"There are people after you tonight, and maybe your parents too."

Tiaahn gasped and felt the blood drain from her face. she had learned not to take claims like this lightly.

She couldn't care less about her mother, but she didn't want any harm to befall her dad, let alone herself.

"H- H- How do you know this?" Tiaahn stuttered into Kirri's shoulder more shocked than afraid.

"I overheard the senior servants talking about it, they said that only the senior staff were part of it, I wasn't supposed to know I think..." Tiaahn felt something wet roll down her cheek, a tear, and it wasn't one of hers.

Kirri was crying, the dewdrops of liquid running down her cheeks to splash on Tiaahn's head.

"I'm sorry Tiaahn!" Kirri sobbed quietly, "I should have told you sooner but I did not know you were such a good person, I thought all nobles were horrible people."

Tiaahn heard the maid's explanation but just stood there reeling, a sound coming back to her mind.

Drip...

Drip...

Drip...

Drip...

Drip...

Kirri continued to sob and hug Tiaahn tight, but Tiaahn herself was beginning to feel rather empty as the older girl clung to her. no, that wasn't quite true she felt that heat stirring once more in her chest.

She was not safe here, and neither was Kirri if she stayed near her.

Tiaahn was about to try pushing Kirri away when a stern and rigorous voice called out, making both girls jump in shock.

"Kirri! there you are! I have been looking for you," the newcomer barked in brusque fashion, "young lady you were supposed to report back to me twenty minutes ago."

A large gray-haired rotund woman with thick arms and legs was standing out behind the embracing girls, a rigid expression on her wrinkled features, the woman was heavy set wearing a maid outfit with extra frills marking her clearly as Kerri's senior. 

"Ma! I mean Miss Fulbody," Kirri began immediately disengaging from Tiaahn as she tried to wipe away her tears, "I was just congratulating Lady Tiaahn on her..."

Kirri hesitated for a moment before she found the right words.

"Doll collection! yes! Lady Tiaahn was just telling me how she collected a whole set of Mr Mgoo's gold class figurines and she said I might be able to see them later. in fact-"

Kirri continued to go on about a certain type of doll Tiaahn apparently owned to miss Fulbody, the old maid's suspicious wrinkled face loosening as she heard Kirri continue to ramble on about dolls.

Tiaahn had not noticed how deeply into dolls Kirri was, she personally did not own any despite Kirri's claims.

Seemingly cleared of suspicions as Tiaahn simply nodded blankly along with Kirri's story, Miss Fulbody closed her eyes for a second and sighed her voice becoming a little softer, "Ahhhh... yes I can see why you might have gotten distracted, you do so love dolls don't you? you take all the dolls the noble kids toss out, the ratty things."

The old maid turned her head side to side as she touched her forehead, "Well, that still does not excuse You Kirri, you need to come with me, all the Junior staff do."

Turning towards Tiaahn Miss Fulbody curtsied and said, "I hope you have a peaceful night Lady Tiaahn, but I must take Kirri with me I'm afraid."

Curtsying back while she gripped the edge of her pink puffy dress Tiaahn did her best to keep a straight face.

"I understand Miss Fulbody, Kirri was most gracious company, please treat her well for me."

Miss fulbody's eyes narrowed at this sentence but the old woman made no fuss of it merely replying.

"I shall see to it then,"

Without another word, the old maid swished away taking Kirri along with her as the old woman kept a steady hand on the smaller maid's shoulder, Kirri looking back the whole while before she disappeared behind a thick reinforced door.

Her eyes alone saying.

'I wish I could do more, I'm sorry.'

Tiaahn watched her go and felt her spirit sink lower than when she had been sitting by herself in the corner.

Someone was out to get her, if Kirri's word was to be believed, which Tiaahn did.

Letting her hands drop to her side powerlessly the noble girl muttered joylessly to herself.

"I Guess I'm on my own again... I should be careful and stay in public places, I should be safe if I do that."

Moving back to the seat she had left earlier, a place still well within sight of the masses, Tiaahn moved the cup aside before sitting down, there was nothing else to do and none of the other nobles would want to talk to her.

Or so she thought.

No sooner had she began to move back into her corner than when she realized someone was following her, more accurately a group of someones. the tap of their shoes against the smooth stone of the garden being hard to miss.

Were her assailants already upon her? they couldn't be, not with such a big audience present, or was this merely a distraction meant to make her easier to approach later?

The fine hairs on her neck rising as she registered this possibility. Her heart-thumping painfully, Tiaahn turned smoothly without reacting despite the anxiety in her breast, a gentile expression masking her worry.

"Is there something you wish to talk to me about... lord Digbry Engreen Gurthurst?" Tiaahn squinted after a moment recognizing the boy at the head of the group, "I don't believe I have made your acquaintance outside of a few words, but your reputation does proceeds you."

"As it should," Digbry huffed looking down at Tiaahn with raised brows, a gleam Tiaahn decided she did not like in the older boy's eyes.

Digbry was a child of middle standing nobility only a little lower ranking than Tiaahn's own household, he was doughy looking, with dull brown hair, burgeoning beginnings of pubescent whiskers, thick arms, and finally a heavy set jaw. The boy was clearly overweight and his bulk seemed to be barely contained by his silken clothes that of a red ornate button-up coat overlaying a white doublet and striped hose, each article of clothing straining as he moved.

But even if he looked somewhat comical as a walrus stuffed into a suit, Tiaahn did not crack a chuckle at the sight, While Digbry looked soft, his eyes contained a sharp and hungry quality.

A quality Tiaahn had heard was shared by his father Lord Gurthurst, a very ambitious and active man.

Tiaahn had met Digbry only once on the rare occasions that her Mother had allowed her to attend a ball she set up. At that ball, Tiaahn had found him to be generally unpleasant and hard to be around, but other than that a standard child of noble birth outside of his somewhat crude disposition towards those he deemed lesser.

Digbry was widely known to be rash, direct, and brutish, especially since his older cousin, lord Bilabit, a minor noble whom managed a small branch of the city, was beaten toothless by a couple of professional street thugs, that to this day had not been caught for their crimes.

It had been the favorite topic of the nobility for over a month some time ago, something not even Tiaahn could fail to miss in her isolation.

Apparently, according to the mans own words, those two ruthless thugs had beaten the stuffing out of him after he had put up a valiant resistance going as far as to break all his teeth and rob him of his coins.

A grisly story, but one that Tiaahn had heard a couple of alternative tellings off from other noble children saying that it had been but a pair of scrawny street rats who had beaten the man senseless, a skinny boy and an even smaller girl. An alternative story that if true, would surely stain that man's honor as to be so easily mopped up by commoners, and street rats no less.

Tiaahn had not felt anything at hearing this, Lord Bilbit had a bad reputation as an alcoholic, a mean drunkard and even had rumors telling of him being a kiddy fiddler.

Tiaahn did not know if the last rumor held any truth to it, but she had felt rather unsafe the one time she met the man on a chance encounter at one of her mother's social gatherings. Lord Bilbit had stared at her creepily and kept asking her questions she was uncomfortable with, continually staring at the small noble as if she was a prime piece of steak.

Honestly, Tiaahn was glad Lord Bilbit couldn't attend the founding due to his injuries, the man had made her skin crawl.

Perhaps because of Bilbit's disgrace Digbry felt some sort of redundant need to prove his household's strength.

But that and not enjoying his company aside, Tiaahn had no other reason to hold anything against the older boy, so it puzzled her why he would want to speak with her now, especially with another three boys and two girls that she also vaguely recognized as even lower-ranked nobility behind him.

"What brings you over to me Lord Digbry? Last time we talked if I recall, it was a mere exchange of pleasantries"

"Well, it was you of course, oh great Serrei."

Digbrys words were smooth as if excessively oiled almost to the point of full-blown sarcasm. It did not put Tiaahn at ease as to the boy's intentions

"what do you mean... Lord digbry? I hope I haven't caused some offense to you in any way"

"Oh, but of course you haven't, we merely wish to speak to you privately, if you would please follow us..."

"I- I sadly cannot do that at the moment lord Digbry, I have plans that mean I must stay here"

"But my fine lady Serrei, surely you can but spare a second? It would not take long."

Tiaahns anxious heart sped up further as Digbry continued to persist, they were trying to get her alone, she didn't know if it was them who were trying to get her, or if they were here for another reason, but she wasn't taking any risks.

"I'm sorry," Tiaahn replied evenly, Lord Digbry but I must decline perhaps we could discuss it here with some discretion, if not then I would like to conclude this discussion here."

"Mmmm no that won't do" the large boy wrinkled his brow without any guile, before shrugging and stating in a foregone face, having turned to address his followers.

"Huh... well, I tire of this pandering don't you, my fellows? lets cut to the chase."

Tiaahn was about to try slipping away when a beefy silk-clad arm slammed into the beam beside her cutting off the closest escape route. Digbry's arm.

"Wh- what!" Tiaahn squeaked, "What are you doing!?"

"Whatever I please," Digbry responded curtly without blinking, "you didn't think that hag of a mother could do that to our families and just get away with did you? or maybe you did? Maybe you are as stupid as you look?"

Feeling stressed and initially stunned at Digbry's blatant insult, Tiaahn bit her lip preventing herself from shooting a nasty rumour she had heard about Digbry back in his face. She could not act rashly.

Internalising she considered Digbry's unpleasant words. Had Callie done something?' Tiaahn did not know, her Mother almost never told her anything that wasn't an insult or an order.

"You see Lady Serrei," Digbry continued smoothly, "It has come to my attention just how much I despise you and not just you, your entire household, especially that Mother of yours, the vile woman."

Tiaahn looked about at the boys and girls behind Digbry and saw no goodwill there, only seeing Digbry grimacing at the mention of Tiaahns erstwhile mother before the large boy spoke on.

"My friends here, likewise, have their own reasons for hating you, but we can all agree on one thing..." the fat boy trailed off taking a deep breath and speaking passionately, "you are no true noble, you are a sham! a blight upon the good names of true-blooded nobility, your father should never have married at all! his unholy union with that peasant wretch only diluted the precious blood of the nobility with your existence!"

Tiaahn gasped at the rush of hurtful words spilling from Digbry's mouth, she had always known purity of blood was important to the nobility, but she had never had a good grasp on the scope of that fixation due to her dad dismissing the issue every time it cropped up.

Now some of the distaste towards her made sense. Trembling and feeling her cracking mask fall away Tiaahn fumbled her words, the knowledge shaking her.

"M- my blood is pure, C- C- Callie isn't my mother-"

"Doesn't matter," Digbry interrupted with a satisfied expression, "she has tainted you with her filth."

The small group of wealthily garbed children gathered in a loose half-circle around Tiaahn, each one of them being older than the eight-year-old, their expressions carnivorous and condemning, the words tumbling from their leader's mouth just as scathing.

"Your dad is also not free from responsibility, he is weak and cowardly and your mother is nothing more than an up jumped peasant," Digbry scowled clearly enjoying himself, "my father told me that your whole family would be paupers if it weren't for the history of your name."

Still dressed in her delicate puffy pink dress her gleaming golden locks swaying as she shook her head. Tiaahns eyes shined with barely restrained moisture, her delicate lips quivering slightly, the continuous pressure and insults beginning to weigh on her as the other noble inched towards her.

"No! that's not true!" Tiaahn replied, tears already starting to bead at her eyes, "my father is not weak! and Callie- Mother is an official and verified noble!"

Tiaahn tried to reeling her tears, managing it in part as she also restrained her self in other ways, desperately wanting to call out some of the rumors and insults she had heard about these kid's parents, but didn't. She couldn't. Callie had specifically instructed her to not antagonize or to be rude to any of other noble children today.

Even her father had agreed to this, quietly nodding and telling his daughter in a subdued voice, at least when compared to his wife's stern and haughty one.

The memory flashed through Tiaahns head fresh to her mind

"Listen to you your mother Tiaahn Wernan Serrei, she knows best."

Her father's use of her full name had quieted Tiaahn, reinforcing how important this occasion was, so Tiaahn bit her tongue and held her piece. It was an impressive display for a child of only 8 years, but something entirely expected of one of noble bearings.

After Tiaahn had lowered her head, conceded, and moved towards her room to get ready, her father had later found her and told her, "I'm sorry." Something he said much more often than he'd used to.

Tiaahn had simply hugged her dad in response, no words only feelings transmitted. After a pause her father had hugged her back.

Tiaahn still heard her father's apologetic and somber voice, something that stuck with her more than her current mother's curt pressurized orders to behave.

Behaving however was also something the other noble children around her felt no obligation to follow, particularly for one of the most aggressive verbal attackers.

"Your dad 'is' weak! he has forfeited every duel he has ever fought, weak!" Digbry snarled viciously, "and I know your mum was little more than a common whore and small-time merchant before she married into your family."

Tiaahn balked at Digbry's use of the word whore, even if all noble children were not yet properly part of the aristocracy, openly calling her mother a whore, was the height of vulgarity, Although his insults were steadily getting more unreasonable.

Floundering, Tiaahn spluttered, "That- that just isn't true!"

At loss as what to do, having no means of recourse, tears threatening to spill over her eyelids, the other noble children preventing her from moving away with their surrounding bodies, Tiaahn felt trapped.

Sharp words almost instinctively rolled off her tongue in retaliation but she held them back, she could not disobey her mother.

Tiaahn could not misbehave here at the Founding. She could already imagine the consequences of upsetting her mother again if she did.

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

Drip...

Drip...

Drip...

Drip...

Drip...

Tiaahn grit her teeth and blinked furiously pressing on in her thoughts still reminded of a burning truth. Her mother was not her real mum. She was her stepmother. Her real mother had died 3 years ago to what the doctors and healers had called cancer.

It still made Tiaahn's eyes water when she thought about her real mum, the stark difference between her and Tiaahns current stepmother was blinding. But Tiaahn was not the one most hurt by Mother's death, no, that title went to her father, Lord Serrei.

Her father had been badly broken up about mother's death, going into self seclusion for almost an entire year barely speaking even to his daughter, leaving her to be raised by the house staff.

He'd had no interest in the daily affairs of the house, he'd barely eaten and he had an empty lost look in his eyes that reminded Tiaahn of the sad expressions on the faces of the caged animals and slaves she had seen being shipped to the markets.

He had remained like this until two years ago. On one of the very rare excursions, he made from the house in order to maintain their noble position he had met Miss Treden or 'Callie' as father preferred to call her, Tiaahn's current stepmother.

For a year, her father had courted miss Treden, and initially, Tiaahn had no issue with this, miss Treden seemed nice enough and her dad was no longer moping around in his study. She had considered this a good thing.

That is until they got married, then the mask slipped right off. 

While Callie was beautiful, clever, and sharp as a razor blade, she was no replacement for Tiaahn's real mother. Ever since meeting the crafty woman, her father had gradually recovered if at some expense to his daughter. 

Even though Tiaahn still loved her father, she could not bring herself to like her stepmother at all.

Where mother had been kind, loving, and compassionate, her stepmother was frosty, flint eyed and stern, the warmth visible on the woman's visage appearing only when father was present and at all other times she was cruel and harsh, Both to the household staff and Tiaahn herself.

In the early days of Miss Tredens courting, some servants and maids had gossiped that Lady Treden was a harlot or as some called them a golddigger. The same day that lady Tredan became lady Serrei, those servants and maids disappeared without a trace. The hold and sway the new mistress held over the household being made very clear.

More servants were sacked, replaced or vanished altogether under her stepmother orders, only some of the older high ranking manservants being spared this purge of the house staff.

Tiaahn had lost many of her friends, many of the maids and manservants having children that would frequent the household grounds, playing with her without reservation.

Now those friends were gone or worse, her stepmother having driven them and their families away, for while it was generally frowned upon within the nobility for noble children to fraternize with lower castes of society, her father had never had a problem with it.

Until now...

That meant for over two years Tiaahn had had no friends, no peers her age and almost no contact outside of her icy stepmother, her father and the few servants allowed to approach her.

Her stepmother had made doubly sure she was isolated and locked away from outside contact.

TIaahn was certain her stepmother was just mean at first, but later she changed her mind.

Her stepmother was a controlling sycophant that wanted nothing more than to forcibly puppet everyone to her own desires.

She was a spider that hid behind a pleasant demeanor.

At first, Tiaahn had queried her stepmother's actions to her face, her original mum having no issues with such confrontation.

Her asking had been a mistake, stepmother had not taken the challenge to her authority well.

Tiaahn had spent the next three days alone with nothing to eat in the cold cellar for her audacity.

She had swiftly learned after that, not to question her mother and did her best to stay out of her way. Something the household staff had long since taken to perfecting, they receiving much harsher punishments for any perceived slights than Tiaahn.

Any time Tiaahn displeased Callie, which was frequently as her mother would take any opportunity to do so, she would be locked down in the cellar.

Her longest stint in the moist dark being over a month, a month with nothing but the subtle sounds of dripping water.

That time had scarred Tiaahn mentally and withered her body as she starved, but what had hurt her more was the fact her father seemed unphased with her disappearance.

Father had not noticed what sort of woman he had married and would not hear any bad-mouthing of his new wife, denying any claims against her. Even Tiaahns words met deaf ears when it came to Callie.

Callie had told him she had sent Tiaahn away too a month-long eddicate school and he had just accepted that explanation.

Tiaahn's time in the pitch black with nothing but a false silence, slowly frayed at her sanity every time she went back. Nothing but the darkness, the slow drip of water and sometimes if she really listened, a whisper that must have been her own imagination trying to keep her company. Some times when she lay on her back in the dark she swore she could feel every drop of water hit the ground becoming more and more mind consuming.

Drip...

Drip...

Drip...

Drip...

Drip...

It was maddening! It was something that both occupied and agitated her, keeping her mind distracted but at a price. This sound, more a feeling now, stayed with her everywhere she went, even when she was miles away from that cellar.

Drip...

Drip...

Drip...

Drip...

Drip...

But it was not just the isolation and gradual loss of sanity that hurt Tiaahn, but the fact her stepmother had a nigh unbreakable hold on father allowing her to do as she pleased. Something that reinforced the idea Tiaahn could never revile against or escape her stepmom ever.

For if she ever went too far in her rebellion Tiaahn feared the worst might happen to her father. She was certain that once Callie made certain she was established, the cruel woman would have no issue removing her redundant husband and his all too troublesome daughter.

And so cowed by this unspoken threat to both herself and her dad, Tiaahn slowly was coerced into obeying her stepmother, fear and many lonely times in the cellar making her jump at every order 'Callie' demanded, father seemingly not noticing Tiaahns change in behavior until of late.

Thus her father had apologized many times to Tiaahn on Callie's behalf, something that eased Tiaahns suffering but not by much, gradually feeding a small heat inside her with each apology.

A heat that lay dormant, embers glowing and posed, but inert and suppressed, as today stepmother had told Tiaahn not to embarrass their household or speak against other houses, a demand that must be kept. 

So here Tiaahn was, constrained by her stepmother's words and surrounded bullies. She had hoped that the other noble children would be amicable, but that hope was now dashed against the jagged rocks of reality. 

"Are you listening to me you daft mumpsimus!" Digbry hissed only a foot away from the rapidly thinking Tiaahn.

Expression somewhat glazed over as her mind rushed about, Tiaahn considered that her peers had their own thoughts on her, thoughts they would not soon abandon, their minds preloaded with their own parent's mutterings about the Serrei household, she could not win them over.

In the two years since stepmother had been married to father, she had been busy making moves throughout the aristocracy, many of which made allies among the nobles and some that made enemies.

Callie was an ambitious woman if nothing else, an ambition that hade placed Tiaahn squarely in this uncomfortable position of being harassed and bullied by her fellows. 

It was the children of those enemies and dissatisfied parties that were preventing Tiaahn from excusing herself, Digbry being a prime example as from what Tiaahn understood her stepmother had shamed Digbrys noble family in some way.

But Tiaahn knew that Her stepmother had also made allies, perhaps one might help her.

And yet despite this fact, Tiaahn did not spot any one of the distant children move to intercede at all.

Tiaahn knew she was unpopular, but still, why was no one helping her?! It was common practice for nobles even the children, to form parties of similar interests, yet none of her potential allies moved an inch! going as far as to ignore her completely! Could this be part of one of mothers plans?

Tiaahn doubted Callie didn't see this whole thing coming, she was far too cunning for that, did she want Tiaahn to get bullied or worse?!

Questions remaining unanswered and worry growing by the second as Digbry continued to rant in her face, spittle striking her in the lip. Tiaahn decided to try diplomatically removing herself, not wanting to deal with this any longer, maybe her bullies had had their fill?

Trying to pull her mask back on and speak cordially Tiaahn tried her best to still her irate opponent.

"It has been very enlightening to hear your thoughts lord Digbry," Tiaahn almost bit her tongue forcing herself to say that before continuing, "but I- I would like to pass-through, I- I have other matters to attend to..." Tiaahns words died in her mouth as she looked up at the taller Digbry, the look in his eyes, that of anger and malice, told her the boy and his cohorts wouldn't let her off so lightly.

'Just how badly had stepmother antagonized these kids' parents?' A growing sense of fear wormed its way into Tiaahn's heart.

How far would these kids take their parent's grudge...

Tiaahn glanced around rapidly at the staff attending the children's parlor, the staff here at the founding were technically not employed by any one person and instead worked for the council as a whole. And while they would generally prevent any deaths from taking place, they could be paid off at a councils members discretion to allow certain accidents to happen...

'Were these the people after her? Were these kids the ones?'

Tiaahn eyed the closest staff, an older brunette woman in a frilly maid dress, and noticed that the woman refused to look in her direction, something she noticed all of the present servants, all senior staff, were likewise doing despite the obvious brewing altercation.

A bad sign, Tiaahn felt her heart rate pick up rapidly thumping like a nervous rabbit in her chest as she turned back to face her oppressors.

Reacting to Tiaahn's earlier faltering words Digbry sneered, his cronies pressing in around him.

"Trying to run away? You definitely are a Serrei coward just like your father," the lead boy, Digbry, then grinned and turned to the two girls in lacy dresses who giggled encouragingly as the other boys around them glared at Tiaahn.

Taking a step back as her escape was cut off, Tiaahn found herself backed up against a wall, she felt suffocated with all these hostile people in her face, her words losing strength.

"I- I have n- no qualm w- with you let m- me past..." Tiaahn tried with a weak voice.

"Look at this dumb pillock!" Digbry growled with a gleeful expression, "She still thinks she can just leave after what her peasant whore of a mother did to all of our families."

Larger bodies crowding around her, Tiaahn was shrinking back against the wall now, fear building up in her chest, a fear that had been steadily nourished and grown by her stepmother's attentions and her father's disregard, still overshadowing a small heat in her chest that smoldered, present but smothered.

Trying shrink back further, Tiaahn found she couldn't, she had moved back as far as was possible, in a slightly curled in timid stance, her bullies looming over her.

Seeing Tiaahns clear terror, Digbry, glaring down at the frightened girl chuckled darkly "The Serrei, a bunch of cowards, am I right gentlemen? oh, and ladies of course"

Digbry did a quick bow to the two girls just behind him eliciting giggles from the two nobles, both of them shooting Tiaahn spiteful looks mixed with satisfaction, while the other noble boy's around Digbry mumbled a variety of confirmations and acknowledgments looking slightly annoyed at Digby's open flirting.

Turning swiftly Digbry brought his full attention down on Tiaahn, glancing around briefly before smiling at the sight of none of the staff coming over to intervene, before without any further announcement he reached out a hand and grabbed Tiaahn by her hair, forcefully turning her head to look up at him.

Wincing and grabbing at the gripping hand Tiaahn tried one more time to speak her way out of the situation, her voice wavering.

"Un- unhand me this instant or- or I will call the guard!"

Digbry snickered at Tiaahns feeble protests before he said simply, a shadowy grin covering his features as he wound back a hand.

"No you dimwitted waif," Digbry growled with wolfish pleasure, some amount of excitement in his breaking voice, "my family may not be in a position to easily strike out at your whore mother presently, but we can strike you instead, Perhaps it will teach that upstart peasant that she has made a poor choice of enemies."

"That-!!!"

SMACK!

Tiaahn felt her head snap to the side suddenly, the world shaking and spinning, a stone ceiling somehow rushing up to meet her face.

Dazed and reeling, her breathing uneven and shallow, Tiaahn blinked into the mystery stone ceiling,

'What just happened?' Tiaahn's stunned mind managed as she tried to get her bearings.

At first, Tiaahn felt nothing but confusion but after a moment that changed, the left side of her face burning and stinging as if scalding water had poured over her skin, the surface of the ceiling also finally resembled something that made sense.

'This is the floor...' Tiaahn muddled internally realizing a couple of things. One, she had fallen over and was presently lying sprawled out on the ground, and two, she had been struck on the left side of her face.

Digbry had hit her, he had hit her hard, something a noble should never ever do unless they wanted to start a feud.

And feuds were costly, violent and got a lot of servants killed, what on earth was he thinking?!

Grabbing her stinging cheek with one hand as she sat up, Tiaahn with wide teary vision looked up at Digbry who was shaking his fist ruefully.

"Ow! she has a hard head for a Serrei coward, that aside, any you of you fine ladies and gentlemen want to have a go? Just be sure to not hit her in the face, my Dad said we aren't supposed to hit that! but otherwise, he said we could do as we pleased to her, so long as she lived that is!"

Her eyes growing wider with each passing second,Tiaahn heard another commotion break out In the distance, distant but very much audible, the sounds of adults shouting and steel clashing on steel.

The sound was coming from the direction of the ballroom

Cupping an ear at hearing this and smiling as he pointed towards the ballroom, Digbry chuckled, "it looks like my dad is getting busy as well right now."

'What?' Tiaahn bumbled still dizzy, 'is Digbry's dad attacking Father and Callie? here at the founding!?'

Tiaahn was stunned by this, either the Gurthurst house was confident in their victory or they were incredibly stupid, no one openly attempted anything at the founding, especially not assassinations. It was political suicide!

'Did they have some sort of secret?'

Regardless of her questing thoughts, Tiaahn never got to uncover the answers to this question as Digbry's voice soon rang out recalling Tiaahn's mind back with a fearful shudder.

"Go on my friends, take out your frustrations out on this Serrei bitch, dad has already made all the appropriate connections, and after tonight she will be given to my cousin as a get well gift, the rest of her entire household will be executed after tonight."

Staring almost disbelievingly at Digbry and his approaching friends Tiaahn realized that she was being offered up both as a toy to that vile lord Bilbit and as a human punching bag.

"No! wait! I-"

Tiaahn never got to say more, as a silken boot with a hidden iron stud impacted into her side silencing her mid-speech.

"Ack!" Tiaahn coughed rolling sideways from the blow, wheezing and shaking, her pink dress getting stained by dirt from a nearby garden bed in the process.

"Have at it my friends, that coward, her weakling father, and her peasant mother are on the list, we needn't hold back."

Another foot, this time a heavier metal-clad one, struck Tiaahn in the gut It was the second of many more to come, many more blows followed knocking the smaller noble girl to and fro as she did her best to curl up and protect herself.

During a lull in her assailant's strikes, Tiaahn called out desperately her eyes darting about with forlorn hope "Help! Help! Someone! help me plea-!"

A foot kicked at her teeth stopping her in her tracks as Digbry bellowed, "shut up bitch no one will help you."

Shielding her vulnerable chest, head, and gut again as she lay in a curled up ball receiving attack after attack, Tiaahn's streaming eyes were pulled almost entirely closed but were still open just enough to see the expressions of the other uninvolved noble children, some gasped and looked to the unresponsive maids and manservants for guidance, but most simply impassively stared as Tiaahn was beaten without recourse.

Not a single one raising a finger to help the desolate noble girl, as she was beaten, stomped on and spat on.

Tiaahn had been marked out by more than one faction, the children of her mother's so-called allies also making no moves to diffuse the situation.

Pain, despair, and fear overwhelming her, Tiaahn retreated to a quiet place in her soul, a place that had been with her for almost two years now, once a scar on her mind, now she sought it as a sanctuary. It was as familiar and removed from violence as it was cold and empty, A place Tiaahn hoped would allow her to escape.

The cellar. it was filled with the ever-present dark and wet, something that would be comforting over the sheer pain and terror she was experiencing out in the real world. but... something was different it was not as dark as it should have been, a small light flickered in the center of her chest, a tiny flame.

Ignoring this seemingly new sputtering candlelight, Tiaahn settled down in her own mind, trying to ignore the physical trauma her body was undergoing, and instead focusing on the steady drip of water as she had always done when she had been trapped here.

Drip...

Drip Drip...

Drip Drip...

Drip Drip Drip...

Drip Drip Drip...

But it too was different, there was no peace to be found there, for the sound of water dripping was no longer the subtle sound of a droplet of water striking stone, but the growing pitter-patter of water eroding an obstacle in its way.

The pattern broken, Tiaahn felt a boot stomp down hard on her stomach even as she tried to block it out, making her retch violently.

"Arrggghhh!" Tiaahn screamed, her internal voice shaking the walls of her inner world.

The pitter-patter of rapid droplets turned into the constant sound of water running and the candlelight in her chest flared up as she howled.

But the suffering was far from over. The pain wracking her form increasing as her body was abused, the water going from a tap, to a stream, to rapids that flowed endlessly.

The liquid wrath of nature itself rising with each blow, every bruise and each broken rib. The flow turned into a rising tide that swirled around Tiaahn in her imagined world with all the force of a flood smashing a damm to splinters, a force long left dusty and unneeded, now budding into a fully formed and terrible state.

'I'm alone...  ...Can't rely on others... ' 

A voice echoed in her mind as liquid as the water itself, Tiaahn was terrified of this startling power as it ebbed and swirled in her mind chaotic and erratic, something she had never felt rushing over her. The waves frothing and darting around her invisible in the pitch dark save for the very edges of the tiny candlelight in her chest.

"Hello is someone there? please help me?! what's happening to me?!"

As Tiaahn asked these questions into her own world no one answered.

She was alone after all, only the raging torrent of water and the tiny candle to keep her company.

A brief moment of hope squashed under despair, at the realization she truly was alone in her ruined world, Tiaahn vaguely heard as if from far away.

"Ahh! it looks like we're almost finished here guys only a few seconds more, Bilbit still wants her to be in one piece when he receives her."

A sickness and anger building up in her heart, the candle flaring up again, her eyes in the physical world opened just barely to stare blearily at Digbry and his band of cronies.

"Are we really gonna send her to your cousin as a present," one of the other noble boys asked.

The big pre-teen was stepping forward comfortably the heel of his boot already bloody from Tiaahns wounds the fat boy lined up his foot casually and said, "Of course, but I would also like to get in one last good hit myself before we package her up,"

That cold disregard for her existence as a fellow human being and that callous response finally caused something to warp inside Tiaahn's heart, the years of restrained pain, loneliness, and hate all surging at once as it proved too much for her to handle.

'I am alone,' Tiaahn realized truly for the first time, 'No one will protect me, I have no allies, Kirri can't help me, Callie hates me, and dad... dad can't- won't do anything...'

The swell of ruinous liquids sped up around Tiaahn as she wept, it was hopeless, she was destined to always be at the mercy of others.

'No, I can still try... ...I don't need them... ...I don't need them... ...Make them all hurt...' that echo whispered again.

'Maybe that voice is right...' Tiaahn thought indistinctly as her body ached and Digbry drew closer his fist raised to punch down on her, her painful memories cycling through her mind one by one.

All those days spent starving in a cold dark cellar, all those day's being insulted and called useless by a stepmother who detested her existence, all those day's spent locked away and forbidden any friends because her father could only say 'sorry', and all the contempt and disdain thrown her way by the other nobles just because she was not 'pure'.

She'd had enough, she hated them all.

Raw undiluted anger and spite oozing through her, the candlelight in Tiaahn's chest ate up the beserk emotions turning into an inferno that rivaled the dark ocean below it.

If no one will help me. than. I. must. help. myself.

The two elements of Tiaahns soul shuddered as their host found her conviction, the vast seething body of water stilling as the rioting fire above it sank into it, lighting the water up a deep blue, the surface still burning with the fire that had now turned cyan as it smoldered on the surface water.

A deadly and violent flower had blossomed and its owner was sick of taking the punishment, the ocean once out of control and wild was now tame, entirely subdued, harnessed, and claimed. Tiaahn opened her eyes as an understanding of the power she now wielded flowed through her.

It was a power she would have never been able to access if she had not been driven to the edge, the element of water bending to her will as she reached the extremes of her emotions.

She had awoken her latent powers.

She would use it, use every last bit of it, to tear them all down, rip them apart, and make them pay.

Forcing her battered body upright into a sagging sitting position and grimacing, Tiaahn glued her eyes on the advancing Digbry, hate etched into her features, he would be the first to taste her new power.

Pausing midstep as he beheld the look of wrath on the girl who had previously been nothing more than terrified, Digbry hesitated for a second before he muttered out loud to dismiss his sudden unease.

"Huh it looks like you still have some kick in you, oh great lady Serrei," Digbry mocked, "well I'll fix that in a second you impure whore,"

Digbry resumed his approach, his followers standing back to allow their boss to have his fill. Tiaahn meanwhile was pulling the ambient threads of magic towards her, weaving her first ever spell. The fatso would get one more attack... and then he was dead. 

'...Alone...'

'...No one will help...'

'...I must protect myself...'

A last round of echoing words played out in her head, Tiaahn agreed full-heartedly with the voice, she had to look out for herself, no one else would ever do it, she was a fool to think anyone would care about her, even her dad didn't seem to care.

Tiaahn sat waiting with a grim expression on her face, Digbry's flabby fist being pulled back for a full power hit.

This was it, her spell was ready to be released at any moment, Tiaahn was ready to let go and become nothing more than a murderer in the eyes of the court.

The fist came down slowly, and for a long instant Tiaahn felt a deep sense of sorrow, her life would be over after this, the council would either execute her for her murder of a fellow noble child or she would be given to a degenerative pervert for his pleasure. her life as she knew it, was over even if she somehow survived.

But this weakness in the eight-year-olds resolve lasted for only a moment as she hardened her young heart.

'Damm the consequences this bastard needs to die!' Tiaahn's face screwed up with venom and she prepared to loose her spell, the fist only a foot away from crashing into her.

'Rrrrr!' Tiaahn growled waiting for the blow to hit her, the spell about to fly into Digbry's stupid grinning face.

"Die! you pi-" Tiaahn began only to be cut off halfway in shock, the fist never managing to connect with her at all instead-

*'SMACK!'*

The flabby comet that had been Digbry's fist was blocked with ease as a tall boy with skin Tiaahn had never seen the likes of, stepped in front of her, shielding her from further harm, his voice low and full of disgust as he addressed the struggling Digbry.

"What are you doing?! A gentleman does not hit a defenseless woman! you spineless cur!"

The newcomer was someone that Tiaahn had never seen before, he was as tall as Digbry but far more trimmed and lean, his eyes were strong, the irises of his eyes steel gray and narrowed, his jaw chiseled and well-formed, unlike Digbry's fatty neck, his hair was cropped short in a military fashion and he carried himself with the grace of a trained warrior.

But it was his skin that stood out the most to Tiaahn, it was of a shade and timbre she had never seen before, that of a creamy ebony that was striking and made him stand out among everyone else here.

Pushing Digbry away with contemptuous ease without moving an inch himself, the mysterious newcomer said angrily while pointing down to the badly bruised Tiaahn.

"Is this how you eastern states conduct yourselves towards your peers? because if so, this is appalling! you should be ashamed of yourselves!"

Two of the boys and one of the girls looked a little uneasy at the newcomer's bold statements but not everyone was so convinced.

"You! who are you?!" Digbry flushed furiously, anger making his whole pudgy face red as he regained his balance from the dark strangers push, "you are interrupting professional business, scram! you dirty *duster!"

"'Ahh,' I see, that's how it is," the tall dark boy nodded, before in one smooth movement he pulled off a glove, slapping the wider boy across the cheek with the backhand of his removed glove. The echo of the slap was very loud in the dead silence that followed, Digbry reeling from the casual blow the striker of his face had dealt, as that same person turned to address the watching nobles with a loud confidant voice.

"My name is Joel Nethethar Graftoft I am both a Khaddaran lord and now more recently a child of the Graftoft Household of the city-state of Octaal, and by my honor, I hereby challenge this cur to a *Cascade duel in defense of this girl."

The crowd gasped and started gossiping amongst themselves, Tiaahn was likewise stunned as she blinked, still uncertain what was occurring before her was real. 'Someone was dueling on her behalf? for- for her?!' The fire in her heart flared up again but this time with a slightly different feeling, her breathing becoming rapid as she stared at her dark savior.

'No... ...I need to make them hurt... ...I- I can't trust them...'

Tiaahn this time, however, ignored the echo in her mind, her eyes entirely focused on the visage of the boy standing guard over her.

"As all who study the laws of the nobility should know," Joel began steadily, "a Cascade Duel is held only between two consenting parties of noble disposition, the loser of the duel forfeits their lands and title as a nobleman." 

Joel pointed at the enraged Digbry with contempt, the crowds of Noble children and servants continuing to murmur and discuss amongst themselves at Joel's proclamation.

"Do you accept this duel Lord Digbry? Or do you forfeit what little honor you have left?"

Flushing practically purple with rage at this point, Digbry's eyes zoomed around glancing here and there at the audience before he seemed to stop and think for a moment, smiling smugly and chuckling.

"I don't need to do anything duster, after tonight my family will rule as the new council and you with your purchased false nobility will be cast out."

"Is that how you think it will go?" Joel responded evenly, a single brow rising on his forehead, "Hmm, although I personally think your parents and their allies overestimated their capabilities and are in dire straits at the moment..."

As he said this Joel pointed in the direction of the ballroom, the sound of steel on steel silent as were the shouts and screams. Digbry's face paling as he realized something had clearly gone wrong in the ballroom.

Casually shrugging off his jacket and dropping it to the side without care, Joel stretched and rolled his shoulders, lean muscles on his form flexing as Digbry stared with a pale face at the silent ballroom.

Lifting his hands above his head in a triangle as he leaned to one side in a limbering up pose, Joel pronounced with a relaxed voice his eyes closed as he did so.

"It seems my father and I arrived just in the nick of time to change the tides of battle, father never was one to pass up a challenge" the dark-skinned boy's eyes opened revealing his once more steely gaze, " but regardless, It is certain tonight that you will lose one of two things, your life," Joel paused, "or your future title."

Digbry, looking more and more like an uglier depiction of the moon with each passing second, turned to face Joel slowly, a look of disbelief on his face.

"What?! How!? How did this happen! father set everything up! it should have..."

"Your father forgot to account for mine," Joel stated calmly, "underestimating him for a mere duster savage no doubt, a poor decision, now come, choose which fate your pride permits and accept my duel... You obese excuse for a human slug."

Joel's words turned sharp near the end of his sentence and Digbry stopped as if slapped again, the shock draining away as rage began to take firmer root in the noble's chest.

"How dare you!" Digbry spat violently his pale face turning the color of smashed pomegranate, "you are nothing but a dirty little shit stain, I will not be insulted by you!" Huffing with a murderous glint in his narrowed eyes he hissed after a short pause, "I accept your duel and when I win I will have you whipped raw like the rebellious slave you are!"

"Come then and prove yourself slug," Joel said with the slightest of a smile on his face before looking towards an old manservant, the most senior servant present and saying in a firm voice, "Fetch two dueling swords, this will not take long and I have people I need to talk to." 

Even as Digbry bristled in the background from Joel's insult, the manservant hesitated with a troubled look for only an instant, the old man bowing and rushing off, leaving the audience on edge waiting for the duel to start.

Digbry and his most loyal cronies glowered at Joel, a couple of his number having decided to abandon ship, joining back with the crowd, but the rest continued to glare.

Seemingly unperturbed by this, Joel suddenly turned on his heels and looked down at Tiaahn before getting down on one knee and offering an open hand to the startled girl.

"You must be Lady Serrei," Joel addressed her politely, "It is a shame I did not get here sooner to help you, for that, I apologize."

Tiaahn watched dumbfounded as the boy who seemed way older and more mature than her bowed his head, before her mind reconnected and she began with a start.

"Oh no! you have nothing to apologise for, I- I- ugh!" Tiaahn flustered, stumbling over her own words, for some reason she was feeling rather hot in the face, and it wasn't because it was aching.

Perhaps thinking she was suffering from her injuries Joel put a finger to her lips.

"It's alright, I understand if it's hard for you to speak right now, but are you ok lying there? It looks... uncomfortable."

Tiaahn looked down at herself and blushed, her dress was ruined and there were holes in it where the metal studs had torn the cloth revealing far more skin than was appropriate for a noble lady.

Looking around her as she touched the holes in raiment, Tiaahn decided it was inevitable and decided to ask, "Umm could you please help me up," Tiaahn whispered as she took Joel's hand wincing both with pain and embarrassment as she did so.

"Of course, lady Serrei."

Pulling the eight-year-old up carefully as if it were nothing, Joel picked up the jacket he had removed earlier and offered it to her.

"Here, to protect your dignity."

Taking it wordlessly and slipping it over her ruined dress Tiaahn felt her cheeks grow hot again, was this what it felt like to be able to rely on someone?

'It felt nice...'

'No! I shouldn't trus-'

Tiaahn shut the echo out, before smiling thankfully at Joel as she pulled the jacket tighter to herself, it was very warm and suddenly the world did not seem as wretched as it had before.

"Thank you Lord Graftoft."

Nodding his head, a slightly bashful look crossed Joels exotic features.

"It is only what any gentleman should do for a fair lady."

Tiaahn's breath caught in her throat at Joel's response.

Only her dad had ever called her fair or beautiful, she couldn't remember the last time someone else had done that.

Feeling something she had trouble quantifying, Tiaahn was about to speak out to her mysterious hero, but before she could the manservant who had been sent away returned with two thin blades.

"Your dueling swords my lords," the Manservant said humbly offering a single blade to both duelists.

Stepping away from Tiaahn with a wry expression before she could say anything else, Joel said lightly, "I shall be back soon lady Serrei, there is a certain mollusk I need to a-ssalt."

Tiaahn couldn't help but giggle despite the corniness of the wordplay, she felt kind of light-headed just hearing him speak. 

Joel's smile widening in response to Tiaahns positive reaction, the boy moved confidently towards the manservant, Digbry already waiting impatiently next to the old man.

Snatching his proffered blade from the manservant as Joel neared, Digbry moved away as Joel unhurriedly picked up his own blade and gave it a couple of effortless test swings.

"A good balance," Joel remarked as he drew a finger across the flat side of the weapon, "Although I prefer mauls myself."

Stepping back a few feet from each other the two boys began to slowly circle one another, the crowd forming a distant circle.

Joel gestured towards the same manservant from before with his empty hand, and understanding immediately the servant called out in a distinctly detached voice.

"All present have witnessed lord Joel of the Graftoft house challenge lord Digbry of the Gurthurst house to a cascade duel which lord Digbry accepted, the duel will not end until one side forfeits or perishes in combat. The loser regardless of whether they survive or not, shall be stripped of all rights to own land, have a noble name, and walk as an equal among the noble courts."

Taking a short breath the old manservant continued just as monotone, "Any means of fighting is permitted within a cascade duel so long as no outside peoples or forces directly intervene, with the rites now spoken for all to hear, may the duel begin!"   

The two boys continued to circle each other for a terse five seconds after the manservant finished before Digbry with a bellow rushed forward, sword held like a short spear, the weapon stabbing and slashing at Joel relentlessly as the dark-skinned boy deftly deflected and redirected a number of attacks.

It was clear who was the more skilled among them the moment the fight began, Joel possessing a clear advantage in experience even if he seemed unused to swords, but to his credit, Digbry was not a slouch either, especially it came to sheer aggression.

Wielding his sword like a hammer while roaring like an angry whale, Digbry pushed Joel back multiple steps with brute force and rage, the attacks causing Joel to be constantly on the defensive as no openings were available.

Even as sweat was beading on both combatants, Joel did not look at all concerned instead a look of iron focus almost made the dark-skinned boy's eyes seem to gleam silver, as he smoothly defended over and over again against Digbry's furious attack, never bothering to attack as his eyes moved back and forth studying his opponent's movements constantly, searching for a pattern.

Perhaps getting infuriated at his foes turtle-like stance Digbry roared as he swung at Joel's head.

"Fight back! you duster Basta-"

*Crunch!*

Joel had found what he was looking for, an exploitable weakness in Digbry's movements, every time the big noble raised his sword arm to swing down, there was a slight hitch in his movements, a hitch that made him just ever so slightly slower when swinging down from above, a tiny opportunity that was almost imperceptibly quick.

But it was more than enough for Joel.

Sending a straight left into Digbry's face as he moved in under the boys downward slash, the more harmless pommel of the weapon struck Joel on the back but did little as Joel sent another rapid left into his enemies mouth, this time, shattering teeth and shooting Digbry's head back with a crack.

Flailing wildly Digbry shot a blind right haymaker at Joel which missed as the slimmer boy leaned back while stepping to the right ending up just slightly behind the dazed noble.

Exploiting his advantageous position immediately, Joel kicked Digbry in the back of knee, sending the hefty boy crashing to the floor with a screech, his sword sliding some distance away, as he scrabbled to get back to it.

"Uh uh," Joel tut tuted, Digbry coming to a full stop as he felt the cold sharp edge of a blade press into the back of his neck, " forfeit and I will spare your life."

Hissing and swearing, Digbry cussed one last time before he said aloud and broke down crying his nose dripping.

"RRRRRRGH! Fuck you duster! *sniff sniff* ARRRRRGH! I forfeit! "

"Digbry has forfeited!" the manservant called out in a loud voice just after Digbry, "Joel Nethethar Graftoft is the victor! Digbry is no longer a noble and must leave the premises as he is unworthy to be here."

Tiaahn blinked mouth agape at Joel as he moved away from the bawling Digbry, his display of martial ability had impressed her much like it had for everyone else, as while the fight had almost lasted an entire minute with Joel mostly on the defensive. The second he had moved to attack the fight had ended in a flash with Digbry disarmed and defeated.

Tiaahn pulled at the fabric of the big jacket Joel had lent her as she hugged its ample folds to her chest. Her heart beating rapidly as she watched Joel hand his sword over to the manservant, heart speeding not with fear, but with something else entirely, something new...

Joel approached and Tiaahn found herself somewhat breathless standing before him.

"That- that was amazing! you beat him like it was nothing your amazing!" Tiaahn repeated herself as she stared up at Joel her eyes filled with stars as she hugged his jacket to herself.

The rock hard presence of a warrior collapsed in on itself as Joel closed his eyes for a moment, Tiaahn smiling nervously in response, she was sure he was blushing under that smooth dark skin.

"Oh, uh, thank you lady Serrei, to be honest, it felt a lot closer a match to me than most would admit, but it pleases me that you think of me so highly."

Joel scratched the back of his head as he said that, the boy clearly a little confused at where to go from here after beating Digbry even as the rest of the crowd alternated between glancing at him, the sobbing Digbry, and Tiaahn.

Feeling the awkward air herself, Tiaahn with jittery energy she rarely felt, nervously, unsure what she was really doing, asked shyly, "could- could I hold your hand? please?!"

"Uhhh... I..." Joel responded slowly, clearly just as lost as her, "I guess that's ok? my father did say physical contact could ease a person's nerves uhh- lady Serrei."

Tentatively Joel allowed Tiaahn to take his hand, the contact making Tiaahn shiver as sparks raced up and down her nerves at the slightest touch.

'He's so strong, humble, and... and cute!' Tiaahn struggled as she stared at the embarrassed Joel, trying to keep herself stable, her emotions still in turmoil as she began to reel back in the volatile magic she had been holding at the ready the whole time.

She didn't need it anymore she had found her new bastion of hope-

A sudden movement caught Tiaahns attention behind Joel as she fixated, it was Digbry.

Face absolutely blue with misery and anger, the ex-noble boy was rushing to his feet the dueling sword in his hands as he sprinted at Joel's exposed back, blade extended to impale the unaware noble.

Moving faster than he had likely ever moved in his entire overweight life, Digbry moved so fast he almost appeared to blur to the human eye, utter desperation and anguish giving him power. 

Warnings were screamed and shouts were made, Joel only just beginning to turn to respond to the blurring speed of Digbry, all far to slow to prevent a tragedy.

But Tiaahn wasn't.

At that moment all the hate and wrath from before came back to Tiaahn in a violent rush, the sting of her wounds feeding her ire, the thought she might lose her new anchor enraging her.

'Nothing and no one will take my new hope. no one.'

Moving on an instinct past the too slowly turning Joel like a moving mirage, her body seemingly phasing past him. Tiaahn extended a hand, the primordial force of water jumping into existence like an obedient lapdog as the ocean inside her writhed and roared, eager to be unleashed.

Even as she did this Tiaahn felt the raging force inside her press hard, the power wanting to run wild without limitation, threatening to overcome her control. Tiaahn growled before focusing her will, doubling down as she commanded the water to take the shape she envisioned, a sharp edge that would sever the aspirations of those who threatened her.

Shifting rapidly after a pause the glowing flaming liquid formed into not one but several flailing tendrils tipped with knife-like ends, each one reaching forward towards the enemy, reacting on pure intuition.

Digbry's already desperate face scrunched up further, his eyes widening into saucers as he saw Tiaahn do this, radiant deep blue water manifesting around her into more shifting points before thrashing about and striking at the motoring ex-noble.

Trying unsuccessfully to redirect his momentum Digbry was swiftly struck by the eager blades of water eliciting a screech from the ex-noble, blood mixing with the summoned waters, some of her water blades struck wide missing entirely and ruining the surrounding gardens, but most hit their mark drawing more pained howls from the stubborn Digbry.

Feeling no pity Tiaahn struck again and again at her former torturer, the ex-noble crying out and screaming his hate for them as he tried to get to his feet and approach Tiaahn, murder still in his eyes.

Her rasping blades of water made sure he never got close enough to attempt it, slicing deep into his flesh she lacerated her opposition, scarlet spray spurting out everywhere, including onto her ruined dress and the jacket Joel had lent her.

The blades of shifting water increasing further in number as the crawling Digbry still continued to drag his ruined body towards her the murder still shining in his vision. Tiaahn narrowed her eyes at the utter madness in Digbry's gaze and called all her blades back at once, merging them into one large looming mass, her hand held up as she did so.

The mass of turbulent waters resembled an enormous club, with a grunt of effort Tiaahn dropped her hand down forcing the surging club to plummet forward, the giant mass crashing down with a heavy splash.

The rabid Digbry only managed a short snarl of, "Fucking impure bitc-! before the club crushed the snarling almost insane boy under its great weight, ending the struggle.

Huffing and panting, feeling weakened and drained, Tiaahn stopped, the flaming waters receding as she let her magic fade away. She was sure Digbry would not get up to attack her or Joel again after that attack, still, she made sure to watch his body closely for a couple seconds.

Digbry lay unmoving on the floor in a puddle of water and blood, his once ill-fitting silken clothes torn to ribbons, the flesh on his body slashed and marked all over, the boy in a horrible state but breathing and alive.

He wouldn't be getting up again any time soon.

Satisfied, Tiaahn sniffed in scorn before turning with a wide smile to seize Joel's hand again, who simply stared at her unblinkingly, a speechless look of utter astonishment on his face.

The whole garden was quiet for what had to be a good 10 seconds before someone in the back of the crowd called out, the rest of the onlookers beginning to holler and panic shortly afterward.

"That girl is a *mage!"

"What's a mage doing here?! they can't be left here with us normal kids! she could kill us!"

"If she accidentally loses control we are all finished! don't antagonize her."

"Magic is dangerous! she shouldn't be here! where is her handler?!"

"I'm scared! make her go away!"

The words of frightened children and worried servants played on but Tiaahn didn't care, she was both exhausted and blissfully clinging on to Joel's arm, ignoring the panic and fear being bandied about around her.

She had found her sturdy rock in the storm.

Still shocked that the girl he had helped was not as defenseless as he had first thought, Joel being only 9 himself but significantly taller, carefully placed a hand on the girl's head patting her, a tinge of fear in his chest at the raw brutality he had just seen her display but also gratitude.

He had not failed to notice that she had stopped Digbry from stabbing him in the back, and did not feel any real negative feelings towards her despite her blood-covered state, she had saved him, paid back the favor his dad wanted him to get.

That meant he had failed his task in a way, but for once Joel did not feel bad for his failure, he felt good for some reason like he had done a good thing.

Although his dad would surely be interested in this development, Joel thought idly as he stroked Tiaahn's hair, natural-born magic was not a common trait even among the nobility.

As Joel thought this, a platoon of armed council guardsmen arrived with heavy footfalls bursting through the main garden door. Four people, Joel recognized almost immediately leading the heavily armed troopers, each baring some sign of recent battle on them, whether that be blood stains or merely scuffed clothes.

One was his father Altriaght with his piercing eyes, dark skin, ramrod posture, and menacing aura, two shortswords dripping blood in his hands, Joel averted his eyes when his father looked at him, he had failed after all.

The next person was a councilmember Joel knew was called Pathron Serfi, Joel did not know his middle name, he was a portly man with warm eyes, a very wrinkled face, and he was a man whom his dad was trying to get into good graces with, the corpulent man like Joel's father also was wielding a bloodied weapon, a spiked one-handed mace.

The next two people Joel did not recognize as quickly, but one of them bared some resemblance to a certain girl hugging his arm, which had to make them Tiaahns parents, Lord, and Lady Serrei.

Lord Serrei had golden locks that reached his shoulders, a feature he and his daughter shared if perhaps one of the only traits that they did, the man also had somber mist blue eyes, pale almost pallid skin not hidden by his high straight collar and full body raiment, and lastly a thin angled face.

Overall Lord Serrei was a slender almost weedy man that made Joel think of weakness, Lord Serrei's oozing longsword looking out of place in his hands for some reason.

Looking briefly back and forth between the slight girl on his arm and her dad, Joel nodded, he could certainly see the resemblance between Lord Serrei and his daughter Tiaahn, but Tiaahn was frankly considerably better looking than her father, even if she looked unhealthily skinny.

'Perhaps her looks are owed more to her mother,' Joel considered, his eyes studying the third Serrei in the room.

Lady Serrei senior was a tall full-bodied woman with a full head of flowing raven black hair, her facial features being as delicate as her daughters, if in a different way. While Tiaahn had a rounded and heart like face, Lady Serrei had a very sharp and striking angular face,  her dark brown eyes harboring a keen wit that Joel couldn't help but notice as it grew ever more honed, her gaze going first to her daughter on Joel's arm before focusing directly on Joel himself, an impassive expression Joel couldn't read on her face. 

Joel felt Tiaahn tense up as she spotted her mother and wondered why, squinting at the dark-haired noblewoman before a cold voice he knew well made him jerk. 

"Ahh, so you found the young Serrei Joel, that is good," Altraight stated with affectionless approval, his chill voice smooth as ever "I hope she did not suffer too much before you arrived, we only recently learned about the secondary ploy against the Serrei house from a young maid girl after we put down the insurgent Gurthurst faction."

Altraight flicked the dripping blood from his sword as he said this, spraying ruby liquid onto the garden floor before sheathing the two weapons in his dual scabbard, an appraising look in his studious eyes as he pointed over at the mangled but still breathing Digbry "It looks like you took care of the Gurthurst Welp handily, I might add?"

Wincing a little at the questioning in his father's tone, Joel stilled himself, clearing his mind. He would need to be on his toes for any signal his father might give him, He did not know how his parent intended to act now that things had changed so drastically. It had not been part of the plan for Digbry to be mangled, the nobility frowned upon the killing of children even if their parents were rebels, and it was a distinct possibility Digbry might die from his wounds.

"Yes... father, things did not go as I thought they would but..."

Joel began retelling the events, preparing himself for his fathers' evaluation, the conversation between the two of them muted as Joel debriefed his parent on what had happened. Tiaahn, death to that conversation, hugged Joel's arm fiercely as she glared at her stepmother Callie, a deep loathing shining clearly within her gaze.

Tiaahn knew that her stepmother had deliberately left her out to be attacked, why else would she have been so obviously singled out by all the other kids? It was only because the Graftoft house, an entirely new noble power in the court had intervened that Tiaahn was even standing here still and not being carted off to some pervert as a sex toy. Perhaps Callie had even been hoping Tiaahn would die in process so she could use that to force some accolades from the council as recompense for shoddy security.

Tiaahn let her lip curl up into a scowl as she squeezed Joel's arm, glaring at her rapier wielding stepmother.

Callie didn't seem to happy to see Tiaahn either, a bitter flash of disappointment sweeping over her features before she quickly put her mask of concern on. Keeping up the act while in front of her husband, a redundancy really.

"Oh! I'm so sorry honey!" Callie said in a voice that made Tiaahn feel sick as she leaned over with her hands on her knees to look at Tiaahn at eye level, "We should have come to you first thing when the Gurthurst house and their allies revolted! It was a-"

Suddenly a monotone if brisk voice interrupted Callie, an undertone of accusation in its voice, "Are you aware your daughter is a mage, your ladyship? Is there a reason the council did not know this?"

All heads turned at these words, Callie looking affronted as she too looked at the source of those questions.

The old manservant who had overseen the duel before, moved with a limp to face Callie, ignoring Tiaahn's dad as he pointed a quivering finger at Tiaahn then back to Callie, "Your daughter could have lost control of her powers and killed everyone here, all just because you kept her powers a secret! all mages must be professionally trained in a noble court!"

Callie looking ruffled that a mere servant would confront her, scoffed at the old man dismissing the old servant's claims.

"A mage? no, that girl isn't that valu-" Callie stopped herself mid-sentence before clearing her throat and starting again, with pursed lips as she looked at her husband behind her " I have never once seen any evidence that she was ever that special or talented at magic, my daughter is but an average empty-headed noble girl."

Tiaahn shot a dirty look at Callie in response to the soft insult but said nothing preferring to cling to Joels arm silently instead as she death stared Callie.

She had no words for her awful stepmother.

"Yes... well," the aged manservant said with a second frown as he noticed Tiaahn's odd behavior, "then how can you explain all of this!" the old man pointed angrily around at the sopping wet garden, the terrified children and disrobed and disfigured Digbry on the floor, "she did all of this, every one of the people here can attest to it!"

At this moment Altriaght looked up from his quiet discussion with Joel, interjecting matter of factly, "He isn't lying Lady Serrei, Joel here saw it too, your daughter is a mage and judging by the damage done to the garden and that disgraced boy over there, a very potent one." 

Callie looked back and forth between the wet destruction and Tiaahn after Altriaght's words, her face growing thoughtful until a tiny twitch in the left side of her stepmother's lip perked up, something Tiaahn had come to recognize over time as Callies greedy or ambitious face.

"Hmm, perhaps my daughter does have talents she only uncovered recently," Callie inclined her head slightly towards everyone including the old manservant, "if so I am terribly sorry for our ignorance on that matter, she had never once shown a wink of talent in that area before, we will be sure to get her a tutor."

There was a pause after this, in which having been seemingly placated by the assurance and apology, the manservant nodded, before another voice, Tiaahn had never heard before spoke up mirthfully a distinct trill to the man's voice.

"'I' for my part," think it is a wonderful thing to have another mage among us! there are far too few of them in my belief, Congratulations young Serrei! you have received a rare privilege from the gods! Natural born mages are very scarce even among us nobility."

The one congratulating Tiaahn was none other than a round man Tiaahn knew was called Pathron, one of the members of the inner council, the most influential ruling faction of Octaal.

Tiaahn almost frowned at the big mans words, didn't this man know how much she had suffered to get what he had called a privilege. Tiaahn squinted at the jolly Pathron and saw that the fat noble was trying to be genuine and not meaning anything else by it, Although that didn't mean she wanted to respond, she'd had her fill of hollow praise and flattery.

"Thanks, I guess..." Tiaahn said slowly turning away from both her mother and the councilmen, hugging Joel's arm tighter, the boy beginning to shift uncomfortably as she constricted his arm.

"Tiaahn! speak with respect when talking to a council member!" Callie snapped, hissing at Tiaahn, to which Tiaahn ignored.

Unperturbed at Tiaahn's short response, Pathon shrugged and rolled his shoulder's, "Oh I don't mind, really Mrs Serrei, its ok, I remember being young and snippy once, it is fine, on the other hand I really should get a better grasp on the situation at hand here."

Looking towards the old manservant once more, Pathron gestured "while I'm here why don't you flesh things out for me Vuhn."

The old manservant Vuhn nodded, addressing Pathron in a formal voice, posture straight as he reported to the council member.

The manservant went over the details of what had transpired, the order to not intervene the servants had received, the beating of Tiaahn and the plans of Digbry to sell her to his cousin, the duel between the two boy's culminating in Digbry's defeat and stripping of status and finally Digbrys attempted attack on Joel resulting in Tiaahn's savage outburst. 

"So, this was all planned out beforehand." Pathron sighed tickling his beard thoughtfully.

"It appears so," Altriaght responded, "the Gurthurst's clearly had this thought out for a while."

"Indeed..." the portly man agreed tapping his bearded chin.

Perhaps, feeling obligated to expound further Vuhn, added hesitantly. 

"If I may sir, It has also come to my attention that much of us Senior staff were unwittingly aiding the insurgent Gurthurst faction, we all received council approved orders yesterday to not intervene in any matters involving the Serrei, the letters the orders were in even had the council seal-."

"Mmm yes I thought as much," the stout Pathron nodded sagely, waving a hand dismissively "one of the councilmen Lord Hugan was part of the attempted coo as well, and Hugan had access to the seal at multiple points prior to this, so be at ease Vuhn, you are not a suspect."

The servant Vuhn bowed and backed away as Pathron warbled on.

"Of course, a search of the staff will be still be required but the details can be handled a little later we already caught all the leaders of the coo thanks to the efforts and aid of the Graftoft and Serrei houses here."

"Which reminds me," Pathron rumbled to himself as he turned to the adults next to him, "The council thanks you for your aid in this matter my friends of house Graftoft and house Serrei, you can all expect a little gift delivered to you a few days from now, " Pathron smiled at the adults as Tiaahn watched with a single eye, her face pressed into Joel's shoulder, "the council will not forget your loyalty and aid."

"Oh, and lord Graftoft?" Pathron finished turning towards the silent ebony-skinned noble, "I personally will hear out your request later, if that is acceptable?"

"It is," Altriaght said calmly after a pause.

"Wonderful!"

With a wide smile, the fat councilman then chortled as he clapped the two men next to him on the shoulders, both men glancing at each other as the fat man between them happily said, "Then let us return victorious to the ballroom my friends! I'm sure the servants have cleaned up the mess we made out the fool Gurthurst's by now, and personally I'm feeling a thirst coming on after all this excitement, come let us go and drink!"

Tiaahn watched Pathron gesture backward towards the manservant Vuhn before he began to depart, one arm on the lone Altriaght's shoulder, Tiaahns dad having ducked out from under the pudgy nobles grip swiftly.

Huffing a little that her dad hadn't let himself be drawn away, Pathron said out loud "Vuhn take that trash over there and toss it in a cell," the portly noble flicked a finger at Digbrys prone body, "make sure it gets some medical attention but ensure it isn't our best, we don't want a peasant that attacked a valued member of noble society to think he is owed anything," Pathroon turned his head for a second and winked at Tiaahn as he said that last part before he trailed Altriaght behind him,  waddling quickly towards the ballroom.

"As you say my lord, it shall be done," Vuhn affirmed watching expressionlessly as the round cheerful noble and his guards continued to tow the annoyed-looking Khaddarran behind them.

Altriaght looking distinctly bothered by this, but not resisting as he was pulled along called out a few words to his son before he was yanked out of earshot, "Behave yourself around young lady Serrei Joel, the young lady clearly thinks highly of you."

With that rather unsubtle reminder of their positions, Tiaahn looked up to observe Joel bow his head as his parent left.

"O- of course father."

Tiaahn noticed the obvious tremor in Joel's voice and wondered briefly if Joel's dad was anything like her stepmother.

She hoped not! she didn't think it was possible for someone to be worse than her stepmother.

But if there was someone like that, Tiaahn pitied anyone who had to deal with them.

The platoon of clanking guardsmen gone there was a period of silence before the manservant Vuhn lifted his head and said.

"Hmmm, if none of you have any specific request for me, I must attend to my duties and clean up this mess, speak to the other servants if you desire something as the rest of the children are to be moved to somewhere more secure and I am also required for that."

With a low bow, the servant set off, leaving everyone to their own thoughts.

Joel's face relaxed once the clanking was well out of earshot, sighing before looking down at the girl clinging to his arm, asking carefully with a pained face.

"Could you perhaps loosen your grip Lady Tiaahn? My arm is getting numb, I think I'm losing circulation."

"Oh' sorry!" Tiaahn apologized with a rosy tint to her cheeks, lightening her hold on Joel's arm but not letting go.

Staring at Tiaahn as she did not budge from holding his arm, Joel said in a troubled voice "Umm, do you have to keep holding my hand? I kinda meant earlier that you could let go."

"Ohh! uhhhhh!" Tiaahn flounced, her cheeks flushing again as she understood what he meant, "O- ok!"

Reluctantly Tiaahn let Joel's arm go, the young khaddaran flexing and rotating the limb as he tried to get the feeling back into it. 

"Ummm..." Tiaahn dawdled as stared at Joel's bicep, uncertain what to say now that her crisis was averted, the mere sight of the boy in front of her filling her with a giddy sensation.

She had never met someone so dependable, so capable, she'd never been able to depend on people in the past, yet now she felt she could with this angelic boy.

Joel picked off some blood flecks from his nose with a frown as Tiaahn thought this, but she didn't even notice, so perfect was Joel in her eyes.

She could stand there watching him for hours.

Unfortunately for Tiaahn that didn't happen as her parents approached, Callie in the lead, her father just behind her looking especially depressed.

Tiaahn's face turned stony as they approached, she had little patience for them now.

Standing still next to Joel her fists clenched by her sides Tiaahn waited for Callie.

With all the other nobles gone, Callie lazily approached Tiaahn, a half-smile on her face.

"So daughter," Callie said with a smile that did not reach her eyes, "how long have you been hiding your little magic tricks from me?

Callie's voice was chilly and spoke of her boiling displeasure, in the past, this voice alone had terrified Tiaahn to the point of petrification as it had meant severe punishments were about to be served.

But now? Tiaahn felt anger more than fear, the fire in her heart was fully lit and would not be smothered again.

Meeting her stepmother's chilling gaze with her own blazing one, Tiaahn responded without her voice breaking at all. "I only figured it out today, here at the garden party."

Callies eyes briefly widened as her intimidation failed before they narrowed once more, "You are lying to me and if you lie to me you know what happens-"

"I am not lying." Tiaahn denied adamantly refusing to be cowed, " and I won't go back in that cellar."

Callie's eyes bulged with fury, and the thin veil hiding her true emotions crumbled.

"You little shrew," Callie said in a dangerously low voice, "you don't speak to your mother that way..."

Her own anger magnifying, Tiaahn shot back a barb she had been shocked to hear only minutes ago.

"You're not my mother! my mum died three years ago! your just a bitter greedy whore, who is sad and pathetic inside!"

Joel shifted uneasily beside her as Tiaahn stated this, this was information that the boy had not known, and now it was being revealed to him.

But even if the boy was conflicted about what to do, time stopped for no one, the volatile vindication carrying on.

Mouth hanging slightly ajar Callie seemed at loss for words, the unfiltered animosity and content of Tiaahns voice giving her pause, before the terse grimace on her face gained a reinforced caliber.

"You! You will be punished for this when we arrive home," Callie hissed, her eyes darting around at the watching mostly dispersed audience before she briskly stretched out her hand expectantly, "come we are leaving now."

Callie went to reach for Tiaahn's hand but the small noble girl pulled away quickly.

"No. I'm not going with you."

Tiaahn gazed up at the person she hated most in the world. she would never ever let the hag control her again! The cellar would not contain her anymore, she would fight back tooth claw and magic if she had too, she wasn't afraid anymore, she was just angry.

"You!..." Callie began without finishing, a vein pulsing visibly on her brow, her rage to great to express in words, sword arm twitching as she stroked the hilt of her rapier.

Spotting this heated situation growing out of control Joel worriedly intervened.

"Perhaps Lady Serrei should-"

"Silence! Whelp!" Callie barked without looking at Joel at all, her gaze fixated with detest upon Tiaahn, "This discussion is between me and my daughter! Do not interfere!"

Joel shut off immediately, she was right, it wasn't his place to meddle in their family matters, his father would do something alike if a similar occurrence were to happen.

'But even then...'

Callie reached out again with a hard face, arm snaking out to grab Tiaahn by the hand, but Tiaahn stepped behind a surprised Joel before she pulled her hand free, it slipping out of its covering leaving her stepmother holding an empty pink glove.

Shouting shrilly as she hid behind an indecisive Joel, Tiaahn called out, "Don't touch me!

"ungrateful little-  Hmmph! your punishments will certainly be severe" Callie muttered throwing down the pink glove, growing impatient with trying to catch her daughter as she stayed behind Joel.

The full-grown woman was getting more and more enraged and the rapier in her hand looked pointer with every passing second, whipping about and displacing the air as the tall woman moved, prompting further thought from the still Joel.

Tiaahn in response to her stepmother's growing aggression summoned the same magics Joel had seen her use before, but these ones seemed weaker and fewer in number compared to before, the fatigue on Tiaahns face being obvious, it didn't look like she could manage any more than two thin tendrils of water.

Joel stood, unsure what to do as the two females glared hostilely at each other from either side of him. His father had told him to take care of 'young' lady Serrei, 'should he take those words literally?'

Remembering the look of gratitude bordering on adoration on Tiaahns face after he saved her from being punched and abducted by Digbry, Joel felt a bit of guilt well up inside.

He couldn't just let this happen, could he? Tiaahn needed his help and he could give it. but was opposing her mother the correct thing to do here?

Joel didn't think his father would do it, he would just let things carry out as they did and pick through the political debris later, but Joel himself could not ignore that this girl needed his help.

Coming to a decision Joel resolved himself, he hoped father would approve of this but he wasn't confident on that front.

With a deep breath in through the nose, Joel made his move, placing himself squarely in front of Callie's path preventing her from getting any closer.

"I believe you have gotten too excited Lady Serrei, please calm yourself," Joel said in a stately manner, not noticing Tiaahn behind him positively light up with happiness as she beheld her dark hero shielding her, even taking the opportunity to shoot mocking raspberries at her stepmother from behind the safety of Joel's mass.

Stopping and focusing on Joel as if seeing him for the first time, Callie said in a low growl.

"I thought I told you to mind your own business unfavoured whelp of Altriaght, even if I have ties to your father that doesn't mean I will not strike you down if you stay between me and my daughter."

Ignoring the threat that was probably a bluff, Joel replied openly, a touch of concern knotting in his stomach even as he spoke smoothly.

"On the contrary Lady Serrei, it is my business, you see I staked my honor on dueling in defense of Lady Tiaahn this night, and I cannot allow you to harm her while my words still stand."

"Allow me?! Callie almost laughed as her rapier danced through the air in a flourish, "boy! you couldn't stop me if I tried, now step aside."

Joel tightened his lips and drew himself up to his full height refusing to budge, having no weapon to brandish in his defense save his fists.

"I cannot," Joel repeated firmly his eyes regaining that silver flicker.

"Fine," Callie said shortly, "I will apologize to Altiaght for maiming his least favorite son later, he will understand."

Tiaahn and Joel tensed up, Tiaahn pushing herself to her limits as she managed to call up a couple more bladed streams and Joel dropping into a low stance his fists raised.

The air was thick with tension as the two opposing sides stared at each other, the lone adult seeming entirely unimpressed by the youngster's resolve as she pointed her rapier at them and took a fencing stance.

The pressure was growing and Joel felt a bit of sweat trickle down his back before-

*whoosh!*

*Clang!*

At a speed he couldn't register, Tiaahns stepmother moved, her blade so fast that it made the light refracting off it look like a million shooting stars, the sharp weapon stopped somehow a foot away from his left side, creaking as it was held back by something.

A second thicker blade was held in front of Joel blocking it, a thin man having appeared next to him.

"That is... Enough Callie... You have scared the children plenty I think."

A voice that was reminiscent of wind blowing through thick reeds rung out, the owner of the voice being none other than Lord Serrei who had remained so silent, that Joel had forgotten he was there up until now.

"What?! But!" Callie said before glancing at her husband and paling at the serious look on his features.

Lord Serrei did not appear as weak as he did before to Joel, in fact, there was a hard edge to him that screamed danger to those who didn't watch themselves.

With a brief look of disbelief at her husband, Callie inclined her head before saying in a suddenly more subservient voice" Yes, of course, Husband, I'm sorry, forgive me for my outburst."

The hard look in lord Serrei's eyes softened but did not entirely disappear as he looked upon his wife tiredly before turning towards Joel.

"You are a brave boy young Graftoft, and I fail to see why your father sees so little in you," Lord Serrei admitted with a curt nod, "but it would best if you now excused yourself from this encounter, I will handle things from here."

Joel hesitated for a moment then stepped aside for him, allowing him easy access to Tiaahn behind himself.

Stepping towards his daughter, Lord Serrei slowly reached out to Tiaahn, who seemed to be wavering, her magic quivering as her father neared, a mixed look of emotions in her troubled eyes.

Relief, fear, confusion, and anger.

Intense anger.

The look of confusion deepened as her father embraced her and Joel heard him whisper something. Something that made Tiaahn freeze halfway through hugging him back, her expression becoming flinty and cold as she whispered in response.

"You're sorry? YOU'RE SORRY!!? again?" Tiaahn said incredulously her voice growing louder "what good does that do me dad? when has that ever helped me?!"

Inside her heart, Tiaahn felt betrayed forsaken and dismissed, not even dad who she once loved could escape the bedlam of negative feelings that had built up for over three years.

Shouting shrilly and pushing her father away Tiaahn continued, her voice growing louder and more broken.

"In fact! when's the last time you helped me at all!" Tiaahn screeched, her nails driving deep into her own palms, "where were you when She-! "Tiaahn jabbed a finger at Callie, "Starved me! locked in a cold dank cellar, took away all my friends and freedom?!!! Where were you dad, for all those years?! hiding in your study?! Did you even bother to check on me as she hurt me? Do you even love me!!!?"

Openly crying at this point Tiaahn did not stop, she could not stop.

"Where were you today when I was alone and they came and mocked me, beat me, told me they would sell me!!? wh- where were you then huh?!!!"

"Tiaahn..." Lord Serrei tried only to be overshadowed by Tiaahn's scream and another shove.

"NOWHERE!!! THAT'S WHAT!!!"

Pushing her father away one last time, Tiaahn fell to her knee's sobbing as she anguished, tears wetting her dress, the watery constructs she had summoned angrily moving forward to protect her, pushing all but Joel back, the blades hissing like snakes at Tiaahn's parents.

Hurt at his daughter's words, a look of deep shame covered Lord Serrei's downturned face, the man returning to looking miserable like earlier before his expression lightened and he glanced over at Joel who was dumbfounded by the emotional outpouring, the older man indicating towards Tiaahn with his eyes.

Catching on Joel blinked and looked down at the broken down noble girl by his feet. What Lord Serrei was suggesting nonverbally was a burden much more meaningful and weighty than a simple duel and his honor. He was insisting that Joel, a 9-year-old boy, take upon himself all the emotional baggage that was crushing down on Tiaahn and share it with her.

That was a lot to ask for, considering Joel had only known Tiaahn for little over twenty minutes at best. But as Joel looked down at Tiaahn weeping and sobbing, the watery constructs around her thrashing at anyone who approached, he could not help but feel something himself.

He felt a kindred spirit in Tiaahn, despite their obvious differences, she was a lot like him both in her situation and her resolve.

Feeling his heart moved by this thought, Joel concluded what he would do and nodded at Lord Serrei,  slowly kneeling down beside Tiaahn, a gentle hand supporting her back as the other reached out to hold her hand.

Tiaahn did not seem to sense Joel at first, but as she lay curled over, her sobs shaking her body, she gradually took notice, her held hand squeezing Joel's before she sat up to face him with a wet countenance.

Tiaahn's eyes were tearing up relentlessly and her nose was dripping, but Joel ignored those facts and instead simply hugged her to his chest, wrapping his arms around her like a blanket.

"It's ok," Joel said awkwardly having never done this before, "your ok, your fine."

Tiaahn continued to sob into his chest for a time, but gradually her sobbing stilled and her breathing grew even.

When he felt that Tiaahn was more stable he slowly pried her from his shirt, the shirt now soaked with tears.

"Better now?" Joel said.

"A little," Tiaahn replied, her face flushed again as she stared up at him, eyes looking at him weirdly.

Not understanding the weird look on Tiaahn's face Joel asked, "Can you stand?"

"Y- Yes,"

Pulling Tiaahn to her feet as he rose Tiaahn immediately seized his arm again and glared icily over at her parents, most of her anger gone, but leaving in its place a more subtle enmity.

Lord Serrei received his daughter's glare as well and shuddered under it, turning to look at Joel instead, a sad expression on his face but one that was also filled with approval, Lord Serrei inclined his head slowly at first then fixed Joel with a suddenly hard stare.

A stare that said,

'Treat my daughter well, or I will find you.'

It was a message Joel did not entirely understand, but one he got enough of to gulp and nod in response.

Satisfied if somber, Lord Serrei Turned to his wife as if their business here was concluded, remarking aloud.

"It seems as if we have other things to attend to Callie. Come let us go back to the ballroom."

"But! She!" Callie began gesturing towards Tiaahn with her rapier.

"Come!" Lord Serrei said in a final tone, ignoring his wife's objections, any prior trace of weakness gone before he turned on his heels and strutted out.

Biting her lip and shooting a venomous glare at Tiaahn, Callie followed after her Husband, where, in the distance, Joel saw Lord Serrei reach out and pull Callie close, preventing her from slipping away as he moved single-mindedly towards the ballroom.

The Garden door closed behind them, leaving Joel and Tiaahn almost entirely alone, only a few stragglers and servants who were cleaning left in the empty yard, all the other children having been evacuated and hidden away, oddly one of the few groups of servants to leave being a band of musicians who were still playing their music.

They had been doing so the whole time throughout both the duel with Digbry, Tiaahns outburst, and the confrontation with her parents all as if nothing had happened.

Joel knew that this was a part of their professionalism to do so, even if it clearly did not fit the empty somber mood inflicting the gardens at the present.

Joel glanced Tiaahn who was still holding his hand, while she did not appear as miserable as before, an obvious aura of gloom hung over her even as she at clutched Joel's arm.

Joel felt kind of bad for her, she'd had a rough night and looked the part too, her dress was spattered with drying blood, stains, rips and her hair was wet and matted. he ought to look for a way to cheer her up, then In a moment of inspiration, it came to him.

With a tune better suited to a happy jig than a slow dance playing in the background, Joel asked Tiaahn in a serious voice.

"Care to dance Lady Tiaahn?"

Tiaahn blinked shaken from her dark mood, before her ears slowly turned red.

Beaming nervously Tiaahn replied, "Yes! I- I mean of course Lord Graftoft."

Slowly with clumsy movements the two children began to dance together, neither of them were skilled at it, but their moods improved as they laughed at each other's clumsiness, continually tripping over each other.

After the third fall, Tiaahn giggled and hugged Joel tightly around the chest, Joel likewise snickering as he began to untangle himself from Tiaahn.

Taking in Joel's scent deeply as she slowly removed herself, Tiaahn's eyes were filled life.

She had found her angel, her guiding light, her very own star.

And nothing could take it from her.