Aine is under house arrest in her chambers, sneering up at the Guards of Vulstis who peer down at her from beneath their visors. She eyes their crossed spears hungrily, her feet ready to launch her forwards and tackle one out of their grasp. Braelyn, ever-the-observant lady's maid, discreetly kicks Aine in the heel to discourage her from this idea, causing the hot-tempered noblewoman to glare at her through the corner of her eye. Braelyn offers her a pointed look in return.
"Do you plan to watch me die of old age in here?" Aine spits snarkily at the guards, her patience waning by the second, "Because, if so, I'd rather just put my life in the hands of the Moon God and jump out that window."
The guards remain unwavering so Aine makes a break for the large glass window to the right side of her room. Braelyn gasps dramatically. The guards soon spring to life, the sound of wood on wood echoing off the marble walls as they drop their weapons to the floor in a panic. As one of them reaches out to grab Aine, she pivots around to face them, ducking below their charcoal black armour and rolling on the floor. She retrieves one of their neglected spears, kicking the other under her bed. Grabbing a stunned Braelyn, she backs up towards the door, all the while keeping the spear directed at their throats.
They approach her cautiously, hands on unsheathed swords at their hips. Just as Aine grasps the golden door handle, someone opens it from the other side. She whirls around, aiming the stolen spear at her newest threat. But, as her ferocious eyes examine the wrinkled lines and sad grey eyes of the face of her newest opponent, all her defences drop.
"Father?" she queries softly, worried that this might be some cruel trick.
"What did I tell you about playing with pointy things? They're dangerous, you know." King Caylus jokes, but Aine can tell it is all he can do to keep from breaking down.
"It's not my fault that they gave it to me." Aine states sarcastically, gesturing to the Vulstis Guards who rudely snatch the weapon back out of her hand.
King Caylus sighs sadly, placing a large hand on his daughter's shoulder, guiding her to sit beside him on the edge of her bed.
"I hate this as much as you do, but you can't be fighting this. You can't fight against the ruling of the Parish of Patrinis. You'd not just be fighting against Vulstis, but against Nalentus, Verectias and Belltoria, too." King Caylus explains, and it is clear that he does not entirely agree with himself.
"How do you expect me to go quietly with the man I hate? To live with our enemies? We escaped that place years ago, all for me to just go back there because he simply asked me to? What they did to mother-"
Caylus Sampson is a good and soft-hearted man, but at the mention of his wife, he becomes an entirely different creature. Perhaps that is the problem with soft-hearted people: when something happens to someone they love deeply, it affects them more and in ways that it would not others. He sucks in a long breath before standing, rising to his full height, towering over everyone in the room.
"Aine." he warns.
Aine lowers her head and swallows. There is silence for a moment.
"Braelyn will be there with you." King Caylus reassures, having composed himself. Aine looks up, and catches her father and Braelyn exchanging a look. A look she can't quite decipher. Although wanting to decode the meaning behind this, Aine knows the walls have eyes and ears, so simply nods and takes her father's calloused hand. He pulls her up and into a bear hug, his vice-like grip indicative of a father that does not want to let his only child go. Aine reciprocates this, not knowing the next time she will feel this warmth and smell his comforting aroma of cedar wood and apples.
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
"Time to go." a voice announces, interrupting the comforting moment.
Aine is escorted mercilessly from the sweet confines of cedar wood, apples and her father's sad smile to the muddy, scorching, lay-bys of the Strato Gate. The Kingdom of Nocriam's boundary is encapsulated entirely by a manned fifty-foot high wall, with a total of four gates allowing passageway in and out of the kingdom. The Strato Gate is the exit to the north and is mainly used for travel to and from Vulstis. It sports an elaborate statue of the Moon God standing atop the archway of the gate. Horses whinny and harnesses jangle as Vulstis's congress finalises preparations for the journey. Aine and Braelyn stand off to the side, not interacting unless absolutely necessary. Aine has been slightly more cooperative since the talk with her father so the guards allow her a bit more breathing room. One is currently watching the two from afar whilst overseeing the haul of goods being loaded into a carriage. He was too far away to overhear anything.
"What did my father ask you to do?" Aine interrogates her lady's maid. Braelyn is such a stickler for the rules- lords and ladies must act and dress a certain way- so what had her father made her agree to?
A knowing smile flashes over Braelyn's face. It does not linger longer than a second as she spots a guard marching over.
"Goddess, your carriage awaits." he informs.
Aine snorts. "Lady Sampson will do."
"I-I see, yes, m'lady." the guard blanches, as if he had never been reprimanded by a noblewoman before. Knowing Vulstis's conservative practices, probably not.
Aine and Braelyn are led to a horse-drawn carriage positioned behind the grandest-looking one. No doubt King Min is scrutinising her every move from behind its golden drapes. His cold, dark eyes attempting to burrow down into her soul and feast there until she becomes just like him. No matter how much gold draping, extravagant emeralds and intricate carvings of foxes there are on the outside of this carriage, they cannot mask the monster within. She panders if Advisor Hwang is in there with him still smiling, to spur on his predator-like behaviour, or whether he has finally dropped the act.
Aine turns around, taking in the white marble walls of the Hall of Witnesses and its Wings of Residency. Her home. There, in the highest turret, stands her father gazing down at them all. With his broad stature he resembles a vigilant owl observing its prey. Long hair, fur cloak and beard softly swaying in the wind offering the illusion of ruffled feathers. Aine swells with pride, a smug smile playing on her lips.
That's right, she thinks, the Owl of Nocriam. Owls are not just wise, but apex predators. They sit at the top of a food chain.
Just as she has been fighting King Min on the battlefield sword to sword, arrow to arrow, this was just another fight. This isn't predator versus prey, this is predator versus predator. This is still owl versus fox. Nocriam versus Vulstis. King Min's surprise attack had made her falter for a moment. Her father and only her father could remind her that she may be leaving Nocriam, but Nocriam will never leave her. King Caylus Sampson, the truest Owl there ever will be. Aine Sampson, Protector of Nocriam and the fearless warrior was back.
As she steps into the black-and-gold furnished carriage, Aine ensures to smirk hungrily into the concealed windows of the King's carriage in front of her. As if she is the owl, and her next meal is coming from King Min's carriage. It may well be, and she contemplates preying on Advisor Hwang first.
The carriage lurches forwards, indicating that their ride to Vulstis Keep has begun. The guards are preoccupied with protecting the procession from outside threats and the black drapes over the windows are concealing Aine and Braelyn from prying eyes.
"Are you parched, my lady? You keep licking your lips. Here, wipe your mouth with this."
Aine absentmindedly accepts Braelyn's offering, but after touching it to her face she realises it is too coarse to be a handkerchief. Looking closer, Aine confirms that the material is instead paper and after shooting a questioning look at Braelyn, unfolds it. It is a passage of text ripped from a book that reads:
'The Celtic Goddess Aine and King Ailill Olom
King Ailill Olom believed whoever had Aine symbolically controlled the land because of her power over crops and animals, so in turn forced himself upon her. In revenge, Aine maimed him by biting off his ear.'
Aine grins after reading that last part.
"You wise old owl." she chides at her father. He may not be able to hear, but she says it all the same. Braelyn chuckles.
King Caylus Sampson may not be book smart but he sure is battle smart. King Min should be well aware of what happened to King Ailill Olom so would be sure to treat Aine with respect and care once they arrive at Vulstis Keep, which Aine can play to her and Nocriam's advantage. Perhaps the ruling of the Parish of Patrinis could be Nocriam's ticket to victory in this war after all.
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