Valusia VIII
A short time later Lily heard the handle of the storeroom turn and a small shaft of light entered then darkness again was around her. She could hear breathing, soft metered breaths his breathing never hurried stable. "They are gone Lily, you are still safe here." Da'Karis said knowing her fears had just left. He knew the enemy now and while nothing about him said assassin, Galin knew he was more than he appeared to be. Reaching out he took Lily's hand in his, saying nothing else to her just letting her know that in the darkness around her there was always an ally nearby.
Lily held his hand very tightly and after a few more minutes of tears she sniffled off into silence. "My Mom told me stories of him. Then the first time I ever saw him for myself... He was in bloody armor... and everyone was fighting him... he just popped out of this hole in the air and then... my big brother... Then he put his sword completely through my brother's chest. He was happy when he did it. He retreated when my brother in law attacked him. But my big brother... the one who was always so nice and gentle and he never means any harm and he was laying there and there was all this blood everywhere and Mom was crying she was really crying... I have never been so scared until... until those days before you saved me." Lily said, she spoke slowly and very softly, sniffling now and then as she told him this. "Mom always says if you see uncle Galin... run. Hide. Call for them but how can I go back when I screwed up so badly. I have to get back on my own and show everyone I am an adult. But he's here and he know's I am too." Lily said wishing she could see where Kar was or that he would hold her but she stayed still not moving other then tightening her grip on his hand.
"Being an adult sometimes means knowing you have to ask for help Lily." he said still holding her hand. His other hand placed a linen square in her other palm so she could wipe her eyes. Da'Karis spent much of his life in the dark and found that here if once mastered fear and saddness then one could do anything. Her story fostered some respect for the enemy her uncle would become and a desire to see him thwarted as the only two reason for him being in Valusia was the circle and Lily. Perhaps if this Ravenwood made Da'Karis an enemy, Lily could return home to announce she saw Galin Ravenwood die at the blades of a valusian assassin.
"But I don't even know what kind of help I need! What kind of pathetic adult am I going to make?" Lily said wiping her face, it smelled like the oils he used to take care of his gear and only a little like him, the very slight spicy scent. She held it close to her face even though she didn't need to anymore. "I want to be strong and I thought I was and that I could become more strong but instead I'm here and working as a waitress and I'm not even doing my regular training anymore. Maybe I should rip off this bracelet and let my brother pop in and grab me and take me home to be locked away in my house until my parents marry me off." Lily says softly but very bitterly.
"Perhaps you should, I am surprised that you have not already since you know what is keeping them from finding you. Why have you abandoned your training, do you feel that you can't handle what the training was teaching you?" Da'Karis knew that being direct and challenging her would either strengthen her resolve to become strong or make her decide to go home. If she was a Ravenwood then the road to his enemies was simple, as many considered that family a lightning rod to chaos and warfare. Lily only had to decide not to give in to fear and despair, and make herself more than this scared little girl in front of him.
"NO! Mommy and Daddy let me train but that's all I've never fought in my whole life by myself! They never let me join them on missions! I'm not allowed to go and adventure even though all my older sisters can and did when they were my age I'm the best sword fighter in the family of the girls other then Mommy and I'm not allowed to do anything! Daddy won't let boys near me! Mom won't let me do anything! I left so... So I could have at least one adventure and fight and get rewards and treasure and have a story to tell that was all mine and not shared by anybody in my family and if I go home now mom will only lock me away forever! I CAN'T go back! Please Kar you have to help me! I know my magic stinks and my skills aren't tested but I'm the best knife thrower of anyone!" Lily said reaching out with both hands and grabbing the only Arm she knew where it was in the dark room. She was so tired of everything being her family and nothing ever being about her.
"If you remain with me it will not be like your parents exploits, they will have to be your exploits and only in retrospect are they exciting they are as you feel them know. You will remain until you can return home either by asking for them to come for you or paying your way, and I feel your nights waiting tables are over as you will be working with me. If your fear gives you pause to accept then you need to tell me now Lily." he spoke in a firm voice. Lily could understand that what he offered was not bard fare adventure it was danger and people got hurt doing what he did. Lily Ravenwood would grow up and stand or she would fail and go home to live as a noble in a noble household.
"I don't know... I've been trained to strike, not to think." Lily said trying to think hard and figure out what to do. "This is really hard in the dark Kar. But I want to live my life... not have my mother live it by deciding everything for me. So that answer." Lily says trying to figure everything out in her head. It was hard to have your eyes open and to not be able to see anything still. But Kar was there so it wasn't that scary.
He said nothing, she would have to decide firmly what she was going to do there was no half way. A long few moments, "Lily you must decide for yourself not knowing or going halfway will only get yourself or me killed. I will support you as you work with me, but if you feel you can't do this then I will simply take three contracts and send you home. Your words must be firm, ironclad and unshakeable or there will be no trust between us." The words were those of his mentor, Da'Karis remembered hearing them twice once for him and the second time for the woman who murdered the mentor.
"But I've never been iron clad... that sounds funny... I've never been firm... I don't know how to be... but I don't want to be weak or let my life be ruled by anyone else. I know you can teach me things. Like how to be my own person... how to not be afraid anymore, how to defend myself from anything probably. Besides... I think you're the first person to ever offer me a choice about it. I..." Lily went silent for several minutes while she thought hard, she knew he wouldn't be horrible in his training and he would still be her friend. While she knew she wanted to fight she never really thought about just killing people. She didn't like the idea of killing innocents but so Far Kar hadn't. He only got people that did wrong or had done wrong. "Okay. Teach me. But... can we not start in here... cause now my butt hurts and it's still scary being in the dark." Lily said after a soft pause in thought after telling him she wanted to join him. While it was true she was scared still it wasn't really because of the dark but because not being able to see him was making her mind remember things and his smell was really invasive in the small area.
"Tonight you will get a reprive, starting tomorrow though you will start to learn about being uncomfortable and the dark as I did." he turned the door knob and light flooded into the pantry. Da'Karis had been closer to her than she thought it surprised her how the darkness had changed her preception of distance. "You should get some sleep or avail yourself to the books upstairs, your training will begin early tomorrow." nothing else was said as he walked into the kitchen and headed for the steps to the upper floors. Lily was left to wonder what her decision meant and what his training consisted of.
"I hope I chose right... Adventure's are hard." Lily mumbled to herself as she wipes her face with her sleeves and got up. She then pinched her cheeks and got a glass of water she figured she should finish her work for the day before going to bed early. She was used to getting up early before the sun rose actually so that shouldn't be a problem at all for her to train with Kar. He actually seemed... kinda unhappy when she said she would learn from him. She wondered if he wasn't happy. Lily really wished she could do something for him since he was always doing things for her. But it seemed like everything she did made him so unhappy! She went back out into the dining room to finish her shift anyways.
Valusia X
Stumble!