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Ch. 4 Lilliana unpacked her bags in her dormitory. It felt so good to be home, though oddly she already missed the estate. And she now was itching to get back so she could finally get to know those horses. She touched the locket under her shirt and smiled, happy to have a reminder of her new life. The clock chimed, and she knew it was dinner time. She sighed, already stuffed to the brim from Catherine’s mothering. Quickly she changed into her uniform, still thinking about the ride back. She and Valerian had spend the whole trip talking, though not about much, as Moreau was just beyond the glass. He acted as though he didn’t hear a word, but she was beginning to wonder just how much their staff knew. Valerian promised to be back in time for her graduation, and she was so looking forward to seeing him again, and finally having the freedom to explore the estate at her leisure. Looking at herself in the mirror, she sighed, adjusted her skirt, and headed down to the great hall. Sitting beside her friends, she felt suddenly out of place. These girls seemed so immature and oblivious to the world around them. Mary, a short girl with a piggish nose and lots of curly brown hair was talking about her boy problems with the “dreamy” Christopher Hudson (“it’s like he doesn’t even notice me!”), and Anne and Beth were indignantly discussing the unfairness of not being allowed to wear makeup (“We’re practically adults after all!”) Lilly excused herself early, hoping to avoid any questions about her hiatus. Based on what little time she had been back, it seemed that the next few weeks would pass in agony. Much to her surprise (and slight chagrin), the final weeks of school felt like a blur. Before she knew it she was saying goodbye to her friends and waiting for Moreau to arrive. As she stood outside the Headmistress walked up to her and presented her with a letter. “This arrived for you this morning, Lilliana, I wanted to make sure you received it before you left.” “Thank you, Mrs. Bedlington.” “My pleasure, dear. I would like to say how impressed I am with the way you’ve handled your grandfather’s untimely passing. You finished your classes with near-perfect scores, and have shown poise and maturity well beyond your years.” Lilliana looked down at her feet, blushing. “Thank you, Mrs. Bedlington, I-“ Lilly froze. She had just noticed something peculiar about the letter. She knew the writing looked familiar, but had assumed it was a letter from Val. It hit her like a freight train. “Yes, dear? Lilliana?” Mrs. Bedlington gently touched Lilly’s shoulder, bringing her out of her shock. “Oh, I’m sorry, Mrs. Bedlington, I was lost in thought. I…erm…you see I will miss this school so much, it’s been my home for so many years. I…truly appreciate all that you’ve done for me, and I certainly credit you with much of that maturirty and poise.” She looked up and faked a smile, and the headmistress smiled broadly back. “Oh, child, you’re so kind. Well dear, best of luck to you, be sure to write!” “Of course,” Lilly lied, keeping the phony grin on her face until the headmistress had walked away. As soon as she saw Moreau pull up, she ran to the car. “Ello, Miz Thorne,” he said, in a thick French accent. “’Ow waz schoo-ell?” “Fine, thank you.” She responded quickly. He looked at her with the slightest smile that almost reached the corners of his eyes, and said “Pleaz, Miz, allow me to take your bags.” “Thank you, Moreau.” Once he loaded the bags into the car, he held her door open and she anxiously climbed inside. When he had gotten into the driver’s seat she opened the flass barrier and asked “Has my brother come home?” He looked intently at her for a moment then said “No, Miz, I am eh-fraid not. Pear-haps he will be home soo-en.” “Yes, I’m sure he will be.” As soon as they pulled into the drive of the estate, Lilly prepared to jump out of the car. She quickly thanked Moreau (“Eet eez non probleme”) and ran into the sitting room. Locking the doors, she rushed to the desk and nearly pulled the drawer right out in an attempt to grab the letter opener. Taking the cool silver dragon’s head in her hand, she bit her lip and, after hesitating just a moment, decided to just get it over with. Dearest Lilliana, My sincere congratulations on finishing your schooling. That education will take you far (it had better for how much that school costs. And according to Catherine they hardly feed you there). You must be a bit surprised to be receiving a letter from me after my death. What you must understand is that my passing was not at all unexpected, so I made quite a few plans to go into effect immediately following my death. I assume that Kelrin came through and gave you the locket. There is much that you will learn over the coming weeks, and most of it will be hard for you to believe, but every word of it is true. You must simultaneously trust your eyes, and know that no matter how strange something seems, it is most likely real-but also know that you can trust no one. There are powers at play here that are far darker and more powerful than any bond. The darkness preys on the minds of the weak, and can turn brother against brother, friend against friend, mother against daughter. You will be tried in ways you cannot possibly imagine. The first thing you must understand is that there is much more to this world than you have seen. And there are many otherworlds and planes that are connected to our world. I cannot describe them all to you, but I have left important books out for you to read in the library. The second thing you must know is that as a descendent of the Thorne clan, your destiny was decided before you were born. Many years ago I took on a burden, knowing full well what it would entail, and I am truly sorry for that. I hope that you will forgive me and eventually understand the importance of our work. You will be receiving more letters from me in the future, I did not want to put too much on your plate at once. Just follow my instructions, and any instructions you receive from me in the future. Beware, there are people trying to steal your destiny, and destroy what has been left in your care. You must not allow that to happen. I cannot stress this enough-do NOT trust ANYONE. If you meet anyone in your future travels through the estate, and you are unsure if you can trust them, simply utter this phrase: la la la la la la la la. You will receive this response: ba ba ba ba ba ba. If anyone claims to be aware of the situation, or claims to have known me, but they cannot respond to that, throw them out at once, and speak to Catherine about keeping them out. You can trust all of the staff that I have left in your employment. Make no mistake, they are there to help you, and beyond the grasp of the darker powers. More on that later. Happy reading. B.T. Lilliana sat in shock for a moment, trying to process what she had just read. Then she swiftly hid the letter in the vault behind the bookcase, and ran to the library. Ainsworth watched her from a distance, and smiled, shaking his head. “Brian, you bastard” he said, then walked out toward the gardens. Catherine came into the library rubbing her eyes. “Good Lord, Miss Thorne! ‘ave you been up all night? Poor child, please, come ‘ave a bite to eat. You must be starving. Oh, look at it, poor thing, you don’t look well at all, come dear, you’re going straight to bed. I’ll bring you some breakfast in bed, and I’ll not let you move until you’ve gotten some sleep. I’ll send Moira up to keep you company. Come on then, ‘urry up.” Catherine was quite right. Lilly didn’t look at all well. Her face was ashen, her eyes were bloodshot, and her head was spinning. It doesn’t make any sense, she thought. “Catherine…it…doesn’t make any sense. I don’t understand.” “Come on, up to bed, I’ll explain after you’ve gotten some rest. No buts, you look exhausted.” Once Lilly was in bed, with a cup of tea and a bowl of creamy soup on her bed tray, Catherine finally sat down beside her. “I’m sure you’ve probably got a lot of questions, dear. I’m assuming you got the late Master Thorne’s letter?” Lilly nodded. “Well, you must understand that it’s a very complex situation. Master Thorne instructed us to only tell you a bit at a time, so’s not to overwhelm you. I s’pose you’ve read those books, so you’ve got a bit down. Let me see what I can do to explain this.” “Many years ago, gods and goddesses and all sort of creatures lived among humans. They all got on pretty well, but the gods and goddesses were powerful and played tricks on the people. Mortals didn’t have much power or nothing like that, so they were jealous. Now all the magical creatures-all sorts, you’ve heard of unicorns, and phoenixes, but there were thousands, all over the world-they had lots of powers, and the mortals saw them as an easy way to gain powers. So the creatures started being hunted. Once this happened, some men started getting power. And one thing you’ll learn about power, love, it changes you. Makes you do things no man should do, think things no man should think. All you want is more. So the gods and goddesses retreated into their otherworlds to let the humans battle it out amongst themselves. And there were terrible wars and plights. Now, your grandfather, God bless ‘im decided to do what he could to save those ‘oo were left. So he made it his goal in life to go all ‘round the world, finding creatures and ‘alf-breeds and all sorts of things that bring magic to people, unnatural sort of things. Things meant for use by the gods, who are less bewitched by their power. Ye see, mortals are weak, they can’t deny corruption once it comes knockin’ at their door. Once they get a taste of it, they can’t do without. So your grandfather, God bless ‘im found imself this land, which just so ‘appens to have a gate to an otherworld on it, so ‘e could make it a refuge for them animals. So Young Master Thorne, ‘e’s off searching out those beasts and arty-facts and ‘e’ll bring ‘em right back here for you to take care of., So, m’dear, it’s your job to keep all those creatures safe. Do you understand?” Lilly started to nod, was really trying to nod, but her head simply wouldn’t do it. Her eyes slowly closed, and the last thing she heard was Catherine muttering and tsking as she cleared the tray away, then the door closed and there was silence.
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The notary was a short round man in a brown tweed suit. He had large bushy eyebrows, and even larger bushier nose hair. Valerian was absolutely transfixed. Finally Catherine ushered Lilliana in. “I’m so sorry to keep you waiting. I…I lost my way in the gardens.” Val gave her a quizzical look, but she tried to ignore it and took a seat beside him. “It’s no trouble at all Miss Thorne,” he said. ”Shall we begin?” Lilliana nodded, unable to take her eyes off the two curving sheaves of hair dangling from his nose. My god, they’re practically touching! She thought in amazement. He seemed to either not notice, or not care that they were both staring, and he continued his speech. “Mr. and Miss Thorne, I am so sorry for your loss. My name is Wilfred Grusten, and I had the honor of notarizing you grandfather’s will. It is now my duty to reveal its contents to you in light of his recent passing. I will now-“ At this he fumbled with his briefcase, and set it down on a large oak desk. When he opened the latch, papers spilled out everywhere. Valerian raised his eyebrow, but quickly lowered it before Wilfred Grusten could see. “Yes, as I was saying, I will now break the seal on the will, and read to you its contents.” He pulled out an envelope sealed with bright red wax, impressed with the Thorne family crest. ||||| Grusten searched his pockets, then searched the drawers of the desk and finally pulled out a silver letter-opener. The handle was ornate, covered with gold filigree, with a large dragon head on the end. The dragon had two large rubies for eyes, and the teeth glittered with diamonds. Grusten struggled to break the seal, looking up at one point apologetically, and muttered “Isn’t that odd, never had one this tricky before.” He kept fighting with it until finally it broke open. He stood upright again with a pleased smile, and wiped the sweat from his brow. “Now then, let’s begin.” He removed a piece of parchment from the envelope and began to read. “I would like to give to my grandson, Valerian Arthur Thorne, my ship, and authority over its crew. I also give him my traveling bag, my walking stick, and my towel. To my granddaughter, Lilliana Something Thorne, I give my library and all its contents. I also give her the stable and all the animals, as well as my favorite bridle. She will have authority over the household and staff, and she shall control the financial affairs of the Thorne estate.. They shall share ownership of my estate and it shall be passed down through Thorne bloodlines for as long as they run. I give to my staff the right to stay with the estate for as long as they would like, and their families may always be tied to the Thorne family. In such circumstances that a Thorne is not able to preside over the household, the entire estate must be burned, with all belongings inside it. The remainder of my money shall remain in an account to benefit future generations. My grandchildren will each receive their own signet ring, and are permitted to go forth and carry on the Thorne name. “ At this he removed from the envelope two signet rings, and handed them to the siblings. Valerian and Lilliana took their rings and examined them. They were inscribed on the inside with their names, and Grandfather’s initials. Lilliana thought again of the locket and the strange horse-man and shivered. She put the ring on her finger, and was astonished at how perfectly it fit. She couldn’t recall ever having been measured for a ring, but she thought it must just be a coincidence. Then she looked over at Val and saw the same look of amazement in his eyes. “Yes, now then, we must open the vault that contains your inheritance.” Grusten pulled a large brass key out of the envelope and walked over to the bookshelf. He moved several books aside, then pulled the back panel off the shelf. “So that’s what he was looking for,” Val muttered. “Who?” Lilliana asked. “No one, I’ll explain later,” he whispered. By now the notary had found the keyhole, and when he turned the key, the whole bookshelf swung open, nearly knocking him over. Inside were items labeled with their names. “Let’s see then, Miss Thorne, here is your key to the library, and a bridle, that’s got your name on it. And Master Thorne, this document has your name on it, yes that looks like the papers transferring the ship to your name. And a large travel bag, here you go, feels heavy, might want to take a look in there. And Miss Thorne, a large lockbox here, labeled “ledger,” probably your financial information. Master Thorne, your walking stick. Alright, well, very good, I think I’m done here.” Valerian and Lilliana were quite loaded down now, and had a challenging time shaking hands with Mr. Grusten, who suddenly seemed quite anxious to leave. “Thank you for your help, Mister Grusten.” Lilliana said, trying to keep her eyes on his, rather than his abundant crop of nose hair. “You’ve been so kind.” She glared at Val who quickly responded “Yes, yes, thank you sir. Ainsworth will show you to the door.” Again Ainsworth appeared, almost as if he had been listening in. “Anything I can do for you Master Thorne? Miss Thorne? Mr. Grusten?” “Why yes, I was just leaving.” “Please allow me to grab your hat and coat.” “Yes thank you, Ainsworth.” He turned to the Thornes and awkwardly waved. “Well, goodbye then.” “Goodbye,” they replied. As soon as they heard the door close they sat down to begin going through their new possessions. Valerian opened his bag and peered inside. He pulled out several items, a thick woolen blanket, a cast iron skillet, some flint and steel with a box of tinder. And a red and white striped towel. “What in the world is this for?” he wondered aloud. “There’s a note attached to the bag, why don’t you read it first silly?” Lilliana said with a smile. Val glowered playfully at her and removed the note. Valerian- I have enclosed the most important items you will need on your travels. Please use them wisely. You must never leave without a blanket, you don’t know where you’ll next find a bed. Speak with cook about the skillet, she’ll teach you everything you need to know to become a gourmet chef with only one pan. I certainly hope the flint and steel is self-explanatory. Never, ever go ANYWHERE without a towel. It’s one of the most useful items to have with you. You probably haven’t finished looking in the bag yet, your clever sister probably insisted that you read this note when you discovered the towel. So I’ll explain the rest. There are maps of every country around the world, and you’ll find a false bottom that hides currency for each of those countries. Your ship is currently anchored in Penarth, and your crew will be waiting there for you whenever you are ready. Finally, my walking stick. This was carved for me by a dear friend. Keep it close by you at all times, it may come in handy someday. Good luck. B.T. ‘A dear friend?’ Valerian thought. Perhaps Mr. Buckley was telling the truth. He turned to tell Lilliana about the strange visitor, and how he had happened upon him rummaging through the bookshelf. His words caught in his throat as he remembered what Ainsworth had said, ‘Trust no one.’ Not even Lil? He asked himself, fretting. He chewed his lip, then decided to tell her later, when he could shake the anxious feeling. “What did the note say?” “Apparently the towel was the most important invention in the world.” He replied sarcastically. She giggled, and he smiled in return. God it’s good to hear her laugh, he thought. “What did you get Lil?” He asked, trying to seem calm. “Hold on a moment, let me read my note.” She removed her note from the bridle and began to read. My dearest Lilliana, I do hope you are keeping well. I am terribly sorry for keeping the library a secret from you all these years, but I hope someday you will understand. You are now free to explore it to your heart’s content. The bridle is one of my greatest treasures. It was given to me by a dear friend, and it can tame the wildest of horses. I’m sure you’ll find the finances to be well in order, and Catherine and Ainsworth can help guide you in those processes. I know that you probably had some other ideas about what to do after graduation, but the estate must remain in the hands of a Thorne, and I need your intellect and cleverness to run the household. Soon you will understand. I’m sure that you will have help on your journey. Best of luck to you. B.T. “Soon you will understand?” she wondered to herself. Understand what? What help will I have? She thought back to the strange horse-man, and the locket around her neck, and wanted to tell Val but…He’s my brother, of course I can trust him…right? She passed off the thought and decided to bring it up later. For now she wanted to take a look at the bridle. Val was already examining it. He whistled softly. “Those are real gems, I think. And, Lil, I don’t think this is leather.” He handed it to her, and she was stunned at how pliable it was. He was right, it didn’t feel like leather. It felt softer, thinner, and lighter. It was covered in a dark brown coating of some sort, and she took her nail and scratched a bit off. She gasped at what she saw. Shining gold gleamed up at her. She scratched more off, and found that it was a flexible metal plated in solid gold. She looked at the gems on the sides, and found beautiful sapphires, rubies and green gems sparkling in the light. Lilliana was at a loss for words. “That must be worth a fortune” Val whispered. “I’d never sell it.” She replied quietly. “Not in a million years.” “Well you can’t possibly ride with it, can you? It wouldn’t be strong enough.” “It doesn’t matter. It’s the most wonderful gift I’ve ever received.” She placed it in her lap carefully and moved on to the lockbox. “It hasn’t got a key,” she said, confused. “I can help with that,” Ainsworth said kindly, producing a key from his breast pocket. “Thank you Ainsworth,” She said kindly, but stared at him briefly. How long has he been there? She wondered. Val was curious as well. He’s just popping up everywhere lately, he thought. How does he always know? Catherine came in now carrying a tray with tea and sandwiches. “Eat up dears, your gifts can wait. We’ve got to get some meat on your bones before they send you back to that school, Miss Thorne.” After setting the tray down she walked out of the room again, tsking. “You’d think they didn’t have food there, and for wot that school costs, I never…” Her voice trailed off as she crossed the wide spanse of the house. “Will that be all, Young Thornes?” Ainsworth asked. “Yes, thank you.” Lilliana said. Valerian was already well into his first sandwich. They sat and talked for quite a while, in front of the fireplace, enjoying the heat and the comfort of the soft rug. Lilliana wanted to relish every moment she had with her brother. Since he had finished school she had hardly seen him, and she missed him dearly. Not knowing Grandfather very well really made it feel as though Valerian was the only family she had. When they had been in school together, while they hadn’t spent much time together, she was still able to be with him when she needed to talk. He was not just her brother, but her father, mother, and best friend. “I assume you’ll be leaving again soon to go on your travels?” she asked him. “It looks that way, doesn’t it. I suppose I’ll go find Grandfather’s boat and learn my way around. I’ve never been the seafaring type, really. It sounds as though he had something in mind for me.” He saw that she looked a bit crestfallen, and put his hand gently on her cheek. “What’s this? You’ve got your own things to get to. Why, between finishing school and riding those horses, you won’t even have time to miss me.” She gave him a wan smile. “I’ll miss you anyway. You’ll write often, won’t you?”
”Don’t I always?”
”That’s why I’m worried…” she said with a smile. He stuck his tongue out at her, and for a moment it felt like they were young again. Once the plate was empty and Val had picked the last crumbs off, she laid her head down in his lap and watched the fire going down. It all seemed so surreal. She was having a hard time separating truth from what seemed like a bunch of strange dreams. She looked up at Val, watching the flames reflecting in his brown eyes. I have to tell him. She thought, and sat up at once. “There’s something I have to tell you!” They said at the same time. “You first!” They said, again in perfect unison. They both laughed lightly, each trying to mask their concern. “You first, Val” Lilliana said. “Alright.” He quickly looked around to make sure that no one was listening, and went to close the doors. When he sat down he took a deep breath and began to speak very quickly and quietly. “When you were lost in the gardens, there was a man that came to visit. He said that he was friends with Grandfather, and offered his assistance. But he gave me a strange feeling. He kept implying that if we wanted to take a break, he would watch the house for us. It seemed odd, since we’ve got so much help already. At any rate, Moira screamed and I went to see what had happened, and Ainsworth, he told me that I should go back with the guest, and that I shouldn’t trust anyone. I thought that was a bit odd, but sure enough, when I got back into the room the man was fumbling around in that bookcase-the one that opened up. He tried to get me to leave the room again, but Ainsworth showed up-just at the right time, so he didn’t manage to get a better look. I was hoping to find out what was in there that he was searching for, but I guess Mr. Nose-hair answered that question.” He took a deep breath, having managed to spit his whole story out in one go. “And now Ainsworth has been popping up everywhere, just at the right times, and he keeps giving me this strange look, as though he’s trying to…warn me or something, I don’t know. Well, that’s all I had to say. What’s your story?” Lilliana’s eyes showed grave concern, and she took a deep breath as well before speaking. “I wasn’t lost in the gardens. I was coming down to wait for the notary to arrive, and I decided to go for a walk down one of the hallways. I came into this strange room and saw a strange man.” As she continued her story, Val sat intently listening. When she got to the part about the man coming back, only with a horse’s body, his eyes widened. “And then, he told me not to trust anyone, or let anyone ‘cross the threshold’ whatever that means. And he gave me this.” She pulled the locket out of her shirt, and showed him the inscriptions on the inside. “Isn’t that curious? He said that we would meet again, and that I would have help along the way. When he told me not to trust anyone I was so scared, I wanted to tell you so badly but…I was just so confused. I’ve never seen anything like it before…” “I bet it was about that man who spoke to me. I bet it was a message that we shouldn’t let him in here again.” Val started speaking very loudly and animated. “Your horse-man had that locket from Grandfather, so he obviously was friends with Grandfather, whereas this man could have simply scanned the newspaper for recent deaths. Though, he did seem to know about that keyhole in the bookshelf.” “Val-“ “But in any event, he didn’t seem quite the type that Grandfather would have been friends with. And he was altogether too smarmy if you ask me.” “Val-“ “Granted, your horse-man did kidnap you and take you to a secret place, which wasn’t very kind of him. If he had a message for you from Grandfather, he could have just told you without frightening you like that.” “VAL!” Lilliana finally yelled. “What?” “That’s not all that happened. Catherine…she yelled at me.” “Catherine? Our Catherine?” Val was astonished. “Yes, she made me repeat that I had simply been in the gardens and said that I must never tell anyone. Her face was so terrifying, and her eyes got all dark. I’ve never seen her like that before.” “That sounds so unlike her. This must be something much deeper than we can even imagine. You don’t suppose you could find that door again, could you?” He asked excitedly. “I guess I could try…” Just then Catherine came through the door. “’M I interrupting something, dears? Only I ‘ave to get these dishes into the kitchen. Lilliana, the car is ready to take you back to school, dear. Cook’s made you a snack for the ride there. Master Thorne, will you be staying until your sister returns from school?” “Actually Catherine, I think I’d like to ride along with her on her trip, then perhaps Moreau can take me to my ship. I’d like to get a head start, then perhaps I can come back for a visit when she’s finished.” “As you wish, Master Thorne, I’ll 'ave Cook pack you a snack as well. Don’t know if you’ll ‘ave much good food to eat on your journey, better make it an ‘eavy snack at that. Won’t want you wasting away all those weeks.”
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Valerian sat by the large fireplace in the sitting room. He could hear the frantic whispers of the staff, but he had more important things to think about. He glanced over his shoulder at Moira and gave her a kind smile. She was pretty enough, if too thin, and her thick auburn hair brought back fond memories of when they were young. When she turned away he continued eyeing her, looking up and down, admiring the figure she had gained since he last paid her any attention. They were young when he had first led her behind the stable, no more than 12. He told her that her brown eyes would put Mary Pickford to shame. She didn’t know who Mary Pickford was, but it didn’t seem to him that she really cared. When he kissed her for the first time she pulled away, blushing furiously, but the second time she kissed back. The memory of her soft murmurs sent shivers down his spine. The sound of the doorbell brought him back to the present, he heard Ainsworth open the door and greet the visitor, but he couldn’t catch the name. Soon enough Ainsworth brought a well-dressed middle-aged man into the sitting room. “Master Thorne, a Mister Buckley here to see you.” “How wonderful to see you again, young Master Thorne,” the man said, enthusiastically shaking Val’s hand. “Please forgive me Mister.. “Buckley, Charles Buckley. No apologies needed, in your time of grief it’s no wonder you don’t remember me. We met at your grandfather’s funeral. He was a dear, dear friend.” Val looked at Ainsworth for some hint of what this man might be doing here. Ainsworth was giving the man a peculiar look, as though trying to read his mind. Buckley seemed not to notice, his beady eyes frozen in a smile, making large crows feet at their corners. There was something about his eyes that Val didn’t like. Perhaps it was the way they were darting, never staying still. And he hardly seemed to blink. It was quite unsettling. “Well,” Val said abruptly. “That will be all Ainsworth.” “Yes Master Thorne” Ainsworth said with a meaningful look directly at him. Great. Val thought Thanks a lot. He had never been much good at reading expressions, being a fairly unsociable person. He preferred to spend his time outside. Since his graduation from school, in fact, he had been hiking through the Alps, spending his time out in the sun and fresh air. In his opinion that’s where men were meant to be. Not cooped up indoors playing socialite with men he’d never heard of, he thought for a moment, then realized that Buckley must be there for something. “What can I do for you, Mister Buckley?” he asked. “Please, have a seat.” “Thank you young Master Thorne. As I said, your grandfather was a dear friend of mine. I was shocked to find that he had met a tragic end at sea. He was an excellent sailor. I can’t imagine how he could fall off with no one in the crew noticing.” Buckley paused, studying Val’s eyes, as though trying to find information. “Yes, it was a rather untimely death, and we all miss him dearly.” Val was so tired of repeating that line. But Lilliana said that they must try to continue the image of the happy family that grandfather had (apparently) worked so hard to create. “I do miss him terribly. It’s been brought to my attention that you and your dear sister are the only remaining members of your family.” “That’s correct sir.” “What a pity.” Buckley said, though his eyes lit up in a way that implied that he did not at all think it was even remotely sad. “Have you discussed with your sister what you will be doing with your grandfather’s estate? Surely two young people like yourselves don’t want to be tied down here taking care of it.” “Well-“ Valerian started but Buckley interrupted. “That is to say that I would like to offer my assistance if you need any help running things around here, in your time of grief. I know my way around this house quite well, and I would be happy to watch over it if you need to take some time off. You see, I shared with your grandfather a great passion for collecting erm..items.” Buckley was drowned out by Moira’s scream. Valerian jumped to his feet. “I’m terribly sorry Mister Buckley, I’m afraid you’ll have to excuse me. I must attend to my staff.” “Of course.” Val was happy to get away from Buckley’s simpering voice and what was obviously a poorly created toupee. He swiftly walked into the kitchen. “Is everything alright?” “Your sister’s gone missing!” Moira blurted. “What do you mean gone missing? Why did no one tell me this sooner?” Val asked angrily. “You mustn’t leave your guest waiting Master Thorne” Ainsworth said with another one of his meaningful glances. Valerian got close to Ainsworth. “You keep looking at me like that. What are you trying to tell me? Just spit it out already!” “Trust no one, Master Thorne. People are not always what they seem. Now, let’s see if we can offer your guest any tea.” Ainsworth said this with a smile, but Val could see the concern in his eyes. “No thank you Ainsworth, our guest was just leaving.” Then Val gave Ainsworth his own meaningful look. “Please. Find her.” He strode back into the sitting room to find his guest peering behind books on a bookshelf. He cleared his throat quietly. “Oh! Young Master Thorne!” Buckley said in a kind, if somewhat annoyed, voice. “Is everything alright?” “Yes thank you, everything is fine. But I’m afraid I am expecting a guest at any moment, so perhaps we could continue this conversation another time?” “Of course, of course.” His eyes were lingering on the bookshelf. “Could you…erm…please ask your butler if he could kindly get me a glass of water before I go?” “Yes” Val said hesitantly. “Of course.” He panicked, unsure of what to do, and unwilling to leave his Buckley alone again. Trust no one Val thought. Damnit Ainsworth, what am I supposed to do now? As if Ainsworth had heard his thoughts, he suddenly appeared in the doorway. “Can I get you anything Master Thorne? Mister Buckley?” “Yes Ainsworth, our Mister Buckley would like a glass of water, if you would be so kind.” “Of course” Ainsworth said with a smile, and Valerian could have sworn he saw a wink. It felt as though it had been hours since the strange man had left. Lilliana was getting||| cold and hungry. Finally she heard footsteps and saw the glow from a torch. She stood up, preparing to fight back. When the man finally came into view again, she saw that it was not the same man. Nor was it a man at all. He had the face and torso of a man, but the body of a horse. She stepped back in fear and felt the ground give way beneath her. He reached out and grabbed her before she fell. “Miss Thorne? You must do as I say. You’re not hurt, are you?” She recoiled from his touch. “Who are you? What are you doing here? Where is the man who kidnapped me? Where am I?” “Please, miss, you must listen to me. I don’t have much time.” He looked at her earnestly, his soft brown eyes sparkling in the light from the fire. “It was I who brought you here, because I must warn you. There are men who are going to try to hurt you and betray you. I had to bring you here because it is the only safe place to talk. The evil has eyes and ears everywhere. You must not trust anyone who comes into this house from the outside. And most importantly, you must not let them cross the threshold.” The threshold? The evil? She thought. His voice is the same, but…this can’t be real. That man must have drugged me. I’ll wake up soon. “No, miss. I haven’t drugged you. You must understand, this is not how I had hoped to meet you, but the outside world is moving too quickly. I had to speak to you. And I must give you this.” He held out a locket, and she slowly reached out her hand to take it, then pulled her hand back. “If I’m not supposed to trust anyone, why should I trust you?” She asked. “Open it.” Lilliana opened the locket and the creature held the torch closer so she could read. On the front was the crest of the house of Thorne, and when she opened it her name was inscribed, with some sort of code below it. The initials B.T. were below the message. “This is from Grandfather?” she asked in surprise. “Yes, miss. I am fulfilling my duties to Master Thorne. Keep it close to you at all times, and don’t let anyone see it. You will need it someday.” Lilliana heard voices coming toward them. “I must go now, Miss Thorne, but I will see you again soon. Remember, trust no one.” He gave her a weak smile, and disappeared into the darkness again. Lilliana fastened the locket around her neck and slipped it beneath her shirt. ||||”I’m down here!” she called out, not sure which direction to yell. To her surprise it was Catherine who came into the room, with a large torch. “Bless ye child” she said. “We thought you was gone for good!” “You can’t get rid of me that easily,” Lilliana said with a smile. “Ah, go on then. This way, miss. Mind your step. The notary’s waiting.” With the light that Catherine’s torch shed Lilliana could see the trap doors speckling the floor. The room was much bigger than she had thought, and in the light it looked far more gloomy. As she followed Catherine closely, she began to feel a draft. She found herself coming out of a doorway that led into one of the rosegardens. “Catherine! This isn’t where I came from at all! I was inside, and there was a man! Well, he wasn’t a man, he was a sort of horse-man but, he carried me off through the floor!” Catherine tsked. “Now child, you can’t expect me to believe something like that. And you practically a grown woman!” “But Catherine-“ Lilliana began. Catherine turned abruptly and gave Lilliana a hard look. Her generally jovial eyes were cold and menacing, and her eyebrows were drawn down. She came nose to nose with Lilly. “You were lost in the rose garden, do you understand me? You lost your way. You did not see anyone, nor anything. You were simply out exploring the gardens. You will speak to no one of this.” Lilliana nodded fearfully. Catherine’s expression immediately changed, and she was back to her pleasant self. “Oh dear, you poor thing, lost in the gardens. You must be starving. You get on in to see the notary, and I’ll fix you up some dinner.” Lilliana nodded and followed obediently, still in disbelief. Trust no one the man had said. She reached up and felt the locket, reassuring herself that it was not a dream.
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Chapter 1ish... "The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away." A lanky boy with white blonde hair was sitting beside his sister in the front pew, fidgeting loudly. He cracked his knuckled one by one, and Father Costigan paused and cleared his throat, giving the teenagers a stern look. Lilliana could feel the stares from the other attendees(?) burning into the back of her head, and her face turned read. As Father Costigan continued, Valerian began picking at his nails, making a fruitless attempt to rid them of the dirt that always seemed to find its way beneath them. Lilliana reached over and put her hand on his. He sighed dejectedly, and let his gaze wander around the large cathedral. "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Though preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever." Val yawned, and Lilliana elbowed him angrily. "Brian Thorne was a good, kind-hearted man who brought joy into the hearts of all of us," the priest said, causing Val to snort and double over. Lilliana quickly put her arm around him. "Pretend to cry!" she hissed angrily. "What? I couldn't help it!" Val said, still laughing. "JUST DO IT!" she whispered, patting his back in what she hoped looked like a comforting way. She glanced over her shoulder and everyone seemed to be fooled. They were looking at her with sympathy, and that "now isn't that sweet" look adults get. 'Adults?' Lilliana thought, I suppose I'm practically an adult now. Well, I'll never look at people that way. She wrinkled her nose distastefully at the thought. An almost plain girl of 17, Lilliana had straight brown hair, and a small pointed nose. Were it not for her eyes she'd look like every third person you pass on the street, but she had eyes of the most vivid blue you'll ever see. They were large and round, and surrounded by long dark eyelashes that made them stand out even more against her pale skin. She had the lightest sprinkling of freckles on her nose, and dimples when her soft petulant lips formed a smile, which was very seldom. Lilliana glanced behind her at the large clock above the doors and sighed. Only 4 more hours until she could go back to school. The service was dragging on forever. Val's chuckling was only getting worse as Father Costigan continued his generic "so-and-so was a lovely person," speech, but as long as he disguised it as sobs Lilliana couldn't care less. * * * * * * * * * * * * Lilliana had already packed her bags and was anxious to return to school. Grandfather's estate had never felt like home to her. She stayed there during the holidays, but Grandfather was seldom there, and her explorations of the house and grounds were very limited. He had spent his life traveling the world and bringing back artifacts that were displayed throughout the house, and children were "by nature, bringers of chaos and destruction," he had said with a half smile. She and Valerian had their own wing of the house, with their own bedrooms and bathrooms, a large sitting room, and a playroom with every toy imaginable. There was a small part of the yard designated for their play, and their very own swimming pool, but Lilliana had spent countless hours eyeing Grandfathers horses, and the beautiful gardens that had remained beyond her grasp. She had considered stealing down now to ride one of the horses, but the stable boy had always made her uncomfortable, and she wanted to be ready as soon as the chauffeur brought the car around. "Tea time!" Catherine said, letting herself into L's room. "Leavin' so soon, miss?" She asked cheerfully, looking at Lilliana's bags. "I was hoping to return to school today." Lilliana replied as the housekeeper set her tray down. "Well miss, I'm afraid school will 'ave to-one lump or two?" "Two please, Catherine." "School will 'ave to wait. The notary's comin' to discuss your grandfather's will, bless 'is soul. Milk dear?" "No thank you, Catherine." "Besides, there's only a few weeks left. Can't they just stick a fork in ye and call ye done?" The large black woman had a melodious laugh that seemed as though it should be warbling from an even larger person's throat, and she never held it back. "Eat your cake dear, cook made it special for you. She does like 'aving someone to make sweets for. I'll let you know when the notary arrives. Eat up! Lordy, you'd think they didn't 'ave food at that school of yours." Lilliana gave her a rare smile, which quickly fell when she heard the tray clatter to the ground. She turned and saw Moira, Catherine's assistant, covered in tea, with her basket of clean linens scattered across the floor. "I'm so sorry" Moira blurted out, quickly bending over to pick up the fallen dishes. "Ah, get up girl," Catherine said with a smile. "It's no problem, you just get those sheets away." Moira looked up tearfully. "Thank you Catherine." Moira said, her lip quivering. Lilliana wanted to get on the floor and help her, but she knew that would only make things worse. Instead she quietly sipped her tea and tried her best not to make Moira feel uncomfortable. “How has life been treating you, Moira?” “Oh fine, miss, thank you” the serving girl answered, keeping her obviously misty eyes to the ground. “Moira,” Lilliana said softly, “You know you don’t have to call me miss. Now what’s come over you? You don’t have to treat me this way. Why the “miss” and the tears?” “Well mi- Lilly, Al says we may well lose our jobs since your dear grandfather, God rest him has gone away.” “Oh Em, Al will say anything to get a rise out of you. As long as I live you’ll not be losing your jobs…well, at least not if I have any say in the matter.” She patted the chair beside her own, and Moira rather reluctantly took it. Lilly pulled out her handkerchief and handed it to Moira. Leaning against her, she put her hand on Moira’s head and gently stroked her long hair. It was a deep shade of auburn that caught the light streaming in through the window, and seemed almost like a fiery halo around her face. Though they had known each other their whole lives, there was always a hesitance, a distance between them. Valerian said that it was because servants weren’t allowed to fraternize with those they serve, and that we shouldn’t have been playing together in the first place. “It is not becoming for a fine young woman like yourself to spend your mornings in the kitchen with the workingwomen instead of playing with friends that are closer to our place in life," he had said. "Don't you want to go to parties, don’t you want to go dancing? You could meet a handsome young man, make friends with his wife, and have them over for tea…” And then she remembered her response, the anger that welled up inside her, the what about what I want?? She didn't have the guts then to say her feelings aloud, she just looked at the ground and nodded. But now...
“It’s my damned choice anyway.” Lilly declared forcefully…and apparently quite aloud. Her cheeks flushed and she quickly looked around to make sure that no one had heard. When it looked all clear she relaxed again and found that Moira’s head had migrated from the chair to Lilly’s lap and she was drowsing off. Lilly didn’t realize she had been daydreaming for so long. “What’s your choice li-lilly? “Nothing Em,” she said, giving her a big squeeze and a kiss on the forehead. “I’ve already chosen.” She carried the waif-like girl and laid her on the bed. After covering her with a blanket and putting away the towels for her, she gave one last look around the room to make sure she wasn’t leaving anything behind, The sipped the rest of her tea, grabbed her luggage, and closed the door behind her.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
She walked to the top of the curved double staircase looking down on the open expanse of the entrance to the mansion. An enormous chandelier hung from the ceiling, and the floor was a smooth gray granite, gilded with gold, and every window had intricate stained glass. The staircase itself was a work of art, made of solid wood and a cherry finish that just gleamed. There were antique sconces on every wall, and the Thorne Family Crest was hung from the staircase so that it waved proudly over the entrance to the rest of the house. Rather than going into the parlor to wait, Lilliana stole down a narrow hallway that led to a large oblong room that branched off to dozens of other hallways and rooms.
This was a place she’d never explored, and now she was taking the time to marvel at each piece of art. Entire lengths of hallways were filled with tapestries, paintings, giant statues, large rocks, there was even an old rusted cauldron. Some of it looked absolutely spectacular, large stone statues of gods that were thousands of years old, small elephants made of pure gold, there was even a small armory with suits of armor and weapons. Some of it, on the other hand, seemed pretty worthless. Sticks, an old bit of yellowed wool, bits of dead flowers, some animal bones, antlers, and tusks. She reached out to touch one of the tusks, she couldn’t tell what animal it was from. When her fingertip connected with the strange bone she felt a shock, a warmth flowing through her and she jumped back. Probably just my imagination running away with me, she thought, but when she looked at her finger there was a hot tingling section that was pulsing as though her heart were beating in that exact spot. She shook her finger and tried to shake off the strange feeling. A bit more on edge now, she kept walking. At the end of one hallway she found a gentleman whom she had never seen before. He was wearing a large woolen coat, a top hat, and a pair of wellies. He was hunched over in an odd fashion and appeared to be searching for something.
“Excuse me,” she said quietly, trying not to frighten the man. When he didn’t respond she said it a bit louder. “Excuse me! Can I help you with something?” She took a step closer, now incredibly anxious and tapped him on the shoulder. He swiftly moved and grabbed her hand, forcing her down to the ground. She opened her mouth to scream but he was too quick, and forced his hand over her mouth.
“Don’t even think about screamin’ Princess” he said with a half smile. “Besides, it won’t matter. A few more feet and we’ll be in a safer location and we can talk. He hoisted her over his shoulder, along with all of her luggage and a he slipped a peculiar looking pale blue orb into his pocket. Then he turned and rearranged a set of brass elephants on a tray. The wall to the left of them opened up. Lilliana could see bookshelves, hundreds of them. And there must have been a million books on the shelves. Lilliana lamented not knowing about it sooner. Grandfather, you bastard, you kept this from me all these years. She put her anger on hold for the moment because rather than going to the left and entering what probably must have been the most glorious library known to mankind they were climbing down a ladder into a hole that had appeared under the table. As she was jostled down the ladder she realized how dire her situation might be. The man is right she thought, now it won’t make any difference if I scream. The came to the bottom of the ladder and were in a pitch black room. She had no idea how large or small the room was, nor how stable the floor was. She couldn’t see her hand in front of her face. The man made her take 5 steps, spin around thrice, sits down, and then he removed her gag. “Wait here” he said commandingly, then walked away. His footsteps grew dimmer, then faded away completely. “HELP!!!! CATHERINE!!!!! AINSWORTH!!!! VAL!!! ANYBODY!!!!!!!!!!!” Lilliana sighed, and brought her knees to her chest. Wrapping her arms around her knees, she wished Val was her with her. He could always make her smile. She didn’t want to risk falling down a trap door or a hole, so she stayed put. Her eyes began to burn as she blinked back tears, then she put her head on her knees and sobbed. She sobbed out her grandfather’s death, she sobbed out her parents’ deaths so many years before, she sobbed out having to leave school, her only home, and she sobbed for Moira. Lilliana Thorne sat bawling in the deep bowels of Brian Thorne’s prized possession-his labyrinth.
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"The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away."
A lanky boy with white blonde hair was sitting beside his sister in the front pew, fidgeting loudly. He cracked his knuckled one by one, and Father Costigan paused and cleared his throat, giving the teenagers a stern look. Lilliana could feel the stares from the other attendees(?) burning into the back of her head, and her face turned read. As Father Costigan continued, Valerian began picking at his nails, making a fruitless attempt to rid them of the dirt that always seemd to find its way beneah them. Lilliana reached over and put her hand on his. He sighed dejectedly, and let his gaze wander around the large cathedral.
"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Though preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever."
Val yawned, and Lilliana elbowed him angrily.
"Brian Thorne was a good, kind-hearted man who brought joy into the hearts of all of us," the priest said, causing Val to snort and double over. Lilliana quickly put her arm around him.
"Pretend to cry!" she hissed angrily.
"What? I couldn't help it!" Val said, still laughing.
"JUST DO IT!" she whispered, patting his back in what she hoped looked like a comforting way. She glanced over her shoulder and everyone seemed to be fooled. They were looking at her with sympathy, and that "now isn't that sweet" look adults get.
'Adults?' Lilliana thought, I suppose I'm practically an adult now. Well, I'll never look at people that way. She wrinkled her nose distastefully at the thought.
An almost plain girl of 17, Lilliana had straight brown hair, and a small pointed nose. Were it not for her eyes she'd look like every third person you pass on the street, but she had eyes of the most vivid blue you'll ever see. They were large and round, and surrounded by long dark eyelashes that made them stand out even more against her pale skin. She had the lightest sprinkling of freckles on her nose, and dimples when her soft petulant lips formed a smile, which was very seldom.
Lilliana ganced behind her at the large clock above the doors and sighed. Only 4 more hours until she could go back to school.The service was dragging on forever. Val's chuckling was only getting worse as Father Costigan continued his generic "so-and-so was a lovely person," speech, but as long as he disguised it as sobs Lilliana couldn't care less.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Lilliana had already packed her bags and was anxious to return to school. Grandfather's estate had never felt like home to her. She stayed there during the holidays, but Grandfather was seldom there, and her explorations of the house and grounds were very limited. He had spent his life traveling the world and bringing back artifacts that were displayed throughout the house, and children were "by nature, bringers of chaos and destruction," he had said with a half smile. She and Valerian had their own wing of the house, with their own bedrooms and bathrooms, a large sitting room, and a playroom with every toy imaginable. There was a small part of the yard designated for their play, and their very own swimming pool, but Lilliana had spent countless hours eyeing Grandfathers horses, and the beautiful gardens that had remained beyond her grasp. She had considered stealing down now to ride one of the horses, but the stableboy had always made her uncomfortable, and she wanted to be ready as soon as the chauffeur brought the car around.
"Tea time!" Cathering said, letting herself into L's room. "Leavin' so soon, miss?" She asked cheerfully, looking at Lilliana's bags.
"I was hoping to return to school today." Lilliana replied as the housekeeper set her tray down.
"Well miss, I'm afraid school will 'ave to-one lump or two?"
"Two please, Catherine."
"School will 'ave to wait. The notary's comin' to discuss your grandfather's will, bless 'is soul. Milk dear?"
"No thank you, Catherine."
"Besides, there's only a few weeks left. Can't they just stick a fork in ye and call ye done?" The large black woman had a melodious laugh that seemed as though it should be warbling from an even larger person's throat, and she never held it back. "Eat your cake dear, cook made it special for you. She does like 'aving someone to make sweets for. I'll let you know when the notary arrives. Eat up! Lordy, you'd think they didn't 'ave food at that school of yours."
Lilliana gave her a rare smile, which quickly fell when she heard the tray clatter to the ground. She turned and saw Moira, Catherine's assistant, covered in tea, with her basket of clean linens scattered across the floor.
"I'm so sorry" Moira blurted out, quickly bending over to pick up the fallen dishes.
"Ah, get up girl," Catherine said with a smile. "It's no problem, you just get those sheets away." Moira looked up tearfully.
"Thank you Catherine." Moira said, her lip quivering.
To be continued when I'm not so tired....
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So after talking with the husband, and some newfound friends on-line, I have decided to table the fantasy-murder mystery for another year.I am instead going with a story that I've been planning and itching to get to work on for quite some time. Here's the basic plot: Basic Plot: A brother and sister are entrusted with the job of protecting the supposedly "mythical" creatures of the world. The brother is charged with going out and collecting magical artifacts and animals, to bring them to a reservation for safe-keeping. The sister manages the household and protects the secret of their portal into the otherworld. When the brother discovers the power that the artifacts could bring him, he becomes obsessed, and eventually gives himself over to the corruption of the darker magics. The sister then has to go retrieve the animals and artifacts, and try to save her brother before it's too late. Major Themes:Conservation of others vs. conservation of self All things from supernatural creatures come with a price, often worse than you think it is. They are simultaneously preserving the creatures and preserving the human world. Don’t mess with nature. Main Characters: Brother-Valerian-Blonde hair brown eyes. Thin, bony fingers, kind smile. Loves to be outside, has been said that the pulse of the earth flows through him. "Val" for short Sister-Lilliana- Brown hair, green eyes. Compassionate, motherly, polite and respectful. Seldom yearns for adventure, very trusting. "Liana" for short.
Minor Characters: *It should be noted that the majority of the minor characters are creatures masquerading as humans to protect the reservation, thus whenever possible I've tried to name the creature that they truly are in italics. Butler-William Ainsworth-Micture of Billy Blind, Brownie, and Elf-sprinkle Buckthorn in a circle and dance within it to summon him Housekeeper-Catherine-Cat Sidhe/Cait Sith-Fairy that looks like big black cat with white spot, haunts scottish highlandsi'm really look Housekeeper’s assistant-Moira/Maili/Campbell (not sure which name to use for her...leaning toward Moira)-Banshee, long red hair, very pale “Washing Woman” Cook- Daina-Aitvaras--Black or White Rooster w/fiery tail-Lithuanian Chauffeur-Moreau-Matagot-Black dog, can bring wealth into household. Moreau has black hair and soft brown eyes, and a thick french accent. Stableboy-Altoun-Al-Armenian-attacks women, carries scissors, wears pointed hat covered with small bells to be invisible, prefers wet corners of houses, can't touch iron, needs needle in clothes, or he’ll be evil Love interest-Sirion-Unicorn Prankster friend who helps along the way-Ilar-Kelpie Minorer characters: Grandfather-no description yet, mostly appears in flashbacks and memories.
Man who wants to buy the property...seemingly innocently, but it becomes obvious that he knows what it leads to, and wants it badly
Minorest characters: Orrtha-Bewitched Music Ronat-Seal
Guide to the creatures of inspiration and folklores from whence they came... Pontier Gryphon Dragon Unicorn Centaur Mermaid Abarimon-Backwards feet-Roman Minotaur Celtic: Faeries Cwn Annwn-White, red-eared ghostly hounds, accompanied by Mallt-y-Nos, Matilda of the night Glaistig-Beautiful woman with dusky or gray skin and long blonde hair, lower half is a goat, usually disguised buy a long, flowing green rove or dress Glashtyn-Water horse appears as a dark, splendidly handsome young man with flashing eyes and curly hair but he has pointed ears like a horse Korrigan-Beautiful Hair, red flashing eyes, predict the future, change shape, move at lightning speed, according to a poem (ar-rannou), there are 9 who dance with flowers in their hair and robes of white wool, around the fountain, by the light of the full moon leanashe-irish, muse of poets Wulver-Man, short, covered with brown hair but with a wolf's head, keeps to itself and not aggressive if left alone, sits on a rock, fishes, and sometimes leaves fish on the windows of poor families Sceadugenga-Shadow-walkers, shapeshifters Amphisbaenia-wear the skin to cure ailments Place a stone...(where???? curse me of several months ago for not finishing that sentence!!!!)...To turn them into their human form. They can then turn back and forth at will. Cu Sith-Faerie Dog-big as a cow, dark green with shaggy fur and a long braided or curled tail The Imp Prince-Leandre-Very handsome, creative, can be invisible, can apparate, can fly, can go throw walls, can swim, can go in locked rooms, can be human, has a red hat with two parrot feathers to be invisible, magic pink rose can make people tell truth, can take the shape of a horse Le Prince Lutin Valerian is sent to save mythological animals around the world, but steals their powers (bridle from a kelpie, cap from a merrow, skin from selkie, etc. and enslaves the animals instead. Many mythical creatures, mostly from europe, but perhaps some from asia and africa will feature. Artifacts/powers Baba Yaga's Iron kettle-Means of travel
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This is my first year doing NanoWrimo, so I'm a bit unsure how this goes. But I'm diving in, hoping I can make the deadline. Here's the short of my story: A queen in danger must hire a sellsword to find out who is responsible for the assassination attempts on her life, and the king's murder. Here's the long of my story, which is to say that I know how it will begin... Plot: Basically there's this queen who someone is trying to kill. When they succeed in killing her husband she hires a well-known rover/sellsword/bounty hunter to help her uncover the truth. She can't trust her own servants, much less the town officials and police, so she's hoping that someone on the outside who is known for being a sort of white knight/dispenser of justice can help. She has her guards bring him to her under the pretense that he may be involved with the king's murder, wants to "interrogate him herself." When her servants lead, and he gets up from kneeling, he recognizes her as a childhood friend=his mother was her wetnurse. After proving that it is him, she embraces him, explains the situation, begs for his help. Beats him up a bit to make it seem as though she did interrogate him. OR Annerys has her men bring him to her, with the implication that she's calling on the greatest hero in the land to protect her. When Jagan arrives he's scruffy and shaggy and dirty and doesn't look much like a hero. She has her guards leave, and insists to see his letters patent to prove himself. When he hands them to her, he recognizes her as a childhood friend, and explains how he got into the position he's in (see below...). They hatch a plan to have him go back to his manor/duchy/whatever land he owns, and come back looking like an actual hero, shiny armor, fancy clothes, the whole nine yards. He will then return, and make a big show of volunteering to protect her. She beats him up a bit to make it look like she violently interrogated him, then tells the guards that he's just a crazy old man, and to take pity on him, get him some bread, give him back his horse and send him back where they found him. He returns with a great show of fanfare, the city rejoices. He goes to her chamber, and she essentially throws him down and screws him. It turns out that since the King is dead, if she does not produce an heir by him, she will be deposed, and likely killed. As it happens, the king was injured in a hunting accident shortly after they were wed, and thus was unable to impregnate her. He has been sending her (in disguise) out at night to screw drunk men at taverns in the hopes of producing an heir-he doesn't really trust the next in line for the throne. In fact, she was out prostituting the night he was murdered. She needs to get pregnant within days of the king's death so that people will still think it's the king's baby. Jagan has a reputation for being quite...ahem...virile. Luckily, he knocks her up superbly, so one crisis is averted. Unfortunately there's still that pesky problem of someone wanting her dead. And chances are their desire will only increase once word gets out of her pregnancy. Jagan is by her side always, or at the very least has her in his sight so he gets to hear the whispers from the other nobles. On his breaks he sneaks out in disguise as a bounty hunter (which is what he was doing when she first summoned him) and listens to the talk of the underground. Listening to the rumors and studying forensic evidence (or what constitutes it for the time frame) he is able to find the would-be murderer and reveal them. Main Characters Queen Annerys-I haven't got much figured out about Annerys, since much of it depends on whether she is good and a victim, or evil and the mastermind behind the whole thing. If she's good, she'll be about 20-25, brown hair, green eyes, a small pointy nose, and petulant lips. If she's the evil mastermind, she'll be late 30s, close to the end of her childbearing years. Will update when I decide. I really want her to be nice, i like her. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (Insert title here) Jagan-Jagan is the son of Annerys' wet nurse, and as a result they grew up together, as often as she was able to get out of lessons and go play with him. He joined the royal army at the age of 15, when the army of the neighboring country of (insert name here) was attacking. He did very well, perhaps squiring himself to a noble with lots of power. Somehow he gets a title and i've gone back and forth in all different ways, from him winning it at a dice game, to effectively stealing it, to being given it as a gift for saving the earl's daughter from (insert bad guy here)or he could possibly have gained favor with a lord he served under in battle, been given some of the land of a slain opponent that was taken as compensation after battle, or gotten an official title from the king for his bravery. After the war, he jumps headfirst into the world of herodom, a white knight fighting villains, saving damsels in distress, etc. He earns a reputation all across the land (in the sense that every tale grows so now he's ten feet tall with long flowing blond hair and can wield 8 swords at once). He probably gains a title in this way, but once he enters the world of nobility he swiftly grows bored and jaded. He sees the backstabbing, etc. and realizes that he wasted years fighting for this oppression and these snobbish people. He's sick of living as a pawn, so he hires someone to run his household and leaves for several months at a time, disguising himself as a bounty hunter and dispensing his own justice. For those familiar with the Kenshin series, I kind of see Jagan as a combination of Kenshin and Sano. Badass war hero like Kenshin, with Sano's jadedness and ideas of "justice." I haven't got a good picture of him in my head as far as features. I know he has to be strong, intelligent, and intensely cynical. More later... Current Mood:  excited
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princesstalyn's journal
