forum A Thing You Won't Remember

Started September 18, 2022 by @ElderGod-yellowqueen

tune

Elitia nodded her head. She took a step forward and then another one, until she was in front of Romulus.
"I'm okay." No she wasn't. "Don't worry about me." Please, worry about me. "This isn't your fault." It's your father's fault.
She kissed his cheek before taking a small step back. She turned to Lear. "Do you want me to ride with you now or do you want to wait until we're closer?"

Romulus touched her arm as she stepped back, not letting her get far. "Elitia…" He wanted to say several things, but none of them felt like they would come out right. They were both anxious about the Palace, for wildly different reasons.

Lear watched her for a moment.
"We'll switch when we get closer. We're about an hour out yet." He turned Tabor towards the Palace. "If you don't mind, ride with the Prince for a while yet."

Romulus nodded at him, but kept his eyes on her face. "Stay with me a little longer…" he said softly.

Elitita nodded at Lear and turned back to Romulus. After a moment, she stepped into his arms. She need peace and comfort and it was something only he could provide for her. She wrapped her arms loose around his waist and placed her head on his chest.
"I'll stay with you as long as you need." She murmured quietly.
She closed her eyes as she breathed in his scent. She let it wash over her, proving safety and comfort. She was safe. He was safe. She didn't need to worry as long as she was with him.

Romulus pulled her into him tighter with one arm, before lifting them both up onto Ruir's back with a swinging motion. She wound up sitting backwards, facing him, and he lifted her onto his legs, so she was sitting on him, straddling his waist. It kept them in a hugging position, and Ruir took off following Tabor, so as long as Romulus stayed in the saddle, they were good.
The Prince smelled, as usual, like leather and metal, and at the moment, he had the sharp minty tang of the salve mixed in as well.
He held her, not wanting her to have to watch the palace get closer. He rested his chin on top of her head gently, and rubbed her back.

Romulus also slowly got more and more anxious.

Chest wounds, shoulder wounds, scratches on the arms, burns over a lot of his body, and a quickly-healing-but-still-there concussion, and his father was about to add to it.
On top of that, the situation in Calegon would likely require a lot of work to overcome, and Elitia, smothered in his arms, was going to be a situation he dealt with for a long time. Between her trauma, their complicated friendship-or-whatever, and her identity, Romulus had a lot to work through if he was going to add the sharp beauty to his network safely, and maybe even one day put her on the throne.

The man was made of steel, he'd been bred and raised to have nerves of iron, and even so, this day was making his chest hurt.

Elitia hadn't been expecting for him to lift her in the saddle like thay but she made no protests. She cuddled into him, keeping her head on his chest. She rubbed his back gently. She was grateful for him doing this. He didn't need too. He probably shouldn't with how they way she treated him when they first met.
But here they were.
"Thank you." She whispered.

Romulus didn't hear her over the noise of Ruir running, or the noise in his head.

They made good time, covering that last hour of road without incident. They made their way into the city, with Ruir as their pass through any checkpoint. Whether people recognized Lear or Romulus at all, they all knew the massive red Wulf only belonged to one person.

Lear eventually pulled up again, about 2 rows of houses outside the Palace wall. Ruir stepped up next to him, and he looked up at Romulus. "It's time."

The Prince nodded, before pushing Elitia back from his chest gently, so he could look her in the eyes. "Go with Lear, and I'll see you as soon as I can."

Elitia didn't notice how much time had passed. She had been lost in thought. She frowned as she was pushed back, already missing his warmth. She looked at Lear briefly before turning back to Romulus.
She nodded her head. "Okay. I guess I'll see you inside."
She started to get off, paused, kissed him hard and quick, then got off. She climbed on the horse behind Lear and placed her hands on his hips to stabilize herself.
"Alright, I'm ready."

The Prince kissed her back, and watched her get on behind Lear. He glanced at Lear, gave him a slight nod, and then turned. He set his eyes on the Palace gate, and made a low growling noise, at which Ruir snarled and took off running. The guards saw him coming as he exited the rows of houses, and the gates swung open wide for him.

Lear watched him go, worrying for his friend. He would drop Elia off in the quarters and go find him quickly, so that he could tend the inevitable wounds sooner rather than later. He made a small noise, and Tabor took off running for the back-side entrance of the gate, where the kitchens were.
Riding with Lear was a different experience. He was an entirely different man from the Prince.
Romulus was built of brick. Lear was built with wire and cables. Romulus sat on Ruir like a rock, unmoving and stable. Lear moved with Tabor, always steady, but never still. Romulus made Elitia feel safe. Lear managed to make her feel taken care of, despite the differences.

They approached the gates, and the guards recognized Lear. They didn't bother to ask before they let him in, and he pulled Tabor's reins to stop him. "We've made it."
The small courtyard they were in was the garden out behind the kitchens. The servants would grow little things back here, garnish and small herbs and medicinal things. It also had multiple fire pits, for when they needed to roast large amounts of meat for parties and things.
Lear stepped off of Tabor and helped her down, before taking her arm like he was escorting her. Really, he was keeping her close and making sure she was supported if she started to panic. He lead her across the garden and into a small door, and they were in.

She was back in the Palace.

Elitia watched everything as they passed, noting the differences from when she had been there twelve years ago. She was able to hide to her panic and keep the calm facade. Her nails digging into his skin said otherwise. Seeing everything was bringing back memories she hadn't realized were there.
She swallowed visibly as she descended the horse. She took a moment to look at the palace. This was it. She was entering the place she vowed to never enter again. She was grateful Lear was with her to act as a buffer. He was something solid to hold onto and offer support. She only wished she had been with Romulus and not Lear. She felt a deeper connection with the prince. He understood her ways other couldn't. But Lear also understood her in a way Romulus didn't.

As they moved through the kitchens, Lear weaved his way through servants and food with a practiced ease. If it had been the Prince, he would have been stopped every two feet to talk to someone or congratulate someone or answer some questions, but Lear was far less important in people's minds, and thus was able to move with a speed that was helpful to keeping the panic down.
He talked to Elia as if he were escorting an old friend through his home. "We've done a lot of hiring, and did a full staff overhaul several years ago. New servants, new soldiers, new people in every role in the palace." He was reassuring her that no one would recognize her as they walked through. He kept a grip on her arm so that if she began to pass out, or her legs gave out, he could catch her easily and keep them from making a scene and drawing attention to themselves.
Lear was well aware of his own trauma responses, and he knew what he needed in this situation, so he did his best to give Elia whatever support she needed. As they exited the kitchens, and entered the living spaces of the Palace, Lear's position as the Prince's Lieutenant did much of the work. Servants nodded at him, guards saluted, and nobody asked questions. Nobody looked at them long enough to notice the shaken girl on his arm. This is what Lear had been counting on. If Elia had come in with Romulus, rumors would have been flying within minutes.
They made it through the guest rooms, into the section of the Palace reserved for nobles and royalty. Lear knew this section would be problematic for her, so he guided her quickly but carefully into the set of rooms that made up the Prince's quarters. He closed the tall double doors behind them and deposited her onto a couch.
"Just breathe, you're safe, you're alright." He didn't let go of her, giving her something to brace against if she needed it.

Elia put her arm around Lear's waist, her fingers digging into his side harder the more they walked through the palace. Her gaze was focused on the floor in front of her as her anxiety rised every second they were in there.
The problem arised when they eventually reached the halls reserved for the royals. All she could see was blood and fire and bodies. She could the screams of her dying family and guards. She could feel her body being dragged out of bed. It was hard to breathe. Her body was shaking like a leaf.
She all but collapsed on the couch that she was set onto. Her bowed and she placed her hands on her ears. She took shaky breaths and tears rolled down her cheeks. This was a bad idea. She thought she could do it. She thought she could return here with no problem but she had been mistaken. This was harder than she thought it would be.

Lear could not imagine how he would feel trying to go back to his childhood home after the raid. But he knew that however awful that might be, that was what Elia was feeling right now. He let go of her for just a moment, to hurry around the suite, light all the lanterns, open all the windows, and just make sure the place was generally lit up and bright. When you were already seeing things that weren't there, shadows were the worst enemy. He also went into the kitchenette area and pumped a glass of clean water for her, which he brought back and set on a small table at the end of the couch.
He wrapped his arms around her, not trying to get her to sit up, but bowing with her. He held her in the position she was in talking to her the entire time, his voice low and soft, he reassured her that she was safe, and she was responding normally, that the feeling would pass, that things would get better, and that he would be there the entire time.
He knew that their responses to trauma had differed in other ways, and he wasn't sure how far he would be able to help her, but he had every intention of being there for her and whatever way she needed, as much as he possibly could.

Elia leaned into Lear, putting her full body weight on him. Being held, feeling that pressure, helped give her a sense of stability and safety. She was quiet in her grieving, not a sound escaped her lips. You wouldn't have known she was crying if it wasn't for her shaking.
She stayed like that for a long while, in his arms, shaking. She had stopped crying a while ago but her body still trembled. Finally, slowly, she raised herself out if Lear's arms and looked around. The room was different. Everything was different. She wasn't sure what to think. Only that this was a bad idea and she should've run away while she still could. But now she was stuck in this palace, the place where her family was murdered. And the murderer had taken over her home.
She took the water that had been offered to her and she slowly drained the cup. She set it aside. She looked…blank. Defeated. What was she doing here?

Lear held her until she sat up. He wanted to be here for her, and he'd told her he wasn't leaving… but some part of him was very worried about Romulus.
Still, she drank the water and looked around. That was a good sign at least.
"Elia… I know this is hard. I know it's awful and uncomfortable. But we'll have you out of here as quickly as possible, and then you never have to come back unless you want to." He took her hand, and stood, hoping to convince her to come with him. "If we step into the Prince's study, we can work on getting your lands picked. I know that's the last thing on your mind, but it's the first step in getting you out of here and somewhere a little safer, and easier on your heart." He kept his voice low, and gentle, not wanting to rile her, but also trying to remind her that there was a purpose to this, as well as an end to the anguish. Leaving here wouldn't fix it, but it would certainly lessen the intensity of it.
Also, if he could get her looking at the map, and thinking about other things, he could run down to the throne room and check on Romulus.

Elia looked up at him, void of emotion. Her eyes were red and her cheeks were flushed. She took his hand and stood quietly.
Yes.
The reason they were there. For her to choose land and a title and a false name. She couldn't live in comfort for the rest of her days without being under the scrutiny of the king or a Madame. The sooner she chose it the sooner she could leave. Only, she wasn't sure she wanted to leave. Not because she wanted to stay in the palace or be around the man that killed her family. No. Because she didn't want to leave Romulus to deal with everything alone. She wanted to be there for him and offered support. She wanted to offer the bit of knowledge she held on to from her days as a princess. But most importantly, she wanted to be with him. She wasn't sure what they were. She qasnt sure if he planned to see anyone else now that they were at the palace. She only knew that she cared for him and wanted to be with him for as long as they could. Before he would have to marry someone else. Sje had no doubt his father would arrange a political marriage for him. Possibly some princess that could offer gold or land or armies. She wanted to cherish her time while she could.

Lear led her into the study, several rooms away from the entrance to the suite. The prince had a massive desk, although it usually looked about right on a person of his size, and Lear pulled up a chair for himself behind it. He put Elia in the prince's chair, a huge padded beast, that absolutely dwarfed her, but would remind her of Romulus.
He scrambled to pull out several maps, which showed the open lands and the titles that would come with them, as well as what the economy of each estate specialized in. Once he had everything out, he stood and looked at her as he stepped to the other side of the desk from her.
"Take a look and see if any of these strike your fancy. You pick the ones that seem interesting, and we can talk about anything relevant as soon as I get back. I'm going to go check on Romulus, but I will return shortly. The door will be locked, not to keep you in, but to keep anybody else out. If anybody rings, don't answer it. Having a woman in his quarters wouldn't be anything strange, but it always generates rumors."
He turned and walked out of the study, before taking off at a run through the rest of the suite, out the door, and down the halls and stairways to the throne room.

Elia sat down in the massive chair. It swallowed her whole. She looked tiny in the chair. She welcomed it, however. She enjoyed the scent of it. It smelled just like Romulus, which aided in calming her down.
She looked at the maps and papers set in front of her. She just barely nodded at Lear, showing her understanding to his words. She didnt move when the door shut closed and she heard the click of the lock. It offered her some comfort knowing she was left along. She only folded her kegs in the seat and put her hands on the table as she looked over the maps.
She would prefer an estate far away from the palace, but most of them specialized in crops and she no interest in that. Which meant she was looking at estates closer to the palace.

The city was considered only one of the Crown's personal estates. There was one other, far in the south of the country, that was more countryside and rural. The rest of the country was carved up into various territories, held by various ranks of nobles. Romulus had done his best to populate much of the nobility with Venians, but the spots had only opened as the Haradrim his father had put in place died off or were killed in battle.
Many of the open lands were agricultural or livestock producing, and those are the ones far from the Palace. The ones up close for more industry-based, with mining, manufacturing, and woodworking being the major industries with open lands. Taking any of those would make Elitia a countess, and a very rich woman.
10 minutes past in relative silence as she considered her options. The peace was broken by the sound of somebody bursting into the front room and running towards her.
"Elia!" It was Lear, and he sounded distressed. He came into the study, breathing hard, and pause to give her some instructions. "Stay here, stay quiet, and don't come out no matter what you hear. I'll come get you when it's safe." He pulled the door closed, and locked it behind him. She could hear him running back towards the front room, before the sounds of yelling and heavy blows landing echoed through the suite.

Elia had been tracing her finger over an estate with a vineyard. She loved wine. What better place for her to live than on an estate that produced wine. True Venian wine as well. That was great wine, some she had only had a glass or two of her entire life whith how expensive it was.
She jumped up as Lear burst into the room. She had been lost in thought to hear him approaching until he was running in the room, startling her. She yelled after him, "Whats going on?" But it fell on deaf ears as he disparaged through the door.
She ran to the door, twisting the handle, only ti find it locked. She began to jiggle the lock and yank at the door. She could a commotion going on outside. She didn't know what was happening but she needed to know if Lear and Romulus were okay. She started looking around to see if she could find something small to pick the lock.

There was a loud thud, and she could hear Lear pleading with someone, his voice low, but his tone definitely desperate. There was one more heavy blow, and then the noises all stopped.
There was a long pause, a silent moment, before Lear opened the door. He had a bloody nose.
"I need your help." He said quietly but hurriedly, his voice thick. "I need some hot water, wet rags, and as much athelas salve and boulderwort plaster as you can get. There will be all of that down in the kitchens." He paused, thinking about what he was asking her to do. "I would go, but I've got to move Romulus and I don't think you can do that. So I'm asking if you'll go back down to the kitchens and get that stuff for me." He stepped back towards the living room. "You can say no, I understand, but I would appreciate it."

Lear stepped back into the living room. The Prince was laid out on the floor. His face was a mess, split lips, bloody nose, one eye rapidly swelling shut, the other eye bleeding, as well as small cuts and massive bruises everywhere. His shirt was cut and bloodied, his chain-mail pants had blood on them, and his arms were bleeding and bruised. He was unconscious and was breathing shallowly. Lear pulled his shirt up and grimaced at the badly bruised ribs.

The King had beaten him to a bloody pulp before Lear's pleading and Romulus's fall into unconsciousness had convinced him to stop.

Elia took a step back when the door opened, only relaxing as she saw that it was Lear. His words and urgency only made her tense up again. "Why do you need that?"
She stepped out if the office she had been locked in and her eyes immediately went to Romulus. She made a surprised shrieking noise and her hands flew to her mouth. She took a step towards him only to falter. Memories over her own families death filled her head. She never saw their bodies but wondered if the king did this to her family. Were they beaten? Was it a quick death or long and torturous?
She took several deep breaths to calm herself before she turned on her heel and ran out the door. She let muscle memory guide her to the kitchens. Her cognitive memory wouldn't remember how to get there but her body did. She followed her instinct, ignoring the stares and whispers of the staff as she passed by. She burst in the kitchen, demanding for the materials Lear had asked of her. The look on her face must have had them spur into action, gathering it for her. When her arms were filled of everything she needed, she turned and ran back to the prince's room.