We were having supper that evening, Venison, Roast potatoes, Beans, Custard pie and Beer.... Father finally allowed us to have bear for the first time....
It tasted awful! How could adults drink this concoction!? Yet.... I found myself taking more and more sips and I had a fuzzy feeling in my head with each sip....
Sasha and Nora were launching beans at each other with their spoons, Mick and Alex were chatting up a storm and I... I was having a duel with Charles!
We wanted to see which one of us could finish the most beer without falling asleep...
Mother cautioned us as she usually does and Father laughed as he always did... his fat belly giggled and his red hot beard bounced up and down...
He was in a pleasant mood today, Charles was to wed Lord Becken's Eldest daughter when they both turned 15.... a year from now.
Lord Becken was an old friend of father we were told, a merchant that lived in another city from here, he had close ties to the high King I was told.
Whether it was to strengthen our bonds with Lord Becken or to 'curry' favour from the high King as my brother Charles mused, I wasn't sure, and I didn't care, I was just glad we were having fun that night.... and then it happened.....
SLASH*
Silence.....
Father was laying his head on the table now.... red liquid trickled down his neck.... a large shadowy figure stood behind him.
It had beautiful green eyes...
SLASH*
Sasha, Nora and Alex screamed in unison, Mick got to his feet, he clutched a fork in his hand and Charles grabbed me and hugged me close...
SLASH*
SLASH*
SLASH*
Silence... there was silence now...
My chest felt hot and my eyes were blurry....
I called out for my family...
Charles... Nora, my other siblings.... none of them moved.... None of them...
Mother and Father were still too....
I screamed for Commander Col but that was a mistake too...
I remember the leader, the one with fur as black as night and those beautiful green eyes, hot as fire, and cold.... so cold! I could feel a deep hatred of my kin just by looking at him.
I remember running I remember being led away by some of the other guards, I remember Commander Col's screams and the terrible squelch and splinter that came after they died away.
I remember the tall lanky wolf with snow white fur bounding after me, it's mismatched eyes staring at me with heated passion....
I.... I.....
"It's just a bad dream.... just a bad dream.... they're not here anymore..." Rebecca said whilst stroking my head, she was the maid assigned to me in Lord Becken's keep... she held me close to her chest, her sad brown eyes looked at me with pity.
I looked down with shame.... I had wet my bed again....
"I heard you screaming my lord.... I'm sorry but I couldn't help but try to comfort you..."
"....."
"My lord.... do you wish to speak about it...."
"No..."
"My-"
"I'm going to have a bath, from there I'll visit the gardens, have my bed changed and clothes prepared by the time I'm through bathing,"
".... of course my lord," She said, she bowed stiffly and exited the room.
"....." it's not fair I treat her so coldly, but she wouldn't understand, no one will.... there weren't there that day, they didn't witness what I saw.
Every night has been as torturous as the night before it, almost 2 months since Bluehaven fell and.... yet it still feels unreal, like it was all just some dream.... no a nightmare rather....
I rise from my bed and March towards my personal bathroom, one of the many luxuries of living in Lord Becken's keep.
The water is cold.... but that's okay, I prefer that way.... hot liquids.... frighten me.... I don't know why, but ever since that night... I couldn't stand being near anything.....
I strip off my clothes and soak myself into the ice cold water....
".....Sir Victor said scars make one look more manly.... Does this mean I'm manly....? I still myself when I'm scared.... I still can't wield a sword properly.... I'm not so sure...." I said whilst studying the scar on my chest....
5 long claw marks on my chest.... Charles tried to shield me, but the beast's claws still found its way towards me.... miraculously I didn't die but the scare were still deep, I was lucky that woman with a red hood treated me before I got the worst of it.
I.... still don't understand how we were able to evade the wolves' hunting party, it was like we were invisible to them....
I close my eyes and clean myself as fast as I can.
I loved the cold baths... but right now.... I just wanted to be somewhere I felt safe.... I needed to be in the garden....
A minute later I'm done... I walk out and meet a new bedsheet and a new set of clothes.
Rebecca works fast.... though I wish she didn't pick all white clothing for me.... I sigh and dress myself.
A moment later I step outside and are immediately flanked by a pair of armed guards wearing boiled leather and a thick metal cap, their swords strapped to both sides and their shields held in their hands.
They saluted me.
Lord Becken deemed it necessary to have guards at me all the time.... something about political assassination for my title.... it doesn't make sense though.... Bluehaven is lost, what good is killing me going to do?
I wonder what goes through the mind of some nobles.... most of them are still skeptical about us nearly being wiped out by Werewolves, they think it was bandits or some private military group!
I.... I didn't have the strength to voice my opinions so I just forgot about their whole drama.... at least I thought I did....
********
Some time passes and we make it towards the garden, it has a small shrine dedicated to Sol as well as other idols of Fallen heros and now departed Sol mages and priests.
The guards stay by the gates, one faces me and the other faces the gate, Weapons aren't allowed in the garden so they don't enter.... but they still need to watch me.
I bow and say my prayers.....
I didn't take them as seriously before that night... but since then I've become devoted, as devoted as mother was, if anything can slay those foul beasts, surely it would be a warrior of Sol, I plead to my god to be merciful and bring about heros to save me from the clutches of such creatures.
The black wolf's image flashes in my mind and I shuddered.
"What good is your prayer if you're filled with so much fear Young lord," A voice called out, I turn around and see a hooded man, he's wearing a mask, a wooden mask of a rabbit, he was quite tall and his voice was a soft as a feather.
"..... isn't that when people pray the most? when they're afraid?"
The man put his finger to the chin of his mask, he had dark hands, Was he from the infamous Akaar Continent? I haven't seen many people with dark skin before.
"Yes.... but if the fear is too great, wouldn't the prayer be weak?"
"I.... do not know.... does fear weaken a prayer truly?"
"Honestly I'm not sure Young lord...."
"Not sure....?"
"Yes!" he laughed heartily, somehow his laugh reminded me of my father in a way, there was so much mirth behind it, you wouldn't think this person was capable of violence....
Yet the man had a bow sling across his back.
"I have guards you know?"
"I'm aware, they won't attack me though,"
"W-Why not?"
"Look around you Young lord," He said, stretching his hand wide.
I did.... we were still in the garden.... everything was the same.... I was still kneeling saying my-
"What's going on!? What is this!?"
"Your first time huh? I was sure you'd done it before.... how unusual," He said tilting his head to the side.
"Who are you? what's going on? What is this?"
".....I guess you have every right to be alarmed, your questions are indeed reasonable.... but I'm afraid I cannot answer all of them now,"
"Why.... why not?"
"Because they wouldn't make sense without context...."
"Which is?"
"How old are you?"
"..... I'll see my 14th winter very soon...."
".... You're still too young, but it can't be helped.... well anyways, I'll tell you my name, they Call me Hal-Bo, I'm something of a priest, though I do not serve Sol,"
"Do you serve the god of the werewolves then? Fenris?"
He laughed, "No, no... I don't serve any being you're familiar with, but I am close to the woman that saved you, Isabella was her name, correct?"
"I.... I don't know she never told me...."
"Typical...." He spat, "Anyways, I'm in search of certain figures you see,"
"Werewolves?"
"No... no, these ones are much more dangerous...."
"More dangerous than beasts?"
"Hahaha.... I wish they were beasts, you can place a nice, well timed arrow into a beast and then they stop moving.... no these creatures are much more dangerous, practitioners of the dark arts, They wear the faces of men, but inside... their souls are formless and hateful, these creature seek to perform a forbidden spell,"
"What kind of spell?"
"One that summons the legion of undead, cursed wicked souls from the pits of Hel...."
"Does such a thing really exist?"
He nodded his head.
"Then we must inform Lord Becken!" I cried, "Surely he-"
"-Wouldn't believe you.... none of the lord's will, they can barely wrap their heads around a werewolf invasion... would they truly believe this tale you tell them?"
"....."
He clapped his hands.
"Young Lord.... I have a proposal.... right now.... as you are, no matter how well you train and fight, you won't be able to slay a wolf, you and I know you're not built for that, that's why you come here regularly hoping for someone else to be strong enough to carry out the task,"
"That's....."
"But you have talent as a Seer and as a Binder, and from the looks of it, you're a pretty powerful one too!"
"What are those?"
"They are gifted folks, Seers are capable of seeing into multiple possible futures and Binders are capable of dominating powerful spirits and bending them to their will!"
"I.... I can do that?" I said looking down at my hands.
"Yes!"
"But.... I've never seen a spirit in my whole life!"
"You're looking at one now aren't you?"
"What!? You mean...." I step back, a bit uneasy now.
Hal-Bo laughed.
"Relax Young lord.... I seek you no harm.... I only wish to finish my quest, maybe then my spirit can rest and I may find peace together with my fallen Kin...."
"....You truly don't want to harm me,"
He shook his head.
"If I help you.... will you help me get rid of the werewolves?"
"Hmmm.... I'm not so sure about that?"
"Why?"
"You'll learn soon enough once you awaken your powers as a Seer, 'the pact must be honoured once more.... only then may this threat pass' You'll learn soon enough Young lord,"
"So what now?"
"Now... you return to your body.... tomorrow morning, we begin your training!" With that Hal-Bo dissapeared and I found myself once again in my body, kneeling on the ground.
"Hal-Bo..."
"shhhh..."
"Wha-"
"Do not speak.... I may not be visible right now... but I am nearby, The guards cannot see me or hear me but they can for you, look!"
I turn around and see the guards staring at me, one of them had their head tilted like as if to ask 'Did you need something my lord?'
"Go rest now.... in the morning we'll begin again.... oh and make sure you treat that Rebecca girl better, I'm not about to train a little rascal you know?"
I sighed.
We made our way back to the room, along the way I met with Rebecca, I thanked her for her service and went along my way.
She seemed quite pleased for some reason.
"Thanks," I said to the guards before shutting my door.
..... I don't know whether or not something positive will come from all this....
But I'm glad I have a goal now....
I head over to bed and pass out as soon my head touched the pillow.
For once....I wasn't plagued with nightmares.