A ways away from the Shunning Ground, Tricia stepped listlessly through one of the dim tunnels connected to the sewers layered beneath Leyndell. Muck and grime coated the bottom of her dress, eliciting a slight grimace from the stickiness she could feel around her feet.
She tried to pay it no mind, taking a glimpse behind her toward the small ray of light that shined from the Shunning Grounds. Thinking about what she'd just left behind, she could feel a sullen expression worming its way onto her face, but she didn't let it take hold.
Even though she felt anxious and worried sick about them, she could do nothing but have faith in them. However, considering they were only children no older than eight years of age, it sounded quite deplorable the more she thought about it.
As an adult and a healer, it was her duty to help the sick, wounded, and helpless.
Yet, she was so helpless that she couldn't even help a child–two, in fact, ones she really cared about–and had no choice but to believe they'd be fine growing up and living in sub-par conditions.
Not even criminals art treated this way… most criminals, at least.
With her meager leverage, the only thing she could do was bide her time and wait until she could scrounge up enough supplies to justify another visit.
Realizing that her thoughts were dominated mainly by her concerns about the Omen twins, she opted to deal with another matter to distract herself. Coming to a halt, she held her torch aloft, brightening the area around her by some small margin.
In the distance, she spotted the silhouette of one of the Perfumers who had followed her, one of the few who thought similarly to her, harboring sympathies for the Omen born.
Seeing as there was quite a lot of distance between them, meaning there was no one in her immediate surroundings, she did something strange.
"My Lord, wilt ye not reveal thyself? Tis only the two of us present in this space," she spoke out, her words seemingly meeting on deaf ears.
Nothing of note happened for a moment until a deep, masculine voice reverberated through the tunnel.
"Didst I tell thee not before? I accompanied thou here to see mine kin in secrecy. Twouldst defeat the purpose, hath I revealed myself to them."
The voice of the Elden Lord rang true from thin air. His form was hidden, invisible to the naked eye.
If it were any other, they'd believe it to be a lost spirit, a vengeful spirit, or maybe even a lost, vengeful spirit and be undoubtedly spooked.
Yet, Tricia wasn't, but only because she was already aware of his presence, considering he had accompanied her from the moment she entered the sewers.
This wasn't something done on the fly; instead, they had planned for it a week prior.
X – X – X – X – X –X
[A week ago]
"My Lord, I have brought her, as you asked," Siluria said, standing at attention. Her voice was heard loud and clear, even if slightly muffled by her ornate helm.
Beside her, Tricia stood stiffly, empty hands clasped together in front. She no longer held a tray of empty dishes, having passed it off to a passing servant before she arrived.
She could feel small beads of sweat building on her palms, a hint of nervousness tingling at her spine as she presented herself as calmly as possible.
Yet, the reason for her nervousness paid her no mind, busy in his work as he worked with a stacked bundle of parchment, his fingers scribbling at the paper with practiced precision.
Momentarily, he stopped, issuing a curt command before continuing writing, "Very well, thou mayst leave."
Without a word, Siluria gave a deep bow before quietly leaving without a sound.
How doth she move so quietly, even with such leaden armor burdening her body?
A curious Tricia wondered, her focus briefly taken by the mystery of Siluria's quiet movements before she remembered exactly where she was standing. The stiffness from before came back in full force, bringing her to a standstill.
It was as if she had become a statue, unmoving for even a centimeter. The only things distinguishing her from an actual statue were the rise and fall of her chest and the small, shallow breaths she took occasionally.
A few minutes passed in relative silence, with the only sound audible in the room being the soft scratching of the quill held firmly in Godfrey's grip.
The Elden Lord sat behind a large desk crafted from the finest wood the Lands Between offered. Ornate, golden designs were etched into the wood, the most prominent of which was the silhouette of a tree, most likely depicting the Erdtree.
The room was quite spacious, even with the desk occupying some space. Shelves lined the walls, entirely filled with books, producing the illusion of a typical study.
Light streamed into the room from the uncovered windows, giving a view of the shining Erdtree and most of the capital since the room was relatively high up in the palace.
Yet, in that room, seeing a giant of a man with a lion perched on his shoulder, dressed in garbs unlike what most people would consider the garbs of royalty, working like any civilized worker, would give anyone else unfamiliar with this sight quite the whiplash.
The sound of shifting papers drew Tricia's attention. The Elden Lord bundled up a set of parchment before opening a drawer and putting it away, along with the rest that occupied most of the table, clearing up space.
Once he was done, his eyes fell on Tricia, who stood ramrod straight, feeling his attention on her. Breathing a relaxed sigh, he casually said, "My apologies for the wait."
Hearing the apology, Tricia sucked a breath, shaking her head side to side in denial.
"No, no, tis fine, My Lord! There is naught ye must apologize for," she said hastily.
He raised an eyebrow at seeing her react so jumpily but paid it no mind.
"Is that so? No matter, I shalt only keep thee briefly." He didn't dawdle, seeing it fit to tell her why she was here.
Briefly?
His wording seemed ambiguous to her. She had expected it to be something serious or require her field of expertise, but that did not seem to be the case.
"My Lord, if I may ask… for what reason did ye call for me?" Just like him, she got to the point, inquiring about her purpose being present in his study.
"A question, first–when didst thou visit my children last?" he asked, throwing her off-guard.
Of all things, she was not expecting to hear such a question when she entered this room. The last time he'd asked about Morgott and Mehg was when she'd left them in Gordon's care.
Ever since then, their interactions had decreased, but considering how much he appeared to care for them, she surmised that he was most likely keeping surveillance and looking out for them in his own way.
So, assuming he was keeping an eye out and knew how they were faring… why would he ask her that?
"My Lord… I doth not understand," she feigned ignorance, trying to understand his angle.
He stared at her with that same neutral expression, and its sheer intensity made her nervous. It didn't help that the lion on his back no longer looked calm. Its teeth were bared as the sound of growling left its mouth.
O' Erdtree, why must I be tested so?
She could feel that similar feeling of anxiety clawing its way out of her gut. She tried not to let it take hold, pushing her restlessness back down so that her words wouldn't fail her.
"The last time I went down… was some months ago. Ever since Queen Marika's pregnancy, I hath not the leisure to make a visit to the children," she answered honestly, seeing no choice but to tell the truth.
There was a chance that he was already aware, so she did not want to worsen the situation by lying to his face.
"I see…" he trailed off for a moment before throwing the next question her way. "And the next?"
"My Lord?" she asked quizically, her brows slightly scrunched in confusion.
"When wilt thou visit next?" he asked, patiently waiting for her to answer.
Confused, she didn't respond immediately, the words hesitatingly leaving her mouth. She still didn't understand where he was going with this line of questioning. Even so, she answered to the best of her ability.
"Within the next few days, My Lord. Possibly at the end of this week."
"Hmm… the next week…" he hummed, his fingers reaching for his beard as he massaged his chin, mulling over the response he'd received from her.
"I suppose this would do," he muttered to himself, too quietly for Tricia to hear. The next moment, his eyes gained clarity, and his face hardened like a man on a mission. With a clear resolve, he spoke decisively, "Very well then, I shalt accompany thee."
"Yes, My Lor–" Tricia froze in the middle of her response, her brain catching up as she processed Godfrey's words.
The Elden Lord visiting the Shunning Grounds… surely he jests… right?
In all her time visiting the Shunning Grounds, this was a first.
With a strained smile, she asked him, "I beg thy pardon, My Lord?"
"My words were clear, were they not? I said, I shalt accompany thee," he repeated, this time more slowly.
Though he wasn't trying to mock her, Tricia's eye twitched briefly in irritation. With a forced emphasis on her words, she spoke as calmly as she could.
"Yes, I understand, My Lord. Ye stated thy desire to visit thy children… but why with me?"
At that, the Elden Lord sheepishly looked away, his serious expression cracking just the tiniest bit. "Well… that… thou doth need not knowest," he said dubiously, sounding more embarrassed than commanding.
Left unsaid was the fact that he had an absolutely abysmal sense of direction and didn't know the way to the Shunning Grounds, as he'd only visited the sewers a handful of times.
Tricia stared, unsure how to react other than looking at him as if he'd grown a second head. Of all the ways she was expecting him to respond, this was not one of them.
The Elden Lord… embarrassed… what a strange sight to witness.
Still stuck in her stupified state, she didn't realize Godfrey was moving his gaze back to her until he let out a cough, snapping her out of it. She quickly relaxed, or at least tried to pretend she wasn't looking at the Elden Lord as if he was a Regal Ancestor Spirit.
Taking a deep breath, she squared her shoulders, looking Godfrey straight in the eyes as she tried to hide the discomfort she felt at his decision.
"Very well, My Lord. As ye wish," she said compliantly.
X – X – X – X – X –X
Honestly, for what purpose didst he come if not to see and speak with his children?
"Even so, My Lord, art ye sure ye doth not wish to speak to them? Even just a few words would suffice."
The voice–the Elden Lord's voice–did not respond. Even though the silence was disheartening, she pressed further, continuing to express her opinion.
"My Lord… may I say something?" But before that, she decided to ask for permission.
"Were thou not speaking?" The act brought about some confusion to the invisible Godfrey, but he still obliged her request. "No matter, thou may speak further."
"Years ago, when the Queen decreed their banishment down below, she did so to ensure they wouldst perish soon after," she said, bringing up a memory of the past. "Yet, soon after, she decreed once more that they wouldst be instead raised in the Palace for the first few years of their life, isolated from the rest of the world."
"That, she didst so. Why doth thou say?" he agreed with her, giving weight to her words. Even so, he was unsure why she would bring up something that happened years ago.
He'd already made up his mind on this matter. He would be content if his children could grow up and carve their own paths.
"The servants, largely those aware of the children's existence, simply believed she had a change of heart. Yet, I know in truth… twas you, My Lord, whose words brought clarity to the Queen, who was blinded in her rageful temper," she said, the gratitude audible in her tone.
Unseen to Tricia, Godfrey raised an eye at her words, internally questioning how she knew that. Did Marika tell her? It wasn't as if he was trying to keep a secret about his involvement, but neither did he deem it crucial to spread word about his actions.
He cared not if the servants knew or for their thoughts. He acted to help his kin and make sure his wife didn't do something she'd regret, though he wasn't honestly sure if he was able to achieve the latter.
"And so?" he said, now aware of the point she was trying to make. Though he wouldn't change his mind, he'd let her have this moment in lieu of her service and care for his children.
"Soon enough, ye shalt be embarking on a crusade most harrowing, marching atop the Mountaintops against the Giants. We know naught of how long the crusade shalt last, so I surmise it shalt be some time before thy return."
Her expression twisted into a grimace as she spoke of the upcoming march against Fire Giants and their kin. Just thinking about it made her gut churn, of how much blood would be shed and the lives lost in the coming months.
"Hmm… thy words holdest some truth. It shalt be'est some months before the crusade's end; perhaps it mayst even taketh a year or two before its completion.
"Then, would it not be–"
"Even then, let it be'est so."
"But My Lord–!"
"Tricia."
She wanted to protest his words, but he didn't let her speak any further, feeling that she had said enough. He appreciated her good intentions, but frankly speaking, it was starting to grate on his patience as she kept beating a dead horse.
"The crusade shalt soon be upon us. We hath not the leisure to be engrossed in any other matter. To do so wouldst be beyond the height of folly. I shalt leave for the surface, and come next week, take up arms against the Giants. That… is beyond dispute."
His voice was steady, his gait was steady, and his expression hardened. His mind was of steel, yet his beating heart was of glass. No matter how much he tried to harden it, the pain and disappointment ate at him.
He was the Elden Lord. He had a duty to his people. But he was also a father of three children, yet most of the time it felt like he was only a father of one.
It was why he dared not to personally meet with them, because it would chip at his resolve, something he couldn't afford at the moment.
"However…"
Just because he couldn't meet with them at the moment…
"Once the crusade is finished… then I shalt meet with them properly."
Didn't mean he couldn't meet with them later on.
Hearing that, Tricia smiled, a relief-filled smile that expressed her gratitude.
"Then My Lord, I shalt hold thee to thy words."
The Elden Lord did not grace her with a response, but that was fine. Even if the Elden Lord couldn't fulfill his purpose in coming down, he would do so the next time–he had given her his word, after all.
They traced the path toward the sewer exit, taking the route they'd used to reach the Shunning Grounds. With vigorous steps, the Elden Lord left the underground, resuming preparations for his departure to the Mountaintops.
He drafted plans, discussed strategies, and personally oversaw the mobilization of the troops with his trusted Crucible Knights helping along the way.
That week, Leyndell bore witness to its army marching beyond its gates, into the frigid cold of the Mountaintops.
The Elden Lord headed its vanguard, along with his Crucible Knights, and the Capital Knights were armed with their greatbows and large shields, hoping for a decisive war against the Giants so that he could return as quickly as possible.
Not knowing that he wouldn't be able to reunite with the twins for years to come.