The pasts' secrets.

[Desert fire]

((closed rp))


The firnisblossom tea steamed. Carefully the young maidservant blew over the hot teas surface while caring it on its tablet. She went upstairs and then knocked against the door. “Come in.”, she heard the woman’s voice inside. Lilietta has never met a woman before she was so .. afraid of. Even though she knew her only for a few days but she could tell that she was a bully. The maid opened the door and peeked inside with a smile across her lips, before entering. “I bring you tea, m’lady.”
The woman she was serving was set on her bed and her short hair that fell wildly into her face made her look boyish. Her brown eyes were so distant. This house was the property of Mister Thunnigan who died last year and lately this woman, who was his long forgotten daughter, had appeared and claimed the house back. It was not much of a problem since no one has taken interest in the house otherwise. There weren’t any other family members left. Only her. Lilietta thought it was strange how the rumor has been spread years ago that Bailey Thunnigan died in the battle when she was in the legion, yet she was here, unharmed. She also knew Mister Thunnigan very well. He has been a man full of grieve and sorrow. Lilietta had cared for him the past year when the sickness took away more and more of his strength. And with every day that had passed he grew softer, more regretful. She even saw him crying.

Lilietta sat down at the edge of the bed and rested the tablet on the small table next to it. “Here is your tea m’lady. But careful, it’s still hot.” The woman nodded her thanks but did not look at Lilietta a single time. She was rude, Lilietta thought. Her eyes drifted to the small bundle the woman was holding in her arms. “He is beautiful m’lady. And he has such a cute nose. What is his name?”
“Dwyn.”
“Dwyn.. a very strong and beautiful name.”, Lilietta smiled to the woman. “What about his father..?”
The woman narrowed her eyes and casted the maid a short glance. “Would you mind to leave. I need some rest.” – “I.. of course m’lady. I apologize.”
Lilietta stood up quickly. She couldn’t believe how rude this woman was. A bully, indeed, just like she thought. “If you need anything, just call for me. I will be downstairs and prepare the dinner.”, she said before leaving the room and quietly closing the door. The maid took a deep breath. While she was going downstairs and her anger flew away, she thought if maybe it was her own fault that Miss Thunnigan just had become angry. Maybe something unfortunate had happened to the father of her child. Lilietta felt a sudden sorrow and just as she wanted to go to the kitchen, someone knocked at the front door. The maidservant furrowed her brows. Visitors? That was indeed unexpected. Maybe it was some beggar asking for coins. She head to the front door and opened it just a bit, peeking through the gap. This was definitely not a beggar. She saw a tall grown man all clad in silvery armor. His ornated helmet was clamped under his arm and the black hair reached to his shoulders. “H.. how can I help you?”, Lilietta stuttered, intimidated by the mans appearance. A warm smile crossed the mans thin lips. He had sharp features, yet his blue eyes seemed ever so gentle. Liliettas heart began to beat faster.
“My name is Siorus de Paranes. I am a friend of Miss Thunnigan. May I enter?”
Lilietta hesitated a moment but opened the door wide to let him in. “Thank you.” Sorius looked around, then went straight to the living room. He put down his helmet upon the table and went to the windows to open the red, heavy curtains that kept the sunlight outside. Lilietta blushed as she noticed in the sunlight how dusty the floor was. She hasn’t had the time to clean it yet. “Is there a reason why the curtains are closed during the brightest day? Does Miss Thunnigan not like the sun anymore?”, he asked, looking to Lilietta. “.. Actually.. it was her fathers habit to keep the curtains always closed… He died a year ago and since Miss Thunnigan moved in, she didn’t seem to bother to change this.”
The armoured man nodded and only now Lilietta noticed the salkamarian paladin symbol upon the mans cloak. She had never encountered a paladin before. “My.. my name is Lilietta, by the way. I’m the ladys maidservant til she is feeling better. May I announce her your arrival?”
Sorius wrinkled his forehead thoughtfully, but shook his head. Without asking he took a seat upon one of the chairs and gestured Lilietta to do the same. Hesitatingly she head his will and sat, her hands folded nervously in her lap. “Lilietta… what exactly do you mean with ‘feeling better’. Is Miss Thunnigan ill?”, he looked at her intrigued and Lilietta thought to see a glint of concern in the paladins eyes. “No, not precisely. You must have not seen her in a while Sir de Paranes, because Miss Thunnigan has been pregnant. She gave birth to a wonderful son just two days ago.” The paladin blinked for a moment, obviously surprised. “What about the father?”, he asked and Lilietta shook her head. “I do not know m’lord. I .. asked her just a moment ago and she sent me out of the room, instead of answering my… to be honest.. uncalled for question.”
“Hm”, the paladin said and rested his chin upon his palm. “Please Lilietta, go and announce me.”

[Desert fire]

Sorius knocked at the door. As no voice called him in he simply opened the door and entered the room. Bailey was sat upon the bed and nipped from a cup of tea, before putting it back down on the tablet. At least the curtains in this room were only half closed. The paladin shut the door behind him.
“So I’m not even save from your kind in my own home?”, were the first words the woman directed at him. Sorius smiled and bowed his head. “It’s very nice to meet you again too, Bailey.”
“What do you want?”
He approached to the bed and sat down on the stool next to it. “I came to see how you might be. I’ve been around here on a coincidence, so I thought I would visit you. “
Baileys gaze followed the mans movement but never met his eyes. Sorius noticed how she was clearly avoiding his look. She also looked very tired and exhausted. Her hair was just as short as always. Sorius got a glimpse of bead of sweats upon her forehead.
“If you would believe in coincidence you wouldn’t be a paladin. Don’t lie to me.”, she said in her usually unfriendly tone.
Sorius smiled and leaned against the back rest of the chair. His gaze wandered to the crib that was next to the side of Baileys bed. He raised a little to have a look inside. “I heard his name is Dwyn?”, the paladin asked and Bailey only nodded in reply. Sorius moved his arm to the boy and was about to rest his thumb upon the small boys forehead but Bailey grabbed the paladins arm hard to stop him. Sorius raised a brow and casted her a questioning look. “He doesn’t need the blessing of your god.”, Bailey said to him. Her eyes finally gazing into his. “He will be strong enough on his own.”
“Very well”, Sorius replied and retreated his arm. “So how are you doing, Bailey?”
“I would be doing better if I hadn’t had a paladin sitting next to my bed, while I was trying to rest.”
Sorius chuckled and raised from his chair. “I understand. Rest well Bailey, we will speak later.”

The paladin went downstairs as he noticed the scent. He followed the smell of roast chicken til he stood at the entrance of the kitchen. Lilietta had tied up her brown hair to a ponytail and stirred some vegetables in a pot. She looked very concentrated while she was cooking. It was nice to watch how she seemed to take these simple tasks, like stirring vegetables, very serious. And she had a beautiful face, the paladin thought and smiled to himself, leaning against the door frame. As Lilietta looked up and noticed the paladin at the kitchen entrance she looked quite surprised and quickly wiped her hands at a kitchen towel. “Excuse me, I didn’t notice your arrival. Can I help you with something?”, she asked quickly and the paladin nodded his head. “It’s Miss Thunnigans wish to let me stay for some nights. But I’m not in a hurry. If you could show me a spare room after dinner, I would be delighted.”
The maidservant nodded and stirred the vegetables once more. She furrowed her brow a little. “You look surprised, Lilietta?”, the paladin asked and moved away from the door frame to unbuckle the heavy silvery armour. The woman blushed and kept her eyes lowered while answering. “I erm… I just didn’t expect Miss Thunnigan to welcome visitors…”
Sorius laughed and nodded while putting away the armour. He wore a white linen shirt underneath. “I understand. Miss Thunnigan doesn’t give a very talkative and socializing impression.” Lilietta didn’t reply but a small smile crossed her lips. She wouldn’t badmouth the woman that was paying her quite well. “Am I allowed to know where you first met her?”, she asked quietly and looked to the paladin from the corner of her eyes. Her cheeks were still blushed.
Sorius leaned once more against the door frame and nodded to himself. “Miss Thunnigan and I were together in the legion. She was becoming a soldier while I was striving to become a paladin and had my obligatory education in the legion. I was our commanders second.”
“I see”, Lilietta replied and tilted her head a little. “Mister Thunnigan claimed that his daughter died in the legion…”
“Mister Thunnigan was a proud and bitter man, Lilietta. And Bailey was a strongwilled person who would not head any command without asking herself twice if this was the right thing to do. As much as I appreciated her but she had every trait that made a bad soldier. In the end she was thrown out of the legion. Knowing her father he probably spread the rumour that his daughter died in battle, because he couldn’t stand the shame she has brought over the family name by getting expelled from the legion.”
- “So he abandoned his own daughter?”
- “Indeed.”
Lilietta frowned and took the steaming pot from the oven. “Miss Thunnigan reminds me a lot of her father though…”
“She wasn’t always this way. I mean,.. she was always very rude and badly tempered. But she never used to be that .. cold. Back in the legion she had a very firey and passionate personality. Her eyes would glint when she weild her sword. I do not know what happened that had changed her the way she is now, but it seemed she lost this spark. When I look into her eyes I look into the eyes of a woman who lives because she has to live. What worse can happen to a human? And what worse can happen to a warrior, than not knowing anymore what you wear your sword for…”


...

[Desert fire]

Two hours have passed by and Sorius was enkindling the wood in the fireplace of the living room. This house was full of memories. And most of them weren’t good ones. This place made the paladin feel slightly uncomfortable and while he was unfocused he kept seeing pictures of the past. Bailey has been indeed right: he wasn’t here because of a coincidence. He was here because he had followed the signs that told him that there was a friend in need. Small flames began to arise from the fireplace and the wood crackled threateningly from the heat. Sorius threw a small twig of a fir tree in the flames and soon a sweet scent began to spread in the room. He could hear the maidservant closing Baileys door in the upper level and then walking downstairs. He raised to his feet and watched the fireplace a moment longer before turning around. Lilietta, who casted him a shy smile as she passed, was carrying Baileys plate. The food on it looked nearly untouched. Sorius nodded to Lilietta before making his way upstairs. It was time to talk with Bailey.

Bailey stood at the window and gazed out into the night as Sorius was entering her room. She was wearing light clothes and did not bother to turn around to face him. Little Dwyn was fast asleep in his crib. Sorius rest his hand upon her shoulder as he stood close. “You are having fever, Bailey.” – “The birth took its toll”, she replied in her emotionless way. Sorius raised his hand towards her forehead. “I can h…”. But Bailey moved her head away and turned around. “I am alright.”
“When will you ever learn to accept help?”, Sorius asked resignating.
“When will you paladins ever stop to invade other peoples life and privacy? And you haven’t told me yet why you are here.”
Sorius face went blank. He didn’t want to go on confrontation, but no gentle treatment would help this woman. He knew her. Or he used to know her. Sorius was sent here to help this warrior and her son, but helping someone who didn’t want it…
“What about your childs father?”
Bailey remained silent. She fixed him with an arrogant eye, but no reply came from her lips.
“Is he dead?”
“No.”
“Then why are you not with him?”
“This is none of your business Sorius.”
But Sorius didn’t just let it go. He could notice in her voice that he was touching a weak spot. “Your child needs a father, Bailey.”
“I only had one parent and I was perfectly fine.”, she countered, narrowing her eyes. Sorius had to furrow a brow. “So basically you want your son to become just like you. Growing up with a parent that is unable to show any affection, he will feel just as unwanted as you did. He will become a man as bitter and as lost, not being able to devote himself to love or a greater meaning, lets not even speak of ‘trusting someone’.”
The next moment Sorius head cock to the side as Baileys fist hit his jaw. The paladin grunted and pressed his hand onto his jaw for a short moment. Bailey looked infuriated at Sorius. “Yes Bailey, that’s exactly what I mean. You learned to solve all your problems with your sword. And those problems you are not able to solve with violence, you run away from like a coward. Will do the same with your son? Hitting him when there is a problem you don’t know how to handle? Just like your father did.”
“Get out of my house!”, Bailey pushed past him and opened the door of the room. “Leave.”
Sorius nodded. It was enough for today. Bailey would just become more angry and he would not want to get into an actual fight with her. But Sorius knew there was a lot that Bailey would need to think of this night.
“Good night, Bailey.”, he said as he passed her by.
“Get lost.”

[Desert fire]

It was early in the morning as Bailey held her son to her breast and fed him. Yet something was wrong. Bailey hadn’t any experience at all with children, but she thought that Dwyn was crying a way too much and she didn’t understand why. She had thought of every possibility that might could have made Dwyn feel uncomfortable, but only after she was done feeding him and he began to cry again, she slowly got aware of what was happening. Bailey blinked and pulled Dwyn a little bit closer while she was thinking. In this moment, like in so many others before, Bailey wished she would still be on Gobaith. She could now go to the father of her son and ask him for help or support. Or in case her pride wouldn’t allow it, then at least she would have had the assurance that she was able to do so any time. But it was too late to regret past decisions. She ran away, like Sorius said, and now she had to deal with the consequences.
Looking down into Dwyns red and teary face she knew one thing although: Her determination would not make her son feel less hungry.

After quickly getting dressed Bailey went downstairs with the small boy in her arms. That was the first time for a few days now that she actually left her room, since she was still not feeling well. She was surprised as she noticed the wide opened curtains in the living room. Bright sunlight fell into the room and it was a sight that Bailey was not used to. Her father always had the curtains closed, no matter the daytime or weather outside. Just as his heart. Bailey had to admit that she liked the sudden change. She had forgotten how friendly and comfortable the room was actually looking. Noises came from the kitchen. It was the maidservant who was washing the dishes. Bailey stood in the doorframe for some moments and pondered how to approach her but it turned out to not be necessary:
“Miss Thunnigan…you are up. Are you feeling alright? Do you wish for earlier breakfast?”, Lilietta said right after she took notice of Bailey standing at the entrance of the kitchen. There was a glint of worry in her eyes that made Bailey feel uncomfortable. She knew very well that she had the reputation of being a bully and admittedly it was always her aim. She just sometimes got so used to this behavior that she would not think beforehand anymore to whom she was a bully towards.
“I’m… fine. And no that’s not what I came down for…”, Bailey replied and did not notice that someone else behind her was approaching the kitchen. “I…erm I am in the need of your help Lilietta, .. it’s about Dwyn.”
Bailey stepped up to the woman and Lilietta took a closer look at the boy as Bailey tried to explain the situation. “I.. just fed him, but.. he still seems to be hungry. I .. think.. there might not be enough .. in my.. you know. That must be the reason why he is crying so much… what should I do…?”
Lilietta smiled honestly and looked up to the woman with the boy in her arms and nodded repeatedly. “I understand, Miss Thunnigan. Don’t worry. I will get some fresh milk and cook it quickly.” – “I would be very grateful…”, Bailey replied and indeed she noticed the slight blush on Liliettas cheeks after she had said the words. The maidservant wiped her hands on a towel and then slipped past Bailey to head out of the kitchen. As Bailey turned around to look after her, she noticed Sorius who seemed to have watched the conversation. A satisfied smile rest upon his lips.