Reyan Sabel

[Faeble]

In passing, most would assume that Reyan Sabel is nothing more than a wandering noblewoman, as oblivious to the world around her as any of her station. Her elegant clothing is full of color and made of fine fabrics that few could afford. Although, should any take a moment to appraise the woman more closely, they would see the tattered hem of her skirts and a pair of well-worn riding boots, in place of dainty slippers.

She moves with a carefully refined grace, her shoulders pulled back and her chin held high. Her every movement is carefully calculated and well thought before she committed to it. The soft spoken woman chooses her words just as carefully, taking her time to properly formulate and organize her thoughts before even she opens her mouth. A kind smile comes naturally to her lips whenever she interacts with people.

She has an air of innocence about her and an innate curiosity about the world around her. Often asking questions with a barely restrained eagerness.

Reyan is a petite young woman, who appears to be in her early twenties. Her slender frame and the subtle point to her ears suggest a mixed heritage. Long, silvery tresses fall well past her shoulders, hinting at her moon elf lineage. Her eyes are a brilliant blue color, her thoughts hidden well within their depths.

[Faeble]

The day’s events and errands were coming to an end, at long last. For the past several hours, Reyan had been watching the sunlight fade through the painted windows of the estate’s Great Hall while the Lords and Ladies at the table prattled on about land disputes, taxes and rumors. When the conversation inevitably turned back to whose son would be the best suitor for the Baron’s only daughter, she would take her eyes from the drifting shadows across the floor and force a kind smile, as though she were thoroughly pleased with the suggestions. In truth, she was appalled at the thought of being handed off to a complete stranger for the sake of titles, but she knew better than to voice such opinions in such a public display. Secretly, she clung to the hope that her father would disregard the constant offers for a son-in-law. After all, her parents had married for love, why shouldn’t she be afforded the same privilege?

Her fingers idly fidgeted in her lap, hidden beneath the table but she was careful to keep her expression neutral and reserved, just as she had been taught to do throughout her life. She found herself counting how long she looked at a particular lord before moving on to the next one. Look at Baron Duman for, one, two, and three… And now the Baroness Duman for, one, two, and three… When she finished counting around the table, her eyes would drift off to a shadowed alcove by the door where she knew the House Guard were standing watch. The subtle flashing of polished armor catching a ray of sunlight at just the right angle was enough to bring her a small comfort. Her gaze could only linger for a few moments before she had to return her attention back to the noblemen and women at table.

Several servants were busying themselves with cleaning up the table and the removal of the now empty plates and half-finished meals. Once the table was cleared, the servant girls returned with glasses of rich red wine. “Thank you very much, Graciela.” She smiled warmly to the middle-aged servant as her glass was filled. The plump woman smiled in return and dipped her head politely before she moved on to fill the next glass and faded away into the background once more as the next noble ignored her entirely. Graciela had only arrived at the castle a few months prior and had proven to be a diligent worker and a sweet woman. On more than one occasion, she had brought food to Reyan's chamber through the servants entrance, only to scurry away before Reyan could offer her thanks.

Seated at the head of the table was her father, Baron Leonell, who guided the conversation along with as much ease as a shepherd led his flock. The Baron was an enormous man, tall, barrel-chested and with a thick brown mane with grey streaked through the coarse strands. To many, he resembled a fierce predator that lumbered through the forests, earning him the name, ‘Baron Wolfhound’ to the locals. His thick curls were pulled back from his angular features by a leather cord tied around the small ponytail that held the top of his hair, leaving the rest to fall to his broad shoulders. Intimidating as he was, Leonell had a booming laugh and a disarming grin that could have charmed an ill-tempered dragon into gladly handing over its prized hoard. The Baron placed an affectionate hand on Reyan’s shoulder as he addressed the others at the table and tactfully steered the discussion elsewhere.

To the right of Leonell and across the table from Reyan, sat her elven mother. Where her father was powerful and boisterous, Lady Keyleth was graceful and calm. She was a beautiful woman with long silver hair that she wore in an elegant braid which crowned her head. Her ivory colored skin was unblemished and radiant. As the only elven noblewoman within a day’s ride, rumors about her magic and beauty were once rampant when she had first taken Leonell’s hand in marriage. Some had even claimed that she had bewitched him with a song. It had taken years for the villagers to accept her as their Baroness, but her kind words and charitable soul eventually won the hearts of the peasants. Around her throat, she wore a glittering necklace which had a stone the size of a hen’s egg at the end of the shimmering chain. The stone was a brilliant blue hue that almost seemed to pulse with light if one stared at it long enough. It never failed to impress Reyan how well the color matched her mother’s irises. Out of the corner of her eye, Reyan watched as her mother leaned over to murmur into her father’s ear.

With a broad smile, Leonell turned to his daughter and spoke loud enough so that all gathered could hear his words to her. “You look tired, my dear. I’ll have Captain Jonas escort you back to your quarters. You needn’t worry yourself with these matters.” The massive man shifted his weight in his chair to snap his fingers, waving one of the guards forward.

A man clad in armor stepped out from the alcove where he had been standing guard. Among average sized men, Jonas stood almost a head taller and his strong shoulders were wider than most, but when compared next to Leonell, he looked considerably less imposing. His sandy blonde hair was cropped short, as though it had been shaved recently and had just started to grow out. He appeared to be in his early thirties with a shadow of stubble across his jawline. Strapped to his side was a single longsword and a heavy shield was secured across his back. He wore a scarlet cloak, signifying his rank as one of the three guard captains. Each was charged with directly overseeing the safety of a single member of the Baron’s family. Jonas had been at Reyan’s side for most of her life. Without a word, the guardsmen moved over to his charge and pulled her chair back for her as she stood up. She gave a warm smile to the Lords at the table then went to kiss her father on the cheek before she turned to leave.

Several of lords opened their mouths as though to protest, after all, they had spent much of the day jousting for position in an attempt to win her hand for one of their multiple sons, but with one stern glare from her father, and any opposing words caught in their throats. Trying to suppress her smile, Reyan moved over to her mother and bent to kiss her cheek as well. Lady Keyleth gave an encouraging smile to her daughter and shooed her along before something else could crop up that would detain her further.

[Faeble]

Reyan and Jonas made their way through the winding halls of the castle in relative silence until they reached her chamber. As was their custom, Jonas entered first and completed a cursory sweep of the room before she passed through the door. A pleased smile spread over her features when she saw the guard standing with the balcony door already opened and waiting for her to step out.

“Do you ever think that perhaps we know one another a little too well, Jonas?” She asked with a delicate laugh as he turned to follow her out onto the balcony after she had passed him.

“Not at all, my lady. I just assumed that you’d like some fresh air, considering how intently you were watching the windows this afternoon.” He responded evenly, though he didn’t bother to keep the smirk from his lips as he hunched over to lean against the railing with his forearms.

Reyan paled and her eyes widened. “Was I so obvious? You don’t think that I caused offense do you?” She asked worriedly, quickly striding over to stand next to him, waiting for his response.

Away from the walls of the castle, the heavy skirts of her gown fluttered softly in the wind and the loose ends of her silvery hair danced about her face. She tucked a few of the locks behind one of her slightly pointed ears, not bothering to keep up her usual noble façade as she nervously pressed her lips together. In the back of her mind, she suspected that he was teasing her but she felt compelled to ask the question anyways.

Jonas turned his head to appraise his charge, his pale green eyes noted the subtle signs of her apprehension. In the soft glow of the setting sun, the young half elf’s hair seemed to capture the vibrant colors that painted the sky.

“Lady Reyan, the day you cause anyone offense will be the very same day when the pigs sprout wings and fly away. I doubt any, other than myself and your mother, noticed your discomfort.” Jonas smiled at her then cleared his throat and looked out over the courtyard below.

The tension lifted from her shoulders at his reassurance and she exhaled a breath that she hadn’t been aware that she had been holding. With the ease of familiarity, she turned to rest her arms against the top of the railing next to him and leaned forward. For as long as she could remember, Jonas had been her guard captain. Before she was able to walk, she had stayed under the protection of Captain Miles, her mother’s guardian and Jonas’ father. But from the time that she was born until she was old enough to be left alone, Jonas was groomed to follow in his father’s footsteps. The man’s ability to discern her thoughts from facial expressions alone almost lead her to believe that he was capable of at least some kind telepathy and that he could read her mind.

“Mmm… what is wrong, Jonas? You rarely call me Lady Reyan when we’re alone… unless you’re cross with me.” It occurred to her that perhaps he wasn’t the only one capable of reading the other’s mind.

Several moments passed before the guard captain spoke. “You’ll likely be leaving this estate soon and I thought it appropriate to address you by with the proper… respect that your position demands. I doubt that your future husband would approve of a guardsman addressing his wife with such familiarity, after all.”

Reyan brushed her thumb over the back of her hand as she listened to his brief explanation but understood his meaning. “Perhaps you could come with me as my retainer?” She asked hopefully, though she already knew the answer to that question.

Jonas quietly shook his head, a deep frown carved into his features as he returned his gaze to the woman at his side. “You know better than that, Rey.”

She pulled her shoulders back and raised her chin, gazing out over the courtyard in defiance. “Well then. I suppose, I’ll simply have to be a spinster then, for the rest of my days. It’s not as though I wish to marry some soft lordling at any rate, I’d barely know the man.” She made a face entirely unbecoming of a lady of noble birth and chuckled. “I’d much rather have my happiness and my friend, than a castle and a husband.”

“A castle will keep you safe, give you a place to sleep. A husband’ll provide for you and put babies in your belly. Marriage isn’t just about happiness and love, Reyan.” The guard countered dryly.

There was a long pause as Reyan considered his words then turned to face him, one hand still lightly touching the railing. “Jonas, I don’t need a castle to keep me safe if I’m with you…” Her sentence trailed off but she held his gaze. The wind picked up once more, tugging the strands of her hair free to dance about her face.

As she spoke, Jonas stood up straight from his hunched stance and turned to fully face her. With a gloved hand, he reached out to wordlessly brush some of her hair back behind her ear. She stepped closer to him, resting her other hand over his breast plate, the wind causing her skirts to drift around their legs.

“Rey… I..” Jonas began to speak, his hand still gently cupped against Reyan’s cheek, but his words were cut short by a soft whizzing sound, followed by a dull thud. A frown crossed his features and he looked up, immediately pushing Reyan behind him.

Across the courtyard, up on the ramparts, a guard stumbled backwards while clutching at his chest. When he fell the twenty feet down onto the stone covered ground below, the shaft of an arrow could be seen protruding from his chest.

[Faeble]

A blood-curdling scream cried out into the fading light of day as the dead guard crashed down into the courtyard. A woman covered her mouth at the sight of the fallen soldier, wailing in horror. Another scream, this time a man, echoed through the courtyard as another arrow embedded itself into his shoulder before another struck his throat, silencing him for good.

While panic had seized Reyan’s body, Jonas was a blur of motion. In a single movement, he both drew his sword and pulled his shield from his back, while he positioned himself behind Reyan, wrapping the shield arm around her protectively to ward off any more projectiles. Heavy thuds shuddered against the shield as several arrows lodged themselves into the wood and metal. With the sounds of terror and death chasing them, the guard captain pressed Reyan forward until they were in the relative safety of her bedchamber and he quickly shut the door behind them.

“What’s happening, Jonas? What do we do?” Reyan stammered, unsure of how to act or what to say. She had never seen a person die before and the sight of it had shocked her to the core.

“You... are going to stay in here and hide.” Jonas grunted as he shoved a heavy wardrobe in front of the balcony door with his shoulder. “While I go find your mother and my father. Do you still have that dagger I gave you?” He asked gruffly.

She managed to give a meek nod and reached into a hidden pocket in her skirts to produce the small blade, her lips pressed tightly together. “I don’t want to use it though, Jonas…I’m scared.” She whimpered, pleading for him not to leave her alone with her eyes.

Outside, the sounds of battle began to rage as the guards were rallied to defend the castle grounds. Jonas spared a glance out the window before he closed the distance between him and his charge. “I’ll come back for you, Rey. But while I’m gone, you’ll have to defend yourself if need be. Promise me, you’ll fight if you have to.”

Another nod of her head was the only answer that she could give at first before she found her words once more. “I will… promise. Just… promise me you’ll come back.”

Jonas held Reyan's gaze for a long moment, looking as though he wanted to say something more but refrained from doing so. “Bolt the door behind me.” He commanded, turning to leave and was gone before Reyan could utter another word.

As she slid the bolt into place, she numbly realized that Jonas had made no such promise to return.

For several minutes, Reyan stayed by the door with her forehead pressed against the cold wood. She listened to the sound of her guard captain’s footsteps as they faded off down the hall. By now, it was likely that her mother had returned to her own chambers and Reyan found herself yearning to see her. She would know what to do, at the very least. Unsure of what to do with herself, Reyan made her way over to a bedroom window that overlooked the courtyard. One hand rested lightly against the glass while the other tightly gripped the dagger that she had hidden away into the secret pouch in her skirts once more.

The sun had only just set below the horizon, a time when the bustle and activity in the estate should be dying down as everyone either finished a last few chores or made their way back home. Reyan’s eyes turned towards the now burning gate, she should be watching the last few merchants riding out on their wagons through that gate, waving them off from her balcony as they went. Those merchants were now dead or dying in the courtyard. From her bedroom window, Reyan watched as the hooded figures slaughtered any they came across, powerless to do anything more. Where were her parents, where was Jonas or the rest of the guards? Was anyone else alive? Why would anyone do such a thing? …What was happening?

Tears stung her eyes at the horrors she witnessed in the courtyard. A man begged for his life, pleading. A young boy wept over his father’s corpse, only to be stabbed through the back from behind. Panicked horses trampled any who might have survived their injuries. She didn’t understand, couldn’t comprehend what could drive another person to such violence, to such cruelty.

Jonas told you to hide. Her thoughts echoed flatly but she couldn’t seem to force her legs to move. Darkness was settling over the estate, the only source of light being the burning buildings and corpses outside her window. A shiver ran down her spine as the frigid night air seeped into her bedroom.

Down the hall she could hear shouting, but it was impossible to tell who it was, let alone if they were one of the intruders or not. The voices grew louder and she could make out the sharp scrape and clanging of metal on metal. Even still, she was unable to take her eyes from the dead child who now lay crumpled over his father’s corpse, arrows sticking out of his throat and chest.

There was a low scraping sound behind her, stone grinding against stone. It was a familiar sound, she noted, one that she had heard several times a day for as long as she could remember. Normally, it meant the arrival of a clean dress or warm food fresh from the kitchen. It should have brought her some ease, but instead she was filled with a dread that chilled her to the bone. In the reflection of the glass, she could barely make out the silhouette of a shadowy figure emerge from the servant passage on the back wall.

A low, menacing laugh rasped from the figure and she saw the glint of metal in his hand.

[Faeble]

Jonas paused outside her door long enough to hear the heavy metal bolt slide through its bracket and into place, securing Reyan safely inside. According to protocol, he was to sweep the left wing of the landing, while Guard Captain Miles swept the right. They would secure the floor first, ensure that no hostiles were in the area before moving the both Baroness and her daughter, Lady Reyan, to the safe room on the inside of the hallway, away from the outside walls. In theory, they were high enough up that it would take a large group of assailants some time to reach the landing and they would bottleneck at the stairwell. It was designed so that only two or three guards could protect the entire level of the castle. The left wing was eerily calm, were it not for the battle outside, it would have been utterly silent. Jonas was quick with his sweep, he checked every room, every alcove and investigated any shadow he thought overly suspicious. Nothing.

The two men met in the hall, just outside of Lady Keyleth’s chambers. “Good, you’re alive. Is Lady Reyan alright, is she safe?” Guard captain Miles spoke quickly, the urgency in his voice.

“Yes, she’s fine. Hidden away in her chambers. Where are the Baron and Guard Captain Reginald?” Jonas responded hurriedly, glancing over his father’s shoulder to ensure no one had snuck into the hall behind him.

Far below, in the depths of the castle, the violent commotion of battle rang through the halls. Jonas grit his teeth together and the grip on his sword tightened, tonight would be a true test of his skills. He just hoped that he was up to the task at hand.

“I’m are not sure where the Baron is or Reginald for that matter… but our duty is to protect the Baroness Keyleth and Lady Reyan. If I know Lord Leonell, he’s bound to be in the middle of the melee.”

“You’re right, we should get them to…” Jonas whirled about at the sound of heavy footfalls racing up the stairwell and men bellowing as they ran. The two guard captains shared of look of incredulity, the intruders should not have been able to make it this far so quickly. Both father and son sprinted to the top of the stairwell, standing side by side and holding their shields before them to create a wall between them and the approaching men.

“Something isn’t right... “ Miles muttered to himself, moments before a group of five men rounded of the winding staircase and came into view. All were dressed in black and carried nothing more than wickedly curved daggers with serrated edges. The intruders laughed maniacally as they threw themselves against the shield wall, some not even bothering to slash at the men behind the blockade. Beneath their hoods, their faces were painted black, the whites of their eyes standing out vividly against the darkness. Against any other foe, it is expected to see fear or anger in their eyes, but the two guard captains saw only madness.

Jonas lashed out with his sword as the last of them bounced back from the shields, slicing one man across the chest with his blade. While Miles’ weapon, a short spear, pierced the belly of another that charged forward. Coughing blood, the impaled man grabbed at the shaft of the spear to keep himself upright and laughed.

“One, two… we’re coming for you..” He sang in a high-pitched voice, gurgling on the blood in his mouth.

“Three, four… we’ll skip that floor.” The man that Jonas had just injured joined in on the verse, wheezing heavily as he went in for another attack.

With a roar, Jonas stepped forward to meet the fresh attack and slammed the front of his shield into the man’s face, sending him tumbling down the stairs in a tangled ball of limbs and blood. As Jonas pressed closer, so did Miles, keeping the shield wall intact while he twirled the spear and used the bladed tip to split open another man’s leg.

“Five, six… such a nasty trick.” The hobbled man hissed as his injured leg gave way beneath him. Miles shifted his shield and kicked a heavy metal boot into the man’s chest, knocking him back to tumble down the stairs. There was a wet ‘crack’ as the man’s skull impacted against the far wall and he didn’t move afterwards.

With the shield temporarily out of place, both of the uninjured men leapt forward, blades slashing at any exposed flesh they could find. Cold steel bit into Jonas’ cheek, tearing a gash the length of a man’s finger down the side of his face.

“Seven, eight… you’re too late!” The man cried in victory when he saw the crimson blood pouring down Jonas’ face and dripping from his chin. Miles turned and struck the assailant in the temple with the blunt end of his lance. Instantly, the man went limp and collapsed to the floor in front of him, blood pooling out from his head onto the stone floor.

The last man standing only laughed as Jonas turned to face him and raised his dagger to his own throat. “Nine, ten… now they have them!”

The elder of the two guards gave a bellow all his own and charged at the man, moments before he slashed his own throat open. He fell in a heap before Miles, crimson blood spurting from the splayed wound. He died with a smile on his face.

Gargled breaths and strained coughs echoed up the stairs from the intruder that had been impaled by the lance. He was kneeled down on his knees,and held his innards in his hands as he leaned back against the wall. Jonas turned to glower down at the dying man while his father cautiously approached.

“My gods… Gerald?” Miles croaked hoarsely when he recognized the man.

“Aye, y’blind old fool. Ye’ve no idea how many of us there are.” Gerald laughed again though it quickly turned to a wet, hacking cough.

“Who is he?” Jonas asked curtly from the top of the stairs, blood still flowing from his wound.

“He was a servant that worked in the Baron’s library. Now. He is a dying traitor.” Miles answered flatly and turned to leave Gerald to his fate, a painful death.

“That explains how they were able to get here so fast. They used the….” He sentence faltered as he realized what had happened, his deep brown eyes went wide.

Jonas’ understood and his head snapped down the hall towards Reyan’s chambers. “The servant’s passages…”

A pained, desperate scream echoed from down the hall.