The journey from Fenia City had been quiet, Thorn sat on her horse, sometimes trotting, other times walking it. Her overall demeanour was unhurried and as she had passed through Imperius on her way had barely stopped to look at the market. It held no interest for her. Leaving Fenia behind, and finally entering Bravia Thorn looked round herself knowing she was not far from Cork now, and remembering the appointment she had with a home owner she made a point of watching where she was and the direction she travelled. The forest appeared ahead and Thorn followed the road till she reached a fork, one heading to Cork itself, the other turning of a little to the left, and it was this she followed.
As the road narrowed and entered the forest Thorn shivered as she left the sunlight and entered the darkness created by the trees blocking out the sun. The narrow road she followed turned again after a little way and Thorn found herself back in the winter sun. Glad she urged the horse on and minutes later Thorn saw a building in the distance. As she neared she smiled to see the moat, knowing there was only one way in and that was a bridge that would lead into a court yard. The property was a fortified Manor, not too far from Cork but far enough away to give her privacy.
The manor looked a good structure, and the moat was far enough in distance it could not be jumped across. Riding round the edge of the moat, Thorn was relieved to see the bridge and once she had reached slid from her horse, looking round for the man who was supposed to be meeting her. Leading her horse across the bridge she entered the courtyard and saw with relief a man.
Hello, you the owner?Thorn asked as she reached the man who turned to look at her as she spoke, pausing in hitching the cart to his mule.
I am that Miss,he replied.You she who wants to buy this house?
Thorn nodded eagerly and explained she had just got to Bravia and had not even gone to find lodgings in Cork before coming, knowing she had taken longer than planned. The man nodded, looking at her still, and then told her what was included, what the main part of the manor consisted of, but that there was more, unused areas. He explained there was a private area of gardens that could be accessed by a small bridge at the back of the building and told her there was a couple of fields at her disposal.
Content with this Thorn told the owner she wanted it and told him she could pay him then and there, looking round as she spoke, noting the stables to the left as you entered the courtyard, other outbuildings and then the manor across from her, and impressed she did not hear the man’s reply at first. Jolted from her thoughts by him clearing his throat Thorn turned back to him blushing a little and within minutes the two had concluded business. Thanking the man Thorn watched as he got on his cart, and geeing up his horse left the courtyard Thorn realised she had just bought herself a new home. Turning she looked around the courtyard, realising there was a boarded up area of building to the right of the courtyard, but too excited she took the horse’s reins and led it to the stables. She was home, and of her belongings would arrive tomorrow. Time for a fresh start she smiled.
It had been a couple days since Thorn arrived at her new home, the fortified manor reminding her of a small castle and amusing her because it was perfect. She had adopted a cook, maid and handy man, who doubled as stable hand and gardener. This suited her. She did not need more staff at that minute, not at least till she had discovered what was needed and what she had in Cork.
That morning Thorn woke to silence and lifting her head from her pillow looked at the fireplace, dropping back when she realised it was too early yet to have been lit. Hearing a sound Thorn turned over to look at the door to her room and smiled to see the girl who was maid enter. Sitting up Thorn watched the girl and when she saw a flame dance threw back her covers and moved to slip out of bed, greeting the maid. Accepting the maid’s help Thorn was dressed within a little while and sat at the dressing table brushing her hair, letting the maid go see the cook and make sure breakfast was ready. As she brushed her hair Thorn’s mind went back to when she was a child and having her long hair brushed by her mother. Thinking of her mother Thorn felt the prickle of tears at the back of her eyes and took a deep breath. Her mother had died a year of so ago, her death unexpected, and a reason she had vanished from Fenia for a little while early on to attend to things. She remembered seeing her sister, how changed she had seemed, but then she had welcomed with open arms her magic. Thorn frowned slightly as she braided her hair, tying it with a ribbon as she thought of her sister, then of herself, how she had turned her back on her skill, how she had shut her mind to what she could do, and magic. As she had turned twelve or thirteen and things had started to happen, to change, Thorn had got scared. All those voices, the feelings, thoughts… She had struggled and not been willing to ask for help from her family. Whereas at one time she and her sister DarkSilence had played, using the little magic they possed, her sister having more because she had willingly thrown herself into studies. Thorn however had been more withdrawn and when she started to gain her real skill then she had panicked. Shaking her head to dispel the memory, the reason for her running away, Thorn stood up and putting down her brush went for breakfast.,
A little later Thorn left the dining room with every intent to go exploring. She looked at the door that led to a corridor which she knew headed in the general direction of the stables, and curious if it actually went all the way she stepped forward, opened the door and went through. Walking slowly along the corridor she looked through the few windows as she passed, all overlooking the courtyard. As she reached different doors, Thorn opened and looked in. The two rooms she found initially appeared unused apart from for dumping rubbish in and she decided this would be sorted out. Reaching a door about two thirds along Thorn paused and looked out a window opposite. The day was bright she noticed before turning to the door, turning the handle and opening it wide. Thorn was surprised to see a stone staircase, winding, dust and cobwebs all up the wall, in corners, and the light that fell from the windows above drew her eyes to the stairs. She had not expected to find this, trying to recall the building from the outside, but her mind unclear. Standing Thorn looked at the stairs deciding whether to climb of not, find out what was up there.
Leaving the door open wide, Thorn made a decision and stepped toward the stone stairs, lifting her skirts slightly to lift the hem from the dusty steps. Placing her hand lightly onto the dusty rail, her finger tips leaving a trail Thorn stepped up, climbing the stairs slowly, carefully. Her shoes made little sound on the stairs and as she climbed the dust rose, and reaching a window she glanced out briefly before continuing. Reaching the top of the stair case, passing another window, but ignoring it, Thorn paused on the landing she found herself on, a window overlooking the countryside, her eyes focussed on the door she saw in front of her. Glancing round Thorn stepped forward, nervous for some reason, and reaching out to lay her hand on the handle she turned it, and feeling it turn in her hand exhaled as she realised it was not locked.
As the door opened Thorn stepped into what looked like a tower room, but it seemed devoid of colour, and even light. Looking around Thorn saw a room that was a good size, windows on two sides, the glass looking misted, dirty. Looking further as she stepped away from the door, careful that it would stay open, Thorn stepped from wood to what appeared a rug. This rug covered the majority of the floor. Along one wall beneath a window were a shelves with books, and cupboards, and a set of drawers, and letting her eyes move round saw a desk in front of another window, a fireplace on the wall to the right of the doorway. Curious Thorn walked over to the desk and saw an ink well, quills, a pot and a book which she picked up. Everything was covered in dust, every surface of every item of furniture and wood in the room.
What secrets do you hold? Thorn asked as she opened the book briefly, looking at the tidy writing and realising very quickly it was a journal. Catching a couple of words, Thorn shivered and her thoughts went to another place, memories, a time she had shut away to never think of again. Now stood looking at the page, eyes unfocussed, Thorn thought of a time that tugged at her heart, remembering her guilt, remembering how she had turned her back on part of her heritage that she broke her mother’s heart over. Yet her father had understood, and even the sister she had felt intimidated by for her eagerness to learn more, allowing herself to become completely engaged with and surrounded by the magic at her fingertips as she reached the age… Thorn frowned, remembering her time.
Setting the book down onto the desk Thorn shook her head to clear it, looking round again, fighting her memories that for some reason were coming to the surface. Walking to the window she had to wipe a hole through the grime to see out and smiled as she saw a glimpse of the view, the countryside bright in the winter sun, just able to see the town of Cork in the distance beyond the forest. Quietly Thorn turned away from the window and looking at the room planned how to clean it up, how to make it shine as it was intended. Looking round a last time Thorn headed for the door. She was going to drag the maid into this, wanting the rug sorted, beaten, and she herself would clean the dust from this room, she would clear the cobwebs.
An hour later Thorn was back in the tower room, bucket of steaming water, cloths, dusters, a broom, and scrubbing brush, the maid in tow looking unsure what her new mistress wanted. Thorn was still new to the girl, and she had got used to doing the basics, and the majority of the Manor had been shut off, the old master using few rooms. Having helped to free the rug from the items of furniture that held it in place, Thorn instructed the girl to fold and carry it out and beat the dust out, wanting to see its colour shine. Once the girl was gone, the wooden floor revealed, and as Thorn expected in need of mopping after she had swept away the dust.
As Thorn worked, brushing the floor and leaving a pile of dirt outside the door she let her mind wander to another time. She was not one scared of hard work, and paused only to swap the brush for a duster to wipe all the surface dust from shelves, desk, cupboards, and window sills. She watched as the grey dust revealed a golden brown of the wood from beneath and smiled, running a finger over the smooth grain of the desk top. Getting a cloth she soaked it, wringing it out before beginning on the windows, the glass sparkling as the sun was able to shine through, and finishing the windows Thorn laid the cloth over the edge of the bucket, turning to a window, and opening it after a slight struggle with the catch, fresh air rushed in to meet her hot face. Refreshed she smiled and turned to look at the room before getting another cloth, wetting it and wiping the dusted surfaces to bring out the gloss and colour with the water removing any clinging dust that remained. While wiping the mantelpiece horn found a key and looking at it walked to the door, trying it and finding she now had a key for the room, and silently she slipped it into her pocket before returning to her work. By the time all the shelves, cupboards, desk, chair, mantelpiece, pictures that were hung from the walls, the water in the bucket needed replacing and this Thorn did, carrying it down the stone stairs and going to the kitchen, finding the maid there talking to the man who was stable hand come gardener.
With just the floor to was now Thorn asked the maid if she would bring her fresh hot water when it was heated and left her to it, returning to the tower room where she went to the desk, and pulling the chair out sat, placing her hands onto the desk top, her eyes going to the journal she had found earlier. She ached a little but ignored it, as she picked up the journal. She kept one herself, and had always done so. She frowned slightly thinking back to her childhood, how she had often fought against the inevitable. DarkSilence had welcomed her skills without question, while Thorn had stayed quiet as things began to happen. The feelings, voices… the knowing what was next. The headaches she got were phenomenal. Days she spent locked away in her room, and when her sister worked out what was going on Thorn was forced to listen to her, watch as she showed off. Her sister’s powers were good from early on, and it was not that Thorn could not do, it was that she fought not to. The conflict it caused her, the inner turmoil, caused Thorn to pull away from her family. It was later though, the day… Thorn shook her head, refusing to focus on the memory, not ready to let it into her head. With relief Thorn looked across at the doorway to see the maid entering, carrying the bucket, and looking awfully red faced from the exertion of carrying the hot water up all those stairs.
Thank you,Thorn said, standing and walking over to where she had laid the scrubbing brush.Bring the rug up in an hour. I’ll be ready then.
Turning back to the room, bending slightly to pick up the bucket, she went to the furthest side from the door. Then slowly she dropped to her knees and began to scrub the floor. The work was tiring and by the time she was half way across the room Thorn was red faced, her hair escaping the braid, and her hands hurting. While she worked Thorn thought to when her sister had first visited her in Fenia, how unhappy she had been at her dramatic entrance with the dark clouds and the wind, magically appearing in her hall. Yet they had spent a little time together, had talked. Thorn smiled sadly as she realised it was the next visit that was to be the last time she would see her sister. As she scrubbed Thorn thought about the time her sister had come again, had taken on Thorn in her angry state, had argued back with her, made her see some things she had turned her back on years before, telling her she only had a little time to enable herself to not lose certain skills.
Is it too late? Thorn asked standing up, the floor finished, the brush dropped into the water and the bucket stood outside the door. She did not know how to find out, or if she should or wanted to.
Later the room was completed, the rug on the floor, fresh rosemary in a pot on the mantelpiece to freshen the rom, the clean journal on the desk, Thorn determined to seek out its secrets another day. Leaving the room she took one last look round and smiled. Her work had given her a room she could come to. Hers. Closing the door behind her Thorn descended the stairs, hungry and dirty.
Balerion is flying across the skies of Cork when he spots something he hadn't seen before. A new castle seems to have been built. Deciding to investigate he descends into a nearby field and approaches the door before he knocks ever so gently, or so it seems to him.
Thorn was walking across the hall from the siting room to go to her tower room and hearing a knock looked round wondering who would be calling, unsure if apart from one person, none knew her new address. So walking to the door, waving the maid away, Thorn opened the door to see the dragon Balerion outside.
Very surprised Balerion sees that it is Thorn, who has apparently recently moved to Cork.
I didn't realize you had become a Corkian! Let me be the first to welcome you to the Viceroyalty of Bravia. It is always good to see old acquaintances come cross the border as far too often I miss those who I once had as next door neighbors. It really is wonderful to see you. Did you know that I am hosting a St. Valentinus Ball? I do so hope you will be able to attend. There will be prizes for the best dressed, as it is a Masquerade. I think I might go as a wood elf, but I still am not quite sure.
Thorn nearly laughed to see his surprise. She had not advertised her move, just did it. Listening to him she smiled.
Thank you, I came not long since. I don't know about attending a ball... I am still trying to settle in, and well am unsure how social I want to be just yet,Thorn said quietly, thinking she would probably not be going, but not wishing to insult him by saying. I hope you find a costume.
How did you find me?Thorn asked thinking her home was off the beaten track.
We dragons have very good eyesight. A new building isn't all that terribly hard to spot from the air. I especially like the color of the roof. It makes me somewhat nostalgic though for the life of me I cannot remember why. Just seeing you makes me think of the High King. May we ever honor his memory. My how time does pass quickly... If you are ever near Bravia Towne I do hope you will come to visit me in my caves. So, what was it that finally convinced you to make the move across half the known world?
Thorn smiled, nodding, realising that what he said and from the little knowledge she had of such things dragons saw well.
I like the fact this manor is away from the town, away from being near busy civilisation,Thorn said, thinking she loved having the forest as a neighbour. Hearing his question Thorn wondered how best to answer, and carefully she chose her words.
Fenia has lost its appeal. Its not what it used to be,she finally said, her eyes lowered remembering certain things and glad certain people were no longer alive to see the changes that had occurred.I had no reason to stay.
