The Homecoming 59.

The Castle...

In one of the many gardens in castle Lé Dic. Helbe the elven thief sits upon a bench watching lady Linara Lé Dic laughing as she runs around the flowers beds and ornamental shrubs, with two other girls around her age. One a daughter of one of the castle stewards, and the other a daughter of one of the many maids who live and work in the massive castle that's the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family.
And though one is of a noble birth, who just happens to be the lady of the fief. And the other two are commoners. All three are equal when it comes to their childhood game. Which only they know the rules of. But seems to consist of one of them chasing the other two. Until one is caught, then that child does the chasing.
The young elven noble from the principality of Laerel isn't really watching the young lady of the fief and her two companions. He's watching someone else, that only he can see. The elven masterthief is watching Narladene the ground pixie.
Who unknown to the three children, is flying around them. Circling them, and zipping between the three of them. Grinning as she plays along with the young lady of the fief and her two companions.
Prince Helbenthril Raendril slightly smiles as he watches the ground pixie who is attached to him. Narladene who isn't particularly fond of humans in general. Infact she dislikes most of them. Only really tolerating some individuals. Those she knows. And even then, she doesn't like them all that much.
But human children are different. The little winged creature has always liked human children and their playful ways. Joining in on their games and frivolity. Even though they don't know she's there.
She doesn't seem to care about that, just as long as she gets to play along with them. Enjoying their games in her own, unique way. Usually flying around them or between them. Or going through what they sometimes play with. Often a ball of some kind, or a stick.
As Narladene the ground pixie flies circles around the three children dashing through the garden, Helbe the elven thief looks at the person sitting beside him and says "Oh a number of years" in response to her asking "And how long have you known sir Percavelle?".
"Probably nine years or so" adds the elven princeling who continues with "Met him in the war up in the Sunreach Mountains". The elven master assassin doesn't mention that he and the former earl of Lé Dic were on opposite sides in that particular conflict. With the elven masterthief on the winning side of that war, while sir Percavelle Lé Dic was on the losing.
Next to the grandson of Prince Raendril of Laerel, lady Hollis Duc de Laér nods her head, then she quietly says "Just after he left us" the noblewoman then hurriedly adds "I mean the fief" she continues with "No one even thought he would return" she then quietly adds "Or if he was even alive".
Helbe the elven thief glances at the former sister inlaw of sir Percavelle Lé Dic, then he goes back to watching Narladene flying circles around the three children who at the moment, are running through some of the empty garden beds.
It's sixth day, and the lady of the fief has no lessons today. So she doesn't have to endure time with her various tutors. So she has plenty of free time today. And with it being such a fine, clear, and relatively warm day. That's definitely more spring like than it is winter.
She's playing outside with two of her companions, under the watchful eye of her governess, the lady Hollis Duc de Laér.
"He's a bit hard to kill is Percy" says prince Helbenthril Raendril, who then follows that with "You didn't, or for that matter, don't have to worry about his safety" the young elven noble then silently adds in a dry tone, just the safety for all the rest of us around him.
After the local noblewoman nods, the elven masterthief glances at her, and wonders if, and when she'll bring up what he told her a couple of days ago. When he actually showed up at castle Lé Dic.
The elven magic user hasn't cast anything on her or much on anyone else in the castle. Apart from when he secretly arrived to check things out. And to find out where the rest of the group are.
The elven masterthief who has told the noblewoman sitting beside him. What actually happened over eighteen months ago here in the Lé Dic fief. When the former earl, and brother of sir Percavelle Lé Dic, earl Maxiss Lé Dic was killed in the previous border conflict against the Harkonin fief.
Who wasn't killed by the enemy. But killed by his own squire at the time. Jared Milburn, the grandson of lord Kievar Milburn on whose orders he was following. All so lord Milburn, the maternal grandfather of Linara Lé Dic could have way more control over the fief.
The lady Hollis shakes her head and smiles, the elven master archer asks her "Something funny?" she answers with "I would think Percavelle wouldn't take too kindly to be called Percy. He was never fond of being called that when he was younger".
The elven princeling grins, then says "He's still not all that fond of being called that" the young elven noble from Laerel continues with "He's gotten used to it, and just accepts us calling him that".
As the three girls scream in delight, and start chasing butterflies that have suddenly appeared. Butterflies that Narladene the ground pixie has coaxed into appearing.
The former sister inlaw of sir Percavelle Lé Dic after a few moments silence as she quickly looks around to see if anyone else is in the garden, quietly says to the elven masterthief "What you said about" she pauses then adds "That".
The elven spellcaster just nods, hoping that will encourage the governess of the lady of the fief to continue, which she does with "Is it really true?".
"It is" is the quiet response of Helbenthril Raendril who has cast a spell so that the two of them can't be overheard in anyway. The local noblewoman nods, then she looks sharply at the elf in the white hooded cloak sitting beside her on the bench, who just quietly said "Then again, you have never really trusted lord Milburn anyway".
The lady Hollis Duc de Laér stays silent while the young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel continues on with "It's why you stayed on as lady Linara's governess, even when you had the offer to return to castle Duc de Laér".
Even though the nobleborn woman remains silent, she does nod after hearing what the elven master archer just said.
Eventually she breaks her silence then quietly says "I never really wanted to return home anyway" she follows that up with "My sister Marsaé turned bitter after her marriage with Percavelle ended. And i didn't particularly want to be around her" the younger of the Duc de Laér sisters continues with "Then she remarried so i knew then that i didn't really have place there".
She falls silent again as she watches her charge and two companions running around the large garden in one of the many courtyards in castle Lé Dic. Then she speaks up again, saying "Then young Linara's father was killed in battle, and her mother descended into madness. Who else could care for her?" the local noblewoman continues with "I was already one of her tutors, so i may as well take over her care and well being" she pauses for a moment, then quietly adds "Not leave such things to lord Milburn and his family".
The young elven noble nods, then quietly asks the lady Hollis Duc de Laér "He didn't object to you becoming the girl's governess?". She shakes her head no, then quietly says "I think he was just glad that someone came forward to care for Linara" the nobleborn woman then adds "So the rest of his family could get along with their plotting and scheming" she continues with "Besides i think he wanted someone seen as a neutral by the rest of the nobility in the fief to raise Linara. Not someone directly connected to his family".
The elven princeling, who has learnt that the woman in her mid thirties. Who has never married, though nearly did when she was in her late teens. But her intended was killed in battle in one of the many conflicts against the Harkonin fief.
Infact the very last battle between the two fiefs just after sir Percavelle Lé Dic took the title of earl. Following which was a number of years of relative peace between the two most eastern fiefs in the kingdom of Druvic.
Is an intelligent woman, who has many a skill. Knowing not just what is expected of a noblewoman in a kingdom such as Druvic. A woman who doesn't just know how to read and write. But is also a fairly accomplished amateur historian. Who knows much of the history, both recent and going further back in time. Of what's happened here in the eastern region of Druvic. Things she has started to teach her young charge, the lady Linara Lé Dic.
"Now with what you've told me about what happened to earl Maxiss" says lady Hollis, who pauses for a little while as she watches the young lady of the fief, before she continues with "Will he intend the same thing to happen to Linny?".
"I'm not sure" quietly says Helbe the elven thief, who then silently adds, i hope not.
"He's not officially the steward of the fief" says the elven magic user, who continues on with "So i don't know how things will go if something was to happen to young Linara".
Lady Hollis Duc de Laér nods, then says "He has to petition the king to become steward of the fief and guardian of Linara" the local noble continues with "Only then will he be able to take complete control of the fief if something was to happen to Linny".
"Do you think he's capable of doing something" says prince Helbenthril Raendril with a nod of his head to the frolicking lady of the fief, as he adds "To his own granddaughter?".
"I'm not sure" replies the nobleborn woman, the young elven noble from the principality of Laerel slightly nods, then quietly says "Well, let's see if we can do something about it if he tries".
The grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel is quiet for a little while, then he says "The rest of the army led by him should be at the border by now. If you like I'll go there and inform Percy what I've found out". The elven masterthief won't exactly do that, he'll discuss things with the others first, and eventually he might tell sir Percavelle Lé Dic what happened to his brother Maxiss.
That's if the former earl of the fief and the rest of the group are at the border. As there first priority here in the east of Druvic, is to locate the war engineer they've been searching for.
"Percavelle will kill him if you tell him what he did to his brother" quietly says the lady Hollis, who continues with "He'll kill young Jared too, since he's the one who actually did it".
"I know" says the elven magic user, who is relieved that the local noblewoman has instinctively trusted him. Though he suspects that has something to do with sir Percavelle Lé Dic. Who told her and her charge, the lady Linara Lé Dic. That he Helbenthril Raendril, along with lord Farque and Mira Reinholt the mage will turn up at castle Lé Dic at sometime. And that they could trust them with their lives. No matter what.
The elven master assassin is silent as he waits for the local noblewoman's decision. She is quiet for quite sometime, before she finally says to him "I think it best you tell Percavelle".
The talented spellcaster from the elven principality of Laerel slightly nods, then he quietly asks the younger of the two Duc dé Laér sisters "And young Linara?".
The local noble looks at him then says "No" followed by "Her uncle should be the one to tell her" lady Hollis briefly pauses before adding "And if he's unable to, then I'll eventually tell her what happened to her father".
The elven masterthief nods to her decision, then says "That would be best" then he tells the local noblewoman "I shall leave for the border immediately". Then being a little cryptic about it, as he doesn't want to exactly explain who, and what he is, he tells the governess of the young lady of the fief "You and young Linara will be perfectly safe until i, and Percy and the rest of our acquaintances return".
The elven magic user casts long lasting protection spells upon the lady Hollis Duc de Laér and lady Linara Lé Dic. Shielding the spells, then spell locking them. So that other practitioners of magic don't know that there's spells upon the two nobles.
"Depending on how things are along the border, and in that town of Falshire, I'll try and return here as quickly as possible with Percy and the others" says Helbe the elven thief, who then stands, the local noble stands as well, and quietly tells him "Thank you for informing me, and thank you for your help".
"My pleasure" says the young elven noble, who then calls out a farewell to lady Linara Lé Dic. Who briefly stops her play with her two companions, and wishes him a farewell.
The elven princeling makes his way from the garden and out of the courtyard. While behind him, having just watched him leave. Lady Hollis Duc de Laér goes back to watching her charge, the lady of the fief. And her two play companions. Not realising that there's a naturally, magical creature flying around the three children. Who does so until they finish playing, and head off for their midday meal with lady Hollis, while she flies away to catch up to the elven masterthief she's attached to . . . . . .