Lady of Nyv

Her eyes fluttered open what felt like just a few moments later. Ona was shocked to feel the burn of the midday sun burning her eyes as she scanned the room. It had been early evening when she had entered her residence, and she suspected she had slept throughout the night and into the next day. She had surprised herself, as she usually didn't sleep all that much; her body didn't need sleep like most people did.

She hesitantly climbed to her feet as was immediately aware of a throbbing sensation in her head. She pushed her hair away from her face and rubbed her eyes. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed an official-looking letter on her desk. She didn't remember seeing it before she had fallen asleep, although if she had been so tired as to sleep for a day, she imagined she could have missed something as minor as this.

She walked over to her desk briskly and took the piece of paper in her hands, inspecting it carefully. The wax that sealed the envelope closed was a deep violet colour. She tried to reflect back to her lessons with Raf, but could not recall which ruler used a deep purple wax. She carefully peeled the wax off of the letter without warming it through first as she was extremely impatient. The wax flaked off as if it had been stuck on the paper for ages. She let the circle of wax fall from her fingers and she carefully unfolded the letter.

The letter was not addressed to anyone, nor did it say who had written it. It didn't make much sense, either. Ona tried for a long time to figure out what the array of words scribbled onto the paper meant, but she could not decipher it's message.

She ground the letter into a tight ball and tossed it into the hearth. She stood in front of the fire, staring into the flames, and watched while the paper ball caught fire. Once the paper had turned into ash, she decided that she must leave her room. She was so very hungry.

As she walked out of her room and down the narrow corridor she couldn't help but think of the letter and it's meaning. She decided she would ask Raf if anyone had been in her room, although it was unlikely that he would know. Her footsteps sounded exceedingly loud as they echoed off of the walls of the empty hallway. She walked briskly toward the kitchen, her stomach growled impatiently and she quickened her pace.

She finally reached the kitchen and was surprised to find it empty. She hesitated for only a moment before grabbing cheese, bread and ale and walking to the dining hall. She glanced around the table, searching for familiar faces, and saw one. Dom. She could not believe that he was back already. It was then that she remembered how long she had slept, and sighed. She seated herself beside her brother and he nodded at her. He opened his mouth to speak, but she silenced him by raising a hand. She loathed when people spoke with their mouths full of food. It nauseated her.

She broke off a chunk of the bread she had stolen from the kitchen and watched as Dom swallowed quickly and drank his wine. "What was it you were so eager to tell me, brother?" She asked in between mouthfuls of bread and cheese. He stopped picking apart his meal, which appeared to be rabbit, and turned to face his sister. "I just wanted to wish you a good morning." He stated, with a laugh. She looked at him, disappointment and annoyance written all over her face. "I apologize," Dom began, "I really didn't have anything of great importance to tell you." She sighed and nodded, returning back to her food.

"How did your meeting go last night?" He asked. She could tell by the look in his eyes that he was not just asking out of politeness, he was very curious. She took a long drink of her ale and swallowed deeply. Ona did not feel much like discussing private affairs in a very public place, "We shall discuss this later." She said to Dom, gesturing around the room. He nodded, clearly comprehending what she was trying to tell him.

"How was your night?" She asked him. She had asked purely out of politeness as she really did not want to image what her brother had gotten up to. "It was very exhilarating, to say the least." He replied with a casual chuckle. Ona shook her head in disgust. Of course, she should have known better than to ask her brother about his nighttime activities. She would be sure to avoid that topic at all costs next time.

Once they had finished their food, Ona stood and motioned for Dom to follow her. They walked down the main hallway that led to her chambers. Ona opened the door to her room and ushered Dom inside. There, they sat on the floor and Dom looked at Ona with his piercing violet eyes. "Well," He began. "This must be some secret if you are allowing me into your chambers in broad daylight. People will talk if they spot us, you know. I've already heard the rumours." Ona paid his jests no mind. She did not care for his humour now. There was so much to do.

Once her brother had finished laughing at his own jests, she began to tell him of her meeting with the Members. She did not leave out any detail, and she made sure to emphasize her role in the Quest. Once she was finished telling the tale of the plot, Dom burst into very loud laughter. Ona's hand twitched with anger, but she managed to restrain herself. She needed Dom to aide her during this quest, and in order for her to persuade him, she must not hit him. She waited patiently for Dom to stop his irritating cackling.

She had counted up to one hundred twice before Dom quieted. She stared at him, hoping he could sense the fury in her eyes. It was obvious by the way he avoided her stare that yes, he could indeed feel her anger burning into him. She smiled wickedly. "Now," She said. "Here's why I am telling you this, dearest brother." Dom leaned closer, listening intently. "The Members need at least two dozen skilled men, and I would like for you to be one of those two dozen." Dom laughed once again, but not with quite as much enthusiasm. "Will there be women?" Dom asked. "Just myself, I believe." Ona said hesitantly. She did not know if Dom would be willing to sacrifice his promiscuous ways- even if it meant conquering the South. Dom leaned back onto his elbows, deep in thought. Ona could practically see the scales that were working in his head, measuring each choice. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Dom sat up. "I have made my decision." He stated. Ona looked at him expectantly. "Well?" She asked impatiently. He cleared his throat, clearly trying to make his decision seem like a life-changing event. "I shall join you and your Members on this quest." Dom said with a smile.

Ona reached over and shook her brothers hand. "Be at the gates in two days time at sunrise." She stated solemnly. Then she rose and began to walk toward the door. "Where are you going?" Dom asked. "We need two dozen men." Ona stated simply, and disappeared through the door.

She had expected Dom to follow her, but was pleased that he hadn't. It was much more difficult to persuade men to join you on a perilous journey when your brother decides to supervise you. She walked briskly down the hall, footsteps echoing once again. Ona made sure to avoid Raf and any other men who may recognize her. She walked through the large wooden door, and out into the open courtyard. She was hesitant to walk through the iron gate again, because of the unfortunate event that had taken place there only yesterday.

Thankfully, she remembered a secret tunnel that a servant had shown her many years ago. Ona walked around the Western side of the building, staying close to the walls so she did not attract any unwanted attention from the guards. Once she reached the very back of the castle she began to walk toward the large walls that surrounded the premises. The guards always had their backs to the castle, which was convenient if you were only going outside for a moment, but Ona had to leave for at least a few hours.

She found the tunnel that went underneath the wall quite easily, and she crawled through until her entire body was hidden under the ground beneath the wall. Carefully, she poked her head through to the other side of the wall, and was flooded with relief. There were large bushes that covered the base of the wall, just as she had remembered. They had grew a few feet since she had last seen them, thankfully. She began to slowly pull herself from the tunnel and onto the frozen ground that surrounded the bushes.

As she crawled, she breathed deeply. She had always adored the smell of Winter Bushes. They were the only bush that grew in the North and never died. It thrived in the cold, dry winter season that was constantly prevalent in the North. The bushes smelled like mint and cold, and the smell stung your nostrils in a pleasant way the if you inhaled for too long.

Ona was careful not to crawl too fast as she did not want the archers to shoot her thinking she was a fox or snake. Every few minutes she would poke her head out of the side of the bushes to see how far she had left to crawl.

Once she was a few paces from the main gate, she carefully rolled out of the bushes and stood up. She looked around cautiously, and was thankful that no one had seen a her emerge from a bush like a small child. She dusted the snow off of her clothing and walked East, crossing the path that led to the gate. She followed the worn path that led to the center of Nyv, though she didn't need guidance when finding her way to town. She had done it many times as a child, and even now that she was slightly older.

Whilst she walked, she kept her eyes open for any men that stood out to her. She passed a farm and saw a tall, broad, Northern-looking man chopping wood. She stopped and watched the way he brought down the axe with such precision that he split the logs into two equal halves every time. She walked toward this axe-wielding man carefully, still studying his every move.

The man did not seem to notice her until she was nearly within arms reach of him. He looked up at her, and did not seem startled at all. She smiled at him, hesitantly. He looked her up and down curiously. "What can I do for you, M'Lady?" He asked politely, sticking his axe into a nearby tree stump and wiping his hands on his pants. "My name is Lady Ona of Nyv." She stated, and extended her hand for him to grasp. He reached out and shook her hand. She noticed he had a hard grip. "How can I be of service to ye, M'Lady?" She smiled and released his hand, letting hers fall to her side.

"T'is not what you may do for me, but what I may do for you." She said to this strange man. He looked at her warily. "My wife is in the house." He said, gesturing to a quaint farmhouse a few paces away. Ona laughed. "That is not what I meant. Your wife has no need to be wary of me." She said calmly. "What is it you want to do for me?" He asked, seeming skeptical that a woman could provide anything other than warmth in his bed. "I have a proposition for you." She stated. Again, the man seemed wary.

"What is your name?" She asked him. She wanted to be sure he was of the North. "My name is Lug, M'Lady." She nodded in approval. "What is your wife's name?" "Her name is Yalys. Why do you ask?" "She is from Kalis?" Ona inquired. "Yes. A small town North of Exima, M'Lady." Ona smiled. She knew now that Lug would be perfect.

"Why is it that you need know where my wife is from?" Lug was clearly becoming annoyed with Ona. "My proposition is one of great danger." Ona began. "My team and I-" "What team?" Lug interrupted. Ona ignored his rudeness and answered his question. "We are called the Members. We work for the King's Advisor. I am his niece." Lug nodded, he seemed to know of the Members. "I cannot say anymore until we are in private." Ona stated. "This quest is of great importance, but may cost you your life." The Northern man looked toward his house and his wife, and then back at Ona. She could see the sadness in his eyes. "Your kingdom needs you, Lug." Ona said, looking deep into his silver eyes. "Please, consider my offer. If you wish to join me, meet me and my team at the gates of Castle Nyv in one day at the first glimpse of the Sun." Lug nodded, bowed stiffly, and walked toward his house.

Ona watched him go inside and embrace his wife. She hoped he would join them. They would need strong men to complete their quest, and she truly believed he would be of use.

She walked back to the beaten down path in the freshly fallen snow and continued on her way to town. Ona, once again, kept her eyes open for possible additions. She passed another farm that appeared vacant, although she was sure she was mistaken. Slowly, she saw the tops of the buildings that made up the center of Nyv start to appear along the horizon.

She smiled in spite of herself. As much as she hated people in general, she did adore this town. It's people had accepted her in her time of need, and they had been ever so accomodating. As these oddly pleasant thoughts swirled around her head she forgot where she was. In her dreamlike state she wandered had wandered off course.

She was wrenched from her pleasant thoughts as her body collided with another. She fell into the snow, limbs tangled with someone else's. She sat on the ground, in shock, as the cold snow soaked through her thin clothes, making her shiver. The person she had collided with stood smoothly, wiped themselves of snow, and reached a gloved hand out to help Ona up. She took their hand gratefully, stood, and finally saw the face of who she had run into.

Their eyes met and she was astonished. The man who she had just trampled over had the most amazing colour of eyes she had ever seen. This man, Ona thought, was so typically Northern. He had hair as black as coal and eyes as bright as the fire used to burn it. In fact, the deeper she looked into his eyes, the more the colours seemed to turn into dancing flames, burning his pupil.

The man coughed uncomfortably, and Ona realized she had been staring into his glorious eyes for far too long. She lowered her gaze, clearly embarrassed. Blood rushed to her cheeks. "I apologize for trampling you, good Sir." Ona said to him. "There's been no harm done, M'Lady." He replied. She looked up at him gratefully, careful not to get lost in his eyes once again.

She surveyed this man and decided he must be an archer. Not of the Castle, but of the forest. She noticed his bow had been spared in the fall, however one or two of his arrows were not so lucky, and neither was the game that hung on a rope from his hip- although she supposed their death was caused by something other than their fall.

"What is your name?" He asked her after a few moments of silence. "Lady Ona of Nyv." She replied. He bowed graciously. "I never thought I would have the honour of meeting the niece of the King's Advisor." He stated. She smiled, "What is your name?" She asked him in turn. "My name is Kol." He said. "Are you of the North, Kol?" "Yes, M'Lady. I was born in Xia, a large mining town in the very North."

"I have a proposition for you, Kol." She said to him, being sure to watch his expressions. "What can I help you with, M'Lady?" He asked her, clearly curious. "I am looking for men. I have a perilous quest on which I must embark in a little over a day's time." "How many men?" Kol asked. Ona had a feeling he could help her. "How many do you have?" She inquired. She hoped these men were in good condition, although if Kol was anything to go by, she knew it was safe to assume that they would be very fit. "I have myself and five others. We would be honoured to assist you in whatever way we can." She shook his hand, "Thank you, Kol. I ask that you and your men meet me at the gates of Castle Nyv at daybreak in a little over a day. I apologize for the lack of information, but it is a very private matter that must not be discussed until then." "We shall see you then, dearest Lady Ona." The two then parted ways, and Ona made her way back to the castle.

As Ona made her way back to the castle, her thoughts swam of the journey on which she would embark in a little over a day’s time. She walked swiftly down the pathway that led to the Western side of the Castle, and slipped under the Winter Bushes, inhaling their intoxicating scent once again. A smile crept upon her face; she was going to miss this scent once she took over the South. Mayhaps she could bring some of this wonderful scent with her when they departed, she was sure her fellow Members would comply.

Ona reached the hole that went under the wall, and in the darkness she struggled to lower herself down the icy incline. She lost her footing, and slid to the middle of the tunnel; directly under the wall. She sighed, and crawled out of the tunnel safely, and into the courtyard just outside of the kitchen. She carefully surveyed the courtyard to be sure no one had seen from where she had emerged, and walked in through the servants’ entrance to the kitchen. The warmth from the fires in the dining room emanated through the walls that led to the kitchen, and warmed her through to the bone instantly.

The kitchen staff looked over at her in shock when she entered.

“Lady Ona, you’re soaking wet!” Syl, the head cook at Castle Nyv chastised.
Ona moved her hand to her shoulder and realized that her clothes were soaked through. She must not have swept the snow from her clothes before entered the almost-too-hot kitchen.

She sighed, “Thank you, Syl. I must retire to my quarters now.”

Ona turned walked briskly out of the kitchen and into one of the many long hallways.

As she walked, she couldn’t help but have a sense of unease; as if something in the Castle was amiss. Her eyes darted toward the many entrances to the hallway, as she searched for the cause of her unease.

Finally, she reached the end of the hallway, and the entrance to her chambers. She stopped just outside the door as the feeling of unease grew inside her. A knot formed in her stomach, and she realized the door to her chambers was slightly ajar. Carefully, she pushed the door open with the tips of her fingers, and let it hit the wall behind it. Her eyes scanned the room for danger, but once again, found nothing.

The feeling of unease grew inside her, and she knew that something was not right. Every nerve in her body screamed for her to leave, but she refused. She was enraged with the thought of someone entering her chambers without her permission- especially if they intended to cause her harm.

She turned and closed the door behind her loudly. If anyone had entered this room without her knowing and they were still present, they would not be able to escape now. She pulled her dagger from the waistband of her pants and walked across the room to her desk, where she had found the letter only this morning.

She pulled out the chair to sit and realized that there was a familiar scent in her room. She paused, studying the chair. Realizing that the scent was not coming from the chair, she threw it against the door and crawled under her desk, allowing the scent to guide her. She ran her fingers over the fine wood that had been used to construct her desk, and felt something that should not be there. Her fingers ran along the strange form and she realized that it was a stem of some sort. Carefully, she plucked the stem from where it had been shoved between two pieces of wood and crawled out from under the desk, so she could inspect this strange herb.

It only took one breath before she came to the conclusion that the herb which she had found was in fact of the Winter Bush. She smiled to herself and cradled the sprig of Winter Bush against her chest.

“Do you enjoy my gift, Lady Ona?” A strange voice asked her.

The hair on the back of her neck stood on end and the feeling of unease returned to her all at once. She dropped the sprig and turned toward the sound of the voice; dagger outstretched.

She turned and saw her intruder. He was a short, stout man with a bald head and bright blue eyes, much like the sea. As she walked toward him, he began to back away. This did not stop Ona; however, she continued walking toward him until he had back himself into a corner. She pressed the tip of the blade of her new dagger against the thin skin of the underside of his chin and met his cold blue eyes.

“Who are you?” She demanded in a tone as cold as the kingdom in which she lived.

“I do not wish the mince words with you, my princess-“

Ona stabbed the blade harder into his skin, forcing beads of blood to emerge.

“I am not your anything.” Ona stated. “Now, I shall ask you again; who are you?”

Ona asked, emphasising every word of her question.

“I am no one of your concern; I have simply come for what I have been promised.”

“What exactly is it you think you have been promised?” Ona demanded.

“Oh, did Raf not tell you? What a terrible memory that man has!” The strange man stated with a laugh.

Ona dragged the dagger down toward his Adam’s apple.

“I am out of patience.” She stated, her darkening eyes met his.

She could sense the fear- smell it, even.

“I am giving you one more chance before I slit your pathetic throat. Who are you?”

The man sighed uneasily, clearly realizing that Ona was not one to be toyed with.

“I am Lord Saelik. I hail from a small town in the Eastern kingdom. I was promised you if the Eastern people did not engage in battle against the North. I am simply here to collect my prize, as promised. Now, if you will kindly remove the blade from my neck and come with me, your new life awaits.”

Ona was stunned. In a split second her shock turned to anger, and she dragged the blade from one side of the man’s neck to the other. His body fell forward as blood spurted from the gash in his neck. She looked down at his nearly-lifeless body and smiled. No one would dare have Lady Ona.