man. He thought that everyone around him was conspiring to take his title, his throne, even his life. Master Byrn is more guarded than truly paranoid. He keeps mostly to himself unless he is visiting with his mother or Lady Sarianna. In the weeks that he has been here, Master Byrn has only ventured into Everec proper twice and then only on official business.”
Sane grinned what he hoped was a friendly grin that would put the butler at ease and gestured that they should continue to the main house. “Byrn has spent most of the last few years hiding away from most of society. In time he will relax his guard and come to think of Everec as home. He may even be the ruler here one day.” That would be something to see- a magician in a seat of power in Aurelia.
The butler led Sane into the house and after asking around found that Lady Marian had not left her room all morning as he had predicted. The sorcerer was impressed by the manor house. It was large for a home belonging to a low ranking noble especially one newly risen from a commoner, but would be well earned if Marian Lightfoot could put an end to the orc skirmishes that were plaguing the mining towns and the surrounding mountain villages.
When they reached the door to Marian’s bed chamber the butler knocked on the door politely. After a few moments passed and there was no answer, he knocked again. “Lady Lightfoot, are you well?” the butler asked cautiously.
“ We should check if she is in there,” Sane suggested.
The butler’s eyes grew wide and he shook his head briskly. “Sir, I could never do such a thing! That would be a complete breach of etiquette- not to mention common decency!”
“ You may leave and I will investigate,” the sorcerer suggested, “If anyone asks tell them I turned you into a mouse.”
Taking a step back, the butler’s voice quivered as he asked, “You can do that?”
Sane turned from the man without giving an answer and banged on the door. The sound seemed very loud as it bounced off of the walls in the otherwise quiet hall causing the butler to jump back, and no doubt expended a great deal of his bravery reserve to keep himself from running away. Was this man always so high strung or was his fear the result of serving his previous master as he seemed to suggest? Sane banged on the door a second time and the butler made up a reason to scurry off.
“ Marian, it is Sane. Can I come in?” There was a faint sound like a gasp, but the Lady made no further noise. “I need to find Byrn… I have grave news.”
The ranger-turned-noblewoman opened the door and Sane could see that her eyes and nose were both red. She had been crying perhaps all morning… perhaps longer than that.
“ What is wrong?” Sane asked with concern. They shared a common friend in the elf, Sari, but Sane and Marian were not close and rarely spoke to one another. However, he never did like to see a woman cry.
Marian retreated back to her room and took a letter off her desk. She flung it to Sane and returned to sit on her bed, not caring if he caught it or not. The letter flitted to the floor at the sorcerer’s feet. He picked it up and counseled himself to keep his annoyance at the woman’s rudeness in check. She clearly feared that Byrn had abandoned her, or worse.
“ Dearest Mother,” Sane said aloud as he started to read the letter and then continued reading to himself as Marian started to cry again. “This is shocking to say the least…” Sane mumbled halfway through the letter.
“ Is it true?” Marian asked. Her voice carried sadness, but was tinged with a small hint of anger. “Did he kill Tannys?”
“ Yes, Byrn was responsible for his death; however, it was an accident.”
Marian clenched her fists and pursed her lips. Torn between despair and anger; she was unsure of how to react. “And what about the rest? Byrn wrote that Ashura cursed him. Is that even possible?”
“ He never said anything to me about this,” Sane shook his
Sane grinned what he hoped was a friendly grin that would put the butler at ease and gestured that they should continue to the main house. “Byrn has spent most of the last few years hiding away from most of society. In time he will relax his guard and come to think of Everec as home. He may even be the ruler here one day.” That would be something to see- a magician in a seat of power in Aurelia.
The butler led Sane into the house and after asking around found that Lady Marian had not left her room all morning as he had predicted. The sorcerer was impressed by the manor house. It was large for a home belonging to a low ranking noble especially one newly risen from a commoner, but would be well earned if Marian Lightfoot could put an end to the orc skirmishes that were plaguing the mining towns and the surrounding mountain villages.
When they reached the door to Marian’s bed chamber the butler knocked on the door politely. After a few moments passed and there was no answer, he knocked again. “Lady Lightfoot, are you well?” the butler asked cautiously.
“ We should check if she is in there,” Sane suggested.
The butler’s eyes grew wide and he shook his head briskly. “Sir, I could never do such a thing! That would be a complete breach of etiquette- not to mention common decency!”
“ You may leave and I will investigate,” the sorcerer suggested, “If anyone asks tell them I turned you into a mouse.”
Taking a step back, the butler’s voice quivered as he asked, “You can do that?”
Sane turned from the man without giving an answer and banged on the door. The sound seemed very loud as it bounced off of the walls in the otherwise quiet hall causing the butler to jump back, and no doubt expended a great deal of his bravery reserve to keep himself from running away. Was this man always so high strung or was his fear the result of serving his previous master as he seemed to suggest? Sane banged on the door a second time and the butler made up a reason to scurry off.
“ Marian, it is Sane. Can I come in?” There was a faint sound like a gasp, but the Lady made no further noise. “I need to find Byrn… I have grave news.”
The ranger-turned-noblewoman opened the door and Sane could see that her eyes and nose were both red. She had been crying perhaps all morning… perhaps longer than that.
“ What is wrong?” Sane asked with concern. They shared a common friend in the elf, Sari, but Sane and Marian were not close and rarely spoke to one another. However, he never did like to see a woman cry.
Marian retreated back to her room and took a letter off her desk. She flung it to Sane and returned to sit on her bed, not caring if he caught it or not. The letter flitted to the floor at the sorcerer’s feet. He picked it up and counseled himself to keep his annoyance at the woman’s rudeness in check. She clearly feared that Byrn had abandoned her, or worse.
“ Dearest Mother,” Sane said aloud as he started to read the letter and then continued reading to himself as Marian started to cry again. “This is shocking to say the least…” Sane mumbled halfway through the letter.
“ Is it true?” Marian asked. Her voice carried sadness, but was tinged with a small hint of anger. “Did he kill Tannys?”
“ Yes, Byrn was responsible for his death; however, it was an accident.”
Marian clenched her fists and pursed her lips. Torn between despair and anger; she was unsure of how to react. “And what about the rest? Byrn wrote that Ashura cursed him. Is that even possible?”
“ He never said anything to me about this,” Sane shook his
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