The Reclamation
((OOC NOTES: Im revealing some information that wasn’t common knowledge [a bit about Lucius & Caierris’ relationship] also some of the events don’t quite fit time time line properly [like Lucius having disappeared almost a year ago, but I thought was necessary for the explanation of why Varstaad was in such a state.]))
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"Her ye be, Old Varstad" The tiller-man said to her as they sailed up to be what was once a great city.
She raised a bag of coins, jingled it at the man, and tossed it his way as she stepped off the boat onto the dock.
"Hmmm, Old Varstad? So thats what they were calling it now?” she thought to herself. She looked around the city that still seemed to be in prime condition, it hadn’t deteriorated at all since the Old King of Varstaad had vanished into thin air leaving the town to its own devices.
As as she walked about, what she noticed was the fact that the shop keepers had lost direction. With no one to buy their wares they had either left or turned to banditry, many had left because other had turned to banditry. There were windows and doors boarded up on many of the still elegant looking buildings. She shook her head. She couldn’t believe what had become of the city.
It was with much dysphoria that Caierris drifted through the streets of Old Varstaad.
It was a bittersweet feeling, being in this town again now that Lucius Dhaalgard, the old king of Varstaad, was no longer there. The first time she had ever stepped foot into Varstaad she was led by a man that showed her no prejudice for having blue skin and red eyes. The first time she had been led into the city, hand in hand, she felt a fresh wind blow on her skin, a wind free of oppression, and racism; The gentle smile on his face and the pride in his eyes as he looked over his newly constructed city was contagious. For the first time she had felt not as a drow, a human, a harpy or wild animal; she had had felt like a woman. She had felt like she was wanted and she was needed. She had someone who had claimed he had loved her. As quickly as she had felt free, it was ripped away from her, like the most beautiful dream turned concave phantasm that only left her empty.
It was bittersweet indeed. Only after reentering Narrowhaven, alone, did she truly realize the despotic nature of this political system, it was cruel and repressive.
It had taken her nearly a year before she worked up the courage to step back into Varstaad.
Now that she was here, why did she come back? For ole time’s sake? In hopes that maybe Lucius wasn’t really gone? In hopes that the reality of it was just a nightmare?
It was not. It was real. She blinked her eyes closed, squeezing them tightly, still walking as if drifting on the wind. When she opened her eyes once again she had realized that her feet had made their own way to the base of the Palace. Step after wobbly step, her feet found purchase up the steps. Slowly she turned, shielding her eyes from the setting sun.
Before she knew it, the sun had completely set. There were hardly any lights left in the city, not even the castle was lit. She watched the moon drenched city and let out a despondent sigh. She closed her eyes once again, imagining the glory of what was once this beautiful city.
“Shhhhhhhhh….. eerrrrriiisssssss”
What sounded like a hushed whisper ripped her from her thoughts. Opening her eyes she snapped her head in the direction of the sound. “Lucius?…” she trailed off. How silly of her. He was gone.
Quite suddenly and in a flurry of events she could hardly recall, she had been knocked over the head and been rendered rightly unconscious. When she came to, she was laying in a place vaguely familiar. A place surrounded in skins & furs, with a warm fire glowing. She tried to sit up quickly but he head which was in acute and swimming pain stopped her.
“Slowly, Miss…” An allaying voice said to her. “You’ve taken quite a blow to the head.”
Bleary eyed Caierris squinted , trying to focus her vision. “Where am I? What happened? Who are you?” questions pouring out of her mouth. If there was one thing Caierris hated the most it was being put into an unfamiliar situation by being taken by surprise.
The figure smiled. It was a beautiful half-elf girl. Her long hair glowing golden, as the fire shown brightly off of it.
Through her blurred vision, she could have swore she was seeing… “Lucius?” she tried to blink past the fog just behind her eyes.
The girl frowned and shook her head. “I’m afraid the King may never return.” she looked away towards several others who also were laying on make shift beds of furs and skins. “This is what we are reduced to.” The young half elf motioned around the room.
As the pain slowly abated, Caierris looked around the room with clearer eyes. She recognized the room now. It was one of the inner chambers in the castle. Tables and chairs had been pushed aside to make room for what looked like sick and injured.
“What happened to all these people?” Caierris asked genuinely concerned.
“Crime” the half elf replied. “There is no stopping it anymore. There is only one who continues to try to stand against it. Sir Kendrall… But he is only one man.” she motioned towards the door in which no one was standing.
Unsteadily Caierris stood. She was ashamed in Lucius’ stead for what had become of this town. At one point he had promised to make her his Queen. But when he disappeared, she too abandoned the people. She couldn’t even look at the pretty half elf for all the shame she felt.
She wanted to make it right, She WOULD make it right.
With determination she made her way to the old king’s study and sat the desk. She pulled a piece of foolscap from the drawer and dipped the quill in ink.
“The reorganization of Varstaad…” She scribbled almost illegibly, then in another stroke she crossed it out and sighed.
“The…” She started again below it. “Damn it!” she struck the desk with her fist frustrated. “Flowered words later!” She stood abruptly ignoring the pain in her head. “Action First!” This was a principle she found most familiar.
Back towards the door, opening to the city, she strode determined to find this man, ‘Sir Kendrall’, who even in the absence of leadership vowed to keep the city safe.
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I will be adding at least 4 parts to this story. Parts of how each piece of the counsel, who we currently have, has come to join the counsel.
