| Subject: River Cut II |
Author:
Cricket
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Date Posted: 06:37:13 09/20/09 Sun
It has been many months since our arrival here in River Cut.
Everything has come to pass as we had planned, if not several things that we did not.
Lucas was married...though not to whom he expected. It took me weeks to figure out how to put myself under the veils.
He laughed til I was sure he was going to break something afterward, but everyone, including Dora Mae, believed they had been married. For all our cruelty to Dora Mae..I do not think he enjoyed the way things came to pass. Truly, none of us did.
A few days after the wedding, the mine collapse occurred. Most of the council members and the magistrat were killed. Lucas escaped with broken arm and one injured council member. Grafton I believe his name was. He died in the days after from his injuries.
It wasnt long afterward, I realized I was with child again. Noone was more surprised than Lucas, for he did not think it possible. I had tried to explain to him what had happened to me..with Saben..but of course such things as that are impossible to really explain. It would soon come to pass, that he would learn in another way, when Saben showed up.
It seemed everything was going perfectly..we were looking for a site to begin building..we were intending to soon send Dora Mae off on the Cricket...and that was when she went mad.
Laura had been watching her, and said she had wandered toward the windows, and when she had tried to turn her back, she went insane. She had slapped Laura, and began to throw anything that came to hand..including a lamp. Laura got out without any burns thanks to Lucas, but Dora Mae was not so lucky. She nearly burned the house down, but the men were able to keep it contained to one room and the attic. Lucas saved her from that fiery death...and I have rarely felt such terror as when I saw him running up there.
Dora Mae lingered for about a week with her injuries, until Rose was considering aiding her passing. It became unnecessary however, when Dora Mae passed on her own.
I can only feel relief that she is no longer a problem..but Lucas took it much harder, and I believe he suffered some guilt in it all. I cannot feel the regret he does. I am only relieved.
If this were not enough, in the days following the fire, we were to get a strange visitor of the name of Lykos. Two days would pass before I would discover who it really was.
Saben. I cannot explain the feeling I had when I realized this. It was such a mix of things, from lust to fear to friendship...and relief..to know something of my son, Arcolin.
He says he is dark..like I am..looks much like me, and he is well cared for by the Druids. He promised I could go and see him whenever I liked. I felt a certain...fear at this, that I still do not understand. A fear that as soon as I saw him, I would want to catch him up and run with him.
To what end, I ask myself. He is Gaia's son, not mine.
Still, it did my heart much good to know that Saben watches over him, and that he will grow and be safe where he is.
I tried to explain to Lucas again, about Saben..about our history and our relationship. He tried very hard to understand..but I think just the time I spent with Saben was too much for him to take in. He couldnt accept it.
Not that I blamed him..but I felt such a frustration that I could not explain to him any better than I had.
Saben suggested that telling Lucas who he really was, might be the harder road..and so for awhile, I let Saben believe that I had not told Lucas who he really was..only that he was an old friend. This was anything but the truth, for I will not hold anything back from Lucas..and he knew all along.
Saben, under the guise of Lykos, had come seeking a job..and so a job we gave him, as House Trainer. He was to train Laura, and my newly hired Elven healer,Keleios, to serve the House. I thought I was more than clear that the "House" meant him as well as everyone else in it.
I suppose I expected to much from Saben. It is not of his nature to share anything with another male, or to hold any form of respect, real or false. I suppose I just wanted so much for it to work out..that I did not see the truth.
Saben held a threat over me almost all the time..my twins..our facade. I know Lucas did not understand why I did not stand up to him. He still does not..and I found myself in the worst situation. It was Lucas..or Saben.
There was no contest.
The night "Lykos" came to Lucas' room, and refused any form of respect to him..ending the deal by claiming both Laura and Keleios, and letting Lucas know that at any time..he could have me..Meg..or any other female in the House.
In all the years I have known Saben, I have seen him vilified and hunted, but I have never seen any man face him down as Lucas did. Saben shifted..to show Lucas what he really was..and even as R'Auco got right in his face..he didnt back down. I do not think I have ever loved anyone so much, as I did when Lucas stood up for me. I could do no less than stand up for him. He sent R'Auco into a rage, and we lost at least two sets of doors to his talons..but Gods..it could have been so much worse.
By then, I had simply had enough..enough threats, enough discomfort..enough of being dominated by him.
I told him to take the girls..and get the hell out of my life. I know I said alot of other, more vicious things..things I regret, but that I know I had to say to end it.
Saben left..and he left the girls with us, thank Gods.
With him, he took years of frienship and any news of my son.
I still wonder what choice I had.
We have done our best to get our lives back in sync since then. Dora Mae passed away during this time, and we still have a shortage of lumber for the manors repairs.
Laura disappeared for a few days after Saben left, but we found her at the chapel and she is now at home.
She and Keleios are slowly adjusting to their positions, but it will be long for the both of them until they feel at ease and at home. Meg on the other hand has progressed beautifully, and Lucas and I are very happy with her.
I have also a male slave of the House now, Nobi. He is of the tribal nomads of the Burning Lands, silent and strong. Lucas did not want me to have him at first..but he has become a permanent fixture now, and we both enjoy having him. I have always felt I could trust him, and I do believe he is loyal.
We had another visitor come while Lykos was here, a mage by the name of Kyslith Darkstone. He was found causing some upset up at the mines. His story is that another mage has left a rather..powerful sword in it, and that it is riddled with false caves and tunnels that protect it. It is one reason he says, that the mine keeps collapsing. He wished to have access to it..and we have agreed, on the one condition, that he stays to teach the twins.
His arrival could not have come at a better time, for the twins have begun to exhibit some manipulation of magic, no doubt triggered by their time with Khaless.
It is not only dangerous, but hard to explain. I am grateful the mage has agreed to teach them. Both he and Keleios are half elven and half human..and the twins seem to recognize the similarity. I have requested that Keleios help in their teaching, for the mage prefers such lessons to be had in his tower. He has set up a portal, open always, and Kel accompanies the twins there. ..or at least she was. The last two days have proved to be trying ones yet again.
The first day of their lessons, the morning went well, the twins were happy and Keleios seemed to be trying hard.
That afternoon, I visited the mage in the mine, wanting to see for myself what was going on up there, and as well, to ask his opinion on the twins and their magic.
It concerns me, that he believes their magic is dependent upon the other, but relieves me that he wishes to teach them to control it individually.
The mines have proved to be riddled with the undead..and at least four zombies fell while I spoke with him. I held little fear that he would vanquish any other foes within, and so I left him there. I returned to the manor, and readied the twins for their afternoon lessons, but when Kel took them to the tower, it was only to discover the mage was gravely injured. It seems he ran into a powerful liche within the mine. Kel seems able to heal him, and is with him now in a nearby room.
I am left wondering how dangerous those mines really are..and what to do if dies. There is noone else to teach the twins. If he lives, I intend to suggest that he keeps Kel with him, even when at the mine.
With Rose busy with the house business, and Kel and Nobi with the mage, it is but Meg, Laura and I to care for the twins, but I do not mind it, and spending time with them is a gift.
One other thing of mention, is that Lucas had the mage scry for a building spot for the brothel, and he has found a most wonderful place. Its a clearing near a waterfall off the main river..the falls even hiding a cave behind them. (one we initiated in a glorious few hours). I have drawn up the house plans, and Moses two best men from Phyrexia are drawing up the details. We have nearly enough material that was brought with it, and I have already seen that it will be covertly delivered to the site. Building should start soon, and hopefully enough will be done before the snows come that work can continue through the winter.
Come next spring, I hope that we can move in..the baby will be here..and things should be handed over to Mose more completely by then. I so look forward to it.
We have the kings taxman coming at the end of the month to collect the Kings due..and while that does not worry us much..our resident priest does. Laura had overheard some mention of a report he had for the King, and was asking her alot of questions about us.
I intend to get my hands on that report, and find out just what the hell is in it. In the meantime..we are going to see just how pious our priest really is...and how easy he will be to tempt. Lucas and I both agree, priests are not often as holy as they pretend to be.
It is late, and the twins will want their bedtime story before they close their eyes for the night. I can hear the sounds of Meg and Lucas through the doors, and it makes me smile. ...I shall write again later.
~C~
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