Hiya folks. This is a story I've been working on for the past two months or so. I know where I want the story to got but haven't figured out yet how to make it move in that direction. So far it's mostly setup, but I do like the vibe I'm building so far. I'll try and remember to keep it up to date as I work on it. Happy to hear what you think.
Even though the sun was on its way down to the horizon, its light was still bright and piercing. Piercing Lilith's eyes particularly. She rode about a pole behind her two knights, proper and respectful, just as she liked things. The paladin's immaculately polished armour shone like a beacon in the sunlight, only obscured by their perfectly white capes.
While she understood the symbolism behind the attire, she never really could reconsider the importance of that with the inordinate amount of time she had to spend washing to keep them that way. Even though someday she would have her own squire to help with the upkeep, she couldn't help but think there was a time and a place for spectacle, and out and about in the mud and dirt trying to do what paladins are supposed to do in the world was not it.
When she noticed that the knights were slowing down she slowed down as well. They came to a halt next to a small forest consisting of old pine trees. The smell reminded her of the pine forest next to her old homestead and water-bearing in the dead of winter from the nearby creek. Eventually, her Direct motioned for her to approach.
"Yes m'lord?" she asked.
"We will make camp here as we are approaching Vespers. Tie and feed the horses, then see if you can find water, sir Godfried and I will make camp."
"Yes m'lord," she said with a slight bow and dismounted, taking the reins of his horse as he dismounted too.
"Come Ester, Amos, Ira" she whispered to the horses as she led them to the tree range. She had always had a knack for animal handling, and the horses followed her diligently.
After she had tied and fed the horses, she walked off into the forest, listening intently for the sound of running water, all of their sac skins slung over her back. Luckily she found a small creek without much effort. After filling the sacks she washed her face with the icy water and sated her thirst. After a long day of riding the refreshment was more than welcome. She drew a small wayward glyph on a nearby tree, in case the paladins wanted to bathe. Even though the water felt colder than winter's breath itself, she did not know her new lords well enough to be certain that they wouldn't want to.
A silence came over them as they sat around the campfire, each lost in thought as they consumed their rations.
"Squire," her Direct said, "'tis time for Evensong. Do us the honour."
"Do you have a preference for a particular psalm my lord?"
The Direct briefly looked at the higher, who just shrugged dismissively.
"Whatever you think is appropriate," he concluded.
After some consideration, she chose "laudationem ad vesperam", one of her favourites. It was not a popular one, but she knew it well. It incorporated grief for the dying day, as well as a plea for protection from the serephea until Sol would rise again. It had always felt comforting to her. Especially as she wasn't sure yet what they had set out to do, a plea for protection and promise of the return of her god seemed appropriate.
"That's not one of the more well-known psalms, yet you carried it well. Have you been studying the psalms?" her Direct asked.
"Yes, m'lord. Though this is one of my personal favourites. Mother oft sang it to me and my siblings, it always helps me feel closer to Sol even when I cannot see him."
The higher raised his eyebrows.
"Is that so?"
"Yes m'lord," she said. Which is mostly was. Her mother had often sung it to her and her siblings, and it was one of her favourites as it made her feel protected and comforted. The bit about it helping her come closer to Sol was mostly exaggerated. Though she felt as though it ought to be true. Even if she could never quite tell what "coming closer to Sol" actually meant. At the very least it was the sort of language she knew the paladins and clergy liked to hear. So she sprinkled some of it in whenever she got the opportunity to and hoped and prayed that it would become true if she just kept repeating it.
"Squire." The voice of the Higher sounded solid and stout as a castle wall. She looked up towards the man, his eyes unyielding like a predator and that pale skin, loved so by the church.
"Yes, m'lord?"
"It is time we told you the purpose of our journey."
She sat up even straighter than normal, which was quite the feat since her posture was usually impeccable, to begin with.
"We are journeying to the Glassburrough cave system. Though thought long abandoned the locals have been complaining of howling wraiths of late. They are scared a necromancer has taken refuge in the cave systems. We are to go and investigate and put their minds at ease."
"I gather that you do not expect to find actual wraiths or necromancers there my lord?"
"Of course not, I'm sure the autumn wind has stirred up their plebian fears. Though as you know, cave systems can be treacherous, so we would do well to be careful nonetheless. We will be in formation during our exploration, if nothing else this should be a good first expedition for you. Now, have you mastered the first and second glyph circles?"
"Of course my lord."
"So says many a squire and yet I oft find their knowledge lacking. Recite them for me."
"Cantation or root form my lord?"
Though she told herself it was impossible to know, she thought she detected a hint of surprise in his features when she asked him that. Perhaps a faint flair of approval?
"Cantation." Of course, he had chosen the much more elaborate traditional form that was not often used anymore just to make it harder on her, but she was ready for it. She started to sing, making sure to annunciate properly even when going over the more elaborate story parts that were not actually magically useful.
When she was done, the Higher nodded.
"At least you have adequate knowledge of the basics." That was quite an understatement. She had recited everything perfectly, from the pronunciation to the tiny details and she knew it. She figured he was not one to give praise so easily but she thought she might have earned a little of his respect then, even if it was ever so small.
Next morn they set off early. En lieu of going to see the townfolk that had requested their help, the Higher insisted they go straight towards the caves. Lilith did not like this plan and she could see that her Direct didn't either, but neither of them felt brave enough to protest.
When they neared the entrance of the cave system, after having tied the horses, the knights stood by the opening and looked at her expectantly. After Lilith froze for a few moments, not knowing what to do, her Direct coughed and motioned her towards the entrance.
"Up front squire, in enclosed spaces, we walk in arrowhead formation."
Hesitantly she approached the entrance to what seemed to her the primordial void, as the knights took up a position at both her rear flanks. After a moment she felt the gauntlet of her Direct on her left shoulder.
"Cast Iji," he whispered with some compassion, "You light the way, we will protect you if necessary."
And thus Lilith entered the cave system, a ball of light gently dancing in her palm, two paladin knights trailing behind her, and an ominous knot forming in the pit of her stomach.
Even though the sun was on its way down to the horizon, its light was still bright and piercing. Piercing Lilith's eyes particularly. She rode about a pole behind her two knights, proper and respectful, just as she liked things. The paladin's immaculately polished armour shone like a beacon in the sunlight, only obscured by their perfectly white capes.
While she understood the symbolism behind the attire, she never really could reconsider the importance of that with the inordinate amount of time she had to spend washing to keep them that way. Even though someday she would have her own squire to help with the upkeep, she couldn't help but think there was a time and a place for spectacle, and out and about in the mud and dirt trying to do what paladins are supposed to do in the world was not it.
When she noticed that the knights were slowing down she slowed down as well. They came to a halt next to a small forest consisting of old pine trees. The smell reminded her of the pine forest next to her old homestead and water-bearing in the dead of winter from the nearby creek. Eventually, her Direct motioned for her to approach.
"Yes m'lord?" she asked.
"We will make camp here as we are approaching Vespers. Tie and feed the horses, then see if you can find water, sir Godfried and I will make camp."
"Yes m'lord," she said with a slight bow and dismounted, taking the reins of his horse as he dismounted too.
"Come Ester, Amos, Ira" she whispered to the horses as she led them to the tree range. She had always had a knack for animal handling, and the horses followed her diligently.
After she had tied and fed the horses, she walked off into the forest, listening intently for the sound of running water, all of their sac skins slung over her back. Luckily she found a small creek without much effort. After filling the sacks she washed her face with the icy water and sated her thirst. After a long day of riding the refreshment was more than welcome. She drew a small wayward glyph on a nearby tree, in case the paladins wanted to bathe. Even though the water felt colder than winter's breath itself, she did not know her new lords well enough to be certain that they wouldn't want to.
A silence came over them as they sat around the campfire, each lost in thought as they consumed their rations.
"Squire," her Direct said, "'tis time for Evensong. Do us the honour."
"Do you have a preference for a particular psalm my lord?"
The Direct briefly looked at the higher, who just shrugged dismissively.
"Whatever you think is appropriate," he concluded.
After some consideration, she chose "laudationem ad vesperam", one of her favourites. It was not a popular one, but she knew it well. It incorporated grief for the dying day, as well as a plea for protection from the serephea until Sol would rise again. It had always felt comforting to her. Especially as she wasn't sure yet what they had set out to do, a plea for protection and promise of the return of her god seemed appropriate.
"That's not one of the more well-known psalms, yet you carried it well. Have you been studying the psalms?" her Direct asked.
"Yes, m'lord. Though this is one of my personal favourites. Mother oft sang it to me and my siblings, it always helps me feel closer to Sol even when I cannot see him."
The higher raised his eyebrows.
"Is that so?"
"Yes m'lord," she said. Which is mostly was. Her mother had often sung it to her and her siblings, and it was one of her favourites as it made her feel protected and comforted. The bit about it helping her come closer to Sol was mostly exaggerated. Though she felt as though it ought to be true. Even if she could never quite tell what "coming closer to Sol" actually meant. At the very least it was the sort of language she knew the paladins and clergy liked to hear. So she sprinkled some of it in whenever she got the opportunity to and hoped and prayed that it would become true if she just kept repeating it.
"Squire." The voice of the Higher sounded solid and stout as a castle wall. She looked up towards the man, his eyes unyielding like a predator and that pale skin, loved so by the church.
"Yes, m'lord?"
"It is time we told you the purpose of our journey."
She sat up even straighter than normal, which was quite the feat since her posture was usually impeccable, to begin with.
"We are journeying to the Glassburrough cave system. Though thought long abandoned the locals have been complaining of howling wraiths of late. They are scared a necromancer has taken refuge in the cave systems. We are to go and investigate and put their minds at ease."
"I gather that you do not expect to find actual wraiths or necromancers there my lord?"
"Of course not, I'm sure the autumn wind has stirred up their plebian fears. Though as you know, cave systems can be treacherous, so we would do well to be careful nonetheless. We will be in formation during our exploration, if nothing else this should be a good first expedition for you. Now, have you mastered the first and second glyph circles?"
"Of course my lord."
"So says many a squire and yet I oft find their knowledge lacking. Recite them for me."
"Cantation or root form my lord?"
Though she told herself it was impossible to know, she thought she detected a hint of surprise in his features when she asked him that. Perhaps a faint flair of approval?
"Cantation." Of course, he had chosen the much more elaborate traditional form that was not often used anymore just to make it harder on her, but she was ready for it. She started to sing, making sure to annunciate properly even when going over the more elaborate story parts that were not actually magically useful.
When she was done, the Higher nodded.
"At least you have adequate knowledge of the basics." That was quite an understatement. She had recited everything perfectly, from the pronunciation to the tiny details and she knew it. She figured he was not one to give praise so easily but she thought she might have earned a little of his respect then, even if it was ever so small.
Next morn they set off early. En lieu of going to see the townfolk that had requested their help, the Higher insisted they go straight towards the caves. Lilith did not like this plan and she could see that her Direct didn't either, but neither of them felt brave enough to protest.
When they neared the entrance of the cave system, after having tied the horses, the knights stood by the opening and looked at her expectantly. After Lilith froze for a few moments, not knowing what to do, her Direct coughed and motioned her towards the entrance.
"Up front squire, in enclosed spaces, we walk in arrowhead formation."
Hesitantly she approached the entrance to what seemed to her the primordial void, as the knights took up a position at both her rear flanks. After a moment she felt the gauntlet of her Direct on her left shoulder.
"Cast Iji," he whispered with some compassion, "You light the way, we will protect you if necessary."
And thus Lilith entered the cave system, a ball of light gently dancing in her palm, two paladin knights trailing behind her, and an ominous knot forming in the pit of her stomach.