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Of course he would taunt her now. That was simply in his nature. He would milk this depreciatory situation to the last drop, get anything out of it he could. Because Yassia knew he had always wanted to see this. She had seen it in his eyes on that day they had parted as enemies, both refusing what their fathers had concocted for their future. Yassia just always had felt quite secure, she never would have thought that one day it would truly come to this: That she was at his mercy, on her knees before him and he could do to her whatever he wished. And Yassia also knew that this wasn’t by far the worst he could do to her. He had many means of destroying her, and she feared he would try them one by one until she was nothing but a piece of flesh to his feet. Nothing would be left of proud Princess Yassia when he was thoroughly through with her.

Which of course didn’t mean she wouldn’t still fight with teeth and claws for every ounce of dignity she could still cling on!
”I don’t cry and you know it!” she whispered, her head tilted back so far made it impossible to speak with the full volume of her voice, “These are no tears I shed, for you are not worth crying for.”
She could not, she WOULD not beg. He couldn’t go through with it, and he wouldn’t! Even a man like Vortigern couldn’t be so cruel!! Then again, scratch that, Vortigern gave the word ‘vile’ and ‘malice’ a whole new meaning. As she was forced to stare into his eyes constantly, even though her gaze now more or less unfocused, she could see the truth there in his eyes. Ice cold determination. It was not an empty threat. If she would blink he would stab her eye. Simple as that.

And then he was also asking a valid question. Her father and mother had always taught her about integrity, but explained to her that it should never be confused with vain pride. Integrity only made you strong, but pride also could make you weak. Was she really ready to sacrifice her eyesight only so she would not beg? The prouder part of Yassia was ready to put that notion to the test, while the more sensible part urged her to give in. So what if he had his life made by seeing her beg? At least she still would have two eyes to glare at him! That ought to count for something, yes?
But in the end, it was not Yassia who won the debate with herself, it was Vortigern deciding for her, even though he might not know it. She had not payed due attention to his actions along with his words, too much at a war with herself, and so when he tightened his grip even more, tearing a few hairs out, Yassia gasped in surprise and pain – and blinked.

”NO!” she exclaimed in the same second. “Don’t! Please!!”

The idea of Caitrin coming to Ailantha one day was truly a wonderful one, and Yassia’ mind exploded with possible scenarios and plans. She knew of course that the journey would be long, but with better directions than she had had and also faster means of travel, Caitrin could make the trip far better and safer than Yassia. It was maybe a little out of the ordinary, but it was not unthinkable! It would need some serious planning and Caitrin also had to be well-guarded as many roads were anything but safe, but it could be done!
”Oh, Caitrin, how wonderful would that be!” Yassua exclaimed, her eyes gleaming. “I could show you where I grew up, the palace, the plains, everything! It’s not much to look at, but even having you there would make things so much better! It would ease my heart to know that our departure would not be a ‘goodbye’ but a ‘see you soon’!”

As Caitrin suggested Yassia should interfere and tell Griff to hurry up, Yassia couldn’t quite surpress a giggle herself. How funny that would be indeed! Just imagining his face – as far as she could imagine it without having seen him yet – made a wide grin appear on her face. “You shouldn’t give me permission to such things, Caitrin”, she teased with a quick wink, “because I am known to exploit them to my utmost advantage. Poor Griff might soon think me his personal poltergeist, popping up behind him randomly to shout ‘Propose to Caitrin already!!!’, not minding his company or the state he is in.” Of course it was all in joke, Yassia cared far too much for social conventions to ever considering doing such a ridiculous thing. That didn’t mean though she couldn’t joke about it or at least envision it in her mind for the sheer fun of it all. Poor Griff indeed. Being pestered by one woman might be bad enough, but by two? And someone totally unrelated to the subject in question to boot?

From Caitrin’s choice of words, Yassia now really gathered that her nurse must be dead. How sad, indeed! Well, for all Yassia knew Susannah could be gone from the living as well, in the time she had been away, it was a few months after all, and she was old. But no, she would not think of any more deaths of loved ones now, the subject was clearly too depressing!
”I am sorry, dear. So she is no longer with us? What a horrible loss indeed! And don’t we all just realize later what we have had in the ones we lose? Sometimes even too late…” Oh yes, Yassia knew what she was talking about. Half of her life she had taken her stepbrother Mircea for granted, as he had always been there for her. Now it was her fault he was assumedly and almost certainly dead. And she missed him so dearly, his advice, his gruff caring… simply everything about him.

As she had forced herself to speak about Vortigern, Yassia’s fingers had toyed with her spoon, simply to keep her hands occupied and hide how much they were actually shaking. Now she heard Caitrin’s words, her hands suddenly got limp with shock and the spoon clattered noisily back into the plate.
”You… what?!” she exclaimed, her eyes wide, and half rising up from her seat. “Did you… did you just indicate you know Vortigern? How…? When…?”
It seemed too much to wrap your head around for the moment, but Yassia tried to process it with all her mind. First came panic. If Caitrin had met Vortigern, did that mean he was closer than she had thought he would be? Had he followed her maybe? Trying to disobey his father again, bringing her back to… to do whatever…? Was he maybe even HERE in Camelot?
But slowly her mind also registered the consequences of what Caitrin had said. Horrible consequences, not for her but for her friend. And with that came anger, simmering anger. The thought of what brutal and total moralless Vortigern could have done to sweet Caitrin made her sick with ire and revulsion.

”What did he do to you…?” she asked, her voice no more than a hiss, both that and the hands she now openly clenched on the tabletop giving away her rage.

Yassia would have never thought it possible how much a human touch could make it all better. It might not chase away the images and the memories completely, might not even sooth her quivering nerves or make the utter feeling of loneliness go away for all eternity, but it was a start. Lorcan’s hands on her cheeks gave her strength. Not so much physical as more mental, strength to not let go and give up, now that she found herself with nothing left but the tiny exposed and quivering thread of life that could be cut so easily in the blink of an eye. She had lost everything, and yet there was someone here who cared. Who told her that he would help her, who did so much more with just his calming presence and his gentle hands. He could have walked away, he could have simply ignored that body lying there on the sand. But he hadn’t. Lorcan had taken it upon himself to be there for her when she needed it most.
That still left the question of course who he was. But for once in her life Yassia found herself not really caring. He could be a pauper or a prince, it was all the same. Although she took a moment to examine him truly for the first time, now that her mind started working again. It would be good to distract herself that way, focusing on the present.

So what did she see? A young man, perhaps around her age or a little younger. Raven black hair and striking blue eyes. Very striking, perhaps his most captivating feature. Right now they shone with concern and kindness, but Yassia was sure they could become hard as steel when he was displeased. His skin was pale, almost lucid in the dreary morning air, and only added to this dark look that was all around him. His clothes seemed of good quality, but they were a little crumpled, almost as if he had been sleeping in them. Yassia knew the sight of this, because she herself had been sleeping in her clothes most of the time. And then it came to her, another realisation. She had not only lost her friend and her horse, she had lost all of her belongings, little as they were, clothes, a few trinkets, and money. The only thing that remained with her were the contents of her precious herb bag. Remedies she always took with her, and apparently the sea had been so gracious as to not take that bag away from her. Though Yassia would have surely traded a lifework of herb lore for the living presence of Mircea right now. What was the use of wet herbs and remedies if you wouldn’t come much further anyway?

Lorcan’s words were truly reassuring and they caused Yassia to let go a sigh of relief and smile tentatively at him. If Camelot was only a few days’ ride from here then this nightmare would soon be over. But then… she didn’t have a horse anymore, and not enough money to buy one somewhere. She would have to rely on her own two feet to make the journey onward. It would be hard but she could manage. It was better to be still able to walk and be alive. Yassia would need to learn to count her blessings even more than she had before.
“G-good” she stated, trying to force her teeth to stop clattering. “Thank you f-for reassuring me, Lorcan. I k-know I sh-should wait a few more days before I c-can journey on. Even if I don’t g-get feverish.” Which she fervently hoped she would not. The last thing she needed right now was a cold or – the stars prevent! – pneumonia! To prevent this she needed to get in dry clothes as soon as possible, which brought her back to her dilemma.

She watched Lorcan try to care for her, watched his determined expression and found it deeply reassuring and even quite charming. He needn’t do all this for her, and yet he did. He brought a little, simply food and more water from the leather flask she now recognized as her own. It must have been one of the few things the sea had released from its icy grasp again. How ironic.
“Yes, yes”, she reassured him with a thankful smile, “whatever you have to offer now should be e-enough. D-don’t g-go to expenses because of m-me. I am m-most g-grateful to even still be alive.”
And then of course, he voiced it, which made the blush deepen. He suddenly became very talkative, as if he was a little embarrassed himself. Well, hadn’t she been a fool to voice an opportunity like THAT so openely?! Yassia really could be considered lucky Lorcan seemed to be a man of honor and integrity! She had maneuvred herself into a very tight spot come to think of it, alone with a man in a remote hut and now she had even voiced the subject of undressing! What must he think of her now?! Would he think her an easy lass, someone easy to seduce and have fun with? She was anything but, she was a princess, of royal blood and proud of her integrity! And if her honor was to be assaulted in any way, she would fight! The only question was: how much of a fight could she really put up in her weakened state?

”No, no, please don’t think of me THAT way”, she hastened to correct him, her eyes still not ready to meet his. “I just meant… I might not be strong e-enough right now to d-do it by myself, though of course I h-hope I will be…”
No matter what she said, she just seemed to dig this hole deeper for herself, now that she had started on the subject. “Of c-c-c-ourse I don’t qu-question your honor, Lorcan, not at all. I d-don’t think you would exploit the situation…” And now wasn’t she just giving him ideas maybe? Oh it might be better if she simply shut up or changed the subject! “As for my ribs… usually such things don’t need too much treatment… just rest and little movement.”
She saw his confusion about her comment about the stars, and it even provoked a little chuckle from her, the first sign of merriment she had given since waking up. She recoiled shortly afterwards as the chuckle sent arrows of pain through her body, especially at the ribcage, but the amusement was still there in her eyes. For her, this phrase was as natural as breathing, as it was simply a litteral translation from a phrase every living soul used in Ailantha. But of course here in Albion the culture must differ.

”No Lorcan, I don’t see stars, don’t worry”, she explained, giving him a reassuring smile. “My p-people, we believe that the stars g-guide our fate. So, if anything is… fortunate for us, we simply thank them.”
His eyes were suddenly capturing her own, and Yassia found herself bound in their stare, as if she never would be able to look away again. It felt like falling, falling into a deep abyss, but she was not afraid. She didn’t even WANT to look away. She felt like she could meet his gaze forever, forget about everything that plagued and troubled her, as long as she was looking into his deep blue eyes. It might be wrong, but she didn’t care. Slowly, very slowly a tentative smile started to curve her lips upward, while she still simply looked at him, unable and unwilling to be the one to look away first.

Things were coming back to Yassia more and more now, but her mind was still hazy. It started to mix actual happenings of the shipwreck with memories that went even further back, scenes of her and her stepbrother on their journey. More than anything she always saw Mircea’s face, usually grim set, but every so often blossoming into a heartfelt smile or even just a lopsided smirk. He had not smiled often, he was not the blithe type… but she had always managed to trigger it in him, for whatever reasons. Seeing him now before her inner eye gave Yassia a weird mixture of pain and pleasure alike. He was nothing but an image, but for a split second she could pretend he was really there, by her side always, as he had vowed to be. The thought of him being gone was unbearable and her mind simply refused to accept it, rather slipping away into an imaginative world before having to deal with this horrible reality.
What had happened to him?! She had seen his shock of wet hair an instant before something she suspected to have been a large plank had hit her in the back right on her ribs and had pushed her under water were she had become unconscious. Neither of them had seen that they must have been so near the shore Yassia had been washed on land instead of drowning in the depths of the channel.

For a moment Yassia had all but forgotten about the man that had found her, her mind being too occupied to wrap around the terrible incidents and trying to fill them with meaning. But as he spoke, her eyes returned to him again, and a little sigh of relief escaped her lips. At least she was still on the right track. If this was Albion, she could try to venture on to Camelot. Not all was lost. However… could she really dare to set out alone? Her first try on that had shown her just how much could go wrong. If she hadn’t been alone when crossing the borders to Vortigern’s lands, he might not have dared to snatch her off the path and bring her to this remote manor – no! She could and she would NOT load her mind now with even more horrible memories. Things were hard enough to deal with as they were! She had to try and stay strong, be the future queen she wanted to be. There simply was no other way!
But her new found resolution and aim came to waver the very instant Lorcan affirmed what she had already feared. Mircea COULD of course have been washed ashore further away from her, but the chances really were slim. He was a strong man, a fighter, but he could have been injured, lost consciousness like she had…
Again a wave of devastation flooded Yassia’s mind and she turned her head away and bit her lips so hard they, as rough and dry as they were anyway, split and she could taste blood along with salt crystals from the seawater.

“He must be alive…” she whispered, tears brimming in her eyes. “He simply must…he’s all I have left…my stepbrother… my guardian… my friend…”
Yassia was grateful for Lorcan’s offer to help, and the more formal and dutiful part of her mind realized she ought to show that in some way, even if she didn’t feel like it at all. But the born and bred princess in her knew the tools to swallow your own sentiments and simply function. They had taken some while to kick back into gear, drowned out by pain and shock, but they slowly came back to her now. “Th-thanky you… I would… greatly appreciate your help… once I am strong enough.”
Along with her royal instincts her healer instincts slowly came back to her, and she was apt enough now to judge her situation as if it was not her lying there but simply another patient. She needed to get somewhere warm, she might already have caught a chill and could become feverish by the end of the day.

As if he had read her thoughts, Lorcan now seemed to prepare to take her somewhere else. She nodded simply when he asked her to trust him, too weak and tired to think up any words. For Yassia, trust did not come easy, even less after what had happened to her in the last few months. She had been betrayed by her own kin, had fled and had been running straight into the arms of a man who had wished her nothing but ill. Now she was giving herself into the care of a man she didn’t know but for his name, but Yassia knew she had no chance right now. She was the – hopefully not only – survivor of a shipwreck, she was cold and bruised, and barely able to keep herself from slipping back into unconsciousness. She would have to trust Lorcan’s honorable intentions until she was ready to venture on.
It was questionable to be carried like that by a man, even more so when your wet clothes were sticking to your body like that, but Yassia also knew that this was a price she had to pay for now. Come to think of it, she had never been so close to a man aside from Mircea – who was more of a brother than anything – and… him. And he… was a bad man through and through… Vortigern, cursed be his name. Even just to think of him made her want to be sick.

Yassia must have slipped away for a few seconds in Lorcan’s arms, because she awoke with a little jolt as she heard a wooden door creaking and found herself in a little cozy hut that must have been nearby. She didn’t really pay attention to its interior, mor occupied with battling to stay awake. The healer in her knew she had to stay conscious now or there might be no way back. But it was warm in here… and that was all Yassia cared about for the moment.
Letting go a small hiss of pain as Lorcan layed her down on the bed, she realized it to be the spot where the plank had hit her to be in pain.
Trying to chase the hazy fog from her mind, she also tried to focus on his many questions. Which of them would she be able to answer? Right now she didn’t feel in the shape to fabricate a good lie. That would have to come later.
”I was on my way to Camelot… to visit a family member.” At least that much was true. “And… I will keep this place a secret… I p-p-promise.” Even though she was in warm surroundings now her teeth started to clatter, and Yassia knew that was a very bad sign. A sign of rising temperature.

She tried to smile though, forcing her mind to cooperate. She had been taught the art of healing, she knew what she needed! “Water yes… and a little food. But mostly”, and here she blushed bright crimson, unable to look at him, “I have to get out of these clothes, I’m already starting to catch a deadly chill. And there is that sore spot on the back of my ribcage… it might be dented, but as I have nigh to no difficulty breathing it might not be broken, thank the stars.”

Yassia had never felt so miserable in all her life. It was not only the cold and the pain, now it was also a profound sickness taking over. A detached part of her mind that could still think like a healer in such circumstances knew that was because her system rejected the saltwater and wanted to get rid of it. As soon as the pure water she had been offered ran down her throat it triggered a highly embarrassing but yet needed reaction. First she tried to gulp it down, but then her body was stronger and she found her back arching as she retched and threw up a gush of salt water she must have swallowed after the boat had capsized.
Wait… capsized?!
Suddenly a rush of memories assaulted her still whoozy mind, tumbling and twisting before her inner eye and it was hard to make sense of them. She remembered standing near the single mast of the tiny boat, one hand gripping a rope, the other gripping the bridle of her horse, soaked through and through with icy salt water. She had been afraid, but she had trusted the sailor who had said he had been in plenty of such storms, as the channel was frequently tormented by them. She had exchanged a reassuring glance with Mircea, reaching for his hand and then—

The memory escaped her and she gasped, rolling her head around wildly to get a better view of her surroundings. Mircea, where was he?! He had to be here! He had promised her never to leave her alone, bringing her safely to Camelot after what had happened with Vortigern. And she had believed him. Of course he would stay by her side, he was the best stepbrother anyone could wish for! So now fearing that he might be… gone… nearly broke her heart. No, it was NOT possible! She pushed the thought away violently and focused on matters at hand.
She was not alone…she was lying practically on the lap of a stranger, who still kept touching her. It was unseemly, and in other circumstances Yassia would have felt shame and unease, but right now she was too battered, too tired and too miserable to care. His touch helped her to resist the coaxing of the land behind the veil… the peaceful floating that was still calling to her to return to it…

Then he spoke and Yassia struggled to make sense of his words. He was speaking the Albion tongue, and apparently her panicky question had been asked in the same language out of instinct. She knew it well, had been taught by her mother years and years back because she had still been fond of her motherland even though she had never planned to return. Now Yassia could call herself lucky she understood the man’s words, even though the content didn’t make much sense for now. So his name was Lorcan… and she had been stranded where?! Celidoine… this meant nothing to her and it caused the panic to reappear. Had the storm drifted them so far off their tracks? “Celidoine…” she whispered, searching his eyes, begging for reassurance. “Is this in… Albion?”
His question about what had happened brought back the haunting ghosts of horrible memories, and Yassia screwed up her eyes, trying to block them out. She didn’t WANT to remember, because that would mean accepting a terrible fact: she was all alone… a sole survivor… but she knew she had to answer this Lorcan. He had been carimg and kind so far, and he might be the only living soul for now able to help her.
Shivering still against the cold wind, she whispered: “The storm…we were crossing the channel. The sailor told us not to worry… but then the mast broke… and the waves pulled us under…” her voice broke with the last words and she covered her face with both hands, whimpering: “Mircea… Mircea… where are you??”

Yassia had always thought herself to be strong. She had always found a way out of things, her being here was the best example for that. She had not lost her wit when her uncle had presented her with the ultimatum: marry his son or abdict altogether – no, she had found the only possible way out of it and had set out to seek help elsewhere. But right now… she didn’t feel strong at all. Not only physically weak – as had been proven with her failed try to get away from the man – but also in a state of mental weakness she had never experienced before. It was as if the map that was her life had been wiped out by the storm and the shipwreck so now it felt like she had to start all over again – and with no idea how to. She felt so helpless and timid, without any hand to guide her out of this horrible nightmare.
All resistance was quenched by an overwhelming surge of devastation. She didn’t want to fight anymore, she had no mind to run away anymore. She was, frankly, indifferent to what would happen to her now.
And yet there was someone here… seeming to care. She could not tell him who she was, but she would tell him her name. Because apparently her name was all she had left now.

”I’m Yassia”, she said, trying to keep the quivering out of her voice, but failed miserably. “Lorcan… please help me.”
Proud Princess Yassia had never asked for aid in all her life. But this life seemed over now. Starting from scratch like she had not, with no ties to her past life than simple memories… she would need help not to drown under.

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Music: Alanis Morrissette - Not as We

She was floating. Floating in a wide space of sweet oblivion. It was dark but she was not scared. It was peaceful here, and this place invited her to stay. Calm… peace. No worries anymore, no stress, no hardship. Not even fleeing anymore, every day venturing on. She would just stay here, where she felt comfortable.
But slowly, oh so very slowly, some weird sensations started to pierce through the veil that had been cast over her mind. Unsettling sensations. She didn’t like them, they were so out of place. Cold was one. During a few split seconds she could almost imagine to be cold. Icy cold, with wind tearing at her damp clothes and chilling her to the bone. But soon after it was gone and she was floating again.

Then came pain. Not so much piercing as more throbbing pain in her limps. Odd. She couldn’t remember hurting herself. Had she? Did it even matter? She drifted off again, content to stay in this floating state forever. Weightless… comfortable… at peace.
There was also a noise, piercing her ears every now and again, but it didn’t annoy her so much, because it could be connected with the floating. Woosh….wooosh…woosh… a perpetual, peaceful sound in itself. She liked that, it helped her to keep floating. In very rare moments she also was aware that she was not floating in space, but rather lying on some ground that was comfortable on some parts, but then again not comfortable at all in other places. But then she was floating again and forgot the ground…

And then… touch. The tender touch of another being. Who was trying to intrude into her sacred solitary state? She felt a mild annoyance. Couldn’t he just let her be? The touch intensified those sensations she tried to ignore, cold, pain and noise. It was like being pulled down a narrow passage towards a veil she didn’t want to go, because she didn’t know what would wait for her on the other side of this veil. She liked it here.
She tried to ignore the touch as well, but then it was accompanied by a voice. She couldn’t make much sense of the words, but she also didn’t want to try. That would mean willingly giving up the floating, somehow she knew that. No thinking.. just drift off again.

But the other being didn’t leave, even seemed to insist on pulling her towards that veil. It came closer and closer, however much she tried to fight it.She didn’t want to be cold, to hurt all over… and there was also something she feared to know… something she would have to deal with as soon as she awoke. Something shocking. She didn’t want any of it…
Someone moved her body, causing more pain. Then she felt a hand slipping underneath her head, lifting it the tiniest bit. It hurt a little, her neck was stiff. The floating state was fading more and more and her world became more solid.
Water. Water on her lips, in her throat. She swallowed. She coughed. The veil was torn apart.

Yassia coughed and groaned. Her whole body hurt and she was freezingly cold. What had happened? Where was she? Where was Mircea?! Someone’s hands were moving across her body and for a moment she felt better, almost warm. The shivering and cramping of her muscles died down to an extend, but she couldn’t relax. Now that she was all but awake, a whole lot of questions flooded her mind. She needed to make sure…
”M-Mircea…?” Her voice was raspy and hoarse, and even after that one word she had to cough again. Like she had hurt her throat. Almost as if she had swallowed… salt water…?!
Yassia’s eyes snapped open, panic chasing away the last bits of whoozyness in her head. She looked up, her eyes hurting from the sudden light, but as soon as she could focus, she found herself eye in eye with a complete stranger! “Who… who are you?!” She tried to scramble away, but found her arms and legs to limp as a wet sack of flour and so she collapsed again without having even moved more than one inch.

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Muse song: Alanis Morrisette - Not as We

Yassia knew that now it was her turn to speak. It made her a little bit nervous, but that was probably due to the fact that it had been so long since she last had acted with the full sovereignity of a Princess and designated Queen of Ailantha. She had been content to stay in the background for too long. Here, people treated her with respect of course, but she had nothing to say, nothing to decide. And she couldn’t let this fact get in her way now!
So, smoothening her dress with her left hand one last time, she cleared her throat and started to say what she had thought up on her way towards this room. “What Queen Morgana said is true. I need your help to discreetly contact a few people. Discreet because it could be dangerous for them to be associated with a foreign force that could help in overthrowing the ursurper that undoubtedly now sits on my throne.”

The thought of Guifré having taken over the wonderful kingdom she had grown up in, oppressing those she had known for a lifetime and loved made Yassia more than sick, it made her angry to boot. But she needed a level head for this business, so she took a deep breath and unclenched her fists.
“For one there is Constancia, my old nursemaid. She lives in the lower parts of Taykhe now, the capital of Ailantha. Practically everyone knows her name, she will be easy to find. Start with her, she will be able to tell you who is still on my side. Another option is Miquel, the seargant of the royal guard – if he still holds that position that is, but that also Constancia can tell you. To him you can turn concerning all questions of my uncle’s military strength.”

Other names Yassia did not dare name yet mention, as their loyalty would be waning at best. Was this really what her life and prospects had come down to? Two elderly people that held her fate in their hands? It didn’t sound very promising, that was for sure! But she couldn’t give up hope! She was already one step closer to the fulfilment of her dream than she had been in the last two years!
In the oncoming silence, one of the more seasoned scouts cleared his throat and spoke up. “Alright, this is something we can work with, your Highnesses. But I don’t think any of us has ventured very far beyond the channel, so we first might need some good directions to go.” He looked to his queen expectantly, probably sensing that every command still would come from her.

In truth, Yassia hadn’t even expected Caitrin to have heard of it, and it came as a very pleasant surpise. Of course travellors usually didn’t go so far as to even cross the channel and then journey so far southeast you almost reached the endless sea, Yassia knew from experience how trying it was to journey more than just a few weeks. Hadn’t a twist of fate made her mother leave Albion behind, she had been kidnapped and was to be sold on a slave market, she never would have come near Ailantha, had not even dreamt of going there some day. And just like that it was also with Yassia. Hadn’t her father died so untimely, or had Ramon survived that mercenary attack, the princess herself probably would have seen no reason to ever leave Ailantha behind. But fate had decided to throw too many things at her, and it had turned her into an almost homeless wanderer. She could only hope to return soon with the help she needed.
“I am even surprised you heard of it”, Yassia confessed with a little smile. “It’s so far away. When my mother used to tell me of Albion it always sounded like a fairy island to me. So… unreal.”

A slight smile crossed the princess’ face when the subject turned to her uncle. Oh, now she probably couldn’t circumvent it after all. Kaye might be a bit of a loner, and he had a sharp tongue and overall grumpy personality that probably didn’t give him many friends. But beneath that rough shell was a heart of gold, and Yassia had overheard two other knights saying the other day that even if her coming here was quite odd, it could serve to turn Kaye into a more amiable man. She would like that, as her uncle had shown nothing but kindness to her so far and she would actually hate to leave him behind when she went back.
“He’s a knight of Camelot”, she explained. “In his mid to end fourties I would say. I don’t know if you ever saw him, but look out for a particularly grim face and a beard that’s speckled with grey. But don’t worry, he’s not half as sour as he looks. I really got to like him actually. He’s… he’s just been through a lot I guess, that hardened his heart.”
First he had lost his sister when only a young man, just having left for Camelot to become a knight, and then also his parents in a raid a few years later. Yassia had often wondered why her mother never had sent a sign of life towards Camelot. All those years Kaye must have felt so alone.

The subject turned to horses, and Yassia was quite pleased to find, she apparently could talk with Caitrin about almost anything. It felt good to just tell such stories, passing the time with random and yet deep conversation.
She gave a little sigh again. “Lily is truly a beautiful name. Maybe you could help me find a name for my mount? I’m clearly at a loss here. My old mount was called ‘Tempesta’, because she was as volatile and swift like a thunderstorm. But she… was the victim of an … accident on my way.” Again Vortigern’s smirking face appeared before her inner eye, making her shudder briefly, before she could chase that thought away. “And, oh, not the entire way of course!” she quickly corrected her words. “But ever since I crossed the channel… we came into a violent storm that made the boat capsize; it drowned everything, the horses, all of my values and… I also lost my stepbrother who had accompanied me all the way.” Yassia blinked a few times, even after all those weeks, she still couldn’t quite get over the shock. “So… ever since being washed ashore, I travelled on foot, yes.”

The decision to think of plans to spend the evening over dinner found nothing but Yassia’s approval, and so she nodded with a smile. She didn’t waste much more thoughts on the fact, but something else grabbed her interest. Something in the way Caitrin had spoken about memories made Yassia’s ears perk up. Was that longing she detected in the girl’s voice? And could she dare to ask just yet? In the end, she decided to keep it vague, not openly calling her out on it, but rather opening a door Caitrin could pass through if she wanted or not.
“That sounds like happy memories indeed. I think it’s truly the people that first fill a place with life and make it special.” There. Now she could comment on it or leave it. As much as Yassia would like to know more, she knew it was not her place to pry.

Yassia was not just a little surprised when Caitrin rose to serve her herself. It was just something the princess wasn’t used to, but then again, she had helped herself in all those months posing as a commoner, where she could not expect special treatment. She guessed such an experience could change your view of the world quite a lot.
“Wine is totally fine, my dear thank you!” she hastened to assure her. “And I’m sure to enjoy this evening very much. I already… feel very welcome here, if I may say so, and that means a great deal for me. I will drink to a peaceful evening and a good time!”

Something in the way she had caught Caitrin leaning against the wall for just a moment, made Yassia feel very sympathetic towards the young lady. She had realized after the first few words they had spoken that Caitrin was refreshingly different from many noblewomen Yassia knew back in Ailantha and in Camelot alike. It had sparked up the odd wish inside the Princess’ heart that she might have had someone like her to grow up with. Maybe then she would be a little more sure of herself in some aspects, wouldn’t bend so quickly when she was being threatened – although she had shown to be quite stubborn in the face of danger, it all had evaporated quickly once they had found her weak spot – or would simply look at the world with less naïve eyes. She didn’t even know if all she put into Caitrin there was true, but that was one reason for coming here today after all: to find out more about her, and if there really could be some friendship blossoming out of this mere acquaintance so far. Yassia found herself wishing for it, but she knew she shouldn’t get her hopes up too high.

She returned the smile honestly, gripping the warm and dry hands of Lady Caitrin quickly before releasing them again. Yassia had not lied about liking the estate, this was more than just courtesy speaking. Maybe a little less forest would do, as Yassia now was a bit eerie about them and also wasn’t used to living close to it as Ailantha was rather dominated by high plateaus with more grass than trees. But ever since she felt safe again she had come to realize the quiet beauty of a forest, especially after rain.
“It’s different from what I am used to at home”, she voiced her thoughts with a little shrug and smile, “but that doesn’t mean I can’t see the beauty of it. Though I now certainly know why there are so many trees in Albion – it just rains so much”, she joked, referring to that also being different where she came from. “But I guess if you grow up to it you get immune.” She would like to see some of the Albion people living in a hot Ailanthan summer. Yassia remembered all too well how her mother had suffered even after years spent in this country.

Caitrin was calling her Lady Yassia which was not entirely proper, but even though it made her flinch inside out of habit (the Ailanthan court had been very strict on manners), she would rather die than point it out. In fact, she would like to be on first name basis with Caitrin, and she knew that as the woman of higher rank she would have to be the one to offer it. But such things were better not done as an aside, she should probably wait until they were inside and seated for dinner.
”Of course, let’s get inside”, she agreed and followed Caitrin’s lead. Yassia was not all that devastated to hear Caitrin’s uncle would not be present, as she still had difficulties socializing with so many new people at once, but courtesy called for a proper reply. “I am sorry to hear that. Send him my regards. But maybe a ‘girl’s night’ does have its merits as well?”
One reason why Yassia was still so formal was probably because she felt safe in that corslet. Manners were tools to use in such situations and they never failed you if you felt uncomfortable in what to do, because there was a proper reaction to anything. She hoped though that during the evening she could loosen up a little, for Caitrin’s sake and also for her own.

“How have you been ever since we parted?” she asked, not only to be polite but truly interested. Was the life of an Albion noble lady different from that of an Ailanthan. She hadn’t had that many chances to compare yet. “Anything exciting or just the usual trot?”