A Somber Duty:GC9 Restricted

A Somber Duty/GC9 Restricted

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As soon as she spotted the horse and rider, Evellyn Akeyla felt an unexplainable sense of foreboding start to build within her.

She had stepped out into the brisk morning air, closing her cabin’s door behind her, and been immediately greeted by her horse, Coca.

“Good morning,” She said, smiling as she let Coca have an apple she’d brought out for her. The horse nuzzled against Evellyn’s face, and she reached to stroke the soft neck.

Preoccupied as she was, it had taken her a minute to register the sound of approaching hoofbeats. Once she’d registered them, it had only taken her a few seconds to locate their source.

The approaching rider was hard to make out through the heavy trees, but, though she hoped it, she could still tell it wasn't her brother Roy, come back from the war.

She squinted, and peered more closely as the rider came closer. To her surprise, though it wasn't Roy, she did know the rider, at least by reputation, more so than description. She had heard a lot about this man. The rider was Sir Haymar Glen!

 

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As the farmhouse came into sight, Haymar sighed, mentally and emotionally prepping himself

for the depressing duty he, as leader of his army, must fulfill. With a heavy heart, he and Dracus rounded the last bend and came to a halt in the yard fronting the little cabin and stable.

A beautiful young woman stood beside the stable, watching him silently. She wore her pale blond hair long, pulled into a loose swept back ponytail. Two thick strands of loose hair framed a strong face, with full lips and piercing gray eyes. She wore woods garb, and had a quiver and longsword slung over her right shoulder. A powerful recurve bow sat nearby, within easy reach.

As he dismounted, the other’s eyes followed his every move. One hand rested lightly on a throwing hatchet tucked through a loop in her belt.

Haymar turned towards her. “You are Evellyn Akeyla, I presume?”

Evellyn nodded, studying his strong, handsome face. “What brings the son of Lord Anthony Glen to my humble dwelling?” She asked, although a horrible suspicion began to form in her mind. An instant later, her worst fear was confirmed when Sir Haymar reached back and withdrew a wrapped bundle from his saddle.

“It is with a heavy heart that I must tell you your brother Roy is dead.” He said, sadness reflected in his face.

“No.” She said, staring at him. “It cannot be.”

“I’m afraid it is. These are his things,” He added, offering her the wrapped bundle, which she now saw contained Roy’s bow, quiver, and sword. She took it wordlessly, to shocked and horror-struck to speak.

“I am deeply sorry for your loss.” Haymar said softly, genuine regret and sorrow evident in his voice.

She looked at him, then down at the bundle in her arms, and felt the prickle of tears in her eyes. No, She thought, fighting them, Don’t cry. Not here. Not in front of Sir Haymar. Try as she might however, they still came, flooding her vision. Finally, she gave in and let them flow in huge, heart-wrenching sobs, as she fell to her knees in the dirt, still holding the bundle, unaware of anything around her except her sorrow.

When Evellyn started crying, Haymar’s first instinct was to step forward and comfort her, but then he realized that might not be the best thing to do. She would probably want to be alone with her grief for a while, so he backed away several steps and waited for her to get through it.

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Several minutes later, as he was brushing his horse, Haymar heard the crying subside. Turning away from Dracus, he saw Evellyn brush the hair away from her face as she looked up, eyes red. Haymar walked back over and offered her his hand. The other took it gratefully, and he pulled her to her feet. Evellyn took a deep breath to compose herself, than spoke, staring at her feet.

“Forgive me, sir. The grief was overwhelming.” She look up into his face. “Please don’t tell anyone.”

Haymar smiled kindly. “I won’t. And please, call me Haymar. All my friends do.”

Evellyn smiled somewhat, recognizing he was saying she was his friend now.

They stood there for a few moments more, than Haymar turned away.

“Perhaps I should leave now.” He said, starting towards his horse.

“No, wait,” Evellyn said urgently, “Please stay awhile longer. I need to hear how he died.”

And I need the company, She thought, but wasn’t willing to say it out loud. Instead, as he turned back, she said; “Forgive my manners. Please, come in and have a cup of coffee, and tell me what happened.”

She turned and led the way inside her modest cabin, setting the bundle containing Roy’s weapons on the bed, then moving over to the fireplace as Haymar sat at the small table in one corner.

Looking around, Haymar could see Evellyn obviously liked a minimalist life, for her cabin was sparsely furnished. The only elegant, feminine thing he could see was a hand-woven rug on the floor in front of the bed.

Evellyn brought two cups of coffee over to the table and sat down. After handing Haymar one, she sat back and settled her gaze on him. “I’m ready,” she said quietly.

And so Haymar told her; of the siege of the Black Fortress; of the taking of the wall; how Roy had shoved Haymar out of the way at the last minute, and taken the arrow meant for the other; And how they had buried him along with the other dead; of the armies triumphant return; and how Haymar had set out to seek Evellyn, and tell her of her brother’s passing.

When he had finished, Evellyn sat silently for a long time, staring down at her untouched cup. Finally she looked up, and her eyes found the other’s.

“I almost joined your army with him, and again almost did when he told me the army was marching to war.”

“But?” Haymar said, sensing there was more.

“But Roy wanted me to stay here, watching over our farms. At least, that’s what he said, but I know the real reason was he thought war was too dangerous for me. He was always too over-protective of me, I guess because our parents died when we were young, and he was left to care for me alone. Because of what I knew about his true reason for having me stay, we argued. I wanted to go with him to the Black Fortress. He wanted me to stay here. We parted ways without making up. Now he’s dead, and I’ll never forgive myself.”

“Roy’s death was not your fault.” Haymar said. “He made the choice to leap in front of me, and you being there wouldn’t have influenced his decision.” She looked at him, not quite believing it, but not willing to argue.

“Now,” Haymar began, “There was another reason I came here besides Roy, although it does have to do with him, somewhat. With your brother’s unfortunate passing, there is an open position in the army. As your brother saved my life, for which I would be in his debt were he still here, I thought it only fair to offer you, as his sister, the position, in payment of that debt. Will you accept?”

Evellyn was still for awhile, digesting this. She was being offered a place in Haymar’s army, of which she had long desired to be a part of. But the cost had been her brother’s life, and she would be taking his place. Do I really want that? Evellyn thought. Without Roy, I won’t know anyone. I’ll be alone. Then she looked over at Haymar, and amended her thought. I’ll know hardly anyone. But I’ll finally be able to fight, and travel. To make friends, to get to know people. And a chance to avenge Roy. It was this last that decided it.

Evellyn looked up and met the other’s questioning gaze.

“I’ll take it.”

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Parts of this story might not make sense, because I have yet to finish my Assault on Maldrake's Fortress story, due to writer's block on it. To clear things up a bit; during the battle, after the Lenfel troops had gained the wall, Evellyn's brother Roy stepped in front of Haymar and took an arrow from an archer on the tower, thereby saving Haymar's life. Hopefully I'll get the full story done soon.

Done