Alyssia sat up in her bed and rubbed her face looking out the window of her room. The sun was already shining brightly in the sky. It wouldn’t be long and the cold would set in fully with the start of the cold cycle. The young Aukari got up to get dressed for the day. It was the 85th of Vhalar she had heard about the ritual of the dead. A time when families would gather to pay their respects to their loved ones who had passed away. Grabbing her brush, the girl sat down and began the process of brushing her hair. She started from the bottom wincing as the ends of her hair had knotted up good. Gripping above where the knot was, Alyssia focused on just brushing the knot. Once it was out, she began to brush longer strokes hearing the tiny little knots popping as the bristles passed through them.
“He made me a von smooglenuff. Even if we are not blood, he deserves to be visited as well,” Alyssia voiced her thoughts looking at her reflection.
If it had not been for the late baron there was no telling where she would be at the moment. All she could do was thank him for giving her a chance. The best way to do that was to do her best while studying under Kura and make an area that will be his resting place. Devin had built the new manor where the previous had once stood. It only made sense to her that the late baron have a place in the manor or on the property dedicated to him. First though there was plenty to be done to make sure all her animals were taken care of for the day. Walking out of the bathroom, she went to her closet and got dressed for the day.
Alyssia pulled half of her hair back, tying it off into a ponytail while going over to get the food for Novus and Fowler first. Thankfully the puppy did not seem too interested in what Fowler was going to eat. Myrixia always waited to eat till the pair made it out to the barn where Rymid was staying. She loved to sleep inside when night fell, but during meals the little dragonet wanted to be with the dragonling. Once both of them were fed, she gathered together Myrixia’s food and covered it before walking out and going to the barn. Myrixia jumped up and landed on her shoulder curling up riding on the girl’s shoulder so that she could make it to the barn. Boots clicked as she stepped on the rock pathway, the sounds of the horses and Rymid caused the girl to smile brightly. Picking up her pace, the girl jogged down to the barn and said good morning to the stable hands.
“Rymid! Time for breakfast!” Alyssia called and waited as the dragon climbed down from his nest walking over to her.
The Aukari hugged his nose with a smile before going with him to fix something for him to eat. Putting Myrixia’s bowl of meat and fruit on the table, Alyssia made a bigger bowl of the same meal for Rymid putting it on the floor beside the table so the pair could eat together. Alyssia ran her hand over the wing of the dragon on her way out of the barn, popping her back with a wince.
“Okay, now to make something for the baron and to figure out where to put it,” Alyssia said with a nod of her head.
Alyssia walked back up to the manor while trying to think. The teen stopped and looked out and where the badlands still stood. They had been a constant reminder of that night when the manor fell into the ground swallowed by the earth. Taking a deep breath, the girl made her way towards the badlands with a determined look on her face. She wanted to change what they meant. The only way that she knew to do so was to find some rocks to bring back with her and use to make a memorial on the grounds of the new manor. The sentry appeared to her as if it was the baron himself still looking over the island as they began to rebuild.
“I failed him once. I won’t fail this time,” Alyssia whispered and headed to the gates of the manor.
She waved with a smile to the guards, knowing them both well. She had been in and out of the manor enough that both of them recognized her. Of course there were not many who came and went from the manor who had the bright red aukari hair. The girl scrunched up her face when she heard her name get called out by a gruff male’s voice. Sighing, she turned to see two figures approaching her. One was a clearly older man that had lived a hard life, while the other was a much younger woman who appeared to almost be bouncing on her feet.
“Young Baroness! Where do you call yourself going today?” the male asked, arching an eyebrow.
“I was just going to the badlands, Neil. It’s nothing to be concerned about, I promise to be right back,” Alyssia said with a cheeky smile.
“Oh no you are not. There is nothing there that you need. The badlands are filled with nothing but danger. Now come back inside at once,” Neil stated in a gruff tone.
“Now just hold on Neil. Why dont we see why she wants to go before just denying her. After all, she is above us. If she plans on going there is no way we can stop her. Lady Alyssia, what are you wanting to do there?” the woman asked with a tilt of her head.
“I want to get some larger rocks to make a memorial here on the grounds for the late baron,” Alyssia said, “thanks for not just shutting me down Patricia.”
“See, I think that's an amazing idea! I am all for her going with us accompanying her naturally,” Patricia said with a smile.
“Fine, but I am reporting to the barons immediately,” Neil relented when Patricia turned on the young girl’s side.
“Thank you!” Alyssia exclaimed with a huge smile and turned back towards the gates hurrying ahead.
Patricia was not far behind her young charge laughing excitedly to go on the adventure with her. Most days it was just the two following her back and forth to classes as well as general chores and tasks around the manor. Neil couldn’t help but sigh while rubbing his face taking out the echo scroll. The man wrote a quick message addressing both Baron Darius and Baron Devin letting them know of the unexpected trip to the badlands and the reasoning behind it.
‘Good evening Baron Darius and Baron Devin,
It is Neil. I wished to make you both aware that Alyssia has insisted on a trip to the badlands today. She wishes to get some rocks from the area and bring them back to the manor to create a memorial for the late baron.’
Alyssia hummed as she and Patricia walked up to the stables and looked around to see if there was a carriage not being used. It would help to bring back rocks if they didn’t have to carry them by hand. Carrying them by hand would take much longer than the amount of daylight left in the sky. Walking inside the stables, boots clicked softly and smiled, raising her hand to the horses so they could smell her hand. Thankfully Devin had not only brought over Scalvwings but also several work horses that look to be strong enough to pull a carriage of rocks back.
“These two should do nicely, I will find the stable staff so that we can get a move on,” Patricia said with a smile looking at the two twin male horses as they stared at the two women.
“I think so too, I will wait here for you then,” Alyssia stated and watched as Patricia hurried off to go find the stable hands.
Alyssia felt her heartbeat pick up as she moved to the doors of the stables. She looked back out at their target amazed at what time had changed just from the view within the walls of the manor. The teen could only imagine how it would look when they were actually there. So close that she would be able to reach out and touch the trees or what was left of them. To know that if they just progressed further, they would make it to the other side and find more wondrous things. Or perhaps not such wondrous things, either way it would make for an amazing story. One that would not soon be forgotten.
“Okay, they will get these two hitched up and we will be ready to go. As soon as Neil arrives back of course,” Patricia said with a smile. Even with all her skills, she was no fool to think that Neil wouldn’t be furious if they took off without him, “something on your mind young baroness?”
Alyssia looked over to Patricia and watched her for a moment with calm eyes, “I was just wondering what it will be like to be that close to the badlands. What is possibly waiting on the other side just be found by people.”
“Hm, those are good things to wonder about. Soon enough at least one of those questions will be answered. Come on, let's go see if they need our help. You will have to learn all this for yourself. One day you won’t be at a stable with others to do this for you,” Patricia explained with a smile.
Alyssia smiled and nodded following the older woman. She knew that soon both of her guards would start pushing for her to learn more. They would want to step away from the life of protecting others in lieu of something where they could relax in peace.
