“Zorian,” his stepbrother spoke, running to him, “I have been looking for you, near all morning.”
“Sorry,” Zorian mumbled, still smiling, “I had gotten distracted for a bit, and was sitting on the fields reading.”
His stepbrother nodded, “i must speak with you.” he said urgently,
“Alright,” Zorian said dimly a foolish look painted on his face,
“Not here,” Rob spoke, panicked, looking about, “somewhere private.” he grabbed Zorians arm, pulling him out of his hazed, as Rob dragged him along the bailey and inside the keep, he pulled him till they climbed the steep steps of the keeps tower, which none had entered for years, its stones were beginning to crumble and there were holes within the bricks that blew through a harsh bitter wild, different from the ones Zorian felt out on the fields. They arrived at the top of the tower, it’s wooden blanks creaking and if one was not careful their feet would surely break through.
Rob released Zorians arm, as he paced back and forth, he gulped, chewing on his nails, “brother, i do not know what to do, for mother was acting strangely this morning, you surely took notice of that,”
“I-” but Zorian could not finish as his stepbrother continued on,
“Last night, before leaving for the festival, she had said some things that-gods makes me sick to say it, but she wishes to sell you, not as a servant to another household but as a slave to be bought at accusation across the southern sea.”
It was quiet, “I know,” Zorian whispered, his fists tightening, ignoring the pain from his knuckles. “I heard last night.”
“Oh,” Rob said in a faded tone, “Zorian, i have tried to convince her otherwise,” he seemed to be on the brink of tears, “but-i am such coward to be afraid of my own mother,” he chuckled brokenly to himself,
“You are not,” Zorian soothed, walking towards him, placing a hand on his shoulder. “If i were to be honest, she would have done so eventually anyway.”
Rob shook his head violently “it is not fair!” he shouted like a child. “She can not do this, the servants will not allow it, and neither will i.”
Zorian sighed, “may you keep a secret?” His stepbrother looked up at Zorian with a puzzled expression, “last night, I had not polished the silverware.” he began to smile, “i was at the festival.”
Rob's eyes widened, “i-i had thought he looked familiar but i did not think...” he paused, “Gods, the boy, he was you?”
Zorian nodded stiffly, “you mustn’t say a word,” he warned,
His stepbrother shook his head, “i shalln’t,” he promised, he took hold of Zorians hands, “if mother knew,” he smiled, “gods, and you had been the talk of the night,” he chuckled, his face grew bright, “you must go back tonight,” he urged,
“What?” Zorian laughed, “don’t be stupid, i can’t.”
“Of course you can, the prince will be expecting you, had you not seen the way he had danced with you and looked at you, he’s in love, there is no doubt.”
Zorian scoffed, “do not be silly, he can not be, and he would not if he knew who i was.”
Rob snorted, “he’d be more enchanted if he knew who you were. You have to go. If not to see him, then to know to have yet again gone against mother without her knowing.” he tried to convince.
Zorian sighed, “i have but one attire to wear it will be odd if i wear it again.”
“Then you shall borrow something of mine.”
“I can’t, her ladyship with notice.” Zorian groaned.
Rob frowned in thought, “how had you come across such clothing in first place?” he questioned,
“You will think me mad.” Zorian told him, Rob gave his stepbrother a look of disbelief. Zorian sighed, “my mother, she had come to me in the grove and these crows had-i do not know how, perhaps it was sorcery, but i looked down myself within a moment and i was wearing new attire.”
“Then,” Rob began carefully, “we shall go pray to her, to gift you one more thing.” he said with certainty. And as fast as he had spoken the words he began to drag Zorian along back down down the steps once more, heading out the keep and towards the grove of trees. As they passed the gardens Zorian saw his stepsister stroll along leisurely on the arm of the merchant, talking pleasantly to one another and he thought in that moment that she looked happy. They arrived in the grove, Rob marching to the tree stump, immediately landing on his knees in prayer, he looked up to Zorian who still stood above the stub, “come on,” he said, “at least try.”
Zorian groaned but knelt down beside his stepbrother, closing his eyes in prayer. They stayed silent for a long while, till finally Rob burst into laughter,
“Sorry,” he spoke, “i suppose it’s not working,” he smiled,
“It’s alright,” Zorian shrugged.
“But it’s nice,” Rob admitted, nudging Zorians shoulder, “I do not think you have confided in me anything since we were young.” he began to chuckle, “remember how we would play here? Climbing up the trees, i had gotten stuck up once and couldn’t get down,”
“So i climbed up too,” Zorian smiled, in remembrance, “but got stuck trying to reach you.”
Rob laughed, “and father had to come to get us down, i remember how much i cried, i was so scared i’d be stuck up there forever.” he spoke looking up to the trees around them.
Zorian snorted, “father had made sure someone looked over us as we played here after that, so we wouldn’t climb up the trees again.”
“It was simpler back then, when father was here. I hate how mother didn’t allow Gwyn and I to go to the funeral. He was our father too, as much as-” but he stopped, “we had all practically grown together, I do not understand this divide mother seems determined to have up.” he breathed.
“I am not her blood,” Zorian simply said.
Rob sighed, “that matters not to me.” he got up from the ground, “i think i will go for a ride, would you join me?”
Zorian was quiet, “no, i need to finish off the weeding, i do not want to risk her ladyship's wrath.” he joked but it was not funny, his stepbrother nodded with understanding, “alright, i will see you before we leave for the festival then.”
Zorian watched as Rob walked away, slumping against the stub of the tree, groaning, as he closed his eyes, he turned his head down to the stub, “it’s alright if you can’t mother, i do think it would be good to go back, i am sure it is just wishful thinking on Robs part that the prince was at all interested in me. But,” he smirked, ''I would like to go back for that sweet wine, I am sure they had it sent from some far off land.” he sighed, “one night was enough,” he lamented. He glanced one more time at his mother stub, and left.
He spent the day un-weeding the gardens, every so often looking over to his stepsister and the merchant, he viewed as he handed her a rose from his sleeve, a pink rose, that was much same colour of her gown, that was more modest than her others, that covered her chest fulling without a show of skin till her neck, it was pinned from the front with pearls encrusted copper, that was painted silver. She smiled tightly up to him, taking the rose from his fingers, thanking him quietly.
Zorian could hear their voices from where he sat, she eagerly began to talk to the man of the prince, which encouraged an awkward looking tilt on the merchants lips, yet he listened patiently to her every word.
They had stayed in the gardens for the whole afternoon, till her mother arrived back to the keep, finding her daughter and the merchant, and with an order told the man to leave at once, though her words were covered by a sickeningly soft voice and smile. But as soon as he left Zorian watched as his stepmother stalked towards Gwyn, her nails like claws dug into the flesh of her daughter's arm, holding it down with a force that had Zorian feel a rare sprout of worry for his stepsister. The woman's eyes were hard and narrowed with dangerous intent, she viciously spoke down to her daughter, “how dare you! Have you no shame girl!” she spat, “i have not raised, taught and given you all i could possible provide, for you to squander all of your worth on some foreign wanderer, who has but a hut to house you in, no lands, not even a castle to speak of.”
“But mother,” Gwyn began to cry, her voice shaking at the pain her mother held her in. “he has money and is well respected in court-”
“I don’t care!” her mother seethed, “what is money, when you can have a realm is rule over, a kingdom, lands which to build palaces, castles, keeps.” she stared down at her daughter with hate, “you are a stupid girl if you believe you would be happy to be a merchants wife, instead of a kings queen.” and with that she pulled the crying girl along back into the keeps doors.
Zorian stayed in the gardens working for the rest of day, and as it grew dark a chambermaid came out, informing him that her ladyship, lady Gwyn and Rob were calling for him. Zorian quickly cleaned himself by the water pump and headed inside the keep. He went first to his stepsisters chambers, finding her by her mirror, looking at her bare arm, that was ringed in a darkened bruise, her eyes looked red and swollen, she sniffed, wiping her eyes, “my lady?” Zorian asked,
She turned to him, “oh, um, Zorian," she spoke surprised.
"Should i dress you, my lady?" He asked.
She nodded, Zorian began to dress her, removing her white linen under dress, she stood naked for a moment, her hands on her arms for warmth, the boy dressed Gwyn in a ivory gown, that fell halfway off her shoulders, and neckline dipped far below that in which she had normally fashioned herself in, falling just above her waist. The thin line was held together by small silver diamond imprinted buckles, that were the size of Zorians finger tips. The gown itself was plain except for a few embroidered white thread at the helms of her skirt and sleeves. As Zorian was tying her hair, he noticed the pink rose on her table that was placed in a jar, "would you like me to me pin the rose to your gown?" He questioned finishing the long braid, woven with a piece of ribbon.
"No," she answered dim.
"Are you sure? I am certain the merchant would be pleased to see you wear it."
"I am,"
Zorian began to place necklaces and earrings on his stepsister. "He will be disappointed then, he seemed very eager when he had arrived today to see you. And the rose is very pretty. I am sure there was a reason he given it to you-" But Zorians words were stopped as he felt a hand slam onto his right cheek with a harsh strength. He looked back to Gwyn who's eyes were aflamed, "do not not speak of him!" She shouted, "I do not want to hear the mention-" but she was cut short as Zorian aimed a hard slap back to her face. It was more forceful than he had intended, but his anger did not leave him. Gwyn broke into tears, as her hand pressed to where Zorian had hit her, “how dare you,” she sobbed, “i will tell mother and she will-”
“Go ahead,” he snarled, “I do not care, I will be gone soon enough.”
She went silent, her hands closing over her face as she cried, “i have not done anything wrong,” she wept, her words sounded more directed to herself, “i had not,” she cried. Zorian looked at the girl and huffed out a breath, he turned away walking to the door, “where are you going?” she questioned, “i have not told you, you can-”
“Fuck off,” he told her, as he swung the doors open with his hands leaving, he could hear her sobs as he traveled down the corridor to her brothers room, and though he too did hear his sisters cries he did not ask Zorian what they about, and neither did his stepmother when he had arrived to get her ready for the festival, as even then his stepsisters cried did not give up, and as the evening went on, he began to feel guilty, and he could not look her in eyes as his stepfamily climbed into the cart. He stood idle and motionless as he watched them leave through the gates, but he could not help to notice the pink rose that was pinned below her breasts, and he smiled a little, that earned him a scorn from his stepmother.
After the cart was far from view, he moved back into the keep, trailing to his quarters, when he arrived he was shocked to find a new pair of clothes, and another mask. He did waste time and instantly began to change, not thinking twice about going to the festival again..
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