Varian and the Seven Kingdoms (Varian's Seven Trials)

Ulla

Quirin almost felt a little embarrassed being bested by the small woman. It was his job to protect the Dark Kingdom, but perhaps it would have been wise to approach things more calmly.
"I apologise for drawing my sword, but you shouldn't be sneaking around here." Quirin replied, sternly.

The woman tilted her head questioningly and climbed off of the man, "Why not?"
Quirin stood and adjusted his armour, "The Dark Kingdom was evacuated for the safety of the people living there."
"So why're you here?"
"I pledged an oath to protect the moonstone, and stop anyone from entering the Kingdom."

"Sounds like a boring job." The woman flipped open her book, distractedly.
"You didn't answer me when I asked. What are you doing here?"
"And you didn't answer me when I asked your name." The red-head's eyes gleamed, challengingly. Quirin sighed and sheathed his sword, "My name is Quirin."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Quirin." The woman put her hand out, "I'm Ulla."

Varian listened intently to the story, a smile on his face,
"Wow..." He chuckled, "So you met totally by accident?"
"Yes." Quirin laughed slightly, "She was a strong woman. Always ready for a challenge, no matter how big. You remind me of her so much." He looked to his son.
"Thanks, dad..." Varian's smile grew, "Is there anything else you remember?"
"Of course. She came to the Dark Kingdom several times after that. It's how we grew fond of each other." The man smiled, "Your mother explained that she had been carrying out research of the Dark Kingdom. She told me about her learnings as a disciple of Lord Demanitus and how she hoped to reach the moonstone; to see it in person. I kicked her out for that." Quirin laughed and so did Varian.

"What if we eloped?" Ulla joked one day while she and Quirin watched the sunset over the Dark Kingdom. The man laughed at the suggestion, directing a kind smile at the woman, "What about your research?"
"Well, I've hit a dead end. There's this dreadfully annoying knight who won't let me past." She grinned and Quirin rolled his eyes, his smile never faltering.

"We could, you know. I can take my research elsewhere and-"
"And? What about my oath?"
"Forget the oath, Quirin. I've come here almost everyday for months and I've been the only one. No one is coming for the moonstone."
"But there is a chance they might."
"If you live your whole life on 'what ifs' you'll never get anything done."

Quirin looked to the ground. Ulla was right. He could easily waste his whole life away protecting something no one was looking for. With his 'what if' attitude, he could justify just about anything. Even something as ridiculous as standing guard everyday outside a deserted kingdom.

"I shall speak with the king." Quirin told the woman and her eyes widened.
She opened her mouth to say something, but Quirin spoke before she could, "No, you cannot come with me."

"And...?" Varian was on the edge of his seat. Quirin had never spoken about Ulla before, and a story explaining how his parents came to know each other was captivating to him.
"Well...I did speak with the king. I didn't mention your mother, or her frequent visits to the kingdom. Instead, I explained how protection of the moonstone would be more efficient if the brotherhood were sent out into the world.
We could then keep people from the moonstone before they ever reached the kingdom." Quirin looked around at the house, "King Edmund agreed. He sent each member of the brotherhood in a different direction from the Kingdom. I was sent here, to Corona. I didn't know what my plan was for when I got here, but...I didn't care. I decided to take a page out of your mother's book and stop worrying about the 'what ifs'." Quirin and Varian both laughed.
"All I knew is I was going to start a life with your mother..." The man smiled.

Quirin unpacked the last of his crates into his new home. King Edmund had been in touch with King Frederick of Corona, and he had agreed to give the knight accommodation in one of Corona's farming villages. It wasn't a very populated village, with very few residents, and fields upon fields of crops.
The man sighed when he walked into the basement and was met with a stack of crates, untouched. He moved around the pile to see Ulla sitting on the stone floor, crossed-legged, scrawling away in her journal.