Lizzie of the North (Yrsoreth Chronicles 2)

END 31 ◦❀◦ The Northern Wildfire

Last update for LotN Season 1. Also we get a glimpse of the backstory and how this whole series are connected  ☺
Enjoy.

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ

Lizzie had a dream.

A teen girl stood with her back at the edge of the cliff. Below it was the raging sea, foaming, and curling, molded into waves by the violent wind. The rain shed by the sky, with the roaring of thunder and blinking lighting, dropped like meteors against the softening earth.

Amidst the storm, the girl of black hair and eyes a serene smile. In her chest, she embraced a red book, like how one would hold their heart if it was beating outside their body.

The girl took a step back, closer to the cliff's edge, and she grinned then nodded to someone, looking straight into that person's soul.

The black-haired girl spoke a name, Lizzie couldn't hear for the thunder roared at the same time.

"...until the next chapter," was what only Lizzie heard.

The girl closed her eyes and inclined backward, letting her body fall into the raging storm and angry wave-

"-Swim girl, swim!" Lizzie found herself awake in an unfamiliar bed. But based on the decoration of deep blue and the contents, she assumed it was the duke's.

Her last drop of sleep was gone and the strange dream was pushed at the back of her head. The visions of the fire crawled back to her memory, images danced through the lit fireplace of the room.

The flames around her, the suffocating heat dancing with the smoke and reality of death-it was more than enough for her tears to bleed out of her eyes and cries escape her mouth.

"Papa! Papa!" It was all she could say in between her coughs and sobs and the choking sound squeaking out for her throat. It was as if the scorching heat from the fireplace was hell itself and enveloped her skin, all to every end of her nerves, deeper to her flesh and her bones.

The door slammed open and Devanti looked like he was flying towards her in a hurry. He shouted to the servants about doctors, magicians, and threats, as he cupped her face, yet unable to know how to cradle her bandaged arms to her fingertips.

Lizzie found more words as she hid her face on the duke's chest. "The fire! Papa the fire!"

The duke barked orders about dumping water in the fireplace. The maids cried in pity and relief outside her room and the knights clenched their teeth.

Lizzie's wails of fear, haunted the castle that day and casted a veil of gloom for their beloved lady's misfortune, and a hundredfold fears to the duke's unreleased killing intent. Until she had dried her tears and her throat horse, Lizzie wept in her father's chest until she slept again.

The ducal physician for forty years had only seen the duke mad during the birth of Lady Kirien in which the duchess bled so much and stayed in bed for weeks.

Although he was not present at that time, they said that Devanti Norvillon also killed the previous king's messenger, a noble from the capital, and the king's accomplice to the previous duchess' disappearance.

He sent the vassal's body back to the capital but kept his head displayed in the castle walls until it rot. Speculations arose that the previous duchess' departure, suspected by the king's order, was the root of the duke's uncanny support to the new emperor Alexander.

But the duke was more terrifying now.

The doctor controlled the trembling of his voice as he reported to Devanti Norvillon, who was now cradling the asleep Lizzie.

"I cannot be certain but I think it's a trauma, my lord. The lady developed her fear of fire in any form."

And so, with the duke's orders, no one would light any fire where Lizzie could see. The servants who were made aware of Lizzie's condition were more willing to obey for her sake, rather than fear of punishment.

It took three days for her to let go of her father when awake.

It took four days for her to voluntarily retell the events that took place, about Marquis Davitt and the blond stranger.

Five days passed when she found out that Alec was no longer in the castle.

The duke handed her a letter and in Alec's neat handwriting, he thanked her for the earring and bid her goodbye.

"Where did he go Papa?" she asked. The letter was now crumpled in her hands, wet with tears.

"With that woman... Ana." Unlike before with a small hint of agreeable tone, the duke mentioned them with cold detachment.

However, Lizzie did not question her father. Alec left, and that's it. Although she was filled with loss, he was meant to leave anytime sooner. It was just unfortunate timing.

I'll punch him next time, Lizzie swore to herself.

"Papa, that blond man, do you know him?" Lizzie asked once on the sixth day. The stranger, with the hair of the blaring sun and eyes of the red moons, acted as if he was particularly interested in Devanti Norvillon.

The latter only had resentment by Lizzie's inquiry. "And idiot," Devanti muttered. "A soon-to-be-dead idiot."

She did not ask further. There was only one man his father could refer to. She may have learned about political theories and structures, but politics in reality was more complicated. Now, her family was embroiled in conspiracies and schemes.

Her sadness was forcefully buried when Garth and Erdan rushed home from the academy and burned all the spirit stones their ship could take for weeks' journey and make it half. It took a toll on some of the ship crew and knights who could not tolerate high usage of spirit stones, becoming sick mid-journey.

Devanti then disappeared for two days, along with his trusted knights. Messengers were sent all over the North for an assembly.

Upon his return, the duke gathered all his trusted vassals. With Erdan and Garth on his sides, the assembly began from the morning, until the first ray of sunlight the next day, hit Lizzie's window.

The unfortunate incident of the only daughter of the Ducal House of Norvillon spread like wildfire in the North and to the Gran Dacchian capital. It was then followed by the capture of Marquis Davitt and his death.

His head, along with tens of his accomplices, decorated the castle gates, pecked by birds, with buzzing flies as crowns.

Many days after Lizzie was saved from the fire, the Gran Dacchian empire and its neighbors were shaken by the news. Like a northern wildfire engulfing the continent with unease.

On the 16th day of the 8th month, the 9th year of the Alexandrian Calendar, the Ducal House of Norvillon turned its sword against the emperor.

The North declared war against Gran Dacchia.

SEASON 1 END

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ

Hi. Thank you for reading.
I'll wait for Season 1 to reach 10k reads before starting Season 2.
Or just an excuse for me to take a break.
😅
I'm fixing my 2nd Watty account (Ellena_Odde2) for Taglish stories, currently writing a story (now at 63k words) for a contest thingy, and starting a new job.

And as always, there will
a timeskip in Season 2.

See you next time.

Ellena Odde ❤