What Once Was Lost - Percy De Rolo x Fem!Reader

Chapter 2: Left Behind

|| Story Note: POV Style Change - may be changed in editing ||

|| Very long chapter ahead ||

The days following (Y/n)'s last meeting with Percy came on a steep decline. The (L/n) family had received a letter stating the De Rolos had cut all ties with the trading family with no warning or reasoning. Their demands to see the royal family were met with pure silence and mounting frustrations. The meetings with Percy came to a sudden halt. (Y/n) waited for him as the days grew colder and winter began to cover the kingdom in snow. The harvests dwindled faster than usual. The clouds were dark and never seemed to leave. Even the Sun Tree seemed to wither in the cold. Everyone was on edge.

Then came the announcement.

A rather regal looking woman and an equally intimidating man - who would come to be known and recognized as the Briarwoods - made the abrupt declaration that the De Rolo family had succumbed to a truly terrible disease, and that in their final breaths, they entrusted Whitestone to the Briarwoods.

That went as well as anyone would have guessed. The town cried out in protest, demanding answers to the sudden deaths of the ruling family. (Y/n) couldn't believe it either! Not when only a few weeks beforehand Percy seemed in perfectly good health! Suspicions rose against the new "rulers" of Whitestone.

But it wasn't long until their true power was revealed. Undead Giants stormed through the city gates, tearing down the walls and squashing crowds of protests until the roads were painted red. Land was taken from previous owners and given to the new subordinates under the Briarwoods. Those who could make it fled the city. The (L/n) family was one who remained in Whitestone, stubbornly against all that the Briarwoods demanded. As did (Y/n). She knew Percy couldn't be dead. None of the De Rolos could be! But she had no way of truly knowing. The castle of Whitestone was barred and filled with Pale Guardsmen. Even notes that (Y/n) tried to pass through came with no reply. Wherever Percy was...it worried her horribly.

(Y/n) watched as Giants and Pale Guard patrolled the streets, looking for anyone unlucky enough to be outside. Her parents had retired for the night, their scattered plans and past trading documents lay strewn across the kitchen table. Even their own nerves were easy to see in the scribbled handwriting. A small candle flickered on the table, shadows on the walls dancing in time.

(Y/n) found herself on another night where sleep evaded her. Between the worry of her family's safety - hell, the whole kingdom's safety - to the thundering footsteps of the Giants outside, it was getting harder and harder to sleep. Thoughts of Percy still plagued her mind. It had been months since she last saw him. Could he...really be...?

(Y/n) shook her head, rising from her seat. No. No, Percy couldn't be. Something was amiss, she could feel it in her heart. But at the same time...she had no clue where to start. With Pale Guard constantly avoiding questions about the royal family and... punishing those who spoke out against the Briarwoods, finding out the truth looked damn well difficult. A task that could see her severely reprimanded.

(Y/n) sighed heavily, pushing some hair back from her forehead. She needed to sleep. She couldn't formulate any plan if she was too tired to think proper sense. She rose from her seat, reaching for the candle that lit the room.

Knock knock knock

(Y/n) paused, feeling a twinge of fear rush up her spine. Someone was knocking on their back door. Shit, shit shit shit. Was it the Pale Guard? What did she do wrong? She was in her own house, even if she was awake after curfew. Did they read her letters meant for Percy?

Knock knock knock knock

The rapping at the back door was feverish, quick. Not booming or authoritative. But nonetheless, (Y/n) had her guard up. She took the candleholder in her hand, cautiously walking up to the door. If it was the Pale Guard, she knew damn well she'd be in more shit if she didn't answer.