"He spent all day searching around Ravenscourt for it, only to find out that they had been hidden in his breeches all-day!"
Loldirr laughed hysterically at Chrys' story from her childhood as they both rested within Loldirr's quarters after an intense day being entertained by the Emperor.
Chrys took it upon herself to start plating Loldirr's red locks, allowing Loldirr to sit, relax and take her mind off the trivial things of her first few days in court.
Their friendship had grown strong in the short time they had come to know each other. Despite their two winter gap, Chrys' abundant enthusiasm was infectious on Loldirr and it had given her the opportunity to have a life outside the stress of being the true Empress and apparent sorceress. Loldirr had grown fond of her, especially after how they both treated each other in public and in private.
Instinctively, Chrys took the role of serving girl to Loldirr in public like a duck to water, yet as the doors to the outside world were closed, their friendship blossomed, allowing them to laugh and joke and talk nonsense in a way that Loldirr had never experienced before.
"Where did you learn archery like that? The Emperor did not look best pleased when you beat him?" Chrys asked.
Loldirr sighed. Despite having a strong bond of friendship, Chrys had not been told of Loldirr's history, as far as she was concerned, Loldirr was indeed the daughter of Lord Fargold.
"Just lots of practice," Loldirr replied as flippantly as possible.
"I wish I could learn archery, sometimes I envy you people of nobility." Chrys smiled as her hands glided effortlessly through Loldirr's hair.
Thinking back to the last few days of truly seeing what the world of nobility was like, Loldirr sighed once more. "Trust me, it's not as glamorous as it looks from the outside. It seems I have to spend a lot of time doing things I do not necessarily want to do."
"I hear you, " Chrys replied, "like marriage, one day you'll probably be told to marry someone."
Loldirr twisted around with a distraught look on her face. "Marriage? Why on earth would I want to do that?"
"We all dream of finding our knight in shining armour, the one who will whisk us away from those of evil. Or perhaps they will storm through the castle keep like a pouncing tiger in their black leather and trimmed beard. In reality, though, someone will tell you to marry someone else because it will strengthen an alliance or something like that. Or least that's what Da' tells me will happen." Chrys responded, her voice all dreamy and flowing.
"Black leather and trimmed beard, that's very specific." Loldirr smiled, "You aren't referring to Ethelston are you?"
Chrys giggled "Lord Ethelston is such a dream isn't he?"
Loldirr laughed as her friend started to stroke her hair with more fervour. "Ethelston just really isn't my type." Her laugh died down as she realised that she didn't know what her type was. "Besides, he snores so loud!" her smile returned.
Chrys instantly stopped playing with Loldirr's hair, "Wait have you...?"
Loldirr's eyes widened when she realised what she had just said, quickly spinning around she instantly backtracked on her previous comment "Good gods no... We had to stay together... on our travels! We've never... I've never..." her whole face turned red like a beetroot.
Chrys looked at her eyes briefly, studying her response, "Oh my gods, you truly haven't." she giggled.
Turning around, Loldirr didn't want Chrys to see how embarrassed she had become with the direction the conversation had gone. As a quiet descended the room, Loldirr eventually asked: "Have you?"
Initially, there was no answer, making Loldirr initially think that Chrys was smiling, but her voice returned sombre and devoid of her normal enthusiasm "I have... Lord Millendahl... He did things."
There was a stifled sniffle from behind Loldirr, as she turned to Chrys, the tears had started to slip down her cheeks like a broken fountain.
"Oh, " Loldirr whispered "I'm so sorry, I truly am." without hesitation, she threw her arms around her friend, embracing her tight, allowing Chrys to cry without restriction.
As they released their grip, Chrys rubbed her watered eyes and smiled, her dimples seemingly making her smile truly genuine. "My lady, you should not be hugging your servant," she commented flippantly.
Loldirr chuckled before swinging around to allow Chrys to continue with her hair. It was true, this had been one of Edric's lessons. The separation of nobility to common folk was regrettable but necessary. To treat Chrys as an equal would be scandalous beyond reason, and certainly not a way to get into the graces of the current nobility in Lionmane.
She also couldn't deny that their friendship had grown and Chrys was the only person that Loldirr felt natural to be around. Ironic, considering that Chrys had no idea of Loldirr's true identity.
"You are right, it's very un-noble of me." Loldirr chuckled.
As Chrys continued to talk about the nobles she had seen married begrudgingly, Loldirr couldn't help but be bothered by the lack of honesty she had shown towards Chrys. She trusted her but did that trust extend enough to tell Chrys that they were in her family home, fearing for their life should one incorrect comment be made.
"If I was not who I say I am, " Loldirr interrupted, "would you still be so kind to me?"
Chrys stopped, her hands carefully lowered the strands of red hair she was holding. "As long as you weren't someone evil." she chuckled.
Was Loldirr evil? She remembered back to the man's throat she sliced on the boat to Gryffinfall, the look in his eye as he desperately tried to hold the blood in his throat. He did try to rape her, but she also remembered her feelings when the cold blade sliced deep. Some of it was regret, but most of it was satisfaction.
Did that make her evil?
"Milady, I take pleasure in serving you, " Chrys responded, "I know I haven't been serving you long, but it is the first time in my life that I can take some pride in my work. I serve Loldirr, and if your name is actually Bridget, or Siferell or even Kartazyn, I will still serve you."
Loldirr smiled, a warm feeling embraced her body. For a brief moment, she felt safe with a friend. "Listen, my name is Loldirr, but..."
She was interrupted by a loud banging on the door. The room seemed to echo violently from the fist that was battering the wood and steel. Chrys and Loldirr stared at each other in disbelief, with the moon high in the sky, who could be banging at this hour?
The banging continued, prompting Loldirr to move to her bed. She was only dressed in a nightgown and extremely underdressed to entertain visitors.
Chrys stood, also in a nightgown and walked her way to the door. She watched as the door reverberated violently with each bang, making her apprehensive to open the door. "Who is it?" she asked sheepishly.
"Open the door in the name of the Emperor." a stern booming voice shouted from behind the wood.
Carefully unlocking the door, Chrys' fingers were somewhat clumsier than usual. As she fumbled at the last lock, the door swung open violently, knocking her back and hitting her head with a thump.
Three soldiers stormed into the room, along with a Knight donning full golden armour. A lion's head embossed itself ferociously from the breastplate and shoulder guards, the man's head was almost lost between the bulk of all the armour that he was wearing. This was one of the Emperor's closest and most feared soldiers, the elite, known as a Lionguard.
His hand hovered threateningly over the pommel of the sword, Loldirr noticed the metal head of what she originally thought was an eagle, but having studied the various soldiers of the Lionguard, and their sigils, she knew it was, in fact, a Kite.
Sir Searmundr of Kiteborough.
"Lady Loldirr, you are under arrest for treason and hereby sentenced to death, by the true Emperor of Isovine, Emperor Arnaud III. You are to be taken immediately to your cell where you shall remain until you death tomorrow when the sun is at its highest." Sir Searmundr ordered with a severe lack of empathy.
"What? You can't do that?" Loldirr responded, confused by the whole situation.
As she hid among the covers of her bedding, the soldiers surrounded the bed and proceeded to pull her violently from it.
"What are you doing?" she responded hysterically, a wave of anger flashed across her face. She kicked and scratched at the soldiers as they proceeded to lift her forcibly.
Chrys had risen and started to protest with Sir Searmundr, but she was dwarfed by his huge frame, and her protests seemed to disappear into insignificance.
"Treason?" Loldirr spat out "is beating the Emperor at archery treason?" Loldirr's faced flushed red as she continued to struggle against the much stronger soldiers.
"Take her to her cell!" Sir Searmundr ordered as they dragged Loldirr, unceremoniously, into the corridor.
As Loldirr was being dragged against her will, she turned to Chrys and repeated continuously until her voice could no longer be heard. "Find Erdudvyl, tell her what has happened, find her immediately!"
As Sir Searmundr turned to walk away, Chrys stood between him and the door. "Milord, she has not committed treason, please, milord."
Before she could react, Sir Seamundr hit her with the back of his hand, smacking her to the floor. As he stepped over her, Chrys could feel the swelling left by the metal armoured hand take shape, her eyes filled with water while she attempted to regain her bearings.
"Milord, please, at least give her some clothes for decency."
The Lionguard stopped and turned his head around. "Hah! Decency? As they strap her up to the pyre to be burnt alive, decency will be the last thing she will think of."