I am a son of the Mountain.
Location: Illyria~House Rayne Barracks
Time: Late night
It seemed like tonight was a bit quieter than most. Maybe it was the fact that the moon was hidden by a thick screen of clouds and provided little light to the lands, but as Lucien stood up from his bed he could not help but have a bad feeling. He hated when it was quiet like this. The world was supposed to be active and moving, when things were like this it just fealt...dead. Lucien drew his back into a deep stretch, letting out a brief grunt as he felt the tension in his back release. His room was small, humble for what he was used to. He could have had a much larger place to stay, adorned with the amenaties of his station, but that would require him to sleep in the Keep. Rather than rest in the inner workings of the castle, he spent most of his time in the cavalry barracks. It had been his home during the war and when it was time to return to the castle, he refused. There were a number of reasons why Lucien did not stay in the castle. The keep was so constricting and each step Lucien took was one that put him under the eyes of his father, Lord Dameron. Once Dameron had been a powerful warrior who led House Rayne into a new age of wealth. He was one of the first Knights to swear loyalty to the last King and was generously rewarded for it. Of course, that was a long time ago. Dameron had forgotten the ways of war, forgotten how he had forged this House, and now he scorned his son who still hung closely to their way.
Stepping away from his bed, Lucien felt a hand reach out for his own. Soft skin brushed against his, causing him to look back to his bed. The women who had shared his bed with him were still half asleep, one of them instinctively reached out as they noticed his departure but in the next minute her hand was tucked back under his pillow.
Another reason for him to stay in the barracks. It allowed his busines to remain his own and his father would not be able to scold him every time he took a woman to his bed.
Lucien walked over to his dresser, grabbing a grey t-shirt from the first drawer and quickly pulling it over his bare chest. Perhaps now was as good a time as any to step out and clear his head? He walked over to his door, tapping the console and watching as it slid into it's host. The other side of the door did not just hold the dimly lit main hall of the Officer's quarters. Instead one of his father's guard stood, a hand raised as he prepared to knock on the door. The soldier was clad in dark slate armor with a deep azure trim. His helmet which usually covered their eyes was tightly tucked underneath his left arm.
"Oh, Lord Rayne. I'm sorry to disturb you this late sir, but-"
Lucien chuckled a bit, taking a note at the man's reluctance to knock on his door. It must have been bad news and what was the worst news a man could give Lucien?
"My father wants me, doesn't he?" He asked, tilting his head to the side with an almost bored expression.
"Yes, my lord. He wants to see you in the main hall as soon as possible."
Lucien held up a hand in acknowledgement. If he had to go and see his father in the main hall then he couldn't just show up as he was. He had to actually dress himself to some degree. "Give me ten and I'll be right out." The guard inclined his head respectfully while Lucien stepped from the door, slapping his hand back against the control panel while he walked over to his closet. Although it was late at night his father was almost entirely nocturnal, so it was not often for him to call for Lucien in the middle of the night. Damned inconvenient but he was used to it.
It did not take Lucien long to find something a bit more proper for the occasion. He wore a dark brown tunic with matching trousers. It was a more ceremonial outfit made for him when he was elevated from Squire to Knight. His left shoulder was covered almost entirely with a cape that fell down to his waist. The cape was trimmed with a black threading and had the seal of House Rayne on it. A winged beast, flying over an open field with what looked like a snake in his talons.
Lucien moved through the compound, holding a smirk on his face as he did. He liked to see how the people of the castle regarded him. The men and women of his father's court were respectful but most believed he was little more than an upjumped brat with an attitude. He didn't care. In time they would all work for him and then they would see what he was capable of.
The guard who was sent to fetch him stood in front of the great hall's main entrance. It was little more than a giant threshold. His father always believed a Lord should have, "an open door policy." Perhaps it was true, yet when it came to a tactical position Lucien knew it was the dumbest thing he had ever seen. He rolled his eyes as he passed through, the guard calling out as he did. "Introducing, Sir Lucien Rayne, Knight of Illyria." Past the threshold was a set of stairs which led down to the main hall. Lucien descended down the steps as his eyes were locked on his father, who seemed almost a mile away. Dameron Rayne was not a large man, in fact he stood a few inches shorter than Lucien. His cheeks were gaunt and his once black hair was plagued with large patches of grey. He sat on his throne, gazing out at Lucien with a general expression of distaste, as if he wished someone else could have been called in his place.
That look of distaste and unsatisfaction had not faltered in years yet it still managed to tear Lucien apart. His eyes narrowed as he returned his father's gaze with nothing more than silence. There was nothing to say to this man, not yet. Lucien would have his say after he showed his father the truth, that he was a better lord than Dameron had ever been.
A sapphire carpet led the way to Dameron. Lucien followed it as his eyes crossed the chambers. He could see the castle's Master at arms, the Chamberlain of the House, and the Master Armorsmith. There were other faces who were familiar to Lucien, each of them essential to the House and all of them had their eyes locked on him. Lucien finally reached his father and imemdiaely descended down to a knee, draping his arm over it while he bowed his head.
"Father, you summoned me?" Lucien spoke and for the longest time he heard nothing in response. His eyes slowly lifted up to meet his father's and what he saw left a cold chill that ran down his spine. He could feel something coming from his father. It was...vague and hard to narrow down but it almost felt like sorrow or regret?
Lucien had spent enough time on his knee and finally rose of his own accord. Finally, his father's voice finally echoed out into the chamber. Although his father was a smaller man his voice carried as if he held the lungs of an orator.
"As of today, our world is a member of The Confederacy of independent systems, by decree of our King." His voice was loud and proud, yet there was still that subtle hint of sorrow. Perhaps it had been such a presence for so long that others did not notice, but Lucien knew his father and he knew when something was wrong with the old man. When the mention of their new "King" came, Lucien could not help but chuckle a bit. There had been talk of the new King and how he had rather easily ascended a vacant throne. It mattered little to Lucien, he was a Knight sworn to the man's service regardless.
"Wonderful, so I asume we'll be having champagne with dinner?" Lucien's humor was met with a dry sigh that came from his father.
"The Houses are expected to commit military support to The Confedaracy. Most of the other Houses are committing officers but our House has something else we can sacrifice." Dameron said, his eyes rising to meet the other members of the hall as he spoke. Lucien was about to speak, yet his father continued, cutting him off.
"You leave tomorrow."
Lucien's face was contorted in confusion as he looked to his father. Leave? How could he leave his home? "I'm leaving the Castle?"
"You are leaving the world." That was certainly not the answer Lucien had been expecting. His eyes flashed wide for a moment before he held a hand out towards his father. How could he be leaving Illyria? This was too much to handle at once with no information to be given. "How can I leave Illyria? I'm the Lord-Commander of your army." Dameron shook his head, waving a dismissive hand at the man. "No, not anymore. I will entrust that duty to another."
"I'm your heir...Illyrian law states I am to remain by your side until it's my time to take over." The silence that filled the room was heavy and the tension was palpable. Now, as the man looked around no one would meet his eyes, no one except for his father. As Dameron stood up, his form seemed to grow and his height seemed to dwarf Lucien's. "Your actions in the last war have shown me you are not worthy of the honor. You are impetuous, childish, and selfish. You dream of honor and glory through combat but that is not all it is to be a Lord of your own lands. A lord does what is in the best interest of his people."
"I always fought to protect our lan-"
"Your actions saw hundreds murdered by our enemies! Women and childrern died because you wanted glory!" Lucien's voice could not compare to his father's. It was absolute and whether Lucien wanted to believe it or not, his father's words were true. His actions had caused many deaths and his father had never forgotten or forgiven.
"There are consequences to all actions, my son. It is time for you to face yours." Dameron settled back into his chair with a deep exhale. He seemed tired and as the lights of the hall shimmered over him his age practically raced to catch up with him. "You walk around, bedding women left and right, making a mockery of my barracks, and using my armies as your personal playthings and dare to call yourself a hero."
"You are a child." He hissed. The words stung, but as Lucien glared at the man before him he knew there was nothing that would change this old man's mind. He hated Lucien as much as he loved him and his greatest loss was by the hands of his own son. "Leave." Dameron waved a hand at the man, not caring to meet his eyes any longer.
"Get out of my hall. You are expected in the barracks. A represnatative from The Confederacy will meet you there so you may be properly informed of your new duties."
Lucien turned and as he did, Dameron spoke. "Perhaps when you have grown you can return to claim your title...until then, may the Force be with you my son."
"Kark off. Old bastard." Lucien muttered, making his way away from the man who had just damnd him.
[member="Naedira Darcrath"]
