Kingsley Family/Alyssa/Across the Sea

This story details Alyssa's perspective during the Island War between Perdan and Nivemus. This story began in July of 2020 and is on-going.

Fair Winds

(7/5/2020)

The ships setting sail towards the horizon looked like the toys, or the models Kay used to have set up in his personal chambers. White sails on strong sturdy masts at the top of which flew the green and white banners of Fontaine and the black and Gold of Perdan. The Northwind blew casting the ships boldly towards the shrouded mountain in the distance, barely visible from Palace Keep.

Alyssa watched them from one of the castle's balcony. What horrors are they sailing into... Sir Graham interrupted her thoughts, flanked by two Lion Guards their black and yellow plumes standing proud and tall atop their helms. Alyssa stood stiffly at ease, coolly watching them salute and about-face, to return to their post. Her shoulders lowered slightly turning back towards the balcony, leaning against the elegant stone railing as the clanking armoured steps of Sir Graham Goldenfields approached and the elderly knight took up a position at her side.

"My Lady." He said his usual coarse voice softened slightly.

"Sir." She acknowledged dispassionately, still watching the ships sail out towards the horizon. A lecture, surely. She considered. He often did, especially since Kay's passing. You are not him, and you are not my father.

He hesitated a moment and she saw his concern out of the corner of her eye. She sighed. I am too hard on him... She considered. She knew he only wanted to support her. That was never something she felt comfortable with, but she had made a promise.

"It will not happen again. I will be better for you, for myself, and for Perdan. I will hold these ghosts back. I am armed now with knowledge, and with your love."

I cannot let myself do this alone. She reminded herself, as both her and her loyal knight opened their mouths to speak at the same time.

"I am wor-" "Are you we-"

Sir Graham bowed in deference, while Alyssa cringed and fiddled with her hands awkwardly, before finally resting her left casually on the sword on her hip, her toe tapping lightly in her boot instead. "I am worried."

The old knight frowned and nodded. "Aye. I figured as much, my lady." Alyssa cast her gaze back over the sea, glancing occasionally over at her knight and thumbing the pommel of her her sword.

"Those ships." She said solemnly. "They aren't coming back. Not most of them."

"You don't know that. "

She gave him a stern look. "Falsehoods do not suit you, Sir. We've both seen the reports. It will be a slaughter, even if we triumph."

"But if we triumph-"

"If we triumph," Alyssa began her voice raising slightly, "those ships will still come back empty! It is a war I have caused." I cannot let myself do this alone. She exhaled and continued softer. "In a war, people on the winning side still die."

"And they will be honoured." Graham noted with a grim hint. "But it will be worth it. Those people up there, they need someone to save them, to give them a better life."

"And it is I who decides what their lives should be worth?"

"Yes. They give that power to you, my lady. And they do it because they believe in you, and every term they re-affirm it."

"And if we fail?"

Graham gave her a confused look. "You won't."

"A thousand men may die on the shores of Kalmar Island and we may still be beaten back."

The old Sir shook his head. "We both know this war will be longer than one battle."

Alyssa grimaced. That's what worries me.

"You saved this realm, Lady Alyssa. You will do the same for Omsk." He turned to her, his face old and weathered, scarred and maimed horrifically by the last war. Will you survive this one, my old friend? His eyes however shined with a spirit far younger. "This is the right choice."

Alyssa took a deep breath and nodded. It didn't feel like the right choice. The choice for war, how could it be the right choice? But Alyssa was familiar with this doubt. To often no choice felt like the right one. But she was here, Perdan had survived and she had even found some happiness. She hoped he was right. A breeze whirled northward across the balcony. "Fair winds." She muttered

Dark Isle

7/22/2020

Cal Reed held his hand out on the dock towards the gangplank of the Shady Goat.  Alyssa ignored it, stepping lithely and briskly down the plank onto the solid sturdy dock Lord Crail had constructed upon his arrival on the Isle of Chaos some time ago.  Alyssa was drained from the voyage, she spent most of the time in her cabin vomiting from the uneasy sway of the ship along the choppy waters of Kalmar Bay.  One of her longest-tenured lieutenants, a dark-haired man with a morbid sense of humor called Gordon had tried to offer her encouragement, though to mixed success.  "Don't worry m'lady, eventually you'll run out of ralph to ralph." was not exactly the comfort she could have used.

But they had arrived and she felt the slightest bit better already, though only slight, and still wearing her typical weary stoicism as she stepped off the pier onto the ashy-sand of the Isle of Chaos's beaches.  The sandy mix of damp coarse sand and ash scrunched beneath her boot, a somber gray mix that matched the overcast sky above.  A grim omen. Alyssa thought with a little shudder from the weariness and the cool ocean breeze that blew across the lonely island.  She pulled her jacket, the leather warm with her own heat closer and continued up the beach toward the hovels set up in a surprisingly sturdy-looking shantytown that Captain Cal had mentioned was called Hynesberg, named after an old Lord who restored the island following a dreadful war that once took place here.

Looming over the little village was the fabled temple itself, a huge black stone castle with large vaulted eaves, and buttresses flying from the side.  A sturdy keep stood in the rear of the castle's courtyard, made from the same black stone as the heavy walls that surrounded it.  The place looked... sinister to Alyssa but she was too tired to form any opinion more thought out than that.  Behind the keep, the enormous volcano stood like a titanic monolith, watching over the puny folk who lived below.  Alyssa decided to return her gaze to the broken cobblestone road ahead.

As she stepped through the temple gate, Captain at her side, she grimaced at the old stone statues that guarded the courtyard and the denizens who bustled beneath it.  Most were of warriors of long past, and long forgotten.  Some strange and fierce-looking monsters.  One she did recognize as a common representation of The Divine, the holy power her uncle and aunt had always told her about from their holy Humanist texts.  Most of the statues were weathered and faded from the rain or the ash that fell softly around her as she walked purposefully through the courtyard towards the keep set into the mountain.

The Majordomo did not smile at her when she approached, though neither did she.  His nose was crooked and his long black hair matched the stones of the castle keep, his face unscrutable and his lip thin.  Cal kept his typical jolly demeanor until he realized no one seemed to share it, after which he just silently stroked his big bushy beard.  The Majordomo did bow at the least before turning with a single "This way."

The walked through long and winding halls which felt seemingly too narrow, the lantern lights glowing eerily against the pitch black stone of the keep's walls, the windows a frosted glass let in little light from the darkening skies outside.  "Is Lord Crail available."  She asked shortly as she followed the man to where her quarters would be.

"He was in a meeting when you arrived.  If it please him he may see you later."

Just as well.  Alyssa thought.  She felt she might be too tired to sit through any meeting longer than some introductions and her stomach was only just beginning to settle.  Eventually they came to a thick oak door and the dark-haired servant pulled out a key and handed it to her.  "Your... lady I believe has already settled in though I believe she said she was going off... 'to explore.' "  His tone was dour but reserved and Alyssa did not press him for further information.  Her heart warmed in the chilly stone hallway at his description of her love's typical curiosity and love for experience.

"If you see her, please send her to me."

He nodded once and turned to Cal.  "Captain.  Allow me."  He said dryly and continued off down the hall.  Cal gave a salute and followed, leaving Aly alone.  She entered the room, a fairly bare affair but the bed seemed soft as she pulled off the leather jacket and undid her belt, setting the sword it held by the bed as she collapsed backwards into the soft downy sheets.