Lorelai Chamberlain Roleplays: Goodbye Apollyon

Roleplay from Lorelai Chamberlain

The wound had festered, not for the first time, Lorelai cursed both men their folly in insisting on this duel. The aftermath had been swift and difficult. Her liege wounded and fined and never seen for the past week, and Apollyon banished, staying or returning under pains of death. He had been under Mother Ollie's ministrations for the past week, and though the wound stabalised, Apollyon remained steadfastly insensible.

Then the Queen had arrived, the bulwark of the Paladins at her side. Opening the gates of Aix at Lucius bidding, not one of them had said more than a word to her since. She had no awareness of why they were there and her creeping suspicions were that they came for Apollyon. Even now the knights and Lords within her estate took her hospitality and all that her estate offered. She suspected a lack of trust, even her oldest friends Jace and Delphine had said nothing. Perhaps running against the Imperatrix had soured their friendship.

As the days passed she was increasingly confused by the inactivity, but she had only two eyes and they were too often trained on the tower of Castle Nylucia and the hopes of some return or guidance from Lucius. She could make no plans while under so much potential scrutiny... among so many of her peers and betters she now felt entirely alone. She had to trust someone, Apollyon insensible and Lucius indisposed she had only one choice. A man she hoped would just this once trust in friendship above all else. Less sure of herself than ever before she approached the rooms set aside for the Marshal. Drawing her shoulders back she drew hand back to knock, at the last moment catching herself in the remembrance that this was her estate, he stayed at her hospitality. Rolling her shoulders, she knocked soundly... a confident knock... a knock that said...

The door opened promptly. His eyes scanned her with narrowed suspicion. "Lori? what can I do for you?" he scanned the corridor before stepping back into the room and allowing her entry. Jace had never been one for servants and she was relieved to find him alone in his suite.

She sat uncomfortably on one of the seats, hands and eyes intent on creases in her dress. She couldn't bring herself to look at him. "Jace..." she glanced up, looking past him to the window: "Marshal Goldwater, why are you here?... nobody is speaking to me... I am..."

He raised his hands sitting opposite her and pouring them both a drink from the jug. He pushed a cup her way, offering her a small smile. "Just water..." he began. "I hate to say it Lori, but its military matters, not for me to share." he had the decency to blush.

She blushed herself bringing her hands flat on the table. "I am humiliated by the Queen and Oliver Laststar and it is me outside of this... this... circle of trust?! Really Jace?" she fumed as his face became that hardened glass mask that he showed the world daily and that now wounded her in a manner more deeply than he could know.

"You chose your path Lori," his voice softened "...and this is a military matter."

She gripped the edge of the table, knuckles whitening, this could so easily become another humiliation. Still she knew nothing, and still she needed help. She resolved: "Is this about Apollyon? Have you come for him?"

The mask slipped, annoyance and bewilderment chasing each other across his face. "Daubney?" he sat back. "Has anybody even seen him since he was banished? I heard the sister..." he brought his focus back to her. "Wait... wait... Lori, is he here?" she pushed back from the table. "You have him don't you." It wasn't a question. "By Leandra Lori, he has dragged you through more strife than... Lori, he is banished... pains of death... you could share his punishment. Lori?"

She felt cornered. Flight was not an option, she stood from the table, bringing her hands together she looked him in the eyes. "Which is why we - why I, need your help." He looked to the door then back to her, shoulders slumping in resignation. "I hate to trade on our friendship Jace, truly... truly I do, but I can't do this alone." She sighed turning fully to look from the window, looking across the walls to the plains and the sea beyond. "I couldn't see him suffer so much, just to end his story at the end of a rope." She took his hand - his fist - in hers. "Please Jace, I just thought I would have time, time for him to recover so that I could get him out. And now all this," she pointed to the window, to the floating banners of the Houses now resident at her estate. "I am so sorry to ask..."

He snatched his hand back. "Yet here you are." He spat the words.

"You put me in an impossible position Lorelai," he fumed. She allowed the silence to stretch beginning to question how much of a burden she was placing on a friendship that for all she truly knew was one sided. "Damn it Lorelai..."

She tentatively touched his shoulder. Shrugging her off he turned on her angrily. "Jace... he doesn't deserve death..." he was unmoved. "Jace please, he was... he is your friend, please." Fists clenched for the briefest second she thought he might strike her, maybe she deserved it. Instead he turned from her and began pacing. Jace often paced and the rooms she had given him although comfortable were not ostensibly large. At each turn he shot her a glare, eventually slowing his pace and his aspect becoming one more of anguish. She reached out holding his arm. "Jace..."

"He's not my friend Lorelai." The statement was flat. "I thought we were friends Lori, but this... this is too much."

Her hand dropped from his arm. "Jace... Jace I am your friend. That is why I am here. I have no choice." her voice dropped, words becoming a whisper but no less true in her heart. "You know... you know I would be the same if it was you..."

He bristled angrily: "But it wouldn't be me would it!" he resumed his pacing. "Give him to the Judge, Lorelai."

She laughed mirthlessly. "You know I can't do that."

His shoulders slumped and he turned to her defeated. "And I can't let you share his fate... what do you want?"

She hoped beyond hope, that Apollyon had not cost her once again and that she and Jace could weather this storm. "All I need is your horse and your hunting cloak... and that you might make yourself scarce for a morning." The nod was barely perceptible as he reached into his traveling trunk, producing the crested hunting cloak. He handed the heavy leather cloak to her with a look of sadness far deeper than the anger she expected.

"I... I'm so sorry Jace."

He turned from her, "Just get out Lorelai"

---

Aix was a city of secrets, nothing quite what it seemed, from the golden sands reflected in the walls, to the tunneled darkness of the white edifice of Castle Nylucia. Cúirt na Baintrí was no different. Built within the walls were the passages and stairwells that led to the small vault beneath the festhall. The Mother of Oligarch had stood sentinel over Apollyon's still form day and night since the events of the duel. She couldn't trust a healer, and although exhausted herself, she knew Mother Ollie would continue her vigil, so long as Apollyon needed her.

The older woman looked up at Lorelai's entrance, sickle dropped and needle retrieved once she recognised her ladies footfall.

"What news from above?" her voice though tired still rang with the warmth and merriment that was at the heart of the Maunt. It was the usual greeting, the one that offered Lorelai the opportunity to share her troubles and of late that had been many. She sat on the bottom step, the cloak clutched to her chest.

"Things have changed... I am sorry I didn't tell you, but I needed to know what to do next..." the Maunt sat patiently, the sound of Apollyon's breathing steady in the background alongside the pierce and pull of the sewing . "Apollyon, has been banished from the realm. If he is found, he will swing." The pause in the pierce and pull would have been barely noticeable to any who didn't know the Maunt, but to Lorelai it was an indictment of her shock. "It gets worse... the Queen is here... with the full Bulwark of the Paladins... and Lady Nascots four constables have been searching Castle Nylucia... it is but a matter of time until they come here.... So... so I went to see Lord Goldwater. If Apollyon is to survive, I need to get him out of here... tomorrow."

The voice was a dry rasp, but Apollyon was propped on his elbows. "You are taking too many risks for me Lori... I don't deserve it"

He was awake. In shock that was tempered by anger, she stayed in exhausted incredulity on the bottom step. "For once Apollyon, you will do what I say." She turned to the Maunt. "Can he ride?"

The Maunt sputtered putting a protective hand to Apollyon's chest. "By Ora, Lorelai, of course he can't... he is barely awake and the wound only stopped oozing yesterday... Riding would be absolute madness."

She fixed the woman with a dead stare. "Apollyon has embraced enough madness in his life of late, a little more may actually save him." She turned from them, again there was no choice.

The pre-dawn mist rolled from the harbor as the horses were brought with a clatter of shoes outside the kitchens of her estate. Each step they made sounded an alarm that she feared would bring the Paladins crashing from their beds and into the courtyard, to see his escape. Dressed for hunting she was pacing, waiting for Mother Ollie to deliver Apollyon to her jurisdiction. By inches the sun was rising, turning Castle Nylucia from the black edifice to the red and white citadel. She chewed at her thumb willing the old woman to hurry.

And then he was there, hooded and shaded in the light of the kitchen door. The cloak was made for a taller man and hung over long, though once he was ahorse, this would not be a concern. She had already sent the stable lad back to his bed so she guided Jacelyn's rather obstinate horse to the door way so that Apollyon could mount from the height of the jamb rather than from ground level. She was buoyed in that he appeared well enough as he stood, but as she approached, the heavy strapping was evident along with his clear favouring of his right leg.

Between them Apollyon and the Maunt set up a clamor of grunts as they attempted to get him into the saddle. Eventually she had to involve herself before the whole house was raised. She cupped her hands making a step for him to get on the horse. He opened his mouth about to protest, but her glare brooked no argument. Between them they managed to get him in the saddle, his face was a pale mask of pain. Strapping his legs to the saddle she offered no apology.

Pulling forward his hood she mounted Fat Bastard, hugging at the horses neck. Ironic that the horse she had stolen, should be the only male to ever show her absolute loyalty. She now relied on the horse as it bullied and herded Jacelyn's mare forward until after a series of nips and bumps, the horse submitted and trotted alongside her own. She was painfully aware of Apollyons grunts and gasps as they went over the cobbles. It was later than she planned and Aix was beginning to wake, so quiet and careful was not an option. She needed to make the gates before the night watch changed.

She rode close, taking the reins and allowing Apollyon to lean against her through the sway of the canter as they progressed through the streets. The gates loomed before them closed. Pushing off from him she felt him shudder, a barely perceptible collapse in the saddle threatening to expose her plan and Apollyons chance for a new life. She drew back her hood, fixing her most dazzling smile in place.

The tired guardsmen looked about to speak, but instead simply smiled in recognition waving her through.

"Just a mornings hunt with Marshal Goldwater!" she stated brightly, her humors sounding brittle even to her own ears. The guardsmen cared little waiting for the morning bell to sound the change.

As they breached the gates she pulled close, moving the horses onto the softer embankments. Scant metres from the bridge, he grunted slumping forward, only the leg strappings keeping him in the saddle. Looking back she saw the walls turn from white to gleaming gold as dawn broke over them. She dismounted, tying the reigns of Fat Bastard to Jacelyns mare. Mounting the horse she sat behind Apollyon, allowing him to lean against her. Prison and wounding had left him mercifully light in her arms.

He pushed down the hood: "Thankyou my love." He drawled sounding drunk.

She felt mildly hysterical: "Shut up Apollyon."

Taking to the secret pathways that Lucius had shown her, she made her way down to Prospero's Bay, a smugglers harbour it was too shallow and well defended by cliffs and rocks for anything bigger than a row boat. The boat here now was one of her own from the Blackstone fleet. Haylin stood on the shore, waiting. Rushing forward he helped her take Apollyon, and in scenes reminiscent of the aftermath of the duel with Abigail, they placed him into the boat. His eyes flickered open, face painted with a sad smile. On instinct her hand rested on his cheek.

"So this is it, Lori..." he began quietly, she nodded, tears rising unbidden. "I never... I never meant for any of this..." she placed a shushing finger to his lips.

"I know Apollyon."

Haylin looked meaningfully at the clifftops though nobody was there. Apollyon tracked his gaze then looked back at her, tears spilling from him. "Where will I go?"

She kissed him on the cheek: "Wherever you want to Apollyon... back to Sunstone? My Grandmothers Bower?" she pulled back from him returning to the horses. "Be happy Apollyon."

He sat forward. "I Love you Lorelai"

She didn't turn back.