Book 1 - Chapter 14 - The War Goes Onward

~Wisp's Castle~

25th October Year 1000

  The months since the war's start had been toilsome. it was hard to find the food that used to be plentiful. Folk expected one to go out of their ways to ensure servants were happy and comfortable. Most days there was at least one person knocking on the gate begging for food or clothes. It was all so uncomfortable! Lila paused  before the balcony door. It was ridiculous, waiting here for nothing. It was about the same as wanting the enemy to come and attack.



"Put those fresh sheets on the spare bed!"
a servant yelled from somewhere within the vast castle. Wisp had a touch of his father's insanity, she was sure. Living in this huge place with nothing but servants and refugees. Until the month before he had not had a single person of consequence in residence. Now, he had her. Lila, the daughter of the richest aurate in all of Ponia.
"Has Gorshem come back yet?"
another servant asked the next hall over.

  Lila put a hand to her aching head. The castle was cold and drafty these days. Each day she woke with an ever stronger headache. Now her back ached as well from the hard bed she was forced to use.
Fresh air. It was what she needed. Just a little. That and silence. She pulled the door handle and stepped onto the balcony.

  Clash!
  Clank!
  Shink!
Sword crashed on sword. Lila sighed. This wouldn't do. Was there nowhere a woman could rest without being disturbed? Perhaps if she walked all about the castle and to the sea that was in walking distance. She rubbed her temple in a circular motion. How could the loving parents have sent her to this forsaken place!
"Again!"
 a male's deep voice rung over the courtyard. Wisp, the owner of the dumpy castle. He stood by the gate leading out, sword in hand. Around one eye he still had a large bruise. He had returned home thus without any explanation whatsoever. Just like a man!
Lila watched him, her eyes squeezed so that she could see yet appear to have her eyes closed.
Feet pattered outside the courtyard. Whoever it was wore leather boots. The gateway creaked open.

  One of the upper servants, she had seen him closeted with Wisp more than once, almost ran straight into Wisp with his rush.
"Hmmm.... what could be wrong?"
Lila whispered. She opened her eyes to see the full scene. The servant halted an instant before crashing into his master. He put a hand on Wisp's sleeve and pulled him closer then leaned over and whispered something in his ear. Wisp stepped backward, hands up.  She could not see his face yet imagined it as shocked. The servant spoke fast now. Every few moments he would glance at the men practicing with the swords.
"What is going on?"
Lila whispered.

  The men's voices grew louder. The servant's expression became more expressive and his arms flailed as if he was drowning in the sea.
"You can't, sir!"
his voice echoed about the stones. Wisp shrugged, seeming to forget he held a sword at all. How stupid of him. It looked quite weird.
"I can't let the chiefs drag us into yet another war! I won't have it,"
Wisp yelled. He turned his back to the servant for a moment but then looked at him again. So weak! He couldn't even stand up to a simple-minded servant. Lila sighed. Wisp was handsome- if only he had brains.

 "You don't even know where she is,"
servant said.
Wisp wilted. His shoulders drooped and his face sagged.
"I know. It's just so! Argh!"
 The servant put a hand on Wisp's shoulder then whispered once more. The whispering went back and forth for some time. Lila watched longing to hear more of what was going on. She was rewarded.
"The big push has come sir, we'll be needing you here. The enemy has begun to move big time now!"
the servant yelled. He hopped from one foot to the other unable to contain himself any longer. He grabbed both of Wisp's shoulder and stared him in the eye.
"You do what you have to but I'm against it!"
 he said.
Wisp shrugged out of the grip.
"I must do this thing. Else no matter how this castle fairs there will be no hope for Ponia or us."
 The door behind Lila opened. She spun about, her hand clutching the rail behind her.

 A servant girl, no more than nine years old, stood in all her unsightliness. How dare she come so! Her brown hair was tied into a loose braid, her dress was of the lowest quality she had ever seen before. Her arms were skinny, as if she had never lifted anything heavy in her life. She mustn't be a very good servant with arms like that.
"What is it?"
Lila asked.
 The girl mumbled something that not a soul heard. Why did all the servants mumble about her? They did no such thing when about Wisp. With him they spoke loud and clear. It was so provoking.
"Mistress wants you,"
she whispered just loud enough to hear. Mistress... there was a mistress to this castle? Her parents had told her Wisp was unwed.
"Mistress Kie,"
the girl said.
Kie... where had she heard the name before? Ah! Yes, the head housekeeper. Such a silly child thinking she, Lila, would call the woman mistress.
"Whatever for?"
Lila asked. The girl curtsied as deep as she could.
"To find out a great many things. Like what you will for meals this week and the such,"
she said.
Lila sighed.
"Get going then!"
Lila yelled.

  She sucked in a great lungful of air. her headache was getting worse. Dealing with such people must be the cause of it. If only the war would be finished and she could return to her comfortable manor and family.
The girl marched away, her arms swinging. She made no sound other than the pad of slippers on stone.
Lila watched as she scurried like a mouse across the balcony and out the door leading to the bowels of the castle.
Turning to the courtyard Lila gasped.

 Wisp, sword in hand, hair over eyes, was running! He ran out the gate and out of sight. Where was he going? Could he be going to the place the servant had begged him not to go? What of her?
He was so inconsiderate! Not a single thought had gone to her or her well-being. Such a poor bred man.
Lila left the balcony in a swirl of long skirts. This Wisp was worthless. How her parents had come to trust him was beyond her own understanding. He was useless.