Family Lost

Family Lost

                Ocean, Baronetess of Bluegray, paced her study slowly. Tonight her younger sister, a knight, would be visiting for the first time in years. She had become well-renowned over the past couple of years, following her knighting. Ocean was a little jealous - though she had become baronetess after her father retired, she had not accomplished anything of note in the position. And she had been baronetess for four years, ever since her nineteenth birthday. Her younger sister had turned nineteen only a few months ago.

                Oh well, at least I have ensured the continuation of the line, Ocean thought to herself. She laid a hand on her stomach; she was fairly certain she was with child again. It would be her second child - she had born a son only half a year ago. He had been named Steel, after his great grandfather. Hopefully Steel would grow up to be a statesman of the same great skill. Steel's father, her husband Ochre, would certainly be able to teach him.

                Ocean settled into her writing chair, ideas coalescing in her head. She was writing a speech to welcome her sister home with; a formal one, as it was to be a great formal dinner. All of the family - at least, all of those living nearby - had been invited. It would be a grand night, and it required a grand speech.

                "My dear younger sister," Ocean penned, "Your bravery is an inspiration to us all. Your actions have brought great honour to our family; renown for your strength and ability."

                She leaned back in her chair, and sighed. She would have preferred to be a knight as well, in truth. It suited her sister perfectly, but... Perhaps she should have begged her father to let one of her even younger siblings take on the title. Ocean was built for war, as her father had said. Her sister was a better warrior, but Ocean had usually won their sparring matches simply by outlasting her. She smiled, thinking of that.

                Suddenly a very loud, pounding knock came from the study door. It was urgent - very urgent. Ocean glanced out the window to ensure time hadn't gotten away from her. It seemed to still be mid-afternoon, so it couldn't be her sister's arrival.

                Before she had a chance to call them in, a panting servant tumbled into the room. "Riders from the count are coming!" the servant yelled, starting to cough.

                "What?" asked Ocean, worriedly.

                The servant didn't even try to catch her breath; instead she forced out, "Warning rider killed his horse, they're riding fast as they can without killing their mounts, definitely war party all soldiers."

                Ocean stood up immediately, sending her chair tumbling. "Get Steel out of here now!" she ordered, leaping over the table in her rush.

                "Gotcha!" said Pewter, grabbing his younger brother, Royal, by the collar.

                "Aww," said Royal, giving up. The pair of children, eleven and seven years of age, had been playing a game of chase with one another. Their minder sat in a nearby chair, watching them. A friendly, understanding young man, he kept the children under control simply by being very wise in their ways.

                It was 'free time', one of the periods in the day the children were not being instructed by one of their tutors. Their elder sister, Sapphire, sat at a nearby table doing an assignment she had been set. She was fourteen, and very interested in handling the family money. Pewter had decided that he'd be a wandering bard (this week, at least) and Royal had no idea what he wanted to do (he was seven, after all); so Sapphire was alone in having tasks to do outside of tutoring time.

                The children were the younger siblings of Ocean; too young to yet be out and about in the world. They lived in a smaller family mansion with their parents, Slate and Vert, who had retired from running the baronetcy to spend more time with the children. Of course, the family tutors still taught them - the tutors taught their many relatives as well, in fact. Despite not being in charge of the baronetcy, many of their relatives were well off without relying on the support of the reigning Baronetess.

                "So," said their minder, Flush, "What are you two little rascals going to play next?"

                "We don't know!" proclaimed Pewter. Royal nodded in happy agreement.

                "Perhaps a game of cards then; I'm sure I can defeat you two this time!" replied Flush, reaching over and grabbing the cards from a nearby table.

                "Yay!" said Royal, scampering over.

                Pewter, who had become wise to Flush's intentional losses, held back and said, "Are you going to play properly this time?"

                "Oh, you've no chance to beat me n-" Flush's response was interrupted by a loud shattering noise from downstairs.

                "What was that?" asked Sapphire, looking up from her work.

                "I'm not sure," said Flush, heading over to the window. Yelling began to come from elsewhere in the house - and then a scream. Flush drew his sword, a finely crafted rapier.

                "Oh no," he muttered, looking out the window.

                "Get behind me, kids!" he yelled, heading for the door. Sapphire started to grab her papers, causing Flush to add, "Leave them!"

                Pewter had noticed that his parents and Flush had been tense for the past few days. His intuition told him that whatever they were worried about was happening. It was something to do with the deposing of the High-King, but they had nothing to do with that! Father had said so!

                Flush pushed open the door gently, checking the passage. "Why the top floor why the top floor damn it," he muttered, stepping out.

                Downstairs, muffled by two floors, they heard Slate roaring, "You'll not take my children!"

                Screams and the sound blade meeting blade came from downstairs. "What's happening?" asked Royal, scared.

                After a brief moment of thought, Flush said, "Bad men are here to do bad things. I need to get you kids out of here right now, so do exactly what I say."

                "Okay," said the children. Flush was normally a very soft, quiet man; calm and wise when he dealt with them. If he was scared and panicked and telling them exactly what to do it meant what was happening was really, really serious.

                Flush rushed up the corridor to the servant's stairway, the children right behind him. Below them the stairway seemed clear, and Flush led them down cautiously but quickly. Although what he had said kept the children quiet, they were still very scared and confused. Pewter had to stop himself from stopping their descent with questions several times.

                They reached the bottom safely, and Flush gently opened the door. The other side was clear, and Flush led them into the kitchens. "Extra quietly now," he said softly. The sound of fighting was very close now. Pewter swore he heard one of the housekeepers screaming out 'Vert' - his mother's name.

                They quickly slipped through the kitchen and out into the backyard. It was a large yard (they lived in a mansion, after all) with several exits. Flush checked around, and swore.

                "What is it?" asked Pewter. Flush had never sworn in front of them before.

                "Okay kids. I need you all to sneak and then run as fast as you can while I distract them. Pewter, head out the garden gate. Sapphire, head for the north gate, and Royal head for the south gate. Once you're out, head to the blacksmith's. He's my cousin, and he'll hide you if he can," said Flush.

                "I can't see anyone," said Sapphire.

                "They're just out of sight - see those shadows by the wall? Whoever they are they've snuck in. It's been great taking care of you kids. Get ready to run," said Flush, solemnly.

                "Flush!" said Pewter sadly, as Flush began to walk towards the small brick building that acted as a 'garden hall'.

                "Come on out, you bastards," said Flush confidently. A chuckle came from behind the wall, and four men dressed in livery Pewter recognised as that of the Count (their liege, through the baronetty).

                Flush flourished his rapier, and bade them to come at him. Their leader rolled her eyes, and the four soldiers advanced. Pewter, Royal and Sapphire shared a hug and began sneaking towards the different gates. Sapphire was the only one that understood why they were heading for different gates - it was in hope that at least one was unwatched.

                Pewter had the hardest gate to get to, but he knew a few tricks from playing hide and seek. He crawled down a long gutter that kept him out of sight of the middle of the yard where Flush was challenging the Count's men. He heard the sounds of battle - it sounded as if only a couple of the soldiers were fighting Flush at once. Please don't die, Flush! Pewter thought to himself.

                He snuck a quick glance at the battle after he reached the midway point - he had to scamper across a bit of open ground anyway. He saw one of the soldiers topple, pierced through the heart by Flush's blade. The two who had been watching seemed shocked, and charged in to join the fight. Go Flush! thought Pewter.

                Wriggling and worming his way along the gutter, Pewter made it to behind the brick building and hopped out. He took a quick glance around, saw nothing, and ran for the back gate as fast as his legs let him. It felt like it took him only a couple of moments to reach it, which made him feel proud. As he opened it he took a look back at the fight - barely visible over the top of the structure. Flush was still going strong. Pewter had doubted Flush's claims about being a champion duellist, but the grace with which he knocked and turned away his opponents' blades made Pewter believe him.

                Unfortunately, it was at that moment that one of the soldiers caught sight of Pewter. "It's one of the kids! They're sneaking out!" he yelled.

                "What? Ow!" yelped their leader, stung by a slash from Flush when distracted. She backed off from the fight a bit to raise the alarm, and yelled, "Cover the gates! The kids are sneaking out!"

                Pewter slipped through the gate into the alley that ran behind the mansion. He didn't know the way to the blacksmith's from there, and - and the count's soldiers were running at him from the end of the alley! He screamed and ran away from them, heading up the alley. He didn't have any idea where it led (he had never snuck out the back gate before even though it had been really tempting) but he hoped it was somewhere safe.

                He didn't get a chance to find out. Before he could reach the end one of the soldiers caught up with him and hauled him up by the collar. The man gloated to his fellows, "Got one!" as Pewter struggled, helpless.

                Ocean came to just as Pewter was being brought in. She had been knocked out while fighting off the Count's soldiers - she was pretty sure she had killed a couple. They, and from the look of things most of their visiting and resident family members, were in the centre of the town square. Around them the soldiers were erecting some kind of enclosure out of wood.

                "Are you okay, dear?" asked Ochre.

                "My head is sore but that's the least of our problems," replied Ocean, rubbing at her head. She stood up and took a look around. Her extended family were chatting in small, worried groups; probably to keep the children from worrying too much. Most seemed to have some kind of injury, and several were missing.

                "You're right there," said Ochre. "What are the going to do with us?"

                "I'm not sure. Probably execute us - that's what they've been doing elsewhere," said Ocean.

                "What?" exclaimed Ochre.

                "Keep it down," replied Ocean. "Don't worry the children."

                "Oh no, not them too," said Ochre softly, looking around, Many of those rounded up were children. He also noticed Pewter wandering over.

                "What's going on, Ocean?" asked Pewter, after he reached them.

                "Something terrible, Pew. Where's everyone else?" responded Ocean.

                "I don't know," said Pewter. "Sapphire and Royal went out the other gates, and Flush led us down the servant's stairs so I didn't see anything."

                "Ocean, look," said Ochre, pointing through the enclosure. A group of soldiers were coming up the road, one of them hauling Ocean's father, and another holding a struggling Royal.

                "Rot," said Ocean. The soldiers walked into the enclosure, right up to Ocean and dumped her father there. They let Royal go as well.

                "Dad!" said Pewter, rushing to his father's side. Ocean kneeled beside him, and held her father's hand.

                Although he had a couple of obvious injuries, Slate did not seem to have taken any that would knock him out - not even a blow to the head. Ochre noticed the same, and sniffed the wounds.

                "Definitely some kind of poison," said Ochre, "Probably only enough to knock him out for a while, although he'll be weak for a few days."

                Ocean kept her mouth shut, rather than mention that they probably didn't have a few days. The enclosure was swiftly coming together around them, including what looked like a podium in the middle. She had an idea of what was going to happen, but she desperately hoped that she was wrong.

                When the enclosure was nearly complete, Sapphire was tossed in screaming about an idiot blacksmith. And shared comments between the Bluegray families indicated that no-one had escaped the net - those not present were dead, with the possible exception of Vert (but Ocean doubted her mother would have done anything except fight to the death) and definite exception of her son, Steel.

                "What happened to you?" asked Ocean of Sapphire.

                "I got away, but that, that moron blacksmith brother of Flush's just cracked when asked - simply - if he'd seen any of the Bluegrays! Babbling and saying that he had me in the back, I should have just fled town!" ranted Sapphire.

                "You wouldn't have made it," chided Ocean. "But you should have sought shelter elsewhere - I suppose Flush was under too much pressure to think straight. Do you know what happened to him?"

                "I don't know," said Sapphire. "I just bolted for the gate."

                "The last I saw he was holding off three soldiers," said Pewter. "He was really brave!"

                "They got him," said Royal. "With one of those bolt-bows, crossbows! With a crossbow. I don't think he died but I don't know because I couldn't see from where I was hiding in the garden because there was a man just outside the south gate."

                "Thank you, Royal," said Ocean sadly. She glanced over at the platform the soldiers had made just in time to see the Count striding out onto it proudly.

                "What an ar-" began Ochre softly, but Ocean missed the rest of it beneath the Count's booming voice.

                "People of Bluegray! Today you will be liberated of the family that has long oppressed you and even now has plotted to bring back the tyranny of the High-Kings!" said the Count, proudly. His soldiers tried to cheer, but the crowd of villagers drowned them out with a loud boo (and several far worse accusations).

                "Now, now, I'm sure you'll find my rule to be far fairer than theirs!" (more boos) "Regardless, we have brought them all here to ensure that they can never rule over you again!" (boos, and cries of 'you're a monster!' as the crowd realised what he was about to do to the family - many of whom were children) "You'll all look back on this day and think 'how could I have loved those tyrants so?'! Ha ha!" said the Count, enjoying every moment. Ocean wondered how she had ever thought that he wasn't a lunatic.

                The Count waved to the soldiers behind him, and one of them brought something up that made Ocean scream out "NO!"

                It was a bundle of blue and gray blankets, and from it the Count pulled out a baby. Ocean rushed up towards the platform, and being up close confirmed her fears. The Count had caught Steel's sitter, and brought him to be executed as well.

                "Give him here, please," begged Ocean, her worry and fear finally getting the better of her.

                "No, my dear Baronetess, I shall not. In fact, he shall be the first of you to be executed!" proclaimed the Count, pulling a dagger from his belt and staring victoriously at the crying infant.

                Before Ocean had a chance to say anything the Count stabbed the dagger into Steel, killing him instantly. The Count tore the blade down, letting Steels blood flow everywhere. After that, even the cheers of his soldiers stopped. All was silent, and Ocean stumbled back in shock. One of her aunts caught her, but they had nothing to say.

                The Count ruthlessly tossed the dead baby behind him, and yelled, "Light the fire!"

                Time was broken for Ocean, she didn't know if it took moments or days for the fire to grow from a light crackling noise into a roaring inferno all around them. She couldn't think anymore - her son, her eldest son, killed like that. Like that! She stumbled in a daze, coughing, sobs and screams coming from her family as they inhaled the smoke, or tried futilely to push their way out of the enclosure.

                As she started to feel the heat from the flames, as she noticed the clothes of her family starting to light, she saw someone through a small gap in the flames, staring in. It was a tall, powerful warrior on a great charger; right at the edge of the square where it met the road. It was her sister, the brave knight who patrolled the forests. And there was nothing she could do.

                Ocean caught her eye, and mouthed the only thing she had to say - "Flee."

                Her sister - her honourable, loyal, brave, sister - stood there for a moment, then nodded. Ocean saw her turn her charger away and spur it into movement, before losing sight of her as the flames filled the gap.

                Ocean lay down, still in shock, still unable to deal with the death of her son.

                After a little, as the flames grew hotter, she softly said, "Flee."

                "Flee, Sable."