Start of a New destiny, Part 2

Posted on Mon Aug 10th, 2020 @ 8:55am by Miss Kashian Lyrius & Miss Lushian Lyrius & Lady Amalthea Lyrius & Mister Miali & Miss Amborsae Lyrius

Mission: The Past
Location: Shrine of Aura, Lyrius Estate
Timeline: Early Morning, Sarius 16th, 2136

Before the sun rose Miali appeared just as Lushian had said. He was tending to the torches, ensuring their lights continued to burn brightly. Kashian had not slept and upon his arrival she explained what had happened. With only a wave of his massive paw he ensured both Lushian and the stranger stayed asleep as he picked both up in his massive fur covered arms and headed back toward the Shrine of Aura.

He tended to what wounds remained on the stranger, applying soft bandages where woulds remained. Both Lushian and the stranger were placed in the large bed Miali used to treat the sick.

By the time the sun rose Kashian had fallen asleep on one of the soft benches in the main chapel.

Miali himself sat by the bed to await the stranger waking, knowing Lushian would likely not wake until the moon rose once more.

As his eyes opened, Bal-kar moaned softly. He was in a comfortable bed, and he felt better than he had ever felt. One of the two girls from the previous night was in the bed with him. What had happened? He sat up, looking around and seeing someone sitting there. "H... hello?" he asked softly.

"Do not move, your body has been healed, but it will take time for the process to fully complete," Miali said, his voice a gentle growl. Even though the room was far from small, the shear size of Miali dwarfed all else in it. Sitting he could have looked a grown man in the eye, standing he would have dwarfed any who stood before him. "What is your name, child?"

Gulping, Bal-kar looked at Miali. "I... I'm Bal... Bal-kar," he said softly, trying not to feel terrified. "I... I've been alone... for months," he added softly.

"Well, Bal Bal-kar, you have been found by the daughters of the Lady Amalthea Lyrius. You are safe now and it is likely that is Lushian found you, you will not be alone again for some time," Miali replied softy. His voice was like the low growl of some great sleeping beast, both calming and a reminder of the creature before them being quite dangerous in his own right. "Tell me, how did you come this way? Where are you from?"

"I... I come from Mantala," Bal-kar replied. "It's just Bal-kar. I'm... sorry, I'm a little nervous. I... I was an artist, but my village was... destroyed," he added. He began to tell his story of how he'd been travelling for months, alone, and how he had almost been killed by wolves before the twins had found him. "I just... I don't know what to do now."

"Mantala fell to raiders, de Locke went to check for survivors and found none, it is lucky the wild did not consume you," Miali said solemnly. "You are lucky that you were found before the storm came. Another day or so and you would have been buried under the ice." He carefully got to his feet. "Now rest young child. I must go and see the Lord of the Manor and determine what is to be done with you."

"Thank you," Bal-kar said. "I... I'm thankful, for being allowed to rest," he added.

The massive bear-like creature got up and after bowing low, moved to the door. Because of his massive size he needed to walk through the door crouched, though he did so with an ease that showed how many times he had stepped through the door.

When he had gone Lushian moved in her sleep to snuggle up to the stranger, wrapping her small body around the other.

Bal-kar's eyes widened, looking at the woman. He wasn't sure what to do next, but he didn't want to disturb her. It also felt... nice, and safe, as if she was protecting him. Bal-kar closed his eyes, and gently slid his arms around Lushian, as though protecting her as well as he fell asleep again very easily.

It was not long before the Lady Amalthea arrived. She wore a cloak of pure white fur and beneath it gleaming white robes that seemed to glow with a light all their own. She smiled privately at the sight of her daughter so close to anyone, especially a male. She had spoken with Miali about the visitor, but she was in no rush to make any decision. Clearly this was Lushian's doing and she knew better then to attempt to understand what Lushian did too quickly, the lasting effects of Lushian's actions often outlived the obvious effects.

She reached out and gently touched the visitor's forehead. "Wake," she commanded simply. While Lushian had raw power and Kashian had some skill, the power of Amalthea blew both out of the water.

Bal-kar's eyes opened as he felt something inside of his mind. He saw the woman standing before him, and was immediately awe struck by her beauty. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life. He wished he could be beautiful like her, but for the moment, he was trying to process everything. "Good... good morning," Bal-kar said meekly.

"Do you mean it is a morning which is clement? Or do you mean it is a morning which it good because of events which has transpired?" Amalthea asked gently. Her voice was soft, no louder than a stream cutting through an icy riverbed, but it was not hard to hear all the same, like a soft bell in a crowded room, in any din, she would be heard.

Bal-kar looked at her, entranced completely now. "Both... I believe," he said meekly. "I... I'm B... I'm Bal-kar," he added. Lushian was still wrapped around him, and he had no wish to disturb her. "I was... I..." he wasn't sure what to say.

"You are lucky to be alive Bal-kar of Mantala," Amalthea said softly. "You are safe in my home for as long as you stay here. I will trust my daughter's judgement of your soul. Is she presumes to hold you close, I doubt there is a threat within you. Though it is hard to tell with Lushian. Can you tell me if you will be the ruin of my home?"

"My lady, I... I will never be a threat. I am... I am merely an artist, I like to draw and paint. Whilst I am capable with a bow and arrow, I feel more comfortable with a pencil. Lushian... she saved my life, and she... she has seen my soul, though I do not know how. But I will never allow anyone to harm either of your daughters, or you. You are... the most beautiful person I have ever seen, and I would be dead if not for the kindness shown to me this day," Bal-kar said honestly.

"It would seem that you are not meant to die yet," Amalthea said sitting on the foot of the bed. Her face remained a placid mask, no emotion evident there or in her voice. She was almost as cold as the snow outside, yet she did not seem at all harsh or cruel as such could would be. "Tell me, Bel-kar, do you aim to enter my service?" She paused and a slight frown crossed her face as she seemed to look right through him. "No... Not that... Lushian felt something... I cannot see what she saw, but if she cleaves to you as such..."

"I..." Bal-kar started, and looked into her eyes. "She saw that I am not... not meant to be this. I was born male, my lady, but I... I was meant to be female. My heart and soul are female, and Lushian knew this as soon as she saw me. My mother knew this... as did my father, before they were killed. But I hadn't told anyone else that, and yet she knew," Bal-kar said softly, glancing at Lushian.

An odd look crossed Amalthea's face, but was quickly replaced by the same placid mask. "Lushian can see the heart of all she comes into contact with," she said softly looking to her daughter. "I cannot say such power has been good for her own mind, but she is well enough that I shall not interfere with her power." She turned her attention back to the Bal-kar. "If my daughter says your heart is female, I must believe that it is. But what we must do about this I do not know, at least not yet. For now you will be welcome into my home. We will set aside a room for you to recover in."

"Thank you, my lady," Bal-kar said. "I am grateful, and I will do whatever I can to thank you for your help. I wish I knew what to do about myself. I used to have dresses and make up I would wear, but I had long hoped to find a magic user who could help me. I heard rumours that something could be done, but I had not found anything to show me it was true," he added sadly.

"There are deep magics that can break one from their destiny and carve out a new one," Lady Amalthea said thoughtfully. Under normal circumstances it would be a simple matter of consulting her father, but... "For now we will focus on restoring the body you have, then we can see what can be done about the other..." Her voice echoes a sadness, even if it did not properly reveal itself across her face. "When you are well enough, we shall find chambers for you in the main house. But for now, rest, rest and dream of sweet things."

"Thank... thank you," Bal-kar said, with a small smile. She yawned, finding herself even tired, laying back on the bed, finding herself comforted and feeling safe, especially with Lushian holding onto her. "I am grateful... to you... and your daughters..." she said softly, struggling to keep her eyes open.

"Sleep now, child," Amalthea said as she touched the tips of her fingers to the young strangers forehead. With just a slight force of will she pushed sleep into the young elf's mind. "When you wake we shall tend to all other matters later."

Bal-kar couldn't resist, and his eyes immediately closed. As he began to sleep, his body moved slightly, curling up with Lushian, the feeling of safety and comfort enveloping him as he slept happily.

Once the visitor was asleep, Amalthea frowned, her mind troubled. She was pleased that her daughter had taken another so close, but it seemed like this stranger may be a great deal of trouble. She needed to talk to Miali... She wished she could speak with her father, but that was no longer a possibility.