Me? A humble DM writing fanfiction for/about my player's characters.
Title: Duty Bound
Summary: Ćna's parents are important people and ultimately it kind of sucks for them.
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One hot night in this month of Flamerule.
The blanket of night had barely tucked the sky away on this summer night. Seluneās moon shone like a dull sun over the capital of Suzail. A glorious port city sat on the shores of the Dragonmere Sea. Though the seaside city could but keep at bay the humid night, the stars twinkled like sweatdrops along the brow of a weary traveler. A cloak over her small body as a young knight nervously sat across from her in the rocking carriage. His hand resting, uneasy, on the hilt of his sword. He was green around the ears, fresh from the Purple Knightās training grounds by his birth home.Ā
āPlease, Ser Fenwyr, youāre posed in such a way that you are giving me reason to be worried.ā Zayna lifted her hood just enough, her green eyes peering at his hand, then back at his boyish face.Ā
The moment she spoke, a jolt ran through the manās body, before he turned his head away from Zayna. Something she was not used to at all. āPrecious cargo, your Grace.āĀ
A groan threatened Zaynaās lips, but years of training behind castle walls had trained her to keep her composure. Good too, as soon her composure would be everything to her persona now. āHardly, no one knows of the Queenās news. I am just an advisorās daughter going home.āĀ
āThere are no secrets among nobles, your Grace.ā Fenwyr met Zaynaās gaze softly, āas anyone else would see it, the future of all of Cormyr is sitting across from me. I am both honored and unnerved at the fact that I am all you decide to enlist.āĀ
āWhere I am going is far safer; youāre all I need.ā She smiled, glancing out the carriage window against Fenwyrās wishes, as out of reflex he reached a hand to pull her away from the window. Though his hand was trained to never touch a Queen-to-be.Ā
āYour confidence in my ability is kind, however--ā the carriage rocked as something landed on the roof. The motion alone made Fenwyr take to his feet, sword nearly out of its sheath. He turned his head to the sound of Zayna sighing with a smile on her face.Ā
She leaned out the window more while answering Fenwyr, amidst being interrupted. āLess your skill, Ser Fenwyr, and more soā¦well, the perks of being lovers with a Harper is that there is little that gets passed him. Including a visit.ā She gave a small wave to the clean-cut blonde elf who was perched at the top of the cart. āEveninā Vander.āĀ
The cart climbed a winding dirt road to a home built along the woodlines of the Kingās forest, north of the capital, leaving the seaside vista for the quiet, forest knight. The home was small, quaint, and made to blend in with the trees. Fenwyr would have missed it, with no signs of light and smoke at first. He stared for some time as Zayna stepped out of the carriage, refusing Fenwyrās help.Ā
āItās not a spell,ā Vander spoke freely as he walked after Zayna. āYour eyes are young, mortal; in time, you might grow to see the truths of many things. Including what is in front of you.āĀ
Fenwyr nodded, staying by the carriage. āYour Grace.ā He spoke just before Zayna crossed the threshold of her home. āWe must return to the castle by high sun tomorrow.āĀ
āI know.ā Her fingers gently gripped the wood of the doorframe. āGive me a few hours, please.āĀ
There was no need to speak more as Zayna crossed into the home, and suddenly she felt as though she was worlds away. The interior was the complete opposite of the Castle Obarskyr, cold, massive hallways, ceilings that had never been reached or touched. No, this was her home. Paintings hung on walls, the ceiling was low and made of the same warm wood as the walls. A fireplace, a simple living area, and standing in the center was the warmest point in the room.Ā
A handsome blonde elf, identical to Vander, but worlds different in expression. He was tired around the eyes, and his hand pulled back away from his face, which was smart. As tiny hands reached up curiously at his face, a baby swaddled in his arms. āI did try my hardest to have her in bed by this time.ā Reevan turned to the mother of his child and the lover of his lifetime.Ā
āIām sure you gave it the good olā Harper try.ā She giggled, looking the baby overāwide green eyes, alert and glancing between her parents, as a toothless grin graced her face. āThere is our little harper.āĀ
āOur little princess.ā Reevan was quick to correct her.Ā
Zaynaās face tensed at the curt correction. āSo you heard?āĀ
āAre you surprised?ā he chuckled at her clear, growing annoyance.Ā
āSo you spied?āĀ
ā--tisā the Harperās way. Though I personally did not, I was home with Ćna.āĀ
āYou had your _brother_ spy?!āĀ
āYou should speak with the Purple Knights, Vander mentioned it was far too easy to access you. Fenwyr was right about no secrets about nobles--āĀ
āRe!āĀ
āNa?āĀ
With a quick snatch, Zayna took her daughter into her arms and began to rock her. Almost on command and comfort, the baby began to lull to sleep, blissfully unaware of the tension that grew in the warm home. āZayna, you are already the most important person to me. Now you are going to be the most important person to a lot of other people.āĀ
āYou donāt know if I agreed. The Queen is making her announcement tomorrow.ā She softly challenged in a sing-song voice, rocking and bouncing while her eyes narrowed.Ā
Reevan nodded at her, impressed at her ability to soothe a baby while remaining annoyed at him. āIf I know my sparrow, then I know she will do exactly what her duty asks of her. Because she is just, she is smart, and she is and will be the Queen Cormyr deserves.ā He walked slowly behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders. āI will love you and--ā
āYou will love me from the dark?ā She turned to face him, holding her sleeping daughter close to her chest. āLove us? You know, in taking this position, everything changes. I will not leave the Castle, Ćna will reside with me, and will be expected to be next in line, and youā¦you will not have this. All of this is gone, our time together, our lives, and--ā
āThe greater good demands great sacrifice.ā He smiled gently at her. āYou will do what you must, as will I.āĀ
ā...Reevan, I donāt think you understand this means the end of us.āĀ
āI disagree, this is a change, but it is not the end.āĀ
āWhat if I am asked to remarry?āĀ
āThen you will and--āĀ
āWhat if they asked Ćna to marry and leave for another land?āĀ
āWell then, she has--āĀ
āWhat if--ā
āZayna, please, you are not giving me a chance to speak!āĀ
āBecause nothing youāll say will be the right thing to say to me!āĀ
A silence fell upon the home as she gently placed the baby into a small crib. āWhat do you see for us, Reevan? What do you see our lives as?ā He reached for her, only to see her move away, her eyes fixated on their daughterās sleeping face.Ā
āI see you serve as a dutiful and beautiful Queen. I see you quell a growing turmoil. I see you build back a trust that stifles any rebellion or question of the crown. I see the same woman who aided against the goblin battles and raced to the aid of the Nettles in the Hullack Forest. A woman who knows how to serve, how to aid, and how to lead uses all this knowledge and makes her late father proud. An advisorās daughter, a Queen chosen for ability, not blood. I see Cormyr thrive, and our daughter live in the lap of luxury where every opportunity is at her fingertips.ā He continued speaking, hovering his hands over her shoulders.Ā
ā...you know what I see?ā She turned to face him now. āI see all of what you said, but nowhere in what you said have you mentioned youā¦where are YOU, Reevan? The future youāve painted, you are nowhere to be found.ā Hot tears began to prick at the corner of her eyes.Ā
āI will be there, always when you need--ā
āāBut never to be seenā enough, Reevan, please for a second stop. Put the Harper badge down. Stop speaking as though all you see is goodness. Are you so resolved in all of this? Are you so certain that this choice is whatās right for us?āĀ
āThere was never a choice, Zayna. You are Queen, and I am a Harper. These are the natures of our fate, and we cannot fight them. So why are you speaking as though you will refuse it? Will you refuse the crown?āĀ
A silent beat.Ā
āYou will not. As I will continue to be a Harper, I will provide, we will ā¦we will make this work.ā He finally touched her, and she did not pull away. He placed his hands on either side of her face, but as he stared, he saw her green eyes glaze in some unknown way he had never seen before.Ā
āWe will. Duty first and then the rest.āĀ
āThe rest will come.āĀ
āThe rest willā¦ā Her eyes moved from Reevanās face back down towards Ćna.
playing dnd, and that moment the dm plops a very nice little dream sequence that makes you cry a little because itās a beautiful and sad(?) glimpse into Ćnaās maybe future??? um okayā¦gonna think about this for about 30 years.
I wanted to have this ready yesterday, but I was busy :3
my name is Lauren, I am a illustrator/printmaker based in HTX, I just turned the big 3 0, and some of my favorite movies are The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Fall (by Tarsem), and NausicaƤ of the Vally of the Wind. ā¶