Winterfall

As daylight finally broke in the kingdom, I decided to take another crack at the ancient text that we had found in the library the other day. Let’s see what we may have missed in here today. I thought as I cracked open the book and began to turn to the page to where I had stopped reading prior to Theo and I’s fun time in the library.

A grin fell on my face, as I couldn’t help but flash Theoden bits of our time in the library.

Maria…Theoden groaned in frustration. You are making it hard to focus on work. My grin widened at his reaction to what I showed him.

I calmed myself after a few moments and sat in bed and reached for the old encrypted text we pulled from the library. The pages of this text didn’t feel like normal paper, leaving us to think it was crafted out of human skin, considering it was dated four hundred or more years back.

The text in the book itself was written in one of the many languages of the nine layers of Hell, Abyssal. Thankfully, my parents had countless tutors who taught me various languages, Abyssal being one of them.

With this text written in Abyssal, the more I focused on it, the more it hurt my head. As I focused more, it almost seemed as if the nine layers of Hell were screaming at me throughout the text. The text talked about each layer of Hell and some of its more well-known devil high lords per layer.

The text talked about how the devil high lords were one of the more powerful groups of devils in the nine hells. Each layer had at least two if not more, high lords that very often fought for power.

I skimmed over the first three layers of Hell and got to the fourth, as we had learned the other day that Marcel was from the fourth layer of Hell. Shit. I thought as I read the couple of pages about the fourth layer.

What is it, Maria? Théoden questioned.

Marcel Blackvale is one of the two devil high lords in the fourth layer of the Nine Hells. His name was barely legible, but I pushed through the hellish text and found his name. We both had heard stories of how powerful the devil high lords can be, and it got worse as you descended into each layer of Hell.

What would a devil high lord be doing here? I questioned as I tried to push through the text to see if there was any information stating why he may have been there.

Damn it….I spoke as I slammed the book shut. The text, at this point, was becoming unbearable to read as each line blurred together, and the screams that came with it pierced my skull.

I felt him pull most of the pain away from my mind, Maria….he spoke through the bond, easy love. He told me as he let his aura of soothing seep through, calming my nerves further. There. He spoke as he could sense that I had calmed down and was not in any more pain.

Are you sure we will be able to take him, Théoden? I questioned him as I thought back to my schooling and how my tutors would lecture me on the importance of not making deals with the devils and not engaging in fights, as they had powers that most did not understand and underestimated.

He thought a moment before responding, Yes, between my draconic abilities and your wild magic powers, yes, we can.

I sighed and felt a wave of relief wash over me. What are you up to? I questioned him, as I could not and would not focus on that ancient text anymore. I needed something to pass the time.

Paperwork. You could watch if you want to, but some of this is classified. He reminded me that I may not even be able to see some. But I pulled into Theoden's vision anyway.

I sat at a rather large dark oak desk that had a few papers scattered about. One read Murder in the Third Ring, and another read Missing Children. I knew Maria was observing me as a tingle sensation would give it away if one of us watched the other.

I began writing notes, I looked at the door to his office. A sturdy knock echoed through, and a female voice spoke up, "captain?" It was the sound of Quinn’s voice.

I placed my paperwork aside and cleared my throat. “Come in, Quinn!” I shouted.

She entered my office in her full chainmail attire, with her helmet to the side and her weapon at its halt. Quinn closed the door softly. “Everything alright?”

She placed her helmet on the floor next to her and stood firm, “I…” She was hesitant with whatever she wanted to discuss.

I arched my eyebrow, "Quinn?"

She cleared her throat, “I just wanted to check on you. With everything that is going on with the Princess and Marcel, I just wanted to make sure you were alright.”

I sighed, “I am alright, Quinn.” That was a lie. I was jealous with this whole arranged marriage thing. It was something I couldn’t help. I mean, how could I not be jealous? The woman I loved was promised to another, the woman that I thought would be standing with me at the altar.

She cocked her head and studied his features, “captain, as much as you try to be strong for us, some of us can pick up on your faults.” She admitted, “And I understand.”

“I don’t know what you are talking about, Quinn.” Stubborn, I know. I just hated anyone digging into my personal feelings. Sometimes, I even hated it when Maria tried to dig.

“You tend to present yourself as a hard ass sometimes, captain. You do that by hiding your emotions. But I know…”

“I’m still not following…” I personally was a bit confused by her declaration. I mean, how would she know?

“I know how you must be truly feeling…Can I share something with you?”

I nodded, giving her the opportunity to share. “My parents did not like the man I was seeing when I was a teen. He did not come from a wealthy enough family, forcing me to end it with him. At age eighteen, they had arranged a marriage with a man of a noble class for me. A man I did not love.”

Rumors about her situation ran through the noble rings as Quinn came from a middle-class family but married into a noble one, “I know how the arranged marriage plot feels.”

I was speechless. I knew of the rumors, too, but I tried not to listen to those that involved other guards. Unless it affected their work. “I…um…thank you for telling me, Quinn. I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright.” She said with a soft smile, “I have learned to love the man I was forced to marry. But that’s beside the point. How are you?”

I sighed, “i’m holding in there. It’s a bit hard watching her with someone else, but I know she is doing what she has to.”

“I’m here for you…If you need anyone to talk to, I’m here, captain.”

“Thank you, Quinn.”

“Anytime.” She spoke as she picked up her helmet and walked out of my office, closing the door behind her.

I didn’t know those rumors were true… Maria whispered through the bond.

I didn’t either. I responded.

Maria, I need to focus on this paperwork if I want to leave my office early tonight, especially if we want to do anything tonight.