"To find a kiss, A love I would give..." Celeste quickly wrote that down on a sheet of paper. This was difficult to write, and she didn't know why. Maybe it was because she never felt love before. At least not in the way she wanted to describe it in her poem.
She was seated on a velvet couch gazing out the window. The sky was clear and she could see all the land her family owned.
There below were the servants attending to the garden, feeding the verlpax, tending to the fields. And here she was stuck in the house, all day, every day.
She was bored of being couped up in here, like some livestock waiting to be slaughtered. She knew she was not to leave the premises without her father's permission and without an aide. Celeste wanted to be like those girls in the stories, the ones that were saved by some heroic warrior.
Everyone always told her how nice it must be to live here in this large of a house without a worry in the world. Everyone had their own opinion, but no one knew what it was truly like but her. Nobility. That is what they called it.
A status the poor craved for, and the well-off wanted to keep. But, as a noble she woman she had to be above everyone else. As a woman, she had to stay indoors because women weren't allowed to be seen in the public. At least, not alone or without an attendant.
There were a few exceptions to this rule, but none of them applied to her. Not unless she somehow managed to run away from home.
Love. A feeling she wanted to try for herself, but would never be able to have. Celeste knew it and so did her mother. One day, maybe soon, she'd been sent off to be married to someone to tie their families together. Her father didn't care for power, as much as wealth, so she figured it would be some older man or his son that she would marry. Someone with a business that her father could potentially exploit.
She heard footsteps.
Turning to look down the hall she saw her father and brother talking. They were heading out somewhere. Celeste stood up and set the paper and pen she was holding down. Where were they going? She had nothing else to do, so she'd follow them.
Following after them she went down the hall, then down the stairs.
"Celeste, what are you doing?" Her mother called out to her. Celeste turned to the side and saw her mother standing at the entrance of the kitchen.
"No where mother!" Celeste quickly responded as she turned. Her father and brother didn't even turn back and went out of the door.
Her mother Silivia saw Issac and Arthur leave and shook her head. "You know you aren't supposed to leave, where were you planning on going?" She asked her daughter.
It didn't take much for her to figure out that her daughter was trying to follow her husband. Being close behind him might mean the guards would let her out, but Silivia knew better. They wouldn't let Celeste leave unless Issac told them otherwise.
"I don't know, I just feel trapped. Can't we go out today?" Celeste asked.
Silivia looked at the white dress her daughter was wearing and thought it over. It wouldn't be a bad thing to get out once in a while. When was the last time she got out of the house? People came over often enough to keep her company, so she was not lacking in social company.
Her daughter on the other hand had a harder time making friends with the other ladies.
"Very well, how about we do a little shopping?"
Hearing that Celeste brightened up. Shopping was ok, but she did not need anything new. She had plenty of dresses, shoes, and jewelry. But, this was a chance to get out of the house, which she so desperately wanted.
Silvia would have to talk to Issac about this later once they returned, however, he shouldn't mind. Given how busy her husband has been lately, she doubted he'd even care as long as they didn't get into any trouble.
But who should she take?
There were plenty of people around that were out for Issac. Not assassins, but people who would use whatever means they could to grab hold of his wealth. Which meant kidnapping her or her daughter in order to use them for a ransom. It wouldn't be uncommon for one of the guards to betray them just to gain a little bit of wealth.
This is why it was important to choose someone she could trust.
Celeste would soon be fifteen, which meant she'd be an adult. It was almost time for her to get married, and her husband was still trying to find the right candidate. As her mother, Silivia hoped that her daughter's marriage would go as well as her own. Issac was ambitious, but a good man.
Which was hard to find since people tended to play the chivalrous man in public but ended up being a villain when no one was around. That was not something she wanted Celeste to experience.
---
Outside his building, Richard was busy going over a list of materials he'd need to craft the first carriage when his door opened. He turned and saw Arthur return along with another man, this one older. Wearing a black and white suit with blonde curly hair and glasses. He dressed the part, so Richard figured that he was someone of great status. It just spoke to him from the way the man carried himself.
"I see you went to get your father." Richard spoke first. He was making an assumption but based on what the young man stated earlier, and the resemblance it seemed to be his dad.
Arthur didn't let those words phase him. He assumed they were meant to provoke a reaction of sorts, but he was taught better than that. There was little a person that was beneath him in every way could do to get under his skin. Unlike his father who was pursuing wealth, Arthur was aiming to be a warrior. If he let this phase him, then he'd never have thick skin once he went out and began his own adventures.
"Issac. It's my name, and I'd prefer you call me that instead of his father." Issac responded.
Richard smiled, he liked this guy. He couldn't put his finger on a reason why, but his gut was telling him they would get along. The same gut that told him to run back in World War I before the enemy popped out of the bush to try and ambush his squad. It saved him more than once, and caused him to meet some nice people. He'd trust it again.
"Alright then, so what do you want? I told your son earlier that I was busy."
Issac looked around and saw smoke rising from the forge, but that was it. Richard was just out here doing nothing from his point of view. He himself had no experience in smithing, but he knew quite a few smiths himself. Along with tailors, masons, and a few other professions in the region.
"I see, then I'll make this brief. I want to hire you to recreate our family heirloom." Issac pulled out a photo of a pair of twin swords. They looked amazing with the golden patterns etched on the edge of the blades and the black and golden jewel pommel.
"Lord Kirk spoke highly of you, which is why I am here. I need someone to recreate these blades but I don't want them to only be a decorative piece. I'd also like to look at your previous work to see what type of quality I'm getting."
While Richard was interested, he was not keen on making another sword at this point in time. He'd rather focus his attention on his current project. However, this could prove to be an opportunity for him, as the person standing before him had a lot of Verlpax. He needed information on them, and it'd be even better if he could see one for himself.
"I don't have any, the swords I've created have been sold to Lord Kirk. If you want to see an example, you'd better find him." Richard replied.
"Very well, but I'd like an answer nevertheless."
"Sure, but it'll be a while. As I stated earlier, I am busy."
Richard paused for a bit before speaking once more. "However, I could put this at the top of my priority list given a chance to study a verlpax."
Issac raised his eyebrow. He was a bit shocked to hear such an offer, considering that verlpax were not uncommon. People knew about them so why would Richard want to study one? Was he some kind of animal healer? He couldn't be one of those.
Having raised verlpax for decades, Issac knew all there was to know about the creatures, from their weakness' to their strengths. If he wanted to, he could write a book about them. However, no one would buy one. Nor were there enough people here in Evergreen that were rich enough to purchase one.
A verlpax went for one gold tale, which was a huge sum compared to what most people made. These creatures were used by only the rich so it was odd Richard was asking about one.
Still, it did pique his interest a bit.
"I can arrange for that to happen." Issac replied.
"As for payment..." Richard started.
Issac shook his head. "We'll talk about that after I see your work."
"To find a kiss, A love I would give..." Celeste quickly wrote that down on a sheet of paper. This was difficult to write, and she didn't know why. Maybe it was because she never felt love before. At least not in the way she wanted to describe it in her poem.
She was seated on a velvet couch gazing out the window. The sky was clear and she could see all the land her family owned.
There below were the servants attending to the garden, feeding the verlpax, tending to the fields. And here she was stuck in the house, all day, every day.
She was bored of being couped up in here, like some livestock waiting to be slaughtered. She knew she was not to leave the premises without her father's permission and without an aide. Celeste wanted to be like those girls in the stories, the ones that were saved by some heroic warrior.
Everyone always told her how nice it must be to live here in this large of a house without a worry in the world. Everyone had their own opinion, but no one knew what it was truly like but her. Nobility. That is what they called it.
A status the poor craved for, and the well-off wanted to keep. But, as a noble she woman she had to be above everyone else. As a woman, she had to stay indoors because women weren't allowed to be seen in the public. At least, not alone or without an attendant.
There were a few exceptions to this rule, but none of them applied to her. Not unless she somehow managed to run away from home.
Love. A feeling she wanted to try for herself, but would never be able to have. Celeste knew it and so did her mother. One day, maybe soon, she'd been sent off to be married to someone to tie their families together. Her father didn't care for power, as much as wealth, so she figured it would be some older man or his son that she would marry. Someone with a business that her father could potentially exploit.
She heard footsteps.
Turning to look down the hall she saw her father and brother talking. They were heading out somewhere. Celeste stood up and set the paper and pen she was holding down. Where were they going? She had nothing else to do, so she'd follow them.
Following after them she went down the hall, then down the stairs.
"Celeste, what are you doing?" Her mother called out to her. Celeste turned to the side and saw her mother standing at the entrance of the kitchen.
"No where mother!" Celeste quickly responded as she turned. Her father and brother didn't even turn back and went out of the door.
Her mother Silivia saw Issac and Arthur leave and shook her head. "You know you aren't supposed to leave, where were you planning on going?" She asked her daughter.
It didn't take much for her to figure out that her daughter was trying to follow her husband. Being close behind him might mean the guards would let her out, but Silivia knew better. They wouldn't let Celeste leave unless Issac told them otherwise.
"I don't know, I just feel trapped. Can't we go out today?" Celeste asked.
Silivia looked at the white dress her daughter was wearing and thought it over. It wouldn't be a bad thing to get out once in a while. When was the last time she got out of the house? People came over often enough to keep her company, so she was not lacking in social company.
Her daughter on the other hand had a harder time making friends with the other ladies.
"Very well, how about we do a little shopping?"
Hearing that Celeste brightened up. Shopping was ok, but she did not need anything new. She had plenty of dresses, shoes, and jewelry. But, this was a chance to get out of the house, which she so desperately wanted.
Silvia would have to talk to Issac about this later once they returned, however, he shouldn't mind. Given how busy her husband has been lately, she doubted he'd even care as long as they didn't get into any trouble.
But who should she take?
There were plenty of people around that were out for Issac. Not assassins, but people who would use whatever means they could to grab hold of his wealth. Which meant kidnapping her or her daughter in order to use them for a ransom. It wouldn't be uncommon for one of the guards to betray them just to gain a little bit of wealth.
This is why it was important to choose someone she could trust.
Celeste would soon be fifteen, which meant she'd be an adult. It was almost time for her to get married, and her husband was still trying to find the right candidate. As her mother, Silivia hoped that her daughter's marriage would go as well as her own. Issac was ambitious, but a good man.
Which was hard to find since people tended to play the chivalrous man in public but ended up being a villain when no one was around. That was not something she wanted Celeste to experience.
---
Outside his building, Richard was busy going over a list of materials he'd need to craft the first carriage when his door opened. He turned and saw Arthur return along with another man, this one older. Wearing a black and white suit with blonde curly hair and glasses. He dressed the part, so Richard figured that he was someone of great status. It just spoke to him from the way the man carried himself.
"I see you went to get your father." Richard spoke first. He was making an assumption but based on what the young man stated earlier, and the resemblance it seemed to be his dad.
Arthur didn't let those words phase him. He assumed they were meant to provoke a reaction of sorts, but he was taught better than that. There was little a person that was beneath him in every way could do to get under his skin. Unlike his father who was pursuing wealth, Arthur was aiming to be a warrior. If he let this phase him, then he'd never have thick skin once he went out and began his own adventures.
"Issac. It's my name, and I'd prefer you call me that instead of his father." Issac responded.
Richard smiled, he liked this guy. He couldn't put his finger on a reason why, but his gut was telling him they would get along. The same gut that told him to run back in World War I before the enemy popped out of the bush to try and ambush his squad. It saved him more than once, and caused him to meet some nice people. He'd trust it again.
"Alright then, so what do you want? I told your son earlier that I was busy."
Issac looked around and saw smoke rising from the forge, but that was it. Richard was just out here doing nothing from his point of view. He himself had no experience in smithing, but he knew quite a few smiths himself. Along with tailors, masons, and a few other professions in the region.
"I see, then I'll make this brief. I want to hire you to recreate our family heirloom." Issac pulled out a photo of a pair of twin swords. They looked amazing with the golden patterns etched on the edge of the blades and the black and golden jewel pommel.
"Lord Kirk spoke highly of you, which is why I am here. I need someone to recreate these blades but I don't want them to only be a decorative piece. I'd also like to look at your previous work to see what type of quality I'm getting."
While Richard was interested, he was not keen on making another sword at this point in time. He'd rather focus his attention on his current project. However, this could prove to be an opportunity for him, as the person standing before him had a lot of Verlpax. He needed information on them, and it'd be even better if he could see one for himself.
"I don't have any, the swords I've created have been sold to Lord Kirk. If you want to see an example, you'd better find him." Richard replied.
"Very well, but I'd like an answer nevertheless."
"Sure, but it'll be a while. As I stated earlier, I am busy."
Richard paused for a bit before speaking once more. "However, I could put this at the top of my priority list given a chance to study a verlpax."
Issac raised his eyebrow. He was a bit shocked to hear such an offer, considering that verlpax were not uncommon. People knew about them so why would Richard want to study one? Was he some kind of animal healer? He couldn't be one of those.
Having raised verlpax for decades, Issac knew all there was to know about the creatures, from their weakness' to their strengths. If he wanted to, he could write a book about them. However, no one would buy one. Nor were there enough people here in Evergreen that were rich enough to purchase one.
A verlpax went for one gold tale, which was a huge sum compared to what most people made. These creatures were used by only the rich so it was odd Richard was asking about one.
Still, it did pique his interest a bit.
"I can arrange for that to happen." Issac replied.
"As for payment..." Richard started.
Issac shook his head. "We'll talk about that after I see your work."
