An Approaching Storm

[Anwyn]

Outside the rain wiped violently at the walls of the Golden Hall that stood unaffected by such furries of nautre. Lightning streaked the sky while Thunder roared yet still the sheets of rain lashed the walls with unrelenting force though it could not be said that the atmosphere within was any different than that without as raised voices echoed through wooden beams.

Anwyn stood, her every body locked ridgidly as though carved from stone as she stood facing another man, whose mere size alone greatly dwarfed her and his age that more than thrice her own yet she held her own arms held at her side with hands locked into tight fists and her face a mask of cold furry. Guards at the doors stood watching the peculiar tableau though they were silent, water dripping from armor and creating puddles to the floor

"You know nothing of the lands which I speak!" The Lord Carawen bellowed, his cheecks barely visible beneath a thick beard barely visible "You are not fit to pass judgement on ownership!" he nearly shook with anger but Anwyn was unmoving "Then allow me to look upon them for myself that I may make such judgement!" she shot back as another clap of thunder seemed to shake the hall to its very foundations. A small group stood a distance back, not daring to interfere with such a disagreement for the strength of the two wills was nearly a pabable force in the space.

Anwyn fought to keep herself as respectful as possible, for she would gain no ground otherwise but that was quickly slipping from her at every moment that passed in this lock of wills. Carawen raised a plump shaking finger to her face "If you were my daughter, You would have learned never to act and speak in such a way!" Seemingly out of nowhere Anwyns hand flew knocking his hand away, her eyes burning "If I were you daughter sir, I would not find myself in such a posistion as this becuase I would possess scarcely enough wit to lead anything other than swine!"

The words had left her lips so easily she scarcely remebered speaking them and for a moment the space, as large as it was fell completely silent save for the rain as its hurled itself against the doors. A heavy hand flew catching her smartly across the check, the sound of flesh on flesh ringing clearly out as a gasp of surprise left the lips of many. For a moment Anwyn stood stunned, turning back to Carawen her mouth slightly agape her right shoulder fell back as though she was about to slump to the floor but then was very quickly followed up with her right fist that caught cleanly in the nose and caused the man to stumble back, his hands flying to his nose in a vain effort to contain the blood that no gushed fourth.

The bleeding contained, the man lowered his hand his face bloodied and Anwyn returned his look steadily, the mark on her cheeck reddening but she did not flinch. Silence held domain over all gathered for a long moment as the man and younger woman beheld each other steadily until Anwyn was the first to break the silence breaking out into a peel of laughter than rung out clearly shattering the silence as she was a moment later joined by Carawen whose great shoulders shook and he held his hands over his stomach as to contain himself and this sound was then joined by the confused murmers of the onlookers. For never had such a rediculious sight been seen, Tempers had risen to a breaking point and fists had flown though truely it could not be said this was anything new.

"My applogies for acting such as a boar, for I am certain I now resemble one as well" Carawen sniffed gingerly touching his hands to his nose, feeling for what may well be broken. Anwyn threw out her hands to her sides the smile never quite escaping her features. "Go clean yourself my friend, We may talk again when tensions are once again cooled"

[Anwyn]

Tempers had cooled as drinks and stories were exchanged freely and over the hours rains outside slowly began to dwindle as the distant crash of thunder grew fainter signifying that the storm was moving on across the white mountains. The torches of the hall had been lit sometime earlier but at last Anwyn carefully rose as did the company that surronded her as she would retire to her chambers for the night. As she walked along the corridor she debated wether it had been the ale that had made the entire argument a great deal more amusing than it had seemed before. Turning a corner she came into full contanct with a great halking mass, that for a moment caused her to question wether or not she had misjudged the corner and walked straight into the wall instead.

Raising her gaze her body stiffened slightly but her tone was low "Swidhelm, I applogize..I did not see you there" Even to her own ears it sounded false for he was a great hulking mass of a man, it was rumored that he been begotten of an oxen, though said not to his face of course naturally. Her earlier mood of relivary slipped away as she realized that he stood between her and the chambers, and that even in her slightly altered state it was apperant that such a thing would seem intentional. Drawing herself up she pushed the mist that surronded her thoughts away.

"M'lady, You looked flushed, are you well?" Came the supiciously over courteous response from the large man who still continued to stragetically block her choosen route of escape from an encounter with him "I am" she replied trying hard not to sway upon her feet and found herself wishing that she had a seat. A large hand calloused hand brushed past her cheeck and she instinctively pulled herself away from the contanct, her eyes growing wide in surprise "You should not walk alone in such a state" came the knowing response "I need none to attend to me, but I thank you for your concern" Anwyn replied growing tired with keeping small up small conservation with one that she could scarcely stand to look at much less speak with "I bid you a good night" she murmured moving to press herself against the wall and press by him, when she felt strong hands grasping her by the shoulders and pushing her hard into the wall.

For a long moment she could not fathom what had just occured though the movement eliciated a gasp of pain from her as her back struck against the stone "For too long have you have done your very best to avoid me, no longer" the voice was little more than a hiss close to her ear, she fought to break free of the dumbfoundment that had seemingly set upon her and for at least one blessed moment she was ignorant as to what it was of which he spoke "You cannot possibly expect to rule these lands on your own, The people look for a King...will you not give them one?" For a culture so long driven by masculinity her appointment had been surprising to many for there were many that were as prepared as she. With a barely audible sigh Anwyn turned her head away from him, this was nothing new to her and her bed called to her, and she longed to collapse into its depths "Do not hide yourself from me, I know that you long desired me"

At this she would have laughed alloud had it not seemed to require a sheer amount of energy at this moment she could not muster, but that changed a moment later when she felt teeth sink into the soft throat of her exposed throat and hands flew to the ties of her gown and began to tear at them, though she maybe slightly subdued from the ale a strangled cry of rage and pain still forced its way from her throat and her hands threw up to roughly push the man away from her, which was no small feat with his relative size compared to her own though he relented perhaps taken aback by her response and her hand flew to her throat with another gasp as she found that he had broken the skin there "Are you mad?!!" she demanded, her eyes alit with rage as her free hand moved to cover herself.

"I will see you-" he moved before her mind could retrieve a suitable threat, though it was not a threat for she would be certain to make good of it though whatever that may have been it was silenced by a flash of silver in the dim light and she found a small dagger pressed to her chest, above her heart and she was immediately silenced. "With just one small movement I could end your life" came the whispered response and Anwyn was stilled "Anwyn Queen, Daughter of Erkenbrand...What say you to this?" They would not choose a soldier of not a drop of noble blood to his veins she thought but remained silent.

"Or..." The tip of the blade was intentionally kept close to her, she felt its tip trace its way down her chest to her lower abdomen "Here, and I could end your line" Anwyn allowed herself to look at his eyes, they flashed and for the first time she was certain that perhaps she had gazed at true madness in there dark troubled depths "Kings do not have wombs, If you wish to be King amongst your people why would you not be as such?" Anwyn drew herself closer to the wall, as though she wished to somehow mold herself to the crevices and he laughed at this, a harsh unpleasant sound, though she made none herself.

The sound of approaching footsteps silenced him as well, he glanced in the direction from where they came and then back to her, a smile reveleaved yellow teeth beneath a heavy beard, his lips were slightly bloodied "Will you cry out? Have me arrested? Killed? Are you so certain of the loyalty of those around you?" The blade was withdrawn as he straightened, pulling away from her and she locked her legs beneath her using the wall to ensure she did not fall completely, she would not show this one any sign of weakness as hard as he may try to seek one in her. His words hit her, but somehow it felt as though there meaning was lost on her, Swidhelm beat a quiet retreat leaving her alone a hand still grasping at her throat while the other clutched numbly at her dress.

Her eyes were fixed on a stone on the wall adjusent but she truely did not see it as she had in her way allowed her body to enter some state of shock though as she turned stiffly towards the door of her quaters she did so without concious desire or thought to do so. As she caught sight of her own reflection, she gave a start, What was this? To be frightned by one such as Swidhelm, never! With a cry she threw the basin from the table and sent it frashing into the wall where it collided with a loud clatter and fell to the floor. The anger was self directed this time, she had allowed him to frighten her to treat her in such a way and she had been too inerbriated to reconize a threat that had watched her for too long now and knew too much of her.

Familarity was not something she sought to gain with many people, to many she was aloof and as such she did work to keep herself for what they learned about her is what she allowed them to. It angered her still and it would to no end until she was able to deal with what happened and ensure that it would not happen, she would not continue to be the subject of one imagined affections of her, the thought alone made her cold Enough she told herself sternly as she slipped from the gown and cast it aside as though she could no longer stand the very site of it, a poltice could be applied to the bite but at this hour she did not which to rouse a healer and even less did she wish to describe what had happened. Wrapping her throat carefully, she would find a more approchiate bandage in the dawn. Resigning herself to rest, even though it seemed near impossible this point she drew the heavy blankets around herself and lay still, though her eyes did not close and she was ever mindful of the smallest sound beyond the door.