"Let me show you your castle my liege," Devon said to the young man. No, not *man*, he corrected himself in his mind, the *boy*. He couldn't be more than seventeen or eighteen, and now he was the Lord of the ailing Goodwynne kingdom. Devon silenty scrutinzed the boy as they walked. He did not look like his father at all, that much was for certain. Whereas his father has been large and boisterious, full of loud talk and drink, this boy appeared delicate in both mannerism and apperance. As building master, Devon was already making plans to rebuild the barracks to be certain of some protection for the new young Lord. An Illigitimate child or not, he was still Gavin Macleod the older's son, and even held the former lord's name
Gavin looked about him as he struggled to keep stride with the large building master. He was trying to take in every detail of this newly aquired ancestrial home. Not less than one week ago he was the charge of a Catholic orphanage, the illigetimate child of a maid, and, what he did not know until now, the Lord of Goodwynne. Slowly the story had been pieced together for him. His mother had been the main housemaide of the Goodwynne Keep, and the true love of his father, Gavin the older, with whom his mother had named him after. When it was found out that his mother was pregnant and that the Lord Gavin was intending to marry her, she was quickly escorted out of the kingdom for fear of scandal. Gavin the yonger had spent all his life in the protection of the orphanage so had no knowledge of either mother or father. All he knew was what he had now been told; that his father had been a fair and just Lord, and had grown ill in the last years. Not being able to rule the kingdom properly it slowly fell into disrepair. Not more than one month ago his father succumbed to his illness, and, leaving no legitimate heir, the summon was sent out to all the lands and kingdoms in search the exiled maid's child, Gavin the younger. And here he was, one moment a pauper orphan and the next dressed in royal garb, walking through a lavishly decorated castle that belonged to him.
"What was my father like?" Gavin asked as they continued the tour.
"He was not like you" Devon said simply, "You take after your mother."
"You knew my mother?" Gavin asked, with some hope he would gain some information about her
"Yes." Devon answered, and did not intend to elaborate. He did not want to talk about that time, did not want to remember how heartsick Gavin the older had become after the exile of his true love, and how Devon was sure that this heart sickness was what lead to the former Lord's illness and eventual death. Devon reached a blank stone wall and stopped infront of it. Gavin stared at it, confused, "What is it?"
"It is your path to saftey" Devon explained, "There is a switch and a hidden door will open to a passageway for your escape."
"What would I need to escape from?"
Devon looked over at the boy. There was such a dangerous neivness in him. How would he ever be able lead a whole kingdom? "There is much you need to learn," Devon said with a resigned sigh, "But for now, just look about the keep, aquaint yourself with your new home." He turned and walked off. There were much preperations for building repairs that needed to be done.
Alone now, Gavin looked about the wide throne room in which he stood, and then at the throne he would sit on to hold court for the people. But what did the people and the kingdom he ruled look like? He did not get a chance to truely explore the land during the long horse ccaravan trip from his home at the orphange to the castle he was at now. He wanted a chance to see what this new world he found himself really looked. Without thinking of potential dangers or even thinking to inform Devon of his departure, he left to explore his kingdom....
Leaning down to smell wildflowers, he was easy prey...
Gavin looked about him as he struggled to keep stride with the large building master. He was trying to take in every detail of this newly aquired ancestrial home. Not less than one week ago he was the charge of a Catholic orphanage, the illigetimate child of a maid, and, what he did not know until now, the Lord of Goodwynne. Slowly the story had been pieced together for him. His mother had been the main housemaide of the Goodwynne Keep, and the true love of his father, Gavin the older, with whom his mother had named him after. When it was found out that his mother was pregnant and that the Lord Gavin was intending to marry her, she was quickly escorted out of the kingdom for fear of scandal. Gavin the yonger had spent all his life in the protection of the orphanage so had no knowledge of either mother or father. All he knew was what he had now been told; that his father had been a fair and just Lord, and had grown ill in the last years. Not being able to rule the kingdom properly it slowly fell into disrepair. Not more than one month ago his father succumbed to his illness, and, leaving no legitimate heir, the summon was sent out to all the lands and kingdoms in search the exiled maid's child, Gavin the younger. And here he was, one moment a pauper orphan and the next dressed in royal garb, walking through a lavishly decorated castle that belonged to him.
"What was my father like?" Gavin asked as they continued the tour.
"He was not like you" Devon said simply, "You take after your mother."
"You knew my mother?" Gavin asked, with some hope he would gain some information about her
"Yes." Devon answered, and did not intend to elaborate. He did not want to talk about that time, did not want to remember how heartsick Gavin the older had become after the exile of his true love, and how Devon was sure that this heart sickness was what lead to the former Lord's illness and eventual death. Devon reached a blank stone wall and stopped infront of it. Gavin stared at it, confused, "What is it?"
"It is your path to saftey" Devon explained, "There is a switch and a hidden door will open to a passageway for your escape."
"What would I need to escape from?"
Devon looked over at the boy. There was such a dangerous neivness in him. How would he ever be able lead a whole kingdom? "There is much you need to learn," Devon said with a resigned sigh, "But for now, just look about the keep, aquaint yourself with your new home." He turned and walked off. There were much preperations for building repairs that needed to be done.
Alone now, Gavin looked about the wide throne room in which he stood, and then at the throne he would sit on to hold court for the people. But what did the people and the kingdom he ruled look like? He did not get a chance to truely explore the land during the long horse ccaravan trip from his home at the orphange to the castle he was at now. He wanted a chance to see what this new world he found himself really looked. Without thinking of potential dangers or even thinking to inform Devon of his departure, he left to explore his kingdom....
Leaning down to smell wildflowers, he was easy prey...
