Chapter 12 - Lady Lyndis

"You were going to share your story with us?" Lyn said, looking expectantly at the Lycian knights.

Astrid turned his head to listen, curious about the strangers who had joined them. He wondered what their mission was and why they had traveled so far from their homeland.

Kent dismounted from his horse, ready to share more about their mission.

"Yes." Kent replied, clearing his throat.

"We have ventured from Caelin, in Lycia, in search of someone." Kent began, his tone serious and focused.

Lyn nodded, her expression attentive. She knew a little about Lycia, the country that bordered Sacae to the southwest. It was a land of nobles and politics, where each house had its own domain and army.

"Lycia... That's the country beyond the mountains in the southwest, isn't it?" She asked, wanting to confirm her knowledge.

Astrid mentally mapped out the geography of Elibe, the continent they were on. He had learned about its geography and history from his tutors and travels.

He knew that Sacae, where they currently were, was a vast plain of grasslands and hills, where nomadic tribes roamed freely.

To the southwest was Lycia, a federation of noble houses that governed a prosperous and fertile land.

To the southeast was Bern, a powerful kingdom that had a history of war and conquest.

And far beyond Bern, across a wide stretch of water that few had dared to cross, was Asteria, his secret homeland.

He smirked inwardly, imagining how these people would react if they knew he was a prince of a mysterious and ancient realm. A kingdom which many thought of as legends.

Kent confirmed her guess with a nod. "Correct. We've come as messengers to the lady Madelyn, who eloped with a nomad some 19 years ago."

When Kent mentioned Lady Madelyn, Lyn's face fell, and a look of sadness crossed her features.

Astrid noticed the change in Lyn's expression, and felt a pang of curiosity and sympathy. He wondered who Madelyn was and why she had such an effect on Lyn.

'Madelyn… She must be someone very important to Lyn.' He thought, watching Lyn with concern.

"Madelyn?" She repeated, her voice tight barely above a whisper.

Kent nodded solemnly. "Our lord the marquess of Caelin's only daughter."

Kent then continued. "He was heartbroken his own daughter would abandon him so. Eventually, the marquess simply declared that he had no daughter."

Astrid frowned, feeling a surge of anger and disgust. He couldn't understand how a father could disown his own child for following her heart. He thought of his own parents, who had loved him unconditionally and supported him in everything. He felt lucky to have them, and sorry for Madelyn.

'How can he do that? She's still his daughter.' He thought bitterly.

Sain chimed in, adding to Kent's story. "And then this year, we received a letter from lady Madelyn."

Sain continued, his voice becoming more animated. "It said that she, her husband, and their daughter were living happily on the Sacae plains. The marquess was ecstatic to learn he had a granddaughter of 18 years."

He then recalled the past with nostalgia. "I remember the smile on his face when he announced that he'd suddenly become a grandfather."

Lyn's expression softened at the mention of the granddaughter's age.

"What's her name?" She asked.

"The grand daughter's name is Lyndis." Sain answered, with a smile on his face.

Lyn's eyes widened even further, and Sain explained the significance of the name. "This was also the name of the marquess's wife, who passed away at the early age."

"Lyndis?" Lyn asked as her expression grew wider.

Astrid also was surprised by the name. He remembered that the bandits they had fought earlier had mentioned the name Lyndis. Then mentioning his love for gold… He realized that they must have been hired by someone who wanted to eliminate her as a potential heir to the marquess.

'So Lyn is the granddaughter of the marquess of Caelin? And she doesn't know it? That explains why the bandits were after her. They must have been sent by someone who feared her claim to the throne. Someone who wanted to keep the power for themselves.' He thought, feeling a surge of protectiveness and admiration for Lyn. He wondered how she would react to the truth.

He also thought of his own kingdom, Asteria, where there was no such thing as royal siblings in history. Asterians lived very long lives, some reaching up to 500 years old. They also had greater magic capabilities than other races. But they were not very fertile, and often had only one child or even none in their lifetime. The royal family was no exception, and each generation had only one heir to the throne.

'How different our lives are. She has a heritage she doesn't claim, and I have a heritage I can't reveal. She has a rival she doesn't know about, and I have no one to challenge me for my title.' He thought, feeling a mix of gratitude and boredom.

Sain continued. "That she should bear this name thawed the marquess's heart. Now, his only wish is to meet his daughter's family at least once."

"This is why we're here." Sain explained, his voice laced with hope. Gesturing between himself and Kent, who nodded in agreement. But Sain's expression darkened as he shared a heartbreaking revelation.

"We didn't know that Lady Madelyn died a few days after sending her letter… We only learned this shortly after we arrived here in Bulgar." He said, his voice heavy with sorrow.

Kent's tone lightened as he continued the story. "But we also learned all was not lost. Her daughter yet lives."

"We heard that she was living alone on the Plains…" Kent trailed off, then suddenly looked at Lyn with recognition.

Astrid followed Kent's gaze and saw him staring at Lyn with a look of surprise and certainty. He realized that Kent had figured out something about Lyn's identity.

'I knew it. Lyn is the granddaughter of the marquess of Caelin. She is the lady Lyndis.' He thought, reeling in anticipation. He wondered how Lyn would react to the revelation.

"I... I knew it immediately. You are the lady Lyndis." Kent said, his voice filled with conviction and emotion.

Lyn blinked in confusion and shock as Kent's words sank in. She felt a jolt of disbelief and fear, wondering if she had heard him right. She felt her heart racing and her mind spinning, trying to make sense of what he was saying. She felt a wave of questions and doubts, wondering who Lyndis was and what it had to do with her.

"Why would you think that…" She asked, her voice barely above a whisper, unsure of how to react. She looked around at the others, hoping for some explanation or confirmation.

"Your resemblance to your departed mother is remarkable." Kent replied, his gaze softening.

She turned to Kent with a mix of curiosity and hope.

"What? Did you know my mother?" Lyn immediately asked, her eyes searching Kent's face for any hint of the truth, hoping to learn more about her past. Kent shook his head regretfully.

"I'm sorry to say I never met her directly, but I saw her portraits in Castle Caelin." Kent explained, his voice tinged with sadness.

Lyn felt a pang of sadness as she imagined her mother's face. She wished she could see her again, even if only in a painting.

She glanced at the others, who were watching her with sympathy and interest. She realized that they did not know much about her background, and decided to share some of her memories with them.

"I was born and raised in the plains of Sacae, among the Lorca tribe." She began softly, recalling her happy childhood.

"My father was the chieftain of our tribe, and he taught me how to wield a sword and ride a horse. My mother was from Caelin, but she left her home to be with my father. They loved each other very much, and they loved me too."

She smiled sadly as she remembered her parents' affection and warmth. They had given her everything she needed, and more.

Astrid listened attentively as Lyn spoke. He felt a surge of empathy for her, as he could relate to her love for her parents. He also admired her strength and courage in surviving the loss of her tribe and living on her own.

He thought to himself 'Lyn… I'm sorry for what happened to your tribe. You must have been through a lot. I can tell that you loved your parents very much. They sound like wonderful people and must be very proud of you.'

He smiled warmly at Lyn, but did not say anything out loud. He did not want to interrupt her or make her feel uncomfortable. He wanted to let her talk and express herself freely.

Astrid then thought sadly. 'I can't imagine losing my parents like that. They are everything to me. They support me and love me unconditionally. They are the reason why I'm here. What would I do without them? I don't think I could be as strong as Lyn…'

As memories flooded her mind, she then thought of how she had grown up in the plains. She smiled sadly as she remembered her tribe, her family…

"To the rest of my tribe, I was always Lyn." She said softly, her voice filled with nostalgia.

She smiled sadly as she remembered her parents' affection and warmth. They had given her everything she needed, and more.

"But when I was with my parents…" She continued.

She paused, feeling a lump in her throat as she uttered the name they had called her with love.

"When it was just the three of us, I was Lyndis." She confessed.

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Welcome to exposition the chapter!

Please bear with this because the dialogue here are straight from the game, of course with my own artistic liberties.