Author Topic: Books and Battle: Memoire of Lorianna Belsan  (Read 2330 times)

urathraviel

  • Dark Lord
  • *****
  • Posts: 621
Books and Battle: Memoire of Lorianna Belsan
« on: May 30, 2016, 05:04:57 PM »
Lorianna Belsan was born in Triboar, Faerun, Abier-Toril. in 1267 DR. The only daughter of a miller and his wife.

The following are fragments from her journal, and memories from her past.




urathraviel

  • Dark Lord
  • *****
  • Posts: 621
Re: Books and Battle: Memoire of Lorianna Belsan
« Reply #1 on: May 30, 2016, 05:11:36 PM »
Triboar: 1273 DR

The Dappled autumn sunlight shifts and changes on the counter as wind moves the branches outside, Lorianna finds herself trying to spot shapes in the pattern. "Loria... you're not paying attention sweetling" her mother chides, voice warm in amusement which a half hidden smile on her face. Lorianna ducks her head to hide the grin born from her mothers smile. she knows neither of them should be smiling, they are supposed to be working, but somehow it is not so scary to dawdle and daydream when she knows her mother finds it funny too. "Here Loria, dip your fingers in the butter and make the dish good and greasy for me. don't use too much though!"

"Yes Mama," Lorianna  picks up the dish next to her on the counter and smears butter all over it, before holding it out for her mother to line with pastry. her mother deftly chops an apple up, passing the pieces to her to put in the pie. Lorianna tries to sneak one to eat, she's hungry and being around this much food makes it worse. no-one would notice a single missing piece. Except apparently her mother, who sets a hand on her arm before she manages to eat the piece. That same half hidden smile and a delicately risen eyebrow. Lorianna sighs and puts it into the pie. "Sorry Mama," only to look back up and find an apple core in-front of her nose.

"Here, chew on this sweetling." So she happily eats apple cores while filling the pastry with the chunks. "fingers out of the way Loria unless you want finger pie" Her mother says as she lays the pastry top over it while Lorianna giggles. Together they pinch the base and top together and her mother puts he pie in the oven amongst others. Her mother opens the hatch at the bottom to check the fire before lifting Lorianna off the counter. "Go and fetch me some more wood sweetling."

"Yes Mama"...


urathraviel

  • Dark Lord
  • *****
  • Posts: 621
Re: Books and Battle: Memoire of Lorianna Belsan
« Reply #2 on: June 04, 2016, 04:39:28 PM »
Triboar: 1281 DR

The tavern was dusty, and loud, and crowded. Despite everything Lorianna felt herself wanting to hide behind her father, she knew he'd object,, knew she didn’t want to look that weak, and in the end was only half stood behind him. She expected it made her look obedient instead of timid. The big bear of a man that was her father leads her through the crowd to find an empty table, he points at it,
“Sit." So she sits, looking around the tavern curiously before looking back to her Father.

"Why are we here Papa?"

He turns back to look at her, wearing the constant look of mild disapproval he always seems to have with her. “Because Ethen Glover has a boy your age." He tells her brusquely.

Lorianna frowns. "I know he does, I know him. But why is that why we're here?"

Her father glances back to her and nods. "Good, that will make this easier." before turning his attention back to the bar.

"Makes what easier Papa?"

He reluctantly turns his attention back to her, clearly beginning to get irritated with the questioning. “I'm going to convince him to marry the boy to you when you’re both old enough, In a few years time.”

Lorianna feels herself go cold. “But papa, I don't want to marry him.” She pleas urgently.

He grunts, watching her for a moment.
“Who then, do you want to marry?”

she struggles to think of all the boys in the town even as the idea of marriage itself upsets her, eventually seeing her jaw as she responds.
“I don’t.”

Her father snorts again. “Then you'll marry Ethen's boy.”

Lorianna frowns. “Papa, he's mean to me, him and his friends pushed me over into the stream last week.” Her father nods once.

“Good, means the boy likes you.”

Lorianna sags. “Most the boys in the village must like me then.” She mumbles almost sullenly, earning a frown from her father.

“Don't take that tone with me Lorianna.” He replies sternly.

“Sorry papa,” she apologises meekly before rallying. “He might like me but I don't like him.”

“You'll learn to.” He tells her, not even looking back from the rest of the room, clearly done with the discussion...


« Last Edit: June 04, 2016, 05:08:07 PM by urathraviel »

urathraviel

  • Dark Lord
  • *****
  • Posts: 621
Re: Books and Battle: Memoire of Lorianna Belsan
« Reply #3 on: June 08, 2016, 12:02:19 PM »
[A fragment of Lorianna's journal over the years, where poetry has been copied into it from another source. The handwriting is careful and printed in the careful hand of someone who is unfamiliar with writing but wants to be neat]


Quote
Composed, my dreams embrace, then fade
with memories, quite undefined
returning nights, upon the shade
when clocks are wound, and sun reclines

When weariness is not enough
to lie alone, to sleep again,
the darkest ghosts, upon the cliffs
return as if I've begged them in

Appearing with unspoken words
to pull the quilt from tender bones
to race the heart, and pace the halls
and magnify what's come and gone

For in the dark, a voice is clear
It calls to me, and I can hear
where loneliness has been my friend
and clearer than I could recall

I've pulled apart a scab disturbed
as if it were an angry wound
and somewhere in the distant world
a part of me has never healed

By light of day, you are gone
I'm still alive, again alone
Yet hovering within the mist
with sunlight slipping down the trees
I'll brush my hair, ignoring ghosts
to welcome sleep, becoming lost

OOC Credit
« Last Edit: June 26, 2016, 08:45:49 AM by urathraviel »

urathraviel

  • Dark Lord
  • *****
  • Posts: 621
Re: Books and Battle: Memoire of Lorianna Belsan
« Reply #4 on: June 24, 2016, 05:28:03 PM »
Triboar: 1282 DR

Lorianna Sat cross legged on the boulder and listened to the steady dripping of water into the tiny pool beneath it. She had found this pool a year ago when she was exploring, and most definitely not avoiding everyone. After Ethen had agreed to her father's proposition she had found the excuse to run off, wandering until she was rather lost. Ending up settling in between a couple of big rocks as she contemplated her fate, and came to the decision that brought her here regularly to these rocks over the last year.

She's pretty sure these aren't the same rocks, these seem smaller to her, but no matter how she looked the were the only ones she found. The rocks are cool in the summer heat though and offer enough shelter from the occasional storm or shower.

So she sat, and listened to the water, and tried to clear her head. The travelling sorcerer scout had told everyone to reach down inside a clear moment, so she did that, but he hadn't been casting the way he told the gathered children to do. Lorianna had watched him cast the spell with absolute precision, and carefully repeated actions, he might be looking for innate magic users, but he wasn't one, and if he could do it so could she. So she had watched and memorized, drawn in the dust a dozen times until she no longer needed to think about the movements and words. Letting her mind focus of the motions and words, rehearsing them before trying to reach for magic she had no idea how to reach. So far an exercise in futility, non the less Lorianna sank her will and focus in to the motions and words, she was sure she had them right.

An hour later Lorianna was going through the motions almost in an automatic calm, when a pair of birds suddenly began fighting to keep the tree as their own territory. As Lorianna's attention is unavoidably dragged to the sudden conflict by the wing battling, she automatically finishes the incantation and gesture. Both birds are stalled out of the tree as sudden light blooms where they fought, Lorianna freezes in blank shock starting at the light orb as it flickers and fizzles out. With a rush she realizes her errors and quickly casts again, fumbling the spell in her excitement. Calming herself she manages it a second time, the golden yellow orb hovering in front of her. Looking at it she laughs, a sudden sound of ecstatic relief.

This tiny ball lets me choose, she thinks, choose to be what my father tells me I am to be. Or to take my chances with magic and see where I can go there. She stares at the flickering golden ball, and though she knows it won't be easy and would likely cost her everything here, still she feels hope for the first time...



« Last Edit: June 26, 2016, 08:44:35 AM by urathraviel »

urathraviel

  • Dark Lord
  • *****
  • Posts: 621
Re: Books and Battle: Memoire of Lorianna Belsan
« Reply #5 on: June 28, 2016, 06:08:26 AM »
Waterdeep: 1283 DR


The training hall rang with the sound of weapons clashing as the more experienced fighters trained in other parts of the room, in the corner near the rack of training weapons was the group she was to train with. A rough looking bunch dressed all in the uniform brown fighters garb, Lorianna adjusted the yellow and blue trim mage apprentice garb she was wearing feeling self conscious. Despite preferring the colour she began to wish she had put on the bland boring brown outfit she had been issued, but there wasn't time for her to go back and change now, so she lifted her chin and approached the group. The group goes silent as she approaches, one of the bigger boys with hair short enough that it might as well not be there stands up as she comes to a stop.

“Your in the wrong place luv, mages college is next door.” The group Snickers.

Lorianna takes a second to make sure her voice doesn't waiver as she speaks.
“No, this is where I'm supposed to be, I’m to train with you.”

He raises his eyebrows and glances back to the rest of the group. “Hey, who asked for an easy fight?” The group laughs again and a taller boy with a scrawny build that speaks of wiry strength stands up and speaks.

“She doesn't look weak, what's your name girl?”

“Lorianna Belsan.”

The boy with the shaved head speaks up, “No she's a mage it'll all be tricks and padding, you watch.” The fighters in the back smirk, though some are watching her appraisingly. It's at this point an older man in a thick leather jerkin and chain shirt marches over, he scans the group, gaze settling on Lorianna.

“You’re Lorianna?” she nods, he grunts. “ You’re going to ruin those clothes, next time wear the training clothes you were given.” He turns his attention back to the group as a whole. “If you already know what weapon you’re training in, go and get it. If you don't, pick a sword of some kind.” Most of the group ends up with various swords, the shaved boy picks up a heavy mace with an overly eager grin in Lorianna’s direction. She quickly decides she never wants to spar with him, and as she looks over the weapons once everyone else had picked theirs, she listens to the gossip.

“...clueless little girl playing soldier...”

“...you think she knows which end to hold...”

“...bet she's looking for the staff...”

“...bet you she doesn't last the week...”

She frowns at the weapon rack, her back to the murmuring group, looking over the swords she dismisses the long swords, half the group has those and she wants to prove them wrong, impress them even. The falchion holds her attention briefly but she decides it looks unwieldy, instead lifting the great sword in both hands. She can hear the snickers in the background, but focuses instead on the sword. Flour sacks are heavier and she's been living those around for a couple of years now, she should easily be able to lift it. She lifts it off the stand, holding out by the hilt as she turns to walk back over to the group. However, the weight on the long length of her new sword catches her off guard and the point drops to the floor unexpectedly as she steps forward. Her legs tangle in it and in the vain attempt to hold onto the sword Lorianna nose dives ungracefully into the floor, to the sound of raucous laughter.

Lorianna props herself up on her elbows, touching a finger to her nose and finding it bloodied. She feels the instructor couch next to her.


“Maybe you should pick a smaller sword.” He tells her kindly, and somehow the kindness is worse.

“I just didn't expect the balance.” He grunts sounding unconvinced, she sets her jaw and tries again. “I can do this, I'm going to do this.” She tells him, sounding determined. He nods seeming satisfied finally and raises his voice a little.

“Then pick that up, get up, and fall in.”...



« Last Edit: July 11, 2016, 07:30:59 AM by urathraviel »

urathraviel

  • Dark Lord
  • *****
  • Posts: 621
Re: Books and Battle: Memoire of Lorianna Belsan
« Reply #6 on: July 06, 2016, 05:45:41 AM »
[Written on a scarp of paper somewhere in carefull hand]
Quote
Pieter-

You mentioned rather sleepily that you liked poetry, I memorised a lot of the poetry I read, I grew fond of this one after my mother passed. Things being as they are I wanted to share one of the ones that has been on my mind of late.

To Sleep I give my powers away;
My will is bondsman to the dark;
I sit within a helmless bark,
And with my heart I muse and say:
O heart, how fares it with thee now,
That thou should’st fail from thy desire,
Who scarcely darest to inquire,
‘What is it makes me beat so low?’

Something it is which thou hast lost,
Some pleasure from thine early years.
Break, thou deep vase of chilling tears,
That grief hath shaken into frost!

Such clouds of nameless trouble cross
All night below the darken’d eyes;
With morning wakes the will, and cries,
‘Thou shalt not be the fool of loss.’



-Lorianna


OOC credit for poem

urathraviel

  • Dark Lord
  • *****
  • Posts: 621
Re: Books and Battle: Memoire of Lorianna Belsan
« Reply #7 on: July 11, 2016, 07:30:19 AM »
Waterdeep: 1283 DR

The canteen was intimidating to her, still used to her home and it's tiny kitchen or the taverns dark and crowded atmosphere she couldn't help but feel exposed. Looking about she spotted the mages she was studying with on one long table together, they were doing their best to take up their entirety table. Elenor looks up and sneers as she spots the hovering Lorianna who quickly looks elsewhere, finding her combat group together at a different table. Squaring her shoulders she carries her food over to join them, the loud group is not something she would have ever chosen with another option.

As she joins them though silence falls as they all stare at her, Lorianna shuffles uncomfortably under their scrutiny. The big brute she now knows as Simon smirks at her.
“What, you’re to good for your friends over there? Thinking your smart enough to educate even us grunts?” The table laughs as she stands there, uncertain how to react.

“Actually i thought you might be better company...” She tentatively offers in response.

He sneers at her.
“Oh I'm sure we are, but we don't care for snobs like you who think your smarter and better than the rest of us normal folk”

“I'm not a snob." She says, shocked that anyone would consider her one.

“Oh but you are smarter and better than us?” Alek, the taller scrawnier boy interjects.

“That's not what I said.”

“Well it sure sounded like that. Sure that's not what you meant princess?” Alek replies.

“Why do you have to invent insult where there wasn't one, why do you have to be so mean?”

“So we're mean now? You idiot, go back to your posh table until you learn How to talk to people.”  Simon snaps.

“You can't call me to smart and an idiot at the same time, that's not how that works.” Lorianna corrects meekly.

“And that is exactly why we don't want you joining us” Simon says smugly before looking to the rest of the table. “Isn't that right everyone?” Lorianna looks around the table as he does, and with growing sorrow sees that every face there is either indifferent or glaring at her. Her shoulders drop and she can feel the smugness radiating from Simon as he realised he's won. She turns to take her food outside to eat instead. “Yeah walk away Lorianna.” He calls out to her back. “No one likes you, you ugly cow.” She can hear the snickers as she walks away and can feel her eyes burning as she stubbornly refuses to increase her pace, no matter how much she wants to...



urathraviel

  • Dark Lord
  • *****
  • Posts: 621
Re: Books and Battle: Memoire of Lorianna Belsan
« Reply #8 on: July 20, 2016, 02:09:07 PM »
Waterdeep: 1284 DR

Lorianna sat in the tiny cafe, and glanced over at the last quarter of the vegetable and gravy pastry she had been enjoying. Long since cold as the book she was studying had sucked her in but she ate it non-the-less. Cold pastry was not too unappealing really, some were even better cold she had decided. The Tea, however, was un-salvageable and she would need to buy another pot, this time remembering to drink it. She glances up as the bell over the door jingles and feels the cold knot of anxiety settle in her belly, looking back to the book and trying to be as quiet and unobtrusive as possible. Maybe they wont see her, she thinks.

Their higher pitched giggles and loud banter force her attention to track them, Elenor, Tristin, and Marylynn; Three students from the arcane classes she takes. She hears the exact moment one of them spots her and loudly points her out to the others. She feels her shoulders drop in the instinctive desire to make herself smaller and forces them straight again, using the time it takes them to relax her face into the pleasantly neutral mask she has begun to master. 


"Greetings" she says to them, for some reason it causes them to look at each-other and giggle, but she finds this more tolerable to the country hick jokes they make when she says 'Hail' instead.

"Well look who it is" Marylynn says sauntering up to the table, hips swaying and smile that speaks of utter confidence. "Boring-anna Smelly-san". The group laughs again, before Tristin chimes in.

"Don't you have some work to be doing, I mean those sewage buckets are basically manure right? They aren't going to get rid of themselves after-all." He says with a lazy smirk, earning an approving smile from Elenor, who advances on the table, almost leaning on it. Lorianna feels keenly the desire to be anywhere else, the invasion of space bothers her and she struggles not to shift the chair back or stand up. Elenor casually knocks the teacup over onto the floor.

"Whoops." Lorianna glances down to the teacup and then back up to Elenor, concentrating to try and keep her tone light and neutral. The urge to ask them to leave her alone is pushed down and controlled, she has learnt that such reactions merely excite them.

"You really should be more careful with other peoples property Elenor." She carefully states, She hopes the neutral words and lack of irritation will bore them and make them leave her alone, they'll get bored eventually she hopes, but what if they don't.

"And why should I care what happens to your things?" Elenor sneers.

"Because the table, floor, and cup are not mine. Nor am I the only one who will have to deal with the mess you have made." Lorianna carefully states as she sees Tommen, the baker who owns the cafe striding over with an impatient look on his face. She begins to worry, she likes this cafe, she does not want to get kicked out for the trouble she's brought. 

"You three can leave since you're causing trouble." He says with his gruff voice. The group turn their attention on him and in the sudden lack of need to keep up the bland front she feels it slipping, anxious relief gnawing at it. She knows they will just be upset at her later for causing them to be kicked out.

"Leave?" Marylynn says incredulously. "But we haven't done anything." 

"Not up for debate. Out." His tone leaves no room for argument and the trio sulkily make their way out, muttering and throwing her and Tommen dirty glances. She knows she will pay for it later, just as she knows Tommen was only trying to help, so she tries not to be upset about it. She picks up the napkin from her table and starts to mop up the spilt tea only to have it taken from her hands. "I'll get that lass, you sit down."

"Please, they wouldn't have made a mess if it wasn't for me, I don't mind helping I'm certain you're busy..." He merely shakes his head pulling another cloth from his apron and passing it to her. 

"You're a good customer, and I didn't like what they said. Why do you let them do it?" He asks seeming faintly confused.

"What else is there for me to do?" She asks, the resignation seeping into her voice slightly as she works to mop up the last of the tea before passing the cloth back to him.

"You could leave, I've seen the things you read, you're smart enough to make anything you wanted of yourself. I bet you've a nice family to go home to as-well." He says trying to sound encouraging.

"There's not much left for me at home, I do not wish to be the person I would become there." He frowns a little watching her so she continues. "This is what I want to do, and if they and the others are what I must endure to accomplish it, then I can do that." He gives her a look that surely means he is impressed by her stupidity.

"Sit back down I'll bring you some fresh tea, and don't you dare try and pay me for it lass." She frowns in confusion.

"I don't understand, why wouldn't I? the Tea was cold anyway I would not have drunk it even if it had not been spilled. None of that is your fault even if it had been warm." He turns round and looks at her for a moment with a tired expression before he works out what to say.

"I don't want it said that people can be hassled in here and I do nothing about it. A fresh cup of tea is nothing lass." She smiles and nods gratefully, more than a little confused about the kindness but willing to take it anyway.

 
"Thank-you." If he really will keep them out, perhaps it will be worth the added ire...




urathraviel

  • Dark Lord
  • *****
  • Posts: 621
Re: Books and Battle: Memoire of Lorianna Belsan
« Reply #9 on: August 07, 2016, 07:01:16 AM »
Karg: 771 BC

The Old Mill was crowded, the halls filled with the sound of a dozen people breathing and the handful of discordant notes of the few who snored, every room had people in. Early enough in the morning that the tavern downstairs had finally emptied and the owners had mostly retreated to their rooms Lorianna slept quietly and comfortably on the rooms single bed, the lack of rooms had forced them to share a room. Though there had been some debate over both of them offering to take the floor, she had in the end lost and earned the bed. He was always clever enough to make sure she couldn't easily refuse his chivalry, and if she was honest she did not really want to, she rather liked being treated as though she was someone important, like a princess, especially since he never made her feel helpless. As the night wears on however, soft grunts and the sound of someone turning restlessly on the floor  begin to disturb her. It's not until he screams that she finally wakes, jolting upright trying, and failing, to sleepily remember where her sword was. Before realising the screaming came from the scared looking man on the floor

Lorianna drops off the bed, brushing unruly blonde hair behind her ears only to have half of it fall forward again as soon as she lets it go. Kneeling next to him she rests a hand on his shoulder looking into his eyes she speaks gently.
“Are you alright?” The door bangs as someone hammers on it and the Darkonese voice calls out in accented and irritated common.

“What's going on in there? Is everything alright?”

He soothes his features and looks to the door, “All is fine, I just fell and cracked a rib, I think.” The light tautness in his voice from waking in such a manor makes the ruse fairly believable, grumbling is heard from the other side of the door.

“Try to wake the whole inn next time why don't you...” He takes a few deep breaths, watching the door as footsteps are hard retreating down the hall and a couple of doors slam shut.

“Please would you tell me what really just happened?” She asks as she sits on the floor next to him, when he returns his attention to Lorianna she finds no trace of the previous terror she thought she heard from him.

"It's nothing to worry about, milady. I am completely fine, just a bad dream is all." He grins, but Lorianna can see it's off, even if she'd be hard pressed to put her finger on how.

“I might not have gotten much opportunity to see this lately, but I know what it should look like, and I suspect that rather more than a bad dream is required to cause you to scream so.”

"Just a bad dream, I assure you. I am usually quite used to them, but I panicked this time for some reason... My apologies for waking you up."

Lorianna sighs. “This is why you didn't want to fall asleep around me isn't it? Please tell me about it.” She pauses then adds hastily, “I mean if that is helpful or not too upsetting for you, you don't have to if that would upset you.” She frowns looking down at her knees.

"Are you sure you want to hear it? It is not exactly pretty or pleasant. As for it being helpful or not, I haven't a clue. I never told anyone before."

She continues to frown, but nods,
“Quite sure, yes.”

"There was a siege, or rather an assault on the walls of a city that stands alone on barren lands. Ladders are raised, arrows fly, people die... I see some of them die. One of them gets crushed by his horse after it gets shot by an arrow in the eye and falls down. Another, he is the first up a ladder... He loses most of his neck. A dozen or so die to arrows, a young man gets disembowelled...” Lorianna sighs and leans against him, resting her head on his shoulder as he talks. He automatically puts an arm around her, idly fiddling with the sleeve of her sleep shirt as he continues.

“After a while and a lot of death, my vision shifts. I find myself running together with a group of other people, inside the city walls. We are not running very fast, most of the group is either too old, too young or too tired. It doesn't take long for us to be seen by a group of three soldiers, wearing the armour of the assaulting side, looting the spoils of war no doubt. We get rounded up, like two dozen sheep and three shepherd hounds.” Lorianna’s gaze shifts to his hand on her sleeve and she smiles faintly despite the dark story.

“Stopping for the first time, I get a chance to look at myself. I am young, a child of 12 years old at most. Everything is dead quiet as the soldiers discuss how they are going to deal with us, except for an old man. He is wheezing, trying to suck in what little air he can after all that running. One of the soldiers yell something, probably telling him to stop, but the old man doesn't hear it, or can't stop. A second warning doesn't come, instead one of the soldiers grabs the old man by the collar of his dirty clothes and drags him over to his friends, in front of us. He lets go of his spear and draws his sword, but one of the other soldiers has a better idea. They drag him over to the nearby sign post and tie his hands above his head to the signpost with his own shirt. They start to play with the old man, poking him with their spears and cutting him with the sword, a little deeper each time... The old man can't even scream, he is still wheezing, gasping for breath, and the three men laugh...” Lorianna winces, shifting her arm behind him, half hugging him and reaching her other hand across to grasp his, earning a gentle hand squeeze. Before he begins idly stroking her hand with his thumb now that her sleeve is no longer close to his other hand.

“I find myself getting up; I see them some of the sheep are sobbing, or turning their head. I start walking towards the soldiers, they are facing away towards the sign post. I can see the hilt of a dagger on the belt of the one with the sword, and before I have time to think about or even realize what I am doing, I start running and grab the dagger, stabbing the soldier with the sword in the side. He lets out a muffled curse and slashes behind him with the sword, but he swings too high, or I am too short, and I jump back. There I stand, a small boy with a dagger in his hand shaking like a leaf in the storm, against three trained soldiers.” His thumb stills a moment and Lorianna squeezes his hand.

“At least it's quick, before long I am lying on the ground with blood spreading around me, and through my vision. All I can hear is the soldiers laughing, it rings in my ears as the red turns to black. It is strange that I can taste the blood, my blood, but I cannot smell it. I can never smell blood in my dreams..."

Lorianna sighs as he finishes recounting the dream, “That's horrible, I'm really sorry, that happens every night?”

"Don't be, please. It happens most nights if I let it, but I usually do exercise of some sorts before I sleep. I found that it helps if I am too exhausted to dream."

Lorianna frowns, tiredness weighs on her and the night is still pitch black so she knows she has not been asleep long. She leans back against the bed, pulling him with her he ends up leaning on her. “It's still early, I'm tired and I need to sleep, and you cannot go exercise after saying you cracked a rib.” She pauses a moment to consider before continuing. “Let me help, I'll wake you before it gets too bad.”

"Thank you, milady. You needn't worry yourself, I'll be fine. I am sure that was it for the night, I should be able to get some sleep now." He says closing his eyes. Lorianna sighs and pulls the pillow over to the edge of the bed to rest on and in short order, falls asleep. With Elric feigning sleep for the rest of the night...