LORD FITZWILLIAM

POV: Joseph Weli

Location: Castle Ash heap

As soon as you regained consciousness the first thing you quickly picked up was that your brief moment of sight was completely over. The guardian had plunged you back into your familiar blinding darkness so you had to tell where you were through your nose and your other sense organs. From what you could smell the place had a heavy smell of beer (or ale) with a heavy mixture of flour and gunpowder. There was also a hot light shining on your face and a light breeze blowing at your face that carried the thick smell of horse dung and the obnoxious sound of people walking and talking. You felt around you for some time but the only thing you could feel was the rock hard signs of a road.

A road? You think

Why on earth would I end up on a road?

Before you could prosess that question a heavy set of boots marched up to you and a large hairy arm pulled you to your feet.

Gruff Voice: Where is my money kid?

You: (Confused) What money? Do I owe you?

As soon as those words left your mouth, the hairy hand delivered a solid punch to your stomach which made you double over.

Gruff Voice: You cheated in the game and now you are making a joke out of me? Give me my crowns back or things will get messy.

You did not have any memory about who this guy yelling at you was (or who you were for that matter) but you know a typical bulling senerio when you heard one and if there was one thing you hate more than anything it is getting picked on simply because of your eyes.

You: Listen friend, I don't know who you were or why you think I cheated you but if you are trying to get money out of me then I can assure you that it is not going to work. Now why don't you leave before someone gets hurt.

The man must have been surprised by your bravado because he kept silent for a while. However as soon as he regained his bearings a punch from him knocked you straight to the groun. His large hands then grabbed hold of your upper shirt.

Gruff Voice: Are threatening me boy?

You: No my friend. That was a warning.

Not trusting the weak, bony things you your hands, you leaped forward and grabbed his ear with your teeth.

The man tried to shake you off... nothing.

He tried to pry you off..... nothing.

He tried to puch you off..... nothing.

Instead you continued bitting down hard until you could feel the metallic taste of blood in your mouth.

By then the big man was now on the floor begging but you continued bitting down like there was no tomorrow.

"ENOUGH"

A powerful voice sounded and you suddenly felt a strong compulsion that made you release your victim.

A banecaster? You wondered

Powerful voice: Mother has been worried sick, I have been looking for you all morning and you were here biting someone's ear?

You: Do I know you??

The voice looked at you for a while and then clicked it's tongue.

Powerful voice: Did you have too much to drink again? Nevermind let us get you home.

Some part of you wanted to resist the guy with the powerful voice as he slung your arm around his cold iron shoulders but the reasoning part of your brain quickly made it clear just how hopeless your situation was. This was because from the way he had stopped the fight you had realized that this youngman was a level 10 or above banecaster and judging from what you know about the story,such a banecaster could simply command you to kill yourself and you would have no choice but obey him. So why was he then taking his to tenderly guide you to what you guess was a waiting horse? Why do you smell concern all around him? Is he related to the original owner of this body in some way? You asked yourself.

However as soon as you took on step forward your brain was filled with so much flashes of light that you were forced to kneel down from the pressure.

Powerful voice: Are you alright brother?

(The voice asked with concern)

You: I am fine

(You lie)

Please take me home.

With a sharp nod of his head, the powerful voice took you to his horse and gently claimed in after you.

A few minutes later the powerful voice began speeding his horse towards the westward general direction of were, before taking a sharp left turn and entering into what you judge to be an upper class district due to its much nicer smell. The powerful voice rode for another minutes before entering into a large yard filled with people that instantly became silent the minute our horse entered the house..

"Greetings to lord Fitzwilliam." They all chorused

Lord Fitzwilliam: Yes yes

(He replied nonchalantly)

Have any of you seen my mother?

Just then a mature woman's voice and running feet rang out from the house.

Lady Fitzwilliam: Where in all of Ezinbrook have you been since morning Ethan? I have been worried sick.

Ethan: I have been looking for Damon mother.

(He replied quickly)

You know how quickly he gets into trouble.

Lady Fitzwilliam: Indeed

(Her sharp gaze turned towards you)

And have you gotten into trouble again?

(Her voice was low and dangerous)

Have you been frolicking around that house of ill repute?

Wait Ethan Fitzwilliam? The main protagonist? I am the hero's lackstick brother who died before the book even began? What kind of shitty luck is this?

You asked yourself

You searched your mind for a good answer ideally something that would get this woman off your back so you could think, but you ended up coming up blank. However since you knew not saying anything would make things worse,

You: I can take care of myself mother.

You immediately regretted those words as two stinging slaps rocked your face.

Lady Fitzwilliam: Do you not know you carry the Fitzwilliam name?

(She cried angrily)

Do you not care for the name of your father?

How can you drag it through the mud this way?

This time you wisely choose not to say anything.

Lady Fitzwilliam: Answer me boy.

(She barked yet you did not answer)

She raised her hand to slap you again but the it was stopped mid air as though held back by something.

Ethan: Is this supposed to be done here mother? In the presence of all the servants?

(His voice was berely above a whisper)

You felt her eyes move around before it landed back on you.

Lady Fitzwilliam: No I suppose not.

(She gently removed her hand from Ethan's own and turned to the nearest maid she could find)

Isabella, please take my son inside and see that he is properly clean and then ask the cook to prepare something for him. I am sure he must be hungry.

Isabella: Of course lady baroness

Just like that, you found yourself being pulled by a young sweet smelling maid towards one of the the nicest smelling places you have ever been, against your own free will.

However as soon as you started to move those flashes of light came back stronger than they ever been but you tried to endure them at first.

The maid took you to an indoor pool of water and began slowly taking off your clothes.

You: Do not worry yourself too much

(You say as you grabbed your pants before she could take them off)

I can handle myself

Isabella: Of course my lord

(She said with a sigh of relief)

You sat down in the water for a while as you began to process everything you have learned. As far as you can tell, the setting of the story was still in the early sixteenth century with the recent invention of the printing press and you were the obsure younger brother to the protagonist Ethan Fitzwilliam. You did not do a lot of character development for Damon Fitzwilliam but from what you could learn he was an irredeemable drunk and a trouble maker. The only problem was that since Damon was still alive that meant the events covered by the book had not yet begun.

So what time period did I come back? And why the hell did the guardian start from here?

Isabella: My lord

You: Ha! Don't you knock?

Isabella:Relax lord Damon

(She said with a smile)

All the maids have already seen your two and a half inches love stick so you have absolutely nothing to worry about.

You: Excuse me?

Isabella: Besides don't you want to learn more about your surroundings? I have brought some recent editions of the takaran truth to help you do that.

You hear the scuttling sound of newspaper as she settled down beside you.

You: First of all did you just call my dick two inches? And second how did you know I needed to know about my surroundings when I haven't said anything about my mild amesia?

Isabella: Because I know you lord Damon.

(Her tone was gentle)

I knew that from the minute you started sniffing around and talking to lady Fitzwilliam as though you had no idea where you were, I knew that the kenturi brandy must have caused you memory loss.

You: Dose that normally happen to me?

(You already knew the answer)

Isabella: Every single time you go to that alehouse. Do you want me to read the newspaper?

You could not help feeling a little disgusted by Damon's drinking habits.

You: Fire away

As it turns out, on the sixth day of the third month of the year 205 AU, most of the news on the papers were about the growing disharmony between the high king of Takara, king Raymond starfury and his Kian queen Melysa. The Truth even go as far as to insinuate that the king is considering taking a lover though it did not mention who the lucky woman was.

You: And this is important because?

(You cry out in boredom)

Isabella: Because if the king is dissatisfied with his queen then every single baneblooded lord will flock his sister or daughter to him and if he chooses anyone of them as a lover then that might produce an interesting shift in the power base of the nation and affect the kian as well.

Are common maids suppose to be this politically astute?

You wondered

You: Still whatever change it may bring to the nation, I doubt it will be anything that poor country barons can benefit from. Did they not discuss about something else?

Isabella: Well there is talk on the new treaty with the kian,

(She flips a page)

The latest fashion in Gamora

(She flips again)

The recent marriage of the duke of wesley

(She flips again)

The pathrachal crisis in Alverton

(She flips a...)

You: Stop!!!

(You cry)

Read about the Alverton crisis.

She looks at you for a while and then began to read

Isabella: In an effort to raise funds to assuage the growing kentury debts, prince Rodrigo Carazosta has declared that the church of the holy saints based in Alverton, will be taxed like all other religions institution in kentury.

You: I take it the old man did not agree?

Isabella: According to the paper, the patriarch has condemned the prince's effort to 'defraud the saints' and he has issued a call upon the faithful to defend the faith. He has also visited king Raymond in order to urge him to act but so far the king has chosen to remain neutra.

Well he won't remain neutral for long.

You: And what about the Giscari? Any news about them?

Isabella: You would seek Giscari news in a Takaran paper?

You could hear the suspicion in her voice but you refuse to pay it any attention

You: What have the league of congress said with regards to the Alverton crisis?

She dug through her heap of newspapers and pulled one out of them.

Isabella: The Fea of the league of congress has declared the Alverton crisis as a human thing and have declared their intention to remain neutral. However they also made it clear that they would not tolerate any intervention effort in any form from any other nation.

(She put down the paper)

Was this what you wanted to know lord Damon?

You: A part of it .

(You replied seriously)

From what you remembeed about the plot of the novel, the so called'neutrality' of the two nations was nothing more than a cover that both nations are using to wage a cold war against each other. This cold war will lead to a bitter rivalryand four months from now that rivalry will lead both nations to lock horns in the bloody five years war in Alverton. It was in the first year of the war that Ethan Fitzwilliam lost his brother.

Wait a minute. Dose that mean I have only four months left to live?

What the hell am I doing lazing about in a pool?

Immediately you leaped out of the pool and began drying yourself with a towel, much to the shock of isabella who quickly turned around to avoid looking.

Isabella: Could you not give a warning first?

You: I thought you had seen everything. Or is there a part you have not yet seen?

(You ask in a teasing voice.)

She replied with a dramatic eye roll

Isabella: The cook has just informed me that your breakfast is ready. Should I send it to your room?

You: Yes but first of all take me to my room.

Isabella: Yes my Lord.

She then helped you put on your clothes and began gently guiding you by the hand towards your room.

However as soon as you took on step forward the flashes of light came back far more stronger than it has ever. You tried to ignore them at first but eventually they became so unbearable that you could not help saying

You: Lean me against the wall

Isabella: Pardon me my lord?

You: Lean me against the wall

(You repeated and she immediately complied)

Once there you began tapping your foot gently while trying hard to focus on the flashes they produced. . Eventually you began to see some images in the flashes but you could not tell what they were yet.

Isabella: She called it echo-location. She said it would help you see the same way bats and dolphins see as long as you are moving.

You: She? She who?

Isabella: The guardian who else?

Realization hits you like a lighting bolt.

You: Cara???

She smiles

Isabella: Hello brother

Four months to prepare, will it be enough?