[PK] A Barclay's demise

[MissToni 3565]

“You are too manly, Karolina” - “I may be manly, but I am still a woman”

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

---

 

Karolina was in the attic in Vasiland. Her sword raised as she cut down a scyfling while the fire burned. Though her mind was too focused on the scyflings to notice she was now trapped. She lunged for another scyfling, her sword bloodied, though he managed to block her hit. He turned to run, though she chased him. A mistake that would cost Karolina her life. As she moved to swing her sword at him again the two fell through the floor. Karolina’s body getting cut and sliced up by the wood. Small and big splinters entering her body, some of them reaching her lungs. 

 

 

---

 

“Karolina!” Manfred called at her. The two starting another fight. They often did so, though she usually came out victorious. For he had only been able to beat her once, while she was drunk at a certain feast. “I’ll beat you Manfred!” the girl at eleven snarled. They rolled around on the dirt as they pulled on each other's hair. Her father Ser Osvald watching her with proud eyes as he cheered her on. She tried her best to win for him, as all she wanted was to make her father proud. For if there were anyone she loved the most it would be him. “Stop fighting children!” called Anton Barclay as he rushed to the two. Separating them to then smack them both on the head. “What was that for!” the two called in unison.  

 

 

---

 

As Karolina fell further down to the floor Vasili Vanir came and caught her. “Come on, we need to get out” she said in a hoarse voice. The two using each other as a cane as they limped out of the burning castle. As they got out Karolina needed to sit down for a bit as she had started to cough up blood. She wheezed as she tried to get air into her lungs. Though something was very wrong. She shook her head “Nein, we need to get out” she mumbled. Using her last strength to pull Vasili up with her. Though as they got outside the gate her strength started to fail. She called out for help in desperation as she coughed up more blood. Sofiya Baruch rushed to her help.

 

 

---

 

“I’m going to become the greatest Dame there ever was!” Karolina called in the streets for all to hear. Her smile wide upon her declaration. The young prince Nikolas raised an eyebrow “But women are weak” He said in a statement, causing Karolina to frown heavily. A small heated argument at their first encounter ended up turning into a close friendship as they grew. The two hanging out much as they joked around and even fought together throughout the years. “I’m very fast.” Karolina raised an eyebrow “I am surprised you are with that body…” she said, laughing as she gazed at the fat prince.

 

 

---

 

“I’m going to die…” she wheezed out. A woman called Anastasiya shook her head as she spoke “Stay with me STAY WITH ME!”. Her voice shaky as she spoke to Karolina. More blood was coughed up as Sofiya took her hand. “I don’t want to die…” she mumbled, staring at the duchess with desperation as tears was streaming down her face. She watched Sofiya’s lips move, though for some reason she could not hear her words of comfort. Though she knew them to be well meaning. Karolina used her last strength to force a grin at the duchess. Though she wheezed her last breath as her head fell back. Her lifeless eyes forever gazing up into the sky.

 

 

---

 

“Come Karolina, let’s make cookies together!” the younger girl called to Karolina. “Ja, that sounds great Adryana!” she called after her. The two often hanging out together.

 

 “I will cheer you on, Adryana” the now older Karolina said, offering a comforting smile at her friend after the girl had told her a secret of hers… 

 

She often felt torn whenever Adryana and her friend Isabella Barbanov would fight. She wished they could just be friends like she were with them. Karolina had many friends. Though her closest were Nikolas, Adryana and her own cousin Manfred. She loved those three very much.

 

 

---

 

 

Karolina Hanna Barclay

1752 - 1768

[MadOne 4945]

Upon hearing his daughter’s demise, Osvald Anton Barclay would look upon the desolate face of the women coming towards the Duchy of Reinmar to give the news, with his daughter’s body being laid before his eyes. The only thing he could manage to do was giving the woman his thanks, along with a stoic nod.

 

He barely even remembered bringing Karolina’s body to the crypts, along with Erwin, Manfred and Anton, being set next to the coffin that he was supposed to be in, perhaps in the next few months, or maybe in next decades. The girl’s body stoically laid on the marble surface of her own resting place, as Osvald sat down in front of her, his back against a wall, examining Karolina’s features. He was fidgeting with his sword.

 

“I never knew what a martyr was, Karolina..” The man spoke out with a sigh. “...I still don’t. You were a brave woman, Karolina. I have always respected and loved you for that. You taught me so much. About fatherhood, about myself, and about what it means to be a part of a family.” By then, Osvald’s smile started to waver as he eyed the pommel of his sword. “You saw yourself as conflicted between what is expected of you, and what you wanted to do, my sweet daughter, but to me, you were fearless, because you dared to question...”

 

The man sighed. He got up and placed a hand upon his daughter’s cheek, giving her his best smile. “Why did you have to die, hm?” The sadness welled up inside him seemed to turn into something more fearsome and angry. His hands curled up into a fist, and his features hardened. “We had so much to talk about.. I always believed that martyrdom was far better than life, for you would be reunited with God and lost loved ones in the Seven Skies...We will meet again, my sweet daughter, for God shall welcome me into his Kingdom, after I am done with these pagans..”

 

Osvald got up, slamming a fist onto the marble surface of the coffin. “What am I to do now, hm?” the tears forming up on the man’s eyes seemed to fall down upon his cheeks. “I hate you for leaving me, along with your mother. I ache from your loss, and there is nothing that can console me now, for I am changed. You were going to be a Dame, but look where you ended up.” 

 

Osvald grabbed onto Karolina’s hair and removed a lock of hair with his sword, simply walking out of the empty crypt of the Barclays, now filled with one.

[MotherLay 948]

Adryana Vairea stands still as she hears the news. Tears would well up in her eyes, but she would hold it in, taking a few steps back from the messenger. “Mahalo, for the information.” She speaks stiffly, continuing her rough-edged words, ”I must go now... Aloha.” The young girl would speed off afterwards, trying to control her emotions until she was in some sort of solitude. 

 

Once in the confines of her room, she would crawl into her closet, the place she had cried many times before, the place where she felt safest. The girl would drag her knees to her chest, shutting the doors behind her, letting the darkness in the small area take over. The only light source was from the daylight streaming under the door.

 

Not a moment after the darkness hit, Adryana was mourning the loss of her dear friend. One who treated her like she was wanted, and made her feel like her jokes were funny. The one who she made plans of owning a bakery together one day. She felt lost now that Karolina was gone. She had admired her strive to be a Dame,  she yearned to be as strong as her.

 

Adryana spent the night curled up in that small, almost light-less closet, not answering the door if anyone knocked. ”Not another one,” She repeats many times, remembering the pain she had felt years before. ”Not another one.”

[DahStalker 3692]

reserved 

[Eddywilson2 2117]

Word of Karol’s passing was brought to Nikolas by his sister, Amelya. At first, he could not believe that his childhood friend had fallen in battle. They had always spoken about how they would grow up to be great warriors together, but now, she was with Godan, and Niko was alone. In the coming days, Niko would mourn his friend, remembering the good times they had. Hanging in the tree house together, their adventures in the Andrik Youth, it was hard for him to accept they were over.

 

Alone in the training yard of Johnstown, Niko would plunge his spear into a dummy before hacking it apart. Bralt would pay for the friend he has taken from him. For all the Haensemen he had taken.

[AnonymousAlexa 3890]

Isabella Barbanov sat alone in her room, crying softly for her fallen friend. She recalled the memories the two shared, particularly the final memories at her sleepover. She remembered how she had called Karolina manly, a soft sigh escaping the girl’s lips. ”She was manly indeed...and she died how every true Haenseman should: for her kingdom.”

 

Angelika Bykov embraced her husband after hearing word of the fallen girl. Tears fell down her cheeks as she mourned for Karolina. As time passed, she made her way downstairs to sit with her three children. ”I love you all so much.” She let out a sigh, sympathetic for Ser Osvald’s loss.

[Roxxon613 0]

Holy ******* ****. Don’t think we ever even exchanged a word, but damn, this makes me hella sad.

[Xarkly 17299]

---

 

From one of the balconies in Serpentstone, Bralt tossed a pail of water over a patch of flames spreading along the ramparts, extinguishing the blaze with a hiss.

 

He paused, and glanced down towards the keep's courtyard. His Scyflings were dousing the blaze they had started to win the keep, and despite their victory, the mood was rather muted. Bralt’s eyes lingered on the blood smeared across the earth, and the stench of a battle's aftermath in the air mixed in with smoke. There was enough blood on the ground, dried into the dirt or running like rivers, to fill a ship.

 

“Tsch,” he grunted as he averted his eyes from the blood - the blood of Karolina Barclay, and so many others. He had known there would be needless death and loss long befoe he ever left Athera to seek out the Haeseni. He knew that.

 

But he still hated it.

[Demented_Delila 1248]

Dele, upon hearing the news of the young Barclay’s death, would cover her mouth. So much death, so much destruction. Haense was burning, it was burning again, like it had on years past. She drags a hand from her mouth to her heart, feeling the dull ache she had felt for the youth and for the humans she’d grown so close to love. She resolves to make haste to the Duchy of Reinmar as soon as she could, the chiming of her clock sounding akin to a taunt in these dark hours of the night.

 

She held the letter close and recounts the few times she’d seen the girl, recalling bandaging her hand after a wedding party with too many drinks. She was all the things Dele loved about the Barclays, unrelenting and funny, stubborn as a mule, but true at heart, despite their limited encounters. 

 

“Oh Karolina, reckless, wild youth, may there be many adventures that await you in the Seven Skies...”

[TheNunnery 1853]

The Lady had a deep frown after reading of the recent news, then saying in saddened tone “I shall pray to god for your rest, and may Bralt the villain die in a painful death.” After this comment, Lady Sabrina Halcourt, signed a Lorraine cross, with a prayer for Bralt’s brutal death and then to the House Barclay and any friends of the fallen warrior. 
 

The now retired medic said “The kid, when I met them, had a open path of life, she could had been anything. But now, she is six feet under, at least she died a hero and heroes never die in the hearts of people.” After Lilianne saying this, walked off with a sigh. Trying to not cry, questioned why she would cry for someone she barley knew. Then  while walking down one tear,  fell, and more came, and then she’d break down crying, the tears pouring from her eyes.

[Sarven 2619]

*Marcus would make the sign of the cross* “So many young, men, women, so much potential, potential to rival the greatest warriors of our besieged kingdom and yet you fall whilst a fledgling spark, may you rest young Barclay...” *With this he’d remember Fyodor, his son, though still alive, his nerves would be tempered, he would steel himself and hope that he wont outlive his own son.*

[Juli 1341]

Sofiya Baruch sat on the bench in Johnstown shaking Karolina’s lifeless body, “Karolina.. please.” She’d choke out in-between sobs as the faint sounds of swords clashing rang out from Serpentstone in the distance. Chaos unfolded as the people surrounding her frantically attended the many wounded scattered across the small settlement they managed to escape to from the burning remains of the home she once grew up in, “The Sea Bows to None.” 

[erictafoya 3276]

Ser Ivan would mourn the loss of a bright and young warrior spirit. Instead of being saddened, he would instead channel these emotions into greater further anger towards Bralt. Still in his mind he only had one true goal: Kill Bralt

[Legoboy7984 3155]

Stefan Vyronov sighed upon the news

“So young yet had that fighting spirit of a true Hansetian. May she rest in peace.”

[Zaerie 3747]

 

Viktoria would walk back to Fort Buck alone, still wearing her armor from the battle after her quick conversation with her father. She’d arrive at the Fort, which was quite empty at the moment aside from the general required guards to keep it from being taken again. The Queen would take off her main plate, and begin to climb up into the tree in the middle of the Fort. She would lean against the trunk as she sat herself on one of the branches, looking out into the sky, over the ocean where they had fought mere hours before.

 

She would sit on the branch in the tree, breathing carefully and calmly, with periodic hitches in her breath. She would sit alone above the Fort until the hitches turned into gulps and gasps, which melted into tears. Viktoria would watch the sun rise over the ocean, as a new day arose, a day without a member of her Queens Council, without one of the people she had marched to war with.

 

And so Queen Viktoria sat in a tree, until she felt her sadness turn into anger, and her anger turn into a promise, a vow.

 

You will not die for nothing,

You will not simply disappear,

You will not be forgotten,

and you shall be avenged.

 

- VY PLANEGIZK OXTZEN WIR HAENSE –