Seth (Ryllie 2), meh

[Stormy]

Heya! No one should feel obligated to read this since no one but Miko really knows Seth ^^ It's just how he met Ryllie.

Oh, and this is definately dedicated to Miko since...she's basicly the only reason I bothered writing it.

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My grandfather was the noblest of men and the only person to both earn and keep my respect. My parents were frivolous and brought me up to be the same, though my grandfather had enough influence to minimize it. I won’t say I didn’t appreciate the luxuries my family’s ranking brought me, but I don’t believe I was ever obsessed with them as my mother and father were. Grandfather made sure of that as he made sure I was properly tutored and that I learnt a trade, though he knew a nobleman’s son needs no such thing. Grandfather’s interference in my upbringing always annoyed me, but at the end of the day I was always glad for it. I did not want to be like my parents, gossiping over wine at expensively thrown, but cheap feeling, parties with other equally senseless people. My grandfather didn’t want that for me either.

One day, two months into my 15th year, he called me into his study and gestured for me to sit across from him. He told me he’d made terrible mistakes when raising my father, something I’d already guessed he was trying to make up for with me. He was already schooling me better than father had been schooled though, already had me spending hours memorizing the medical uses for various roots and herbs – my trade was that of an apothecary – what more did he want me to do?

“You’re not a man, Seth, and you’re not becoming one.”

I scoffed at that, the only remotely hostile thing I’d done in my grandfather’s presence. He cited it as an example towards his point.

“And it isn’t just your attitude! You might not be as empty headed as many of our social class, but you’re still quick to rely on assumption. Beyond that, I’m convinced you’d be completely helpless alone outside this manor.”

Oh no, he wasn’t going to make me ‘socialize’ with the common children again was he? Hadn’t the first time proved it a bad idea? I couldn’t have imagined what he was really planning. Turns out there was a man, a Mr. Smith, whose services my grandfather sometimes solicited – it did not need to be said that Smith was an assassin. Besides the overused code name, I knew the nature of some of the businesses my grandfather had a stake in – was looking to escape his line of work. Apparently grandfather had actually liked and respected this man, which was slightly less rare than the hired blade returning the sentiment. He’d come to grandfather for help, and they’d arranged something that would end my life as I knew it.

“You’ll live with Mr. Smith and his daughter for a year and learn the ways of the real world. Smith will be your mentor.”

In return my grandfather would be paying for Smith’s dwelling and other expenses for the year while he got settled into a more average life, and give him a legitimate job as a clerk at the year’s end provided there was a positive change in me. I would have been shocked by his kindness towards the killer, were I not so stressed about having to live with him. Even if he weren’t a professional murderer, common people were…well, are, so dirty. Just think of all the diseases out there, and I was no where near able to make medicine for any of them yet. Grandfather would hear none of my protests though, and my parents likely wouldn’t notice until I’d been gone a few weeks, so I was doomed to share boarding with the bounty hunter and his filthy spawn.

My first meeting with the family went better than I’d expected. Smith wasn’t the rugged, spitting, savage I’d imagined. Of course he wasn’t! Grandfather would never consider someone like that to be a friend. He was clean-shaven and…well, clean in general, which I greatly appreciated. His clothing was clearly that of the lower-middle class, but it was tidy and well cared for. His eyes...I’ve never been one to look at someone and gain insight into their mind’s workings, but even I could see something in his eyes. He really did want out of the business. The girl though…

“I’m Ryllie! What’s your name?” There was something off about her eyes, even then. I couldn’t place what it was though.

“Seth Enclaira, grandson of Victor Enclaira.” I’d have liked to ignore her, but her father probably wouldn’t have appreciated that. Apparently Ryllie was a big part of why he wanted out, so he must have cared for her.

“Will you be my friend Seth?” When she said that it was like whatever it had been off about her vanished. She was just an innocent 10 year old girl in a frilly blue dress and similarly coloured eyes staring up at me with a hope I, regretfully, couldn’t crush at the time.

“I will. I’ll be living with you anyways.”

She hugged – though I think ‘pounced at’ is more appropriate - me after that. I remember thinking about how filthy and slimy children could get, and I could tell by the slightly greasy shine to her messy black braids that she hadn’t bathed for at least a day. I couldn’t have known at the time that I was putting far more than my hygiene at risk.

Four months drug by slowly. Between my ‘real world lessons’ and continuing the studies I’d been doing at home I had little spare time, but that didn’t help the time fly. There are few things that feel as long as learning how to budget when you know you’ll never have to. Learning self-defence when you have no intention of leaving your home is one of them. Honestly, even if a situation were to arise where the ability would be useful, I’d much prefer to just run…I never did well in those lessons. The little spare time I had could hardly have been called spare since it was mostly spent with Ryllie chattering away in my ear, mostly about completely nonsensical things.

“Seth, why is the sky blue? Is it holding its breath? If it decides to stop will we all get sucked up? Seeeeth, are you listening to me?”

She talked to me about other things to, things she never mentioned in anyone else’s company. It was all done in the same cheery tone, but there was something different. She spoke of her mother, how she was sure the woman must be beautiful and kind and how she hoped to meet her one day. She spoke of how the other little girls in the town didn’t like her. How much she loved her ‘papa’. How she wished she could go to school, but couldn’t before, since they were always moving, and was too far behind now. It was always when she talked about something serious, even if not in a serious tone, that the strangeness would leave her eyes.

I can’t claim our friendship was completely one sided, though I’d very much like to. I admit there was a short period where I found her somewhat endearing. One time in specific, a couple weeks into the reading lessons she’d somehow talked me into giving her, she ran up to me practically bouncing.

“I read it! I read it all by myself!” She was holding the label from a sack of potatoes her father had bought the day before. It was…stupid. She was practically beaming up at me though, no hint of anything ‘off’ in her eyes. It was…cute.

“Good for you Ryllie.” I think I might have smiled at her. That day was the only time she, or anyone else, hugged me and I wasn’t preoccupied with what germs could be lurking on them.

“I love you, Seth.” The only person to say that to me before was my mother, and I honestly don’t think she meant it. “Thank you so much. Do you think one day I’ll be able to write things to?”

I told her we’d practice writing her name the next day, and we did, and for a while things were good. I actually found I didn’t mind living with the ‘Smiths’, though I’m positive to this day that’s a fake name. I was getting to be ok with the common-folk lessons, and I was memorizing herbs and how to mix them/what not to mix at a faster rate than ever. Ryllie’s reading was improving to, something I’d actually started to care about. Her father was ‘nesting’ quite well. It’s horribly unbelievable, but I think I was trying harder in my lessons for his sake. He seemed like far too respectable a man to be once again reduced to such a disgusting profession.

Trouble started about six months into my stay. It was like any other day, any other random spiel from Ryllie…except that she was so far ‘off’ I couldn’t even compare her to the sweet girl who’d just read her first picture book aloud to her father and me the night before.

“Papa’s happier lately, I’m glad. He was so sulky for awhile before you came!” It was so strange. She was smiling, and her body language was casual, but her eyes…Nothing physically changed in them, but I could swear they belonged on a demon. “I’m happier too, with you here, but I miss papa’s work veryvery much.”


“Ryllie…” I couldn’t believe she’d know what her dad did for a living. “You can’t…what do you think your father’s job was?”

“Papa finds people and puts pointy things inside them! I think it hurts them at first, but they stop squirming pretty quick. It’s reallyreally fun to watch.”

I was horrified. Who wouldn’t be? But want to know what’s even more horrifying than Ryllie’s answer? My reaction to it. Sure, I stared in terrified shock for awhile like any sane person, but when it wore off…Things seemed to fall into place. Ryllie’s behaviour in general didn’t make her answer all that unlikely to be true. In fact, it was the last piece I needed for the puzzle of what was ‘off’ about her. My next actions…

I’ve never done anything so stupid. I shook my head and knelt down to her level, placing my hands on the girl’s shoulders. “Your father will be home soon. Wait in this room. Tell him I’m sorry to have left you alone and will be back in a couple days.”

I should have just left…not that I had anywhere to go, grandfather would have just sent me back. Anyways, the thought to leave the ‘Smiths’ behind completely never crossed my mind. It should have. By all logic it’s what makes the most sense, and I’ve always seen myself as a person of sense. I never planned to run away though…I was going to get help for Ryllie.

Stupid and in no way like me right? But I’d, regretfully, grown attached to her and instead of altering my thinking to view her as the monster she is, I first concluded that she was sick. I couldn’t tell her father. The man adored her so; he’d probably have thrown me out for even suggesting his daughter was mentally ill. Then he and Ryllie would have to go back to their old life and Ryllie’s condition might get worse. I couldn’t ask my family to help her either as grandfather would probably just tell ‘Smith’ and I’d be back at scenario one. The plan was to bypass my grandfather and meet directly with a doctor friend of his a few towns away, hopefully get a recommendation that Ryllie be placed into care. Of course, I didn’t want her in some crowded prison for lunatics (I don’t know why, as you should be able to tell my ideas were far from logical at that time). Maybe we could get a professional to stay with the Smiths or she could come to live at the manor and we’d hire a doctor watch over her. I really don’t know what was wrong with me.

In any case, I left and found the doctor I was looking for. I had to edit the story a great deal so as not to mention ‘Smith’s profession, but it was Ryllie’s reaction to killing was the important part. He confirmed that Ryllie was most likely unwell and said he’d make the recommendation…but not without telling my grandfather. We went to him just two days after I’d left Ryllie, and it what awaited us was not pleasant…

[Mikoyasha]

That was so well written, it made me feel like a sort of... compelling compassion for the characters. o_o It was amazing, the fact that I could feel for them, and I can imagine how it would've been scary... or creepy, anyway, at the time, when Ryllie told him that. Especially so casually.

I wonder how they eventually both lose their minds.

(Over exaggeration to convey what I mean through one sentence... now two. Sort of.)

[username]

I don't really know what that's about... but that was well written...

[Stormy]

Oh, it's part of the backstories of my role play characters Ryllie and Seth. There's another earlier part about Ryllie posted here to, and I'll be posting the final one before the end of summer...

Thank you for reading, though I can see why you'd be confused since you arn't familiar with the characters ^^;;