Post by Deleted on Mar 7, 2016 10:34:28 GMT -5
Life had become very frightening for one Elsa Romanov. She had had no choice but to go back to Vanderhall with Wilhelm when he came to talk with Princess Nicolette. The attacks on them while they were in Lockewood made it very clear that there were people out there who had a problem with the Romanov family and decided to care of them by removing them from power. In spite of her fear and distance from her siblings, she travelled to the north with her brother, coming home in time to see much of her family slaughtered in the middle of the night.
She had only a few minutes of warning, hearing the sounds of running feet and clashing steel before the screaming began. The draughty old castle had a few secreted passage and Elsa made use of them now, grabbing a few things before she went to hide in order to protect her life. How long she huddled in that dark, damp passage, listening for any-one who might find her and kill her, she did not know or remember. It felt like an eternity to her, but in truth, it was only a few hours.
When the sun rose the next morning and the wrong kind of quiet fell over the castle, Elsa was uncertain if it was safe to come out. What if the people who were killing her family left some-one behind to make sure they hadn't missed any of their targets? It was a chance she had to take but Elsa knew she couldn't stay in the castle, not if she wanted to live. Creeping out of her hiding-space, she quickly packed up what she thought she would need, some things that were very dear to her heart and slipped out of the castle.
Praying that no-one saw her as she crept into the stables, she hurriedly saddled one of the horses and awkwardly mounted, riding out at speed to head for the north. She had family in Heimsberg and Altofing, hopefully. She had to go find them and tell them what had happened. It was a good plan until Mother Nature had other ideas, bringing down a storm on her head, full of lightning, thunder and heavy rain.
Her horse was frightened, throwing her and sending the bag that had come loose flying before bolting away. Elsa could not run fast enough to catch her, but picked up her bag to find shelter. She was wet and cold, and scared, and wanting nothing more then to pretend none of it was real.
Finding a cave, she went into it, shivering with her wet clothes. She had been smart enough to bring flint and tinder, finding some dry wood and scraps near the cave's mouth. Quickly, Elsa built a fire and took off her soaked cloak, spreading it to dry as she huddled by the fire, only to fall asleep as warmth slowly spread back into her.
Leopold Connell