Lord Remus Aedinescu, Champion of the Ardelic Order

The dust in the armory made my nose twist in irritation. I tried to sniff and quell the feeling to dispel it, but it would not cease. I knew the moment I reached to scratch my lord would walk in and that would be his first impression of me and that was the very last thing I wanted. But my nose was starting to burn... I heard footsteps down the hallway and opted to hold my breath.
"-And be sure that the spare is freshly watered. I will not have a repeat of yesterday's errors while training." His domineering voice echoed down the hallway and into the armory. I stood at attention as he rounded the corner, entirely unaware of how blue in the face I was becoming. Oh gods, make the itch go away!
"Here's the new one, my lord," the steward identified me upon entry with a casual gesture.
"Ah," the light-haired man turned his gaze on me as he pulled off his fur-lined gloves. I could tell for a moment he was trying to place me. My nose was on fire. "Little Valeria. Not so little now, are you girl?" He extended his hand to shake, presumably since we were kin. "I would see that--"
"Achoo--!" Silence filled the chamber.
"...I'll get the horses taken care of, my lord..." the steward bowed and retreated.
I stood there in mortified silence, staring at the Knight Commander's hand that I had just sneezed on.
"I... my lord...." I scrambled to apologize as my face burned with shame. Lord Aedinescu let out a sigh of disappointment as he pulled out his kerchief and began to wipe his hand clean. My eyes locked on his and I swear for a moment - there was no light to hit them for it was overcast this bleak morning - but I swear they were red. My stunned silence extended as I gawked.
"Close your mouth or you'll catch flies, girl." He shook his head and tapped me on the bottom of the chin as the hard lines on his face dissolved. My embarrassment was only amplified by his forgiveness of my blunder.
This would be an arduous apprenticeship.
⃟⃟⃟
I removed the last piece of armor from my lord and set it with the other pieces of plate mail. He stank of horse, mud, and sweat. My nose wrinkled in disgust but I would get used to it soon. I raised my hands to help with his chain and gambison but was immediately met with a sharp rebuke.
"No. I will take care of it." He waved me away like one of the flies that circled his mare's arse. "Fetch my supper and bring it to my rooms. I shan't be dining with my wife this evening."
"Of course, my lord."
"After that, you will polish my armor and launder my gambison. Dolly thought it would be funny to throw me this afternoon."
"Yes, my lord." He shooed me away and I departed with haste. I was doing my utmost to make recompense for my blunder this morning but I feared I would be doing that for more than one day.
The cook barked at me when I attempted to hurry him and I was reminded that I had yet to learn my place in the estate's household. I chose to do the smart thing and hold my tongue to deliver the laden trolly swiftly. The savory smells of the kitchen made my stomach churn with hunger and I realized with all the new tasks, I had missed lunch. When I was alone outside the knight captain's door, I carefully lifted the silver dome on the dinner plate.
The smell of roasted meat immediately made my mouth water and I examined the mutton with great interest. I did not touch it, but I perused the plate. Ah, swimming in gravy-- a sharp tang reached my nose and I realized it was the drippings of grease and blood. Footsteps interrupted me and I hastily replaced the lid.
"Your meal, my lord," I lowered my head as the door opened and he raised his brow at me. "I fear that the meat is undercooked, however."
Silence alerted me that I had made another blunder and my eyes snapped up. I witnessed the tight look on his face before he concealed his frustration like he had this morning.
"That is the way I like it."
⃟⃟⃟
Certain things about the lord continued to disturb me. He preferred cloudy days over sunny ones. He never let me remove any layer below his chain. I was sent to wake him once and I thought he was not breathing. I knew I saw his eyes flash red more than once at certain times; when he became angry or injured, when he hungered, or when he kissed his wife - my aunt. His name itself was odd since it was lesser than a commoner's heritage like Smith or Cooper, indicating his supposed residence of the Temple of Aedil.
Something was not right with him. Regardless of how his zealous reputation preceded him or the heroism he was accredited for, Lord Aedinescu left a chill running down my neck. I started inquiring about his past to the house staff - I pretended it was purely professional curiosity, of course - and they all told me the same repeated facts in his stories and songs about his banishment of the undead from the Forests of Eia. Information before that time was scarce if it existed at all.
I had a theory. That was all it was, but it was well-founded at this point, nonetheless. What if he was tainted by one of the undead in his crusades? If that was the case, then was it any of my business to pry? No, certainly not. If it were indeed so and he was cursed for his valor, this was a burden of sacrifice. But what if he was some sort of monster hiding in plain sight...? I would be remiss if I did not confirm he was not a wolf in sheep's clothing.
⃟⃟⃟
"Run and tell the lord that the commander requires his presence. Immediately! Go, now." The steward rounded the corner with a writ in hand and an aura of urgency. I was already chewing on my own thoughts and this threw me off-guard. My hesitation irked the man and he clapped his hands together in a demeaning way.
"B-But sir, he just finished his training--"
"Are you deaf as well as dumb?! I care not if you are the Lady's niece, I will have you flogged!"
I fled back to the armory and his barking was momentarily more important than my lord's demand not to be interrupted. I barged in, out of breath from the sprint back.
"My lord--" my blood ran cold when I saw his torso. While he bore his fair share of battle scars, there were marks across his flesh that were unmistakable: the fanged bitemarks of a human mouth. They were mostly concentrated around his throat and wrists, but I saw them in other places across his body, including evidence that they led below the belt. Words failed me as it all came together.
"What have I told you about disturbing me?!" Lord Aedinescu swiftly approached and slammed the door closed behind me. I was trapped.
"You... you were a consort?" I breathed the words aloud and his eyes went crimson again. "You're... a heretic..."
He leaned closer and I was suddenly aware of how much larger than me the knight was... and how shallow his breath came.
"Tell me... who is going to believe you?"

Current Location

Ulvad

Species

Human

Age

39

Eyes

Normally blue, red on certain occasions

Hair

Short ash blond hair

Skin Tone/Pigmentation

Fair skin

Height

6'2"

Aligned Organization

The Ardelic Order