Tales of Avanturia 1

Chapter 13: Lady Florentin

I really hate dresses. I always have. You know, I'm that kind of person, that likes to walk around in the forest, climb the trees, you know, going-on-adventures-kind of things, but you can probably figure that this is not really an option if you're forced to wear dresses. But I can't help it. You see, stuff like this is 'expected of me' as an heir to the royal Florentin family.

But luckily things have changed and I can finally fullfill my dream of, you know, seeing the world, going on adventures! Because a few days ago, three people arrived at my place, for a contract to hunt a Manticore. Together we managed to kill it and now I'm with them, because there's one thing we definitely have in common!

I'm Lucia Florentin and that's what happened to me so far!

It all started on this airship a few weeks or so ago. My parents and I, and my disgusting snob and forced on fiancée were headed to Ravigrad after we've spent a week on Ash island, where he lives. Him and my father were talking about nothing but lucrative business All the time, it was so boring! Eventually the topic of marriage came up, followed by yours truly and since then I've been stuck with this idiot. Francis Lelóuche? More like Francis Ledouche!

...

I know that was a terrible one, but come on, he's aswell! Anyways, we had just made a stop in Autumn Fall, in my opinion, the most beautiful city in the world, where I first saw him. On board, he was just.. there, leaning against the reeling, looking at the landscape. If someone had told me, that this guy would change my life forever a week ago, I'd never believe them, but I'll get to that...

It went something like this..

'Oh boy, he's looking at me! Why's he looking at me like that?! Is he going to come over and talk to me?! Maybe he's going to get me out of this mess somehow! No! Stop it, stupid Lucia, stupid! What am I even thinking.. Of course he wo- OH MY GOD, HE'S STARTED WALKING HE'S-'

„Lucia! My love!"

'Noo! Not now, Francis! What's he- He wants to kiss me!? Ok, ok, ok, stay calm, don't show your disgust, you can throw up la-'

*smooch*

'This was even worse than I expected it to be, but smile! Don't show it, don'- Wha- where's this other guy going?! He turned around again! And what is Francis doing?! Don't tell me, he's going up to him! No, NOOOOOO!'

„*Francis talking to the stranger, probably about money or how highly regarded he is..*"

*Cries eternally while totally ignoring talking parents* WHYYYY! Why does this always happen to me?! *sighs eternally* Well, we're almost there, so that was about it, good bye, hot stranger, may we meet again..'

You know, that's basically how you could picture this ride.

The rest of the day we waste- I mean spent in the king's palace in a room with a bed. For my fiancée and me.. Theon, I know, that you don't know, that I know, that you don't know, what kind of person Francis is, because otherwise you'd never put me in a situation like this, so I'll forgive you.. This time.. Oh yeah, while my mother and my father had a really.. rich-people-ly conversation about the most different of topics, Francis actually tried to bust a move on me! I mean, technically it would be ok, I'm twenty-one and he's my fiancée, but I do not love, nor like him, and I DON'T WANT TO FU- anyway... I managed to get out of this situation.. somehow and.. yeah, that's how the first day was for me. The three to four weeks afterwards were quite similar..

I soon found out, that Francis was.. very abusive.. Sometimes he'd hit me in front of my family and none of them interefered! He'd insult me and call me names if I did something wrong, or everytime I snuck out of the house to take a walk. It was a nightmare! In the end I basically never left the house and only stayed in my room.. I just.. I just didn't want to get beaten up anymore and else... I seriously couldn't take it anymore, at one point even thought of.. you know.. letting go.. But something in me resisted. Something in me told me to stay strong, to get through it. I thought, if this was the worst in my life, there's only one direction it could go from there, right?

And that's when I met them for the first time, or again.. My heart was racing like crazy when I saw him standing there in the main hall, talking to my father about some contract. He looked at me.. It seemed like he had actually recognized me! I was so happy..

However, the things I learned about my family, my father and Francis over the course of the next days.. My family was bankrupt and in great debt with criminal organisations, because my father made the wrong deals and Francis had hired an assassin and his goal was to kill my father and take our money, seems like he didn't know, that we never had any in the first place. He wanted to make it as pompous as possible, knowing his ego, because a simple assassination wouldn't be enough!

They summoned a Manticore that terrorised the area for almost two weeks! Only to kill one person essentially!

Luckily there plans were scrapped by none other than the Blood Roses! The most badass fighters in the world, and without bragging, I can count myself to them from now on! Who would've thought, that the curse that's been haunting me my entire life would eventually lead to the best things that ever happened in my life!

It was the night after the Manticore died when everything changed for me. I was packing my things, as Fenrock told me and sat in my room. He told me he wrote a letter about me leaving that he'd leave for my family to read,

'Dear Mr and Mrs Florentin,

You're family has issues. I know, that sounds rude, right of the bat, but let's face it. It's true, cards on the table, pants down and so on.

However, your daughter, I think, has suffered long enough and I see it as my duty to get her out of this mess.

I mean, I could of course consider it done after her annoying, arrogant excuse of a fiancée is gone, but that's not... satisfying enough.

Long story short, we're taking her with us and at the point of you reading this, we're most certainly already gone.

And you'll never ever forget the day, that we, the Blood Roses, did something truly good, even if it's essentially consentual kidnapping, but still. It's for the better!

Sincerest,

Fenrock Stormblade, Brynjolf Lockser, Bella Duissant

and Lucia Florentin xP'

I can imagine my father's head getting all red as he read it, because we heard him shouting for us as we left.

And well, that's the story of how my life turned for the better, how I met my best friends, how I met Fenrock and the start of many great adventures!

The story of how Lucia Florentin joined Blood Rose!