(514-09-19) Healing Words
Summary: After Niclas fails to snap Wilhelm out of his melancholic state, Lydia calls in the cavalry.
Date: 09-19-514
Related: Personal Hells
wilhelm lydia enfys branoc 


Success
Lydia checked her love for family of 15, she rolled 10.
Failed.
Wilhelm checked his love for family of 15, he rolled 16.

Mari and a very badly beaten Niclas come retreating from the room in Sarum that Lydia had put Wilhelm in while he was healing. The knight is in his bedclothes, his right side soaked with fresh blood where he tore open his wound from the exertion. The young knight's fingers are bloodied and brusied from the beating that he gave to Niclas, his breath rising and falling in exertion as the knight has pushed himself up from his knees as he's still sobbing, his tears angry and bitter from what he's done, but he's slowly withdrawing from his rage into that little ball of melancholy that Lydia's been tending to.

Desparate times call for desparate measures, and that is why Lydia did not only call just upon Niclas. There's a bigger, badder resource: Branoc has come down from the north. But it's Lydia who enters first, and moves to stand next to her younger brother. "Wil," she murmurs softly. "Wil…please. This has to stop. Your tears, they will break our poor mother's heart. She cannot lose another who is close to it, can she? Please don't make me write home to say you are not well." Or worse.

The family patriarch has made sure to intercede himself between Enfys and Wilhelm, in case the youngest of the group loses it again as Lydia approaches. "Stay back, little songbird." he says to his sister, hand blocking Enfys from possible attack, as he's in armor in case it goes poorly. "I will not let him hurt you. I've seen this sadness before.. and it can be quite unpredictable in it's reactions." he turns his attention to watch Lydia and Wilhelm, ready to spring in to slam the knight to the floor and pin him there should the need arise.

Wilhelm stares as he hears his sister's words. "Niclas.. he and Mari.. I.. I.. I said such hurtful things. I accused them of sharing the bed, Lydia.. I told them that they should just.. I failed.. I failed them in Dorset.. and my father.. our poor father.." he closes his eyes, his whole body lurching in a soul-shuddering sob before he collapses into his Lydia, clinging to her dress and just weeping for the moment. "They'll hate me, surely, sister! I am a terrible brother!"

Trusting the elder brother, Enfys stays back, Morfyd downstairs or wherever. Without an instrument, she clasps hands before her, nodding once at Brannoc's words, "I will stay out of the way, though I would talk to him if needed." Quiet is her comment to he, worry for Wilhelm worn openly upon her face as she tilts her head to listen to both Lydia and Wil's words within the room.

"I'm sure they will be angry, but I am also sure they will forgive you." Lydia crouches over Wilhelm, her arms curved around him. "And no one would deny you your pain, sweet Wil, but you must pick yourself up and move forward. There is so much ahead for you. So much to accomplish. Our father watches from Heaven, don't you want to make him proud?"

Enfys nods once, "Thank you, brother." The quiet words given to their eldest brother who goes in search of their other brother. With a hand that touches the wall, she steps forwards just in time to hear Wilhelm notice her, "I am here because you have need, Wilhelm. I may be blind, but I would never turn away from family." A wry smile is given as she makes careful steps towards the sound of their voices, hoping to reach wherever they might be with a hand that lightly waves back and forth before her should she have to cross open floor to reach them.

Lydia takes a few steps and extends her hand so that it's in Enfys' reaching path. "I've heard the story many times, Wil. There was nothing you could do. Everyone who was there saw, and no one blaes you. Not our Branoc, not Mother, and certainly not Father. But even if you cannot help but feel it is your fault, how else can you make it up to him but to live your life to the highest hope he would have had for you?"

Enfys is drawn into the embrace, Wilhelm embracing both sisters in kind before he nods, his hands dropping, one going to his side as he presses the wound from the lance in his hip, trying to close it back. "I made need the healer.." he manages with a shuddering sigh as what's left of his anger disipates. "…and.. pray with me? Please. Please pray with me for father.. for Niclas and Mari.. for us.. for your forgiveness. I am such a terrible trouble, Lydia, Enfys.. and I scarecly wonder what you have use for me - which is why I was running away. To Wilton. Dorset. I didn't want to feel useless anymore. I wanted to be worth something, I wanted to know.. I was doing something."

That hand is caught, Enfys drawn in to share the comforting of their brother, taking out a handkerchief as she sits. One hand to find Wilhelm's face, she blots the wetness of his tears away with gentle touches, "Lydia speaks truth, Wil. If you believe it your fault, then work to make it up to him. Fight to be the best you can. Honor his memory with the glory you bring to the House with your actions." Pressing the handkerchief to his hand so he might blow his nose or whatever else, she tilts her head slightly, "You are our brother, Wilhelm. You have our love no matter what. You have my respect and my awe for the things you have done and wish to do with your life. " Clasping his hand with one of hers, she offers it a squeeze, "There would be a hole in my heart if something would happen to you because you think we do not have a need for you." As for prayers, she nods her head, "We can pray.." It's then that Morfyd arrives, and hearing that the healer might be needed, she offers, "I can fetch them if you wish me too?"

"Please, Morfyd." says Lydia softly, lifting her head briefly to acknowledge the handmaiden before returning to the sibling embrace. "Of course we will pray with you. And we will help you decide what you will do next. You have a posting forthcoming, don't you?" She wants to give him something to reach for.

"Lawspeaker.. in Wilton." Wilhelm closes his eyes, leaning his head down to pray quietly at first as the blood continues to stain his hip and shoulder, the wounds from his battle in Dorset.

"Be merciful to me, O God,
because of your constant love.
Because of your great mercy
wipe away my sins!
Wash away all my evil
and make me clean from my sin.

I recognize my faults;
I am always conscious of my sins.
I have sinned against you-only against you-
and done what you consider evil.
So you are right in judging me;
you are justified in condemning me.
I have been evil from the day I was born;
from the time I was conceived, I have been sinful."

He continues to pray through Psalm 51, until the healer arrives, and noticing his condition, comes to the trio. "..Lady Horton.." she addresses Lydia. "…I must ask that we get Sir Wilhelm to bed so that we can tend to his wounds, please." she offers quietly. Hearing the healer's words, there's a laboured noise. "I will.." he promises as he moves to get his feet. "Lydia, Enfys.. I'm sorry." he murmurs as he's moved to the bed for treatment.

The words are repeated softly by Enfys as Wilhelm begins to pray, and even when he might fade off to answer the healer, she continues on, moving back hopefully out of the way to allow Lydia to help the healer get Wilhelm to the bed.

Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,
and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins,
and blot out all my iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit.

Soon after the prayer is complete, Wilhelm is back to sleep, the healers working to re-stabilize the wounds as they shoo the sisters from the room so that they may work in quiet. The young knight will pull through and recover - but after the last time this happened after his father's death, will he recover again?

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