A Strong Alliance

Fingertipswere stroking over the piano tiles elegantly as she was playing herfavourite song "Then you'll remember me". She closed hereyes listening to her own playing feeling as she was taking back intime when she was small and her father, Crawford Starrick, wassitting next to her on the piano teaching her how to play.

Healways said she was a talented girl and learned very quickly. Indeedit was true Gwendolyn Starrick learned everything quickly. PlayingPiano, reading, writing.

Shecontinued playing and sang quietly for herself. She missed herfather, she really did. She also missed her mother but not as much asshe missed him. Even though she wasn't living alone in the StarrickMansion, something was missing it still felt lonely. She sighed atthe thought of her own life which she was living so far. Her parentsgot killed, her lover left her. The only ones around her were Clara,a girl she safed from her miserable life working in a factory underinhuman conditions and Maxwell Roth, whom she didn't trust fullysince she knew that he blewed up children. That was something shehated more than anything else. No one should hurt or treat badchildren. They were innocent and helpless. Something that needsprotection something fragile.

GwendolynsLife before her parents got killed never was bad neither was itperfect. But she lived like a princess. She had everything she wishedfor. But only material stuff. Of course she also had the love of herfather but he barely was there. Gwen knew he was a business man andhad a lot of meetings and other stuff to do so he was only able tovisit her once or twice a month. Her Mother, Lucy Thorne only visitedher once a month. So Gwen used to be alone most of the time. Sheplayed piano, wrote stories and read a lot. Yet she was a bird in agolden cage.

"Iwonder if i ever broke out of that cage..." Gwen mumbled toherself as she opened her eyes and stared at the piano tiles."Father...? Are you watching me....? Are you proud of me....?"she looked outside the window. It was raining. "Or are youcrying, missing me like i do miss you....?" She asked whilestaring into the rain. Gwendolyn was a locked up girl. She neverspoke much or made any jokes. No one ever knew what was going oninside of her. She was like a book which you couldn't open up to readit.

Gwendolynwas teared out of her thoughts as she heard the door bell. It wasalready late and she wasn't expecting any visit. Roth wasn't in themansion so it could be him. Clara was not at home either she wasvisiting a friend. Gwen grabbed a rifle and slowly went to the door.

Sheopened it and quickly aimed at the man who was standing in front ofthe door. It was a stranger. She didn't knew him. "Miss....couldyou please take down the rifle...?" the man asked in a calmtone. "May i know who you are? And why you are here in such alate hour?" Gwen asked and raised an eyebrow. She eyed him up.He seemed to be in transit a long time his coat was dripping from therain. "Miss Starrick i assume...?" He asked. "It maysound strange but.... we are related." the man asked. "Yesi am Gwendolyn Starrick. And no, my family is dead i do not have anyrelatives. Have a good evening." she said and wanted to closethe door. The man layed his hands on the door to prevent it fromclosing. "Please, Miss... My name is Charles Lee, may i comein...? I can explain everything!" Gwen sighed and opened thedoor. "Okay fine. But don't you dare to lie to me." shewarned, still pointing the rifle at him. Charles took off his coatand layed it over a chair inside the house "I wouldn't dare"he said while stepping along the hallway following Gwen into theliving room. He looked around "Still looks like in my youngerdays..." he mumbled. "Excuse me?" Gwen said."Nothing..." Charles said. "Sit down." Gwencommanded. Charles sat down at the chair which she was pointing at.She also sat down at the counterpart couch and laid the rifle down ona table which was standing next to the couch. "Please excuse methat i didn't announce my visit..." Charles said. "Youbetter should have." Gwen said. "Where is Crawford?"Charles asked looking around searching for any sign of him. It hitGwen like a gunshot into her heart. "He is gone." She saidcoldly. "Gone...? Where to?" he asked her. Gwen looked intohis eyes "Dead." she said the word like a curse lookingcoldly. "Dead...?" Charles asked. "SincereCondolences...i should have come earlier...how did that happen...?"he asked. "With all due respect, Sir, i don't know you. You area stranger to me... what do you even want from me? You waste mytime." Gwen said. "I'm sorry Miss Starrick...please let meexplain everything.... Crawford is.... was my cousin...."Charles said. Gwen raised an eyebrow. "Your cousin...? How do iknow that this isn't a lie...?" Gwen asked suspicious. "Waita minute.." Lee said looking for something inside his pockets.He pulled out a picture and handed it over to her. Gwen looked downat the picture. "This is me and Crawford when we were children.I came over more often to visit him years ago but since i am in thetemplar order i reduced the visits in cause of the business and themissions i have to do.... now i regret everything.... i even didn'tknew he had a daughter until i heard the rumors....he told me that hewas expecting a child but i thought it was a joke of him...."Charles said. Gwen looked at him stunned. "A joke....?" sheasked. "No... i wasn't a joke... actually i was locked up inanother house with housekeepers to keep me away from the war.....father never wanted me to get dragged into it...." She lookedaway. "He locked you up...? Well... it didn't work it seems....Blighters are still on the streets." She looked at him "Henever treated me bad if you think that... it was just...complicated...Father and the whole order was killed off by the socalled Frye-Twins.... the order was destroyed.... i needed to rebuildit and it was not easy....." She held her head. Charled lookedworried at her "Are you alright...?" Gwen stood up. "SorryMr. Lee, this is all too much for me..." she said walking overto the piano to sit down and play it. "Charles, please...call meCharles..." Lee said a bit insecure about what he should do. Hecould literally feel the pain of his second cousin in the air. Gwenlooked at him and nodded then she closed her eyes and continuedplaying. It was a symphony full of sorrow.

Charlessighed and walked over to sit next to Gwen. She was lost in herthoughts again playing the notes out of her mind. Her lips openedslightly singing her fathers' song. Charles listened to her singingand looked at her examining her. She indeed resembled her father. Notonly her character but also her appearance. Her long dark hair wastied up to a bun with a few loosened strands, her darkeyes....Charles wondered if she was living all alone in the mansion.He knew from his childhood that the house was very big. He used toplay hide and seek with Crawford for hours back then. He alsowondered how she did manage everything. The thought of her managingeverything all alone, the death of her parents, the rebuilding of theorder, brought a sting into his heart. She was still playing the songas he layed his hand over one of Gwens delicate hands which were overthe tiles. She stopped playing abrupt. "I can't do this all...it's too much...." she mumbled. Charles softly grabbed her armpulling her into a close embrace. "I know, Gwendolyn..... andit's okay, no one expects everything from you, you are only human....it's natural..." he said softly. "My father expects thatfrom me..." she mumbled with a broken voice. Charles shook hishead "No father would expect all this from his child...furthermore... look at all the things you gained... Crawford would bemore than proud of you....". At this moment the whole tension inGwendolyns heart fell apart into thousands of shattered pieces.Charles could feel his second cousins tears soaking into his clothes.He held her even tighter stroking her back. "Gwendolyn, i willhelp you with everything i can... we will take revenge, i promiseyou." Gwen didn't cry loudly she was silent only tears werepouring out of her eyes. "Promise me not to die....." shewhispered. "I won't, i will stay with you and no one will avoidme from doing that..." he said and kissed her forehead. Gwenleaned against Charles while he stroked her soft hair and for aminute it felt like she sat right next to her father.