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Post by Sir Dmitrii Zurban on Feb 20, 2008 10:09:19 GMT -6
Dmitrii and Kae stayed with each other the entire return trip to Turas Lan. They neither slept, nor ate, but ale they consumed telling stories of Tory’s death and victories, and defeats in both wars. Dmitrii even explained how he came to Skye, only to embark upon the rescue mission. They spoke of letters not received and feelings unspoken.
“Kae, my dear sister, my plans are to buy a small manor and set up a home just outside the city. I would appreciate it if yu would decide to reside there as well.” He smiles, his hand falling playfully upon her leathered knee. “I know ye are a roamer, and vera seldom stay in one place… but as an eagle even has a nest, so shall ye.” He crosses his arms and looks upon her. “What say yu?”
She chuckled at his choice of words and then sobered quickly as he spoke of her staying at the home he was going to set up. "Dmitrii... you are most kind. You know me well and know I prefer to roam, but Aye I will stay with you for a bit... at least until I am sure you are alright." she said softly covering his hand with hers. At least God had given them another chance to get to know each other more and build their sibling bond making it stronger. She also knew she would do as she has always done ... protect those she loved more than her own life.
Turas Lan, a new start for Dmitrii and his sister Kae. From his meager beginnings, thru a life of loneliness, the finding of love and a sister he never knew of, to the death of a wife, a war that forgot him, to the fight for a new land. Dmitrii took what he had; the purses of dead English Lords, the inheritance of his wife, and his own taste of life anew, he purchased a place from Soil MacLeod, Leader of Clan MacLeod; a place he could call his own. Now renamed Castle Zurban, he flew the Zurban flag, the new family Crest upon a field of black, all lined with silver.
The castle was smaller than most castles on Skye, but was sufficient for him alone, and sometimes Kaelyn. It was a rectangle building with a spire on each corner; the steep-slant roof bore several chimneys that would warm the rooms in winter. The windows facing east and west to allow the sunlight entry. Its foundation set completely in a large lake, the entrance accessible by a drawbridge. Not a fortifiable castle, Dmitrii found it friendlier than most residences Soil MacLeod offered him.
Spending a large portion of his financial worth on the home and its elaborate furnishings, he settled down to a comfortable lifestyle with five men and their families to tend to fields not far from the home. Two more men and their families resided in the home to care for him and his. Giving fealty to the freedom that people of Skye enjoyed, he was afforded reduced taxes; now a small budgeted portion of his worth go to taxes to support the government in Turas Lan. |
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Post by Sir Dmitrii Zurban on May 5, 2009 16:55:07 GMT -6
Looking at the front of the manor, she could see the Zurban flag and the Gryphon flag atop the roof…
On the wall just above the door was the Zurban crest…
Once inside, he would give Aegraine the grand tour of his manor.
“Please follow me… let me show yu my humble abode…”
Upon the wall of the hallway, hung two pictures side-by-side…
one was his Father, Leonid Kravchenko, and his Mother, Lady Serene Uruqhart....  …….
On the opposite wall was one of him and his half-sister… Kaelyn Rose
 …….
Taking her hand, he led her down the hall toward the Main Dining Hall, that would convert to a ballroom… with a 8-person table, and a long table for 30 or so people …
 …….
“Tis too large for me alone… so…” again he takes her hand and leads her to a smaller dining room, just off the kitchen area… the sweet smells of breads and meats roasting filled the air…
In the corner of the cozy dining room was a wooden stand with an odd-looking stringed instrument. It was a musical instrument of his homeland of Kievan Rus… called a bandura….
With the aromatic scents coming from the kitchen, he had to see what widow Gracie MacLeod was cooking… Gracie was a member of Clan MacLeod and a hired cook. Now she and her son reside in quarters off the large kitchen.
Hand-in-hand, the young couple walked thru the hallway to an open doorway… There was a large, three sectional kitchen with fine stoves and open firepits. Several tables were filled with breaddough, knives, baskets, and other cookingware.
The servants all bowed until Gracie came to him and curtsied… When she rose, she looked right at him and shook her finger… “MiLord, if’n yae please… if ya nae bus’ness stay outta mnae kitch’n… Yae ar’ laird of the house, Ah bae mistress o’ Kitchen… Nae git… please…” then she winked at Ae and turned to go back to work.
Dmitrii laughed, and looked at Ae… then pulling her hand he exited by what looked like a backdoor… only to find themselves in the bakehouse… Smells of baked bread of various sorts… he saw Gracie coming, and with a laugh, he tugs Ae by the hand and scurries off down the hall once more…
 …….
He paused briefly in his own personal room… armour in one corner, weapons of various sorts; old and tested, and new protoypes above the mantel of a nice fireplace… on the other walls were the same. He looked at her and smiled… “Need I comment??”
Walking slowly from his personal room to a much larger room… the parlor… elegantly furnished, he could have royalty visit, no??
Thru the window of the parlor, one could see the glistening water that surrounded the manor;, to the far left side, one could see Troika, his black Friesian, gracing upon green grass.
When he thought she’d had her fill of the scenery outside, and the parlor inside, he tugged her hand again and headed for a set of wide stairs heading upwards. “Well, that’s it downstairs… now the subsequent floors…” he winked…
At the top of the stairs, was a large room, a salon; once again filled with paintings, finely carved columns, large windows on both the east and west sides…and once again a beautiful view of the entire estate.
They had milled about the room, side by side, his every word describing each and every object that had a story to tell. Then he smirked, and clutched her hand gently… “Come… see the rest…”
The hallways was as ornate as the others, but this hallway led to many bedrooms… some fancy, some plain, some Spartan in nature… On this end of the hallway, he pointed to three closest bedrooms.
The guest room….
My room… said with a wicked smirk…
Upon the end of his bed, carved in the footboard, was the Arganian symbol.
“And yers, when yu stay here… see, it even has a personal bath for you…”
Oddly enough, her room and his room were joined by a locked inner door.
And so they retired to the downstairs dining room, where Gracie had prepared them a fine meal. Both of them chose to eat in the cozy dining room.
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