Living Armor Boyfriend: Coeval (special preview)

My mother is not a bad person I would say, just a selfish one. I think it is part of being a child of Father Klaus. Despite the aspects of Father Klaus that says he is a giving, wise person, his needs ultimately must be matched and I think that is something that bleeds into his children. My mother, Holly, along with the rest of her siblings like Nicolas, Noel, Mikolaj, Belle, and who knows how many more, all exhibit the same level of selfishness in different ways.

I think this is where my mother’s desire for attention stems. She has a rather, well, deep fondness for men. She has several husbands and many more lovers, at least. I know I have just as many siblings too, as my mother just adores being pregnant. I am her eldest child, her first born, as far as I am aware anyways, and while she tried to be a good mother, sometimes her other things got in the way. I do hold a level of respect for my mother with my love, but it has been so long since I last communicated with her, I do not know where I stand.

I left Holly’s Keep when I was a child with my father. He had fallen out of Holly’s favor, and as such, left to make his own fortune. He began taking in others who had fallen from Holly’s favor, which is how he and my second father met. My second father was also a lover of Holly and he had my sister, Lydia, with her. Lydia is quite a bit younger than me, and she never really got to know Holly. To her, Holly is a faint memory.

Sometime later, my sister, Edith, came to stay with us. Her father was still Holly’s number one husband, and she was set to be Holly’s heir. But Edith had a severe falling out with her over her treatment of her husbands, especially her father. She ran from home with the idea that her father needed saving.

To be honest, I am not sure if the treatment of the husbands in Holly’s Keep is technically terrible. But I want to help my sister, I want to protect her. I know how much it means to have my father around and be able to see him whenever I want. So I can only assume how bad it must hurt Edith to not see her father. Also, in a way, if we could get to Holly, I think it would be good for Lydia to meet her.

Right now, though, everything has gone upside down, sideways, and around a corner we don’t know. After summoning a spirit in order to help us combat our mother, we’ve sort of been spirited away. I guess that would be the best way to put things.

I’m still in the pavilion with the suit of armor that approached me, but my sisters and two other suits are gone. I scramble, trying to catch my breath from the shock. I look back at the armor, which has a sort of reddish, golden glow about them.

“Where are they?” I am near hyperventilating. “Where did they go? What did you do?” I am starting to grow in my panic and fear, nearly standing taller than the suit of armor.

The armor laughs. “Calm down now, fine lady, your sisters are safe as they are with my brothers.” He looks me up and down. “My, my, so you do have a power of Father Klaus.”

I shrink back down to normal size and cross my arms against my chest. “Where are they then? If they are not here, then they must be somewhere!”

“My brothers have them in their own power. It’s sort of our specialty to create theatrics and splendor in order to bond with our new partner.” He lifts the visor of his helm up so I can see three glowing eyes. They’re bright and golden with one raised above the other two. “The name is Coeval!” He announces with a laugh. “What is yours?”

“Winifred,” I murmur. “So, if my sisters are with your brothers, then where am I?”

“Glad you asked.” Coeval bows low at the waist then offers his hand to me. “Come with me, I have some sights I must show you.”

I refuse him my hand. “Look, we’re both adults here. You don’t need to go about this like some children’s story. Just tell me plainly what is your plan. While you’re at it, tell me why you and your brothers are doing this when my sisters and I summoned you to be our-”

“Whoa! Whoa!” Coeval raises his hands in surrender. “Calm down. Are you always this high strung? Where’s your sense of wonder and adventure?”

I frown at him, keeping my arms crossed.

“This is our chance to bond. I am your familiar and in order for our powers to work for you and your sisters, we have to have that bond.” He offers his hand out again. “So come with me, and live in the moment.”

I look at his hand then back into his three eyes. “Live in the moment,” I huff. “Easier said than done.”

His eyes roll and he points outside of the pavilion. “Let me take you to the Keep you wish to enter.”

I glare at him in disbelief. “You can’t just waltz in there so easily!” I begin to grow again.