Difference between revisions of "Lightstar Family/Xarnelf/Roleplay 60"

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(New page: '''In the Aftermath of Tragedy''' The blood drained from his face, and his jaw hung slack, as the news finally reached him on the path to Lenamaziel. His mouth began moving, almost as if ...)
 
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'''In the Aftermath of Tragedy'''
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'''Reckless Interrogation'''
  
The blood drained from his face, and his jaw hung slack, as the news finally reached him on the path to Lenamaziel. His mouth began moving, almost as if to form some sort of reply or question to the young messenger, but no sounds came out. Abruptly and without a word, he dismounted and walked off the road, away from the courier, away from his men, away... without a destination in mind. He simply wanted to be alone.  
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After hearing the bad news, Xarnelf slammed his clenched fist down upon the small folding table by the side of his cot, shattering it into four wooden fragments and sending the lone mug of water upon it splashing to the ground. He growled at his captain in frustration.  
  
Equally as shocked as his liege, Captain Mathias grabbed the messenger by the shoulders and shook him roughly. "Are you certain they hanged her?!"  
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"Are you sure they captured her? And Tharion too?"  
  
In reply, the man grimaced and nodded, eyes downcast. Mathias finally released him and half-turned towards the noble, who had walked out towards the fields perhaps fifty yards by now. "How...how could... oh blessed Aenil... This can't be..." the captain muttered. Then he regained some semblance of control and turned to address the remaining soldiers.  
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"Indeed, sire, one of our scouts found a survivor from the Lady Lightstar's unit along the road to Pates. And it is suspected that the Captain General was captured in his effort to locate and rescue her from the enemy."
  
"Carry on, lads. Continue to Ahael and home. We'll be along shortly..."  
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"Damn it all to the abyss!"  
  
They nodded, not knowing what else to say, and trudged on, feeling much more weary than before. Mathias took the reins of his commander's horse and lead the animal off towards the solitary figure in the distance.  
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The Duke abruptly rose to his feet and seemed to be fine at first, but that only lasted a brief moment, as his head suddenly spun from the recent concussion. He stumbled forwards, arms outstretched for balance as his vision blurred. His captain quickly moved forth to steady his liege, who nodded his gratitude in silence.  
  
Eventually, the captain caught up with the noble, who had slumped down against the trunk of a tree, eyes staring vacantly off towards the horizon. Mathias tried to think of something to say, but words failed him, so he merely tied the horse and sat down beside the noble. He would observe their surroundings for a moment, then surreptitiously move his gaze back over to his liege, but Xarnelf's vacant expression never changed.
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"What are your orders, sire?"
  
Mathias never thought he would miss the reckless hero who charged into battle with little care for his own safety, but he did now. At least he knew how to deal with that personality, whereas this new facet was entirely foreign to him. And so he sat there in silence, simultaneously hoping that his commander would snap out of his uncharacteristic daze soon, yet fearing the moment when the man's shock turned into anger, or perhaps something worse....
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"We are leaving this place..."
  
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"To Anacan then?"
  
Even though he was home at last, Xarnelf still felt hollow and empty inside. He knew he should visit his family, but he felt too devastated still to do much more than try to sleep away the past week. The man had not eaten in days, and so his servants barely recognized him through his haggard appearance, as he entered his estates. Ignoring everyone, Xarnelf headed straight for his chamber to seek rest that probably would not come.  
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Jumbled thoughts and wild schemes passed through Xarnelf's mind at that moment, as he tried to push aside his pounding headache. Yleina and Tharion must still be somewhere in the area, but he was not exactly in good shape for a rescue attempt, and his men were in dire need of a refit.  
  
Mere moments after he had tossed his armor aside and sank onto his bed, eyes closed, his butler entered with a tray of bread, meats, and fruits.  
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"Sire?" prompted his captain, as the silence continued to stretch between them. Finally, feeling resigned at the entire situation, the Duke weakly nodded and moved back down to rest on his cot.
  
"M'lord," the old man said quietly, "your sister's body has arrived at the Lightstar estates, and your father intends to hold the ceremony at dawn."
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---------------------------
  
Sighing softly, the Duke responded, "Very well. Send word to Tharion and Luyten, and anyone else in Idapur who wishes to attend."
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"Sire, I urge you to reconsider this plan of action! Attacking them is not going to save your sister or the Captain General!" the captain of the Legionnaires attempted, without much luck again, to dissuade the Duke from his most recent and rash decision.  
  
"There is another matter of slight concern, m'lord. Soliferum may lay siege to Ipsosez again, within a few days," the butler mentioned gravely, as he set the tray of foodstuffs down upon a side table. Xarnelf gritted his teeth in irritation at this news, eyes still closed.  
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In response, Xarnelf growled, "These Delphians may know where they are being held, and I intend to find out!" He picked up his pace now, as they neared the Delphian troops in the area. Soon enough, the enemy came into sight, and without a word to his men behind him, the Duke of Idapur drew his blade and charged ahead, taking the point as usual...  
  
"Wake me after half a candle has burned out. And tell Mathias to find me a new unit."
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`~`
  
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"WHERE..." -swing- "...ARE..." -parry and riposte- "...THEY?!" the crazed man screamed at the Delphian soldiers as he cut them down, a virtual whirlwind of destruction. All he received in response were wild-eyed stares from discombobulated men, who had no idea about what this insane noble was saying. A few of them even said as much back to him, as they found themselves desperately at bay from his relentless assaults.
  
"Uhh, sire? Ten-score men??" Mathias asked dubiously, obviously concerned about his liege's mental stability at the moment.  
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"YOU..." -slice- "...LIE!" Xarnelf would have none of this and continued doggedly in his attempts to beat the answers he wanted out of these Delphians. Even when the tide turned against him, the noble seemed not to notice, so enraged and intent was he on lashing out his frustration and anger. As usual, it was his trusted captain who found a way through to him and make him see reason before it was too late.  
  
"Do not make me repeat myself. I care not if you must empty out all the barracks in Idapur. We move out at sunset." Xarnelf narrowed his eyes as he perused the latest reports once more, while his stunned captain continued to stare in disbelief.
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"Sire! If we don't withdraw now, we will all die! As it is, half a dozen have already fallen! There are simply too many of them, sire!"  
  
Then, Mathias slowly grinned. Now this was the insane hero that he much preferred to see, instead of the empty shell of a man that had been in his place for the past week. He could almost see the fiery glint in the noble's eyes again... almost...
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"ARGH! The abyss take you all!" Xarnelf screamed at the enemy as he pulled back with his men, until they could more or less retreat from the field. Too exhausted to give chase, the Delphians let them go.

Revision as of 08:21, 4 October 2009

Reckless Interrogation

After hearing the bad news, Xarnelf slammed his clenched fist down upon the small folding table by the side of his cot, shattering it into four wooden fragments and sending the lone mug of water upon it splashing to the ground. He growled at his captain in frustration.

"Are you sure they captured her? And Tharion too?"

"Indeed, sire, one of our scouts found a survivor from the Lady Lightstar's unit along the road to Pates. And it is suspected that the Captain General was captured in his effort to locate and rescue her from the enemy."

"Damn it all to the abyss!"

The Duke abruptly rose to his feet and seemed to be fine at first, but that only lasted a brief moment, as his head suddenly spun from the recent concussion. He stumbled forwards, arms outstretched for balance as his vision blurred. His captain quickly moved forth to steady his liege, who nodded his gratitude in silence.

"What are your orders, sire?"

"We are leaving this place..."

"To Anacan then?"

Jumbled thoughts and wild schemes passed through Xarnelf's mind at that moment, as he tried to push aside his pounding headache. Yleina and Tharion must still be somewhere in the area, but he was not exactly in good shape for a rescue attempt, and his men were in dire need of a refit.

"Sire?" prompted his captain, as the silence continued to stretch between them. Finally, feeling resigned at the entire situation, the Duke weakly nodded and moved back down to rest on his cot.


"Sire, I urge you to reconsider this plan of action! Attacking them is not going to save your sister or the Captain General!" the captain of the Legionnaires attempted, without much luck again, to dissuade the Duke from his most recent and rash decision.

In response, Xarnelf growled, "These Delphians may know where they are being held, and I intend to find out!" He picked up his pace now, as they neared the Delphian troops in the area. Soon enough, the enemy came into sight, and without a word to his men behind him, the Duke of Idapur drew his blade and charged ahead, taking the point as usual...

`~`

"WHERE..." -swing- "...ARE..." -parry and riposte- "...THEY?!" the crazed man screamed at the Delphian soldiers as he cut them down, a virtual whirlwind of destruction. All he received in response were wild-eyed stares from discombobulated men, who had no idea about what this insane noble was saying. A few of them even said as much back to him, as they found themselves desperately at bay from his relentless assaults.

"YOU..." -slice- "...LIE!" Xarnelf would have none of this and continued doggedly in his attempts to beat the answers he wanted out of these Delphians. Even when the tide turned against him, the noble seemed not to notice, so enraged and intent was he on lashing out his frustration and anger. As usual, it was his trusted captain who found a way through to him and make him see reason before it was too late.

"Sire! If we don't withdraw now, we will all die! As it is, half a dozen have already fallen! There are simply too many of them, sire!"

"ARGH! The abyss take you all!" Xarnelf screamed at the enemy as he pulled back with his men, until they could more or less retreat from the field. Too exhausted to give chase, the Delphians let them go.