Arcaea/Dining Hall/Siegfried Strikes Again
It was dark out now, rain was coming down in sheets across the twice conquered city. As the lateness of the night drove any the staunchest of insomniacs to bed, a lone figure stalked the roof tops of Nocaneb. The thing, little more then a shadow in the dead of night, made a bee line for his target, having become intimately familiar with the surrounding area in preparation for this night.
Leaping across alleyways and streets, the figure soon arrived at the perfect vantage point for the next phase of his plan. Across the street stood the estate of Harmony Kindon, the lady of the house, currently within her room, collapsed on her bed after a weary day. The figure stifled a laugh at the apparent lack of security around the house, noticing the lack of any feasible lock on the balcony door.
His target in site, and already incapacitated, the man made his way over to the roof of the Kindon estate, taking the long way around out of precaution. The man was cautious and careful as he lowered himself down to the balcony next to Harmony's room, leaving no detail overlooked, or possibility unexplored. With a practiced silence he opened the door and stealthily approached the slumbering girl.
With one hand poised her mouth, the other a hairs breath away from a nerve cluster on his neck He paused. He held his position for a moment, silently inhaling and exhaling, the next few moments would ether make him or break him. With a quickness comparable to lightening his clenched his hand down across her mouth, snapping the young girl wide awake as his other hand pinched down on her nerve making her entire body shut down. For a fraction of a second between the two moments, Harmony locked eyes with the stranger in her room, and the figure saw fear reflected there.
The easy part now down with, the man quickly went about to the second stage of the plan. Grabbing some rope he had slung over his shoulder he bond Harmony's hands and her feet, before tying a final length around her arms and chest, making double sure the knots where not coming undone any time soon.
That done he heaved the girl over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and carried her out of her room into the pouring rain. After a much harder trek back the way he had come the man carelessly threw the girl on his horse, before mounting it himself. He rode the beast out the less traveled of the gates, bribing the guard earlier on in the night not to show up for his duty shift that night.
As he prepared to leave the region, a bright flash of lightening illuminated the figure, reveling the daimon like eyes and scared face of Sigfried.
Goffrey Massey Baron of Sasat
Harmony woke slowly and in confusion. The world was in motion and she was being bounced painfully—the side of her face slapping into something and her body—damnation...her body caught somehow...she couldn’t move her arms or legs. She got her eyes open with some effort and nausea roiled up to add to her misery. Everything was wrong...she could barely see, and what she could was...oh...it was upside-down...she was upside-down. Horse...she was on a horse...belly flopped over its back...face against flank...dark...she was on a horse in the dark...what...how...oh...
Oh gods.
Harmony remembered waking and the flash of face...though she had never seen him...she had no doubt that the man had been Siegfried. Fear clutched at her...she could feel the panic mounting...he was a maniac...he would kill her...but first he would torture her or rape her or feed her to beasts or monsters...bile rose in her throat and her breath came fast and shallow. Already dizzy from her position and whatever he had done to knock her out, Harmony felt the world begin to spin faster.
No...No...NO! She was not going to panic. Harmony struggled to get her breathing steadied and to bite back the fear that was choking her...no...no panic. They would come for her. Jenred and Edara would send every man in the Duchy after her if they had to...all she had to do...was stay alive. She could stay alive. She could do that.
Harmony drew in her breath deeply and screamed. No breathless girl scream, this would have curdled the blood of the bravest man and it reverberated through the air. The horse startled and the man jerked a bit. When her breath ran out, she drew in another and screamed again...and kept on until he reached around and slapped her face.
It was like getting hit with a chunk of steel, even at that awkward angle. Harmony slumped against the horse, her head reeling.
“We’re in the middle of the forest. There’s no one here to hear you scream, so you might as well save your breath... it’s annoying me. Besides...I would have thought a woman like you was used to being all tied up. Thought you’d like it.”
The sound of his voice...mocking and cold...sent chills through her body. A low moan came involuntarily to her lips and fear danced its way back up her spine, “Why?” her voice came out more breathily than she intended; she began again, “Why are you doing this? What do you want?” Harmony resisted the urge to tell him that he wouldn’t get away with it...because she didn’t think that he would, but she wasn’t sure that she’d be around to see it.
Lady Harmony Kindon (Dame of Nocaneb)
Siegfried hid his disgust with a mocking laugh, turning his attention from the road before him back to the girl slung over his horse.
"I would of thought he would at least pick out a smart one," he said, his eyes peering into the girl like daggers.
He turned away from Harmony and heaved an annoyed sigh, "Calm yourself, if I wanted you dead, you would be very dead by now," he said matter of factly, "And if I wanted other....things...." he chuckled, a coldness that would freeze most men's blood in his voice,"well I wouldn't have bothered going this far with the horse."
"Besides, your probably used to stuff like that now anyway," he said, the mocking tone not abating.
He laughed his cold dark laugh for a bit as the horse trotted onwards, "As for what I want...." he paused for a bit as he looked over his shoulder and peered at the girl again, eyes now filled with mocking discontent,"....well come now you can figure out that much I would hope."
Goffrey Massey Baron of Sasat
Harmony had no idea what he wanted...but his words gave her some hope. At least he wasn’t planning on raping or killing her quite yet. For the first time in her life, she had absolutely no idea how to play the scene. What did he want? And why her? Because she was the Duchess’ cousin? Was he seeking some sort of ransom?
Oh.
Oh...she was a fool. Goffrey. He wanted Goffrey. She was bait.
“He won’t come after me, you know. You’ve made a mistake. Your son hates me...he thinks I’m the same kind of woman that you do. If you let me go now, you might still have some hope of escape. But if you keep me...or if...,” Harmony’s voice choked despite herself, “If you...hurt...me in any way...they will never stop hunting you...ever.”
Lady Harmony Kindon (Dame of Nocaneb)
Siegfried laughed at the pathetic begging of the girl on his horse. He shook his head as he returned his attention to the path, only a few hours awa
"Do you honestly think I should be afraid of your army, when I so easily snuck within one of the most fortified cities in the realm, and made off with you in a single night," he said in cold mocking manner, "besides, I'm already wanted on multiple counts of murder....and one attempted murder....I think its safe to say I'm pass the point of no return."
He turned to face her once again, hand gripping her jaw so she would have no choice but to look him in the eye, "and if there's one thing I know, its my son, whatever it is you did to him, he'll forgive and forget, and the second he learns of your peril, and he will, he'll come running, alone."
He looked her in the eye now a wave of disgust welling up in him, "He would do anything for you.....and you don't even care," he said, his voice quaking with rage, his grip becoming like iron,"DO YOU?"
He let his hand slip from her face turned his head and spat out the bitter taste in his mouth.
"Enjoy your usefulness while it lasts," he said, a deadly coldness in his voice as the horse trudged ever onward.
Goffrey Massey Baron of Sasat
Harmony shuddered behind the crazed lunatic as they rode on. She was afraid that he might be right. Coming after her alone was just exactly the sort of thing that Goffrey would do...likely getting them both killed. But surely...surely...by the time Goff heard that she was missing...Jenred and Edara would have men out searching for her...they wouldn’t let Goffrey go alone...they couldn’t...
And what if he was right? He had slipped in and out with no one noticing. How was that even possible? Nocaneb had been on high alert for weeks. He was only one man. A big...scary man...but still...just a man...he couldn’t keep on winning...he had to slip up somehow.
She wriggled against her bonds...testing them...but they were tight. Where could she go in the middle of the forest even if she could get loose? She might be able to outrun him on foot...maybe...if she hadn’t been tied up for who knows how many hours. Everything hurt...she would be lucky to hobble away if he untied her now.
Harmony felt the fear swamping her and tears leaked out in spite of her best efforts. She did not want the monster to see her cry...to know that he was scaring her. Harmony turned her face away and concentrated on breathing...considering her assets and her options. And, despite her terror and discomfort, she slid into an uneasy half-sleep as the miles rolled beneath the horses hooves.
Lady Harmony Kindon (Dame of Nocaneb)
It was a day later that Siegfried rode up to the front of the old Massey Manor. It had certainly seen better days, having been partially been burnt to the ground by Richter when he had left the two to fend for themselves. He laughed to himself when he realized Richter couldn't even burn a house down right.
He swung down from the horse and took in the sight of the house in all its grim burnt glory. Despite its charred state, it still loomed over the two like the specter of death. Nostalgia abaiting from him, he turned to his passenger and effortlessly picked her up and flung her over his shoulder.
"We're here," he said coldly,"be it ever so humble, there's no place like home."
He chuckled coldly at his own joke as he kicked open the front door and marched into the house.
Goffrey Massey Baron of Sasat
The last day had been a blur of riding...short stops for...necessary business...and resting and caring for his horse...then more riding. Harmony barely saw the burnt shell of a house before she was slung over Siegfried’s shoulder like a sack of grain and carted inside. Her body was jolted from its numbness by this new handling. She bit back a groan of pain, not wanting to give him anymore than she already had. Who knew what new indignities awaited her?
At least she had some idea of where she was now...well, she didn’t...but at least she knew that it was someplace that Siegfried thought of as “home” or had. What possible use this information was to her...she did not know...but it gave her a tiny bit of satisfaction to know something.
Back in Nocaneb, Dougal was worried.
Harmony hadn’t appeared for breakfast as was her custom...he had been disappointed then, but not yet concerned. When he asked a maid to give her a message when she awoke, he had been greatly surprised to hear that she had “already gone out”. Upon pressing, he had learned that the maid did not know when...Harmony had been gone when she had entered her chamber early that morning. Dougal had quizzed her guards, but they hadn’t seen her either...and she had taken none of them with her.
This was all wrong...even for a tryst, his daughter would not have slipped out without taking a guard of some sort...she had all been too aware of the deadly menace that had breached the castle’s defences. The maid had already made up Harmony’s bed, so there was nothing there for him to see...still...he looked her room over carefully...her sword hung in its usual place, when it wasn’t at her hip, and a row of knives decorated a table near her bed. She would never go anywhere without those. Even in a dress...she carried a number about her person, and in her...boots. Her boots were there...right by the bed. A quick check by her maid showed that none of her clothes were gone...except her night shift.
Dougal sent a messenger to the castle. His Harmony had not left this house willingly...
Lady Harmony Kindon (Dame of Nocaneb)
Jenred was exhausted. He and Edara had retired to their rooms shortly thereafter, but the talking had gone on for some time...And it had been very draining. They'd finally fallen asleep in each other's arms, thank the Aenil...But he was not happy when he was woken up by Captain Udo. He growled, kissing Edara as she woke sleepily, and gathered a robe around himself to go answer. This had better be good...
"What?"
"Milord...Lady Harmony is...Well, she hasn't been seen since last night, and her father reports that her knives and clothing are all accounted for, excluding one sleeping shift."
Jenred stared for a long moment, all thoughts of sleep or annoyance gone.
"Get patrols out, now, and find out whatever you can. If someone thought they saw something funny, or a child heard a ghost, I want to know about it. Edara, you need to hear this..."
This was not good...His short list had a very few people...And Goffrey's father was at the top of the list...Couldn't think of many others who could pull this off without alerting anyone...
Sir Jenred Bedwyr Imperial Magistrate of Arcaea
Edara was cross that their sleep had been disturbed and Jenred had slipped from the bed. The events of the previous day—and the conversation that followed—had left her feeling scraped raw…but nothing healed her soul like being wrapped in his arms…a few more hours of sleep, and she would have been right as rain. She was out-of-sorts enough even before Jenred called her to join him and hear whatever Udo was on about.
All her petty irritation fell away as Jenred repeated what his Captain had told him. For a long moment, she felt frozen. She could hear the words that he was saying, but they didn’t make any sense…surely he wasn’t saying that Harmony…that someone had taken her?
“Jenred,” Edara’s voice was oddly calm, “This can’t be right. Why would someone take Harmony? And how could they? She would fight them…wouldn’t she? This has to be a mistake…doesn’t it?” She looked up at him hopefully…knowing before he shook his head at her that he had done the same mental arithmetic that she had done, “Oh gods…it’s that man, isn’t it? Goffrey’s father?” a shiver ran through her followed by the first flush of anger.
“Gods above…we have to find her…did you send out the patrols? All of them? We should call in more troops…volunteers…anyone. He won’t…he won’t hurt her, will he?” Edara made a low moan and answered her own question, “He will, won’t he?…Jenred…he will hurt her. You don’t think…he won’t have…she’ll still be alive, won’t she?”
Fear and anger warred within her, leaving her trembling. She began throwing her clothes on hastily, “What else can we do? Who else can we send out? Men with dogs? Hunters…used to tracking? I need to do something. I need to see Uncle Dougal; he’ll be frantic by now. I need to kill that horrible man—he kills my maid, my guard…nearly kills Goff…and now takes my cousin?” Her volume was increasing steadily, and Jenred was fairly confident that the cursing would begin at any moment.
"I really need to kill that man--a lot."
Lady Edara Kindon Duchess of Nocaneb
Despite the situation, Jenred had to smile a little. This was the woman he wanted to marry...
"You need to go see to Dougal, he's going to be frantic. I can handle the start of this, get everyone moving and all, but I'll need your help later. Take your full troop with you, we don't know where he's gone or what he's up to, and we do not need to give him anymore hostages. And...'Dara...I love you."
Jenred wrapped her close for a rib-cracking hug and fierce kiss before releasing her to her duty. And he to his. This was going to be a long day...
Sir Jenred Bedwyr Imperial Magistrate of Arcaea
Siegfried walked through the halls of his home, breathing deeply, relishing in it. He walked in a unset direction, making random unnecessary turns to throw off the girl strapped to his back, should she get loose.
"You may be here awhile, so I suppose you'll need lodgings," he said, falling into a twisted parody of a gracious host, "you can have the boy's old room, heaven knows they haven't stayed there in years though."
He paused in his trek and looked over his shoulder at Harmony.
"Are you scared," he asked, but before she could reply a low roar reverberated through the charred ruins of the house, eminating from the lower levels.
Siegfried chuckled darkly as he resumed his trek, "You really should be."
A few moments later, Siegfried stood before the iron barred entrance to Goffrey's and Richter's old room. Shrugging the girl off his shoulder, noting the thump of her landing with mild satisfaction, he reached down and lifted the iron gate barring the wooded door, and with one heave lifted the contraption up and locked it in place above the door.
That done he reached back with the same hand and grabbed hold of the ropes binding Harmony's arms to her torso and unceremoniously lifted the girl up and strode into the room. Inside was a dark, dank, and depressing room that smelt old looked old and had more blood stains then any room should have. It was small, too small to rightly be called a room, more of a large closet.
"Well its not the 5 star accommodations I'm sure your used too, but Goffrey managed to live with it well enough, so I'm sure a night or two in her wont kill you," he said, a bitter mocking ironic tone evident in his voice.
"I left some bread in a bag in the corner for you, I'm sure the rats left you something, and if you get bored, Richter hid his dairy in one of the loose floor boards in the right hand corner, he started to put it in code after he found out that I was reading it, but they're a few entries that are actually worth the paper they're written on," said Siegfried, giving Harmony a little tour of the room that would be her home for the next few days.
"How am I supposed to do anything tied up like this," Harmony ventured in a weary voice.
Siegfried just laughed he turned to leave, "I'm sure you'll figure something out, my boys always did, could not keep a set of ropes on those boys for more then the time it takes to turn your back."
He was still chuckling his dark nostalgic laugh as he closed the door and lowered the iron link gate. A resounding click signified the tumblers had been locked together, as Siegfried turned and walked away whistling a haunting tune well until he was out of ear shot.
Goffrey Massey Baron of Sasat
Arlian grit his teeth into a grimace that he claimed was a smile as he sorted out another petty dispute in Orbeh. There was nothing he could do. He had no contacts in Saex, no men to aid the hunt, he wasn't a warrior, he was a gods-be-damned buro who couldn't run half a mile...
Mhm. Yes. All very true. Not helping very much though.
Gods damn that stupid Goffrey for putting Harmony in this position...
Sir Arlian Bedwyr (Knight of Orbeh)
Goffrey read the paper in his hands, shock numbing any reaction he might of had as he read the paper again.
'No...,' he thought in a small defeated voice, 'this is some kind of sick joke.....this can't be....NO.....damnit...NO.....I refuse, I absolutely refuse to....'
Goffrey was on his feet now, rage burning right threw the numbness and shock leaving only resolve, and determination in its wake. He called for his scribe, misplaced aggression lacing his voice in a thick weave, "Send this to my brother, Jenred, and anyone else who will listen, tell them to be at the spot indicated on the map by this time tomorrow or not to bother showing up."
The scribe nodded fearfully as he took the lords letter and the map, fear freezing him to his spot.
"WHY ARE YOU STILL STANDING THERE GO DAMNIT GO," Goffrey roared as the little man scuttled out of the room as fast as his legs could carry him.
That done Goffrey walked out into the courtyard, his captain meet him there, suited up having anticipating his lords command.
"We fallowing after the Lady Harmony Ma'Lord," he asked as if it were actually a question.
"Into Hell itself if need be," said Goffrey as he mounted his black steed.
"Then we ride with you my Lord," said Eugen as he bowed at the knee, the men behind him fallowing suit.
Goffrey smiled despite himself pride swelling within him as he motioned for his men to rise, "Alright men mount up."
A flutter of movement as the men scrambled to obey their lords command with all haste. A sparse moment later they stood at the ready at the gates of the Estate.
"We ride now to Saex, to the home of my Father, we're going to save Harmony," he said, in his best uplifting hero voice, before his voice dropped to a solemn grimness, "or we're gonna die trying," he said more to himself then anyone else.
They nodded resolutely none the less, Goffrey nodded back as he pulled his sword free from his scarab swinging it forth with a cry of, "FORWARD."
With that they stormed off, out the gates of Goffrey's estate in Nocaneb, down the street, out of the city, a thunderous symphony the only thing they left in their wake.
Goffrey Massey Baron of Sasat
The sky, the trees, the grass...everything was a blur. Tammo clutched the reigns tightly as he urged his horse along the road. He had always enjoyed the wind rushing through his hair, but this was no time for such simple pleasures; utmost haste was needed if this Siegfried bastard was to be caught. The dawn's red sky caught Tammo's eye. They had been riding all night long, as soon as word had reached him in Remton. He lifted up his hand, signaling to his men that they were to stop and rest the horses. As he watched the tired animals drink from the river, he motioned to his captain. "Caspar, please come here. How long until we arrive in Saex?"
"Well, milord, these maps aren't very good. We may have technically crossed the border already, but my best guess is that we won't properly be there until at least sunset."
"Damn and blast!" Tammo paused, thinking. "All right, then. Baron Goffrey has sent us a map indicating a rendezvous point in a village near the Massey estate. Prepare the scouts so that they are ready to begin surveillance as soon as we arrive. We are dealing with an extremely dangerous man: under no circumstances is anyone allowed to engage him or give him the slightest hint that we are here. "
"Yes sir. I'll make that crystal clear." Caspar turned to go.
"And for the love of the Aenil, tell everyone to be careful." Tammo let out a long sigh. He looked around, admiring the chestnut brown creatures by the riverside. They were right to enjoy this brief respite; this was going to be a very long day.
Tammo Hlessi Count of Saex
Ingvar once again looked over his copy of Goffrey's letter and map. His servant, who he had sent out to pick up his men's equipment, recounted the tale of meeting a frantic messenger who hard barged into the smithy's workshop, looking for any nobles who could aid his master's plight.
Admittedly, Ingvar was not much of a man for chivalrous adventures. The enemy he had always faced was largely faceless, either in the form of an opposing army on the battlefield or as a nameless sense of despair in his peasants' demeanor, brought on by so much death and destruction during the war with Arcachon.
Yet, he was close enough to the marked location on the map, which was about a day's worth of travel away from his position in Remton.
"I may not be the most skilled man at catching such ruffians and thieves," he thought to himself, "but it would be a nice gesture of good will towards the Nobility of Arcaea to aid in hunting down this man and hopefully finding Lady Kindon before it is too late."
"Captain Ehrl, get the men ready," he commanded, "we're headed for Saex."
Ingvar Ignatius (Lord)
Peter could barely believe his ears. While out for a stroll in the streets of Remton, he heard gossip of an abduction in Nocaneb. He saw a noble running out of the smithy, and mount his horse and ride off with a large group of troops.
Peter crossed the street to the smithy shop and asked what on earth was going on. When he had been told all the details, he ran as fast as he could back to his camp on the outskirts of town.
Entering his camp he yelled at his men to break camp and mount up immediately. The men did as they were told, asking nary a question, and they were moving out within minutes.
"Captain Tillman, Duchess Edara's cousin has been kidnapped. The villain is apparently somewhere in Saex. We spent a lot of time there before going to Obtal, and the men should remember it well.
It is believed that this kidnapping was done by some Sigfried fellow, who is rather dangerous from what I could gather. We would probably have better luck finding them on our own, but we will be putting ourselves at the service of Lord Massey. Inform the men that we will be taking our orders from him."
Peter Outman Count of Obtal
Jenred had made it to Saex in time, just barely. He rushed his flagging horse ahead of his troop into the staging area, knowing he needed to get to Goffrey before he decided to be...Well, himself. Hopefully he hadn't already snuck off...
Sir Jenred Bedwyr Imperial Magistrate of Arcaea
As Risika rode into Saex, she noticed a a foreboding air. She was not the only one you came to help save a person from a monster.
Lady Risika Hart (Dame of Remton)
Goffrey arrived at the town he had indicated on the map, not but half a day after he had departed, the break neck pace he had set all but insuring his speedy, if somewhat haggard, arrival. The fury had abated during the long ride from a white hot intensity, to a smoldering rage. The absence of the intensity had left him wide opening for another emotion, one he had thought was long gone for him, fear.
In truth Goffrey had never been more afraid in his entire life, anxiety racked him and he paced back and forth about the campsite like a nervous wreck. No matter how he tried, he could not help but think of the consequences of failure, and the mental images just sent him spiraling further downward.
'No damn it, get a grip man,' he snapped at himself, breathing deeply in and out, 'If you try and go through your crazy plan like this, then you'll just wind up getting yourself killed.
A few moments of deep breathing and Goffrey had emptied himself of all thought, everything but focus. With the new found clarity he sat down in a small clearing off to the right of his campsite, and meditated on the fight to come.
Goffrey Massey Baron of Sasat
Richter arrived at the point indicated on the map but a few hours after Goffrey had arrived. He stifled a weary yawn and dismounted his horse, as his men rushed about already in the process of setting up camp.
He rubbed his temples, as he drifted over to the edge of the clearing, thoughts of the plan his brother had implied in his letter to him causing Richter no small amount of anxiety. He shook such thoughts from his mind, instead motioning over his messenger, needing to move on with the affairs here, and establish some kind of order.
"Tell the nobles gathered here that I will be taking command of this operation," he said to the messenger, "Tell them that there will be a meeting to discuss the rescue plans in 1 hour."
The messenger nodded and turned to leave, before Richter stopped him as an after thought, "If they have a problem with my taking command, inform them of my rank my military experience, and the fact that I happen to be the spawn of that which we hunt. If they still have a problem then tell them to bring it up with me, dismissed," said Richter, calm authority in his voice, as he shooed his messenger off with a wave of his hand.
That done, Richter turned to the matter of finding his brother. He needed to learn of this plan he had, straight from its source, anything had to be better then his imagination. Richter sighed dejectedly as he marched down a path towards Goffrey's campsite, knowing full well that things could always be worse.
Richter Massey Marshal of the Tribute Collecting Army
Goffrey stood on the edge of the camp his horse tethered next to him. He was giving the animal a once over, preparing it for an hour or so of hard running. He turned his attention up from the animal, to the war tent where Richter was impressing the nobles with his vast vocabulary of tactical terms, and his ability to quote the entirety of "The Art of War" from memory alone.
They had discussed this course of action well into the night, Richter had put up a stubborn fight defiantly refusing to help Goffrey, throughout the course of the conversation. He wracked his brain for hours that night trying to come up with an alternative, but failing miserably. The whole of the incident was still fresh in Goffrey's mind, and he couldn't help but think of it while mounting his horse.
"Foolishness Goffrey," his brother had said to him, "You can't hope to face father, you've only just recovered from the last time you fought him, you can't hope to match him."
Richter paced about Goffrey, shaking his head the whole way as Goffrey spoke, "No I really can't hope to match him......not as I am."
At this Richter eyes went wide in shock, realization sunk in, and he spent the next few hours trying to dissuade his brother from the path he was taking.
"It almost killed you last time," he said and "You swore you would never do it again, YOU SWORE."
Goffrey merely responded, "I don't care, it has to be done, there's no other way."
They continued like this, circling each other well into the night, and at the cusp of the next day. Until finally Richter relented, agreeing to distract the other nobles, especially Jenred, whilst Goffrey made his escape. He said few words in parting, merely giving Goffrey tactical advice regarding his upcoming fight, and wishing him luck, it wasn't much, but it was more then he had come to expect from his brother.
The sentries at the edge of the campsite broke Goffrey from his reprieve. At first they were reluctant to let him through, but after a few choice words of Goffrey's choosing, and a bit of shamelessly throwing his weight around, and Goffrey was well on his way down the road to his home of old.
Galloping at a break neck speed he left the campsite with a single thought running through his mind, a prayer to every Aenil he could think of, and several he made up on the spot.
'Please,' his inner voice begged, 'Just let her be safe.'
The whistling in his ears, and the fullness of the noon sun, was his only response as Goffrey rode on.
Goffrey Massey Baron of Sasat
Jenred was through with this, and cut Richter off brusquely. They didn't have time for this petty one-upsmanship...
"Yes, thank you Marshal Richter, I'm sure everyone is just as impressed as I am with your scintillating description of all these terms...But we have a lady to rescue, and you indicated you had a plan. What is it?"
Sir Jenred Bedwyr Imperial Magistrate of Arcaea
Harmony had lost track of the days.
When Siegfried had first tossed her into the cell of a room, she had lain on the floor weeping. After a time, she gathered back her strength and pushed back down the fear...enough at least to get herself moving again. Agonizingly, she manoeuvred herself around on the floor, taking in the bare furnishings.
There must be some way for her to get these ropes loose. Harmony wriggled and struggled pulling and tugging...but all she managed to do was rub her wrists and ankles even more raw...the blood made the ropes more slippery, but no closer to slipping off. If she could get at the knife that hung from the cord around her neck...but it was trapped under the wrappings of rope around her chest.
Inch by painful inch she wormed her way over to the bedstead. From her vantage point, she could see that the ropes that supported the tick looked worn and rotted...maybe she could rub her wrists against one of the pegs...for about a hundred years...not that she had anything better to do...
She slid partway under the bedstead and pushed herself up enough to get her rope against one of the pegs and rubbed at it. The peg was disappointingly smooth...this had been a well-made bed...gone now to ruin. Still, Harmony persisted...right up until the aged ropes strung across the bed pulled apart and dropped the tick onto her. She floundered her way free of the disintegrating cover and escaping mouldy straw with difficulty...for a moment she had feared that she would be smothered. She lay panting for a bit before struggling back into her rubbing position...what was that?
A glint of something had caught her eye...she flomped herself onto the top of the tick and squirmed over to where...oh...she almost cried again...a cheap, rusty blade lay. It took some angling...some pushing and prodding...to get her ropes in contact with the blade...it then took a long, painful time before she had sawn through the rope and she was able to pull her hands free.
Harmony nearly screamed with the pain as blood rushed back into her wrists and hands and .moving her arms out from around her back brought tears to her eyes. It was all she could do to hold the miserable blade in her hand and cut her legs free...she lay whimpering for some time after.
Once she was able to move without crying, Harmony explored the bounds of her prison...some stale and rodent chewed bread...a bucket of...possibly water...the bed...an empty dresser...the loose floorboard...and Richter’s diary...Hmmm...she wondered if he had anything to say that might help her...
Lady Harmony Kindon (Dame of Nocaneb)
Log Entry #382
Hm, it seems that today is my birthday. I hadn’t noticed, until Goffrey reminded me of course, but still I believe that it hardly matters at this point. The rest of the day will pass by as usual, endless studies of war histories and tactics, fallowed by the afternoon “training” session, then Goffrey’s personal session which I will watch and try to learn from, and then a cold supper of dried meat and hard bread before bed.
The days events, are not why I write this, however, but what happened last night. I was sound asleep, exhausted from the training, and the bruises from my attempts to escape last week acting up again. Suddenly the iron gate in front of our room was thrust open and Goffrey’s battered form was thrown in, fallowed by a partially dressed Siegfried, obviously having just woken up.
A knife was in Goffrey’s hands and a look of crazed desperation was in his eyes. Siegfried laughed the way only he could and said, “Your not an assassin Goffrey, you’re a warrior, warriors don’t kill, warriors fight.”
He said it so simply, like we were stupid for not understanding that. He left with no further explanation, slamming the door shut and locking the gate in place before marching back to his room.
Goffrey sat where he landed against the wall, a crazed look in his eyes. Slowly his hands begin to move griping the handle the knife and holding it poised over his heart. I feared my brother had finally snapped under the pressure, “Goffrey,” I said far to calmly for the situation, “What are you doing?”
The sound of my voice seemingly reminded him that I was in the room, and he looked up at me in a befuddled manner before regaining his composure.
“Nothing,” he said, lying through his teeth, “nothing at all, go back to sleep.”
He rose to his feet suddenly, and headed over to where his matt lay on the floor next to the bed. He stopped mid steep and looked at the knife, a look of disgust entered his eyes as he cast it against the wall, before slipping onto the matt and falling into a deep sleep.
I realized that my brother had come to a cross road between life and death, and he had chosen life over the alternative. Despite everything Siegfried had done to us, every burden pilled onto my brother’s shoulders (myself included), every nightmare made real, every obstacle thrown in our path, he still choose live.
For awhile after I laid awake, contemplating as I usually did during the few times I had to myself. Eventually I resolved to be like my brother, and choose life over the easy way out, no matter the cost.
~Continued proof that I was alive... ~Richter Massey
(OOC: Yes this is the diary entry, Harmony would have read, for reference see Harmony's rp post above)
Richter Massey Marshal of the Tribute Collecting Army
Tammo sat through Richter's speech feeling rather confused. He had of course accepted Richter's command - Richter was his marshal and Siegfried was Richter's father, after all - but Tammo couldn't quite figure out why they had set up a war tent. He knew it was important to discuss tactics, but this felt more like a lecture than a battle plan. Tammo also thought it was strange that Goffrey wasn't present. Goffrey had probably already discussed things with Richter, but wouldn't he want to be involved with planning with the other nobles?
Tammo was very relieved when Jenred interrupted Richter. He had a feeling that the other nobles were growing restless, not to mention all of their men waiting outside.
Tammo Hlessi Count of Saex
Richter cast his eyes about the meeting, noting the quite display of impatience written in everyone's face. He let out a sigh as he turned back to the maps he had pinned up behind.
"Alright gentlemen, here's the short version. If Siegfried spots us moving in on the manor, the hostage's chances of survival fall about 85%. Now what that means is we have to time this operation perfectly so the situation prevents him from noticing our movements before its too late."
He paused for a moment and turned back to the maps, pulling a pointer from the meeting table.
"The manor," he said, indicting what he was talking about with the pointer, "is completely free of coverage for about 30 feet in all directions, and there are 3 distinct vantage points upon the manor that could allow a single man to watch the entire circumference of the manor," he indicated the vantage points by pulling down another map from the roller atop the board and pointing to them with the stick.
"Because of this, the best time of approach would be during twilight, we'll approach from the west, with the sun to our backs, allowing the glare to cover our movements. We'll have about 5 minutes of optimal coverage and 7 minutes of partial coverage after the initial 5 minutes."
That said Richter pulled down another map, this time a sort of blue print of the manor interior.
"Once inside the manor itself we'll have two objectives to fulfill, the primary of the two being the security of the hostage, and the secondary of the two being establishing a perimeter within the manor itself to prevent Siegfried from making his escape. Peter and Tammo will be in charge of covering the secondary objective, there are two means of entering and exiting the ground floor."
"The rest of us will split up into groups of 10 and close in on three possible holding positions," he said waving the pointer to indicate the spots, "Jenred will converge here, I will converge here, and Goffrey will converge here."
"Our archers will hold position outside of the manor, and keep a watch on the previously indicated vantage points, providing suppressive fire where needed."
"Two rules of engagement I would like to cover at this point, Number one and most important; if you run into my father within the manor, DO NOT engage him, fall back and send a messenger for support, try to keep tabs on him, but DO NOT engage. Number Two; Under no means are you to enter the basement of the manor, the environment under the house is far to unstable for a large number of men to be within it. If you spot Siegfried heading down there DO NOT PERUSE, establish a perimeter, and inform me of the situation. If need be we'll simply bring the house down on top of him."
Richter stopped at this point glancing back at the nobles with speculative eyes, "Any questions?"
Richter Massey Marshal of the Tribute Collecting Army
Jenred shook his head, indicating he had no questions. Wasn't the best plan, and where in the name of the Aenil Richter was getting these numbers from he didn't know, but he couldn't come up with anything better, and using the glare would...Well, it couldn't hurt, anyway...
Sir Jenred Bedwyr Imperial Magistrate of Arcaea
Peter nodded his accent to his part in the plan. He thought the plan was rather flawed, but didn't want the others to see his thoughts. He and his men would follow the plan to the letter, after all, this was Richter's father. Perhaps he knew how best to deal with him, though Peter was not so sure. All that mattered was that the Lady Harmony needed rescuing. If the plan fell apart, it would not be because Peter didn't follow his instructions to the letter.
Peter Outman Count of Obtal
Harmony flipped ahead to the last, unencrypted entry in the book, thinking that starting from the end and going backwards would revel useful information the faster. Truth be told, she really just needed something to distract her from her current situation, less panic set in again.
So she grabbed the book, flipped the pages, and read....
Log Entry#749
(Blood stains the pages, and frantic scribbling takes the place of the careful hand writing of the previous pages)
I’ve discovered it, the reason for his eyes, the absolute and horrible truth. Only I dare not believe, for the implications chill me to my bone.
I can’t breathe....(Several lines of illegible hand writing follow)
...follow me to my grave. I have gazed into the abyss and it has gazed back into me in turn.
It happened today, I was browsing the sections of books that Siegfried specifically forbade us from reading, probably just to goad us into reading them anyway. I wouldn’t have even been there if Goffrey hadn’t insisted on doing it.
Oh God I think I’m gonna be sick....(A dark stain blots out the next few lines of words)
...history of our family linage. That’s when we learned it......IT.....I dare not even write......but I must.....(the ink thickens here indicating additional force and concentration applied, possibly to steady a shacking hand.)
She was only 21 when it happened, our great grandmother. On that day our family was corrupted and the seeds of future generations were damned forever....
Tell me, what do you do when you learn that your entire family was sired by....monsters. (another dark stain covers the lower half of the page, blotting out all the hand writing)
The book contained detailed directions on how to summon it, now I know that Siegfried wanted us to find this, wanted us to learn it.
I can’t think......to much....(several lines of incomplete sentences follow)
Its true what they say, those who fight monsters, should take care that they do not become monsters themselves... ...the horror, the horror......(the log trails off from here, filled with incomplete sentences, and lines of thought that seem entirely misplaced, all other entries after this one are encrypted, readable only by Richter)
(OOC: Well that was my attempt to write as someone temporarily insane due to dramatic shock, I hope I didn't screw it up. Oh and I used a quote from a famous philosopher, a cookie to whoever can guess the philosopher, Jake you can't play)
Richter Massey Marshal of the Tribute Collecting Army
Richter heaved an exasperated sigh as he collapsed into his seat at the head of the table, rubbing his temples in an attempt to relieve his growing head ache. Admittedly, the plan had not been his best, and given enough time, he would have come up with a better one. But sense he had spent most of the night circling Goffrey like the plague, it was the only thing his sleep addled mind could come up with in an hour and a half.
Thinking of Goffrey made Richter suddenly very thirsty for something very alcoholic, but he needed to stay sober for the next part of his plan. He had promised Goffrey that he would stall the nobles here to prevent them from getting in the way of what he was about to do. However, he never said how long the delay had to last, and Richter had no intention of leaving his brother out to dry like this.
As he rose to dismiss the nobles to their men, he qued Captain Udo. Udo walked in with an urgency, perhaps overtly dramatic, but he played his part well. He leaned against Richter's ear, and made like he was whispering something important. Richter turned to look at him incredulously, "Are you certain?"
Udo merely nodded, as Richter rose once again turning to address the men gathered, "I've just received word from the sentries, it seems Goffrey left camp an hour ago in the direction of the manor and has not returned sense, it seems we now have to force our hand, prepare your men gentlemen, we ride for Massey Manor within the hour."
Richter Massey Marshal of the Tribute Collecting Army
Jenred began cursing as he ran out to gear up. Goffrey...
He sighed. This is what happens when you become friends with a Hero...
Sir Jenred Bedwyr Imperial Magistrate of Arcaea
Richter’s diary had disturbed Harmony immeasurably. The steady diet of tactics and “training”...locked in their room the rest of the time...all detailed over and over...as perfectly ordinary occurrences...were enough to make her want to weep. She would have thought Siegfried merely insane if not for Richter’s last, confused entry. Did he mean that their family was mixed with literal monsters? He seemed to...the note about Siegfried’s eyes...she shuddered at the thought of them. His eyes were inhuman looking...could he really be part monster? Harmony had seen plenty of monsters in her day...and taken out her fair share of them...but she had had a sword then...and more knives than the two pitiful ones at her disposal. Moreover...the average monster wasn’t that smart...Siegfried was...in his own scary, crazy way. And what did that say about Goffrey and Richter? Was that where the secret of Goff's remarkable recovery lay?
After replacing the diary, Harmony considered her options. There weren’t many. Her main goal was to stay alive. People would come for her. She just had to not be dead when they got here...or immediately killed when they did. Her weapons were limited...Harmony cursed at herself. In her hunting days, she slept fully clothed, with her boots on, and weapons at hand...even before that she had been much more careful. Players on the road learned to take care. But, her soft life as a noble had caused her to lose her native caution.
Harmony considered. The knife in the sheath hanging from her neck was a small blade...really only an emergency back-up. She was also hampered from getting at it by her nightshift. Using Goffrey’s old blade, she poked into the front of her shift, just below her breasts and then tore it across...just enough that she could slide her hand into it. The knife was held into the sheath by two loops of cord. Harmony released one of them...she could slide the other off and pull the blade down in a heartbeat.
The other knife would be more difficult to conceal...but she thought that she could use a strip of her shift to tie it around her hips. Another convenient tear, and she would be able to pull it free. First though...Harmony approached the bed...she was going to take it apart. She rather fancied that she could use the pieces of it as cudgels of a sort. And, with Goff’s knife-handle as her hammer, she set about unpegging the bed.
Lady Harmony Kindon (Dame of Nocaneb)
Edara felt as though she were living in a nightmare. She had rushed to Uncle Dougal when they had first heard the news. She had never seen him so ashen. They had fallen into each other’s arms and held on for a long time before he took her to see Harmony’s room. There was no question that she had been taken. If her boots and weapons didn’t tell the story, the broken latch on the balcony door certainly did.
Dougal couldn’t rest. While Edara was looking at the room, he went out to personally question everyone in the surrounding houses to see if they had seen or heard anything. After spending hours on what turned out to be a pointless task, he met Edara back at the castle where she had returned to deal with the ordinary business of the Duchy. Dougal’s heart was heavy. He had been dissuaded from going out with the searchers only by the thought of being far from any news, but he hated feeling useless. How could he find his daughter and then lose her again so soon? Not another daughter…he thought of his poor lost Lek…he didn’t think that he could bear it.
The reports were scanty and discouraging: no one had seen anything; no one knew anything; the searchers hadn’t found anything.
“How by all the gods could no one have seen anything?” Dougal raged, “He’s not a ruddy ghost; there should be some sign!”
When they at last received the word that there had been a note…that it was indeed Siegfried who had taken Harmony…and a location at which to meet, Dougal was on his feet in an instant.
“I’ll take Harmony’s troop along with my men,” he said, heading for the door.
“Uncle Dougal! You can’t…I mean…there are others who can go. You shouldn’t…”
Dougal silenced Edara with a look, “She’s my daughter. You think that I am too old? Too crippled?” he slapped his bum leg, “I’ll not sit by while other men go after my girl. I was a warrior before most of these lads were born…doesn’t make me useless…just means I know a thing or two. Regardless…I’m going.”
Edara nodded in resignation, “Jenred’s already on his way,” she raised her chin even though it trembled, “I’d very much like both of you to come back in one piece…with Harmony. And I’d very much like that Siegfried to be dead. I should be proud that the men I love don’t wait around for anyone else to do the rescuing and killing for them…and I am…but I don’t have to like that there’s a need for it.”
She waited until he had departed before putting her head down and crying.
Lady Edara Kindon Duchess of Nocaneb
Goffrey rode up to the front of his old home, the dark foreboding he remembered from his childhood only increasing with time. Goffrey stayed in the shadow of the house, as if it would spring to life at any moment and swallow him whole. Movement pulled his eyes up, and that when he saw him.
Siegfried locked eyes with his son as he starred down at him from his perch. An unknown amount time passed as the two continued to square off against one another, before Siegfried finally broke eye contact and disappeared back into the house, trying very hard, but also failing, to stifle his laughter.
Goffrey watched as his father disappeared back into the house, the fury returning full force as he gritted his teeth. He dismounted his horse and strode up to the front door. He slammed his foot into the door, splintering the charred wood into fragments that rained down onto the floor. He stood in the door way he had created starring into the darkness of the house like he was staring down the throat of a horribly large monster.
He pushed his fears aside, he didn't have time for them, they were a distraction he couldn't afford at this point, nevertheless as Goffrey strode into the house he couldn't shake the feeling that he was crawling into the belly of the beast.
Siegfried strode through the hallways, intent on making it to the great hall before Goffrey did. He had orchestrated the whole thing to the point that Goffrey would have no choose BUT to wind up in the great hall.
'And once he's there,' thought Siegfried as he rounded a corner,'Well...we'll just have to see.'
He stopped in his trek as a thought accrued to him, something to tip the scales in the direction he was aiming for. His plan in mind he back trekked back down the hall, doubling his pace too compensate for his time loss. He arrived at the door Goffrey and Richter's old room. He pressed his ear against the door through the bars of the iron gate, listening for any sound.
'A quickening heart beat, hurried breathing.....fear,' thought Siegfried as he pulled his head from the door and lift the iron gate up.
Carefully he pushed the door open and surveyed the room. His eyes fell on the large lump occupying the bed, probably there to lull him into a false sense of security, but the obvious lack of movement, despite the loud noise the iron gate made as it rose, and the apparent deformities kind of ruined the whole thing.
Siegfried smiled, it had not been a bad plan, if he had been stupider, or mortal for that matter, he might have fallen for it.
'Still,' he thought coldly,'might as well play along, oh how this brings back memories.'
A minute passed before Siegfried finally strode into the room, walking cautiously, but not so slow as to let on he had seen through the rouse. The door slammed shut behind him as soon as he had cleared it, and the dark figure of Harmony leapt upon him with an improvised club in her hands, but Siegfried had been waiting for this, and he ducked below the swing of the club, knocking it from the girl's hands while she was still off balance from her swing.
The blade of the knife in Harmony's hands caught the torch light as it flashed out towards Siegfried. Before it could make contact, however, an open fist punch landed in his mid section, knocking the wind out of her. She flailed about widely with the knife as she fought to regain her breath, making brief contact with the skin before Siegfried hand seized the one holding the knife.
Harmony struggled against Siegfried as best she could given the lack of air, but it was all in vain as Siegfried pulled a length of rope from his belt and reapplied the knots to Harmony's wrists. He tied her ankles, having to pinch a nerve on her leg to get her to stop kicking.
That done, he hauled Harmony over his shoulder and proceeded on his way back to the hall, keeping a firm grip just encase she would stupid enough to wiggle her way down to the floor, as he really didn’t have time to stop and pick her up.
Siegfried entered the hall to find it vacant making his job a hell of a lot easier. He walked to the back of the room where a solitary pole stood in defiance of the ceiling the threatening to collapse on them all. Dropping the girl down abruptly he pulled all the remaining rope on his belt and tied the girl to the pole.
That done, Siegfried gagged her, to keep the interruptions to a minimum, it wouldn’t do to have her open her mouth and talk Goffrey out of doing something stupid. Siegfried stood back smiling the way only he could and looked square into the girls eyes.
“Don’t worry, your part in this is almost done, all you have to do now is stand there and enjoy the show.....and who knows I may decide not to kill you,” he laughed a cold biting laugh as he strode away from the poor girl.
“You read the Journal entry right,” said Siegfried as he looked over his shoulder at the tied up girl, “The last one before he started to encrypt them.......tell me,” he said as if he actually expected an answer from his gagged victim, “how do you suppose Goffrey will go about finding a way to beat me, hmm?”
He laughed as he melded into the shadows obscuring the right side of the hall, “Think about that,” he said, his voice echoing across the chamber, “while you prepare to meet my TRUE son.”
Goffrey Massey Baron of Sasat
Harmony knew she was in trouble as soon as Siegfried opened the door and took a full minute to step through it. He knew she was there...no question. However, she was committed now...because she didn’t like any of the reasons that he might be coming into her room.
Siegfried stepped through and slammed the door shut behind him. Damnation! She had hoped for a shot at dodging through the door...even as she was thinking this, Harmony was in motion...swinging the plank full-force at Siegfried’s head. He surely wouldn’t be expecting her to attack from so far away...but...apparently he was. He dodged with inhuman speed, grabbing the plank and pulling her off-balance. Her first weapon gone, flying across the room, and Siegfried far too close, Harmony pulled Goff’s knife free and stabbed for his belly. His fist in her gut stole her breath and nearly paralyzed her for a moment. She managed to retain her grip on the knife, cutting a long slash across his arm before he grabbed her wrist and knocked the knife free.
Harmony struggled valiantly...slamming her head back against him, wrenching and twisting in his hands, and kicking hard with her unfortunately bare feet. What she wouldn’t give for her boots right now! She was never sleeping without them on again. Despite her efforts he soon had her retied...but, at least she'd made him bleed this time.
“They will kill you, you pestilence...your time is ticking,” Harmony gasped at him as he slung her over his shoulder and carried her from the room, “No one is invulnerable.”
He gave her no response but an evil chuckle as he strode rapidly to what must be the manor’s great hall...it must have been lovely once...the stray thought passed through her mind as he tied her to a pole and then--the greatest indignity--stuffed a gods-be-damned gag into her mouth.
Siegfried’s next words made her blood run cold. Goffrey was here. Bloody great fool! Her worst fear realized...his damn heroics were going to get him killed and her along with him. Harmony moaned...where was Edara? Where was Jenred? Where were the blasted troops?
And what precisely was it that Siefried thought that Goff was going to do?
Lady Harmony Kindon (Dame of Nocaneb)
Once Edara had cried herself out, she got angry. Why exactly was it that she had decided to stay behind? To hold court? To police the streets? She called for Captain Lambert.
“Ready the men, Captain. We march for Saex…at once. The Duchy will just have to get along without us.”
Lambert grinned at her before he remembered the circumstances. His face falling into a more somber expression, he nodded at her and left to get the troop together. Edara changed her clothes and prepared her field pack. She was going over a few last minute items with her steward, when it occurred to her…she didn’t have to leave her Nocaneb unattended…she knew just the man to keep things ticking along in case her absence was…extended. She wrote a brief note and instructed her steward to have it delivered immediately. She knew that Arlian wouldn’t let her down.
Lady Edara Kindon Duchess of Nocaneb
Goffrey walked through the house with all the trepidation of entering a tomb. The shadows at the edge of his vision stirred constantly, as if thousands of diamons loomed just outside of sight, waiting for the chance to pounce. His hand never left his sword as he made his way through his home of old.
He walked silently through the house, stretching his sense to their limit to avoid an ambush in the darkness. Goffrey knew his father intended to fight him, and to do that he would need a large, open space.
But Siegfried also had a flair for dramatics, he wouldn’t pick any ordinary large open space, he would pick place worthy of his bloated sense of theatrics.
Goffrey knew of only one place above ground that fit the description, the great hall.
Not that he had much choice, as most of the other hallways strewn about the house had collapsed, or lead to dead ends. Goffrey didn’t like it, it felt too much like he was being lead by a leash to an ambush, but then again he had expected as much from his father.
Minutes passed as Goffrey set his sights on the entrance to the hall, the door framed by cracks of light peaking out from the edges. He examined the door carefully, partially wary of possible traps, and also out of a paralyzing sense of anxiety.
Goffrey breathed deep, cleansing himself in a single deep exhale, before gripping the handle of the door. The knob turned slowly, agonizingly so, to the point where Goffrey was sure he would go mad before the door even opened.
The click of the tumblers visibly shook Goffrey back to the world about him, and with a deep breath, he pushed the door open.
The light of the torches blinded him at first, as he moved his hand to cover his eyes while they adjusted. As sight returned to him, he noticed a figure near the back of the room, seemingly tied to a large wooden.
With the return of his vision, came a sudden sense of elation, he had found Harmony.
’Ok then, maybe I wont have to fight at all,’ he thought as he made his way over to her, ’maybe I can just get Harmony out of here, and….’
His thoughts were cut off abruptly as the creak of charred wood alerted him to the presence of someone behind him. His face darkened from elation back to grim resolve instantly as he whirled on his attacker, sword drawn.
Sparks flew, and steel rang against steel, as the sudden unexpected clash caught the figure off guard, although Goffrey really didn’t need a clear picture of him to know who he was. The two jumped back, putting about 2 yards between themselves as they squared off against each other. “So,” said Siegfried, his impossibly cold eyes piercing through Goffrey as well as any sword, “The prodigal son has returned.”
The two circled each other, matching each other steep for steep, hands gripped firmly on their swords and their eyes locked with the others.
Rage choked back any rebuttal he might have had, as the two continued to circle, a snarl spilled from his lips in its place, as he knuckles whitened around the hilt of his sword.
Siegfried laughed his biting laugh, turning the joyous expression into something monstrous the way only he could.
“A might bit peeved are we,” he said, condescension and arrogance oozing from him, “Good, maybe we can avoid a repeat of our last little sparing match, took me forever to get all that blood off my sword.”
Suddenly Goffrey bolted, closing the space between them in a fraction of a second, his sword struck out, colliding with his fathers parry in a cascade of raw fury. Suddenly Siegfried spun out of the power struggle and appeared behind his son.
Goffrey turned, anger fueling his speed, but he had caught the movement too late, and the only thing he found behind him was a foot plowing into his mid section. The blow connected with jarring force driving the air, among other things, from Goffrey’s lungs, and sending him stumbling back into a wall, as he double over to regain his breath.
Siegfried chuckled a little as he paced back in forth in front of his prone son, never once taking his eyes from him. “Poor little Goffrey,” he said, “Can’t protect anything, not the women he loves, not the brother he’s grown so attached to, not even himself.”
Goffrey lunged forward from his position, forgoing air for the opening Siegfried had seemingly left. Siegfried waited, his trademark grin not wavering in the slightest, then side stepped Goffrey’s lung, seizing his hands in an iron grip, before turning his momentum against him, and flipping him onto the floor.
Goffrey didn’t miss a beat, lashing at with a kick from his position on the ground, which Siegfried blocked, but allowed Goffrey to jump to his feet. He wasn’t there long, before Siegfried pressed his attack, thrust his sword for Goffrey’s heart. Goffrey interposed his sword between himself and Siegfried’s at the last minute, but the force of the blow knocked him off balance, leaving an opening a mile wide over his midsection.
Siegfried exploited the opening to its full effect, sending Goffrey tumbling across the room with another devastating kick.
Siegfried stood over Goffrey, as he struggled to regain his feet, “You know, you can’t win Goffrey not as you are, no you’re too weak, your humanity is weighing you down, and because of that you’ll never be as fast as me.”
Siegfried was still grinning as he turned and walked away from Goffrey, “I know what you’re thinking now,” he said, stopping and looking over his shoulder from five feet away, “is it really worth it, am I really willing to pay such a price.”
Now it was Goffrey’s turned to laugh, as he gave up in his attempts to stand again. The laughter was dark, bitter, distorted, different, not fully human. Goffrey’s laughter abated, as his eyes fell to the floor, invisible in the shadow of the torch light, “That’s where your wrong father, that’s where you are so very wrong.”
For the first time in a very long time, Siegfried dropped his air of unbreakable confidence in general befuddlement.
Goffrey lifted his face, revealing a change, “I pay it gladly.”
Goffrey’s eyes were no longer his own. Now they mirrored his father’s, almost exactly, save for one thing, where Siegfried’s eyes were bone chillingly cold, Goffrey’s eyes burned.
The distance between the two was reduced to virtually nothing as Goffrey surged forth, nothing but a blur now. The shock that had momentarily seized Siegfried vanished as instinct took over, causing him to raise his sword and intercept Goffrey’s moments before it cut him in two.
The two pushed against each other, eyes and swords locked, as the dance was on.
“At last,” said Siegfried through gritted teeth, strain showing in his voice “Now you know what it means to hate.”
“My Hate, this thing I have become, all you have ever done to me and those that I love” snarled Goffrey, seemingly gaining strength through his words, “DIES WITH YOU”
With a last powerful push Goffrey broke past his father’s guard, cutting a small red line across his mid section as Siegfried jumped out of serious harm.
The two squared off again, the blood on the tip of Goffrey’s sword dripping down to the floor. Shock covered the whole of Siegfried’s face, as he took two of his fingers and wiped them across the shallow cut left behind, coming back with a small trace of blood.
He stood there staring at the blood on his finger tips, he face contorting from shock to resignation and finally to elation. A crazed laugh spilled from Siegfried’s lips, as he lost himself to the moment, seemingly pouring all his insanity out in that single laugh.
Goffrey stood stoically where he was, resolve chiseled firmly into his face and new eyes. Finally Siegfried regained his composure and his laughter abated until it was nothing more then a bad memory.
“Well then,” he said, his arrogance back full force, “If you’re so sure of yourself, then show me this death you promise me.”
Goffrey said nothing in response, instead tightening his stance and launching himself forward, as Siegfried responded in kind.
Only one thing was certain at this point, it was only the beginning.
He had missed most of the planning stage, but Euran was not going to miss out on a real monster hunt. His men marched steadily towards the ruined Massey manor - soldiers could be seen on watch, ready to prevent Siegfried's escape. Also visible was the chaos of various troops of men trying to organise themselves, as the call went up for an attack on the manor.
Leading his force of 30 heavily armed soldiers wielding brutal long axes, the baron of Lantzas quickly approached the manor. He believed that he could make out the Imperial Magistrate ahead of him, but it was only a glimpse before his troops entered the ruined manor themselves.
"Siegfried!" Bellowed Euran's mighty voice. "Show yourself!" His men began a frantic search for the Lord of Sasat and his prey.
Euran Yetisbane Kandurell Baron of Lantzas
Goffrey charged his father, as his father responded in kind, meeting each other half way. They became a spinning whirl wind of swords, sparks flying all around them as their swords clashed with each other again and again. The two broke off their assault abruptly, jumping back and circling one another, gauging the other in an attempt to find a weak spot.
Goffrey felt, good, like he was actually seeing the world for the first time, what was flat and plain before now seemed vibrant and colorful. He had never felt so light, so powerful, in his life, but at the same time, he felt, empty, as if something was gone, something he needed to make it all meaningful.
Goffrey pushed such problems to the side, realizing that he needed to survive the present before he could worry about the future. The two continued to circle each, when suddenly they stopped in unison, and charge one another.
Siegfried cut low, aiming at Goffrey’s legs with his sword. Goffrey leapt over Siegfried’s attack, slicing for Siegfried neck as he leapt past him. Siegfried ducked under Goffrey’s lung and spun around, swinging his sword out, attempting to catch Goffrey during his land. Goffrey spun in time with his father, clashing his sword against Siegfried’s like gears meshing against each other.
The two danced about each other, fighting like they had choreographed the whole fight before hand. Goffrey ducked, blocked, and weaved about his father’s attacks, his entire body flowing like water. The exchange ground to a halt, as father and son each seized a grip with the other’s sword hilt, and wrestled to overcome the other.
A knee suddenly landed in Goffrey’s gut causing him to stumble and loose his grip on his sword. Siegfried size the opportunity and launched himself forward, twin swords whirling around him like a cyclone of steel. Goffrey went on the defensive, retreating back across the room dodging his fathers sword strikes the whole way.
The firm press of wood against Goffrey’s back was the first indication that he had run out of room, and he stood staring death in the face as he cast his eyes about desperate to find a means of escape. A low hanging wooden beam just out of reach caught Goffrey’s eye second before his father was upon him.
Goffrey ducked down under the first sword stroke, coiling himself up for his leap, jumping just as the second sword stabbed for his heart, impaling nothing but wood in his wake. Catching himself on the wooden beam, Goffrey lanced out with both feet, connecting firmly with Siegfried, sending him tumbling back the way he had come, minus one sword.
Goffrey wasted no time in retrieving his errant weapon from where it was impaled upon the wood. Siegfried was already making his way back towards his son when Goffrey turned to face him. Goffrey marched out to meet him, both of them keeping a slow steady pace until barely any space divided the two and the fight was on again. Pushing himself for all he was, Goffrey drove Siegfried back across all the ground he had gained, his blows coming in as hard as thunder and as innumerable as rain. By the time the two had come back to where they were both Siegfried and Goffrey were covered in minor cuts and bruises, breaths coming out in gasps.
Goffrey’s head was starting to spin, and his vision was starting to blur. His bones ached, and his muscles felt like they had been lit on fire. Suddenly his whole body convulsed, and warm blood flew from his mouth in ragged coughs.
Siegfried, regarded his son with his cold eyes, disappointment clearly reflected there, “What already, I had hopped you would of lasted longer then this.”
Siegfried sighed as his head swung low with disappointment, “It seems your body can only take so much, you’ve overexerted yourself my son, if you don’t stop now your body will tear itself apart from the inside out.”
Goffrey fell to his knees, pain leaving his feet unsteady, as he continued to cough up blood. But he wasn’t about to let a little thing like internal bleeding stop him, he staggered to his feet, spat the blood pooling in his mouth out, and tightened his grip on his sword.
“Whatever it takes,” he said calmly, not wavering in the slightest.
Siegfried half turned away from Goffrey, chuckling through his teeth, before turning back and lunging at Goffrey with his inhuman speed. Goffrey met his father half way, keeping up with his father only by the skin of his teeth.
Their swords rang against each other in a symphony of clashing steel and raining sparks. Goffrey gritted his teeth in frustration as he struggled to keep an increasingly unstable body together while fighting his father. Blows rained down on him, and he stumbled back with 3 new cuts and a dislocated left arm added to his list of injuries. His eyes were back to normal, one closed by blood running down his head, his breath coming out in ragged gasps. He gritted his teeth as he forced his arm back into place with an audible pop.
Siegfried stood where he was, little worse off then he had been, eyeing his son with all the care a hawk shows for it prey, “Its over Goffrey accept your failure, and you may yet redeem yourself.”
Goffrey’s eyes came alight once again at his father’s words, and he ground his teeth as he charged towards his father, wounds completely forgotten in his rage.
Siegfried sighed in annoyance as he charged fourth as well, marching his son’s rage with cold disdain.
A clash of steel, and the two passed each other with no visible damage to either of them, until Goffrey realized he was missing half of his sword. Suddenly blood sprayed forth from a now opening wound on his left shoulder, forcing Goffrey to his knees as he coughed up even more blood.
Siegfried sighed deeper this time as he head back to his son, circling him like a vulture as he appraised his kneeled form, doubled over and coughing up blood.
“Disappointing,” he said, as he continued to circle, “So very disappointing, I really expected better of you.”
He stopped after the third circle, standing directly in front of Goffrey, “Maybe your not worth keeping alive after all,” he said, placing his sword on Goffrey’s right shoulder, as Goffrey pulled himself up and starred his father in his eyes, all the light gone from his steal blue orbs. Siegfried brought his sword up, and around aiming for Goffrey’s neck in a sort of ritual decapitation. Goffrey stared death in the face and did not flinch, did not close his eyes, having lost any will to do much of anything when the full realization of the futility of it all came crashing down on him.
Siegfried’s blade stopped a mere centimeter from Goffrey’s neck, merely leaving a small cut as it pressed against his neck. Siegfried chuckled as he withdrew his sword, dragging it along Goffrey’s neck as his son grunted in pain.
“Well,” he said, turning his back to his broken son, “At least you’re prepared to die with some dignity. Perhaps you are worth sparing after all, though I still believe a punishment is in order for this whole debacle.”
Siegfried turned and eyes his son’s left arm speculatively, “I supposed, you only need one arm to swing a sword anyway,” he said, a sadistic grin covering his face as he lay his sword against his son’s shoulder.
Goffrey stayed where he was, barely breathing, barely alive, and waited. He watched his father raised his sword, and did nothing, not even caring anymore.
’Whats the point,’ he thought, as he waited for his fate, ’I tried everything I could think of, fought with everything I had, until nothing was left, and changed nothing, why should I even bother, I have nothing, I am nothing…..”
Then he remember, just what he had, the face of his brother popped into his mind, cynical and stoic, but also caring in his own way, and warm when no one was looking. Next came Eugen then Jenred, tried and true friends that cared about him. Finally came Harmony.
Realization returned to him, and light came to his eyes as he realized that death was an inconvenience he could not afford, not now anyways. As his father’s sword fell, Goffrey raised the remnants of his shattered blade holding it aloft with both hands, and supporting the weight of it with his shoulder. He looked up, and noticed the shock and surprised on Siegfried’s face, and behind him the sagging roof held up by a single peg of wood straining against its enormous burden. A crazy desperate plan formed in Goffrey’s mind, as he lashed out with his foot, sending Siegfried tumbling back into the wall, as he half ran, half crawled back to where the pointed end of his sword was imbedded in the floor. Sliding down next to it he scooped it up and took careful aim.
He let the blade fly just as Siegfried rushed to where he lay, standing over him like the specter of death.
“You missed,” he said, as he raised his sword, above his head.
“Wasn’t aiming for you,” said Goffrey as the sound of wood giving way under extreme weight caused Siegfried to turn around. Siegfried was almost instantly floor by the heavy load of charred wood falling down onto him. Goffrey scrambled to his feet, and ran his battered body clear of the collapsing roof. He was almost clear when a timber collided with him and sent him spiraling to the ground, where he was partially covered in fragments of blackened wood.
His body lay prone for several minutes afterward as it struggled against the comforting embrace of darkness that loomed on the edge of its vision.
With an effort Goffrey clawed its way clear of the wood, unscathed save for a few more bruises. Once clear he pulled himself to his feet and staggered over to Harmony, each steep feeling like a mile.
He untied her and removed the gag around her neck, and flashed her the most reassuring grin he could with blood running down half his face.
“Its ok,” he said weakly, “Everything’s okay.”
Suddenly his legs gave out and his body collapsed underneath him, a smile was still on his face as he drifted off to the abyss.
Goffrey Massey Baron of Sasat
The battle had been a blur to Harmony. The combatants had been moving incredibly fast...inhumanly fast, even Goffrey. They had danced in and out, swords clashing...her heart had sunk when Goff had fallen to his knees and Siegfried had circled in for the kill...what happened next had been unclear...Goffrey had dashed for his sword, thrown it...and the next thing that she knew, half the roof was collapsing...on top of Siegfried.
Goffrey had almost made it clear, only to be clipped by one of the crashing beams. Still, he struggled to his feet and made his way to her...covered in soot and blood...otherwise, he looked like he always did...actually, she was rather used to seeing him covered in blood...
After untying her...he collapsed at her feet.
“Oh Goffrey, you idiot!” Harmony knelt beside him and began going over his wounds. The cut on his shoulder was deep...she cut the bottom off her shift and used it to staunch the flow of blood. A few more pieces for other wounds...at this rate, she would be half naked before help arrived.
Harmony certainly hoped that help was on the way. Shifting Goffrey would be quite an effort, and she really didn’t want to stay in this death-trap any longer than she had to.
Lady Harmony Kindon (Dame of Nocaneb)
Euran and his men had searched for some time before the deafening sound of collapsing timbers drew them towards the site of mayhem. The baron had begun to run before the last creaks died away, his huscarls following behind and struggling to keep up in their heavy armour.
It was something of a disappointment to find that the action was over before he arrived, but Euran saw that now was not the time for complaints of that nature. As he strode towards Harmony and the fallen warrior, his eyes flickered out over the ruins. Nothing, man or beast, could have survived that. Surely. Yet Siegfried had proved unbelievably resilient before; since it was clear that Goffrey was not quite yet at death's door (although he had certainly come a long way down the path leading up to it), the baron of Lantzas decided that making sure of the monster's destruction was a priority.
"I would stake my whole fortune that no man could survive a collapse like that. With Siefried however, I wouldn't bet a copper piece. That man... that monster... I will not feel safe until his mangled head is stuck on a pike at the top of Castle Lantze! Then again, shifting all that rubble might be difficult.."
Putting the villain's ultimate fate out of his mind for now, Euran's mind turned to that of the victor, if Goffrey's battered body could be called that. He towered above the bedraggled Harmony and her patient; parts of her clothing had apparently been the first sacrifice to the Baron of Sasat's wounds, but Euran could tell that this was no time for lewd comments. Crouching to their level, he said, his bass voice almost tender,
"He'll live, I'm sure. The man has to survive. He's been through far worse! Nothing we can do for him here though - we need to get him back to camp." Euran lifted the warrior's limp body from the ground and turned to walk as quickly as was safely possible from the site of the collapse.
"Goffrey. You... you aren't a hero. You're more than that. You're a berserker! I would be hard put to find such a ferocious fighter in all of Norland. You..." With a noise that could have been either admiration or disbelief, Euran finished, "You had better tell me what happened when you wake up!" Shaking his head, the baron left the ruins, heading directly for the army's camp.
Euran Yetisbane Kandurell Baron of Lantzas
At the shouts of some of Baron Euran's men, Jenred and his guard came running. After a quick discussion with the Baron, the two lords began heading back to camp with Euran's troop, while Jenred's men marked the position of the fall. They quickly gathered up the rest of the troops running around, and improvised a stretcher for Goffrey. The first priority was to save the gods-be-damned stupid idiotic piece of moronic...Jenred killed this unproductive line of thought. Once Goffrey was in the hands of the Healers (who had been warned by runners that the hero was badly wounded), then they needed to gather up all the oil they could...They might not be able to shift the pile, but they could certainly burn it completely.
Sir Jenred Bedwyr Imperial Magistrate of Arcaea
Continued in Retuning Harmony
