Arcaea/Dining Hall Late 08-09/A Snake in the Grass
After a short service for the dying, Pelinal made his way to Duchess Edara's camp, and waved his invitation in her soldiers faces.
"I have been invited by the Lady Edara and I have gone through extensive pains to see her. I demand to at once."
Sir Pelinal II Himoura (Priest of Magna Aenilia Ecclesia)
"Oh, is Brother Pelinal here already?" Edara looked up from her correspondence in surprise.
If the priest hadn't been trying to see her for weeks, she might have delayed him yet again. She had wanted to spend some time at the healer's tent with her men...and then she was going to see Jenred. Well...a small delay wouldn't hurt...
"Send him in, Fin," she nodded at her man, "And then see to some refreshments and such. Priests seem to eat as much as regular men."
Lady Edara Kindon Duchess of Talex, Marshal of the Tribute Collecting Army
Pelinal was escorted into Edara's tent, and gave a slight bow.
"Your grace. The wait was surely worth it though, I see the tales of your beauty are not exaggerations. On the contrary, they don't do you justice."
Sir Pelinal II Himoura (Priest of Magna Aenilia Ecclesia)
"Ah...I...come in, Brother. Please won't you have a seat?" Edara waved him towards a chair.
His ridiculous over praise made her feel a bit silly...even though she heard the same sort of thing from courtiers and the like...she wasn't beautiful. Harmony, Maddy, her mother...she knew what a beautiful woman looked like.
Besides, were holy men even supposed to...notice these things?
"Fin will be right back with some refreshments. Now...how may I be of service, Brother Pelinal?"
Lady Edara Kindon Duchess of Talex, Marshal of the Tribute Collecting Army
Pelinal takes a seat. "Wonderful, I am famished. But to business. Well your grace, you may know that your city is inhabited by vast numbers of the MAE. I propose that after this war is over, with your funding, as well as the good sum I've come into, that we build a temple of epic proportions in your city. It would surely prove Arcaea's power and quiet your enemies."
Sir Pelinal II Himoura (Priest of Magna Aenilia Ecclesia)
Edara sat down across from him feeling considerably more at ease. People wanting to get their hands on money she understood.
"Are there really vast numbers of faithful in Talex?" she asked him, "How many would you say...exactly? Are they overflowing the temple that I built when I became Duchess?"
Edara grinned at him, "I know it's only a shack, so they might very well be, but there's no use building a bigger one until that one's filled up...not with my money, anyway."
Lady Edara Kindon Duchess of Talex, Marshal of the Tribute Collecting Army
"That is the official reason I'm here. I really have no interest. I was just hoping to meet you actually. I can see you're not one to try and talk religious politics to, so I won't bother. Find it distasteful myself."
Pelinal looked into her eyes and found himself transfixed, and giving her a very unpriestly look.
Sir Pelinal II Himoura (Priest of Magna Aenilia Ecclesia)
"I...oh...well..." Edara fumbled, he had thrown her off again, "That's very nice...I am interested in how many followers there are, though. Do you have those figures?"
He was staring at her in rather an unnerving way. He reminded her a bit of her old knight, Reginald, for some reason. She wasn't sure why...it wasn't his looks...
"Ah, Fin," Edara jumped up as her man came in with a tray, "Just the thing! Will you have wine, Brother Pelinal? And there is cheese and fruit and nibbly bits here..."
Lady Edara Kindon Duchess of Talex, Marshal of the Tribute Collecting Army
"I do enjoy my nibbly bits. I will partake of the wine as well. I haven't had a good wine in quite awhile. In Talex there are roughly 6780 followers, or 79.4 percent of the population, according to recent figures."
Pelinal quickly downs a glass of wine, his eyes roving over Edara's body, not caring if he was making her comfortable.
"It is in my interest to expand our following there. Talex is a critical city to the faith here in the North."
Sir Pelinal II Himoura (Priest of Magna Aenilia Ecclesia)
Alone with the priest once more, Edara poured him a glass of wine and placed a plate of food beside him.
She sipped her own wine as Pelinal drank his down quickly.
"I had no idea there were so many," she said thoughtfully, "I expect we'll need a much bigger temple then. You said you came into some funds? I'm afraid that I don't have a great deal of extra just now...perhaps we could begin with those?"
Pelinal continued to look at her oddly. He really did remind her of Reginald. What was it? Not his hair or eyes...but something...in his eyes, perhaps.
Lady Edara Kindon Duchess of Talex, Marshal of the Tribute Collecting Army
"Ah yes, those funds... Which are incomplete, and more reparation needs to be paid. A certain Duke Raiva demolished one of our temples and our King demanded he pay back the faith. I am the recipient of those funds. I have not recieved the full 600 that is due, I only got 450."
Pelinal couldn't help but think how... Cute, yes cute was definitely the word for it, Edara looked. What he would give...
"If you could pressure him into paying the full amount, I could enlarge your temple at least twice with that much alone, and be well on the way to enlarging it again."
Sir Pelinal II Himoura (Priest of Magna Aenilia Ecclesia)
"Oh yes, I remember the incident. I knew that Jenred had asked him to pay for the temple, but I never knew how much was in question," Edara bit her lip and thought, "Even with 450 with could enlarge the temple, surely? And I'm certain that Duke Eversio will pay you the rest soon."
She turned her green eyes back to Pelinal's intense gaze.
"You should probably just ask him for it...or ask Jenred to ask him. I don't really know him terribly well or anything."
Lady Edara Kindon Duchess of Talex, Marshal of the Tribute Collecting Army
"I asked him about it... I was told to go away. Very stubborn man. Hates anything with the word Aenil in it. Can't say I blame him though after Helios..."
Pelinal poured himself another glass of wine, and pulled a roll of parchment out of his robe, walked over and sat uncomfortably close to Edara.
"These are the plans I have thus far to upgrade the temple in Talex." he said, unrolling the parchment on the table.
Sir Pelinal II Himoura (Priest of Magna Aenilia Ecclesia)
"Oh..." Edara was surprised, but intrigued, when he unrolled the parchment and sat next to her.
"This is very interesting," she ran a finger over the scroll, tracing the lines, "These are the walls, yes? And what is this here," she pointed at a rectangle, "The altar?"
He was pressed quite closely against her side...uncomfortably close. Edara rather wanted to move away, but that seemed so rude...and he was a holy priest.
"It's amazing how the builder's can take some lines on a paper and use them to construct something, isn't it?"
Lady Edara Kindon Duchess of Talex, Marshal of the Tribute Collecting Army
Pelinal looked over at her.
"Yes, it is amazing. The act of creation, the greatest thing man has ever been gifted with."
Sir Pelinal II Himoura (Priest of Magna Aenilia Ecclesia)
Edara smiled at him...that sounded properly priestly. He seemed more like dear Brother Dren when he he talked like that.
"Is that the greatest gift, do you think? Not love or springtime or music...something like that?" She did wonder...what was man's greatest gift?
Lady Edara Kindon Duchess of Talex, Marshal of the Tribute Collecting Army
Pelinal smiled at Edara.
"One could say creation and love can be one and the same, can they not?"
Sir Pelinal II Himoura (Priest of Magna Aenilia Ecclesia)
Edara looked at him in confusion and considered.
"I suppose if one really loved building things then they would sort of be the same, I guess. I'm not a builder or anything...I wouldn't really know."
Lady Edara Kindon Duchess of Talex, Marshal of the Tribute Collecting Army
Edara leapt to her feet, her eyes wide, and pushed away from the priest.
"What are you doing?" she raised her voice at him, "Are you mad? Did you just...kiss me?"
She stared at him in shock processing what had just happened.
"You just kissed me," her eyes narrowed, "You'd better run."
Lady Edara Kindon Duchess of Talex, Marshal of the Tribute Collecting Army
Pelinal sighed and stood. He pulled a dagger out of his robes, a very non priestly gesture.
"My dear Edara, you had to make this difficult... I wouldn't advise screaming, I'd have to make it so you can't. Now we can do things the easy way or the hard way."
Sir Pelinal II Himoura (Priest of Magna Aenilia Ecclesia)
Edara saw the knife but kept her eyes on his. What did he think, she was some peasant girl? She inched back, further away from him...her hand reaching behind her.
"You are a very stupid man...you think you can scare me with that? If I scream and you stab me...you're still dead. My husband will chop you into tiny little pieces."
He took a step towards her, and she dodged back...yes...now...
She screamed long and loud...grabbing the tray from the table as she did so. His hand jerked, but the metal tray was between them. His superiour weight might take her down if he pressed, but Fin would already be on his way.
Lady Edara Kindon Duchess of Talex, Marshal of the Tribute Collecting Army
"Sir, I will need to gather some supplies in the countryside to ease your man's hunger," Hamilton's supply requested a bit more independently than Hamilton appreciated. Hamilton nodded his permission anyway.
The healer took a lengthy, less-traveled route in order to find the necessary ingredients for his latest potion. As he was walking though, he wandered across another voice in the distance.
"I do wish I hadn't wandered in so suddenly. I don't think the two saw me though. What was priest Pelinal thinking? Kissing King Jenred's wife? I must not speak of this to another. What if King Jenred punishes me? I do hope my Queen and Duchess Edara didn't see me. I want to see my family again back in Remton. It's been years. Oh, how I'm frightened so. I wonder if the queen was willingly kisses or not. Oh, I should put such dreadful thoughts out of my head."
Shocked at this piece of juicy gossip, the healer quickly gathered his roots, herbs, and other necessary plants. As was the custom, he reported the events to Vice Marshal Hamilton. Vice Marshal Hamilton wished he could capture the priest, but knew his unit was busy hunting. Instead, he sent a short letter to King Jenred of Arcaea informing him of the priest's actions.
Hamilton Vita (Knight of Sanzzos)
Pelinal charged, heedless of the metal tray, and brought them both crashing to the ground. His weight on top of her, he was able to subdue her, and he put the dagger to her throat.
"Call them off, I will bleed you. The three will be pleased either way, so if you wish to live, I suggest you do so."
Sir Pelinal II Himoura (Priest of Magna Aenilia Ecclesia)
Wilham paused a moment before entering Edara's tent. It was against protocol for him to arrive unannounced, but he didn't think his liege would mind. She was a nice lady, after all. At the entrance, he rapped hard on a wooden support and waited for permission to enter. At once, he heard a bloodcurdling scream issue forth from the tent, And his heart turned immediately cold. A thousand thoughts raced through his head, all of them saying the same thing...
Something's not right!
Wilham burst through the entrance, taking the scene inside in with one glance. Before him, a robed man stood in front of the Duchess. As he watched, the man threw himself upon the Lady, holding the dagger to her throat. Wilham drew his sword in one motion, the cold steel ringing loud and clear in the confines of the tent. Nobody was going to hurt the Duchess. He didn't know who this man was, but he didn't care either. Only one thing was going through his mind at that time...
Kill him!
Rushing to the two prone figures on the floor, he grabbed a hold of the man's hair and yanked him with all his might off the Duchess. As the man staggered back, he placed himself firmly in between Edara and the assailant. "YOU! You dare attack the Duchess Edara! Throw down your peasant sticker or I'll split you in two, mongrel!"
Sir Wilham de Grenefeld (Knight of Talex)
"UNHAND ME AT ONCE YOU BUFFOON OR I WILL HAVE YOU BURNED AT THE STAKE FOR HERESY!" Pelinal broke free of the man's grasp, whirled about and knew he had to act carefully.
"You, your grace! Possessed of a demon, you are! I will return, but I must leave and leave quickly to prepare an exorcism!" Pelinal slipped the dagger back into his robes and turned to his assailant.
"Step aside, quickly, and do not look her in the eye. She is possessed and if you try and stop me now, I might not be able to save her."
Sir Pelinal II Himoura (Priest of Magna Aenilia Ecclesia)
As the man moved towards the door, Wilham brought his sword up and pointed the tip at the priest's throat. Backing up, he stopped just in front of the Duchess and stood there, intending to defend his liege against any ideas the robbed man might get. Raising his voice, he yelled for the guard, and then focused his attention on the assailant.
"There will be no exorcising anything whilst I'm present, priest. The guards will be here shortly, I suggest you run while you still have the chance. I have no idea what you were attempting, but you have more to fear than my own sword when the High King hears of this. Now begone!"
Sir Wilham de Grenefeld (Knight of Talex)
Pelinal grinned rather evilly and dropped a small sphere with a lit fuze, out of which poured an acrid, thick smoke.
"I will be gone before the fool hears of this. You don't know what you missed out on Edara. My child will have to find a new mother."
Pelinal slipped out of the tent with a cry of "For the Three!"
Sir Pelinal II Himoura (Priest of Magna Aenilia Ecclesia)
Wilham waited till the man disappeared before dropping his guard. The smoke was getting thick, and the smell was awful and burned his lungs. Moving to the nearest wall, he stabbed through it and tore down, creating a vertical tear big enough to slip through. Turning back, he motioned to the Duchess.
"Milady, this way! We must leave this tent immediately!"
Sir Wilham de Grenefeld (Knight of Talex)
When the priest landed on top of her, it winded her for a second. Edara had been expecting the impact, but it was still a shock to have the weight of a full grown man knock you to the ground and then hold you there. Still, she smiled as he pressed the knife to her throat. What an idiot! He had failed to control her arms, legs, or head, thinking—wrongly—that his mere weight and the threat of his blade would be enough to keep her subdued.
Edara took a breath, considering for a split-second how deeply his knife would cut when she head butted him in the nose…not enough to kill her. She shifted her body slightly preparing to jerk her leg up against his crotch at the same instant…when he was pulled off of her…
Fin had been quicker than she thought possible…no…not Fin…Edara rolled to her feet…Wilham, sword in hand, yelling…good boy. She ignored the men for a second while she dived for her scythe. Lay hands on her, would he? Knock her to the ground, would he?
Scythe in hand, she turned, to find a thick, choking smoke where the priest had been and Wilham gesturing for her to hurry out.
“Blast it, Wilham!” she slipped out of the side of the tent with him, “Fin! Fin!”
Fin was in front of her, “Milady, I heard you scream…we got there just in time to see you going out the side of the tent…with this man. Is he hurting you, lady?”
Her eyes were watering, but she saw several of her Brutes drawing menancingly closer, eyeing Wilham unpleasantly.
“No, no…not him…there was a priest…he would have been running. Why is everyone standing around here? Go after him! Move! Fin, get Lambert…the rest of the men…rouse the bloody camp! I want that son-of-a-whore caught so that I can kill him.”
Edara continued to rage as her men scrambled to do as she ordered, cursing fluently in several languages.
“Get my horse…I’ll go after him myself…he can’t run faster than my Baxt…I’ll run him down…”
Fin interrupted, “Milady! Your husband…you might wish…perhaps you should wait…I’ve sent a runner to him…”
Fin’s years of experience in her service had led him to stand well out of range…wisely…as Edara took out a tent pole with the gleaming gold blade of her scythe. With an inarticulate noise, she swung at a second pole. She knew that Fin was right…if she wasn’t here when Jenred arrived…he was going to be angry enough as it was…she didn’t need to worry him, too. He’d want to see that she was unharmed…
Then they could go kill that priest together.
Lady Edara Kindon Duchess of Talex, Marshal of the Tribute Collecting Army
Jenred looked up from his last speech at the sudden commotion he heard outside with a curious glance...Which quickly turned to alarm as one of his men ran in with horror written across his face. He barely managed to gasp out his report..."Your Majesty! Her Majesty Edara has been attacked! She's safe, for the moment, but the attacker released a smokebomb and has yet to be apprehended."
The table and chair which had gone flying at the first words of the guard were lost causes, and had done a bit of damage to both the walls of the room he had requisitioned for diplomatic affairs and Jenred's legs, though he did not notice the latter. Fortunately, he was still in full battle-raiment, and so he did not have to do anything more before charging off full tilt with a savage gesture for the man to lead him to his wife.
He found a scene of partially controlled chaos. Their tent was destroyed, and the smoke billowing out was dissipating but still present. He saw Edara standing with her Scythe in hand looking utterly furious, and his heart skipped a beat as he saw that she really was unharmed. He looked down at the sword in his hand and sheathed the weapon...Obviously it would do no good at the moment. He strode forward quickly, taking note of the men beginning to disperse in obvious search patterns. No time for emotions, not yet...
"Edara, what happened?"
He turned and bellowed at the men still looking confused, and they immediately began moving off with the rest to begin the searches.
Sir Jenred Bedwyr King of Arcaea
Kane looked up suddenly from his paperwork. Was that a scream he had just heard?
It sounded like it came from the area where Marshal Edara was camped.
He hurried out and got bowled over by a man in robes, a priest of some sort. Kane started after him, but the priest quickly lost himself in the press of soldiers moving toward Lady Edara's camp.
He turned to follow them, wondering why the priest would be headed the wrong way in such a hurry.
Sir Kane Dragul (Knight of Saex)
Edara looked at her husband and took a deep breath. She felt infinitely better just having him here…no less angry…just better.
“That pitiful excuse for a priest, Pelinal, attacked me in my tent. Kissed on me, pulled a knife…he was going to try and rape me, I think.”
Saying it baldly like that gave her pause. He had come there planning to rape her. She shivered a little…what a…nasty…nasty man. Edara looked into Jenred’s eyes…oh yes…just as she had thought…he didn’t like that one bit.
“Can we go find him and kill him now, love?”
Lady Edara Kindon Duchess of Talex, Marshal of the Tribute Collecting Army
Wilham saw the King rush towards them with murder in his eyes, and involuntarily took a step back. As the King stopped in front of them and started shouting orders to the gathered men, he realized he should be moving along. At the moment he couldn't remember why he had needed to see his liege, and he thought it could probably wait till much later after everything had settled down. Sheathing his sword, he knelt on one knee and clenched his fist above his heart in salute to the Queen and King.
"Your Majesties, please excuse me. I am certain you wish to start hunting for the robbed man, and unless you have some duty for me, I must return to Remton to recruit another unit. There is still scum to be scraped off the ground of Duke Haerthorne's new city."
His head slightly bowed, he waited for permission to leave.
Sir Wilham de Grenefeld (Knight of Talex)
Jenred closed his eyes briefly...And when they opened, they were blazing with a rage he had not felt in years. He nodded briefly to Wilham, dismissing him, before turning back to Edara.
"No. A few letters...I want everyone on the damn island after this...this..."
His eyes flashed as his fists clenched hard enough to draw blood from his palms. Words failed him, and he curtly motioned for a scribe to send out a barebones report to Topenah, the Realm, and the Rulers.
"Now...He dies."
Sir Jenred Bedwyr King of Arcaea
Heart in his throat, Pelinal pushed his way through the soldiers flocking towards the commotion in the tent. He knew he had precious little time to be gone, and made his way to the edge of the camp and hopped on his horse. He kicked the beast into motion, and sped off at dangerous speeds. Treror, it was rogue, and no one would be able to catch him there. He turned his horse around and sped south, past sentries and guards, hoping to beat the inevitable proclamation that would be an order for his death. He had to get to a port... And fast.
Sir Pelinal II Himoura (Noble)
Phelan kell and Kellaine had gone out foraging the battlefield together and returned to hear the news of the actions of Pelinal II. The News took him aback, he was speechless.
Phelan looked to Kellaine.
"Sire, I urge you to write Both to Sir Son Paul and Queen Katayanna and tell them of this. If Pelinal flees to either of their realms, they may be able to capture him. If they do, he will not live long after and will probably be returned here in small pieces."
Kellaine looked to his uncle and took a deep breath.
"Phelan, you know that our family has a blood oath to his majesty. I can do no less. I can however order Jon paul to search him out and kill him. I am not pleased with his choice to enter the shadows, but this would be right up his ally. And Katayanna is not without her realms of influence either. I shall write to both of them. If he is lucky it will be Jon Paul that finds him, Katayanna would however be more appropriate. He would live longer at her hands if you can call it living with what I am sure she would do to him. She may even send the Dragons to exact justice as well.... yes, I will write them immediately."
with that Kellaine took off toward his tent yelling for a scribe to follow him.
Phelan had not thought about the dragons in some time. The Families Guardian was supposed to be Fafnir, the Red Dragon. he had never been convinced that they truly existed. but from all the stories he had heard as a child were true. then Pelinal II would never be able to hide from them.
Phelan made his way to his own tent and some ale as well.
Sir Phelan Kell Ogren (Knight of Arempos)
I couldn't have been more than a few dozen yards away, he thought. Angry at himself. He didn't know Edara, other than that she was the Queen... he knew Harmonoy, of the same family, and the attempt on her was just as surely harmful to both. It infuriated him.
Religion. I always knew that one was no good. And that priest, Pelinal. Didn't he have some brief, nasty encounter earlier? Well, no matter.
He didn't explain to his captain why they left the field of battle, or to where. But he had a priest to find.
Duthenir Olik (Knight of Larmebsi)
Eversio hearing tales of the despicable priest attacking his former liege made way for Larmebsi as the rumors but him there last.
As the sunset he spotted him....
You set out on a mission to take out Sir Pelinal II Himoura (Noble). You manage to sneak into his sleeping quarters unnoticed. Silently, you sneak up on your target, and surprise him. You quickly put him down for good, seriously wounding him before you make your escape. You successfully escape the guards and vanish into the shadows again.
Sir Eversio Raiva Duke of Lasop
In the middle of night a round object is rolled int Jenred's tent. Upon further examination it discovered to be the head of Pelinal II, its eyes and tongue removed, with a note shoved into the mouth. "My appologies for this. -The Himoura Family."
Jenred looked at the head with great satisfaction. As for who dropped it off, and how...He had a feeling that anyone carrying the head would be let through all the guards. Of course, since he'd given orders to that effect, he had reason to think this...The note was interesting. It seems the Himoura family had taken care of their own black sheep...Or someone wanted him to think so, anyway.
He glanced at Edara, checking her reaction while he gestured for a scribe to start composing a few letters...
Sir Jenred Bedwyr King of Arcaea
Edara looked at the head with some dismay. There was no doubt that it belonged to Pelinal: his features were unmarred other than the usual distortions of death. She was certainly glad that he was dead. He had obviously been quite, quite mad. No one attacked the Queen—in her Royal Tent, in the middle of the Arcaean encampment, with armed soldiers all around—in their right mind. Moreover, one who would try to force himself on her would undoubtedly not hesitate to force himself upon other women of lesser standing. The gods only knew how many women he might have already raped…or how many he would have raped in future…
Yes…she was very glad that he was dead.
It was just…
Rather anticlimactic.
She hadn’t gotten to kill him…she hadn’t even gotten to hurt him. She hadn’t even finished being angry yet. Edara sighed. She knew that she really shouldn’t complain…it was over and done and everyone could get back to their proper business of pacifying Topenah.
Still, she sulked: she really would have liked to at least hurt him a little before he died.
Lady Edara Kindon Duchess of Talex, Marshal of the Tribute Collecting Army
Also, after some discussion with Edara, Pelinal's skull will become the centerpiece of the new Queen's Scepter. A final design has not been finalized, nor a craftsman chosen, so if any of you have an exceptional crafter on your estates, please inform either Edara or myself.
Sir Jenred Bedwyr King of Arcaea
