Arcaea/Dining Hall Late 08-09/Goffrey's Mysterious and Deadly Assailant
The last few days had not been kind to Goffrey. Returning to his barracks from his date with Harmony, Eugen had been kinda enough to inform him that "Nice Man" meant "Good Friend." To add injury to insult Goffrey had been unable to remove himself from the his bed the morning after, thanks to his flamboyant disregard for the healer's advice once again biting him in the arse.
Finally able to get to his feet without flares of pain lighting up his now even more bruised ribs, Goffrey found himself on the rode back to Nocaneb's Keep. His men had relayed word to him that Jenred was back within the confines of the city, and he desperately needed to see him. The whole "Nice Man" incident had made him realize just how in over his head he was, it was bad enough to where he was actually asking EUGEN for advice. Laughing at his own joke Goffrey scanned his eyes about, for the last few days he had the sensation that someone was watching him. Normally he would have shrugged it off as another of the Lady Harmony's dreaded effects up on him, but it lacked the certain sense of joy such things usually brought, instead the feeling were of panic and paranoia, like a deer under the gaze of a wolf.
Goffrey cursed under his breath, realizing he just compared himself to a deer, he redoubled his pace all the same catching fleeting movements at the edge of his vision he was sure were just figments of his imagination.
As the light of early morning increased so did the number of people wandering the streets, easing Goffrey's tension somewhat. Shaking it off he made his final approach to the castle gates and waited for the guard to send word back to Lord Jenred of his arrival. After all Goffrey didn't want to interrupt anything...
Goffrey Massey
Baron of Sasat
Jenred strode off, hurriedly finishing his bun and leaving word in the kitchen to send refreshments to his sitting room. He wondered...Oh. That letter Arlian had sent him...Could it...? Jenred stifled a laugh. He'd have to see...
He strode out, hailing Goffrey and clapping him on the back.
"How are you, my friend? You know you can call on me at any time. Come in, come in, food and drink should be waiting for us. Is this business or pleasure?"
Jenred grinned broadly.
Sir Jenred Bedwyr Royal Ambassador of Arcaea
Harmony watched for Dougal to come home. He was like clockwork with his solitary walks at dawn. She was not an early riser by nature…or habit; however, she rather relished her breakfasts with him. It was the one time of day that they could be assured of pleasant and private conversation. So…Harmony got up. She needed to, anyway, so that she could see to her duties…although, she was certain that she could have risen at a more civilized hour and still done so.
When Dougal came down after washing up, Harmony was waiting for him at table, food on both their plates. She smiled and rose to greet him with a warm embrace and a kiss on each cheek.
“Sit, sit,” she waved him to his chair, “It’s hot and looks damn tasty.”
Dougal smiled at her—she was such a contradiction…light and breezy one moment, then tough and assured the next…he’d catch her lost in contemplation and...despite her efforts...he hadn’t missed her concerns over being accepted by the nobility...there was a lot to this daughter of his.
He didn’t know if he’d always done the right things with his girls—maybe he’d given them too much freedom or focused more on training them for war instead of training them to be women…but, he was proud of each one of them…and he was proud of Harmony, though he’d had no hand in making her who she was.
“I’ve been thinking,” he began, digging into the food before him, “Well, the thing is…I’m bored.”
Harmony gazed at him, her face impassive, “You’ll be going home then? Back to Aureus?”
“No…I don’t think I’ll be going back at all…I’m lonely there now that my girls are gone…so, if you’re willing to make a go of it here...You seem to be making a place for yourself, and my little one is here. It’s up to you, though…if you don’t like it here…we can go anywhere. But, what I’d like…”
Harmony was surprised to see Dougal hesitate and flush a little, “Well…I noticed that you’ve a fair bit of land in your estates that’s not cropped—should be cattle on it, but until you can get new tenants—and new stock—it’s just empty fields…” he paused again, washing down his food with a quaff of ale…he paused so long that Harmony thought he might be waiting for her to say something. She opened her mouth and he burst out, “Horses. You have to have noticed how poor the horseflesh is here. If I shipped some of my stable over, we could breed the finest horses on the continent,” his face lit up as he contemplated it, “There’s nothing like our horses…and it would make you money, my girl: destriers, riding palfreys, stud fees…” he stopped, looking at her, “If you’re willing.”
Harmony felt a sudden surge of love for this man—who had travelled so far to find her and had given her so much…and had asked for nothing more than the chance to get to know her. She rose from her chair and went to kneel next to his, her hand on his knee, “Dougal…father…if you want to raise horses on my land—for that matter, if you want to raise peonies or shrews or glasses—then you damn well do it…everything that I have is on your account…you gave me everything when you gave me your name.”
When she called him…father…Dougal felt tears start in his eyes…in all the time he’d known her, she’d never addressed him so…he put his hand on her head, “My girl…lost and found…”
And they stayed that way…gazing at each other…for a long time.
Lady Harmony Kindon (Dame of Nocaneb)
Goffrey felt himself smiling despite the growing feeling that the castle had some how turned into a tomb in the short time sense he was last here. He found himself a seat across from a small table in a, thankfully, large and open room. Taking a sip from a drink he found waiting for him there, he opened his mouth to respond to Jenred's question.
"More business then pleasure I'm afraid," he began, he found himself hesitant to ask for another man's help on such a matter, realizing how much of an idiot he was making out of himself over one girl. An image of Harmony suddenly found its way into his mind and he decided it was worth it. "I've been having troubles lately, of a certain variety that I have no experience in dealing with, your half brother seems to think you would be able to help me in such a matter and I'm personally inclined to agree with him," said Goffrey smiling nervously.
Goffrey Massey Baron of Sasat
Jenred hid his smile behind a sip of wine. This must be hard enough for him as it was...And it seemed Arlian was right. Still...No reason he couldn't have a little fun...
"And...What might that be? Do you need someone stabbed? I'm somewhat out of practice but could probably manage it..."
Sir Jenred Bedwyr Royal Ambassador of Arcaea
Goffrey gave a defeated sigh before setting his glass down.
"Your gonna make me say it aren't you," he said noticing the barely concealed grin behind the wine glass before sighing once again.
"Well first off I'd like to clarify if ever I needed someone stabbed I'd do it myself, thank you very much," said Goffrey, grinning to show he was joking,"but no thats not why I asked to see you so early in the morning," he continued with a serious edge to his voice,"I assume you've meet the Lady Harmony, Edara's cousin," Jenred nodded at this still looking quite smug.
"Well I've found myself.....involved.....with her and it appears to me that I've gotten in over my head, so much so that my captain has been giving relationship advice.....its just....damn it if I can't stop thinking about her......gah its frustrating as hell when I try and talk to her and all I can do is trip over myself like a hormone challenged youth," he said locking eyes with Jenred to show he really meant what he said,"Jenred I think I may be in love, and it scares the hell out of me."
________________________________________
Meanwhile....
A lone figure found himself stalking the interior of a castle he knew he was not invited into. He had found a means in easily enough thanks to a careless guard who had kindly given him his uniform while he was busy greeting the devil down in hell. He had been fallowing the young noble ever sense he had returned to Arcaea trying desperately to figure out just who the hell he was.
He sword hand was itching desperately, craving so badly the noble carried within him. Still Siegfried stayed his hand for the time being, he still needed to figure this man who would be his son out. If he had become soft in his absence, then his existence was meaningless and he was end him gladly. However, if there was some shred of his true son within that soft outer shell, he would go through hell and back for him. After all thats what a good father would do.
He wondered further down the hallway, most of the watch waving him by, his face and his scares obscured by a mask that left only his eyes exposed. He had a son to find, and if necessary, kill and he wasn't about to let a few stone walls stop him.
Goffrey Massey Baron of Sasat
Jenred lost his grin and smoothed his face into an equally serious one.
"Yes...I've heard somewhat about that...Well then. I've heard that you can talk with most women, it's just Harmony you have problems with. Now...There are a few things we can do. First, we need to get you relaxed around her. I think the easiest would be to have a few dinners with Edara, myself, and Harmony. Edara and I can smooth over any awkwardness easily enough, and I can toss you enough leads to keep you from drowning in her presence. Once we get you through that, we can move on to other stuff as needed..."
Sir Jenred Bedwyr Royal Ambassador of Arcaea
Goffrey felt a visible weight lift from his shoulders, well it seems that Jenred knew what he was doing. With the matter of how to handle further interactions with Harmony out of the way, Goffrey let the seriousness slid off of his face replacing it with a wiry grin.
"How exactly you "heard" about a personal manner of mine I'll choose to ignore," he said before letting the seriousness return,"In all honestly Jenred, thank you, I don't think I would be able to handle this situation without your help."
Any further thoughts were shattered abruptly as a shrill scream cut through the relative silence like a knife against a chalk board. Goffrey was on his feet an instant later, he had silently been expecting something like this to happen the entire evening, and he ran out of the room towards where he guessed the scream came from.
____________________
Luck had seemingly run out for Siegfried, as a passing maid noticed the late guardsman's blood stains on the uniform, and the sight, not to mention amount, was just more then her little mind could take so she screamed his throat raw. In a way Siegfried couldn't blame her, but it didn't stop him from silencing her with limited discretion, making sure it was quick and relatively bloodless.
Knowing that guards would soon be crawling all over this place, on full alert no less, Siegfried made for an adjacent hallway taking out two other guards on the way towards what he hoped would be the room his son was in.
Goffrey Massey Baron of Sasat
Jenred was on his feet and padding silently behind Goffrey, cursing and wishing that he wore his knives more often...Fortunately, one of his guardsmen was nearby, and he had a long dirk that would serve well enough for Jenred. He kept the man with him, summoned several Messengers, and dispatched them to everyone he could think of in the castle itself, starting with the steward, ordering him to close all the gates. Whatever or whoever this was, they weren't getting out as easy as they came in. The rest were to summon all the guards, to either hold the gates, surround Edara, himself, Goffrey, and any other nobles in the castle, and the rest to begin making sweeps of the halls.
Damnit, and it had been such a pleasant morning too...
Sir Jenred Bedwyr Royal Ambassador of Arcaea
Goffrey ran through the halls, noticing the abrupt lack of a scream, before redoubling his pace. When he finally found the scene of the crime he wished he hadn't. He ignored the details, suffice to say the maid was indeed dead, and it was more or less Goffrey's fault for luring whoever, or whatever, the hell did this.
A look of grim determination etched itself onto Goffrey's face, and he scanned the area looking for clues as too the attackers whereabouts. He did not need to look far, finding an adjacent hallway with more of the killer's handy work in it. He cast a look at Jenred,"I'll go and cut him off, I can move faster by myself, have your men fallow this path and we'll catch him between a rock and a hard place." Jenred said nothing, meerly nodding and motioning the men he had gathered down the hall before fallowing after himself.
Goffrey ran off in the other direction, vaguely familiar with the castle layout thanks to a number of restless nights with nothing better to do then to study old maps. He quickly found himself in what he hoped was the right corridor running down, eyes trained like a hawk scanning the drab gray walls with an almost unwarranted intensity.
Up ahead Siegfried latched a bolt on a solid wood door, jamming a decorative spear against the door for good measure. He turned away from the overtly secure door, finally realizing the presence of another human being inside the hall way. Siegfried was midly surprised that Goffrey had caught up to him so quickly but the surprised was quickly replaced with disgust. One look in his eyes confirmed it for him, his son was indeed dead, and had been so for a long time it seemed. It would be a mercy to end his meandering about in a world to which he did not belong, a father's mercy that Siegfried was determined to preform.
Goffrey took one look at the man, coated in blood that was not his own, and the second their eyes locked he new that he could not beat him. The cold predatory eyes spoke legions of this man, and how much a threat he considered Goffrey, he instantly understood the difference between predator and prey. Goffrey knew it would mean death if he pulled his sword loose and common sense dictated he wait until Jenred showed up with the castle guard. But then again, if Goffrey had listened to his common sense he wouldn't have been a hero in the first place.
The sound of two swords being pulled free of their sheaths simultaneously was fallowed closely by the sounds of clashing steel as Goffrey fought a battle he could not hope to win against a man who just so happened to be his own father.
Goffrey Massey Baron of Sasat
Jenred swore as he heard the sudden clash of swords on the other side of the blocked door.
"You two! There were some battleaxes hanging in the last room on the left, they ought to make quick work of the door. You, you, you, and you, get around to the other side of that door, and grab any archers you can find! If you can get any, yell for Goffrey to drop and fill whoever he's fighting with arrows! If you can't, then charge the murderer!"
Jenred summoned several more Messengers and dispatched updated letters to the guards. The gate guards needed to stay, as did Edara's bodyguards, there might be more than whomever Goffrey was fighting, but the patrols could be sent right there. Goffrey was a good fighter, but it never hurt to be on the sa-Good gods...Had he just heard Goffrey scream? Maybe he wasn't being overcautious after all...
Sir Jenred Bedwyr Royal Ambassador of Arcaea
The fight had been going on for 5 minutes now, a whirlwind of clashing steel and blood, most of which being Goffrey's. After the first minute or so Goffrey had given up trying to think faster then his opponent, as it slowed him down to much. His life span was now measured in fractions of a second, basing his entire future on each and every action and reaction, playing a deadly game of reflex gambling that his battle instincts were more hardened then his opponents.
Blood coated his left arm, which took the place of his shield, warding off sword blows that his sword could not deflect itself. His left eye was sealed shut by a layer of dry blood from a wound on Goffrey's forehead, probably the closest Goffrey had ever come to death without the aid of poison. Still the battle wore on further down the hall way, each step coated in blood.
Spots were forming in Goffrey's eyes as the loss of blood finally started catching up to him. He was knocked out of his reprieve by a bright flash from his assailants blade as it caught the torch light. The warrior's blade fell as Goffrey's rose to meet it, sparks flew as steel met, parted, and met again. A searing pain in his thigh told Goffrey that a new wound and been opened there, and he hurled himself backward to regroup.
With a scant yard between the two, Goffrey caught his breath in ragged bloody gasps sizing up his foe with steely determined eyes. He was shocked to find that after all that effort the man had barely a scratch on him. In a straight up fight he couldn't hope to match him, and at the rate he was going Goffrey would be dead before any of Jenred's guards could help him. Suddenly a crazy desperate plan formed in Goffrey's mind, and he knew it was his only shot.
Seeing that the mysterious stranger wasn't going to wait for him much longer, Goffrey assumed a defensive stance with his sword held in front of him, and his knees bent to ready to hurl himself into the fray. Focusing past all the pain of his injuries, pass the hopelessness of his situation, pass the insurmountable skill of his opponent, Goffrey focused his mind to a point where the entire world around him slowed to a crawl and became a gray swirl, leaving nothing but him and his enemy. Locking eyes once again the score was now even, no longer was it predator and prey, but predator and predator.
They charged each other simultaneously, the stranger's blade going low aiming for Goffrey's heart meeting no resistance, Goffrey's blade went high aiming for the man's head meeting equal resistance. Micro seconds passed as the two attacks moved closer to their intended targets, and Goffrey was sure they were both about to die. He blinked. A grip like iron closed around his wrist, and a sharp burning pain ignited itself in his ribs. Shocked swept over Goffrey as he came to grips with the fact that he was dead.
The strangers sword removed itself from his ribs, and Goffrey felt the floor rise up to meet him. Suddenly the strangers knee was there, driving the air and the blood from his lungs, and snapping ribs with a sickening and audible crack. With that done Goffrey continued his fall uninterrupted colliding with the ground as if he had jumped from a tower instead of simply collapsed. Blackness edged its way into his vision and Goffrey was sure he would not be lucky enough to awaken this time.
Before he even knew what he was doing Goffrey sent the man the blackest, most hate felt glare he had ever mustered, fueling it with an inner rage he did not know he possessed and fallowing into the action almost instinctively, seconds before he passed out. The last thing he saw, was a black leather boot falling towards his temple. (Cont.)
Goffrey Massey Baron of Sasat
Siegfried felt a smile cross his scared lips, his son was still alive after all these years. He saw it if just for a scant few seconds, the sheer level of hate in the boys eye's could come from no other place, a father knew his son after all. He checked the final wound on Goffrey's unconscious body, making sure the blow he had landed avoided all the internal organs as he had planned.
Satisfied that Goffrey would live given proper medical attention, Siegfried turned his attention to escaping the fortress, silently regretting the decision to kill that maid and those two guards. He had drawn too much attention to himself to fast, and no doubt most of the ways into and out of the castle were closed off by now.
But Siegfried had not survived this long by being stupid, and he had a contingency plan in place for just such an occasion. Reaching into his stolen guard uniform he pulled forth a small bottle, containing an unknown elixir that was supposed to simulate the effects of death for at least 24 hours. Taking this potion would slow his heart to almost a stand still keeping him just on the verge of death.
In such a state the guards would assume that Goffrey managed to kill me with his final blow, and would send him outside the castle to a mortician for dissection in the hopes of revealing where he had come from. Once there he would awaken and escape the city virtually unmolested.
'Bloody nasty stuff though,' thought Siegfried bitterly, as the distant sound of boots broke his reprieve.
Steeling himself he opened his mouth and downed the bottle in a single swig. Suddenly blackness invaded his peripherals and Siegfried began to lose the ability to stay on his feet, barely managing to hide the bottle on Goffrey person before collapsing into a warm comforting black abyss.
Goffrey Massey Baron of Sasat
Jenred heard the fighting stop for a moment and grabbed one of the axes, swinging hard. Then the one last thunk...And it was still a few more seconds before they made it through the door.
He smashed through just to see the guards he'd sent around the other way. Goffrey was on the floor, and so was...someone. Jenred winced. Goffrey was...very badly hurt.
"Get a-damn, every Healer in the damn castle. And toss whomever this is in the Aenil-be-damned dungeon until we can figure out what the hell happened here."
Jenred looked over the other man. That...Was a warrior. Goffrey didn't have a chance...
Jenred turned away. How many damn times were murderers going to get within striking distance of Edara?
Sir Jenred Bedwyr Imperial Magistrate of Arcaea
Jenred walked through the castle, bringing the guards off the alert, and dispatching a few to the dungeons. That warrior hadn't looked very hurt...
Jenred needed to find Edara. Gods, he was so tired of this...Why did every murderous piece of **** have to show up in the same building as her? Once was happenstance, twice coincidence...But if there was a third time...He was going to find whoever was doing this. Jenred grinned a cold smile. And now that he was Imperial Magistrate...It would be so easy to do whatever he wanted with them...
Jenred turned the corner and found Edara, cowing the guards he'd sent to cover her, with her Scythe at the ready. Now, that was his woman...He rushed forward and hugged her close, dismissing the guards with a quick gesture.
"Every stupid murderer in the damn realm has to show up within a hundred feet of you and I keep being so damn useless and I am tired of it..."
Sir Jenred Bedwyr Imperial Magistrate of Arcaea
Edara was very cross that the guards would not let her past them to get to where Jenred was. She threatened them with her Scythe, but though they blanched, they seemed to know that she wouldn’t really kill them. Edara wasn’t so sure of that…another minute and she would have been forced to cut her way through…someone could be trying to hurt Jenred…
When he appeared…hale and whole…she sighed in relief and put aside her Scythe so that he could enfold her in his arms.
“Jenred…don’t ever send guards to stop me from getting to you again…if someone hurt you while I was stuck here fighting with the guards…” she squeezed him more tightly, “I couldn’t stand it."
She looked up at him, "And you are not damned useless…and…wait…what murderer?”
Lady Edara Kindon Duchess of Nocaneb
"The murderer who just killed at least one guard, a maid, and maybe Goffrey. I don't know who he is, who he's working for, or what the hell is going on but I was not going to let you get hurt and I have killed godsbedamned monsters with my bare hands and whoever this is scared me for the love of..."
Jenred just trailed off holding her. He could handle anything else. He had killed monsters with his bare hands. He'd been stabbed, shot, speared, clawed, and tortured. He'd watched as his own father set guards on him. And...Just the thought of Edara...Looking like Goffrey...The only wonder was that he managed to hold together long enough for whatever crisis to finish. He could feel the howling madness that he'd descend into if anything happened to her. He knew it wasn't fair, and that she could fight. It was selfish. And a battlefield, or maybe a duel, a fight was one thing. But to know that she could have been one of those maids...Just killed...In the middle of the castle...
Jenred held her as if trying to hold onto his sanity. For all he knew, he was.
Sir Jenred Bedwyr Imperial Magistrate of Arcaea
Edara knew that this was like the other time…when he had held her…after he had arrived in Nocaneb. That same…naked fear and need…she held onto him tightly.
“Jenred…it’s all right…no one came near me…and don’t you think that I worry about you getting hurt? Don’t you think that if something happened to you that…” she paused with a shudder, “How could I live? And who would I have to kill first?”
For a long moment, they just stood there…wrapped in each other…her head against his chest…she could hear his heart racing and hear when it started to slow…
“Wait! Jenred!” she pulled back and looked at him in horror, “Did you say…Goffrey…dead?”
Lady Edara Kindon Duchess of Nocaneb
"I know, I know...I just...It's selfish...But...I...Oh...Goffrey...I don't know, he's very badly hurt...I called for every Healer in the castle..."
Jenred winced, remembering the wounds he'd seen.
"By the Aenil, I don't think I've ever seen anyone hurt that badly and live...But...Goffrey is a strong man...He...I suppose he might manage."
Jenred didn't look particularly hopeful. Those were horrific wounds...
Sir Jenred Bedwyr Imperial Magistrate of Arcaea
Edara started to bustle…grabbing Jenred’s hand and pulling him down the hall.
“Oh dear Gods…where did they take him? Somewhere with a table, most like…the hall? Did you have someone call for Idelle? There isn’t anything that she doesn’t know about herbs…oh…she’ll have heard the commotion…gods…I can’t believe that someone did this in the castle…”
Edara stopped in her tracks…her face growing red, “Someone did this in the castle…MY castle…someone came into MY castle and killed MY guards and MY maid! How in the name of all that breathes did someone get in here and kill MY people in MY castle?!” her voice rose with every word and then she began to curse…long and loud and fluently…in several languages…
“Who did this? Where is he? Is he dead? Can I kill him?” she pulled at Jenred again, still cursing, “Let’s go see how Goffrey is, and then I want you to tell me everything that just happened…”
Lady Edara Kindon Duchess of Nocaneb
"I...I don't know where they took him. And I assume the Healer's are smart enough to grab Idelle...I had the other man sent to the dungeons, he looks dead, but I wasn't quite sure...You're welcome to stab him if you like, I suppose..."
Jenred was still recovering, and tried to shake his head clear as he followed Edara. He wasn't aware Edara had that expansive a...vocabulary.
Sir Jenred Bedwyr Imperial Magistrate of Arcaea
Edara moved briskly, “They’ll have taken him to the hall…for the table…” she cursed loudly again.
“After we see if Goffrey lives…then we go to the dungeon and make sure that whoever did this is dead.”
As they entered the hall, and Edara could see that her assumption had been correct…several people were gathered around the big table…and…to her great relief…one of them was Idelle. She slowed her pace and drew in a deep breath…even from here, she could see that…it wasn’t going to be a pleasant sight.
Lady Edara Kindon Duchess of Nocaneb
Jenred took a deep breath and steadied himself, visibly changing from Jenred, Edara's lover, to Sir Jenred Bedwyr, Imperial Magistrate. He began organizing the work, sending off for assistants with more materials, surgery supplies, boiled water, everything the Healers could need.
However...He never once let go of Edara. His hand made it very clear that she was not leaving him any time soon.
Sir Jenred Bedwyr Imperial Magistrate of Arcaea
Arlian sprinted into the castle, organizing a full line of guards and porters with supplies. He'd gotten word that something had happened, and met a running solider to get the full story. That's when he began sprinting. He and Goffrey may have gotten off to a rocky start, but he didn't want the man to die. Things sure weren't boring here...
Sir Arlian Bedwyr (Knight of Nocaneb)
The sight of Goffrey’s battered body…sickened her. Edara held tightly to Jenred…not wanting to look, but knowing that she had to…she had never seen anyone so badly wounded still living…she looked to Idelle…
Idelle frowned at her, “Edara…what are you doing? You don’t need to be looking at this…and you’re in the way. He’s sore wounded up, but he’s still breathing…gods only know how…You and that one,” she jerked her head at Jenred, “Go catch whoever did this…and killed Jenny,” she looked bleakly at Edara, “Can’t believe he killed poor little Jenny.”
Edara winced; Jenny was all of sixteen…or had been…
The hot rage bubbled through her again…washing the sickness away.
“He’s already caught, Idelle…and we’re going to see about him…right now,” she looked at Jenred, “I hope that he’s not dead…because I’ve never wanted to kill anyone so much in my life.”
Lady Edara Kindon Duchess of Nocaneb
Jenred nodded, and summoned two of the guards to flank them as they strode off. There was little they could do now that the Healer's had begun their work...
They strode down into the dungeons and could see the light of the guard station ahead, when Jenred saw the chief gaoler.
"Where's the latest...prisoner, and is he still alive?"
Sir Jenred Bedwyr Imperial Magistrate of Arcaea
Harmony was out with her men, patrolling the streets of Nocaneb…again. What was with these people? No matter how many insurgents they rounded up, a dozen more seemed to take their place. Didn’t they know when they had it good? She was about ready to call a halt for the day when a runner dashed up…
Harmony was in motion before he even finished gasping out the news of a disturbance at the castle…how the blazes could someone be murdering people at the castle? And…who had been murdered…not…not her little cousin? Yelling at her men to move their no-account arses and run, dammit…she led them pell-mell through the streets of Nocaneb.
The castle was in an uproar. Harmony got in the face of the guard who tried to bar her way and hissed at him, “I am the Duchess’ beloved cousin, and if you do not let me through this gate immediately I will make certain that she has you clapped in irons and cast down into the darkest depths of the darkest dungeon where no one can hear you beg for your pathetic, miserable, feeble life…I am Lady Harmony Kindon…Let Me Pass!”
Recognizing the name…he did so.
Once inside, Harmony pushed past a supply line of men and made her way into the hall. Someone was laid out on the main table…she drew closer…please don’t let it be…Oh…it was too big for Edara…closer…
It was Goffrey.
She staggered back. How could this…Goffrey was such a big, strong warrior…who could have…and how many of them were there? She looked around for someone…anyone…to give her some answers.
Lady Harmony Kindon (Dame of Nocaneb)
Arlian was finishing his rounds, making sure the Healers had just the right number of helpers. Too few and they were wasted on menial tasks, too many and they were being jostled. All the supplies were in order. Runners ready for anything needed. Men already dispatched to bring in extra gear from the Healer's quarters. And...Who the hell was this? No one was suppo-Ah, Lady Harmony. He saw her run up, and the mixture of relief and horror pass over her face, and strode up.
"There was someone in the castle. Murdered a guard and a maid. The maid got a scream off, which apparently summoned Goffrey, Jenred, and a number of the guards. Goffrey went one way, Jenred and the guards the other, and Goffrey fought the murderer alone. Only one person, apparently, although I've still got guards posted. Don't know what Jenred was thinking telling them to stand down...Anyway, the murderer is in the dungeons, looked like he was dead. Everyone else is fine."
Arlian had been practicing. He'd had to say variants on this to several people so far...Although most were more panicked than Harmony.
Sir Arlian Bedwyr (Knight of Nocaneb)
Harmony listened to Arlian’s recitation gratefully. It was calm and succinct and gave her exactly the information that she needed: her cousin was uninjured.
“One man did that to Goffrey?” she asked, surprised. She held up her hand to forestall his reply, “No, I believe you; I just find it difficult to fathom that a lone man could cause such great injury to such a warrior as Goff. He must have been a…formidable opponent.”
Formidable indeed…Goffrey was no mere paper courtier. He was a well-trained knight hardened in actual battles. She had heard the tale of the stand-off at the Inn from Edara, and knew that, unlike his other tales which Goff had properly embellished into heroic sagas, with that one, he had told the simple truth. He had been heroic that day, holding off the horde of angry peasants whilst the others made good their escape—and living to tell about it.
Harmony looked to where the healers worked over him and saw him stirring…before sickening, pain-laden screams began issuing from him. She didn’t flinch, but steeled herself as the crowd around him flurried into greater action—holding him down and stopping the worst of the noise with a biting-strip jammed into his mouth. She had seen too many men and women damaged by Daimons and monsters…who left wounds that were much more…difficult. Not that it was easy to watch…not when it was a friend.
A servant ran carefully in with a pot in her hand which she presented to an older female amongst the healers. The woman stirred the contents and brought the spoon to her nose before touching her finger to it and giving it a cautious taste, “Aye,” the woman nodded in approval, “That’s just right. Get some clean bowls in here and pour it back and forth until it’s cooled, then we’ll get it down him. It’ll ease some of the pain and let him rest a bit,” and she turned back to the wounded knight while the servant scurried off.
Harmony returned her attention to Arlian. Ah, damnation, he must really be hating this—she recalled his loathing for human death. His face was relatively calm, but there was a tightness about his mouth, and a look in his eye…she put her hand on his arm and drew him away from the scene on the table.
“Tell me what I can do to help—and, please, tell me how in nine bloody hells did anyone get into the castle in the first place? Jenred and Edara must be furious.”
Lady Edara Kindon Duchess of Nocaneb
Darkness swam around Goffrey like so much water. Goffrey had heard tales of a light at the end of long tunnel when people die, supposedly guiding them to the after life, except the only thing Goffrey saw was darkness. Some how he didn't really mind the darkness, it was comforting in an eerie sort of way, devoid of worry pain or care perfectly free to drift forever in his own limbo.
But just as Goffrey began to settle into his new enviroment the darkness began to fade from him, bringing the world around him into a foggy sort of half focus. He found himself propped up on a long table in a murky hall of sorts surrounded by people it seemed, although he couldn't make out much more then their figures in the haze, gathered about him pocking and prodding him with instruments and herbs. His focus ebbed and flowed as Goffrey drifted in and out of the blackness, part of him seeking oblivion, another part desperately fighting to regain focus.
Eventually the latter side one the struggle, and clarity was returned to Goffrey....fallowed shortly by pain, alot of pain, more pain then any man should be forced to endure. Goffrey's eyes snapped open and a half ushered snarl of point erupted from his mouth breaking into a full fledged scream.
"****, HE'S AWAKE," one of the man yelled.
"HOLD HIM DOWN, WE HAVE TO RESET HIS RIBS," yelled another, as Goffrey felt multiple hands grip him at his wrists and ankles.
Suddenly Goffrey found a strip of leather forced into his mouth, which he bit down on for all his worth fighting back the pain with a dogged determination. A sickening crack was heard as his ribs were set back into place, and any semblance of control was lost and Goffrey issued forth another such scream of pain feeling the leather fall from his mouth. His hands and feet struggled against the hands that held him, but they're grip remained firm.
The strip was once in his mouth, and Goffrey bit down on it again, focusing all his energy on biting his way through the rough leather material, all the while snarling his pain between bloody teeth. Right then Goffrey was certain that he had died, and he had gone straight to hell.
________________________________
Siegfried found himself awake in a small and rather dank dungeon cell. Apparently he had mis-judged the nobles here, ethier that or they hadn't had time to send his body to the morgue. At any rate Siegfried was in a bind at the moment with his capture being obvious proof of that.
He brought himself to his feet, fortunately the guards had regarded his rag doll body as a corpse and thus hadn't seen fit to remove his weapons, although a few new bruises near his ribs indicated that they had not exactly handled him with care. Shrugging it off Siegfried inspected his cell closer.
He found the bars far to sturdy to be broken so he ruled that idea out, and it appears the keys were no where to be found, more then likely on the guards out near the door. Turning away from the bar covered entrance Siegfried ran his hand across the cells far wall.
He had read in a book somewhere that the castle of Nocaneb was built on the ruins of the old caslte, and that several passage ways leading into the catacombs stil existed. Siegfried knew it was wishful thinking, but he figured it was his best shot at this point. Running his hands over the wall being as through as possible he felt nothing but smooth solid rock everywhere, until a single seemingly rock panel gave way beneath his touch, falling backwards into darkness, its landing muffled by a thick layer of dirt on the other side.
Finding his exit, Siegfried went to work, eventually clearing a path through the rock large enough to crawl through. Once on the other side he covered his tracks as best he could, which wasn't that good given the lack of light, but beggars couldn't be choosers.
As he fled into the unknown darkness Siegfried smiled a horrible smile, relishing the encounter between father and son that was to come.
Goffrey Massey Baron of Sasat
Arlian shook his head.
"I don't have any idea how the man got in, none at all. It's not like the castle is unguarded...after all the incidents with the peasants of Nocaneb that would be nonsensical. As for right now, I don't think there's much we can do to help, I was just finishing my rounds and-"
Arlian broke off as Goffrey began screaming and bucking again. Arlian winced a little, but...
"We can hold him down. I assume you've seen your share of injuries and know where and how hard to hold, and I, well, have seen enough. These guardsmen are too worried about mishandling a Lord...Let's go."
Arlian made his way forward with Harmony, and they took positions on either side of his head, firmly pinning him to the table with the help of the guards as the Healers continued their gruesome work. When Goffrey subsided for a moment, he spared a glance for Harmony, and saw her looking at him strangely. As if she were surprised at...
Ah. Yes, he'd encountered that look before...
"It's not death that bothers me. It's killing. That's why I have no qualms fighting monsters or Daimons or undead, but won't kill other humans except in dire need."
Sir Arlian Bedwyr (Knight of Nocaneb)
"We tossed the body in one of the cells milord, I'll take you there myself. Didn't look like he was alive..."
The gaoler turned, grabbed a torch, and walked along the rows of cells.
"We didn't want him too close because, well, the smell of a dead body is something awful after a few days and we had no idea when anyone would be coming to collect hi-Oh, Sartan's be-uh by the Aenil!"
Under other circumstances, Jenred would have been amused by the man's hurried attempt to change his curse, but since he was cursing at a cell with a large hole in the back that was undoubtedly where the prisoner had escaped through, Jenred could find little humour in the situation. He could feel Edara's hand tighten, and guessed she was even less happy than he was.
Jenred turned, watching the suddenly cowering guard closely.
"Tell me...Were there any other reasons you chose this specific cell? Perhaps...Because you knew it had a hidden exit to the catacombs...And wanted to give the prisoner a chance to escape?"
Jenred's hand was on the hilt of the sword he had grabbed from a guard earlier, no time to fetch his own long knives. If the man had...No. The man was as surprised as Jenred at this turn of events. He gave the man a rueful nod, and walked off.
Jenred sighed, and Edara began cursing up a storm again. After she subsided, he spoke unhappily.
"We can send guards after him in those catacombs, but I doubt they'll find him. And I don't know about you, but I have no idea where the exits from that place are. We don't have anywhere near enough men to patrol the entire region...I'm afraid he's gone."
Sir Jenred Bedwyr Imperial Magistrate of Arcaea
Harmony helped Arlian hold Goffrey down. She carefully packed away that part of her mind that was distressed by what they were doing…and focused only on keeping Goff still. She watched Arlian throughout, surprised that he wasn’t more…disturbed.
When he explained, she nodded at him and considered his words carefully. Only the very twisted really enjoyed killing…but there were plenty enough for whom it was a matter of little import. For herself…she had yet to kill man or woman…monsters and Daimons and undead aplenty, but no humans. So…she could not say how she would feel…somehow…she thought that she could handle it…she would have to handle it if she wished to fulfil her role as a knight…any day now she could be called to battle…and every time she patrolled the streets, there was always the possibility…
Well, she would cross that bridge when she came to it.
She really couldn’t figure Arlian though…she would have thought that the death would have bothered him just as much as the killing. He was a very odd man.
The older woman approached with a narrow-necked bottle. Gently, but firmly, she pulled the leather from his mouth and lifted Goff’s head. She inserted the bottle into his mouth and tipped it up…pinching his nose shut at the same time, “Swallow it, milord,” she commanded and continued tipping it up and back until a large quantity had made it down his throat and a fair amount had run out over his chin.
Harmony couldn’t believe that Goffrey still lived…his wounds were so severe and he had lost so much blood. He was a strong man…she hoped that he made it.
Lady Harmony Kindon (Dame of Nocaneb)
Edara’s hot rage subsided, but it was replaced by a cold anger that settled into her bones. This…person…had invaded her home and killed her people…and then escaped. She wouldn’t forget this easily.
She nodded glumly at Jenred, “Yes…he’s gone…dammit!” She squeezed Jenred’s hand, “I just can’t believe anything that’s happened…it’s like a bad dream…”
She pondered the hole in the wall. “When things are more settled, we need to have those catacombs explored…there could be other secret entrances…maybe that’s how he got inside in the first place.”
Edara tucked herself under Jenred’s arm…feeling suddenly weary. What a terrible day this was. “We should get back upstairs and see what’s happened with Goffrey,” she sighed, “I don’t see how he can live…but…if he does…maybe he’ll know something…”
Lady Edara Kindon Duchess of Nocaneb
"Yes...I wonder what the hell the man was doing here...Was he after you? Me? Was he just insane? And who the hell could take Goffrey down that fast? It was bare seconds before we got through. They were only fighting for half a minute at most. And Goffrey knew we'd be coming, so he had to have been fighting defensively...And he was just...Destroyed..."
Jenred shuddered a little and tightened his arm around Edara as they walked. He was quite sure Goffrey would beat him in a straight fight. Not that Jenred would ever engage in a straight fight if he could help it, and not with his friend, but...He really didn't want to meet that man alone...
Sir Jenred Bedwyr Imperial Magistrate of Arcaea
Edara leaned into Jenred…just glad that he was safe and not the one…lying on a table in a bloody mess. She clung more tightly…gods…it could so easily have been him…if he’d gone down that corridor instead of Goffrey…
She shook her head. She was not going to think about that anymore…it just made her sick.
They made their way back up and into the hall…a crowd of people were still standing around Goffrey…oh…including Harmony and Arlian who seemed to be…helping somehow…Edara grimaced…she was glad that they were the ones…helping. She could do field nursing if she had to, but she preferred to leave it to others if she could…it was just so…horrible.
“Goffrey seems to still be alive,” she looked away from the blood and gore on the table, “And Harmony and your brother are here…I’m glad that she found her way here…I should have thought to send for her—I’m sure that she would have wanted to know that he was wounded…since they’re friends and all.”
She looked up at him thoughtfully, “Jenred…I’m not sure what to do now…we’ve got guards everywhere…Goffrey’s being attended…more street patrols? Investigate the guards to see if someone let him in? My head feels all muddled…I’m just…I don’t know what to do now…”
Lady Edara Kindon Duchess of Nocaneb
Jenred shook his head.
"I don't know...I think...Arlian looks like he's got everything organized...There's nothing either of us can do right now...I think...Aenil, I just..."
Jenred broke off, pulling Edara a round for a tight hug.
"I think...I need...you..."
Jenred kept one arm wrapped around her and began walking toward their rooms. If there'd been anything they could do, he would have done it. He could have kept up the facade for however long he needed to. But...He didn't need to. And neither did Edara. And he did need her. They made it back, and he just pulled her down into bed with him, holding her tight, wrapping his whole body around her. Just...touching. Proving that she was there.
Jenred needed that right then...
Sir Jenred Bedwyr Imperial Magistrate of Arcaea
Edara wasn’t really surprised when he said that he needed her and then steered them back to their suite. She had known that this was like the last time…when he had been so naked…she hadn’t actually realized then what it was about…hadn’t grasped that he had feared for her safety in a greater way then he did when she went to battle or on a looting run.
She had not understood.
But now…now she could see what he had been feeling then…and what he was feeling now…because she felt the same. Edara had worried for him when he was a shadow-walker…she had had fears for him when he was imprisoned…but…nothing like this.
She didn’t know if it was the immediacy of what had happened…or that it was just so unexpected…or…if she just hadn’t learned to need him then. Maybe that was something that had come later…Edara didn’t know.
What she did know was that…she was very glad that he was there with her…embracing her…and that she could hold him and touch him and know that he was safe. She tried to wrap herself around him as much as he was wrapped around her…so that he would know that she was with him…and that she was safe…and right there…and that he didn’t have anything to fear.
Lady Edara Kindon Duchess of Nocaneb
Goffrey lay on the table, finally giving into the ministrations of the healers. The appearance of Arlian ended Goffrey fears of being sent to hell, although it did nothing for the pain. Harmony's presence had done a remarkable job of helping Goffrey bringing himself back under control, allowing the screaming and the thrashing to partially subside.
He finished the bottle she had shoved down his throat, and then he turned his eyes, dark rimmed and shallow from blood loss, toward her. Somehow he managed a half smile half grimace of pain through bloody teeth.
"I thought....we were....pass the stage.....where we.....addressed each other.....with tiTLESAAAGGHH!!!," he said in between gasps, before the pain flared again in his lower rib cage,"ANIEL BE DAMNED, WOULD YOU BE CAREFUL."
"Sorry, My Lord," said a pale faced healer his hands wrist deep in Goffrey's entrails.
Goffrey continued to snarl in pain for another second before he regained enough composer to speak. He turned his pale face back to Harmony, his eyes reflected a graveness that spoke of a certainty of death.
"If I......don't make it," he said in a grim voice,"....theres some letters....back in my desk in Sasat.....they should take care of all of my affairs."
Goffrey Massey Baron of Sasat
Arlian failed to hide a wince. It was obvious Goffrey was getting delirious, whether from the pain or the herbs he couldn't tell. Although...He couldn't blame Goffrey for thinking he was dying...Arlian nearly gagged as the Healers began rearranging his intestines to clean the wounds. He hoped this would be over soon...Although...If it was...Goffrey would probably be dead.
Maybe he didn't want it to be over soon...
Sir Arlian Bedwyr (Knight of Nocaneb)
Harmony looked seriously at Goffrey. She had been around too many dying people—or people who thought they were dying—to make light of his concerns. It wouldn’t help to brush them aside and tell him that he wasn’t dying—which he might well be—because he wouldn’t believe her even if he wasn’t, and then all he would do was worry about his affairs.
“Goffrey, don’t worry. I’ll take care of your papers; I promise you…nothing will be left undone…just breathe and let the medicine work. It’s supposed to cut the pain and help you rest.”
She looked over at what the healers were doing and then quickly returned her gaze to Goffrey’s face. He was such a mess…she didn’t see how he could live…but then, she couldn’t see how he was still alive now…so…there was still hope.
Lady Edara Kindon Duchess of Nocaneb
Goffrey found himself laughing about the medicine helping with the pain, only it came out more of a painful chuckle.
"Well...its doing.....a crappy job...at the MOMENT," he said, as the healers withdrew they're hands from his stomach.
"Alright, we've done all we can, close him up," said a healer grimly,"All we can do at this point is pray." He did not sound particularly hopeful.
Goffrey nodded his thanks as the healers began to sow him up.
"Well....I better...get back....to my barracks....Eugen is ethier worried sick....or leading the men in open revolt," said Goffrey lightheadedly, the effects of a pain/drug induced daze becoming apparent, as he tried to force himself up off the table.
Goffrey Massey Baron of Sasat
Harmony and Arlian both pushed Goffrey back down firmly. “Goff…lie down!” she commanded him. She looked across him to Arlian and said dryly, “This was not how I imagined spending my day,” she pushed at Goff again as he struggled to rise once more, “Holding down a recalcitrant patient to keep him from doing injury to himself? On the plus side, if he’s fighting us this hard, then he’s still got reserves left…though I just don’t see how…”
Lady Harmony Kindon (Dame of Nocaneb)
Arlian grinned back.
"What, watching as they stuff the entrails back into a friend of yours after he nearly dies isn't your dream date? Who would have thought? Still, at least you know what he's like under the skin now..."
Arlian was tired. He'd been working sixteen hour days trying to fix this gods-be-damned region ever since he'd arrived, and he had just come off another eight hour shift when this happened. The joke may have been bad, but it was the best he could manage, and better than puking or anything else that crossed his mind at the moment.
Sir Arlian Bedwyr (Knight of Nocaneb)
Goffrey chuckled lightly at the small bit of humor Arlian had put forth. He layed back down as Harmony commanded, struggling only a little as his stubbornness died down.
"Alright alright....I'll lie still...I suppose...there are worse...places to die...," he sighed heavily as his eyelids suddenly felt very very heavy,"please....don't.....leave me...alone...," he said ethier the drugs or the pain peeling away his rough warrior exterior and exposing his inner fear.
"I.....don't....wanna be....alone...," said Goffrey fading in and out, his head fell back and the darkness took him again.
Goffrey Massey Baron of Sasat
Harmony had sat with Goffrey for a long time after he passed out...holding his hand and watching his uneasy sleep. Arlian had stayed with her for awhile before she noted his obvious exhaustion and told him to go get some rest. He had left her with a smile, but she hadn’t been certain if he was going to sleep or if he was going to go back to work.
From time to time, Goffrey had stirred and moaned before subsiding…she had drifted off despite the hardness of the bench…her head laid on the table next to him. At some point, some minutes or hours later, he had woken and gripped her hand.
“Harmony…you stayed…you should…I’m fine…you stayed…but you can go…I’ll be all right…”
The older lady, who Harmony learned was Edara’s housekeeper, Idelle, had bustled up with another bottle and poured it down his throat.
Within minutes, Goffrey had begun to drift once more, his eyes closing and his voice tapering off, “Harmony…stayed…I thought I was in heaven…”
“He’ll sleep for hours more, lady; you should go and get some yourself,” Idelle had told her.
Harmony had taken her advice and gone home. Her father was distressed and angered to hear her news.
“Someone was in the castle…killing people? Some Sartanian rebel after Edara? What kind of security do they have over there, anyway? The castle should be the safest place in the city. I would have thought that Jenred would have made certain that no one could get close to my little one…I’ll have to speak with him about that.”
She had smiled at his concern, hugged him hard, then taken herself to bed.
The new day dawned brightly and Harmony could hardly believe that…the previous day had even happened. Before she went out to her day's duties, she sent a runner up to the castle to find out Goffrey’s condition…he lived…and rested. She would visit him later in the day; meanwhile, there were streets to patrol…and after the uproar of yesterday…Harmony would be taking extra care.
Lady Harmony Kindon (Dame of Nocaneb)
Idelle eyed the wizened old man; she had always had a great respect for healers, her own herb lore and years of practical experience putting her into their company even if she did not have the specialized training to be in their guild. She had once thought that she might…but then life…had gone a bit differently.
She nodded at his acknowledgment of her work, then frowned slightly, “Whern root…yes…I have a small quantity in my stores, though I have never heard of it being used as a remedy against the rot…only as a purgative…Still,” she motioned a serving girl to her, “It shouldn’t hurt him, and I’m always willing to learn new methods…” she gave her attention to the girl, instructing her to have the roots prepared the way the old healer had directed and sent her off to the kitchens.
Idelle turned a gimlet gaze on Ethelred, “As for leeching…” she chose her words carefully, “I don’t hold with it. This man lost enough blood to stop any three ordinary men…we won’t be sucking any more out.” Her voice had an air of finality about it.
“I’ve been giving him regular doses of a decoction of tarvis leaves for pain and to keep him from moving about too much…and ripping himself open again. Starba bark might be better for pain, but it keeps the blood flowing…and we don’t want that. Have you any other wisdom to give us, then?”
Lady Edara Kindon Duchess of Nocaneb
Ethelred rocked back and forth, nodding. "Leeching is useful for remedying dire afflictions, and can slow the onset of rot, but you were right to refrain from using it here. It can be something of an extreme cure, and would have adversely affected his recovery, I am sure." He extended a trembling hand to lean against the table, and scrutinized the prone Goffrey.
"Tarvis leaves... yes, they are appropriate, although the dosage is quite hard to judge for a situation such as this. The man is a formidable warrior, I have heard, which I assume also means that he is a prodigious drinker, and that can build up a resistance. Alcohol is the bane of the healing profession, I never use it. If a man cannot bear the pain, there are better and surer ways to reduce it." His fingers roved over the wound, examining it.
"From the angle of the entrance wound, I judge it to be a deep one, although it would have helped if I could have seen it initially. Tell me, did you recover the weapon that did the deed?" He paused, then said, "Perhaps a... no. At this stage you have done the best for him. I congratulate you. With formal training, you could be a truly skilled healer."
He backed away from Goffrey's body, and asked, "Do you have a place I can rest on this floor? I shall need to be near him when he awakes, but the journey has tired me."
Soon after, Dren inquired, "Do you know where Duchess Edara is?" He had several things on his mind; Nocaneb, for all the festivities, was not a happy place.
Dren Kandurell (Priest of Magna Aenilia Ecclesia)
Idelle bristled slightly, but held her tongue: as if she couldn’t judge how much tarvis to give a man. His mixed praise did little to balm her…she reckoned she was fair skilled as it was. Still, he was old and tired…
“Now, you just sit yourself down there. I’ll have a bed made up for you here and some food and drink sent up. Things may be in a bit of a muddle—mad men rampaging through the castle, hall turned into a surgery—but the kitchens are going about their proper business,” she said with satisfaction.
Idelle turned to the priest, “Brother, I will have my Lady greet you in her parlour if she is available. I’ll send Fin to show you the way.” She took herself off to orgainze bedding and food for the healer and see about this whern root concoction.
If there was any better remedy for a troubled mind then falling asleep in the arms of your love…and waking in the same place, Edara didn’t know it. She would have stayed curled up there with Jenred all day if they both didn’t have so much to do. As it was, they delayed arising for quite some time...
Edara was quite disturbed by the potential for secret access points into the castle from the catacombs, and wondered how many men they could spare for exploration. Also, they needed to go and see if Goffrey had made it through the night…not to mention there were patrols to be run and the ordinary affairs of the Duchy to be seen to. Jenred had his own correspondence and magistrate business to deal with as well. Oh…and, gods bless, there was a festival today. That seemed wildly inappropriate after everything that had happened, but she would still have to go and be seen.
When the knock came at her door, Edara was dressed and ready to face the day. An audience with the Priest Dren…well, what was one more thing today? They ascertained from the servant that Goffrey did still live. She was amazed by his strength…half of his wounds would have felled a lesser man.
Though Jenred still seemed less than eager for her to go anywhere without him, Edara kissed him lingeringly and went to meet the priest.
Lady Edara Kindon Duchess of Nocaneb
Jenred sighed again as Edara left. He had duties of his own to attend to.
He moved through his usual morning ritual, and once at his desk, called for the day's messages. He read through them, nothing terribly important, ah, it was nice to have those diplomatic correspondence letters finally, and...
"Oh, Aenil damn it! Gotten so blasted close to a settlement, and then...!"
Jenred began writing furiously. He needed to do this one himself, dictation just wouldn't do. After he was finally satisfied with the letter, more than half an hour later, he sealed it, and had a Messenger send it off. That ought to contain the damage...But now to deal with the source of that damage...Jenred wrote this one himself again, to keep it from his scribe's eyes more than because he needed to concentrate. Again, he sealed it, and had a Messenger carry it off. There was another letter to write, but this was a far more pleasant affair, and he called his scribes in for it.
After he was done, he checked the angle of the sunlight...He'd been at this for nearly an hour. He shook his head and stood, grabbing his cloak. He needed to see Goffrey, find out what Edara wanted done with those catacombs, check on his prisoner...It was going to be a long day.
Sir Jenred Bedwyr Imperial Magistrate of Arcaea
Jenred looked over the latest message and...blinked. The food from Arcachon had just been bought, and...oh.
Jenred flushed. Where on earth had he gotten the idea that they already had the food...He shook his head. Well, the important thing was they had the food, not only to last the winter, but to make it through all of Spring as well...Even with severe droughts.
Um...Even with really severe droughts.
Jenred flushed again. At least they weren't really hurting for money...
Sir Jenred Bedwyr Imperial Magistrate of Arcaea
Ethelred gave a gap toothed grin as Idelle's attitude changed. "I've heard that tone before; used it myself enough. I'm no invalid, and though neither my back nor my bones are as strong as they used to be, I don't need fussing over by a mother goose. A sleeping mat and a bite to eat will cater for me nicely." His words were directed at Idelle's back, in a chiding manner. From the perspective of one of his age, almost everyone could be treated like a child.
Dren Kandurell (Priest of Magna Aenilia Ecclesia)
The darkness of sleep surrounded Goffrey virtually unbroken. He lay in the endless oblivion seeking nothing but peace for the longest time. He saw nothing but black, and heard nothing but white noise. The an image in the darkness came into focus sharply. Goffrey stirred in his sleep as the onset of a bad dream began.
A young boy stood in the center of an open arena outside arena. The boy had a look of determined hopefulness of boyhood, and held a sword in both hands with all the skill of a trainee. His name was Goffrey Massey, and he was but a boy. Suddenly the greyness surrounding the arena ebbed reveling another figure, a man. The man was tall and dark haired, wielding a sword that spoke of unmatched skill. His face was obscured with by some kind of haze, but a fatherly warmth radiated from him. He was Goffrey's father and he was teaching him the ways of the warrior.
Years passed in a blur, memories rushing by like a river. The boy was older now, a youth no longer embracing the naivety of boyhood. He stood in the same arena holding the same sword, worn from use, in a much more polished version of his previous stance. He stood facing a large hunting dog, rabid from hunger, held back by a flimsy looking leash. Goffrey new he would not eat this night unless he managed to bring the dog before him to heel, and it was this knowledge that steeled his resolve, as well as the rumbling of a malnourished stomach. The same man from before stood to the right of the arena. The warmth from before was gone, replaced by a hardness and bitterness that spoke of a terrible loss. The man was no longer Goffrey's father, now he was his trainer.
Time passed again, once again Goffrey stood in the arena of old, now scared by the battles that had taken place there. No longer a youth, but on the verge of adulthood, he held a new sword this time, his old one broken from misuse. The grayness of the dream parted to revel his opponent. Neither man or beast, but something in between stood on the other side. A tremor of fear ran up his spine as he new he would have to face this creature, or die. Once again the man stood to the side of the arena, watching Goffrey with gray eyes. The bitterness was gone, but in its steed stood an abstract coldness that scared Goffrey more then the thing he was about to fight. He was no longer Goffrey's trainer, now he was his jailer.
Time passed for a final time, Goffrey was no longer in the arena. Now he stood a man of 17 years in the hall of his home. Before him stood the man from before unchanged, save for a few gray hairs, only now the coldness was replaced by a sense of merciless hate. The omnipresent haze was finally lifted at this point reveling nothing of the man's face, but his eyes. His horrible gray eyes, cold calculating inhuman eyes, the eyes of a predator observing his pray, the eyes of a man about to kill his son, and enjoy it.
Goffrey's eyes shot open as he awoke with a start, launching himself into an upright position. His head jerked around looking for the terrible eyes that haunted his dream, only to find the hall of Nocaneb. Realizing he was hacing a nightmare he collasped back, as a hiss of pain escaped of his mouth, fallowed by a short string of curses.
He panned his eyes about and realized he was not alone, a man stood in the hall with him, an old man by the looks of it. He turned his head towards the man to address him.
"Are you.....real.....or...have I gone mad....with pain and medication," he said between haggard gasps.
Goffrey Massey Baron of Sasat
Thalathafn entered the great hall as Goffrey popped up, the healer standing over him at large table. His blood soaked dressings clung tightly to his wounds as he lay on the wooden slab forcing a muffled mumble to the old man. Thalathafn removed his winter cloak, handed it to the page boy and waited by the towering inferno set into the wall of the great hall. The warmth eminating from the fire filled the room as Thalathafn stood, looking for the signal from the healer.
Sir Thalathafn Urominiel General of Arcaea, Marshal of the Field of Honour
The age healer shot up from his chair at the first sign of Goffrey stirring. For all his frailty, he moved with startling speed to the table where his patient had jerked awake. Two thin hands guided the wounded man confidently back into a lying position. "I'm here, boy, I'm here. You must not overextend yourself. Your wounds have been... severe... to say the least." Ethelred quickly checked the binding on his wound; it was still in place. If Goffrey ripped himself free of that, there would be an awful lot of blood, blood which he could not afford to lose.
Not looking up at Thalathafn's entrance, Ethelred simply raised a hand and indicated that the General should remain where he was. Scanning his patient expertly, he said, half to himself, "Your medicine should not be producing vivid hallucinations, not by itself at least, not if she judged the amount right." He cleared his throat and raised his quavering voice, "Tell me, have you been having bad dreams?" That Goffrey was in such an animated state could be put down to pain from the wounds, but Ethelred was inclined to think that there was something more. "You are safe here. I am sure that guards have been posted throughout the castle, in light of the previous attack. If you are hallucinating, you must describe your visions to me."
He beckoned Thalathafn closer, hissing, "Can I help you? Do you know my patient well?"
Dren Kandurell (Priest of Magna Aenilia Ecclesia)
Thalathafn approached the healer. "Dear elder, I am High Marshal of this realm. It is my duty to visit those fallen on the battlefield and special cases such at these. There are too many un-answered questions surrounding the mystery of Baron Goffrey injuries." Thalathafn looked down at the young-man lying on the bloodstained table, questions racing through his head.
Sir Thalathafn Urominiel General of Arcaea, Marshal of the Field of Honour
"Ah, High Marshal? I am Master Healer Ethelred. I hope that you don't have any plans to make my job more difficult in Arcaea? With the small number of healers, we are finding it hard enough to deal with simple Winter ailments, let alone casualties from war." He nodded towards Goffrey's prone body. "Please do not disturb this particular casualty; his mere survival is an heroic feat, and while he seems to have stabilised, his situation could turn critical at any moment."
Ethelred sighed, and said, "I too would like to know the details of the attack. If I knew how exactly he was wounded, I might be able to use more specialised remedies... but as it is, examining the wound too closely could cause it to reopen. You wouldn't happen to know any more details than I?"
Dren Kandurell (Priest of Magna Aenilia Ecclesia)
Goffrey laid still during the healer's conversation with General Thalathafn, a little bothered by the fact that he was being talked about like he wasn't there. Pushing it aside, he turned to address Thalathafn.
"General.....always a....pleasure," said Goffrey with an effort,"I'd be.....happy to.....answer your questions.....if you have.....the patience for it."
Goffrey Massey Baron of Sasat
"Good Healer, I know nothing of the event. I only came when I heard the Baron was severely wounded." Thalathafn turned to Goffrey "It is winter, armies are slowed, I have all the time in the world. Please take all that you need, you have been bleeding quite heavily. Now do you recall what happened?"
Sir Thalathafn Urominiel General of Arcaea, Marshal of the Field of Honour
"All I can ask is that you do not overexert yourself, Baron Goffrey. Your wound is still extremely fragile." He turned to the High Marshal. "And if you would not keep him from rest for too long, I would be most grateful."
The elderly healer turned, making his way to the bed that had been arranged for him. Goffrey was not the only one in need of rest.
Dren Kandurell (Priest of Magna Aenilia Ecclesia)
Goffrey nodded his acknowledgment to the healer, fully prepared to listen to one for the first time in his life. Turning back to Thalathafn he prepared to tell his tale.
"Well...," he started out,"....Judging by my wounds....I'd say....I was in some kind of fight.....which I apparently.....did not do so well in.....," he finished laughing darkly at his own joke.
Letting the humor slip from his face he steeled himself with a mask of seriousness, and he told his tale. Starting at the beginning he told Thalathafn everything sticking strictly to the facts, this was not a tale to embellish. He found himself fading, but he shook off his weariness and finished his story.
"....I didn't stand a chance....against him.....I knew that from the start....but I fought anyway....for all the.....good it did me.....," suddenly a far off look entered Goffrey's eyes,"....those eyes.....," he said, no longer fully coherent,"those damnable eyes....I know those eyes.....the eyes of a diamon.....the eyes of my father." His tale finished Goffrey felt himself fading fast, all his energy spent he fought a loosing battle with his eyelids as the darkness fought to take him again.
"If you don't mind......General.....I think I'm gonna.....take a nap now," said Goffrey as he fell back into sleep.
Goffrey Massey Baron of Sasat
As Goffrey collasped back onto the table, Thalathafn tried to absorb what he heard. I will let you get some rest he thought and signalled to the page boy. The boy quickly followed his lord as he exited. But before he left the castle, thalathafn made sure to increase the numbers of guards around the great hall.
Sir Thalathafn Urominiel General of Arcaea, Marshal of the Field of Honour
Richter sat alone in his command tent a bottle of some unlabeled alcohol in his hand. He and his men were camped out on the Sartanian side of the Obreth Saex boundry.
'Obreth isn't in Sartania anymore, get it together man,' he corrected himself.
Richter thought back to all the times he had taken part in raiding this region when it flew Sartanian colors back in the war. The irony of the situation was now he was leading the very army that had once raided this land for all its worth on a mission of peace as decreed by General Thalathafn.
'As long as I live I shall never understand politics,' he thought dryly.
He took another swig from the bottle, not even tasting the drink, he was too busy these days, and this peace treaty was the one bit of good news he had heard in a long time. Richter was so burnt out on this war, it was an ugly thing what this war had become, a lot of bad blood had been shed on both sides, and Richter had spilled more then his far share of it. He was so tried now, so very tried.
He wondered where Goffrey was at that moment, then he remembered why he had started drinking in the first place. He chugged the bottle down, liquid distraction is what he called it, quite possibly the only thing keeping him under control at this point.
Captain Udo walked in as Richter took another swig from his bottle, briefly noticing the bottle was down to its last quarter. He rose to address Udo, sure on his feet as his alcohol tolerance level was the stuff of legend among the unit.
'Or whats left of it,' he thought darkly as he took another drink.
"M'Lord the men have set up camp as per your instructions, and scout reports that the rest of the TCA in the area have done the same..." he said distractedly, "begging your pardon sir, but, may I speak freely for the moment?"
"You know how I work Udo, speak your mind only if its about you," said Richter smiling a little at his underlings adherence to doctrine.
Udo nodded definitely before continuing,"It is about your brother My Lord," he said as Richter's smile fell and his eyes darkened,"We received word of his....condition....days ago and quite frankly Sire, your reaction too it is worrying the men."
Richter said nothing, which Udo took as a sign to continue,"Perhaps if we went to visit him," he began before he was cut off.
"No," said Richter with a finality,"Goffrey will be fine."
"But my Lord, you can't just sit around and hope for..."
"I SAID HE'LL BE FINE," said Richter rage choking his voice as he threw his now empty bottle at Udo's feet. Udo jumped back in alarm at his Lord's outbrust, shocked that his usually calm Lord could display such emotion. Silence filled the tent as the two stood absolutely still, Richter his eye's alight with Fury, and Udo a picture of shock, it was dead silent.
"Your dismissed Captain," said Richter as he turned away from Udo, who merely nodded and showed himself out.
Richter sighed heavily as regret wracked him, he reached down for his bottle, only to remember he had thrown it a fit of rage.
Suddenly Richter sensed another presence in the tent, whom he assumed was Udo, come to apologize.3
"Udo," said Richter as he turned around "I thought I told you to get ou..." He never finished his sentence.
"Richter my how you've grown, whats with that look, can't a father drop in and see how his son is doing from time to time, hmm?" said Siegfried as he stood in the entrance to Richter's tent.
Richter Massey Marshal of the Tribute Collecting Army
Richter stood stock still in absolute shock, praying that he had succumb to alcohol poisoning and this was all a bad dream, but knowing that it wasn't. He circled around his desk, never taking his eyes off his farther. Siegfried matched his circling movements steep for steep, a mockingly evil smile spread across his lips.
"Father," spitting the word out like an overtly bitter drink, "I thought you were still in Beluaterra with your fellow daimons, raising all kinds of merry hell," said Richter, his face harden to hide the tremor of ice cold terror playing up and down his spine letting only a glint of his fear show in his eyes.
Siegfried instantly caught up on the fear and widen his smile, and chuckled slightly breaking eye contact as the two continued to circle each other inside of Richter's spacious tent.
"Does a father need an excuse to stop by and see how his sons are doing?" said Siegfried in a mocking tone, completely ignoring Richter's obvious disdain.
"A father, no, but you, yes, YOU need a reason, what do you want Siegfried," said Richter as his hands gripped his sword's hilt with whitened knuckles.
"I want what every father wants," he said chuckling darkly, in voice that would send most men running for their mothers, "I want whats best for my boys, and for you Richter, that means death."
They both stopped circling at exactly the same time, squaring off against each other, sword hands clasped firmly on their respective hilts.
"You know," said Siegfried somberly, "you always were an utter failure Richter, and I have no one to blame but myself for that," he said with his eyes cast down, in what could actually have been a dark twisted version of shame, "You see I never had time to teach you the way I taught Goffrey, thats why he was choosen, not you."
"Choosen?" said Richter, actually curiosity in his voice, "choosen for what?"
"I stopped to visit him in Nocaneb before coming here," said Siegfried, ignoring Richter's question entirely.
"He actually managed to spill some of my blood up there," continued Siegfried with his voice swelling with distorted pride.
"Of course," he said as he drew forth a sword covered in dried blood, "I spilt alot more of his," he said with a disturbingly dark smile covering his face.
Richter felt a plethora of emotions at point, fear, shock, horror, and hopelessness. But a single emotion won through the rest....rage....pure unbridled righteous rage, all focused on one single point.
"YOU SON OF BITCH," cried Richter as he charged forth, sword raised parallel to his shoulder blades, prepared to be thrust forth deep into Siegfried's chest.
The clash of steel, blood, and pain ended Richter's reckless charge as his father stood over his now prone body, shaking his head in shame.
"Such a pity Richter," he said as he circled over him like a vulture, "I had such hope when I came here, but now I know I was wasting my time, it seems I'll have to preform a father's mercy on you and end you while you still have some dignity left."
Siegfried positioned himself besides Richter, kneeling down next his chest. He raised his sword high as Richter looked on, still in a daze from the after effects of his charge. "Good bye, my son, may you succeed in death, where you failed in life," said Siegfried with a grim finality.
"My lord, I wanted to say I'm sorry a was way out of line on that and...." said Udo as he walked into the tent.
Shock, quickly changed to rage, as he pulled his sword free of his sheath and launched himself at Siegfried. Udo's presence spanned Richter out of shock, and he jumped up and leapt to his captain's aide. The three struggled on the ground, too close for sword to be effective, resorting instead to hand to hand combat. For a moment the element of surprise gave Udo and Richter an even hand with Siegfried, until Siegfried's superior skill won through, casting both the beleaguered warriors aside as if they were mere rag dolls.
Suddenly the camp around them was alive with activity, fully awake thanks to the sounds of the scuffle, men began to meander about in confusion about what was going on, unable to find ethier Richter or the captain. Siegfried knew he had lost the advantage at this point, and staying would only result in both him, and a lot of Richter's men, dieing. He picked his way past the unconscious form of Udo, casting one stray kick as he passed him just to make sure, before pausing next to where Richter's battered body was spiraled out. "Well son, it seems the world will have to endure the stench of your failure for awhile longer now, until next time," he said with an evil grin as he snapped a foot out, connecting firmly with Richter's temple, sending him to the world of his nightmares.
Sighing heavily, Siegfried turned to leave, finding it very easy to slip out of the camp thanks to the confusion. Before too long he made it out of the region and back within the heart land of Arcaea. He strayed into Saex, paying a visit to the apothecary that sold him the impotent 'fake death' serum, killing the man for his troubles, before quietly disappearing into the crowd. He slept very peacefully that night.
Richter Massey Marshal of the Tribute Collecting Army
