Fantasy RP

[Leggo]

Jonos

“That makes sense, it would be unwise to initiate conflict with another county so soon. I’ll have a letter written up by my new second-in-command and sent over to you before we all head out. This will remain a secret unless you actually use the letter.”

[Bannanachair]

Alfred

 
You find Artie at a corner table at the Ugly Rose, still in conversation with Brother Norin. Gutrum was at the bar cleaning a mug, and the tavern was otherwise empty - it's much too early in the day for it to fill up at nighttime, and the Ugly Rose doesn't have much of a lunch crowd.
 

Verous

 
"Be safe, Ver," Prue said.
 
You and Perrin returned to the cathedral that you had visited the previous day, noticing the destitute poverty around you as you got there. Oakwell was a wealthy city before half of its citizens were displaced by the storm and the flood, but now everyone's gone hungry and most everyone sleeps outside. It rained last night, as you could tell by the dirt roads that turned to mud, and it's likely that many of those now homeless are now also ill.
 
"Welcome back, your majesty," The priest said when you returned. "We've made some promising leads in finding the maps that you requested, but we are only the men and women that our God has made us, and so I'm afraid that we haven't found them in our archives just yet."
 

Arthur

 
When you got downstairs, you found that your father had already left. His breakfast, a sliced apple mixed with some oats, was left out nearly completely eaten, but not quite. It appears that he had left in a rush, given that he normally eats his entire breakfast and cleans up afterwards before leaving for the day's work.
 

Othan

 
And so, later that day, your group rode back to the city of Mallowater. Northan and Thander Marthus were in the front, practicing fast-paced speech in Eredalian, Elusian and other languages. Raethus and you were behind them, and behind the two of you were Raethus's squire Tammen and Raethus's eldest daughters, Melery and Nerys. In the rear were Sir Darmen and Sir Galad.
 
It was just before sunset by the time you returned, and it had been drizzling for two hours by then. The rain on its own wouldn't have been too bad, but combined with the wind, your traveling cloak wasn't enough to keep you warm. As it is, you were chilled to the bone.
 

Kainer

 
"I've been told my a knight that he heard cutting off their heads works, though he says he never actually tried it nor met anyone who tried it. Sir… Ah, I think his name was Sir Launcedoc, I think was his name? There was also a bard passed through just before all this trouble started, Accovres, who said that fire will burn them up."
 
As the evening rolled on, people would occasionally join your conversation with Kerint
 

Arelia

 
She quickly slammed shut the book that she was reading, put some cloth over it and opened another book. "Mother, I didn't see you there," She said. "I, uh, yes, it's very interesting reading about the… Metarealistic mechanisms by which the barriers devised by Valamer Ardaricsson operate - for instance, as will be mentioned later in chapter four, how the metarealistic properties of coldness are manipulated to prevent strong elements of snow and ice from magic or a blizzard from reaching the other side." Everything from the first 'metarealistic' was clearly read aloud from the book ('History of Barrier Magic by Waltram Dustorn, you think), and she stumbled over Ardaricsson's name as if she had never seen it before. (Which is perfectly understandable, as his barrier spells were among the most advanced ever developed - the ones that Reiselle just read about, for instance, were instrumental in the conquest of Slairis and the settlement of Winterpond by the Nerath empire and wholly unnecessary for anything that anyone in Eredal would ever need).
 

Jonos

 
"Your majesty, in anyone's handwriting but yours the validity of the letter would be up for debate," answered the Redscar. "Aside from those two things, I have nothing more to ask about, your majesty. If you have no more need of me here, I may begin preparing my men for the journey ahead."

[Tikobe]

Othan

Damn this cold...

Oh well, nothing to be done about it. I'll just live with these conditions and continue to move on.

I give a quick glance to the rest of my companions to see how they were faring, not saying anything inspiring to them. I trust in their abilities, they're competent enough people.

Kainer

"A bard and a knight? That's amazing! Are either of those guys here?" I question, seemingly in awe. Honestly, I was only half in awe at the sound of a bard. One of the few things I have seen are knights.

Arelia

"Oh really? Then it's time for some review then. Pulling from chapter 2, how did Ardaricsson develop a barrier that could filter out rain but not snow and the significance of such a barrier?"

It was a trick question. Given that they were both water, such a barrier couldn't exist although it certainly does stand to truth that many, and indeed many, have tried to make one such barrier, myself included. Unfortunately, the only difference between the two is the state that they're in which does not provide nearly enough of a difference to filter one out without the other. However, Reiselle most definitely did not know this fact. When this, combined with how Ardaricsson isn't even mentioned in chapter 2 as well as such a discussion belonging to chapter 8, Historical Theories, Reiselle would soon be exposing herself for me.

Seriously, a part of me dreads just what that girl could be reading if it's so bad that she has to hide it from me.

[Leggo]

Jonos

“Aye, farewell.”

I plan to write my signature on the bottom of the letter, which would confirm that the words were supported by me. Nonetheless, I should probably assist in the preparation of my own men, and get a headcount of my numbers.

[Duck14]

(Sorry again Mr. Tim. I won’t let it happen again Mr. Tim.)

Alfred

I nodded toward Gutrum and made my way directly to the table to listen in on the conversation. I cleared my throat to make myself known. “Mind if I sit in on this one? Or would you rather I waited over by the bar?” I asked the pair.

————
Verous

It felt weird and inconsiderate to have them work on anything else besides the poor and impoverished but this was also important. “That’s quite alright friend. There is no need to apologise about such matters. If it would please you, could you hand what information you have to Perrin and I? Perhaps we can gather these maps while you continue your great efforts to help these people.”

That seemed more reasonable. Put the church folk to use where they worked best.

————
Arthur

I sighed. He had gone or had been called away. My heart skipped a beat and I pressed my hand against the table. “Come home father. Please.” It wasn’t to be. No chance, not today. He had work to do. As did I. That was the only way I could put my mind off this ordeal.

[Bannanachair]

Othan

 
As could be expected, the children are the only ones not managing to fare well - Nerys, Tammen and Darmen Dinton's squire were occasionally grumbling, though everyone else was somewhat stoic about the ordeal.
 
When you returned back to the palace, slightly wet and slightly cold, you found that Kallian was still holding court.
 
"My lord, I only killed his dog because his dog tried to bite my son - " a petitioner was saying, but another cut him off with a shout of "Liar! Charm's a good dog and never would have done such a thing! Not unless your son was kicking him or something, then it's just defence!"
 
"Quiet!" Kallian shouted from his seat. "I have reached a verdict. Gill, you are to buy a pup using Mal's coin. Mal, any wounds that your son gained from Gill's dog will be paid for by Gill's coin. You two are both wealthy shopkeepers and neighbours. Make your peace or it will be made for you."
 

Kainer

 
"That knight passed through years ago, though the bard was here just a few days before the attack. The unlucky bastard was headed towards Secelle, saying that he was looking for stories and songs and ballads about the Chelmar to add to his repertoire."
 
As the evening wore on, people came and left from the bar, joining in your conversation with Kerint about current affairs - a merchant's wife from Secelle whose husband had finally been convinced to leave for their safety told you of the fear that lived in that city despite Count Karleon managing to keep the peace (for now). A tanner's son from Camasse who managed to escape was quiet at first, but you managed to get out of him that he fled when he saw one of the trolls tearing his lady-love in half. An old farmer from another of the outlying villages was convinced that someone did something to anger the trolls, who had always been content to stick to within the Chelmar previously - "probably some drunken buffoonery from Sir Albince, or maybe that damned singer Accovres was stirring up trouble".
 
Meanwhile, you caught in the corner of your eye that Todawc was moving from table to table, chatting people up when he could, playing a bit of cards and dice and ordering people drinks to butter them up. You wondered if he had heard similar stories to yours, but even you're smart enough to know that you can always ask him later.
 
After a few hours, when some people were starting to head in for the night, Todawc approached you again. "You must be getting tired. We ought to head up to our room now." On the staircase, he added "I saw Caidwyr and Rhyewn head down and figured that our shift was probably up."
 

Arelia

 
"It was… Uhh… He utilized the pseudotemperate properties of water with a Nelorian geometry? A polygonal Nelorian geometry, that is?" She guessed. It's a common first guess among your students when you posed the question, if ultimately wrong.
 

Jonos

 
You find your numbers easily enough - Your thousand men, combined from your levies and your personal guard that comprise the backbone of your force. They're being augmented by Baron Drayden's five hundred, Count Otterberg's six hundred (he left quite a few behind to keep the peace in Atrekara) and Baronness Vena's seven hundred - in total, you're going to be leading a force of almost three thousand men towards the city and capital of Mescor.
 

Alfred

 
"For the time being, privacy would be best," Brother Norin said. "If Artie wishes to tell you everything we talked about afterwards he is more than welcome to do so, but I am afraid that in your presence he may be trying to speak to please you rather than just the simple truth."
 
"I'm fine with the cap'n being here, Brother Norin," Artie said in protest.
 
"Of course you are. I'm not saying that you have anything to hide from him, but I think that your respect for your captain will cloud your most accurate memories of the story."
 

Verous

 
"You have free access to the public sections of our archives, your majesty, though the maps of the crypts are unfortunately not to be found there. There are certain church documents that the pope himself has said none but church officials may read, and I suspect the maps that you're looking for would be stored with them."
 
Perrin spoke before you could. "Your… Ah, your holiness, does this mean that even when you do find the maps that his majesty - the duke of all Datha and your liege-lord - would not be allowed to look at them? If that is the case, why not simply have told this to us last night, and why look?"
 
"It's not quite like that," the priest answered. "There are many documents stored in the private sections of the archives for many reasons. A map of the catacombs would be there simply to prevent riff-raff from using the map to find a hiding place, but there are other books there whose mere presence must be kept a secret. We will bring the map to the two of you, and to Count Ballus, when we find it."
 

Arthur

 
You eat your breakfast and do other things that you ordinarily do in the morning in advance of heading to Phin Reed's shop. As you're walking towards his shop, you notice a tension in the air - all the city guards that you see are young and new; everyone else with your father's talent and experience seem to be not present. Though there's no bloodshed, there is still tension, and fear of an attack by the trolls with Secelle this undefended.

[Tikobe]

Othan

Hmm, that's a way to handle such a problem. I never fail to be amazed at how well Kallian handles these things. If it was me I would've just told them to be silent and leave the court without any considerations.

I look to a servant and quietly say to them, "Inform my brother of our return when he's free. I'll be taking care of a few things over at my quarters."

Like changing into some dry clothes.

Kainer

"Yeah. Good thing, too. I wasn't hearing anything uplifting, not to mention that honestly speaking I wasn't able to get anything useful other than the name of some bard, Accovres. Well, it doesn't seem like it was anything other more than just hating on him. Reminds me of an elf I once knew. He tried to be funny but wound up annoying everyone until the day he spilled a barrel of wine right over the wrong people while he was goofing around. He was dismissed from the Autumn Court on the next day, and no one missed him."

Arelia

"Reiselle," I smile, a smile not unlike that of a cat playing with a mouse, "there is no barrier that filters out one without the other. Now, what exactly were you really reading if it was so bad that you had to hide it from me?"

I nod over to the cloth where she hid the book just so she knew how cornered she was.

[Duck14]

Alfred

The Brother was right, Artie wouldn’t speak the exact truth in my direct presence. Made sense to me, he was a good kid and if this came to anything he needed to speak the truth. “No lad, he’s right. I’ll be over by the bar if either of you need me. Do tell if anything comes of this brother,” I say and head to the bar.

————
Verous

“Thank you for your service. Perrin we should probably investigate one of the other church’s, just in case there’s a sign of anything that we’re looking for at one of them.” I went to leave but turned back mid-thought. “You’re doing good work here my friend. Please make it known to your comrades that I’ve said this. We could all do with a bit of a lift at the moment.”

————
Arthur

I rushed to the blacksmith. Not intentionally but I noticed how quickly I drew breaths and how quickly I rounded corners. I didn’t want to admit it, not even to myself, but the tension and sense of foreboading had got to me as well. It didn’t help that my father had gone as well. This was not the time to be nervous, but being nervous was never a conviennance, at least not in my experience.

[Leggo]

Jonos

My first thought is to find Sir Ornith. I haven’t actually spoken to him yet. Seeing as he’s in charge of my safety and the new leader of my personal guard, I feel like I’ll be confiding in him and relying on him as much as I do Wallace.

[Bannanachair]

Othan

 
Once you're finished getting changed, you hear a knock on your door.
 
"Lord Kallian is ready to see you, Lord Othan. He's gone to his study in the rear tower and will meet you and your siblings there," Said the voice of a servant.
 
Upon your arrival in Kallian's study, you find that three people had beaten you there - Kallian himself was seated at his desk, made of fine oak with trimmings of bloodwood that was your father's when he was still ruling and likely his grandfather's some time before that. Your youngest brother, Horthon, was seated near the fire, a sweat having broken across his forehead and a blanket wrapped around him. He was regularly falling ill, and it's a wonder that he hasn't died of it yet.
 
The third person present was one who you had not expected to be in the city of Mallowater - your sister, Jayla, who rules as a baroness from her castle called Mortling. She was a striking figure - taller than average for a woman and large without being fat, but aside from that clearly a woman with her dress and long, curly blonde hair. She was seated near a window, looking out at the sea, but turned to see you as soon as you entered.
 
"Othan, it's good to see you," She said. "When I had arrived only to hear that you and Northan had decided to go gallivanting off with Raethus Shan to bring justice to some bandits, I was a bit disappointed that I wasn't invited along with you."
 
"What in god's name is taking Northan and father so long?" Kallian asked, a somewhat colder greeting than Jayla had given.
 
"Do you have to be going through one of your bad moods right now, Kallian?" Horthon asked, still shivering by the fire. "It's raining out there and Northan just rode through six hours of it. Cut him some slack."
 

Kainer

 
"If you didn't heed my warning about not drinking too much when we were downstairs," Todawc said, "heed my warning now - sleep on your side. Though, I suppose faeries have alcohol as well, so you probably know that."
 
The next morning you're eating breakfast with the rest of the knights in a table. You're not bothering with your disguises, as Caidwyr has said that you've already found all that you need to.
 
"We'll want to be rather quick about our planning this morning, as I intend to be where we're going by this evening," Sir Caidwyr said. "I couldn't get two accounts of what happened that are the same, and I doubt any of you have, either. It seems like we have two options - spend a day going to Secelle, then make our plans from there and be in Camasse tomorrow at noon, or ride to Camasse today and see what we can do today."
 
"Sir Caidwyr, I know that his highness the king has decided to put you in charge," Todawc said, "but the second plan seems dangerous to me. Duke Floriet suggested heading to Secelle because count Karleon might be able to help."
 
"You don't always have to be so over-cautious, Todawc," Sir Mobreul said. "If we can get it done with tonight, I say we should do that. If not, then we can retreat to Secelle."
 

Arelia

 
"It's 'The Lovers of Lady Galiente'," Your daughter said with a blush. The book is a popular, if occasionally raunchy, romance novel that you've seen a few young women on the university grounds reading. From what you've heard each chapter is its own romance, featuring some knight or bard or king courting Galiente and occasionally having to overcome hurdles in his attempt.
 

Alfred

 
"Looking to hire the priest for your crew?" Gutrum asks with a smirk when you sit at the bar. "Or are you trying to get him to hire you for something? He doesn't look to be one of the Threun Guard, but I've heard that nothing good ever comes from them anyway."
 

Verous

 
"I'd recommend not going to Saint Marrol's, your majesty," The priest said. "It was heavily damaged in the flood and the priests there are now operating out of here. Saint Bothran's might be more useful for you, given that there will be monks there able to help you."
 

Arthur

 
"Take a minute to catch your breath before beginning work - huffing and heaving after a run might ruin your work," was all the greeting that you got from Phin Reed, before he added "And you have a busy day ahead of you - we sold out of swords and axes both yesterday, so I expect you to make twice as many today."
 

Jonos

 
You find Sir Ornith quite easily, sitting on a rock and polishing his sword while watching the other knights and soldiers getting ready to go. His life made him a man of contradictions - he has an appreciation for the finer things in life when he has access to them, but when traveling, he packs lightly and never takes more than a minute to saddle up. He's grey-haired and fat yet moves dexterously and nimbly in a fight.
 
When he sees you approach, he puts down his sword and whetstone on the ground beside him and bows. "Your majesty, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company?" He asked.

[Tikobe]

Othan

I ponder upon Kallian's impatience, but figure that we'll find out about it sooner or later so I opt to ignore it and approach my sister.

"Jayla, I hadn't expected you'd be here in Mallowater at this point of time. When did you arrive?" I say, as I suddenly recall her mentioning about my so called "gallivanting." "And about those bandits, I'm afraid that they appeared to be more of a promising challenge than they actually were. We got everything together and stormed their lair only to figure out that their main heads had long cleared out of the area. There wasn't much of a point in following after them so we called things off there."

Kainer

"Uhm, if I may, I think we should move to Secelle first. It's not as if I think that we can't defeat these trolls, but I was always raised on stories of knights getting overconfident and rushing their plans only to meet with tragedy," I mutter, as I suddenly think about the ridiculousness of what I just said. "Well, we can just discount that thought of mine as being a bad feeling, nothing else."

Arelia

I giggle as I barely manage to fall into a fit of laughter at this.

"I was your age once, Reiselle. I know what it is to be a young woman craving stories of romance, you don't have to feel embarrassed enough to hide it from me."

Especially since you were created by me following your pretty boy father into a certain department, not that I'd actually tell Reiselle that embarrassing little secret of mine.

[Duck14]

Alfred

“You know me, I’m not a big one for superstition, though I don’t plan on bringing him aboard just yet. He’s here to talk about that storm, apparently there could be more to it than meets the eye. Or so he says.” I glanced back to the table occupied by the priest and my navigator. “I’m not sure if I believe him. Or if he actually believes any of this himself.”

————
Verous

“Thank you once again, friend. I guess we will go to Saint Bothran’s on your good advice then.” I turned and stopped once more. “Say, if you need anything just let us know. We’re more than happy to help you.”

————
Arthur

I almost bawked at the proposition, that was so many weapons. But caught myself before the signs of disagreement crossed my face. It was rude to mention such grievances in the company of someone you respected. So, instead I caught my breath as ordered and later moved to my station. It was another day at the anvil but only that would take my mind off my father.

[Leggo]

Jonos

The more I used to look at Ornith, the more I used to doubt his combat skills. He’s not exactly of the body type you’d expect to see in a skilled swordsman, but he always seems to flip a switch when in combat. After seeing him in multiple battles, he’s quelled my doubts completely.

“Ornith! Rise, rise. I wanted to speak to you since as you know you’re now my number two, and I haven’t had the chance to speak to you. Also, I wanted to make sure you had everything you needed in your acclimation to the position, or perhaps answer any questions you might have.”

[Bannanachair]

Othan

 
"I arrived two days after you left," Jayla said, just as the door opened and Northan walked in, your father walking just behind him. Northan held the door open for your father, then they found seats.
 
"You were the last one to arrive, Northan," Kallian said.
 
"You're in a sour mood today," Northan said. "Besides, father arrived after I did."
 
"Let's cut past all these pleasantries, Kallian," Horthon said, not looking up from the fire. "You summoned all of us here to your study the second you heard our brothers returned. You're not in a good mood. Something important happened while Othan and Northan were away."
 
"Nizeston will arrive tomorrow," Kallian said. "I was wondering if anyone had any idea why he was coming here."
 
"He's here for the tournament, I thought," Northan said.
 
"He wasn't here for the last tournament, nor the one before, nor the one before that, nor any of Mallowater's grand tournaments since he conquered our city," Kallian said. "I was wondering if anyone had any idea why this tournament was different, or if he wanted something else and was using the tournament as an excuse to come here."
 

Kainer

 
"I stand with everything that Kainer just said," Todawc said. "If we rush into this too overconfident we will be worse for it."
 
"We stand nothing to gain by going to Secelle first," Caidwyr said. "If Count Karleon is an impatient man he already tried to deal with the trolls and likely failed, and if he's a patient man, then the reason he asked for help to begin with is that he doesn't have the resources to throw the trolls back into the Chelmar himself."
 

Arelia

 
Your daughter blushed some more, to the point where her entire face was red. She opened her mouth to try to say something but no words came out, and she closed it again, likely trying to find the words to say that she's embarrassed to have a mother who reads the same novels as her peers.
 
"Why don't you go see what Javrey is doing?" Reiselle finally stammered.
 

Alfred

 
"I don't mean magical godly trouble," Gutrum said, "though there could easily be some of that. I meant the kind of trouble that some men make that makes me throw them out onto the street. Some priests are good upstanding people, but more often they can be petty and jealous at the best of times."
 

Verous

 
"Thank you, your majesty," The priest said. The road to Saint Bothran's was much the same as the road to the Cathedral, but there were fewer people headed in that direction. You couldn't help but feel eyes looking at you as you passed by impoverished people out on the street.
 
Saint Bothran's was a much smaller structure, but it seemed to be a fair bit older as well. While parts of the cathedral appear to have undergone renovation just before the storm there was no wall on the outside of Saint Bothran's younger than one hundred years, by the looks of things.
 
The inside was also rather different - there was an altar at the front but it was otherwise undecorated and seemed to have been that way for a while. There were fewer people inside, both the sick and priests, but there were some people in prayer at the front.
 

Arthur

 
As you hammered away at the iron, forging it into swords and axes, knives and helmets and other things that you were instructed to make, the hours started slipping by. It was nearly noontime when a bard stopped by to place an order.
 
"I have a horse who needs shoeing and I was told that you're where to go for that," Said the voice of Accovres from the storefront.
 
"I am," Replied Phin Reed, also from the storefront rather than the furnace where you were. "Do you have the horse with you?  Horseshoes aren't a one-size-fits-all, and I don't want to make them too big or too small."
 
"I tied him to a tree outside," Accovres replied.
 
"Arthur!" Phin's voice shouted into the backroom. He wasn't yelling because you did anything wrong, but to be sure he could be heard over any hammering you were doing. "When you're done with that knife, check on the horse outside! He needs shoes!"
 

Jonos

 
"I've everything that I need for the position, but I didn't know I was made your new number two," Sir Ornith said. "When Sir Wallace told me I was heading your personal guard while he's out leading one of the flanks, I thought it would be just that and that one of your more influential and high-ranked vassals Count Herwin or Baron Horthon would have assumed the role of your right-hand."

[Leggo]

Jonos

“I could care less about influence and rank. Wallace was my right hand man, in addition to the leader of my household guard. I need someone competent at my side with Wallace gone, a strong right hand. You’ve served my house for decades, you’ve fought alongside me numerous times, and proven yourself time and time again. You’ll fill in for Wallace in all his duties, because I trust you to.”

[Tikobe]

Othan

Didn't we already discuss this before I left? I wonder to myself as I don't speak. I didn't know when I asked, and I still don't know when someone else asks.

Kainer

"Mmm," I mumble as I think on what Caidwyr said. "Pardon me, but while I may not be the brightest, I would still like to point out that even if there is nothing to gain, there's also not much to lose. Besides, there's no guarantee that there is nothing to gain."

Arelia

"Excellent idea, Reiselle! Have a pleasant time reading," I smile as I leave to go to Javrey's room. Not that the poor thing's going to get much reading done with what I've put into her mind.

[Duck14]

Alfred

I eyed Norrin once again, he had seemed the alright sort when I had spoke to him and now gave Artie the chance to speak of his own experiences. He didn’t seem the bad sort at all but then Gutrum probably heard more from patrons than I had while relatively isolated and on the water. “Alright then, I’ll note that.” I leaned in a little closer then and lowered my voice. “What do you know about this Brother Norrin?”

————
Verous

There were sick everywhere and this was going to continue until we could find enough suitable food and housing for everyone. This storm had wiped this city out and there was nothing we could do but wait for the reinforcements. I approached the nearest Preist who wasn’t otherwise occupied by a sickly person. “Hello,” I said rather meekly, not really knowing where else to go with that line of introduction.

————
Arthur

Accovres had arrived, he had actually come to the blacksmith as he had mentioned? Cool. Though I wasn’t really in the mood to tell a story of my own at this point in time. Especially not in front of someone who commanded such mastery of words. I finished the knife as soon as I could and then made my way out to the horse with the necessary equipment.

[Bannanachair]

Jonos

 
"Thank you your majesty, I am truly honoured to have received such recognition," Ornith said. "I will try to be as good a replacement for Sir Wallace as I can be. I take it that we're to be riding straight for the city of Mescor and laying siege there? Or will we be taking the time to take some of the outlying castles and towns, like the seat of the baron of Windmotley, or perhaps Yielden if that's not too out of the way?"
 

Othan

 
"You're being paranoid, Kallian," Northan said. "If the lord dragon wants something that he won't tell us until later, we'll deal with it then. Besides, why wouldn't Nizeston want to see the tournament? Perhaps he was just too busy to attend them for the past hundred years - if you expect to live a thousand years I'm sure you'd be fine with putting something interesting off until the next decade."
 
"You're painfully naïve - " Kallian began, before being cut off.
 
"Just wait, what, two days for Nizeston to arrive? One day?" Horthon said, then coughed. "Surely you can deal with a surprise that you didn't figure out in advance for once in your life. You've been asking for advice on that question for days now to no avail, and I surprisingly have better things to do than listen to you not know what's going on."
 

Kainer

 
"And if we're attacked just after arriving we'll at least have the benefit of a full night's rest if we go to Secelle first," Todawc said.
 
"I… Very well then, the two of you have convinced me," Caidwyr said. "We'll ride for Secelle, as originally planned."
 

Arelia

 
When you opened Javrey's door, he didn't bother trying to hide the thing he was doing that was not reading his books - he had on his floor a game of Seasons and dozens of pieces of paper strewn about, with scribbles and scrawls on all of them. Instead of hiding, he said a quick "I already did all of my reading for today, except for the reading that I'm going to do after dinner."
 

Alfred

 
"He's a peculiar priest - he uses the title 'Brother', though I don't know what monastic order he's with. He doesn't claim a high place in the church hierarchy, though most priests seem to be deferential to him - even the Blessed Rodan seems to listen to what he says." Rodan is the head of all churches in the entire duchy of Estermere (the Blessed of Estermere is his title), and there are only two priests in the hierarchy above him - the high priest of all of Eredal being his direct superior.
 
"I don't know much beyond that, though," Gutrum said. "What I do know of him comes from the sailors who're more godly, and from my own times that I go to church. I can keep my ears open for you if you want, though, Alfred."
 

Verous

 
The priestess that you greeted was startled for just a second, then looked at you and Perrin, and your slightly finer clothes. "Hello, um, my lord," She said, clearly guessing with the 'my lord'. "Could I help you with something? I'm Sister Monia, by the way, uh, my lord."
 

Arthur

 
"It's good to see you again, Arthur," Accovres said as you began going about your work. "I enjoyed your conversation over dinner last night - I was the bard at the Red Hat. You wouldn't happen to have that story I asked for, would you?"

[Tikobe]

Othan

"At the very least," I finally say, "we can be sure that it's either something that we've been long been expecting and preparing for, such as a declaration of another war, or something so out of the bounds of our imagination we wouldn't be able to guess of it. There may be something I'm missing, but that's what I've decided after spending some time away from here thinking of such things."

Kainer

I nod with a small smile. I'm relieved that Caidwyr agreed with us. I knew my reasoning was ridiculous but I don't want to go in fighting feeling like something's gonna go wrong.

Arelia

I gave a wry smile at the young boy.

"Oh? And I don't suppose this 'reading after dinner' is going to wind up being most, if not all, of your work and you'll spend every moment after dinner barely working on it until you go to sleep with barely half of it done. That'd be an unpleasant situation for me, your dear mother, to have to face again," I explain.

[Leggo]

Jonos

“Because of the scout reports that place most of the Mescorian army south, I expect to face little resistance on the way to the capital. Therefore, we’ll stop by outlying castles and towns and see what kind of resistance they put up. Our overall goal will still remain to reach the capital as soon as possible, though.”

[Duck14]

Alfred

I glanced at Borther Norin once more. There was more of him than met the eye, though that was true for a lot of people. “I would appreciate you keeping an ear out Gutrum, I really would. That man has steered his interest toward out little storm and is clearly fishing for more information. It would be nice to stay in the know on that sort of thing.”

————
Verous

“Good day Sister Monia,” I said before I could catch myself. This was clearly not a good day for anyone around here and it was a stupid thing to say. I gulped. “You’re doing great work here Sister. I was just wondering if you could tell us a little bit more about this church, we have a special interest in the crypts. There are some that lead beneath the entire city and I wondered if that included this establishment.”

————
Arthur

I nodded at Accrovres. I really wasn’t in the mood for a story, least of all one that I couldn’t tell on a good day. “Nay, sir. I thank you for remembering me but I’m not sure I could do that story justice today, or any day for that matter. It’s ... it’s just my...” my voice petered off.

[Bannanachair]

Othan

 
"Yes, but why declare war from here instead of Ostcliff?" Kallian asked, though nobody seemed to be listening - Horthon was already getting up to leave.
 
"Son, being a lord is no easy task," Your father said. "The stress gets to the best of us after a while. You should take a few days to rest your nerves, see if someone you trust can listen to the petitions -"
 
"I'm doing fine!" Kallian snapped back, inadvertently proving himself wrong.
 
"Tomorrow you're going out on a hunt, or spending time reading a book," Thander said in reply, ignoring his son's rebuttal. "Othan, would you be willing to take over civil duties for your brother for a day or two?"
 

Kainer

 
"I'm still concerned about what the trolls are up to," Mobreul said. "Leaving them for another day could be dangerous."
 
"It took weeks for news of Camasse to reach Calbourne," Todawc said. "I doubt we'll be too late by one day."
 
Caidwyr had gotten up to thank the innkeeper for the accommodations and pay for the food and drink that the party had while the rest finished breakfast.
 

Arelia

 
"It'll be fine, I'll do it," Javrey said, not bothering to look up from his piece formations. He seemed to be doing something with the armies of winter while speaking with you, then scribbled something else on a piece of paper. It was his handwriting, but for all that anyone could read it it might as well have been meaningless scribbles.
 

Jonos

 
"Aye, that makes sense, your majesty," Ornith said. "And Sir Wallace will probably want to avoid a direct confrontation, instead harrying and harassing that army. You're a naturally talented strategist, your majesty - there are those with much more experience who make many more mistakes."
 

Alfred

 
"Aye, I'll keep an eye on 'im. And I'll listen for what others are sayin' about 'im too," Gutrum says. "I'll also keep my ears open for anyone wantin' to get somewhere else on the Nubarb, and direct 'em to you."
 

Verous

 
"I'm sure we have records of them, uh, my lord," Sister Monia said, "But I'll tell you what I know without them. The town, uh, city of Oakwell, I suppose not town… The city of Oakwell used to be much smaller, uh, back when there were kings of Elusia and, uh, of Elsutia before that. Uh, the story is that it was meant to have started as, ah, as a Tarthellian military outpost, but one of the Stone Towers, like in Estermere, built by the king of, uh, he ruled from Dorevis on Forfait, but I forget what his kingdom was called. Anyway, Oakwell was a smaller town, uh, about five or six or seven hundred years ago, when one of the Elusian kings, ah, King Welren the sixth or seventh, had this chapel built in honour of one of his favourite saints, um, Saint Bothran. The crypts were, uh, they were built hundreds of years later, but, uh, they were built before the newer, larger Cathedral was built. At least, the, uh, foundations of the crypts were older. Ah, so there was an entrance to the crypts from here, years ago, but, um, it was closed off nearly one hundred years ago, uh, long after they stopped being used. Is there, uh, is there something that you wanted to know about the, uh, the crypts in particular, uh, my lord?"
 

Arthur

 
"There's no need to worry about not doing the story justice, lad, or about not wanting to tell it now," Accovres said. "I'll be at the Red Hat until I leave, and I'm not leaving until my shoe's horsed and my horse is shoed. If you think of a story, be sure to seek me out."

[Leggo]

Jonos

“Thank you, Sir Ornith. One last thing before I go, I need you to write up a letter for me, addressed to Baron Bernard Darham. This letter is to strictly forbid him to attack Norvera or enter their lands without ironclad tactical sense, and will be signed and sealed, then given to the Redscar in the event Darham decides to deviate from the plan. Bring me it once it’s finished, I’ll sign it and seal it, then have it brought to the Redscar.”

I’d like to trust my vassals, and Darham was chosen to lead the left side for a reason, but I want all my ducks in a row before we head out. Speaking of heading out, we should be leaving quite soon.

[Tikobe]

Othan

I'd rather not. I'd really rather not.

However, it's undeniable that Kallian's not really in the condition to do this and there's no one else other than myself.

"Very well, I'll take over for a few days. Kallian, make sure you rest as well as you can. You'll need every bit of your stamina once the tourney starts."

Kainer

"Well, even if the trolls suddenly do turn active with all the time we spent, wouldn't one of the prime targets have been Secelle anyways? I'm not familiar with the territory in the slightest, but even I could tell that if Secelle is close enough for us to stop by then it's close enough to be considered as an area in danger."

Arelia

Hmm?


"Javrey, if your mother may be so bold, what are you doing with those pieces?" I wonder, giving a gaze of curiosity mixed with a little interest.

[Duck14]

Alfred

I nod. “Thank you my friend. I fancy everyone will soon start forgetting about the storm in these parts anyway. Life has to go on in some way and it takes more than a freak storm like that to shake them from their routine.”

————
(I love it Tim. Love how they speak there, love it.)

Verous

I translated my way through the uhs, and the ahs, and especially the ums to make out what Sister Monia had said. But it came across clear enough in the end. I loved learning about the history of this land and any information, even the tiny bits such as this, went a long way with me. It took a moment for me to open my mouth after her question as I was so caught up in the jumbled bits of history which she had imparted.

“Uhh....” I said before catching myself. “Well we wanted to know if they led out of the city in any way or if anyone around here knew their way around them. You see we tracked some bandits but soon lost them in the crypts. Would you know of anyone that could help us?”

————
Arthur

I nodded and watched him go. I loved stories, I really did. Loved hearing about them. The romance, the sadness, nothing like a good story to stir the emotions. But I never really caught the finer details. Every story was about some starstruck lovers or a group of pesky nobles, maybe the odd honourable knight. But what about someone like me? Could someone like me ever feature in a great story?

I shoed the horse as best as I could. Maybe Accrovres was exactly the right man to come across. Not one I would tell a story to. No, he was the storyteller, I could be the story.