Vale and Aarden sat in their hollowed tree, bored. They had been listening to the battle noises all day. It was exciting to begin with, but now it had lulled them to distraction. Spot had performed all his tricks for them several times, Vale had tried to describe the battle from what he could hear, Aarden had even drawn Vale into a conversation about gardening.
Vale peaked out from the end of the tree regularly. When the Humans had led their ambush with the Dwarves, Vale had told Aarden the battle would soon be over. However, the Goblins had an ambush in place as well. The two sides had set up their battle lines and been slugging it out all day.
The Humans were the superior fighters and, with the Dwarves, had a substantial force. The Goblins however had thousands of warriors. As soon as a unit was defeated, two more came to take its place. The Goblins had threatened to overrun the Human lines several times, but the Humans always seemed to repulse it.
The Durvies had a belief that the wars outside the Wall had continued while they remained isolated from the world. Immediately after crossing through the Wall, Aarden and Vale found a battle.
Vale was itching to join the battle, but he knew they needed to lay low. Aarden was a weak fighter and was handicapped by protecting Spot. He also wanted to wait for Booruck. He had obviously been here before and could help with their current situation. But how was he going to find them hiding in this hollowed out tree.
The sun was beginning to set and Vale peaked out once again. The battle was beginning to die down and the lines were digging in for a night of respite. Vale started to dig in his pack for some food.
“It looks like they’re stopping for the night. We should try to get away while we can.”
Aarden nodded while yawning. Spot had settled down for an afternoon nap and whimpered in his sleep. Vale looked at his exhausted friends and slouched against the wall of the trunk. They didn’t have the energy to make the run tonight.
Vale again stuck his head out from the tree. The battle had almost completely died down and the battle ground had almost returned to a serene mountain field. He searched for a better hiding place. An outcropping of rocks stood on the Human’s right flank. They were isolated behind the Goblin’s lines but had a clear path towards the Humans. Vale sat back down and began sketching the path for Aarden.
* * *
After a short hour of sleep, Vale and Aarden finally left their wooden hideout. They ran crouched through the grass towards the outcropping. Goblin campfires signaled their borders, but Vale remained concerned about sentries.
They finally came upon the stream dividing the field. Vale grabbed Aarden’s shirt and pulled him back to the bushes edging the stream.
Vale crept carefully out into the gently running water. He crouched with his bow drawn and snuck to the opposite shore. He gestured for Aarden and Spot to follow.
Spot scampered noiselessly through the water. Aarden moved through the water slowly, but felt something brush against his leg. He bent over and felt for something, but couldn’t feel anything. Suddenly, a fire arrow shot over him, lighting up the stream. Aarden saw blood running through the stream. He froze as he saw it.
“What are you doing,” Vale yelled in a whisper.
Several more fire arrows arced over them as Human soldiers emerged from the bushes all around them. They quickly disarmed Vale and shoved Spot into a sack. Aarden continued to stand frozen in the center of the stream.
“Stand right there,” a large Human knight said. Aarden raised his hands with Vale.
They were quickly surrounded, tied, and gagged. Aarden tried to keep his bearings as he was shoved along, but the darkness soon confused him. He stumbled along behind Vale hearing Spot whining from the sack.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Chapter 8
Vale and Aarden sat in their hollowed tree, bored. They had been listening to the battle noises all day. It was exciting to begin with, but now it had lulled them to distraction. Spot had performed all his tricks for them several times, Vale had tried to describe the battle from what he could hear, Aarden had even drawn Vale into a conversation about gardening.
Vale peaked out from the end of the tree regularly. When the Humans had led their ambush with the Dwarves, Vale had told Aarden the battle would soon be over. However, the Goblins had an ambush in place as well. The two sides had set up their battle lines and been slugging it out all day.
The Humans were the superior fighters and, with the Dwarves, had a substantial force. The Goblins however had thousands of warriors. As soon as a unit was defeated, two more came to take its place. The Goblins had threatened to overrun the Human lines several times, but the Humans always seemed to repulse it.
The Durvies had a belief that the wars outside the Wall had continued while they remained isolated from the world. Immediately after crossing through the Wall, Aarden and Vale found a battle.
Vale was itching to join the battle, but he knew they needed to lay low. Aarden was a weak fighter and was handicapped by protecting Spot. He also wanted to wait for Booruck. He had obviously been here before and could help with their current situation. But how was he going to find them hiding in this hollowed out tree.
The sun was beginning to set and Vale peaked out once again. The battle was beginning to die down and the lines were digging in for a night of respite. Vale started to dig in his pack for some food.
“It looks like they’re stopping for the night. We should try to get away while we can.”
Aarden nodded while yawning. Spot had settled down for an afternoon nap and whimpered in his sleep. Vale looked at his exhausted friends and slouched against the wall of the trunk. They didn’t have the energy to make the run tonight.
Vale again stuck his head out from the tree. The battle had almost completely died down and the battle ground had almost returned to a serene mountain field. He searched for a better hiding place. An outcropping of rocks stood on the Human’s right flank. They were isolated behind the Goblin’s lines but had a clear path towards the Humans. Vale sat back down and began sketching the path for Aarden.
* * *
After a short hour of sleep, Vale and Aarden finally left their wooden hideout. They ran crouched through the grass towards the outcropping. Goblin campfires signaled their borders, but Vale remained concerned about sentries.
They finally came upon the stream dividing the field. Vale grabbed Aarden’s shirt and pulled him back to the bushes edging the stream.
Vale crept carefully out into the gently running water. He crouched with his bow drawn and snuck to the opposite shore. He gestured for Aarden and Spot to follow.
Spot scampered noiselessly through the water. Aarden moved through the water slowly, but felt something brush against his leg. He bent over and felt for something, but couldn’t feel anything. Suddenly, a fire arrow shot over him, lighting up the stream. Aarden saw blood running through the stream. He froze as he saw it.
“What are you doing,” Vale yelled in a whisper.
Several more fire arrows arced over them as Human soldiers emerged from the bushes all around them. They quickly disarmed Vale and shoved Spot into a sack. Aarden continued to stand frozen in the center of the stream.
“Stand right there,” a large Human knight said. Aarden raised his hands with Vale.
They were quickly surrounded, tied, and gagged. Aarden tried to keep his bearings as he was shoved along, but the darkness soon confused him. He stumbled along behind Vale hearing Spot whining from the sack.
Vale peaked out from the end of the tree regularly. When the Humans had led their ambush with the Dwarves, Vale had told Aarden the battle would soon be over. However, the Goblins had an ambush in place as well. The two sides had set up their battle lines and been slugging it out all day.
The Humans were the superior fighters and, with the Dwarves, had a substantial force. The Goblins however had thousands of warriors. As soon as a unit was defeated, two more came to take its place. The Goblins had threatened to overrun the Human lines several times, but the Humans always seemed to repulse it.
The Durvies had a belief that the wars outside the Wall had continued while they remained isolated from the world. Immediately after crossing through the Wall, Aarden and Vale found a battle.
Vale was itching to join the battle, but he knew they needed to lay low. Aarden was a weak fighter and was handicapped by protecting Spot. He also wanted to wait for Booruck. He had obviously been here before and could help with their current situation. But how was he going to find them hiding in this hollowed out tree.
The sun was beginning to set and Vale peaked out once again. The battle was beginning to die down and the lines were digging in for a night of respite. Vale started to dig in his pack for some food.
“It looks like they’re stopping for the night. We should try to get away while we can.”
Aarden nodded while yawning. Spot had settled down for an afternoon nap and whimpered in his sleep. Vale looked at his exhausted friends and slouched against the wall of the trunk. They didn’t have the energy to make the run tonight.
Vale again stuck his head out from the tree. The battle had almost completely died down and the battle ground had almost returned to a serene mountain field. He searched for a better hiding place. An outcropping of rocks stood on the Human’s right flank. They were isolated behind the Goblin’s lines but had a clear path towards the Humans. Vale sat back down and began sketching the path for Aarden.
* * *
After a short hour of sleep, Vale and Aarden finally left their wooden hideout. They ran crouched through the grass towards the outcropping. Goblin campfires signaled their borders, but Vale remained concerned about sentries.
They finally came upon the stream dividing the field. Vale grabbed Aarden’s shirt and pulled him back to the bushes edging the stream.
Vale crept carefully out into the gently running water. He crouched with his bow drawn and snuck to the opposite shore. He gestured for Aarden and Spot to follow.
Spot scampered noiselessly through the water. Aarden moved through the water slowly, but felt something brush against his leg. He bent over and felt for something, but couldn’t feel anything. Suddenly, a fire arrow shot over him, lighting up the stream. Aarden saw blood running through the stream. He froze as he saw it.
“What are you doing,” Vale yelled in a whisper.
Several more fire arrows arced over them as Human soldiers emerged from the bushes all around them. They quickly disarmed Vale and shoved Spot into a sack. Aarden continued to stand frozen in the center of the stream.
“Stand right there,” a large Human knight said. Aarden raised his hands with Vale.
They were quickly surrounded, tied, and gagged. Aarden tried to keep his bearings as he was shoved along, but the darkness soon confused him. He stumbled along behind Vale hearing Spot whining from the sack.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Chapter 7
They camped in a cave a few miles after passing through the wall. Vale felt they could continue during the day, but Booruck insisted that they wait, at least a few hours. Aarden was almost dead on his feet and needed the break.
Vale stood guard while Booruck and Aarden lay down. Aarden struggled to stay awake but soon fell deeply into sleep.
Aarden was walking through a forest, a dagger drawn. He knew Vale was nearby with his bow, but couldn’t tell which direction. He began to panic.
Aarden began looking around frantic; then remembered what Vale had taught him. He concentrated on slowing down his heartbeat and began using his other senses. The forest smelled old, a deep pine scent flooded his mind. He closed his eyes to remove his sight from his mind.
Immediately he could feel a breeze against his face, it felt cooler than the other air around him. It was coming from the south and he began moving in that direction.
The smells became fresher, the pine forest drifting away. He soon came upon a clear mountain stream. It made him suddenly thirsty.
Aarden kneeled down and touched his fingertips to the water. The water was chilling, almost painful. Aarden looked upstream to see snow topping the nearby mountain peaks.
The sky was strangely bright and blue. He looked down at his hands again and found them a strange caramel color. The Durvy tan that had escaped him for so long had finally settled in his skin. Aarden finally dipped his hands into the water and took a drink.
The water cooled a rough fire in his throat. He felt it filling his almost empty stomach. He quickly dipped his hands back into the water.
Before he could bring the water back to his mouth, a trickle of blood slid into his hands. It whirled a moment and began intensifying.
Aarden quickly dropped the water and looked upstream again, seeing the blood sliding down the rocks. He crouched quickly and moved up the rocks.
The stream of blood became thicker as he got farther up the stream. The stream began moving to the west and slowing down.
Fear gripped Aarden as he began to round the corner. The water was deeper, diluting the blood in a small pool. He continued following the blood and started to climb a small drop. Almost at the top, he fell backwards into the small pool.
Aarden woke suddenly. The sun had begun its journey towards the horizon. Vale was asleep next to him and Booruck sat, hunched over at the mouth of the cave.
Booruck turned when he heard Aarden rising. His eyes seemed to glow a bright blue. Suddenly, he blinked and the blue light disappeared. Aarden tried to wipe the sleep out of his eyes. Booruck smiled a nervous smile and gestured for Aarden to move closer.
Outside the cave, Aarden saw an empty meadow. It looked peacefully quiet. The sky looked bigger, almost closer. As he looked closer, he could see a small green snake sliding through the grass.
“If we left now, we could be out before sunset,” Booruck said eerily. Aarden shuddered as he remembered the blue eyes he thought he saw.
“Out of where?”
Booruck looked at him a long time. The stare became uncomfortable. A chill slid through Aarden’s poncho and he shuddered again. Finally, Booruck broke his gaze.
“Out of Durvy territory. We’ll be in Dwarven territory soon.”
“Dwarves?” Aarden was suddenly excited. No Durvies ever went through the wall. Other races of creatures were legend in the school books he had read, but he thought it was only stories. Aarden looked to see if Booruck was teasing him, but there was no trace of kidding in his face.
They heard Vale begin to stir behind them. Booruck nodded and began gathering his equipment.
* * *
The group traveled north as the sun cut across the sky behind them. Booruck led them and Vale stayed on the lookout for game. Several times, Vale bounded into woods on the edge of the meadow they were traveling through. Booruck snatched and killed several snakes from the grass. He soon had a bag full of them and they decided to stop to eat. Vale added some dandelions and herbs to the snakes and they had snake and dandelion stew.
The sky continued get closer as the sun set deeper into the sky. It was nearly dark by the time they rejoined their journey.
Vale was enjoying this adventure. There was a light in his eyes that Aarden hadn’t seen since Vale was adventuring around the streets of Distrus as an orphan. Aarden had met Vale on one of these adventures. Vale broke into Aarden’s house to steal some food. Aarden had been sneaking some treats from the kitchen when Vale tumbled out of the pantry.
The two were instantly friends. Aarden took Vale in and shared his food and clothing. Vale took Aarden on his adventures, sneaking into the noble’s manors and sleeping in the fields and gardens. Aarden’s parents looked on the relationship with concern, but allowed the two to hang out together. They housed Vale and helped him find the ()s who fostered him. Vale strained at their rules and restrictions and it often got him beaten.
Vale was forced to abandon his adventures when the two got older. Girls soon replaced Vale’s love for adventure. He was at ease among the young Durvy women while Aarden was timid and awkward. Vale was attractive where Aarden was tall, clumsy, lanky and pale. However, Vale was an orphan, an inappropriate choice for a husband. Aarden’s family was noble and wealthy and the girls were more than willing to marry his name.
Aarden looked at his friend chasing after a rabbit. He took aim and fired, barely missing the rabbit as it went scurrying down a hole. Aarden retrieved his arrow and hurried back to the others, smiling.
Booruck however frowned at Vale. “We need to keep moving.”
“What’s the hurry? We’re free.”
“If you don’t remember,” Booruck barked, “we’re fugitive criminals. It won’t take them long to find their way through the Wall. If they catch us, they’ll execute us, including the farm boy.” Vale nodded quietly.
* * *
As the light from the sun vanished, Aarden had the sinking feeling that the sky was crowding even closer to them. It seemed to be a darker brown color and almost had a texture to it. Finally, Booruck stopped.
Vale and Aarden both stared in wonder at a hole in a mountain side. The mountain had come from no where. Vale looked up, trying to see the top of it, but it just blended into the sky.
“This is amazing,” Vale whispered. Booruck smirked as he ducked into the hole. Vale and Aarden looked at each other and smiled, diving in after him.
The hole turned out to be a tunnel. Booruck barely fit through, his shoulders brushing the ceiling. After a while struggling through, the cave got smaller. The three were forced to crawl. Finally, Booruck pushed through an exit, hidden by a thick bush.
Aarden found himself on a hillside. He turned around and saw a huge mountain behind him. The sky was dark black with pinpoint stars throughout. Aarden felt suddenly small and insignificant. The air was thin and cold. All the smells of Durvy rushed away from him.
Vale staggered from the hole and Aarden saw the same effects attacking him. Booruck on the other hand stretched and smiled. The relief was apparent on his face; he clearly felt they had passed beyond the reach of the Durvies.
“We’ll camp here,” Booruck said, starting to unpack. Vale and Aarden looked at each other, confused.
“I thought we wanted to travel at night,” Vale asked, “we’ve been traveling only a few hours.”
“You two need to become accustomed to the outside world before we move on.”
“The outside world,” Aarden asked.
“You’ll understand in the morning. I’ll stand watch tonight, you two get to sleep.” Booruck began building a small fire as Vale and Aarden, still reluctant, unrolled their beds.
Vale suddenly tensed. A rustling came from the leaves of the bush they had just pushed through. Aarden looked at Vale concerned. They both looked at Booruck who was oblivious. Vale loaded his bow and Aarden drew his sword. They crept closer to the bush. Spot suddenly exploded through the bush. Booruck heard and jumped on the Ingot. He held spot up by the neck, his sword drawn.
Aarden knocked the sword away and pulled Spot away from Booruck.
“What is this,” Booruck sneered. “We’re being followed by this mongrel?”
“He’s mine. He must have followed us from the house.” Spot climbed onto Aarden’s shoulder and grunted at Booruck.
“I forgot the Durvies’ love for their pet Ingots.”
Booruck sheathed his sword and returned to squatting on his rock. Vale settled down into his bedroll and was soon asleep. Aarden stared at the back of Booruck for a long time while Spot nibbled on some berries Aarden had brought along. Aarden had always assumed Booruck was a Durvy, even though his appearance was different. Aarden was different, but he was still a Durvy. How had Booruck known his way through the Wall, what was he, was he some sort of spy? Aarden’s distrust of this creature was growing deeper.
* * *
Aarden was suddenly awoken by strange sounds. Vale was awake, watching through the bushes. Booruck was no where to be seen. Aarden jumped up, scrambling for his dagger. He finally found him and rushed over to Vale.
Realization suddenly hit Aarden. The sky was bright blue and light flooded in from everywhere. Aarden was overwhelmed by the space around him.
They had camped on the foothills of the mountain Aarden had seen the night before. The hill overlooked a large valley pock-marked by clumps of trees. A small river wound its way through the valley. Everything was overwhelmingly green.
Finally, Aarden located the source of the loud noises. A unit of soldiers was dug in between several groups of trees. Tribes of goblins were attacking from all sides. They were throwing themselves against the works, their bodies piling up.
“Vale,” Aarden whispered quietly, “what do we do?”
“We need to get inside that wall I think.”
Aarden looked around for some sort of answer. Spot was on edge, watching the mountain behind him. Aarden followed his eyes and saw troops restlessly hidden among the rocks. He grabbed Vale’s arm and pointed into the hlls. Vale quickly saw what Aarden was pointing at.
“Whose side are they on?” Vale strained his eyes to see the warriors. Aarden finally got a good look at one of them.
“They look like Dwarves; at least what I think a Dwarf would look like.”
“I think that means they’re probably with the Humans, but I didn’t think Dwarves were warlike.”
Spot suddenly let out a strange cry. Aarden had never heard him make a noise like that before. Spot started throwing rocks at the hidden Dwarven units. Vale hurried over to Spot, grabbing him and slapping his hand over the Ingot’s mouth.
A Human ambush unit suddenly appeared on all sides of the hill. Vale, still holding spot, ducked into a bush. Aarden tripped backwards and rolled down the side of the hill, rolling through the ambush line.
Aarden stopped and waited, but the soldiers didn’t come after him. The unit rushed towards the center defenses, smashing the goblin tribes against the defended Human center.
Vale appeared at Aarden’s side and dragged him back into cover. They crawled through the bushes until Vale found a fallen tree. They climbed into its hollowed out trunk and laid quietly, listening to the battle sounds around them.
Vale stood guard while Booruck and Aarden lay down. Aarden struggled to stay awake but soon fell deeply into sleep.
Aarden was walking through a forest, a dagger drawn. He knew Vale was nearby with his bow, but couldn’t tell which direction. He began to panic.
Aarden began looking around frantic; then remembered what Vale had taught him. He concentrated on slowing down his heartbeat and began using his other senses. The forest smelled old, a deep pine scent flooded his mind. He closed his eyes to remove his sight from his mind.
Immediately he could feel a breeze against his face, it felt cooler than the other air around him. It was coming from the south and he began moving in that direction.
The smells became fresher, the pine forest drifting away. He soon came upon a clear mountain stream. It made him suddenly thirsty.
Aarden kneeled down and touched his fingertips to the water. The water was chilling, almost painful. Aarden looked upstream to see snow topping the nearby mountain peaks.
The sky was strangely bright and blue. He looked down at his hands again and found them a strange caramel color. The Durvy tan that had escaped him for so long had finally settled in his skin. Aarden finally dipped his hands into the water and took a drink.
The water cooled a rough fire in his throat. He felt it filling his almost empty stomach. He quickly dipped his hands back into the water.
Before he could bring the water back to his mouth, a trickle of blood slid into his hands. It whirled a moment and began intensifying.
Aarden quickly dropped the water and looked upstream again, seeing the blood sliding down the rocks. He crouched quickly and moved up the rocks.
The stream of blood became thicker as he got farther up the stream. The stream began moving to the west and slowing down.
Fear gripped Aarden as he began to round the corner. The water was deeper, diluting the blood in a small pool. He continued following the blood and started to climb a small drop. Almost at the top, he fell backwards into the small pool.
Aarden woke suddenly. The sun had begun its journey towards the horizon. Vale was asleep next to him and Booruck sat, hunched over at the mouth of the cave.
Booruck turned when he heard Aarden rising. His eyes seemed to glow a bright blue. Suddenly, he blinked and the blue light disappeared. Aarden tried to wipe the sleep out of his eyes. Booruck smiled a nervous smile and gestured for Aarden to move closer.
Outside the cave, Aarden saw an empty meadow. It looked peacefully quiet. The sky looked bigger, almost closer. As he looked closer, he could see a small green snake sliding through the grass.
“If we left now, we could be out before sunset,” Booruck said eerily. Aarden shuddered as he remembered the blue eyes he thought he saw.
“Out of where?”
Booruck looked at him a long time. The stare became uncomfortable. A chill slid through Aarden’s poncho and he shuddered again. Finally, Booruck broke his gaze.
“Out of Durvy territory. We’ll be in Dwarven territory soon.”
“Dwarves?” Aarden was suddenly excited. No Durvies ever went through the wall. Other races of creatures were legend in the school books he had read, but he thought it was only stories. Aarden looked to see if Booruck was teasing him, but there was no trace of kidding in his face.
They heard Vale begin to stir behind them. Booruck nodded and began gathering his equipment.
* * *
The group traveled north as the sun cut across the sky behind them. Booruck led them and Vale stayed on the lookout for game. Several times, Vale bounded into woods on the edge of the meadow they were traveling through. Booruck snatched and killed several snakes from the grass. He soon had a bag full of them and they decided to stop to eat. Vale added some dandelions and herbs to the snakes and they had snake and dandelion stew.
The sky continued get closer as the sun set deeper into the sky. It was nearly dark by the time they rejoined their journey.
Vale was enjoying this adventure. There was a light in his eyes that Aarden hadn’t seen since Vale was adventuring around the streets of Distrus as an orphan. Aarden had met Vale on one of these adventures. Vale broke into Aarden’s house to steal some food. Aarden had been sneaking some treats from the kitchen when Vale tumbled out of the pantry.
The two were instantly friends. Aarden took Vale in and shared his food and clothing. Vale took Aarden on his adventures, sneaking into the noble’s manors and sleeping in the fields and gardens. Aarden’s parents looked on the relationship with concern, but allowed the two to hang out together. They housed Vale and helped him find the ()s who fostered him. Vale strained at their rules and restrictions and it often got him beaten.
Vale was forced to abandon his adventures when the two got older. Girls soon replaced Vale’s love for adventure. He was at ease among the young Durvy women while Aarden was timid and awkward. Vale was attractive where Aarden was tall, clumsy, lanky and pale. However, Vale was an orphan, an inappropriate choice for a husband. Aarden’s family was noble and wealthy and the girls were more than willing to marry his name.
Aarden looked at his friend chasing after a rabbit. He took aim and fired, barely missing the rabbit as it went scurrying down a hole. Aarden retrieved his arrow and hurried back to the others, smiling.
Booruck however frowned at Vale. “We need to keep moving.”
“What’s the hurry? We’re free.”
“If you don’t remember,” Booruck barked, “we’re fugitive criminals. It won’t take them long to find their way through the Wall. If they catch us, they’ll execute us, including the farm boy.” Vale nodded quietly.
* * *
As the light from the sun vanished, Aarden had the sinking feeling that the sky was crowding even closer to them. It seemed to be a darker brown color and almost had a texture to it. Finally, Booruck stopped.
Vale and Aarden both stared in wonder at a hole in a mountain side. The mountain had come from no where. Vale looked up, trying to see the top of it, but it just blended into the sky.
“This is amazing,” Vale whispered. Booruck smirked as he ducked into the hole. Vale and Aarden looked at each other and smiled, diving in after him.
The hole turned out to be a tunnel. Booruck barely fit through, his shoulders brushing the ceiling. After a while struggling through, the cave got smaller. The three were forced to crawl. Finally, Booruck pushed through an exit, hidden by a thick bush.
Aarden found himself on a hillside. He turned around and saw a huge mountain behind him. The sky was dark black with pinpoint stars throughout. Aarden felt suddenly small and insignificant. The air was thin and cold. All the smells of Durvy rushed away from him.
Vale staggered from the hole and Aarden saw the same effects attacking him. Booruck on the other hand stretched and smiled. The relief was apparent on his face; he clearly felt they had passed beyond the reach of the Durvies.
“We’ll camp here,” Booruck said, starting to unpack. Vale and Aarden looked at each other, confused.
“I thought we wanted to travel at night,” Vale asked, “we’ve been traveling only a few hours.”
“You two need to become accustomed to the outside world before we move on.”
“The outside world,” Aarden asked.
“You’ll understand in the morning. I’ll stand watch tonight, you two get to sleep.” Booruck began building a small fire as Vale and Aarden, still reluctant, unrolled their beds.
Vale suddenly tensed. A rustling came from the leaves of the bush they had just pushed through. Aarden looked at Vale concerned. They both looked at Booruck who was oblivious. Vale loaded his bow and Aarden drew his sword. They crept closer to the bush. Spot suddenly exploded through the bush. Booruck heard and jumped on the Ingot. He held spot up by the neck, his sword drawn.
Aarden knocked the sword away and pulled Spot away from Booruck.
“What is this,” Booruck sneered. “We’re being followed by this mongrel?”
“He’s mine. He must have followed us from the house.” Spot climbed onto Aarden’s shoulder and grunted at Booruck.
“I forgot the Durvies’ love for their pet Ingots.”
Booruck sheathed his sword and returned to squatting on his rock. Vale settled down into his bedroll and was soon asleep. Aarden stared at the back of Booruck for a long time while Spot nibbled on some berries Aarden had brought along. Aarden had always assumed Booruck was a Durvy, even though his appearance was different. Aarden was different, but he was still a Durvy. How had Booruck known his way through the Wall, what was he, was he some sort of spy? Aarden’s distrust of this creature was growing deeper.
* * *
Aarden was suddenly awoken by strange sounds. Vale was awake, watching through the bushes. Booruck was no where to be seen. Aarden jumped up, scrambling for his dagger. He finally found him and rushed over to Vale.
Realization suddenly hit Aarden. The sky was bright blue and light flooded in from everywhere. Aarden was overwhelmed by the space around him.
They had camped on the foothills of the mountain Aarden had seen the night before. The hill overlooked a large valley pock-marked by clumps of trees. A small river wound its way through the valley. Everything was overwhelmingly green.
Finally, Aarden located the source of the loud noises. A unit of soldiers was dug in between several groups of trees. Tribes of goblins were attacking from all sides. They were throwing themselves against the works, their bodies piling up.
“Vale,” Aarden whispered quietly, “what do we do?”
“We need to get inside that wall I think.”
Aarden looked around for some sort of answer. Spot was on edge, watching the mountain behind him. Aarden followed his eyes and saw troops restlessly hidden among the rocks. He grabbed Vale’s arm and pointed into the hlls. Vale quickly saw what Aarden was pointing at.
“Whose side are they on?” Vale strained his eyes to see the warriors. Aarden finally got a good look at one of them.
“They look like Dwarves; at least what I think a Dwarf would look like.”
“I think that means they’re probably with the Humans, but I didn’t think Dwarves were warlike.”
Spot suddenly let out a strange cry. Aarden had never heard him make a noise like that before. Spot started throwing rocks at the hidden Dwarven units. Vale hurried over to Spot, grabbing him and slapping his hand over the Ingot’s mouth.
A Human ambush unit suddenly appeared on all sides of the hill. Vale, still holding spot, ducked into a bush. Aarden tripped backwards and rolled down the side of the hill, rolling through the ambush line.
Aarden stopped and waited, but the soldiers didn’t come after him. The unit rushed towards the center defenses, smashing the goblin tribes against the defended Human center.
Vale appeared at Aarden’s side and dragged him back into cover. They crawled through the bushes until Vale found a fallen tree. They climbed into its hollowed out trunk and laid quietly, listening to the battle sounds around them.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Book I Chapter 6
The two friends hurried through the courtyard. They entered the main building, grabbing a knapsack full of food that Aarden had left tucked in a dark alcove.
“You were planning this?” Vale asked, smirking.
“Just in case,” Aarden smirked back.
Aarden pulled an empty sack out of the knapsack and grabbed some pieces of art and jewelry that was lying around the entranceway. Vale gave him a confused look.
“She’ll never miss it,” Aarden said in a rush. “We’ll need money eventually.”
He handed the bag to Vale and they ran out together. Vale’s horse was tied up next to a beautiful brown stallion. The horse snorted wildly and Aarden cast a worried look at Vale.
“It was the only one I could find,” Vale shrugged, concerned.
“It’ll be fine,” Aarden said. He stepped over to the horse and touched his hand to its nose. The horse immediately calmed and climbed onto the horse’s back.
* * *
Several miles outside the city walls, Vale began to slow. A grove of trees stood on top of a hill, overlooking the road. Aarden began looking nervously around, but Vale turned his horse off the road and started up the hill.
Aarden’s eyes adjusted quickly to the darkness and he soon found the dark shape of Booruck on a large black warhorse. He exchanged some quick words with Vale and they started at a gallop out the other side of the grove.
Booruck allowed Vale to take the lead and dropped back to talk to Aarden. The farm boy was still uneasy with this smooth dark man. Booruck smiled his crooked smile as they sized each other up.
“I want to thank you for your help with the escape,” Booruck finally said. His voice sounded loud in the nightly quiet. Aarden glanced to see if anyone was around to hear. “Vale told me how much you helped, and at a great deal of sacrifice to yourself. I understand how difficult it must be for you to be here tonight.”
“I’m here for Vale,” Aarden said kindly. “He is my brother.”
“Yes, Vale has told me of your devotion towards each other. Be careful. I’m afraid that it may one day get in the way of your duty.”
Aarden looked at Booruck out of the corner of his eye. Who was this being who felt it his place to pass judgment on his friendship with Vale. Booruck’s dark complexion was exaggerated by the darkness. Aarden suddenly realized how well he could see, even though there was no moonlight. The sky seemed to have a pale brown light glowing from it, as if it was early morning.
Booruck saw Aarden’s confusion and smiled. “The sky has a natural light here close to the Wall.”
“The Wall? Where is it? How close are we?”
Booruck pointed ahead of them. Aarden could just see a large structure at the top of a distant hill. He stared expectantly, but was distracted when Vale suddenly held up his hand. They stopped as Vale slid off his horse.
Vale clicked at his horse as he let her go and the obedient mare quietly trotted back to Aarden and Booruck while Vale crept quietly forward. Aarden held his breath as he watched. Booruck’s hand was on his sword, and Aarden did likewise.
Soon, Vale crawled back to Aarden and Booruck. His face was distressed.
“There is a patrol camped ahead. They’re blocking the road and the terrain looks dangerous around them. I just don’t know this area.”
“We can’t afford a confrontation,” Booruck whispered back. “We need to find a way around.”
“Wouldn’t it be best if we waited until they went to sleep,” Aarden joined.
“They’ll have sentries-.”
“But a few is easier to sneak through than a patrol,” Booruck interrupted Vale. Vale nodded and pulled a blanket out of his saddle. Booruck did likewise and started wrapping it around his saddle. Aarden saw how it kept the buckles on the saddles quiet and copied his companions.
When they were done, all three crept to the outlook and spied on the patrol camp. Vale discussed the camp’s strengths and weaknesses with Booruck. Aarden tried to pay attention but soon drifted to sleep.
* * *
Vale shook Aarden awake. Aarden quickly got his bearings and noticed Booruck was missing. Vale put his finger to his lips and pointed down at the camp. Aarden looked carefully and found Booruck creeping towards a sentry. Aarden jumped, but Vale put his hand over Aarden’s mouth. He pointed again as Booruck passed silently past the sleeping sentry; then turned and waved Vale and Aarden down.
When they got to the camp, Booruck pointed at a sentry sleeping on the other side of camp and made a motion with his hand. Vale nodded and passed the gesture on to Aarden. Aarden nodded, confused, merely copying Vale.
As they passed through the camp, Aarden glanced down at the sleeping soldiers. They all were wearing white armor with lion symbols on the breastplates. The shadows cast a red hue on everything; the fire had died to burning embers.
Aarden finally relaxed once they passed the outer sentries. These were awake and alert, but Vale and Booruck guided Aarden through silently.
Once out of earshot, Vale let out his breath and smiled. They all began undoing the blankets on the saddles, breathing easier.
“Did you see their breastplates?” Vale finally asked, breaking the silence. “They were elite guards.”
“That shows the state of the army here,” Booruck laughed. “The Durvies could be taken by a single tribe of Ingots.”
Aarden felt ashamed. Only a few months ago, those same criticisms had come from him. Coming from Booruck, they felt more derisive, even condemning.
As Aarden began dwelling on his suspicions of Booruck, Vale stole his attention as he gasped and pointed. Aarden looked up quickly to see the Wall looming before them. They had failed to realize how far they had gone in silence, creeping through the patrol camp. They were now less than a mile away from the base of the enormous structure.
“That must have been the famed wall guard,” Booruck said sarcastically, looking back at the glow of the fire pit. “We shouldn’t have much more of a problem with the military.”
“Where do we go from here?” Vale finished packing his blanket and snacked on a piece of dried fruit they had raided from Aarden’s kitchen.
“About a mile to the left of here, we’ll find a crack in the wall. I’m afraid we’ll have to go on foot from there.”
“The horses should be able to find their way back to Aarden’s manor,” Vale said, more to quell his own fears. Booruck nodded and then began leading them along the Wall.
Aarden glanced up at the massive structure. The Wall stood over ten times higher than Aarden. He had to look nearly straight up to see the top. Soldiers had once stood guard at the top of the Wall, but defenses had become lax after years of peace.
The Wall was gateless, windowless, with a dozen sets of stairs running up to the top. The rocks had been cut from the mountains surrounding the then hamlet of villages. Once the Durvies trusted the Wall, the villages quickly became cities until they developed into the metropolises they were now.Booruck snapped Aarden out of his thoughts. At the bottom of the wall was a large boulder. It looked like it had fallen out of the wall, but it still blocked most of the hole. Aarden squeezed his body through the gap and found an equivalent crack on the other side. Booruck followed closely behind. Vale took the gear from the horses and slapped their rears, sending them home. Then he too pushed himself through the gaps
“You were planning this?” Vale asked, smirking.
“Just in case,” Aarden smirked back.
Aarden pulled an empty sack out of the knapsack and grabbed some pieces of art and jewelry that was lying around the entranceway. Vale gave him a confused look.
“She’ll never miss it,” Aarden said in a rush. “We’ll need money eventually.”
He handed the bag to Vale and they ran out together. Vale’s horse was tied up next to a beautiful brown stallion. The horse snorted wildly and Aarden cast a worried look at Vale.
“It was the only one I could find,” Vale shrugged, concerned.
“It’ll be fine,” Aarden said. He stepped over to the horse and touched his hand to its nose. The horse immediately calmed and climbed onto the horse’s back.
* * *
Several miles outside the city walls, Vale began to slow. A grove of trees stood on top of a hill, overlooking the road. Aarden began looking nervously around, but Vale turned his horse off the road and started up the hill.
Aarden’s eyes adjusted quickly to the darkness and he soon found the dark shape of Booruck on a large black warhorse. He exchanged some quick words with Vale and they started at a gallop out the other side of the grove.
Booruck allowed Vale to take the lead and dropped back to talk to Aarden. The farm boy was still uneasy with this smooth dark man. Booruck smiled his crooked smile as they sized each other up.
“I want to thank you for your help with the escape,” Booruck finally said. His voice sounded loud in the nightly quiet. Aarden glanced to see if anyone was around to hear. “Vale told me how much you helped, and at a great deal of sacrifice to yourself. I understand how difficult it must be for you to be here tonight.”
“I’m here for Vale,” Aarden said kindly. “He is my brother.”
“Yes, Vale has told me of your devotion towards each other. Be careful. I’m afraid that it may one day get in the way of your duty.”
Aarden looked at Booruck out of the corner of his eye. Who was this being who felt it his place to pass judgment on his friendship with Vale. Booruck’s dark complexion was exaggerated by the darkness. Aarden suddenly realized how well he could see, even though there was no moonlight. The sky seemed to have a pale brown light glowing from it, as if it was early morning.
Booruck saw Aarden’s confusion and smiled. “The sky has a natural light here close to the Wall.”
“The Wall? Where is it? How close are we?”
Booruck pointed ahead of them. Aarden could just see a large structure at the top of a distant hill. He stared expectantly, but was distracted when Vale suddenly held up his hand. They stopped as Vale slid off his horse.
Vale clicked at his horse as he let her go and the obedient mare quietly trotted back to Aarden and Booruck while Vale crept quietly forward. Aarden held his breath as he watched. Booruck’s hand was on his sword, and Aarden did likewise.
Soon, Vale crawled back to Aarden and Booruck. His face was distressed.
“There is a patrol camped ahead. They’re blocking the road and the terrain looks dangerous around them. I just don’t know this area.”
“We can’t afford a confrontation,” Booruck whispered back. “We need to find a way around.”
“Wouldn’t it be best if we waited until they went to sleep,” Aarden joined.
“They’ll have sentries-.”
“But a few is easier to sneak through than a patrol,” Booruck interrupted Vale. Vale nodded and pulled a blanket out of his saddle. Booruck did likewise and started wrapping it around his saddle. Aarden saw how it kept the buckles on the saddles quiet and copied his companions.
When they were done, all three crept to the outlook and spied on the patrol camp. Vale discussed the camp’s strengths and weaknesses with Booruck. Aarden tried to pay attention but soon drifted to sleep.
* * *
Vale shook Aarden awake. Aarden quickly got his bearings and noticed Booruck was missing. Vale put his finger to his lips and pointed down at the camp. Aarden looked carefully and found Booruck creeping towards a sentry. Aarden jumped, but Vale put his hand over Aarden’s mouth. He pointed again as Booruck passed silently past the sleeping sentry; then turned and waved Vale and Aarden down.
When they got to the camp, Booruck pointed at a sentry sleeping on the other side of camp and made a motion with his hand. Vale nodded and passed the gesture on to Aarden. Aarden nodded, confused, merely copying Vale.
As they passed through the camp, Aarden glanced down at the sleeping soldiers. They all were wearing white armor with lion symbols on the breastplates. The shadows cast a red hue on everything; the fire had died to burning embers.
Aarden finally relaxed once they passed the outer sentries. These were awake and alert, but Vale and Booruck guided Aarden through silently.
Once out of earshot, Vale let out his breath and smiled. They all began undoing the blankets on the saddles, breathing easier.
“Did you see their breastplates?” Vale finally asked, breaking the silence. “They were elite guards.”
“That shows the state of the army here,” Booruck laughed. “The Durvies could be taken by a single tribe of Ingots.”
Aarden felt ashamed. Only a few months ago, those same criticisms had come from him. Coming from Booruck, they felt more derisive, even condemning.
As Aarden began dwelling on his suspicions of Booruck, Vale stole his attention as he gasped and pointed. Aarden looked up quickly to see the Wall looming before them. They had failed to realize how far they had gone in silence, creeping through the patrol camp. They were now less than a mile away from the base of the enormous structure.
“That must have been the famed wall guard,” Booruck said sarcastically, looking back at the glow of the fire pit. “We shouldn’t have much more of a problem with the military.”
“Where do we go from here?” Vale finished packing his blanket and snacked on a piece of dried fruit they had raided from Aarden’s kitchen.
“About a mile to the left of here, we’ll find a crack in the wall. I’m afraid we’ll have to go on foot from there.”
“The horses should be able to find their way back to Aarden’s manor,” Vale said, more to quell his own fears. Booruck nodded and then began leading them along the Wall.
Aarden glanced up at the massive structure. The Wall stood over ten times higher than Aarden. He had to look nearly straight up to see the top. Soldiers had once stood guard at the top of the Wall, but defenses had become lax after years of peace.
The Wall was gateless, windowless, with a dozen sets of stairs running up to the top. The rocks had been cut from the mountains surrounding the then hamlet of villages. Once the Durvies trusted the Wall, the villages quickly became cities until they developed into the metropolises they were now.Booruck snapped Aarden out of his thoughts. At the bottom of the wall was a large boulder. It looked like it had fallen out of the wall, but it still blocked most of the hole. Aarden squeezed his body through the gap and found an equivalent crack on the other side. Booruck followed closely behind. Vale took the gear from the horses and slapped their rears, sending them home. Then he too pushed himself through the gaps
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Chapter 5
Aarden lay awake in his bed. He was back in his mother’s manor, in his old bed. Spot lay whimpering, curled around his feet. The dream had been once again bad, but it had ended early as he tried to remember what had woken him.
Aarden had been watching the calendar carefully. Vale had said he would attempt the breakout when the moon died and before the new moon was born. The moon had died two nights ago, but no word of a breakout or an attempted breakout had reached Distrus.
A noise suddenly alerted Aarden. There was a scratching sound outside his window. Spot heard it too and crawled over to the window.
Aarden quickly climbed out of bed and went to the window. He opened it expectantly and pulled Vale up into his room.
Vale looked worn. To have gotten here after attempting the escape, Vale would have had to ride day and night. His shirt was dirty and torn, his hair was matted with blood, a sword was strapped to his leg, and the quiver that was strung to his back was only half full. Aarden hurriedly grabbed a wash basin and handed it to Vale. Vale looked at it and set it aside.
“I’ve ridden all day and night. Booruck is outside the city. He’s injured.”
“What do you need?”
“Come with me Aarden.” Vale had a wild look in his eyes.
“What happened,” Aarden finally asked.
“They were waiting for us. Someone tipped them off. They were guarding all the entrances and passageways you told me about.”
“How many were killed?”
“All of them; nine guards in all.”
Aarden went flush and sat down hard on his bed. Vale moved over to him and put his hand on his shoulder. “I’m an outlaw now my friend,” Vale said calmly. “I have to leave and can never come back. I need your help. Please come with me.”
“Why do you need me?”
Vale looked at Aarden, his proud and confident demeanor fleeing his appearance. He finally looked defeated.
“You’re my only friend, the only person I trust. You’ve always been my friend, even when I was an orphan. Your family has been my family, your life, my life.”
“What about my mother?”
Vale turned back to the window, frustrated. “Your mother doesn’t need you. You cling to her like a little boy. Grow up Aarden, it’s time to go.”
Aarden stared at the back of Vale for a long time. Vale stared back. Aarden finally pulled a loaded bag from under his bed and climbed out the window as Vale stood, stunned.
Aarden had been watching the calendar carefully. Vale had said he would attempt the breakout when the moon died and before the new moon was born. The moon had died two nights ago, but no word of a breakout or an attempted breakout had reached Distrus.
A noise suddenly alerted Aarden. There was a scratching sound outside his window. Spot heard it too and crawled over to the window.
Aarden quickly climbed out of bed and went to the window. He opened it expectantly and pulled Vale up into his room.
Vale looked worn. To have gotten here after attempting the escape, Vale would have had to ride day and night. His shirt was dirty and torn, his hair was matted with blood, a sword was strapped to his leg, and the quiver that was strung to his back was only half full. Aarden hurriedly grabbed a wash basin and handed it to Vale. Vale looked at it and set it aside.
“I’ve ridden all day and night. Booruck is outside the city. He’s injured.”
“What do you need?”
“Come with me Aarden.” Vale had a wild look in his eyes.
“What happened,” Aarden finally asked.
“They were waiting for us. Someone tipped them off. They were guarding all the entrances and passageways you told me about.”
“How many were killed?”
“All of them; nine guards in all.”
Aarden went flush and sat down hard on his bed. Vale moved over to him and put his hand on his shoulder. “I’m an outlaw now my friend,” Vale said calmly. “I have to leave and can never come back. I need your help. Please come with me.”
“Why do you need me?”
Vale looked at Aarden, his proud and confident demeanor fleeing his appearance. He finally looked defeated.
“You’re my only friend, the only person I trust. You’ve always been my friend, even when I was an orphan. Your family has been my family, your life, my life.”
“What about my mother?”
Vale turned back to the window, frustrated. “Your mother doesn’t need you. You cling to her like a little boy. Grow up Aarden, it’s time to go.”
Aarden stared at the back of Vale for a long time. Vale stared back. Aarden finally pulled a loaded bag from under his bed and climbed out the window as Vale stood, stunned.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Chapter 4
Aarden lazily toiled behind his horse. He gazed across his freshly plowed field. Spot wound in between Aarden’s legs. They had both taken to farm life. Aarden wiped the sweat fro his forehead as he saw Vale riding across the field.
Aarden smiled and waved as Vale dismounted. Vale brushed the road off and accompanied his friend back to the manor.
“It’s been a month,” Aarden said as he drank from a dipper. He refilled it with water from the bucket and handed it to Vale.
“Booruck was finally accused of your benefactor’s murder.” Vale drank deeply and then refilled the dipper.
“I know. He was released on the horse thief charges, but was arrested immediately afterwards. He requested me to visit him regularly.”
Aarden led Vale to a small banquet room and sat down across from him at a table. A servant brought in some bowls filled with a stew.
“I need your help Aarden,” Vale finally said. “My foster parents have asked me to leave. They were concerned about my relationship with ‘the murderer.’ I left with just what I have here.”
“Of course you can stay here. All that I have is yours-.”
Vale stood up, violently shoving his chair under the table. “I don’t want to stay Aarden.” Vale began pacing.
“Then where are you going?”
Vale stopped and smiled, excited. “I’m getting out. I’m going through the Wall. There has to be a better life for me outside of Durvy.”
“The Wall is sealed. There’s no way through.”
Vale hurried back to the table and sat down. “Booruck knows a way out.”
“So you want to go with me to talk to him?”
“Booruck is innocent Aarden. We need to help him.”
Aarden looked at his friend disheartened. “They will find him guilty. He has no defense and there’s so much prejudice against him.”
“I’m not talking about a court battle. I’m going to help him escape, but I need your help.”
“I can’t do that Vale.”
“Booruck has been inviting you to visit him so that you can know the layout of the prison. We’ve been planning this since the arrest. The only thing we don’t have is you.”
It was Aarden’s turn to get up and pace. “My mother would never forgive me.”
“You know he is innocent Aarden. If you don’t help, it’s as if you helped execute him.”
“I don’t know that-.”
“You don’t even have to come to the prison. I’ll rescue him; you just have to have our horses ready for the escape.”
“I can draw out the layout for you, but I can’t come. I’ll leave my manor open; you can use it as a hiding place.”
“And you’ll go back to Distrus…”
“I’ve been meaning to go back to see mother. And no one will get hurt?”
“Of course, we will do our best, but sometimes, things happen.”
Aarden sat down silently across from Vale. The two stared at each other; then Aarden finally nodded. Vale nodded with him and jumped up again. Spot, who was curled up under the table, yelped with the movement and scurried to the top of the table. Vale suddenly stopped.
“Come with us Aarden.”
“What?” Aarden looked up, nervous.
“Come with us; there’s nothing here for you. You’re an outcast like us.”
“What about my mother?”
“What if she finds out? What if everyone finds out? You’ll be imprisoned, executed.”
Aarden stared blankly at Spot as he absently scratched his head. The Ingot purred appreciatively and looked between Aarden and Vale. Finally noticing the untouched bowls of stew, Spot began slurping them up. Aarden finally smiled at his pet and looked up at Vale.
“I can’t.”
Vale finally nodded and tried to wrestle his stew from Spot.
Aarden smiled and waved as Vale dismounted. Vale brushed the road off and accompanied his friend back to the manor.
“It’s been a month,” Aarden said as he drank from a dipper. He refilled it with water from the bucket and handed it to Vale.
“Booruck was finally accused of your benefactor’s murder.” Vale drank deeply and then refilled the dipper.
“I know. He was released on the horse thief charges, but was arrested immediately afterwards. He requested me to visit him regularly.”
Aarden led Vale to a small banquet room and sat down across from him at a table. A servant brought in some bowls filled with a stew.
“I need your help Aarden,” Vale finally said. “My foster parents have asked me to leave. They were concerned about my relationship with ‘the murderer.’ I left with just what I have here.”
“Of course you can stay here. All that I have is yours-.”
Vale stood up, violently shoving his chair under the table. “I don’t want to stay Aarden.” Vale began pacing.
“Then where are you going?”
Vale stopped and smiled, excited. “I’m getting out. I’m going through the Wall. There has to be a better life for me outside of Durvy.”
“The Wall is sealed. There’s no way through.”
Vale hurried back to the table and sat down. “Booruck knows a way out.”
“So you want to go with me to talk to him?”
“Booruck is innocent Aarden. We need to help him.”
Aarden looked at his friend disheartened. “They will find him guilty. He has no defense and there’s so much prejudice against him.”
“I’m not talking about a court battle. I’m going to help him escape, but I need your help.”
“I can’t do that Vale.”
“Booruck has been inviting you to visit him so that you can know the layout of the prison. We’ve been planning this since the arrest. The only thing we don’t have is you.”
It was Aarden’s turn to get up and pace. “My mother would never forgive me.”
“You know he is innocent Aarden. If you don’t help, it’s as if you helped execute him.”
“I don’t know that-.”
“You don’t even have to come to the prison. I’ll rescue him; you just have to have our horses ready for the escape.”
“I can draw out the layout for you, but I can’t come. I’ll leave my manor open; you can use it as a hiding place.”
“And you’ll go back to Distrus…”
“I’ve been meaning to go back to see mother. And no one will get hurt?”
“Of course, we will do our best, but sometimes, things happen.”
Aarden sat down silently across from Vale. The two stared at each other; then Aarden finally nodded. Vale nodded with him and jumped up again. Spot, who was curled up under the table, yelped with the movement and scurried to the top of the table. Vale suddenly stopped.
“Come with us Aarden.”
“What?” Aarden looked up, nervous.
“Come with us; there’s nothing here for you. You’re an outcast like us.”
“What about my mother?”
“What if she finds out? What if everyone finds out? You’ll be imprisoned, executed.”
Aarden stared blankly at Spot as he absently scratched his head. The Ingot purred appreciatively and looked between Aarden and Vale. Finally noticing the untouched bowls of stew, Spot began slurping them up. Aarden finally smiled at his pet and looked up at Vale.
“I can’t.”
Vale finally nodded and tried to wrestle his stew from Spot.
Friday, July 6, 2007
Chapter 3: A Crime; the Accused
Vale stumbled into Officius dead on his feet. His horse had stopped, exhausted a few miles out of town. He wouldn’t move until Vale had dismounted. Vale had to lead both horses; Aarden was asleep in his saddle.
Vale finally collapsed in front of an old, rundown, farmhouse just outside the city’s western wall. Farmland and grazing land surrounded the capitol. Merchants flowed in and out of the city gates, even at this late time.
Aarden, waking up because of the stop, saw Vale lying on the ground. He slid off his saddle and woke Vale. He helped him up and the two walked groggily to the front door and knocked gently.
They heard instant movement inside and, after a few moments of banging, the door flew open and Booruck glared out at them.
Booruck was supposedly the same age as the two friends, but the lines in his face made him look much older. His years of working as a farm hand left him slightly hunched over and his skin more golden than the Durvy nobles. His features were sharp and, along with his abrupt movement, made him look birdlike. He was a head taller than Aarden who was a hand taller than Vale. Despite his strange and weather worn appearance, Booruck was still regarded by most women to be attractive.
He towered over the two friends until his eyes adjusted. His face finally cracked into an awkward smile as he recognized Vale.
“Ah, wayward son, come in. What are you doing here in Officius?”
“Booruck, this is my friend Aarden.”
“So this is the noble gardener that I’ve heard so much about.”
“Hello sir,” Aarden muttered shyly. He took the seat Booruck was offering him.
“Sir? Did you hear that Vale? The nobleman called me sir.”
“He’s just a farmer Aarden,” Vale supplied. He sat down next to Aarden and took the warm ale Booruck was offering him.
“And despite my comely appearance, I’m still a young man.”
“I’m sorry si-, Booruck, I’ve never been very good at-.”
“Personal interaction,” Vale supplied.
Booruck pulled an armful of bedding out from a cubby and handed them to Vale. Vale started making up some beds on the floor.
“Thank you for-.”
“Stop nobleman, no need for thanks. What is a friend for?” Booruck handed him some pillows and exited to a bedroom. The door closed and Aarden looked down at Vale.
“Aren’t you exhausted?” Vale asked already on his way to sleep.
“Who is this guy?”
“He’s a friend, I trust him. He’ll get us to Rota faster. He’s taught me everything about hunting, fighting, riding, everything.”
“How did you meet him?”
“No more questions tonight. We’ll talk about everything tomorrow, I promise.”
Vale fell automatically into deep sleep. Aarden, although he was exhausted, struggled into his dream. Cool water trickled through his fingers and he began to cup them. If only he could get a cold, refreshing drink before the blood. He began to pull the water to his lips, but the red began to trickle. He tried to wake up, but the dream held him this time. And the nightmare would get worse.
* * *
Aarden awoke in a cold sweat. He struggled to remember what had frightened him, but his nightmare had already escaped him. A banging at the front door brought him to his senses. He realized it had been the knocking that had awoken him.
Vale was already on his feet at the window. He saw Aarden rise and held his hand out for Aarden to remain still. Aarden quietly drew a long dagger and moved silently over to the door. Booruck emerged and smiled calmly at the two friends. He gently moved Aarden away from the door and opened it.
A mob was standing at the door, torches blazing. A fully armored knight stepped forward from the group.
“Sir Bovin,” Booruck said, dripping with vehemence. “What can I do for you?”
“We’re here to arrest you.”
“And what have I done this time.”
Bovin sauntered past Booruck into the room. Aarden and Vale were still standing at the ready. Bovin’s hand drifted to his sword as he looked back at the mob. Booruck followed his eyes and closed the door, smiling.
“We tracked three horses from Jocha’s farm to here. We know you stole them.”
“I didn’t touch those mangy mares. They found their way here on their own.”
Bovin began backing towards the door, beginning to get nervous. His hand was fully gripping his sword now. Booruck looked between Vale and Aarden, trying to calm their nervousness.
“We will let the courts decide. Come with me; if you are innocent then you will have nothing to fear.”
“Your courts, the people of this quaint little township have hated and distrusted me since I came to live here. For three years I have been an outsider. It looks like you had no trouble mustering up that mob out there.”
“You are a suspicious individual. And who are these ruffians?”
“My friends, noblemen from Distrus, on their way to Rota to pay their respects to the late Tor Sambo.”
“He was friends with my mother,” Aarden added. The knight looked suspiciously at Aarden then turned back to Booruck.
“Please just come with me. The people are tense and need a resolution to this, one that doesn’t end with bloodshed.” Bovin had almost made it to the door.
“I think this will end in bloodshed, if only my own. I will come with you sheriff, but I can’t guarantee there won’t be an incidence. I will defend my innocence, first in the court, but if not, then bloodshed it will be.”
Booruck opened the door and stepped out. Several men grabbed his arms roughly and led him away. Bovin left, taking one last look at Vale and Aarden.
Vale immediately jumped into action. He quickly packed the few belongings he had unpacked and started towards the door. He was already fingering the arrows in his quiver.
“What are you going to do?” Aarden slowly began repacking his things.
“Hurry, I know the road they’ll take well enough. It passes through a patch of woods about a mile from here. If we ride quickly, we can ambush them.”
“Booruck said he wanted to try the courts first-.”
“He knew they would fail.”
“It will take a few weeks before any kind of decision is reached. We are on a mission to Rota. You were so worried about going. We need to stay the course.”
Vale struggled within himself then his reason caught up with his temper. He sat down hard and waited for Aarden to finish getting ready.
* * *
Aarden and Vale wandered into Rota overwhelmed. They had avoided Officius for the most part, but had to travel through Rota to get to Tor’s house. Distrus was quiet and small. Rota was completely different. The city was laid out in large crowded blocks. The streets were narrow and bustling. Street vendors lined every street and the roads were nearly impossible to navigate. Through alleyways or along a busy catwalk that floated around the top of the outer wall were the only ways to get from one side of the city to the other.
Aarden glanced at Vale who appeared to be a little nervous. Aarden started towards an apple seller, but Vale grabbed him and pulled him towards a staircase. Vale dragged Aarden up to the catwalk and they began pushing through the hordes of people.
“Do you know where you’re going?” Aarden shouted, trying to be heard over the buzz of the crowd.
“Just stay close. We have to be able to see where we’re going from here.”
Aarden struggled to keep up with Vale. Fortunately, Aarden could look over most of the crowd and could keep track of his friend. Vale’s shaggy red hair made it easy to find as well.
As he bumped his way through the crowd, he kept hearing bits of conversation about Tor; a mystery lover, a strange creature, a brutal murder. Whispers started to penetrate his thoughts; whispers of a suspect, a man from Officius; then the name Booruck. Over and over, Aarden heard Boorucks name being uttered by people passing. He tried to listen, but Vale was moving too quickly. Finally, Aarden caught up to his friend and stopped him.
“Are you listening? People are talking about Booruck.”
“What about him? They’re probably talking about the trial.”
“A horse thief? They’re talking about the murder, about Tor.”
“Booruck didn’t kill Tor,” Vale said a little too loudly. Several groups of people stopped and looked at them. Vale grabbed Aarden and dragged him behind a buttress. “These people will be accusing us by tomorrow,” he whispered severely. “There is very little trust of outsiders here.”
“What if he did though? How much do you know about him?”
“I trust him. Let’s just get to Tor’s.”
The two continued in silence. The bits of conversation continued to permeate Aarden’s conscious, and he couldn’t ignore them. The doubts continued to grow; all the way down the stairs and through the final crowded streets to Tor’s residence. The thickest crowd hovered around the murder scene.
Vale shoved his way to the front, dragging Aarden all the way. There were several knights guarding the entrance, but Vale continued to them authoritatively.
“Can I help you?” a young knight, clearly frustrated with this menial job, sighed.
“My name is Vale Drumond. I’ve brought Aarden, son of Lady Genish from Distrus.”
“We’ve been expecting you. After you’re finished here, there are some papers to go through with Minister Trong. Do you know your way?”
“We’ll figure it out.” Vale pushed his way through the guards and entered the quiet manor.
The manor was empty and in disarray. It was obvious no one had been here since Tor had been killed. Aarden had only been here to see Tor once when he was little. His father had brought him fishing with Tor in the nearby Pobul Lake. Tor and Aarden’s father had grown up together here in Rota. They had been friends through their schooling, but had a falling out when Genish came along. Aarden’s father had been in love with Genish since the first day they met. Genish however was infatuated with Tor. Tor was set to marry the daughter or the Minister of Rota, a girl he had been in love with all his life. Genish eventually settled. A few years after Aarden’s parents were married, shortly after Aarden was born, Tor’s engagement fell apart. His betrothed was found dead; she had hung herself.
Aarden followed Vale up a spiral staircase. At the top was an open balcony, overlooking the manor. Aarden looked over the edge and began to feel dizzy. This was why he always stayed on the ground.
“Now why are we here?” Aarden asked, turning to Vale.
“So you could see.” Vale looked nonchalantly over the edge and then began examining the room. Aarden watched Vale moving around the room like a tracker. He tested the dried blood, looked around the room for scratches, for any sign of entry. “I wish I could see the body,” he finished, under his breath.
“His body; you want to see his body? You’re thinking that this man might be my father and you want to see his body?”
“Your father? Where did that come from?”
“That’s why you wanted to come here right? You think Tor is my real father.”
“No, I-, how did you know?”
“I’m not stupid Vale. I figured it out. But I know that my mother never had an affair. You’re wrong.”
“Then why was your mother so anxious about you coming and seeing him?”
“I think we’ll find out at Minister Trong’s. Let’s go.”
* * *
“I’m sorry it’s taken so long for you to be admitted,” Minister Trong apologized as Aarden and Vale were let into his study. The room was a simple stone box with a few chairs and a desk. Minister Trong was all business. Aarden and Vale had been waiting to see Minister Trong for over an hour while court officials passed in and out of the room. The guard had made Aarden think that the Minister was waiting anxiously to see them, but it was obvious now that this matter was a trivial matter.
“I’m hoping you can shed some light on this situation,” Aarden said calmly. “My mother was anxious that I come and deal with this.”
“I understand her anxiety. You see, Tor has been your mother’s benefactor since your father died. Although he lived a simple life, Tor was actually quite wealthy. He left your mother all of his money and you now own his property. There are some things to go over, but you can take care of them with my aide.”
“So Lady Genish and Master Tor-.”
“No son, there was no impropriety. They both loved your father too much. Now please, I have a lot to do and I’ve already had to spend too much time on this.”
Vale and Aarden were rushed out and, after a brief meeting with the aide, were pushed out on the street.
“Well, let’s go clean up your house,” Vale said with a smile.
Aarden looked at Vale incredulously. “I can’t live here. I have to return to Distrus.” “Why, what’s there for you? You have all the land you could want; start your own garden
“My mother needs my help. She’s really helpless.”
“You really are a milksop. Your mother has a hundred servants and friends in all of the cities of Durvy. She now has Tor’s money. Why does she need you?”
“I’m her son. Plus, we left Spot there.”
“I’ll go get Spot and the rest of your stuff. You need to stay here and begin establishing yourself as a lord in Rota.”
Aarden once again gave into Vale’s charisma and the two moved excitedly towards Aarden’s new manor.
Vale stumbled into Officius dead on his feet. His horse had stopped, exhausted a few miles out of town. He wouldn’t move until Vale had dismounted. Vale had to lead both horses; Aarden was asleep in his saddle.
Vale finally collapsed in front of an old, rundown, farmhouse just outside the city’s western wall. Farmland and grazing land surrounded the capitol. Merchants flowed in and out of the city gates, even at this late time.
Aarden, waking up because of the stop, saw Vale lying on the ground. He slid off his saddle and woke Vale. He helped him up and the two walked groggily to the front door and knocked gently.
They heard instant movement inside and, after a few moments of banging, the door flew open and Booruck glared out at them.
Booruck was supposedly the same age as the two friends, but the lines in his face made him look much older. His years of working as a farm hand left him slightly hunched over and his skin more golden than the Durvy nobles. His features were sharp and, along with his abrupt movement, made him look birdlike. He was a head taller than Aarden who was a hand taller than Vale. Despite his strange and weather worn appearance, Booruck was still regarded by most women to be attractive.
He towered over the two friends until his eyes adjusted. His face finally cracked into an awkward smile as he recognized Vale.
“Ah, wayward son, come in. What are you doing here in Officius?”
“Booruck, this is my friend Aarden.”
“So this is the noble gardener that I’ve heard so much about.”
“Hello sir,” Aarden muttered shyly. He took the seat Booruck was offering him.
“Sir? Did you hear that Vale? The nobleman called me sir.”
“He’s just a farmer Aarden,” Vale supplied. He sat down next to Aarden and took the warm ale Booruck was offering him.
“And despite my comely appearance, I’m still a young man.”
“I’m sorry si-, Booruck, I’ve never been very good at-.”
“Personal interaction,” Vale supplied.
Booruck pulled an armful of bedding out from a cubby and handed them to Vale. Vale started making up some beds on the floor.
“Thank you for-.”
“Stop nobleman, no need for thanks. What is a friend for?” Booruck handed him some pillows and exited to a bedroom. The door closed and Aarden looked down at Vale.
“Aren’t you exhausted?” Vale asked already on his way to sleep.
“Who is this guy?”
“He’s a friend, I trust him. He’ll get us to Rota faster. He’s taught me everything about hunting, fighting, riding, everything.”
“How did you meet him?”
“No more questions tonight. We’ll talk about everything tomorrow, I promise.”
Vale fell automatically into deep sleep. Aarden, although he was exhausted, struggled into his dream. Cool water trickled through his fingers and he began to cup them. If only he could get a cold, refreshing drink before the blood. He began to pull the water to his lips, but the red began to trickle. He tried to wake up, but the dream held him this time. And the nightmare would get worse.
* * *
Aarden awoke in a cold sweat. He struggled to remember what had frightened him, but his nightmare had already escaped him. A banging at the front door brought him to his senses. He realized it had been the knocking that had awoken him.
Vale was already on his feet at the window. He saw Aarden rise and held his hand out for Aarden to remain still. Aarden quietly drew a long dagger and moved silently over to the door. Booruck emerged and smiled calmly at the two friends. He gently moved Aarden away from the door and opened it.
A mob was standing at the door, torches blazing. A fully armored knight stepped forward from the group.
“Sir Bovin,” Booruck said, dripping with vehemence. “What can I do for you?”
“We’re here to arrest you.”
“And what have I done this time.”
Bovin sauntered past Booruck into the room. Aarden and Vale were still standing at the ready. Bovin’s hand drifted to his sword as he looked back at the mob. Booruck followed his eyes and closed the door, smiling.
“We tracked three horses from Jocha’s farm to here. We know you stole them.”
“I didn’t touch those mangy mares. They found their way here on their own.”
Bovin began backing towards the door, beginning to get nervous. His hand was fully gripping his sword now. Booruck looked between Vale and Aarden, trying to calm their nervousness.
“We will let the courts decide. Come with me; if you are innocent then you will have nothing to fear.”
“Your courts, the people of this quaint little township have hated and distrusted me since I came to live here. For three years I have been an outsider. It looks like you had no trouble mustering up that mob out there.”
“You are a suspicious individual. And who are these ruffians?”
“My friends, noblemen from Distrus, on their way to Rota to pay their respects to the late Tor Sambo.”
“He was friends with my mother,” Aarden added. The knight looked suspiciously at Aarden then turned back to Booruck.
“Please just come with me. The people are tense and need a resolution to this, one that doesn’t end with bloodshed.” Bovin had almost made it to the door.
“I think this will end in bloodshed, if only my own. I will come with you sheriff, but I can’t guarantee there won’t be an incidence. I will defend my innocence, first in the court, but if not, then bloodshed it will be.”
Booruck opened the door and stepped out. Several men grabbed his arms roughly and led him away. Bovin left, taking one last look at Vale and Aarden.
Vale immediately jumped into action. He quickly packed the few belongings he had unpacked and started towards the door. He was already fingering the arrows in his quiver.
“What are you going to do?” Aarden slowly began repacking his things.
“Hurry, I know the road they’ll take well enough. It passes through a patch of woods about a mile from here. If we ride quickly, we can ambush them.”
“Booruck said he wanted to try the courts first-.”
“He knew they would fail.”
“It will take a few weeks before any kind of decision is reached. We are on a mission to Rota. You were so worried about going. We need to stay the course.”
Vale struggled within himself then his reason caught up with his temper. He sat down hard and waited for Aarden to finish getting ready.
* * *
Aarden and Vale wandered into Rota overwhelmed. They had avoided Officius for the most part, but had to travel through Rota to get to Tor’s house. Distrus was quiet and small. Rota was completely different. The city was laid out in large crowded blocks. The streets were narrow and bustling. Street vendors lined every street and the roads were nearly impossible to navigate. Through alleyways or along a busy catwalk that floated around the top of the outer wall were the only ways to get from one side of the city to the other.
Aarden glanced at Vale who appeared to be a little nervous. Aarden started towards an apple seller, but Vale grabbed him and pulled him towards a staircase. Vale dragged Aarden up to the catwalk and they began pushing through the hordes of people.
“Do you know where you’re going?” Aarden shouted, trying to be heard over the buzz of the crowd.
“Just stay close. We have to be able to see where we’re going from here.”
Aarden struggled to keep up with Vale. Fortunately, Aarden could look over most of the crowd and could keep track of his friend. Vale’s shaggy red hair made it easy to find as well.
As he bumped his way through the crowd, he kept hearing bits of conversation about Tor; a mystery lover, a strange creature, a brutal murder. Whispers started to penetrate his thoughts; whispers of a suspect, a man from Officius; then the name Booruck. Over and over, Aarden heard Boorucks name being uttered by people passing. He tried to listen, but Vale was moving too quickly. Finally, Aarden caught up to his friend and stopped him.
“Are you listening? People are talking about Booruck.”
“What about him? They’re probably talking about the trial.”
“A horse thief? They’re talking about the murder, about Tor.”
“Booruck didn’t kill Tor,” Vale said a little too loudly. Several groups of people stopped and looked at them. Vale grabbed Aarden and dragged him behind a buttress. “These people will be accusing us by tomorrow,” he whispered severely. “There is very little trust of outsiders here.”
“What if he did though? How much do you know about him?”
“I trust him. Let’s just get to Tor’s.”
The two continued in silence. The bits of conversation continued to permeate Aarden’s conscious, and he couldn’t ignore them. The doubts continued to grow; all the way down the stairs and through the final crowded streets to Tor’s residence. The thickest crowd hovered around the murder scene.
Vale shoved his way to the front, dragging Aarden all the way. There were several knights guarding the entrance, but Vale continued to them authoritatively.
“Can I help you?” a young knight, clearly frustrated with this menial job, sighed.
“My name is Vale Drumond. I’ve brought Aarden, son of Lady Genish from Distrus.”
“We’ve been expecting you. After you’re finished here, there are some papers to go through with Minister Trong. Do you know your way?”
“We’ll figure it out.” Vale pushed his way through the guards and entered the quiet manor.
The manor was empty and in disarray. It was obvious no one had been here since Tor had been killed. Aarden had only been here to see Tor once when he was little. His father had brought him fishing with Tor in the nearby Pobul Lake. Tor and Aarden’s father had grown up together here in Rota. They had been friends through their schooling, but had a falling out when Genish came along. Aarden’s father had been in love with Genish since the first day they met. Genish however was infatuated with Tor. Tor was set to marry the daughter or the Minister of Rota, a girl he had been in love with all his life. Genish eventually settled. A few years after Aarden’s parents were married, shortly after Aarden was born, Tor’s engagement fell apart. His betrothed was found dead; she had hung herself.
Aarden followed Vale up a spiral staircase. At the top was an open balcony, overlooking the manor. Aarden looked over the edge and began to feel dizzy. This was why he always stayed on the ground.
“Now why are we here?” Aarden asked, turning to Vale.
“So you could see.” Vale looked nonchalantly over the edge and then began examining the room. Aarden watched Vale moving around the room like a tracker. He tested the dried blood, looked around the room for scratches, for any sign of entry. “I wish I could see the body,” he finished, under his breath.
“His body; you want to see his body? You’re thinking that this man might be my father and you want to see his body?”
“Your father? Where did that come from?”
“That’s why you wanted to come here right? You think Tor is my real father.”
“No, I-, how did you know?”
“I’m not stupid Vale. I figured it out. But I know that my mother never had an affair. You’re wrong.”
“Then why was your mother so anxious about you coming and seeing him?”
“I think we’ll find out at Minister Trong’s. Let’s go.”
* * *
“I’m sorry it’s taken so long for you to be admitted,” Minister Trong apologized as Aarden and Vale were let into his study. The room was a simple stone box with a few chairs and a desk. Minister Trong was all business. Aarden and Vale had been waiting to see Minister Trong for over an hour while court officials passed in and out of the room. The guard had made Aarden think that the Minister was waiting anxiously to see them, but it was obvious now that this matter was a trivial matter.
“I’m hoping you can shed some light on this situation,” Aarden said calmly. “My mother was anxious that I come and deal with this.”
“I understand her anxiety. You see, Tor has been your mother’s benefactor since your father died. Although he lived a simple life, Tor was actually quite wealthy. He left your mother all of his money and you now own his property. There are some things to go over, but you can take care of them with my aide.”
“So Lady Genish and Master Tor-.”
“No son, there was no impropriety. They both loved your father too much. Now please, I have a lot to do and I’ve already had to spend too much time on this.”
Vale and Aarden were rushed out and, after a brief meeting with the aide, were pushed out on the street.
“Well, let’s go clean up your house,” Vale said with a smile.
Aarden looked at Vale incredulously. “I can’t live here. I have to return to Distrus.” “Why, what’s there for you? You have all the land you could want; start your own garden
“My mother needs my help. She’s really helpless.”
“You really are a milksop. Your mother has a hundred servants and friends in all of the cities of Durvy. She now has Tor’s money. Why does she need you?”
“I’m her son. Plus, we left Spot there.”
“I’ll go get Spot and the rest of your stuff. You need to stay here and begin establishing yourself as a lord in Rota.”
Aarden once again gave into Vale’s charisma and the two moved excitedly towards Aarden’s new manor.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Book 1: Chapter 2
Chapter 2: Vale, the Mighty Hunter
“Distrus,” Lord Goan commented as the dessert was served at dinner, “is only a small town Lady Genish. If you were to move to Lacertus, you could experience real high society.”
“Why not move to the capitol?” Minister Tane said. “They live in true nobility there.”
“Traitor,” Goan mocked.
“You should move to Monachus,” Lady Jez, wife of one of Lacertus’s richest men remarked. “I’m sure you could meet a nice, secure General. The military is where boys become men.” She glared at Aarden as she heard him snort. “Do you have a problem with authority young man?”
Aarden glanced at Casia, Master Jez’s daughter. She was staring adoringly at her father who was watching the others, bored. Aarden returned his gaze to Lady Jez.
“The Wall protects us, not the military,” Aarden said flatly. He was now the focus of everyone at the table.
“What do you know about the wall young man?” Sir Kaltz, the oldest member at the table. He was an old, retired knight, one of only a handful from the military who had actually seen battle. His daughter, hunched at the end of the table, was quickly becoming an old spinster.
“I know that the wall has protected us for a thousand of years; we haven’t fought a battle in at least that long.”
“My great-great-grandfather helped to build that wall. Before that time, we were constantly in battle. One war lasted hundreds of years. That wall has saved hundreds of young men from war.”
“It also keeps us in,” Vale said loudly, bounding into the room.
“Vale!” Aarden jumped up, directing him to the chair next to him. Vale paused to say a few gentle words in Weeley, the daughter or Minister Tane. She giggled then sighed as she saw Aarden watching them.
Vale was dressed in an old borrowed tunic that Aarden had given him. His shoes were worn as were the rest of his clothes. Vale bounded boldly over to Aarden and shook his friend’s hand. Aarden showed him to his chair and the two sat at the table.
“My guests, this is Vale Drumond, son of Seth and Chaylie Pesth,” Genish said, pointing.
“Ah, the orphan,” Master Jez said, dismissively.
“Yes, the orphan,” Vale responded. “Lady Pesth has been very kind to me, more than I deserve I’m sure.”
“At least you’re not on the street,” Goan quipped.
“Vale has been hunting for the butcher Carmine.” Vale glared at Aarden. He always hated it when Aarden defended him. “He’s one of the best hunter’s in the five cities-.”
“Merely a hobby,” Vale added. He looked shamefaced towards the young women who were looking enthralled at him.
The rest of the table turned away from Vale and Aarden. Conversations sprung up all around the table. Aarden apologized to Vale in a whisper. Vale brushed it off, but continued watching the young ladies silently.
Aarden drowsily listened to the bits of conversation he overheard. Lord and Lady Goan were talking with his mother about Prime Minister Tomal and his daughter. She had been caught walking and holding hands with a common painter in Lacertus. Aarden knew his mother still held out hope that he would end up with the young debutante. Vale was thoroughly enjoying a heated debate against Sir Kaltz over the true purpose of the wall. Vale would have left Durvy long ago if it hadn’t been for that wall. The Jezes and Minister Tane were discussing the roles of servants and the possibility of slaves. The question had long been debated by the Durvies, but never seriously considered. The upper-class always enjoyed discussing it however. All the young women looked the same, trying to sit with the proper posture, trying to listen and understand the various conversations, and really trying to stay awake.
“Murder?” Mistress Tane suddenly let out. Everyone stopped their conversations and looked at her in shock. She blushed and hid her eyes.
“What was that?” Genish asked.
“Last night, Tor Sambo was murdered,” Lady Jez filled in. “He lived in a small manor on the edge of Rota.”
“Yes, I know Tor quite well.” Aarden’s mother whispered, visibly shaken. “He and my husband were like brothers.”
“Who would kill Master Sambo?” Vale asked, equally shocked.
“It’s a mystery,” Kan, the daughter Lord and Lady Jez supplied.
“There were no clues, no sign of entry. It was as if someone flew in through the window.” Lady Jez shuddered. “He was up in a tower watching the birds or something.”
“In the middle of the day even,” Kan finished. She seemed to have a morbid fascination with this.
“Who would be so bold?” Lord Goan asked, standing and thumping his fist on the table. He sensed a lively debate coming. “Surely the man must have been a brilliant criminal. No Durvy has that kind of talent.”
“It was really brutal,” Kan chirped. “Tor had scratches all over his chest and neck. His blood had almost completely drained out-.”
And with that, Genish, the renowned social woman, fainted and landed face first in a piece of chocolate cake.
* * *
“I’ll be fine,” Genish reassured her guests as she shuffled them out the door.
“Are you sure Genish?” Lady Jez asked. “We are happy to stay and help.”
“No, please. I was just a little overwhelmed.” Genish ushered the others out and shut the door quickly once they were gone.
Genish aroused almost immediately after fainting in her cake. She mumbled apologeties as she left, embarrassed. The group sat in tense silence, no one looking at each other. Vale kept nudging Aarden, trying to get him to become host, but Aarden remained comatose.
Finally, Genish returned in a flurry. She had put on another extravagant dress and redone her face. Her guests fawned over her, but she quickly deflected the apologies and rushed them out the door; only Aarden and Vale were left.
Vale began to excuse himself when Genish stopped him. “I need your help, both of you.” She suddenly became conscious of her overdone dress and makeup. She began removing a lot of her fluff. “You must go see Tor immediately.”
“Mother-.”
“He was your father’s closest friend. He was as much a father to you as that pedant.”
“Mother-.”
“I’m sorry Aarden. I’m very flustered right now.”
“Is something going on Mother?”
“No, but something must be done. There was no inheritance from your Grandparents-.”
Vale suddenly interrupted, dragging Aarden into the other room. Genish gave a fleeting smile to Vale as she waved and started up the stairs. Aarden stopped and pulled away from Vale.
“What’s going on?”
“We’re going on a trip. We’re headed to Rota. You need to pay your respects to Tor.”
“Rota is on the other side of Durvy though. It’ll take us four days to get there.”
Vale dragged Aarden into the pantry. He grabbed a knapsack and began filling it.
“If we leave tonight, we can stay with my friend Booruck and be in Rota a day and a half after that.”
“But why?”
“You will someday. Just know that your mother needs you to go. Get the rest of your gear together and meet me on the east edge before night fall.”
Vale hurried out the back door. Aarden stared dumbfounded after him.
“Distrus,” Lord Goan commented as the dessert was served at dinner, “is only a small town Lady Genish. If you were to move to Lacertus, you could experience real high society.”
“Why not move to the capitol?” Minister Tane said. “They live in true nobility there.”
“Traitor,” Goan mocked.
“You should move to Monachus,” Lady Jez, wife of one of Lacertus’s richest men remarked. “I’m sure you could meet a nice, secure General. The military is where boys become men.” She glared at Aarden as she heard him snort. “Do you have a problem with authority young man?”
Aarden glanced at Casia, Master Jez’s daughter. She was staring adoringly at her father who was watching the others, bored. Aarden returned his gaze to Lady Jez.
“The Wall protects us, not the military,” Aarden said flatly. He was now the focus of everyone at the table.
“What do you know about the wall young man?” Sir Kaltz, the oldest member at the table. He was an old, retired knight, one of only a handful from the military who had actually seen battle. His daughter, hunched at the end of the table, was quickly becoming an old spinster.
“I know that the wall has protected us for a thousand of years; we haven’t fought a battle in at least that long.”
“My great-great-grandfather helped to build that wall. Before that time, we were constantly in battle. One war lasted hundreds of years. That wall has saved hundreds of young men from war.”
“It also keeps us in,” Vale said loudly, bounding into the room.
“Vale!” Aarden jumped up, directing him to the chair next to him. Vale paused to say a few gentle words in Weeley, the daughter or Minister Tane. She giggled then sighed as she saw Aarden watching them.
Vale was dressed in an old borrowed tunic that Aarden had given him. His shoes were worn as were the rest of his clothes. Vale bounded boldly over to Aarden and shook his friend’s hand. Aarden showed him to his chair and the two sat at the table.
“My guests, this is Vale Drumond, son of Seth and Chaylie Pesth,” Genish said, pointing.
“Ah, the orphan,” Master Jez said, dismissively.
“Yes, the orphan,” Vale responded. “Lady Pesth has been very kind to me, more than I deserve I’m sure.”
“At least you’re not on the street,” Goan quipped.
“Vale has been hunting for the butcher Carmine.” Vale glared at Aarden. He always hated it when Aarden defended him. “He’s one of the best hunter’s in the five cities-.”
“Merely a hobby,” Vale added. He looked shamefaced towards the young women who were looking enthralled at him.
The rest of the table turned away from Vale and Aarden. Conversations sprung up all around the table. Aarden apologized to Vale in a whisper. Vale brushed it off, but continued watching the young ladies silently.
Aarden drowsily listened to the bits of conversation he overheard. Lord and Lady Goan were talking with his mother about Prime Minister Tomal and his daughter. She had been caught walking and holding hands with a common painter in Lacertus. Aarden knew his mother still held out hope that he would end up with the young debutante. Vale was thoroughly enjoying a heated debate against Sir Kaltz over the true purpose of the wall. Vale would have left Durvy long ago if it hadn’t been for that wall. The Jezes and Minister Tane were discussing the roles of servants and the possibility of slaves. The question had long been debated by the Durvies, but never seriously considered. The upper-class always enjoyed discussing it however. All the young women looked the same, trying to sit with the proper posture, trying to listen and understand the various conversations, and really trying to stay awake.
“Murder?” Mistress Tane suddenly let out. Everyone stopped their conversations and looked at her in shock. She blushed and hid her eyes.
“What was that?” Genish asked.
“Last night, Tor Sambo was murdered,” Lady Jez filled in. “He lived in a small manor on the edge of Rota.”
“Yes, I know Tor quite well.” Aarden’s mother whispered, visibly shaken. “He and my husband were like brothers.”
“Who would kill Master Sambo?” Vale asked, equally shocked.
“It’s a mystery,” Kan, the daughter Lord and Lady Jez supplied.
“There were no clues, no sign of entry. It was as if someone flew in through the window.” Lady Jez shuddered. “He was up in a tower watching the birds or something.”
“In the middle of the day even,” Kan finished. She seemed to have a morbid fascination with this.
“Who would be so bold?” Lord Goan asked, standing and thumping his fist on the table. He sensed a lively debate coming. “Surely the man must have been a brilliant criminal. No Durvy has that kind of talent.”
“It was really brutal,” Kan chirped. “Tor had scratches all over his chest and neck. His blood had almost completely drained out-.”
And with that, Genish, the renowned social woman, fainted and landed face first in a piece of chocolate cake.
* * *
“I’ll be fine,” Genish reassured her guests as she shuffled them out the door.
“Are you sure Genish?” Lady Jez asked. “We are happy to stay and help.”
“No, please. I was just a little overwhelmed.” Genish ushered the others out and shut the door quickly once they were gone.
Genish aroused almost immediately after fainting in her cake. She mumbled apologeties as she left, embarrassed. The group sat in tense silence, no one looking at each other. Vale kept nudging Aarden, trying to get him to become host, but Aarden remained comatose.
Finally, Genish returned in a flurry. She had put on another extravagant dress and redone her face. Her guests fawned over her, but she quickly deflected the apologies and rushed them out the door; only Aarden and Vale were left.
Vale began to excuse himself when Genish stopped him. “I need your help, both of you.” She suddenly became conscious of her overdone dress and makeup. She began removing a lot of her fluff. “You must go see Tor immediately.”
“Mother-.”
“He was your father’s closest friend. He was as much a father to you as that pedant.”
“Mother-.”
“I’m sorry Aarden. I’m very flustered right now.”
“Is something going on Mother?”
“No, but something must be done. There was no inheritance from your Grandparents-.”
Vale suddenly interrupted, dragging Aarden into the other room. Genish gave a fleeting smile to Vale as she waved and started up the stairs. Aarden stopped and pulled away from Vale.
“What’s going on?”
“We’re going on a trip. We’re headed to Rota. You need to pay your respects to Tor.”
“Rota is on the other side of Durvy though. It’ll take us four days to get there.”
Vale dragged Aarden into the pantry. He grabbed a knapsack and began filling it.
“If we leave tonight, we can stay with my friend Booruck and be in Rota a day and a half after that.”
“But why?”
“You will someday. Just know that your mother needs you to go. Get the rest of your gear together and meet me on the east edge before night fall.”
Vale hurried out the back door. Aarden stared dumbfounded after him.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Book I: Chapter 1
Aarden’s eyes flew open. Disoriented from the dream, Aarden quickly looked around. He was back in his garden. His nostrils were once again accosted with the dark earth, his vegetables almost ready to be harvested. He slowly got up, found his awkward straw hat.
“Spot, Spot!” Aarden called out. His pet Ingot bound over to him, carrying a crow in his clawed front paw. Ingots were small, human-like creatures. They stand hunched over, but even standing straight would only reach four feet. Their hair was thin, making them look bald. They were biped creatures who could also walk on all fours. They’re hands had retractable claws and they’re hind legs were short, almost ape-like. The Durvies had domesticated them. Spot followed Aarden as they wandered from the garden onto the main road.
The dream was a recurring one: Aarden drinking from a crystal river flowing over an old stone wall. He cups the water in his hand when a stream of blood starts tainting it. Fear grips his heart and he starts to panic, then wakes up, sweaty. This time, he woke himself up before the blood came. He always gloated when he outsmarted his dreams.
Most people who met Aarden considered him a commoner. The tall and lanky albino was the son of the powerful noble woman Genish Tallate. His father had died of a heart attack when he was a boy. Genish allowed her son his eccentricities which mainly focused on his love of gardening.
Aarden’s clothes were mainly dirty, simple and useful. He usually wore a loose cotton shirt filled with pockets. The pockets he filled with small plants and seeds, things to fill his garden. He usually wore a light green burlap poncho and this straw hat perched on the top of his thin face.
Aarden was greeted with smiles and waves as he wandered down the main street of the Durvy town of Distrus. The sunlight beamed down on him as a cold breeze brushed his straw blond hair away from his face.
“Beautiful day isn’t it,” Pagel, the town’s blacksmith chirped at Aarden as he passed him. “The sun is really shining today.”
Aarden glanced up at the bright brown sky and smiled. “Perfect for planting those rhododendrons you gave me.”
“Every day is a perfect day for something young man.” The blacksmith waved and turned into his shop. Aarden waved back and continued on his way.
Aarden wandered into his mother’s manor. The servants looked up and smiled at the young master and he waved back. He stepped into the main house, brushing the dirt off in the doorway as he removed his poncho and folded it carefully. His mother emerged from her grand bedroom and quickly ran down to her son.
“Aarden, where have you been? You know how important tonight is to me.” His mother was in a panic once again.
“I’m sorry mother, I fell asleep.”
“In that garden again. Why I allow you to have that cursed thing is beyond me.”
“My father gave that garden to me.”
Genish gently touched the poncho and smiled, then hid the smile and turned once more on her son. “Your father! He always wanted to be a peasant. The Gods alone know where he spent all of our money. If I hadn’t kept my inheritance from my parents, I would be begging for food and you would be gardening for someone else.”
“Father didn’t leave us broke and you know it.” Aarden’s voice never raised to his mother. He had had this argument many times before. “Besides, Father never spent any money on himself.”
“Yes, I know. He should be made holy.”
Genish pulled the straw hat from Aarden’s head and threw it into a pile with his poncho.
“Mother-.”
“Aarden, no more talk of your father. I know you loved him as you love me. And if you do love me, you will get ready. I have invited the four noble families from Lacertus to dinner tonight. All of them have eligible daughters for you to court.”
“Mother, why do you insist on doing this to me?”
“Because that’s what young men your age do.”
“I’m different than them.” Aarden snuck into the kitchen and snatched a couple of rolls, his mother following him all the way.
“You should not be ashamed of being an albino.”
The cook, hearing the mistress’s voice, swung around. She saw Aarden and smirked, then gave him a mock glare. Aarden gave the servant an apologetic shrug and stuffed a piece into his mouth. He dropped the second roll to Spot.
“It’s not my skin, although I see the girls cringe when they see me.”
“Stop talking with your mouth full, and I told you to keep your pet outside.”
“He will be quiet in my room.” Aarden finished swallowing and moved towards his room. “I’m just different. All they can talk about is gossip; who is marrying whom, what she wore, what she said. The military seems to be just honorary. What good is it if they receive rank simply to improve status in the community? Even common soldiers are there simply to impress their benefactors.”
Aarden found a wash basin already filled with water. He began rinsing his face.
“What would you prefer? I’m thankful that we enjoy peace and my son doesn’t have to go off to be killed in war. We are truly blessed. And what topic would you prefer; your garden, the dirt you lay in?”
“Politics, life, art, the Gods-.”
“Oh, the Gods take you; you will drive me to an early grave.”
She threw a towel at him. He dried his face slowly.
“I’m sorry mother. I will be civil.”
“I assume Vale will be joining us as well?”
“Yes, I believe so.”
“Why you hang around with that orphan-.”
“I’m sorry mother, I need to get ready.”
He gently pushed his mother out of the room and closed the door, finally free of his mother’s questions. A bath was waiting for him and his gaudy, ceremonial clothing was sitting on his bed, waiting for him. He sighed deeply and sat on his father’s old chair.
After his father’s death, Aarden’s mother had become more interested in her son’s future. This was the fifth dinner party she had thrown, inviting the most prominent families from the five major cities of Durvy. Even Prime Minister Tomal’s daughter Gwen had come to meet Lady Genish’s albino son, but the results were always the same, women without substance. Likewise, they found Aarden a simpleton. It was only because of his mother’s name and reputation that they came.
Aarden pulled a flower, still in soil, from his pocket. He pulled a small pot full of dirt from under his bed and planted the flower in it. He set the pot on a window sill and began undressing. Steam rose from the drawn bath and Aarden cringed as he stepped into it. The water was nearly boiling and every dry crack in his hands and feet burned. He would be sufficiently pink for his mother’s dinner.
“Spot, Spot!” Aarden called out. His pet Ingot bound over to him, carrying a crow in his clawed front paw. Ingots were small, human-like creatures. They stand hunched over, but even standing straight would only reach four feet. Their hair was thin, making them look bald. They were biped creatures who could also walk on all fours. They’re hands had retractable claws and they’re hind legs were short, almost ape-like. The Durvies had domesticated them. Spot followed Aarden as they wandered from the garden onto the main road.
The dream was a recurring one: Aarden drinking from a crystal river flowing over an old stone wall. He cups the water in his hand when a stream of blood starts tainting it. Fear grips his heart and he starts to panic, then wakes up, sweaty. This time, he woke himself up before the blood came. He always gloated when he outsmarted his dreams.
Most people who met Aarden considered him a commoner. The tall and lanky albino was the son of the powerful noble woman Genish Tallate. His father had died of a heart attack when he was a boy. Genish allowed her son his eccentricities which mainly focused on his love of gardening.
Aarden’s clothes were mainly dirty, simple and useful. He usually wore a loose cotton shirt filled with pockets. The pockets he filled with small plants and seeds, things to fill his garden. He usually wore a light green burlap poncho and this straw hat perched on the top of his thin face.
Aarden was greeted with smiles and waves as he wandered down the main street of the Durvy town of Distrus. The sunlight beamed down on him as a cold breeze brushed his straw blond hair away from his face.
“Beautiful day isn’t it,” Pagel, the town’s blacksmith chirped at Aarden as he passed him. “The sun is really shining today.”
Aarden glanced up at the bright brown sky and smiled. “Perfect for planting those rhododendrons you gave me.”
“Every day is a perfect day for something young man.” The blacksmith waved and turned into his shop. Aarden waved back and continued on his way.
Aarden wandered into his mother’s manor. The servants looked up and smiled at the young master and he waved back. He stepped into the main house, brushing the dirt off in the doorway as he removed his poncho and folded it carefully. His mother emerged from her grand bedroom and quickly ran down to her son.
“Aarden, where have you been? You know how important tonight is to me.” His mother was in a panic once again.
“I’m sorry mother, I fell asleep.”
“In that garden again. Why I allow you to have that cursed thing is beyond me.”
“My father gave that garden to me.”
Genish gently touched the poncho and smiled, then hid the smile and turned once more on her son. “Your father! He always wanted to be a peasant. The Gods alone know where he spent all of our money. If I hadn’t kept my inheritance from my parents, I would be begging for food and you would be gardening for someone else.”
“Father didn’t leave us broke and you know it.” Aarden’s voice never raised to his mother. He had had this argument many times before. “Besides, Father never spent any money on himself.”
“Yes, I know. He should be made holy.”
Genish pulled the straw hat from Aarden’s head and threw it into a pile with his poncho.
“Mother-.”
“Aarden, no more talk of your father. I know you loved him as you love me. And if you do love me, you will get ready. I have invited the four noble families from Lacertus to dinner tonight. All of them have eligible daughters for you to court.”
“Mother, why do you insist on doing this to me?”
“Because that’s what young men your age do.”
“I’m different than them.” Aarden snuck into the kitchen and snatched a couple of rolls, his mother following him all the way.
“You should not be ashamed of being an albino.”
The cook, hearing the mistress’s voice, swung around. She saw Aarden and smirked, then gave him a mock glare. Aarden gave the servant an apologetic shrug and stuffed a piece into his mouth. He dropped the second roll to Spot.
“It’s not my skin, although I see the girls cringe when they see me.”
“Stop talking with your mouth full, and I told you to keep your pet outside.”
“He will be quiet in my room.” Aarden finished swallowing and moved towards his room. “I’m just different. All they can talk about is gossip; who is marrying whom, what she wore, what she said. The military seems to be just honorary. What good is it if they receive rank simply to improve status in the community? Even common soldiers are there simply to impress their benefactors.”
Aarden found a wash basin already filled with water. He began rinsing his face.
“What would you prefer? I’m thankful that we enjoy peace and my son doesn’t have to go off to be killed in war. We are truly blessed. And what topic would you prefer; your garden, the dirt you lay in?”
“Politics, life, art, the Gods-.”
“Oh, the Gods take you; you will drive me to an early grave.”
She threw a towel at him. He dried his face slowly.
“I’m sorry mother. I will be civil.”
“I assume Vale will be joining us as well?”
“Yes, I believe so.”
“Why you hang around with that orphan-.”
“I’m sorry mother, I need to get ready.”
He gently pushed his mother out of the room and closed the door, finally free of his mother’s questions. A bath was waiting for him and his gaudy, ceremonial clothing was sitting on his bed, waiting for him. He sighed deeply and sat on his father’s old chair.
After his father’s death, Aarden’s mother had become more interested in her son’s future. This was the fifth dinner party she had thrown, inviting the most prominent families from the five major cities of Durvy. Even Prime Minister Tomal’s daughter Gwen had come to meet Lady Genish’s albino son, but the results were always the same, women without substance. Likewise, they found Aarden a simpleton. It was only because of his mother’s name and reputation that they came.
Aarden pulled a flower, still in soil, from his pocket. He pulled a small pot full of dirt from under his bed and planted the flower in it. He set the pot on a window sill and began undressing. Steam rose from the drawn bath and Aarden cringed as he stepped into it. The water was nearly boiling and every dry crack in his hands and feet burned. He would be sufficiently pink for his mother’s dinner.
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
The Holy Paladins: Prelude
PRELUDE
It was dark, unusually dark. The sixth watch had just sounded and the sun had been down for some time. Epsil castle was dark; and it was getting cold. The fires had been allowed to cool; the servants would be punished, if the King wasn’t distracted.
The strong noble chin held several days worth of stubble; the court robes and armor had been replaced by a simple cloth shirt and worker’s pants; and he was pacing. Kings should never pace.
This was a moment when Kings were equal to slaves; the strongest knights were reduced to weeping like their feeble pages; and tiny women became the bravest of warriors.
King Avo paced in front of a solid wooden door. A man who had breeched the thickest stone defenses was now kept out of his wife’s chambers by a single wooden door.
It was not his place inside those doors. Childbirth was a woman’s place. The first queen had died after giving birth to three children, all who died in infancy. Now, his beloved second wife was giving birth to a precious baby. This one would not die.
A gentle cry suddenly broke through his thoughts. Avo rushed to the door and tried the latch. The click signified his uninvited status. He again resumed his pacing.
Carmen was a beautiful, wealthy, cold, and calculating young woman. Their marriage was arranged before they knew each other. He found Manterin a few days before the wedding. He loved Manterin, but was forced to marry Carmen. It was a loveless marriage, but Avo believed in duty. Manterin disappeared and Avo tried to put his heart into his marriage. It was useless. The death of the children hurt them even more. Depression set in after the death of the second child Dirge, the heir, the first son. When the third child was born stillborn, Carmen’s mind broke. She gave up and died from the trauma of the birth. Avo soon began searching for his lost love. Manterin had run away to a convent, but couldn’t bring herself to taking the vows. The king found her and made her his queen. Many of the nobles resented him for his lack of grieving. He found himself at odds the ruling class.
The crying suddenly stopped. The silence was a brief respite. It was only a moment before it was replaced by a quiet mumbling. The voice was frantic, almost in a panic. It was Manterin; something was wrong.
Avo grabbed the latch again, breaking the handle in his hand. He threw his shoulder into the door and the boards shuddered. Once more and the solid wood splintered around him.
Manterin was safe, awake, reaching towards the baby’s wash basin. The midwife, a witch, trusted by the nobility, was standing over the bath, staring shocked at Manterin. Neither noticed Avo and the pile of wood that had once been the door. Avo rushed to the bath and found his baby drowning in the water. The witch finally noticed him and tried to stop him, but he knocked her unconscious with the back of his hand and fumbled for the newborn.
She was beginning to turn blue, but immediately started crying as the cold air tore into her lungs.
A girl, a baby girl; Avo quickly brought their baby to Manterin who had finally stopped muttering. The baby quieted into a peaceful sleep as she began to turn pink again in her mother’s arms. The King suddenly felt very inadequate and clumsy.
General Kharibs, the new leader of the Epsil army, pounded into the room, followed by a handful of the King’s elite guards. Hearing the commotion, he gathered up whoever he could find and came to the King’s aid.
“The witch tried to kill my child,” Avo breathed out, pointing at the lifeless body lying in a heap. “Take her to the prison to await execution.”
“Immediately!” Kharibs revived the old woman and the guards picked her up off the floor. As she was led roughly by the armored guard, she suddenly came to her senses and stopped. The knights, who towered over her, could not move her any further.
“That child,” she croaked, “will be the death of us all. She is cursed.”
“Silence-!”
“She means the end of the world. Kill her now. Whoever controls the princess, controls the world.”
The witch, her prophesy finished, collapsed once again. The guard dragged her to the prison but found they had been dragging a corpse.
It was dark, unusually dark. The sixth watch had just sounded and the sun had been down for some time. Epsil castle was dark; and it was getting cold. The fires had been allowed to cool; the servants would be punished, if the King wasn’t distracted.
The strong noble chin held several days worth of stubble; the court robes and armor had been replaced by a simple cloth shirt and worker’s pants; and he was pacing. Kings should never pace.
This was a moment when Kings were equal to slaves; the strongest knights were reduced to weeping like their feeble pages; and tiny women became the bravest of warriors.
King Avo paced in front of a solid wooden door. A man who had breeched the thickest stone defenses was now kept out of his wife’s chambers by a single wooden door.
It was not his place inside those doors. Childbirth was a woman’s place. The first queen had died after giving birth to three children, all who died in infancy. Now, his beloved second wife was giving birth to a precious baby. This one would not die.
A gentle cry suddenly broke through his thoughts. Avo rushed to the door and tried the latch. The click signified his uninvited status. He again resumed his pacing.
Carmen was a beautiful, wealthy, cold, and calculating young woman. Their marriage was arranged before they knew each other. He found Manterin a few days before the wedding. He loved Manterin, but was forced to marry Carmen. It was a loveless marriage, but Avo believed in duty. Manterin disappeared and Avo tried to put his heart into his marriage. It was useless. The death of the children hurt them even more. Depression set in after the death of the second child Dirge, the heir, the first son. When the third child was born stillborn, Carmen’s mind broke. She gave up and died from the trauma of the birth. Avo soon began searching for his lost love. Manterin had run away to a convent, but couldn’t bring herself to taking the vows. The king found her and made her his queen. Many of the nobles resented him for his lack of grieving. He found himself at odds the ruling class.
The crying suddenly stopped. The silence was a brief respite. It was only a moment before it was replaced by a quiet mumbling. The voice was frantic, almost in a panic. It was Manterin; something was wrong.
Avo grabbed the latch again, breaking the handle in his hand. He threw his shoulder into the door and the boards shuddered. Once more and the solid wood splintered around him.
Manterin was safe, awake, reaching towards the baby’s wash basin. The midwife, a witch, trusted by the nobility, was standing over the bath, staring shocked at Manterin. Neither noticed Avo and the pile of wood that had once been the door. Avo rushed to the bath and found his baby drowning in the water. The witch finally noticed him and tried to stop him, but he knocked her unconscious with the back of his hand and fumbled for the newborn.
She was beginning to turn blue, but immediately started crying as the cold air tore into her lungs.
A girl, a baby girl; Avo quickly brought their baby to Manterin who had finally stopped muttering. The baby quieted into a peaceful sleep as she began to turn pink again in her mother’s arms. The King suddenly felt very inadequate and clumsy.
General Kharibs, the new leader of the Epsil army, pounded into the room, followed by a handful of the King’s elite guards. Hearing the commotion, he gathered up whoever he could find and came to the King’s aid.
“The witch tried to kill my child,” Avo breathed out, pointing at the lifeless body lying in a heap. “Take her to the prison to await execution.”
“Immediately!” Kharibs revived the old woman and the guards picked her up off the floor. As she was led roughly by the armored guard, she suddenly came to her senses and stopped. The knights, who towered over her, could not move her any further.
“That child,” she croaked, “will be the death of us all. She is cursed.”
“Silence-!”
“She means the end of the world. Kill her now. Whoever controls the princess, controls the world.”
The witch, her prophesy finished, collapsed once again. The guard dragged her to the prison but found they had been dragging a corpse.
On-Call Tourney
I am trying to put together an LDS AV On-Call March Madness 2007 Video Game Party. I would like for it to happen in April, but we could probably push it to May if that would be easier for everyone. I would like for everyone to pool some money together to pay for some pizza and drinks and maybe for the rental cost for the games. I would imagine we would use PS2s unless we can come up with another PS3 and enough controllers. My 2 is kind of beat up and not especially reliable, but it would probably work. If someone else wanted to volunteer theirs, it might be a good thing. Plus, if we could have 2 or more running at once, it would help get through the earlier rounds a lot quicker so we're not playing for 13 hours straight. I only have one multitap though, so we would also need one or two more of those and enough controllers for how ever many games we have going at once. I will work out some ideas for the format of the tournament, but at this point, I think we will use the brackets of the real tournament and have two on two matches. If you're an AV employee, please leave a message with your name, your ideas, and the dates you're most available. We'll try to find a day and time that suits everyone the best.
Monday, April 2, 2007
Opening post
I am being forced against my will to write this blog. I've been told it will change my life. It's doing that by distracting me from another boring college champion game. Some day, it will be the Aggies. You know what I'm talking about. At this point, this blog will be random ramblings. Hopefully, it will soon find it's purpose; sort of like me.
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