In the year 400 of our current era, in the stronghold of Vulnim gate located to the North-East of Sentinel, I was born. My mother was a humble peasant girl who barely reached the age of 18. My father was a knight in the Order of the Candle, a great man, who many looked up to. Some could say that I had an easy life up ahead, being the son of a noble warrior but I can firmly deny their claims. My father was a perfectionist, always was, always will be. He always wanted me to strive to do the best I could in all my affairs. I was forced to join the Knights of the Candle at a fragile age. I was trained and chiseled in a warrior with knowledge of etiquette and various other skills. I was mainly a fighter though, I never was much of a diplomat.
When I reached the age of 15 my father gifted me with a horse of my own. I called him Whisper because he was quite quick and very quiet for an animal of his size. He wasn't much of a war horse though and always craved for my love and care. I figured that if I ever went into battle on his back I should dismount first to meet my enemies. My life went on in the same way until I reached the age of 18 years old.
At my eighteenth birthday I was greeted with the news that my father was found dead somewhere to the east of Vulnim Gate. It was a great tragedy, my mother was devastated. She wasn't worried for the death of her husband as much as she was worried that she would loose her social standing. That terrified her so. She was always the ambitious sort that clinged to whatever inch of power she could. She realized that she was going to have to take a job after the death of my father. She didn't have a great many skills. She knew how to spend money very well but didn't know many ways of making it. She got married to my father before she could complete her studies. She could have been a merchant but she was forced to work at a tavern.
After a few years of working at the tavern she must have caught some illness from a traveller. Whatever happened she died a few days after and I was left completely alone, with no one to help me anymore. I was going to have to decide what to do and that had to happen fast or else I would end up some beggar on the street, and I know that my father wouldn't want that.
After my mother died of some mysterious disease, I had to decide what to do with my life. If I remained in Vulnim gate, my fate would be that of a beggar boy. I decided to go to the home of my knightly order, the order of the Candle. Their base was in Sentinel, capital of the greatest Hammerfellian kingdom. The grandmaster of the order was Lord K'avar, a great warrior feared by many and respected by all. I planned on rising in the order and being an active member in general. Maybe, with some luck I could even become a rich man. Thus, I set on to Sentinel, looking to make my fortune.
A week later, I reached Sentinel. Its great ivory coloured gates were guarded by the most fearsome warriors I had ever seen. One of them shouted at me to name my business in Sentinel. I told him that I was a member of the Order of the Candle. He didn't quite believe me judging by his answer. He asked me to show the seal of the order. I had no such seal or any other item that could prove the fact that I belonged to the order. He then said the following:
"Now listen, traveller! I can understand that you lied to get free passage into the city. Now, jokes aside, you will have to pay me 25 drakes if you want to enter the city. Or else you can sleep in the desert!" he shouted.
I looked around my pockets for any money I had. Luckily, I had 31 drakes left over from the journey. I paid the guard his toll then the great gates of Sentinel opened in front of me. I laid my eyes on the great marketplace in front of me. It was teeming with activity. An old Redguard merchant was bartering with a younger customer over the price of a dagger. A woman was chasing a little boy through the streets. A noble with his guards were walking through the marketplace, peering at the selection of goods available. A travelling band of acrobats were performing a show to the music of a bard's lute. This city was everything my native town of Vulnim Gate wasn't.
I made my way across the marketplace to the great palace of king Lhotun. It was truly a jewel of a building and the greatest structure I had ever seen in my short life. King Lhotun was crowned king after the death of his brother. His brother, Greklith, was the original crown prince but a great plague had struck the city in recent times, killing a lot of inhabitants, Greklith was among them. Lord K'asar lived in the palace, close to the king. I entered the palace after leaving my trusty horse in a stable. When I reached K'asar's quarters inside the palace a guard stopped me at the entrance. He told me that only high ranking members of the order were allowed inside K'asar's quarters. The guard directed me to the Marshal of the order. He didn't live in the palace; he had his own manor somewhere in the city. The guard told me that the marshal can give me tasks. I then proceeded to make my way to the marshal’s house, following the vague directions of the guard.
After making my way across the labyrinthine streets of Sentinel I finally reached the house of the Marshal of the order, a man called Daron. For a man of his rank he had a pretty small house. It had only 1 floor and its walls were in a pretty bad shape. What a guy I thought as I knocked on his door. A tall man opened the door; he had a dirty beard and a scar running along his left cheek. He asked me in a rough voice what business I had with him. I told him that I was a member of the order of the Candle, looking for tasks.
"A lazy lout like you? A knight in the order? Don't humour me Redguard! Go back to the slug-hole from which you appeared in the first place!" he said in an annoyed voice. I thought to myself that this man didn't advance in the order by using his fine manners; he was clearly a warrior at heart. I decided that my name wasn't going to get me anywhere so I told him that if he didn't believe me when I told him that I was a knight in the order he should then test me for my skills and approve if I was a good candidate for a knight or not.
"Well, we could arrange something. Hmm, let me think about what task I should give you. Meet me tomorrow at the "Sleeping Trader" tavern next to the great Marketplace alright?" he said in a rather calm voice.
I agreed and left Daron to his little house. I then asked an old man near by where I could find an inn. He directed me to the "Hunding's Rest" inn. The old man described the inn as being comfortable and rather cheap for a traveller. I made my way to the inn according to the man's directions. When I entered the inn, everyone inside directed their eyes at me as if they had never seen a traveller before. There was a woman behind the counter, a Redguard. I hoped she was the publican of the inn because I could get a bed cheaper from a fellow Redguard than from a Nord for example. I greeted her and asked if she was the publican, she responded positively and I got myself a bed for 5 drakes. I then made my way upstairs to where my room was. It was a little small for my tastes but it was good enough for a comfortable night's sleep. I took off my clothes which were full of sand from traveling to Sentinel across the Alik'r desert. It was warm in Sentinel all year round so you almost always had to sleep naked if you wanted to get a good night's sleep.
I woke up the next morning with a sore back. The bed wasn't that great and it also creaked like a dying animal whenever I moved. I put my sandy clothes on then made my way down. I greeted the publican on my way out and then travelled to the other side of town, to the great market. After 2 hours of travelling through the winding streets and back-alleys of the city I finally reached the marketplace. It was bristling with activity as always. I saw the "Sleeping Trader" tavern close to a blacksmith's kiosk. I entered and found Marshall Daron waiting for me in a secluded back table of the tavern. I greeted him in a respectful way and sat down. He answered with a nod to my greeting and then told me his chosen task.
"You are to go to the town of Rhogusa, on the edge of the kingdom close to the Alik'r desert. There you shall find a traitor to the order, you are to find him and kill him. His name is Jomic. Watch out though! I have heard that he is a good fighter and very likely to pose a challenge. He has stolen a large amount of coins from the coffers of the order. If you kill him AND find the money then I'll be very proud of you. Now go! Good luck." said Daron in a calm voice.
I left the tavern and stopped to make up a plan of action. I wasn't just going to barge in the town in which Jomic was hiding and just kill him. I needed a plan. I decided to buy some armour and weapons first since I was in front of a blacksmith's marketplace stall. I went up to the smith and asked him what kind of weapons he had. He showed me a collection of steel and iron daggers, steel sabers, iron axes, silver, steel and plain iron longswords. He also had an assorted collection of armour pieces. I decide to buy a plain iron longsword from the man and with the money I had left I also bought a pair of old gauntlets. With all of my money thus spent I made my way to the city stables to get my horse. I was ready to go on a great journey.
After buying my new sword and a pair of old gauntlets I got my horse from the stables then set off to Rhogusa in search of Jomic. Daron had entrusted me with a task and I wasn't going to fail him. I have a little honour code you see? Whenever somebody entrusts me with a task to complete or some information to pass on I never fail that person. I always think that if he died, that would be what the respective person wanted, for me to complete his task. My father, may Arkay watch his soul, taught me that honour code and I try to live by it. Honour and principles aside, I set forth into the desert to Rhogusa. I didn't try to tire my horse though. A stupid thing I did while preparing for the journey was that I spent my money on weapons and armour and not on supplies. I was going to have to be careful while travelling through the desert; I had heard rumours of orc bandits which attacked travellers.
After a few hours of travelling I could clearly see that I desperately needed some water, else I and my horse would die. The desert however was relentless and I could only see dunes of sand all around me. Luck however quickly struck me. A few miles ahead, I found a fountain in the middle of the desert. What luck! It was guarded however by 3 Imperial Legionnaires. I asked them if I could drink from the fountain.
"The fountain is empty Redguard. See to your travels!" responded a Legionnaire to my question. How strange, I thought, that 3 soldiers were guarding an empty fountain in the middle of the desert. I dismounted off Whisper then walked around the soldier's camp a little. They were all looking suspiciously at me and I was afraid that they would attack me. I however approached the fountain and looked down it. I saw two ropes, one going to the bottom of the fountain, and the other with a big sack of sand on it which was close to me. I told the soldiers that I was convinced that there was no water and that I was on my way. They seemed pretty relieved.
I mounted on my horse then, when passing by the fountain, I drew my sword and cut the rope holding the sand bag. It went down and a bucket full of water came up! I grabbed the bucket and rode off shouting to the Legionnaires:
"You shouldn't be greedy boys!" while I rode off. They were clearly annoyed and one of them grabbed his javelin. He threw it at me. When I turned back to look at them once more, I saw that javelin heading straight towards me. I closed my eyes and thought that I had reached the end of my days. I opened my eyes a few moments later and saw the javelin stuck in the sand. Thank the gods I thought. After riding a few miles just to be sure I got rid of the soldiers, I stopped the horse for a break and gave him the bucket. Whisper was very relieved to finally get some water; he was clearly weakened by the gallop.
After that break, I resumed my journey to Rhogusa. It was a hard ride for me, and my horse. For miles across all I could see was sand and dunes. There was also the occasional sand storm involved. All of these factors made my journey considerably slower. I however reached Rhogusa after a mere 2 day's journey from Sentinel. It truly had the look of a border town and pirate heaven. I decide to tread carefully though this town in which I was an outsider. I decided not to leave my horse at the stables. There were so many criminals in this town that my horse could well get stolen. I then decide to look over my plan of action again. I did the first part, getting here across the desert. Now the harder part, finding and killing Jomic. The first thing to do would be to ask for him at the local tavern I thought as I made my way to the tavern called "Scoundrel's Hide". When I entered I was greeted by the suspicious looks of everyone inside. Nice hospitality I thought. The tavern wasn't exactly full but there were enough people inside. 3 men were standing at the bar, 2 Redguards and one Imperial. Another 2 men were standing at a table; one of them was a noble by his dress and manners. I also saw 3 other men gambling at a table, one of them was drunk and the other 2 were obviously taking advantage of him. I decided to go to the Imperial at the bar since he was looking pretty sad and rundown. I greeted him and he presented himself.
"Greetings traveller, my name is Atius Volenus. And what brings you to the arse-end of the kingdom?" said the Imperial in a sad voice.
"I'm looking for a Redguard who goes by the name of Jomic. Do you, by chance, know him?" inquired I.
"Jomic you say? I know that filthy pig! He betrayed me! I want him dead for what he did to me." said Atius in an angered voice.
"Well, if you really want him dead I could help you with that. But I'll need- I was interrupted by Atius.
"A reward? Of course! Is 300 drakes enough? That's all I have at the moment sadly. But once you kill him I can give you more! Because he has a lot of money which he's hiding somewhere!" said Atius in an enthusiastic voice.
"I don't need money Atius. Just tell me where he is and I'll even the score for you alright? I responded.
"Well, if that's what you want. I know he's hiding in the warehouse at the southern edge of town. If you want I can come with you and help you. I've heard he is a good swordsman." said Atius.
"You'd better not. He sounds like a dangerous man and I don't want you getting hurt." I said. In truth though, I lied to Atius. I was actually afraid of him being on Jomic's side and turning on me when we reached him.
"Alright then Arthago. If that's what you want. Good luck!" said Atius.
After ending the conversation with Atius, I headed off to the southern warehouse where Jomic was supposedly hiding.
The sun was setting over the Alik'r desert. A dozen tones of orange were bombarding my weathered eyes while I looked at the old, wooden warehouse of Rhogusa. I wasn't here to enjoy the scenery though. I was here on business. The gates to the warehouse were big and decrepit. One kick could bring them down. I however, wasn't that type of person and preferred the stealthier approach. That warehouse must have had a back door. I circled it and finally saw what I was looking for, an open door. I entered. The warehouse was dark and rat-infested; its old rafters were creaking like a dying animal. If Jomic was hiding then I couldn't hear him. As I slowly investigated the warehouse, looking for any signs of Jomic, a wind started blowing. Just great I thought as the howling wind made Jomic practicably invisible to my ears. After sneaking around a little more, a wooden plank from the rafters broke and down fell Jomic. He wasn't a tall man, he seemed more like the agile sort. He quickly got up and lunged at me with his shortsword. It was the first time I fought with someone to the death. I quickly parried his thrust with little more than my reflexes. After seeing that I was on my guard, Jomic ran out of the warehouse. He was quick if nothing else. I ran after him.
He broke down one of the warehouse doors and ran outside. I chased through the streets of Rhogusa. He was agile, he even threw a merchant’s cart in my way, I however with an incredible amount of agility of my own, jumped over the cart. This Redguard was sure fast. He must have gotten tired though because he quickly entered a two story building. I followed. He ran up the stairs to the second floor. He was going for the roof, it was clear to me now. Using a trapdoor he got up on the roof of the building. I gave chase as best as I could but those heavy old gauntlets were tiring me. I threw them away as quick as I could then continued the chase. I however was amazed at Jomic's next act. He jumped over from the building on which we were standing to another building close by. This man was clearly desperate beyond all means. I tried to jump to, and with some hardship succeeded. I almost fell though. I then thought that it was better to let him go than to loose my own life.
Jomic's last jump amazed me though. He had two building choices, one tall, two floor building to his right or a smaller 1 floor to his left. For a mysterious reason Jomic chose the smaller, left building. If it was me in his place I would have opted for the taller building. However his landing shocked me more than his jump. He landed on a hole in the roof covered up with straw and some old wood and fell right through it. I quickly got up and jumped to the building where he landed to see what had happened. I then layed my eyes on the stolen treasure Jomic had stolen from the order. That's why Jomic chose this building and not the other. The treasure was in pristine shape, Jomic, for some reason hadn't touched it. Jomic however wasn't in the same shape as his treasure was, when he fell, he fell right into a golden spear propped against a table. Jomic had proven a worthy opponent so I stopped to pray for his soul to gain safe passage to the netherworld and not into the hands of some necromancer.
I stashed up the treasure into a few bags then made my way to the town stables. Whisper was probably hungry so I 'borrowed' a few drakes from the treasure to buy him some food. After feeding Whisper and myself I mounted him and put my bags on his back.
"Don't worry old-timer! Once we get back to Sentinel, you will have a stable prepared especially for you! If I get to keep at least a quarter of this treasure then we'll be living like kings before you know it!" I said to calm the horse.
We then set off into the desert, back to Sentinel. After a shorter journey in which I was lucky not to catch any sand storms or other volatile weather phenomena I reached Sentinel in only 1 day. I was careful not to pass around those Imperial soldiers guarding the 'dry' fountain again. After leaving Whisper in the stables with a royal supply of food and drink I made my way to the Marshall's house. He was surely going to be glad to see me again. Especially now that I wasn't a rookie anymore.
I knocked on Marshall Daron's door. The same bearded man with a scar on his cheek that I knew and loved responded. I greeted him in a respectful way as was required and he nodded in a sign of recognition as he always did. He was clearly happy to see me with the stolen treasure.
“So I see you've succeeded on that task I gave you. Very well Arthago. I see you growing into a great knight some day, just as your father.”
“You knew my father Marshall? Then if you did why didn't you acknowledge me as a knight of the order?”
“Well, you see Lord K'asar has a very strict code for young knights in training. Your father may have been the great warrior that he was, but we still had to test you to see if you are of his caliber.”
“Alright, I understand now. And, if we're still talking about my first task, how about my reward? I did work hard to gain this treasure.”
“Well, you are right. You have worked hard to gain the treasure from Jomic's treacherous hands and I am proud of you for succeeding in the quest I gave you. As a reward, I give you the seal of the Order of the Candle and this steel breastplate. Use them well on your travels.”
“Thank you very much sir. I am proud to serve the order!”
“Good. If you want more tasks, return to me a few days later. Dismissed!”
I took my farewells from Marshall Daron then made my way to the "Hunding's Rest" inn. I bought a room for a few days there. As night fell, I inspected my new armour and the seal of the Knights of the Candle. The seal was a big silver coin with a golden candle in the middle of it. The breastplate was a regular breastplate with a silver candle etched into the chest region. Armour fit for a knight if you ask me! With this done, I blew my candles then went to sleep.
After waking up in the morning with a sore back again from that old bed, I decided to try on my new breastplate. The breastplate seemed like a big and cumbersome piece of armour to look at. It wasn't too well maintained either. Either Marshall Daron had taken the armour from the body of a fallen knight of the order, a fresh member like me or it was an old piece which was never worn by anyone. I didn't care much for the current state of the armour, I could pay a blacksmith to repair it and then it would be in pristine condition again. Condition problems aside, I put the armour on and it fitted just like a glove! It was made of steel too, so if an oponent hit me with a hammer the blow could be spread out well without the armour being damaged too much. After getting dressed and fitting my new armour on, I hung my sword scabbard onto my belt and set off to the great market to have the armour repaired.
Once on the street, everyone looked at my new armour with unparallel respect, something I had never received before. If I was looked at before as a lout with no experience, everyone could now see that I was a knight in the service of the order. I had passed a hard test to get admitted so no one could say that I entered the order without difficulty as some spoiled, noble brats often do. I enjoyed my respect until I passed by the tavern in which Marshall Daron gave me my test in the first place. A woman, while exiting the tavern, took sight of me and started an argument. It seemed that she had sent her son to join the Knights of the Candle some time ago. He was treated just as I was and sent to accomplish a task. By the tone of the woman's voice it seemed that her son didn't do so well on his first mission as I did.
"You demon! You and your blasted kind! You heartless bastards, YOU sent my son to his death!" howled the woman.
"I'm a new member in the order, I didn't even know your son woman!" I said trying to calm her down.
"You sent him to his death! You sent him to that orc den, even though you knew that he was a youngling! May Clavicus Vile catch you soul and toy with it for eternity!" shouted the woman. She was turning this into a street show.
"You talk of the death of your son as if it's MY fault! What's my fault in this woman?" I said in an increasingly angry voice. I could understand the woman's feelings, but she was pushing her luck with me. I told her to leave me alone to my own problems, but she still didn't listen. It was all going Yadda, Yadda, Yadda, my son is dead, Yadda, Yadda, you killed him, Yadda untill it finally stopped.
I opened my eyes and saw the woman's face left expressionless. She started dripping blood from her mouth. I looked down and saw a sight that would leave me breathless. My sword was thrust into her stomach, which was dripping blood like a stream. I then looked at her face again, trying to say that I'm sorry.
"Murderer..." she whispered in her last dying breath. I then ran away, into the labyrinthine back alleys of Sentinel, trying to get away from the odious crime I had committed. It was the first time I ever murdered someone. And I felt horrible about it. I vowed never to kill someone else in a fit of rage ever again, else I take my own life away.
After hiding a few hours in the back alleys, I re-emerged and immediately went to the local temple to pray for the soul of the woman I had just murdered. I also made donations to Arkay, so that he may see to it that that woman's soul receive safe passage to wherever it is that souls go. It seemed that being a knight, and showing it in public brought me more trouble than good. I decided after the murder that I would only carry my seal, and not the armour for it was a dead give-away that I was a knight.
After a few months of lying low because of that lady’s murder, I visited Marshal Daron's house again to see if he had any tasks for me. My sword was getting rusty and I was ready for some action. Strangely though, I had seen no other knights from my order since I surfaced. I wondered where they all went. Wintertide was setting in and the weather was getting surprisingly colder than it usually was. I finally reached the Marshal's house after 3 months of hiding away from the city guards. I knocked on the door and Marshal Daron greeted me but there was something strange about him, he wasn't wearing his usual house-hold clothes, he was wearing a chainmail hauberk over some padded leather. He also had a scabbard hung to his belt. I asked him what the reason was for all this armour.
“Tragedy has struck Arthago. The nearby Barony of Lainlyn has been plunged into chaos and all out civil war has broken out in the province.”
“What happened?”
“The ruler of the Barony, Baron Shrike, has been leading his people in a despotic way. He is a great tyrant, using his knightly order the Host of the Horn to terrorize his people. His brother, Lord Kain, was always against his ways. Lord Kain also formed a knight order, the Host of the True Horn. He has finally moved against his brother.”
“And where are you going Marshal?”
“Well, the Kingdom of Sentinel suports Lord Kain's actions and King Lhotun has sent our knight order to help Lord Kain in all affairs. I have been sent too.”
“So, you're leaving?”
“I'm afraid so. But I have one more task for you until I return. A noble from Antyphillos has been challenging us for some land. Since both our parties have legal papers to certify for the land the negotiations have been in a deadlock. We have decided to hold a duel for the land. The noble is bringing forth his best warrior to the battle.”
“And what do I have to do in this affair?”
“Well, since all of our best knights are in Lainlyn, I have decided to send you to settle this affair.”
“Me? I do not have the necessary experience for such a battle! You're sending me to my death Marshal!”
“Don't question my orders boy! If your father was here, he'd fight that opponent with just his bare hands because of the honour the order gave him. He wouldn't cower like you do!”
“I understand Marshal. I shall go for the good of the order. But don't expect me to come back.”
“Just so you won't think that I'm sending you to your death, here, take these pauldrons and this helm”
.
He gave me two iron pauldrons bearing the symbol of the golden candle on them and a steel helm with adequate vision. Both the armour pieces were in good condition.
-Now stop commenting on my orders and go!
-Yes sir!
And with that I left Marshal Daron's house.
I then made my way to the great marketplace to buy a shield. I wasn't wielding a two handed sword so I figured that I'd best make use of a shield to boost my defenses. I made sure not to pass the place where I killed that lady again. That brought up bad memories. I soon reached the smith from which I bought my sword and those two gauntlets which I threw away in Rhogusa.
“Greetings friend!”
“Welcome to my humble market stall lad! And what would you like of me?”
“A shield. Not too big that it would intrerupt my movements but not too small that it would break on first contact with a war hammer.”
“Aye, I have just the right one. What material would you like? Iron, Steel? For a price, I even have some ebony lying around.”
“No, Steel will do just nicely.”
“Good, here! That will be 80 drakes.”
“Here. I hope this armour will hold in my time of need.”
And with that I strapped my shield on my back and made my way to the city stables to get my horse, Whisper.
My 19-th birthday saw me travelling the barren plain of Zathra, on my way to Count Duadeen's estate. The respective count was challenging my order for a piece of land, bearing papers that somehow showed that the land belonged to him. Since my order controlled the land they too had papers to show ownership. A standstill had been reached and a duel was to be held. Since a civil war had broken out in the neighbouring province of Laynlin, almost all of the knights of my order were fighting there and I was the only one left to fight the duel. I hope this Count Duadeen will fight the duel himself, but knowing how nobles handle duels he will probably bring some champion over to fight this duel for him. May Stendarr guide my blade in battle.
After a day of travelling the arid plain, I finally saw some signs of life. The sun was setting but I could see the Count's estate on the horizon. It was an opulent manor house built on the edge of a desert oasis. What a place, if you were hot you could go for a swim in the oasis nearby, if you were thirsty you could do the same thing. Life here must have been pure bliss. I passed by the oasis and saw a man bathing in the cool water.
"Is this the estate of Count Duadeen?" I asked the man.
"Yes traveller. What business do you have with the Count?" responded the man.
"I am here for a duel." I responded to the man's question.
"Ahh, you are the knight Count Duadeen spoke off. I shall announce the Count of your arrival."" responded the man.
He immediately got out of the water and ran to the gate of the estate. He then shouted something at the gate guard and the gate opened.
"Come knight!" he shouted at me.
I followed, both I and my horse were very hungry and thirsty, and this Count seemed to be very well provisioned.
I entered the estate's courtyard then dismounted my horse and gave him to a servant. I then followed the man who was previously bathing inside the estate. Two big wooden doors opened and I gazed at a luxurious manor-house worthy of a king. I was led to the library in which Count Duadeen spent most of his time. I had seen many libraries which belonged to scholars and rich men before but none were as grand as this. When the massive door made of a rare wood opened I was left stunned at the door. It was one of those great chambers which are rarely seen even in the bigger manors. The clear light of a Fall sunset made the atmosphere of the chamber even more solemn. There were maybe one thousand volumes in this chamber, all wrapped in the finest leather. I already knew that this Count Duadeen was a very wealthy man.
I found him at his study, reading an old book about the history of the Redguards. I found all subjects related to books very boring, I don't know how some can spend such amounts of money just to buy books! Give me one thousand drakes and I'll buy myself a suit of platemail any day. This Count was either a very wealthy man which didn't have what to do with his money, or a very avid scholar. Either way, I presented myself to him in a very polite way.
"Greetings to you Arthago. I am glad you have arrived. In this time of turmoil I thought you couldn't make it." said the Count in a smooth voice.
"I'm here about the duel Count Duadeen." I said.
"Ah yes, the duel. Why must the educated and civilized world of men and mer be shaken by such barbarian practices called duels or wars? Can't our race get along without violence?" He was clearly trying to dazzle me with his language.
"I couldn't know Count, it was you who challenged us to a duel in the first place." I said in a sarcastic way.
"I see you are skilled with the tongue young knight. If you are here for the duel then a duel you shall have. The duel will commence tomorrow at first light. You can wear whatever armour you wish and you can use whatever weapons you choose. If you don't have any weapons, I have a limited selection available." he said in his snobbish voice.
"Can I see this limited selection?" I asked.
"Well, yes of course! Kaye? Please show this man our weapon collection!" said the Count to the man who led me to the library.
I then followed Kaye to the armoury.
Once I arrived at the armoury I could see that Count Duadeen wasn't interested only in books. He also had a fine collection of weapons and armour. The retainer, named Kaye, then showed me the Count's weapon collection. There were five swords and 2 axes all in all. One of the swords caught my eye in particular, a steel scimitar which was outshining all the other weapons. Since the Count told me that I could take a weapon from his limited collection, I took the scimitar. I grasped its handle into my hand and felt its power. This was a real weapon and according to general duel rules, I could keep the sword if I won. Once I replaced my old iron longsword with the steel scimitar, I made my way back to Count Duadeen.
"So you like this weapon?" he asked me.
"Yes, it is a fine craftsmanship. Worthy of a true warrior if you ask me." I responded.
"I'm glad you like it Arthago. Do you have any more questions concerning the duel? It is getting late and I wish to sleep." he inquired.
"A question? Well, you have said that I can use whatever armour I wish and whatever weapons I so choose. Will you be fighting personally or will a champion be fighting for you? I asked the Count. As if I didn't know the answer, I don't think such a snob could fight his own battles.
"Well Arthago, I am an important man and can't just risk my life in a duel. A lot of people need me and I can't afford to let them loose me. My champion, Raccan, shall duel you in my stead." responded the noble.
"Very well then Count Duadeen. I shall also go to bed for the journey has tired me." I said trying to put my best noble accent on. Just as I thought. If there ever is a noble that fought his own battles that would be a wonder.
I was then led by Kaye upstairs to my quarters. It was a fine room and the bed was surely of better quality than that old bed back in Sentinel. I took my armour off then blew the candles in the room. I then laid down and prepared for a good night's sleep.
I couldn't even get as much sleep as I got in the inn's old bed. I spent the whole night worrying about the upcoming duel with Raccan, the Count’s champion. Raccan, such a scary name. I spent the whole night thinking what tactics I should use or what armour my opponent was going to wear. I couldn't even get one ounce of sleep in this damn bed. I think I was the first man to get out of bed in the whole manor. I quickly put my under garments on and made my way to the oasis right next to Count Duadeen's estate. I was sure that the cool water was going to refresh and calm me. I spent a quarter of an hour bathing in the cool water after which I made my way back to my room. Kaye, the Count's retainer, was waiting for me there.
"You're here! I thought you ran off." he said with a relieved voice.
"Of course I'm here! What do you think? That I'm some woman that runs off at first sight of danger?" I said in a slightly annoyed voice.
"Well, Raccan has that effect on many warriors." responded Kaye.
"Raccan? The count's champion right? Is he that fearsome?" I said in an unbelieving voice.
"You question Raccan's strength? He once killed a wealthy noble with his five man escort and all. He has the strength of five grown men!" said Kaye in a fearful voice.
"If he's such a murderer how come he serves the Count?" I asked.
"The Count saw that he was such an accomplished warrior and paid for him to be released out off prison. Raccan's been with the Count ever since. The Count's library, with all of its rare texts, has been built on the back of Raccan's force." said Kaye.
"I'll believe it when I see this 'Ogre' with my own two eyes!" I said in a very annoyed and slightly fearful voice. I mean, how can any man be that damn powerful? Impossible I tell you!
After the conversation with Kaye, I fitted on my armour and took my new scimitar then made my way to the makeshift arena that was built especially for the duel. I entered through a door into the round arena and saw that there were some spectators. Count Duadeen and a few of his retainers were watching. The other door soon opened and I saw a giant of a man step into the arena. He was twice as tall as any man I had ever seen. At his size, he could spit on my head if he wanted. He stepped into the arena slowly with lumbering steps. He was carrying a great two-handed battle-axe made of steel. He was wearing little armour: a lamellar hauberk made of bronze with a leather vest underneath, a pair of leather bracers at his hands, some common pants and a pair off tanned leather boots. In comparison to me he was lightly armoured. I was wearing iron plate mail and was wielding a steel scimitar. If one of my blows were to connect to his armour, my sword's blade would pierce right through his bronze scales.
I approached him and we saluted each other. We then took ten paces back and prepared for combat. The Count gave the symbol for the duel to start. I approached Raccan with careful steps, and tested him with a blow from my scimitar. I thrust my scimitar in the direction of his left foot, but Raccan had pretty good skills and blocked my thrust with his axe. He caught my scimitar in his axe's blade and almost threw it out of my hands. Good thing I pulled it out of his grip quickly, else the duel would have ended before it even begun. He then began raining blows on me. I evaded them as well as I could and even tried to parry them with my scimitar but to no avail. This behemoth could just as well break my sword with a few of his strikes. I didn't have any shield but I don't think it could have helped me much.
Raccan raised his axe over his head, preparing to strike me with all of his force. The only defect this man had was the fact that he was slow and tired quickly. I quickly ran out of his way, then ducked to evade his following blow. He then raised his axe again and I rolled out of the way. I realized that I couldn't beat Raccan with brute strength alone, I had to use my head. I tried a false slash that would get him off guard first. I slashed in the direction of his right shoulder then quickly pulled my scimitar back before Raccan could catch it in his axe's blade. I then spinned and landed a blow on his left foot. The scimitar penetrated his leg deeply and slowed him down even more. I quickly pulled my scimitar out of his leg. Raccan raised his axe for another chop at my head. I saw that his right hand was left wide open and tried to slash at it as I evaded him. The trick worked, and Raccan right arm and left leg were now both bleeding abundantly. Raccan retreated a few paces and let me come to him. I approached and he then surprised me by pushing his wooden axe head into my stomach. He then punched me and knocked me on the ground. I was down and Raccan raised his axe for the final blow. I was not as slow as he expected though and slashed both his legs in a wide arc.
He then fell to his knees and dropped his mighty axe. I looked to Count Duadeen with an arrogant look that made him go pale. His mighty champion was defeated! How could this happen? It wasn't possible; oh he was such a gifted killer how could it happen? I confirmed it to him that his warrior's time had passed with a final slash of my scimitar that severed Raccan's head. The duel was won! It was the second time I ever killed someone but I strangely felt good about it. I felt proud of myself for slaying such a mighty opponent. Count Duadeen approached me.
"I see you are quite a warrior Arthago. I would like to make you an offer." the Count said in a smooth voice.
"What kind of offer Count?" I inquired. As if I didn't know what he was going to say. Oh please join me Arthago!
"I would be honored if you were to enter my service as my champion." said the Count.
"I wouldn't. I'm sorry Count but you already know where my loyalties lie and you can't change that. Now, if you would be so kind, please give me those papers that showed you had ownership to the land." I said in an arrogant voice.
"You make a firm deal knight. Kaye!!!" shouted the Count.
The retainer soon appeared with the papers. After taking my farewells to the Count and praying for Raccan's soul, I mounted Whisper, my horse, and made my way back to Sentinel to receive my reward for slaying such a giant.
I made sure not to leave Count Duadeen's estate without taking a healthy amount of water from the Count's oasis. It was filled with cool water which could quench my thirst any time. Better than waiting for rain or taking your chances in the Alik'r desert. After a day of travelling through the arid plain of Zathra which separated the Count's lands from the kingdom of Sentinel, I was soon back home. The gate guard already knew me well so he let me inside the city without any difficulty. I didn't even have to show him my order's seal! Being a knight in a respectable order does have its perks. The city however, was in a melancholic mood. The great marketplace which outstretched itself in front of me was empty. The stalls were closed and all the merchants were gone. The civil war in Laynlin was clearly taking its toll on the great city.
As I made my way to my temporary home, the room in the inn, I could see women crying in the streets after receiving news that their loved ones had perished in the streets. Fearsome guards were patrolling the barren back-alleys. These guys were new, and they didn't know me. I would soon make it known to them that I was a knight in the order.
"Halt citizen! Name you business in Sentinel!" he said in an arrogant voice. If there's one thing that guards like, it's abusing their powers.
"My business? I have more important things to do than to report to a minor guard as you! Out of my way!" I said with an equal amount of arrogance in my voice.
"Show some respect peasant! Boys, take this rebel to the dungeon!" he shouted to his colleagues. This guy clearly wanted trouble.I drew my scimitar before any of them could react and quickly pointed it at the first one's throat.
"Step aside before my hand gets itchy and an accident happens." I said in a slow and calm voice.
"No need to get violent sir. Boys, drop your weapons and let him pass!" he said in a whiny little voice.
I made my way past them then turned around. The first guy's face went pale with fear.
"No need to worry my kind sirs. Next time you provoke a knight of Sentinel, try not to mess with a grizzled veteran. You'd better keep to terrorizing peasants you hear?" I said in a sarcastic voice.
"We are sorry for the disturbance sir. It won't happen again." The leader of the guards said in a frightened little voice.
Messing with the rookie guards was often a pleasure. But I had more important matters to attend to than putting some arrogant guards in their place. I made my way to the palace of Sentinel where the royal family lived and the grandmaster of my order, Lord K'avar also had his quarters there. He really was a grizzled war veteran. He had participated in countless wars before, the most recent being the War of Betony in which Sentinel sadly lost its former king, Camaron. His son Lhotun, had been doing a great job however since the death of his brother, Greklith. I entered the palace and made my way to Lord K'avar's quarters. I had been there before, when I was but a peasant from a far away village with just the clothes on my back, and the guard outside had seen me off. Now that I had my seal of the order to show, I was going to make a true impression. I soon reached K'avar's quarters. The guard however stopped me once again.
"Only citizens in good standing with the order of the Candle may enter this room." the guard said in a rough tone.
"Even better, I'm a member of the Order, as you can clearly see by my knightly seal." I said, as I showed him the seal Marshal Daron gave me some time ago.
"Good enough, Lord K'avar may see you now.' the guard said in a friendlier tone now that he knew that I was a member of the order.
I entered the ivory door to Lord K'avar's chambers. A suit of ebony armour greeted me at the entrance. The walls were also lined with finely made swords and daggers. This man clearly had a fortune placed on his walls. I walked down a corridor which had a portrait of two men who were wearing fine clothes. Obviously Lord K'avar together with another man of power. There were two doorways, one to the left and one to the right. I followed the left one and saw a study filled with old books. A man was sitting on a chair, studying, while I came in.
"I assume you are Arthago, Marshal Daron's trainee." said the man.
"You are correct sir. Lord K'avar I assume?" I said, keeping to the man's tone.
"You assume correctly young man. I am Lord K'avar, leader of the Knights of the Candle. I know why you have come." said Lord K'avar in his smooth old tone.
"I have won the duel with the noble from Antiphylos, Count Duadeen was his name. I defeated his champion, a man of great stature, and I bring you these papers that certify Count Duadeen owned that land." I said.
"Good job, I am advancing you to the rank of Chevalier in the order. You are probably wondering about Marshal Daron." said Lord K'avar.
"Yes my lord, I am concerned for his life. Have you any word from him?" I said.
"As a matter of fact, a scroll from him arrived this morning. He gave me a report of his activities and assured me that he was quite well. Here is the report. You may check it over to see for yourself." Said Lord K'avar as he gave me a scroll.
I took it and read it. Marshall Daron wrote what his resources were, how many men he had lost, how many men he had remaning and he also stated that he was in good health and that his apprentice, which would be me, shouldn't worry about him. I gave Lord K'avar his report back and asked him if he needed me for anymore duties.
"Duties? Things are currently peaceful in Sentinel. The guards keep the peace." Lord K'avar said.
"I can see. Well, if there are really no tasks for one such as me, I take my leave of you. Farewell Lord K'avar." I said as I left the man to his studies.
"Farewell young Arthago!" Lord K'avar said.
And with that I set off to the "Hunding's Rest" inn to get some sleep.
After my little chat with Lord K'avar I made my way back to the "Hunding's Rest" inn. Once I made my way in I was greeted like a regular of the tavern. After so much time of staying there it wasn't so surprising really. I was a knight after all, people were generally happy to see me. Well, except that, incident in front of the marketplace. But, alas those are things of the past and sadly they cannot be changed. But a man can dream can't he? What I wouldn't give if there was some marvelous artifact to rewind time and erase one's mistakes. But maybe with the disappearance of an old problem a new one would bound to arrive. An old Redguard saying said "The Fear you run from, will catch you and the Fear you face, will disappear". Maybe it was time to report my actions to a guard and be punished for my crimes. Or maybe not!
Philosophical concepts aside, I made my way upstairs to my old bed. As always I took off my clothes and armour then blew out the candles and went to bed. It was however fresh in the year so I had to cover myself with some blankets because of the cold weather. I woke up with the familiar feeling of a sore back. I really needed a better bed! I decided to take my armour with me outside since the city was almost emptied and there weren't any widows or weeping mothers to attack me in the street. I gave the regulars of the tavern a good day and made my way outside. In these conditions, a New Year festival should have been going on but since the civil war the city was quiet. Too quiet.
Since Marshal Daron wasn't in town and I didn't have where to win any money from, I made my way to the local Fighters Guild, called the Fighter Trainers. I had passed by their guildhall before and it was a hub of activity, members passing through its doors like ships out of the port of the Sentinel. It was almost empty now, a few caretakers and a couple of members. An Argonian and a Nord clad in armour. The Argonian was wearing a chain mail hauberk and an open-faced iron helmet which only showed his scaly snout. The Nord was wearing some plate mail with no helm. I decided to approach the Nord since I didn't quite like beast folk. I once heard a story of 2 shipwreck survivors, one Khajiit and one High elf. The Khajiit ate the High elf and made it to shore in their little boat.
I approached the Nord and greeted him.
"Good day to you Redguard!" said the tall Nord with a smile.
"Why is the Fighters Guild so empty today?" I asked.
"Because of the war over in Laynlin lad. A lot of Fighters Guild members went with the knights to provide support. I stayed since there's got to be some staff present at the Guild. Crime is usually high in times of war and someone has got to fix it." said the Nord.
"I understand. If there still are wrongs that need to be corrected I am willing and able for the job." I said to the Nord.
"I understand lad, we have a problem and since there's no one in the Guild except me and that scaly fellow over there. Maybe you could help us with it?" said the Nord.
"Maybe. What exactly is the problem?" I inquired.
"By the looks of yourself it shouldn't be too hard. A woman has contacted us saying that someone murdered her sister. Go to Camaron Lane nr. 13 and speak with that woman. Her name is Anora." said the Nord.
"I understand, I'll make my way to her right away." I said. And with that said I left the Fighters Guild.
I made my way to the address that the Nord pointed out. It was a humble little house with a bed, a small table and some chairs. A woman was lying down on the bed when I came.
"Who are you?" she shouted at me in a scared voice. It was clear that the death of her sister had given her a lot to fear.
"You've got nothing to fear! The Fighters Guild sent me to help you." I said in a calm voice.
"Great. You have arrived at just the right time. My sister was murdered yesterday in her Market stall. She was quite a wealthy woman and owned a flourishing business. I don't know who could have killed her. She was such a kind woman, sweet with everyone." the woman said close to crying.
"Since she was a trader maybe a rival wanted her killed. What did your sister deal in?" I asked in a detective like voice.
"Well, she mainly dealt in food and furniture. She exported her food from Cyrodiil. She was well liked around these parts for that." said the woman.
"Did she have any particular rivals who dealt in the same things?" I asked once again.
"Well, she had a rival. But he wasn't violent about it, at least not with us. At my sister's funeral he even put a crown of flowers on my sister's grave. He grieved for her, I don't think it was him." the woman said in an unsure voice.
"I'll look into the matter miss. Your sister will be avenged." I said in a solemn voice.
"Thank you very much kind sir. I will remember your kindness." The woman said in a sad voice.
After the conversation with the woman I made my way to the Marketplace to look into things.
The Marketplace was empty and the sun was setting so my work had to be quick, before the guards came and sent me off. General rules were that no one stayed outside after dark. I soon reached the stall which belonged to Anora's sister. The blood was still there and the stall was a bit trashed. I looked around and found nothing. I heard a noise and started to look around. A group of guards was coming my way, I had to disappear. The only hiding place was under a stall in the dirt, I wasn't too much of a fan for hygiene so I jumped right under it. The guards passed my way without even noticing me.
After I got up I realized that there were no clues as to who murdered Anora's sister. Perhaps I should go and pay Ovyn a visit? Ovyn was the rival of Anora's sister. He never showed any malcontent publicly; perhaps he could spill his wrath in private? I made my way to Ovyn's small manor. It really wasn't much of a manor but for a trader he was very prosperous. I knocked on the door and a tall Redguard greeted me.
"What business do you have with master Ovyn?" said the Redguard in a harsh voice.
"I want to question him with regards to the recent death of one of his competitors" I said in a snobbish voice. Advanced language should give that dumb servant a head-ache.
"You are here to what?" said the Redguard servant in a confused voice.
"I am here to question your master with regards to a matter which is over your level of comprehension." I said, using even more confusing language. The benefits of a full education can be very rewarding.
"I see this is noble talk. Master Ovyn would be upset if he doesn't meet a possible partner. Step right in sir." the Redguard said in a much more humble voice.
It wasn't much of a manor on the inside as it was outside. A long hallway stretched in front of me. The walls were plain and didn't even have tapestries or paintings on them. I found Ovyn at his dinner table, peacefully eating. A man was by his side, counting drakes from a little purse. The man had a dagger hidden in his boot, the handle was showing.
"Good evening Ovyn!" I said in a jovial voice.
"Good evening, who might you be?" asked Ovyn, he seemed pretty surprised to see me.
"I'm here in regards to the recent death of your competitor." I said in a calm voice.
"So, umm, that's why you're here eh? Could I serve you with an, umm, drink?" he said in a nervous voice, he was making signs with his eyes to the man beside at an infernal rate. I think the general message was "Go away before he sees your dagger!". Too late.
"Thank you for the hospitality but I'd rather pass. I'm not much of a drinker. Could I ask why your friend is armed? You seem to have a fearsome enough servant already." I said in a sarcastic voice.
"None of your business knave! Mind your own business and go away before an accident happens." said the man beside Ovyn. He was wearing a tattered leather hood so I couldn't see his face.
"You seem to have blood on your boots sir." I said as I grasped the handle of my scimitar.
"Damn! The fool's caught us red-handed! I should never have called you here, RUUN!" Ovyn shouted as he jumped out of his seat and started running like the Hounds of Hircine were chasing him.
The hooded man drew his dagger out his boot. I drew my scimitar and pointed it at his neck. That was the advantage of a longer blade. The man dropped his dagger and started moving back from me.
"Did you murder Ovyn's competitor?" I asked in a cruel voice.
"Okay I confess! I did murder her, but he paid me a lot of money for it and I couldn't resist the temptation!" the man shouted in a desperate voice.
"How much money?" I asked. I must say, I was tempted by the money too.
"1500 drakes." he said.
"That's quite a sum. I'm taking you to the City guards nonetheless. Temptation won't get you out of a few good years of hard labour." I said.
I pointed my blade at the purse filled with coins. The assassin didn't have much of a choice so he gave it to me. I was now 1500 drakes richer.
With that problem solved I returned to Anora to tell her of my success.
"You found the murderer? May the Divines bless your soul!" Anora said in a happy voice.
"Her rival, Ovyn did it. He kept that non-violent attitude as a cover, not to make anyone suspect him." I said.
"Bless you! I don't have much to pay you though, let me look around a bit." she said.
"No need to worry about that! I have more than enough money to handle myself. It's been a pleasure helping you really!" I said to her in an honest voice. I didn't really like lying to her like that, but the Order didn't really pay well and I needed to sustain myself after all.
"Alright then." she said in a relieved voice.
I made my way to the Fighters Guild after that to report my actions. The Nord was happy to hear that the assassin had been brought to justice so he paid me 100 drakes. He also admitted me into the Fighters Guild for a job well done. I now had where to go when the Order didn't have any tasks available for me.
After a few more weeks of doing minor jobs for the Fighters Guild, I had heard that the Knights of the Candle were returning from Lainlyn, victorious. Great news! I was finally over with these minor Fighters Guild tasks, I could get back to the important things. Even though the Order didn't pay that well, it was always a pleasure to do some work for them. It pays to know that you're working for the greater good of the entire kingdom. I awaited the return of the order anxiously. I would meet Marshal Daron again, after a few months.
A few days later, I finally woke up to happy cheers.
"The warriors are back!" echoed from the streets below my little inn room.
I quickly put on my clothes and ran down to see the army. They were passing by on that very street, their armour shining in the morning sun like an emerald. I could make out the face of Marshal Daron in the marching rows. He seemed to be wounded, he had a bloodied bandage on his left leg.
"Marshall!" I screamed.
"Arthago! The king has ordered the knights to assemble at the palace! Come now!" Marshal Daron said back to me in a weakened voice. It was not his usual tone. He had a softer voice now, and his beard had overgrown. Anyway, I followed the Knights of my order to the palace. How exciting! I was going to finally see the king!
I reached the palace in a short time. The great ivory gates, encrusted with jewels and precious stones, opened up to a great hall, painted with various murals on the walls that showed great deeds of Redguard history: How Frandar Hunding drove away the goblins, how Divad became an ansei and how the Dwarves disappeared from Hammerfell. The king sat on a sturdy throne made of wood with gold markings. He wore a dark green robe and his golden crown, inlaid with precious stones.
"Welcome home my brave warriors!" the king said to the Knights present. "You have returned from a great victory! The barony of Lainlyn is now a vassal of Sentinel and for that I thank you! You shall all be rewarded for the growth of the Kingdom with your weight in gold! There shall also be a great feast in your honour my brave warriors, enjoy it for you have earned it!" the king said in a happy voice. There was indeed a great feast, in the hall right next to the throne room. A great many food types were present, I couldn't even name a few of them. I sat down next to a tall man with a beard and a shorter man with a bald head. They were both overly happy about their victory. I asked one of them about the war.
"So, Lord Kain is the new baron of Lainlyn now that Shrike is defeated, right?" I asked. Marshal Daron had said that Lord Kain was leading a rebellion against his terrible brother.
"Lord Kain? He was slaughtered sadly, just like his evil brother." the bearded soldier said, in an increasingly slurred voice caused by too much ale.
"Slaughtered? Wasn't he on our side? Who killed him?" I asked in a confused voice. Lord Kain was supposed to be the good guy, how could he die?
"He died in very sad and gruesome circumstances lad. Good thing you weren't there." the smaller, bald soldier said. Since these two soldiers weren't clarifying the situation I was in, I decided to pay Marshal Daron a visit. Maybe he knew more?
He was at his little house. I knocked and entered. He was lying down on his bed, tending his wounded foot.
"What happened to your foot Marshal?" I asked, trying to show a little interest.
"Ahh, it's nothing to worry about, in the last battle I participated in I didn't quite know what to do, who to kill and things like that. Some oaf then charged me with his spear raised. I killed him, but he still managed to thrust his spear into my leg before dying. But don't fret! I'm alright!" Marshal Daron said, in a sad voice.
"Shouldn't you be happy for winning the war? Our side won after all and you're going to get rewarded!" I said trying to cheer him up.
"Why should I be happy? Because of a crooked victory won with lies and betrayal?" Marshal Daron shouted at me in an angry voice.
"A crooked victory? How so?" I asked. So the soldiers were happy for a great victory but Marshall Daron was sad for a victory won with lies and deceit? This war thing was getting even more complicated.
"The King's men murdered Lord Kain in the feast he gave for us! He was killed without mercy, like a damned dog!" Marshal Daron shouted, almost bursting into tears.
"Who gave the orders? The king?" I asked confused. How could King Lhotun do this? He seemed like a good man at first glance.
"The king, probably. The man who actually ordered Lord Kain's death during dreadful feast was Lord Vhosek." Marshal Daron said in a more calm voice.
"That's grave news indeed. Do you know why the King did this?" I asked. This was horrible, I thought our men to be heroes, our king a true leader. In all reality he seemed to be an ordinary murderer.
"I'm not sure. For the land maybe. Maybe for some other reason. Maybe he though that his father's lands were too small, he wanted to increase them with any means necessary. I don't know the true reason. If you can, you should ask him yourself." Marshal Daron said in a melancholic voice.
"I understand. Thank you for the information Marshal. I shall look into the matter for I am curious to know why the King committed this horrible act." I said in a pretty confident voice. I was getting into things that were bigger than me and more important. It was a dangerous situation.
"Good luck in your search lad! I would go myself if it weren't for this wounded leg." Marshal Daron said.
"Farewell then Marshal." I said.
"Good bye my lad, and good luck!" Marshal Daron responded. With that I left the Marshall's little house in the direction of my own room at the inn. I had to get my seal and the armour of the order to show I was a member if I wanted to get an audience with the King himself.
I made my way to the "Hunding's Rest" inn to get my armour and the seal of my order. I was going to need it if I wanted to at least enter the throne room, not to mention getting an audience with the king. If he was anything like his father, the mighty Camaron, then I was going to have my hands full. I reached the inn at midnight. The door was locked. Damn it! Why do things always have to get in my way when I plan on doing something? I broke the lock and entered, if any guard saw that the lock was broken then I was in deep trouble, knight status or not.
I quickly made my way upstairs and fitted my armour on. I put my scimitar into the scabbard and the scabbard on my belt. Having a sword at your side was always an intimidating thing. People knew that you could draw your sword quickly and strike at their throats in an instant. Weapons and armour aside, I quickly exited the inn and closed the door after me. I ran on the dark streets to the palace, with a little luck the king could be awake. If he liked to train with the sword at night, as I often do, then I was in luck. If not, I would have to wait until morning.
I reached the palace and saw the king entering the grand hall in which ambassadors from other lands were welcomed. I shouted at him and he turned. He had a guard who was guarding him which drew his sword and looked towards me.
"I won't harm the king, I only want to talk with his Majesty." I said, as I kneeled and raised my hands.
The guard seemed pleased and sheathed his sword. The king approached me, with his guard in front of him, and started talking to me. If this wasn't a rash approach then I don't know what is.
"What are you doing here at this time of night citizen?" the king asked me.
"If you allow me to be so bold, what are you doing here at this time of night your Majesty?" I asked, bordering on the arrogant.
"Affairs of state." The king responded in a calm voice.
"Would you allow me to ask your Majesty a question about the campaign in Lainlyn which has been bothering me?" I humbly asked.
"Why of course, you are a knight in the order of the city after all." King Lhotun responded. At least he was friendly.
"I have heard that Lord Kain was murdered. He was our ally your Majesty!" I said, trying not to shout at the king.
"Yes, it was sadly necessary. He rebelled against his brother, Baron Shrike. Shrike was our vassal in the province, and even though he was a tyrant with his own people he managed to collect all the taxes and make a lot of money in the end. Lord Kain was going to assume command and make Lainlyn into an independent state. We gave him two choices, to either accept to rule for us or be killed." the king said with a certain sadness in his voice.
"From what I've heard, Lord Kain was given no choices and murdered in cold blood." I said, using what information Marshal Daron gave me.
"No choices? Murdered? Who gave you this information knight?" the king asked in a confused voice.
"A veteran of the Order who was there. If you want, we could go and meet him right now to hear what happened." I calmly said.
"So it shall be, I want to hear what happened there from a soldier's perspective." the king said.
Thus we set off to the house of Marshal Daron. He was probably sleeping now though. He was quite a grouch when he was awake and well rested; I wonder how he will be when he is awoken from his sleep? We reached his house in short time though. I knocked. After quite an amount of knocking, somebody finally opened the door.
"Who, in Dagon's name, is it at this kind of hour?" Marshal Daron said in a rude voice.
"The king of Sentinel, son of Camaron and brother of Greklith." King Lhotun responded.
"Oh, umm sorry your Majesty! I didn't know it was you sir, please come in!" Marshal Daron humbly said. It was good to see him follow orders for once.
I, together with the King and his guard entered the Marshal's small house.
"I've been hearing some alternate accounts of Lord Kain's last stand, explain yourself soldier!" the king said in a authoritative tone.
"I was there when the man died your Majesty. The story is fresh in my mind and I can tell it to you if you wish." Marshal Daron said.
"I wish so, tell me." the king plainly said.
"Well, after Baron Shrike got what he deserved, Lord Kain organized a feast with all the high-ranking knights that participated in the battles and the commanding lords. I was invited to the feast. It was on a Loredas evening. I was seated near Lord Vhosek, the one who commanded the whole force of Sentinel. So were many of our knights. To the opposite side of the table, stood Lord Kain together with his host of knights which served him. Lord Kain rose and gave a toast in our honour. Lord Vhosek then rose as well and walked to the side of the table. He proposed a toast in honour of Lord Kain's new reign. At the end of the toast, he threw his wine goblet on the floor and gave a fire command. A dozen archers, bearing the symbol of a Moon on their chests, then barged into the room and showered Lord Kain and his men with arrows. The hall then erupted into a bloodbath. Lord Kain's men followed their leader into the grave after fighting with our knights. I didn't know what to do for a moment, and was then forced to defend myself against a knight of Lord Kain. We fought and I killed the poor man. Is that how you do politics my king?" Marshal Daron said in a very sad voice.
"It was not supposed to happen so. Lord Vhosek was to propose terms to Lord Kain in a friendly environment. It seems Lord Vhosek has lied to me about the slaying of Lord Kain. He told me that Lord Kain tried to ambush him and his men. And that symbol of the Moon, it's the symbol of Lord Vhosek's men. I shall try to figure out a way to solve this problem. Marshal, knight, meet me in a few days at the palace and we shall put an end to this injustice." the king said, bearing anger in his voice.
"So be it!" I said in a jolly voice.
I always liked to see how justice was enacted on those who lied, cheated or, even worse, murdered for their personal gain. So I had an appointment with the King in a few days, great! I advanced a great deal this past year, from a meager peasant with just the clothes on his back to a knight in the service of the King.
On to the next chapter