Enderal I Lords and Mages
Chapter 11 Finding your Faith
10th of Storm of Fire, 479 in the 8th Age
Continent of Mordurel, Reikland region, Zaldinger lands
Merdhausen Castle
Franz Merdhausen Point of View
Along the castle’s stone and wood towers the Merdhausen banners blew with the wind. It was the divided red and blue field that colored the Surcoats of the knights that patrolled the wood walls of the small castle. Centered on banner and Surcoat both was a powerful griffin, a symbol of strength and grace.
“It is ridiculously hot,” my lady wife Konstanze complained. “It’s like the highlord is messing with us. Was it this hot in the Free Cities?”
I nodded from my comfortable seat and moved a chess piece.
“Little more.”
She moved a pawn in response to my bishop. My next move was to move my bishop to take out another pawn in range and the second pawn couldn’t touch my bishop due to its position. she sighed, annoyed that I had eliminated half her pieces.
“You’re getting better,” I told her positively.
“You’re still just playing with me,”
Konstanze grumbled. It was true, I was going easy on her. I wouldn’t call it playing, but training, teaching.
The door swung open and two men-at-arms entered with the castellan.
“My lord! My lord!” The fat man panted.
Konstanze rolled her eyes at the sight of the fat man.
“A bid you to speak my good man,” I allowed him.
He breathed heavily and almost doubled over, “My lord, my lord. King Elect, he…Constantine Bluewyne is quite ill and his physician has declared he will not live through the coming week.”
Konstanze and I was equally surprised. We hadn’t even known he was ill.
“The…the message…is from Duke Gunther Blackmont, my lord…he writes that you should be at the choosing of the duke electors. With all the men he fears will seek to be elected he is sure you can find a great opportunity.”
I ignored Konstanze’s stare. She rose to her feet.
“Thank you castellan,” I said and waved him off. I pondered, it had crossed my minds of my fitness for kingship before. It seemed my friendship with Duke Blackmont had paid off as well.
“Well?” Konstanze asked of me irritated. “Will you put yourself forth as the next king elect?”
I looked at her calmly and allowed a small smile to creep over my lips.
10th of Storm of Fire, 479 of the 8th Age
Continent of Mordurel, the Riverlands region,
Jazeera Point of View
For the last week I had been chain to the floor of the carriage, headed to an undisclosed location. Now when we arrived I was even more confused. It was a small fort at the fork of a minor river too small for most maps. The landsknechts loosened my chains and pushed me out of the carriage and up to the gate of the fort. There they exchanged words with who I presumed was the fort commander and handed him a paper. I overheard something about the king’s signature. They then pushed me into their care and left.
“This way sorceress,” the knight commander told me as his men pushed me into the keep after him. they took me into a chamber with a chopping block and a sword with dried blood on the blade. I was confused at first. They hadn’t really brought me all the way here from the castle for a random execution, right? But the king was crazy so maybe he ordered something wasteful like that.
“There is a choice for you to make Sorceress,” the knight commander told me,.
“What choice?” I asked.
He nodded over to a man in brown robes and walked out with his men.
“Hail sorceress Jazeera,” he greeted me. he had some nasty scars on his face and he lacked a right eye. His skin was dusky so I figured he was from the Free Cities or one of the sultanates south and east of the Riverlands. “I am Kamek. My master have heard of your predicament and wants to offer you to serve him.”
“Who is your master?” I asked with suspicion.
He smiled, “I am sure you have noticed your order, the Mage Circle hasn’t gotten you freed yet. do you know why? That is because they denounced you the moment you were arrested.”
I did my best to not look shocked but I doubt I succeeded. His crooked smirk proved I failed.
“W-who is your master?” I asked again.
He stepped closer.
“The Witch King. He arranged this. There is much happening in the world, Mordurel and beyond the continent. He wants you at his side for this changing world. Approaching bloody unification amongst the Orcs to the very east and Civil War amongst Iceborn Pyke brothers. Both could seem insignificant to you and me, but the Witch King sees all.”
I took a step back in surprise and horror. The ruler of the dark lands of Eredún-Morhan sought my service. It was terrifying and unreal. But what were my options? Die or accept. How hard a choice was it really? I took a deep breath and nodded.
“I…I…accept,” my voice trailed off and he grinned.
“The master shall be pleased. Very pleased. Great wealth and magic beyond your wildest fantasies await you sorceress,” claimed the man.
10th of Storm of Fire, 479 of the 8th Age
Continent of Mordurel, Western Mountains Region, Pennyrose lands
Redcliff Tower
Jeyne Pennyrose Point of View
It was good to be back in Pennyrose lands again. Technically we had been within my Houses lands for about a few days but it felt more real when we arrived at the Redcliff Tower. It was the only passage an army could take to travel west into our lands. By the road laid a village, some one hundred homesteads and a small road slithered up the Cliffside to a thick tall tower of white stone. It was twenty meters wide and fifty or so meters high. A small path led down the side of the cliff to a thick wall of white stone that blocked off the road in front of the village.
On top of the gatehouse sat the banners of House Redcliff, a Westling minor House in vassalage to House Pennyrose. Their blazon was a field of orange with a red cliff and a grey tower. My son by marriage, Peter, a man really a year my elder, had been led through the gate after one of our Household guards heralded who we were.
“It will soon get dark milady,” the captain told me as he rode up to my side.
I leaned forward and drew my hand through my stallion’s mane. His name was Daarion and he was an Ahdalusian. There was no better horse in the Western Kingdoms, or Mordurel overall to my knowledge. It was the strongest and fastest breed of horse from the far away Kyroshi Empire. He was an expensive thing, a wedding gift from my lord husband.
“Should we continue through the night or rest in Redcliff Tower?” He inquired. “Certainly Baron Redcliff would allow you to spend the night.”
“Off course he would,” said Peter. “Father is his liege lord. His House is sworn to ours.”
“Yes milord,” the captain answered obediently.
I smiled and looked at Peter.
“We have ridden all day. Perhaps we should stay the night, rest before we continue,” I said.
The skinny sixteen year old looked at me. He seemed to think it over for a moment.
“Being Lady Pennyrose, I’d say you decide, mother,” he supposed, a strange smile on his lips.
I turned my head to look over my shoulder at a knight that rode with us.
“Sir Wyllard, do you think your lord father would be open to host us for a night?”
The knight nodded, “Definitely my lady. He would be honored,” he assured me.
“In that case, let us spend the night,” I decided.
We rode through the village and up the firm dirt road leading up to the keep of House Redcliff. The last bit was of white cobblestone and it ended by a stable where three Redcliff Household guards met us. Orange gambeson breaches and jackets and Kettle helms and mail coif underneath to protect the neck and sides of their heads. Beside the Gambeson color it was the armor equipped to the Men-at-Arms of our House and all small vassals, both Easterling and Westerling. Westerling was the people native to the Western Mountains, like the Redcliffs.
“Lady Pennyrose requests an audience with Baron Redcliff,” the captain of the Household Guards with me heralded.
One of the guards entered the tower to fetch his liege.
“Our horses need rest, have the stable boys tend to them,” I told the remaining guards.
I got off my horse with a hand from Peter. A little boy led Darrion into the stables after staring at my fiery hair. Then his eyes fell on my breasts and a guard gave him a clout and he got going. I felt a bit embarrassed when he had stared at my breasts. Most of my guards waited in the entrance hall while Peter and me was escorted to the small great hall of Redcliff Tower with the half a dozen knights that was with us. It wasn’t as large or impressive as the great hall in Culhaven or even our Rosenfort. It had two wooden thrones with padded red pillows to sit on and a single tapestry hanging on the wall behind them. It depicted a strong man that laid the foundation of a tower on the top of a red cliff.
“Depicts the founding of House Redcliff my lady,” Sir Wyllard Redcliff spoke from behind me.
“I gathered,” was my simple answer. I didn’t remember the story behind the tapestry. I wish I could remember the story of every vassal of our House but I couldn’t. Remembering the dukedom Houses history was hard enough since there was almost sixty great noble Houses in Easterland. At least I remembered the founding history of House Pennyrose, my family by marriage. “What’s the story behind it?”
“Over a thousand years ago Rollo Redcliff was a knight in you Houses service. In war he led a hundred men to block this road in the face of a larger enemy force. Lords Jagon and Ashwood marched on Pennyrose lands. He fought and held here, and Lord Pennyrose granted him lordship over these lands for his service and titled him baron. He personally started the construction of Redcliff Tower, his son and his son turned it into one of the most fortified roads in the kingdom,” he told me the story. I remembered a few parts when he mentioned them. “Only five generations later would it be as fortified and legendary it is now.”
“Duke Penton Pennyrose, wasn’t it?” I remembered that since he shared a name with my husband. Penton was a pretty common name in Pennyrose history.
“Yes my lady. That’s right.”
Footsteps from a hallway caused me to turn to see Baroness Redcliff approaching. She wore a blue and green long gown of velvet with a silver neckless.
“Forgive me if I kept you waiting Duchess Pennyrose,” Baroness Redcliff apologized.
“Not at all baroness,” I assured her.
“I assure I would have had a feast prepared if I had known you were coming.”
“We are riding home from Prince Rhaemon’s tourney and with night approaching we require a place to rest,” I explained. “No grand feast is required.”
“Naturally my lady, we are more than happy to host you and your party,” she gave her son a bright smile. “I am afraid my husband isn’t home right now. He leads some of his men on a hunt for a band of highwaymen.” She gestured for me to follow her and nodded to her Steward. “See to Lady Pennyrose’s men and prepare the guest rooms for her and Lord Peter.”
“Yes my lady,” he answered.
“See to have dinner prepares too,” she added. “While your rooms are prepared, will you join me on the top to admire the view? It is very lovely.”
“I’d love to,” I answered. I looked at Peter and arched an inquisitive eyebrow.
“Sure,” he said, shrugging.
The view from the top of the keep was impressive to say the least. A great view of the surrounding forest and marches that made it impossible for an army to pass through, making the road through the wall the only proper way passed Redcliff Tower. As far as I could see laid the forest as a thick green sheet. Though Peter’s interest was caught by something else.
“I like having breakfast up here in summer times,” Baroness Redcliff told me as she leaned over the crenellations.
“I can imagine,” I said. “It’s beautiful.” My eyes shifted to Peter.
He admired the cannon looking over the wall and gatehouse below.
“I didn’t know Redcliff Tower had a Basilisk Cannon,” Peter voiced.
“Your father paid to have six of them brought here,” I explained. “The other five is placed along the wall. If you paid attention you might have seen them before.”
He came over to look down at the wall.
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