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News » Though Ties May Bind: 6
Though Ties May Bind
Chapter Six
Nomina moved to put her cloak back on, then moved to Lucilt to take a silver quarrel from a quiver. He commented to the lady that he had a magicked weapon, but if the magic did not work then he would have to use one of his silver quarrels as well. Setout bragged that his mace was made of magicked silver, so he was more than prepared. Estraul appreciated the confidence of his companions, but moved near the lady as he considered speaking some advice.
"Let us just not get hurt. We don't want the curse to affect us."
“In my vision of the future I did not see any of us getting hurt, but we were not rejoicing either.â€
Everyone starts to realize how odd the present difficulty really is.
Though Ties May Bind
Chapter Six
Nomina moved to put her cloak back on, then moved to Lucilt to take a silver quarrel from a quiver. He commented to the lady that he had a magicked weapon, but if the magic did not work then he would have to use one of his silver quarrels as well. Setout bragged that his mace was made of magicked silver, so he was more than prepared. Estraul appreciated the confidence of his companions, but moved near the lady as he considered speaking some advice.
"Let us just not get hurt. We don't want the curse to affect us."
“In my vision of the future I did not see any of us getting hurt, but we were not rejoicing either.â€
“No, I won’t be rejoicing unless those monsters are carrying satchels of gold. Still, one cannot expect every job to pay well.â€
The two male halflings were glad to hear the lady prophecy a good ending. The two traded cheerful comments as they set their stance in preparation for the coming combat. The group almost felt disappointed when a horse and a deer rushed towards them. The first impression was that a rider that had been chasing a meal was unsaddled. The horse however had no tack upon it, and neither animal appeared as being present accidentally. The adventurers started their weapons moving as both animals rushed towards them.
The horse was charging towards Lucilt, but found its attack disrupted as the quarrel from the halfling's crossbow sunk into one shoulder while Estraul's silver scimitar cut into the other. The deer had more success attacking Setout. The man's small size worked to his advantage in preventing harm, but neither he nor Nomina were able to hurt the deer.
Lucilt found that he was going to have to use silver. His axe cut into the horse, but the wound was not as serious as that Estraul was doing with his scimitar. Lucilt reached for a quarrel as he heard Nomina yell out the success of her attack with such a weapon. He made his own sound of elation as a strong thrust from him was joined with a good cut from the human to drop the horse.
The deer suddenly wanted to flee. It had not really been hurt, but it had also not done any real damage in return. Setout kept moving away from the attacks, although ended each maneuver with his weapon in a bad location to return any harm. It really bothered the cleric that the lady was having more success stabbing with the quarrel than he with a more practical weapon. The animal realized that the two halflings upon it were soon to be joined by the pair that had killed the horse, and felt that the battle was not in its favor.
There was a desire to chase the deer, but there was also an understanding that they were not fast enough to keep pace with the animal. The group instead turned to examine the horse, only to see a man now lying in the place where the animal fell. The sight did not bring any cheer from the group.
Estraul moved to examine the form while muttering, "Were-horses and were-deer, Baron Jason is not going to be happy to hear about this."
"Were-cows," Baron Jason grumbled upon entering the parlor of his gentry's mansion, "I am not happy to hear about something like that."
Watussin had a different perspective, "Jason, she has to be scared. No one that willingly accepts the curse of lycanthropy bonds themselves with a passive animal. This one had to be cursed against her will."
The druid had another opinion, "While the curse is in affect one's mind is overwhelmed by the malignancy of the animal essence. Some intelligence is present, but what occurs is often only remembered as a dream. That lady is scared, but so would be any captured prey animal."
Jason said, "So, Welven, you are saying that she will not be able to provide any useful information."
"On the contrary, if we can wait for her to change back into her human form she can tell us who she was with. Only a rare lycanthrope has the ability to change forms at will. Most can only do at certain times, and that usually is when the curse goes into remission at the end of a hunting frenzy. As for where her associates are now, or what movements occurred over the last few days, that she will not know."
Rain had his own conclusion, "But she was altered using the evil of a very ancient curse. We really cannot be sure of how it works."
"I would say the opposite. This form of lycanthropy should be true to its origin. People have sought methods to soften its influence and evil over the millennia."
The lord of the manor said, "I really do not like having it in my presence, Baron Jason."
"I have my men all around it, Shennald."
Welven added his own thoughts, "The nights are the worse. Lycanthropes will become stronger and more blood-thirsty. If Baron Jason's men can contain the creature, we can bring it to his home. If others in his domain have trouble, they will surely come looking for him there. There is also the fact that I would like to see Misty Lake."
The gentry's wife had her own concern, "Baron Jason, Welven, that cow is giving milk. That means that she had to have given birth."
The druid hoped he was being positive in attitude as he replied, "I hope that the baby is among the young urchins of some nearby domain. If it was with those who cursed themselves, they have surely killed it by now."
"Baron Jason, when you interview her, ask her about the baby."
The noble hoped his saying a certain fact would be taken better than if the druid said it. "If she will return to her form, I will make it a point. I cannot abide such creatures in my domain, however, so if she will not return to her form and work with us then all we can do is pray that the gods care for any offspring."
Rain felt able to say the right words. "We can take the cow to my altar to Muysdian. I am still working on it, and the grounds around it, so there are workmen and soldiers in the area. We will need to secure the lycanthrope for the move, and the bindings strong enough to manage the journey should also hold the creature until she reverts to her natural form."
It was a good suggestion, and no one had a better one so all allowed it to stand. Since it was too late in the day, the gentry made arrangements for his guests for the night. Rain and Watussin retired to a room, but Jason did not feel at ease in his chamber. He stopped his removal of clothes, then began putting them back on. He left not feeling that his friend's plan was a bad one, but that he could not feel safe until it was done.
Jason woke up sitting against some bales of hay with the smell of coffee in his face. Welven was the one holding the cup. The druid smiled as the baron composed himself before accepting the hot mug.
Welven said, "I can respect a man who actually cares for his land. Misty Lake needed someone like you, but the trait should be a common one among nobles. I however spend a lot time tending to those places where there is no concern."
"My family was not good farmers, but my father did try. He was so proud that he could get some things to grow. The baron and others did not appreciate his crops, but he was always so glad that he could bring produce to market. I am that way as well. I am working hard to accomplish something, and don't want to be ridiculed for my success."
"I won't ridicule you, Baron, as you are what Misty Lake needs. The original creator of your home had dreams, but they failed him. He became despondent and lost hope, and those that followed him felt they were supporting a lost cause. Instead of recognizing the need of the land, all focused on the unrealized dream, and the land suffered."
Jason stood as he said, "Well, I worry about the people. I went to sleep last night wondering what type of lady would want to be a cow. I tried to imagine myself becoming a bull, and simply could not find any incentive for such an existence. I fell asleep with the conviction that the lady was a victim. My life started changing for the better when I helped Rain rescue the lady that is now his wife. I have saved a number of women, young and old, since then. I really do not want to have to kill her."
"Then go inside the mansion and get some breakfast, Baron. We are going to have a full day moving this lady around the rift and to Keir Rain's altar."
Welven's words were proven true. The were-cow resisted being secured. Ropes were placed around the cursed animal to hold it while other more substantial devices were set upon it. A saddle was placed on the cow's back. No one intended to ride it, but it gave a method of holding to the animal along its mid-section. Manacles were placed around the upper portions of the cow's legs. These not only gave more control over the creature, but most felt that should the lycanthrope change back to her actual form then she would not be able to slip out of the metal bands as easily as if they were set lower on the appendages. The cow brayed all through the process as she struggled, but the men worked together to assure that everything was done.
The lycanthrope tried hard to prevent herself from going with her captors. They had spent time securing the cursed creature however, and the soldiers found their work to make their job easy. The cow tried to use her weight and strength to resist the movement, but there were enough men and horses to manhandle her. The lycanthrope never became subdued, but by the end of the day the altar had been reached.
Baron Jason retired to his house to spend the evening with his wife while Rain and Watussin stayed around the altar. The two tried to enjoy the sounds of the nearby stream, the gentle wind through the trees, and insects, but the braying of the cow never ceased. Both tried to speak to the animal to get it to understand that things could be different if she would change back into her native form, but that did not happen. The two elves thus spent the night discussing what was being built and the plans for future building projects.
The were-cow finally ceased her mooing as the foggy ceiling above the rift began to glow with the light of the sun that soon would remove it. Watussin rose to wash herself in the stream. It was cold, but she had no better bath all those years she had been imprisoned by Gipellar. She definitely appreciated, and preferred, a warm tub of water, but she also enjoyed being outdoors. She was willing to take the bad with the good, and felt joy knowing that her life was mostly filled with good.
The elf lady heard the rumble and some sounds of men from the land above, but such was now the life she lived. She was one of the rulers of a land. People constantly moved about her doing business to support her land or protect her. Watussin considered that to be definitely one of the good things, and sought to refresh herself so she could properly move among them and relate to them. Those distant sounds of people moving only brought her joy. Well, they did until she heard the screams of people and horses along with the breaking of branches right above her.
In the next installment plans begin to be made as everyone comes together.
Posted by TerishD on Tuesday, January 17, 2006 (14:55:14) (715 reads)
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