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News » History of Mardon Castle - 4B
History of Mardon Castle
Chapter Four
Part 2
...
Terniff sensed a rather direct probe into the worth of the lightly-built lady as the baron asked, "And what more conditions are required by the contract that gained you?"
Nalisha displayed no shame in saying, "I am not a major child. Becoming the wife of someone as powerful as Tasbirn is much more than I or my father ever dreamed would be possible. You can be sure, Inelgo, that I will not ever waver in providing Tasbirn with a future."
"I won't speak against Tasbirn, or you, Viscountess, but I will say that you have a lot to learn of your new home."
"Yes, that is what Terniff has been telling me."
Terniff realized that she was a fault for not moving. She however grunted to let the baron know that she felt no shame in having listened in on the conversation. He only smiled before turning back to Nalisha.
Terniff again shows that she does not want what people thought she did.
History of Mardon Castle
Chapter Four
Part 2
Terniff said nothing to the Baron of Chaucet. She felt certain that all noticed the glare on his face as Nalisha tried to handle the ceremony welcoming the returning heroes, even though she was among the group of those returning. Terniff almost moved back from the front of the assembly to join the common soldiers where she could bet on the timing of the baron's eruption at the delicate lady. As Nalisha continued with a speech, Terniff found herself glad that she held her place. The lightly-built viscountess continuing to live meant that money wagered would have been lost. The baron coming up afterwards to speak privately to his new superior let Terniff know why.
"Viscountess, you said that you were from Salinok?"
Nalisha appeared to desire to move on into the castle, but she beamed a smile while responding, "Yes, Inelgo. I have to admit that it is a simple barony just as your own home. The surrounding mountains here however make your castle a lot more imposing than my home. I always felt that the flags from the fortress I grew up in acted as landmarks and not declarations of strength."
"I have been to your home, Viscountess, and can say that Salinok might be a landmark, but it is one that travelers do look for when they seek safety. I assume that such was the reason Tasbirn sought out your home."
"We were resisting the dominion of the mages, and Tasbirn led his men to verify our commitment while stating his support. I became a token of the agreement, but Tasbirn and I had met innocently enough as he moved about assuring supplies for his men. When my father proposed my marriage to seal the contract, I believe that Tasbirn was as joyous to accept as I was."
Terniff sensed a rather direct probe into the worth of the lightly-built lady as the baron asked, "And what more conditions are required by the contract that gained you?"
Nalisha displayed no shame in saying, "I am not a major child. Becoming the wife of someone as powerful as Tasbirn is much more than I or my father ever dreamed would be possible. You can be sure, Inelgo, that I will not ever waver in providing Tasbirn with a future."
"I won't speak against Tasbirn, or you, Viscountess, but I will say that you have a lot to learn of your new home."
"Yes, that is what Terniff has been telling me."
Terniff realized that she was a fault for not moving. She however grunted to let the baron know that she felt no shame in having listened in on the conversation. He only smiled before turning back to Nalisha.
"Keep that lady in your sight, but trust any advice that she gives."
Terniff moved up to try and give some importance to her presence. "Since you just spoke in favor of my council, Inelgo, let me ask you to tell our viscountess about the ghost that claims your land, Telelum."
Nalisha's countenance showed some joy with the mention of the topic, and she quickly spoke to reinforce that suggestion. "Yes, Inelgo, as I travel with a chest of troll hair that Tasbirn claims will enable him to capture the spirit."
The man turned to escort Nalisha into his home while Terniff followed still showing no shame in eavesdropping. "Well, all that meet Telelum claim that he is substantial enough, but he has never been captured. I never heard mention of troll hair in connection with stories of Telelum, but it is something new. I thus won't say that it won't work."
Nalisha asked, "How long ago did the events of Telelum occur?"
"Oh, many centuries, Viscountess. We have become quite used to the troubles of our land, and only the older elves will recall things having once been better."
"Well, this is my home now. I promise to do my best providing a future, whether it is that of a new uncursed land or the one that you have come to accept as normal."
Terniff noticed that the baron did not say anything more. He simply made a motion to his wife and allowed her to take over the conversation while directing Nalisha on a tour of the castle. As the group of ladies moved into the building, the baron turned to Terniff to ask a question.
"What do you think of the lady?"
"My money says that she will not be able to carry Tasbirn's child to term."
"You heard me say that I have been to Salinok. Those are good people, so she is probably more than able to provide a future to Tasbirn. What do you think about that?"
Terniff tried to dismiss the question and avoid having to think about the topic as she replied, "I have my own trophy of the war that I hope to provide a future for."
The eyes of the man moved for a moment towards Renwyn before saying, "Yes, you introduced your voiceless man. Why have the gods refused to help him?"
"The gods have not refused to help him," Terniff spewed. "We were only fighting a war where the gods did not participate. I rarely saw a priest during the last four years."
"We don't really have church in our land either."
"I plan on finding Helshain."
The baron nodded to Renwyn as he said to Terniff, "Yes, and there are a few other good clerics among the kevalla. What type of life are you looking to have?"
"I am going to help Tasbirn..."
"To win him from Nalisha?"
"No, not to win him from that girl. She however will provide no help towards removing the curse upon our land. If Tasbirn is going to succeed, he will need help."
The face of the baron did not reveal any hidden thoughts. Terniff knew that she had spoken slightly too fast and strong to hide some of her emotions. She really did not believe that it would have been better to be secretive, as she had placed wagers with the soldiers and traded comments with them. She thus simply waited for the baron's next statement while wondering in what direction he would weight his words.
"You are going to stay present around Tasbirn, aren't you?"
"If the gods help Renwyn, I will have my reasons to be elsewhere. I still want to remove the curse upon our land, and that means working with Tasbirn."
"Go home, Terniff. Give Tasbirn and Nalisha some time."
The lady still could not read the inner emotions of the baron, but put arrogance in her reply, "I am not going home, but first I will do what I can for Renwyn."
The baron smiled while nodding, then moved off. Terniff accepted the departure, and moved back to Renwyn. While accepting his arm around her, she considered her immediate plans.
"Let us go get our things transferred to a separate wagon. We can leave in the morning."
"Your brother told me that he would assure that would be done."
Terniff turned to kiss her man, then said, "Shuloft and I haven't seen each other for four years, Renwyn. It would do us both good to spend more time with him."
He accepted the affection, then began to escort his lady back to the caravan. Terniff looked at Renwyn as she moved with him. From outward appearances, he radiated a strong handsome presence. Only when he spoke or removed his clothes did certain disfigurements become revealed. The lady smiled with the knowledge that he belonged to her whether the gods would restore him or not. She walked beside him proud of her place not caring if the future made him in charge of her as her husband or him nothing more than her possession and plaything.
As they approached the field where the caravan had been directed to rest, a scream went up about there being a thief. No sooner did Terniff and Renwyn stop than a man burst from the circle of wagons at a full run. Each paused only for a moment as they noticed that the one fleeing would pass close to them. Terniff caught a signal from Renwyn and smiled as she moved as if to kiss the man. Years of fighting those using illusions had caused the pair along with all that fought with them to develop deceptions of their own. The one racing from the caravan did not turn in his flight believing that the couple were not interested in him, but sounded with pain as a serious wound came to his side.
Renwyn had pulled Terniff's sword then leaned out to have the sharpened edge slice through the skin below the ribcage of the one fleeing. The lady danced around her man pulling his sword then spinning in an arc that ended with the blade striking the criminal's shoulder blade. Neither gave the man time to explain himself, but his bleeding body hit the ground almost as fast as the jingling sack of wealth that had been hugged to his chest.
Terniff lifted the sack to look inside, and formed a conclusion as soon as a voice slowly approaching from the caravan stated the contents. "He had robbed from the belongings of Tasbirn's wife."
She secured the sack to her belt as she replied, "Then the man robbed from all of us. He deserved his fate."
With a tone of surprise, the soldier asked, "Are you going to brag about making the kill?"
"No, nothing to brag about. I will bet that Nalisha will be as surprised I did it as you seem to be."
"You did not know who he had robbed."
"Should I have cared?"
He moved to turn the body over seeking to identify the corpse as he replied, "That doesn't mean that you would not. Still, no reason to claim otherwise."
Terniff gruffly said in return, "No. We are not thieves. Our land is rough enough for us to add the troubles of having to guard what wealth we have. Tasbirn does not tolerate thieves, and I support that policy."
"He stole from you."
"No, as I believe that I never had what Nalisha gained. We can all dream, but our actions and beliefs do not make them real. I moved on to other dreams."
Showing no fear of saying his words in front of the lady or the others that were now arriving. "You traded dreaming of Tasbirn for a voiceless man."
"There is more to Renwyn than there is to Nalisha, and I find that my voiceless man dreams of me as well."
Hearing a few mumbled agreements, the soldier started directing others to help dispose of the body. Terniff had Renwyn come beside her, then she moved to the caravan to return the stolen goods. As they walked, she heard the words that she knew would come.
"I do dream of you."
"Good, as I don't want you thinking that you truly have me yet. You still need to face my older brother, and we need to get some things stolen from you restored. Once that is done, then we can truly dream together."
The older brother makes an appearance, but not to Terniff.
Posted by TerishD on Friday, August 28, 2009 (10:23:36) (321 reads)
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