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News » History of Mardon Castle - 10C
History of Mardon Castle
Chapter Ten
Part 3
...
The figure within the net squirmed with Tasbirn getting the feeling that the man wanted to look at him as he said, "You must stay nothing more than a figurehead. The restoration of your land cannot come by your hand. You must depend on others."
"What? I led my knights and troops successfully through the trials of a most horrendous war. I set in motion policies that managed to keep my people alive through the famines caused by the destruction of crops. I also designed this trap that managed to catch your ghost. I can restore my land."
"You cannot restore your land. Don't you understand why this curse has persisted? Selfish motives cannot succeed."
"Selfish? My land and my people are suffering! How can removing their ills be considered selfish?"
Just because you have a source of information doesn't mean that you will get information.
History of Mardon Castle
Chapter Ten
Part 3
Even looking through the fibers of the net it was hard to believe that the ghost had actually been captured. Tasbirn advanced near the net of troll hair to get a closer look at what was underneath. The never dying threads quivered as they continued to move and grow preventing a constant clear sight of the form trapped within. The fact that there was something underneath, something that was not screaming that he was the wrong man, was enough to give Tasbirn hope that his ability to form victorious plans had not dissolved upon the return to his accursed homeland.
The viscount noticed Terniff as she also advanced to the net. She stopped where a soldier stood that was securing the cords, and put a gauntleted hand upon his back. The man stiffened at her touch, but it was not a sign of disgust. He was quick to smile when the lady moved up to glance at him. The knight might have had the visor of her metal helmet down, but the colored shading of the soft skin around her blue eyes was still visible. Outside her armor the lady was attractive enough for any man, but even in battle she did what she felt necessary to radiate her beauty.
"It’s a man."
Tasbirn and the other soldiers were shocked by the statement, but they quickly formed the proper assessment of the words. What was underneath the net was a physical masculine form. It was far from fat, but there was substantial muscle covering bone. He was not armored, and truthfully he was not wearing a large amount of clothes. The linen shirt was probably once yellow, or bright orange, although now appeared to be a dingy tan. The dark blue pants of thick cloth did not show any dirt, but they were torn so they did show strong legs. The hair on the head of the man was long enough to be that of a lady, but the light brown locks did not have the thickness of the tresses of a woman. If the steps to activate the trap had not been so elaborate, the viscount and others watching would have considered the one beneath the net to be some thief that was stirred from his nest.
Tasbirn asserted his authority as he declared, "You, under the net, who are you?"
The response had an airy quality as if the sounds were traveling from a distance away. It was a slightly deep masculine voice, but it just did not have the timbre of coming from a nearby throat. While the volume was loud enough, those present turned their heads as if attempting to better clarify the speech.
"I am he who serves the King of Mardon and seeks to restore what was taken from him."
"I am the Viscount of Mardon. I seek to restore my land. Your help would be more than appreciated."
The figure within the net squirmed with Tasbirn getting the feeling that the man wanted to look at him as he said, "You must stay nothing more than a figurehead. The restoration of your land cannot come by your hand. You must depend on others."
"What? I led my knights and troops successfully through the trials of a most horrendous war. I set in motion policies that managed to keep my people alive through the famines caused by the destruction of crops. I also designed this trap that managed to catch your ghost. I can restore my land."
"You cannot restore your land. Don't you understand why this curse has persisted? Selfish motives cannot succeed."
"Selfish? My land and my people are suffering! How can removing their ills be considered selfish?"
Even though Tasbirn shot out his words with strong tones of convictions, the reply from the one inside the net continued to come in calm distant speech. "It is your land, so you are only seeking to improve your own lot."
The voice of Terniff calmly spoke in a manner that Tasbirn felt had the intent to hopefully calm him while continuing to gain information, "Then who can restore the land?"
The voice of the one under the net became softer, barely heard, as it replied, "I could have restored the land. I loved the land, and my king. My lord was however insistent that the one who uttered the curse was to die. I turned from my lord to rush to the castle to do what was needed to be done, but was caught in the worst of the vile magic."
Viscount Tasbirn had a strong dry tone of accusation to his voice as he asked, "You were not acting due to selfish reasons?"
"I was acting out of love for my king and commitment to duty. That is your job, viscount. You should set a standard for your people that will inspire them to desire to obey. Being a dominant authority who rules with an iron fist and cares not for those beneath him is not the way to rule."
"I and my people are close to starving. There has been a curse ravaging our land. I cannot afford to develop feelings and trust."
The voice of Terniff again sounded, "You can still be sensitive, Tasbirn. I loved you, but you shunned me for that foreigner."
He dismissed the words with the reply, "The arrangement was necessary gain a truce."
The lady was not going to allow herself to be stifled, "She was the fifth child and second daughter of King Avillik. She had no political value."
"The forces of Salinok joined with us."
"King Avillik had no officers. His heroes went on a raid to remove what they thought was a herd of gorgons and did not survive. He needed us. You did not need that tart."
Tasbirn wanted to speak about something else, so harshly returned, "I will not have you speak against your viscountess, Terniff."
"I promise to advise your children as honestly as I give advice to you, viscount."
Again Tasbirn sought to dismiss the words of the lady. He told the men to secure the net around the man, and bring him to the castle. As part of the process he also needed to give commands to his knights. The viscount seemed pleased to note that Terniff obeyed with the same quick action as the other two minor nobles present.
The marshy ground presented as much trouble moving the men and equipment from the location as it did getting there. As before, the military did as commanded without complaint. They, in fact, mumbled cheerful remarks about their pleasure in experiencing the problems of their home and not the harsh troubles of the terrain they found in foreign lands. Tasbirn could only smile as he heard the occasional spouted comment of a soldier stating some joy in knowing that he was part of a successful mission. He thus felt that the journey home would be a pleasant affair.
The viscount watched as Terniff moved to the men that lifted the form of the bound man from a horse to enable the animal to more easily struggle from a deeper than expected mud hole. She took off a gauntlet to place a bare hand against the quivering cords of the living troll hair. Her palm pushed against the greasy strands as her fingers were worked to touch the one who was held. Wondering what she was attempting to do, Tasbirn stepped close to hear her ask a question of the one captured.
"Are you alive?"
"You would think after all these centuries that I would be able to tolerate the pain, but I still suffer."
Terniff stepped back as if mentally shocked by the words. Those carrying the body took her action as permission to continue their work, and with a nod from Tasbirn they carried the net away from the lady. He watched as the bound man was taken to the horse that was recovering from its fight against the mud. As he followed the men to a place where stable footing could be found for reloading the animal, he reacted with shock when the men suddenly spoke with alarm.
Those that had been carrying Telelum now only held the quivering fibers of the net. Having spent the last four years at war with those that used deception, Tasbirn stepped up to assure that the man was truly no longer present. Realizing that he no longer had possession of his objective, he turned to release his frustration toward the one that had recently made an action.
"Terniff, what magic did you use?"
Shock showed in the lady’s voice as she returned, "I have never used magic."
If the high noble did not have the confidence of Terniff being a major support in the past military campaign, he would have gotten mad at her response. As it was, he accepted the curt statement of non-responsibility. He looked to others for an answer to the situation.
Knight Kenard spoke when the eyes of the viscount rested on him, "It was said that Telelum could not leave the marsh."
Tasbirn lifted his boots so the sucking sound of the wet ground would be audible as he returned, "We have not left the marsh."
Only silence was returned. All knew the goal of their mission. While the stated objective was not fully achieved, most felt that they had accomplished enough to move them a step closer to ultimate victory. No story existed that spoke of someone actually managing to summon and capture, even for a moment, the legendary spirit. Tasbirn received the impression from the faces of those around him that they felt they had already accomplished a major feat.
Terniff felt that she knew what needed to be said, "Do we move back now to make the attempt again?"
Tasbirn nodded even as he said, "Pick some men who won't be needed to return to the castle. We will need supplies to establish a more permanent camp out here."
Baron Zuzolt again makes an appearance.
Posted by TerishD on Sunday, December 06, 2009 (13:48:45) (280 reads)
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