Surely the creature had to be connected to the b'heithel, but to what capacity, Reiba did not know. She briefly entertained the idea that the creature was once a man, augmented by the art of the b'hei, and while she never ruled out that possibility, it seemed unlikely that human beings could be changed as easily as an object. The art of the b'hei could not improve an object without first injuring it, and starvation aside, the creature did not seem debilitated at all.
Her imagination took hold at the thought of what grotesque b'hei art would be required to turn a human to look like that creature, and it gave her chills. That was when she realized the window on the other side of her study was slightly ajar and the cool early summer night was upon them. Rather than forgo the fresh air, she put on her long padded robe over her grey tunic and changed the rubber boots to much more comfortable sheep skin slippers.
"My lady", came a voice from the other side of the gold-wrought door that separated her suites, the Wing of the Major Moon, from the rest of the compound. The voice was accompanied by a heavy-handed knock. It was Vergaihl, the head of house staff, much to her dismay. The hour was late and she'd prefer to spend the rest of her waking hours watching the progress of the creature.
"I will be with you presently. I must make myself decent." she replied, pocketing the small pill in the folds of her robe. She exited the study and closed its papered sliding doors. Traditional Eirdren architecture once relied solely on these flimsy dividers, papered doors, and wooden walls to the outside world. Expensive compounds might have had a stone foundation, but it was not until the Yibouh had filled in Center City, razed the original Augur, and built a new one out of granite, that it became fashionable among the wealthy to have stone walls around each wing and other buildings as well; such as the dungeon. In keeping with some form of their native architecture, the paper doors and dividers were retained within each wing to separate sleeping quarters from libraries, privies, studies and social rooms. (NOTE TO SELF, DRAW OUT MAP OF ARCHNE COMPOUND)
Unlike the receiving room in the main building, the social room was for guests on an invite only basis. The social room was closest to the main wing entrance and it was the most ornate. The dividers were beautifully painted with scenes of waterfalls, mountain views, and for this season, summer birds. They would be replaced when fall arrived. Soft, plush, slightly elevated red mats lined the walls of the hall and well lacquered, gold inscribed thin oak tables no higher than her thighs awaited friends and relatives who would join for tea and conversation. Tonight, of course, it was empty, but this was as far as she would let any of her staff, and even then, only by explicit permission.
Vergaihl, a tall, middle-aged man whose blonde hair was slowly turning white without notice, entered the room cautiously. It was a mark of his familiarity with the household. As the head of household staff, as his mother had been prior, he knew exactly the amount of deference required before his master likely did. And he knew at this hour Lady Zaexyl would not be pleased about this intrusion.
Vergaihl wore a high necked green long tunic with the seal of the House of Archne stitched into its breast. At his waist was a lighter colored stiff green sash cinched the tunic half way and was knotted at his back. Underneath the tunic he worse plain white trousers. His shoes, he had ejected prior to entering the wing and his feet were bare. At the sight of her, he kneeled in order to address her.
"My Lady, two envoys have come to seek your audience." He informed her.
"They can come back tomorrow. Dawn is not long away." she shot back. She did not have time for this.
"Yes my lady, although the Lady Tsutil and Lord Shik insist that they are unable to return on the morrow. Shall I send them your apologies?" he asked.
Reiba understood this as a very polite way to tell her that she risked delivering further offense to her peers if she did not entertain them. "Very well," she sighed, "Please ready the receiving room for their comforts and I shall be on my way over." Vergaihl At best, they too will be demanding I wed their second sons. Let us hope it is nothing more. She sighed, absently touching the pill in her pocket. She left for her changing room to prepare to receive the unwanted visitors.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Monday, January 21, 2013
Chapter 9 - Part IV
Since Lord Lot had returned to his lands, the Lady Zaexyl's room had been slowly conquered by her study. Two weeks ago she forbid even the cleaning staff from entering, lest they too become too curious. Everything was moving too quickly. Killing Heri was supposed to be liberating, but instead it had brought on even more to worry about. Even before the Secondsword Keubroc made his intentions known to her, some of the urban lords, Irolok and Vrok, had begun sending courtship envoys, showing off their wares of second sons. The Lady Zaexyl Archne managed to offend Lady Tokal, left-ear of her house, when she did not attend the wedding of her second born daughter to the firstborn son of the rural Futsei.
Upon her thick oak desk which commanded a good third of her study, her notes were in disarray while ledgers bookmarked by stolen communiques had colonized most of the drawers. What she searched for, though, was in a small jewel box on the far edge of the desk. In it lay the second half of her prototype, another black pill, identical to the one she forced down the throat of the creature. It glowed softly when she picked it up and for a moment she could feel the presence of the creature. He'd not yet left the dungeon. Maybe he didn't realize he could yet.
But she was grateful of the skills she had learned that would track him, wherever he went. Even more grateful that the communiques she had stolen had been right; the device worked! Thank you Laenuc, you opened me to this new world. She mouthed silently to her patron for many years, long before she was ever Lady Zaexyl.
The Sandoran of course had no knowledge that Reiba spent her more lonely nights copying the letters she had pilfered from coat pockets and purses the night before. Reiba was told that her client was a navy sailor and had to leave for weeks at a time, but she knew her nighttime lover to be what the letters called, b'heithel, and worked it the art of the b'hei. The Sandoran word for "compromised" she soon learned meant much more than a settlement between two opposing parties. This was the art of taking the energy and skills of one item and re-purposing them for another. It is what turned a pill of the creature's blood and copper into a homing beacon.
But who are these b'heithel and what else can be done with this art? were questions that burned into her mind since her initial translations of the Sandoran letters into Eirdren. That is what she wanted to know, and she was willing to go down that rabbit hole at any cost, for this was true power.
As a high-end courtesan, Reiba was completely comfortable with the idea of trading a part of herself for something greater and she had plunged into her studies zealously. She stopped when she ran out of money for materials and that was when she got the idea to aim for a higher form of clientele. Laenuc had long since disappeared and it was also a chance to do her first test run of her new found skills. She had traded just the smallest part of a bottle of perfume's flowery scent to give it a lust-inducing quality, which she then used on herself in search of suitors.
Since then as Lady Zaexyl she had created many more new items; earrings that glowed in the pure dark but were brittle and fragile, a bodice that changed depending on the size of the wearer, but that attracted rats. But these were all playthings. She knew more could be done, and the tracking device was the most difficult and complex thing she had compromised to date.
Upon her thick oak desk which commanded a good third of her study, her notes were in disarray while ledgers bookmarked by stolen communiques had colonized most of the drawers. What she searched for, though, was in a small jewel box on the far edge of the desk. In it lay the second half of her prototype, another black pill, identical to the one she forced down the throat of the creature. It glowed softly when she picked it up and for a moment she could feel the presence of the creature. He'd not yet left the dungeon. Maybe he didn't realize he could yet.
But she was grateful of the skills she had learned that would track him, wherever he went. Even more grateful that the communiques she had stolen had been right; the device worked! Thank you Laenuc, you opened me to this new world. She mouthed silently to her patron for many years, long before she was ever Lady Zaexyl.
The Sandoran of course had no knowledge that Reiba spent her more lonely nights copying the letters she had pilfered from coat pockets and purses the night before. Reiba was told that her client was a navy sailor and had to leave for weeks at a time, but she knew her nighttime lover to be what the letters called, b'heithel, and worked it the art of the b'hei. The Sandoran word for "compromised" she soon learned meant much more than a settlement between two opposing parties. This was the art of taking the energy and skills of one item and re-purposing them for another. It is what turned a pill of the creature's blood and copper into a homing beacon.
But who are these b'heithel and what else can be done with this art? were questions that burned into her mind since her initial translations of the Sandoran letters into Eirdren. That is what she wanted to know, and she was willing to go down that rabbit hole at any cost, for this was true power.
As a high-end courtesan, Reiba was completely comfortable with the idea of trading a part of herself for something greater and she had plunged into her studies zealously. She stopped when she ran out of money for materials and that was when she got the idea to aim for a higher form of clientele. Laenuc had long since disappeared and it was also a chance to do her first test run of her new found skills. She had traded just the smallest part of a bottle of perfume's flowery scent to give it a lust-inducing quality, which she then used on herself in search of suitors.
Since then as Lady Zaexyl she had created many more new items; earrings that glowed in the pure dark but were brittle and fragile, a bodice that changed depending on the size of the wearer, but that attracted rats. But these were all playthings. She knew more could be done, and the tracking device was the most difficult and complex thing she had compromised to date.
on Text Adventure fun
I feel the need to record this, because it was kind of a fun exercise. I recommend trying it with a friend. Somehow or another, in a conversation over g-chat today, Joe and I got sucked into the world of text based adventures. At first, we were discussing snow, and how I have a ton of it and all I need do is open my front door to experience it. Joe started out as the computer program with me as the player character.
open front door
自分: What do you wish to tell?
open front door
Joe: you open the front door. there is snow on the grass outside of you. a kitten purrs nearby. exits are out.
take kitten
Joe: the kitten meows slightly as you pick it up. you now have a kitten.
i
Joe: I don't understand "i"
inventory
Joe: you are holding:
kitten
put kitten in snow
Joe: you toss the kitten into the snow. it paws the snow curiously, then meows to come back inside.
say "hello Q" (My real life cat who also hates snow and demands to come back inside when thrown into it)
Joe: the kitten transforms into a human wearing a Starfleet uniform and replies "Very good mon capitain. How did you know it was me?"
summon lightning
Joe: the kitten transforms into a human wearing a Starfleet uniform and replies "Very good mon capitain. How did you know it was me?"
say "Q get off my ship!"
Joe: Q replies "I do so only because it suits me to leave." And disappears in a flash.
pee in snow
Joe: You wouldn't want to pee with your pants on.
take pants off
Joe: You are no longer wearing pants. The cold air from outside chills your butt.
go up
pee name in snow
Joe: How
much did you have to drink today? Somehow you have enough in you to
write your whole name in the snow. But now you are very, very cold.
put pants back on
Joe: You left your pants inside
go inside
Joe: You go inside. There are pants on the ground here. The door is open letting cold air and snow in.
close door
Joe: The door is closed. It's starting to get warmer.
wiggle penis
Joe: You've experienced too much shrinkage in the cold to do much wiggling right now.
look
Joe: You
are standing in your house. There is a computer here. There is a
wooden stove here. There are pants on the ground. There is a door
leading outside. Exits are up.
Joe: You
go up. You have entered your bedroom. There is a bookshelf here.
There is a large comfortable bed. Your girlfriend sits in the bed
reading. She sees you enter and asks "Why aren't you wearing pants?"
(my response at this point was that this was dangerously close to becoming a porno, so this game is ended. Later, we get back into the game while discussing the nature of human virtue and our conflicting hypothesis on it [me, that it is a societal construct and Joe that it is an objective quality] I ask him to explain himself and he ponders whether or not to go down this rabbit hole. To which I reply:
自分: you have entered the Rabbit Hole. Exits are down and out.
自分: you have entered the Rabbit Hole. Exits are down and out.
go down
自分: you go further down the rabbit hole. After all ,you think, it is just a rabbit.
then it bites off your head. YOU HAVE DIED
then it bites off your head. YOU HAVE DIED
load save game 1
自分: you are in the Rabbit Hole. Exits are out and down.
inventory
自分: you are holding:
Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch
go out
自分: you go out. It is a lovely day aside from all the headless corpses around.
Exits are north and west.
Exits are north and west.
pull pin from holy hand grenade
自分: you pull the pin from the holy hand grenade. you feel it ticking. you believe you have 3-5 seconds before it goes off.
count to 3
自分: 1, 2, 5!
toss grenade down hole
自分: you toss the holy hand grenade just in time. you hear an explosion and the rabbit is no more
go north
自分: you go north to a rock pile. ahead of you is a large opening of a cave. Exits are north and south.
go north
自分: You
enter the cave. It is dark and musky inside. There is just enough
light to see some strange writing on the east wall. Exits are south.
read writing
自分: You read "Here
may be found the last words of Joseph of Aramathea. He who is valorous
and pure of heart may find the Holy Grail in the Castle aaaaarrrrrrggghhh..."
look
自分: You
look around the cave. Luckily for you this is not an animated
adventure. It is dark and musky inside. There is just enough light to
see some strange writing on the east wall. Exits are south.
go south
自分: you go south to a rock pile. ahead of you is a large opening of a cave. Exits are north and south.
take rock
自分: you take a rock
look at rock pile
自分: it is just an ordinary rock pile. Not one of those fancy rock piles.
go south
自分: you
go south. It is a lovely day aside from all the headless corpses
around. A large humanoid rabbit is waiting for you by a small rabbit
hole. Exits are north, east, and in the rabbit hole.
look at corpses
自分: The
corpses look fresh and gruesome. They do not look back at you. The
large humanoid rabbit crosses his arms and taps his foot impatiently at
you.
go east
自分: you
go east. you are in the foothills of several bare mountains. in the
distance you hear lightning and thunder. A large humanoid rabbit is
standing to the west of you.
exits are west and up.
go up
自分: You
climb the foot hills. You realize it is not any old lightning storm,
but it is being conjured by a strange old man wearing ram horns.
Downslope there is a large humanoid rabbit glaring at you.
Exits are down
look at old man
自分: The old man is gleefully conjuring up lightning with the mere movement of his hand.
take ram horns
自分: The old man is surprised by your forwardness but it not so old that he can't avoid you. "What are you doing!?" he screams.
respond "Your horns are cool. I want them!"
自分: You say this. There is no response. Maybe he doesn't understand you?
自分: I do not understand "summon lightning"
mimic old man
自分: You match the old man's movements. "What are you doing!?" he screams
reply "What are YOU doing?"
自分: the old man responds, "I am summoning lightning! What does it look like?"
ask old man about summoning lightning
自分: I do not understand "summoning lightning"
absorb old man's powers like highlander
自分:I do not understand "absorb"
tell old man about rabbit
tell old man about evil rabbit
自分: I
do not understand "evil rabbit". A large humanoid rabbit has reached
the summit of the foothill. It glares at you and taps it's foot.
show rabbit to old man
自分: You show the rabbit to the old man. "What are you doing?!" the old man screams
show old man to rabbit
自分: You show the old man to the rabbit. "WHHYYYYYYYY!?!
run forever
自分: I do not understand "forever"
run away
自分: I do not understand away
"away"
exits
自分: Exits are down.
go down
自分: You attempt to climb back down the foothill, but a large humanoid rabbit blocks your path
take horns from old man
自分: The old man is surprised by your forwardness but it not so old that he can't avoid you. "What are you doing!?" he screams.
ask old man "Who are you?"
自分: The
old man stops his conjuring. "There are those who call me..... Tim?
Yes, I am Tim the conjurer. I offer conjuring lessons and custom Ram
horn hats for the best price you will get in this county"
ask old man for lessons
自分: "Ah,
I see you want lessons in conjuring! Very well, then you must do
something for me. You must get rid of that rabbit. Talk to him. He is
such an asshole. He bought one of my custom ram horn hats and never
paid"
talk to rabbit
自分: What do you want to say to the rabbit?
ask rabbit about horns
自分: The rabbit glares back at you, "WWWHHHYYYYY!?!
respond "He tried to eat me"
自分: You respond in this way. The large humanoid rabbit starts to weep softly. He looks like he could use a hug.
hug rabbit
自分: The rabbit bites off your head. YOU ARE DEAD. Restore last save?
load save game
自分: The large humanoid rabbit starts to weep softly. He looks like he could use a hug.
decapitate rabbit
自分: How?
inventory
自分: You are holding:
rock
rock
attack rabbit with rock
自分:You attack the rabbit with a rock. He bites your head off. YOU HAVE DIED. Restore last save?
load save
自分: The large humanoid rabbit starts to weep softly. He looks like he could use a hug.
ask rabbit about horns
自分: The
rabbit sniffles and wipes away a tear. "Oh, those old things? yeah.
I have them. And the only way you are getting them back is if you see
the horrible carnage you committed."
agree
自分: You agree to return to the rabbit hole. The large humanoid rabbit moves to let you pass downhill.
go down
自分: you go down. you are in the foothills of several bare mountains. in the distance you hear lightning and thunder.
exits are west and up
west
自分: you
go west. It is a lovely day aside from all the headless corpses
around. A large humanoid rabbit is waiting for you by a small rabbit
hole. Exits are north, east, and in the rabbit hole.
enter hole
自分: you enter the rabbit hole. It is charred here. Exits are out and down
down
自分: you go down. The walls here are covered in blood. Exists are up and down.
look at blood
自分: The blood appears to be from a rabbit
go up
自分: you go up. you enter the rabbit hole. It is charred here. A large humanoid rabbit blocks the exit out. Exits are out and down.
apologize to rabbit
自分: You apologize to the rabbit. "Go on. You wanted to go down the rabbit hole didn't you?" he says.
go down
自分: you go down. The walls here are covered in blood. Exits are up and down.
down
自分: You go down and enter a wide portion of the rabbit hole. Before you is a wooden door. Exits are up and north.
open door
自分: you open the door
look
自分: You are in a wide portion of the rabbit hole. Before you is an open wooden door. Exits are up and north.
look through door
自分: You cannot see through the doorway. Cosmic interference or something.
enter door
自分: You
have entered your bedroom. There is a bookshelf here. There is a
large comfortable bed. Your girlfriend sits in the bed reading. She
sees you enter and asks "Why aren't you wearing pants?"
YOU WIN
Go on. Make your own adventure :)
Go on. Make your own adventure :)
Chapter 9 - Part III
The creature did not look as emaciated as one might expect someone who did not touch all this food to be, but Reiba had solved that mystery weeks ago. She caught it licking the floor with its pale purple tongue, eating whatever dirt it could find off of the solid stone. The food here was not plentiful, however, and it was clearly in poor health.
The creature's blue skin had yellowed and its cheeks were hollow on its human-man-like face. His pupil-less eyes were now slightly obstructed by his sagging antennae, although upon seeing Reiba, he attempted to push them back upon his long, silvery head of eerie hair with the three fingered primate hands he possessed.
The rest of the creature bore little resemblance to a person however. His abdomen bore thick, large scales of blue and purple, and his legs and arms were segmented. He had what appeared to be two knees on each leg, the first similar to a human while the second bent in reverse. The outside of his knees and elbow joints were protected with short, pointed protrusions and his bare feet were four-toed and clawed.
Large claws jutted out from above his wrists. When she had first caught him, he had been using the rock hard protrusions to dig easily through clay and earth outside of the Oaken Wood along the coastal highway on her way back from a visit to Lithen Province. What he was doing there, she had yet to discover, but he was bleeding, and weak from the late summer sun at the time.
In the stone-wrought cell his claws could do less against the granite, but she regularly came herself to file the slow growing appendages to ensure that it was never an option. As well as to ensure that those claws were never used on herself.
He never spoke a word to her; he never tried to communicate with anyone or anything, though his tongue and jaws seemed to function well enough. He didn't beg anything of her, or cry out when days ago she forcibly drew that viscous black liquid that she suspected served as his blood. She had no way of knowing if he understood her words or if he was little more than a stupid humanoid insect.
"I wish I had more time with you," she relaxed, the tension in her shoulders easing in futility, "but I cannot have our spider-spy seeing you. Reiba didn't know why, but she did feel genuine regret, like she was losing a dear friend, at the thought of removing him. This confused her, but her power of purpose let her push this conflicting emotion aside.
The creature grunted as she pulled his unnervingly humanoid face up and forced his weak mouth open. I haven't had the chance to test this she worried privately, Dagleth, make this work. I don't have time! She forced a dark black pill about the size of a quail egg down the creature's throat.
Again the creature grunted and gagged as the object made its way down. He started coughing but he could not hack it up. Satisfied, Reiba backed up slowly. She would never show this beast her back, no matter how weak he was. As she exited the door she eased it nearly shut, but left a thin sliver open to the rest of the dungeon. A thin glimpse of freedom.
"Leave the dungeons alone for the night." she told the Captain as she left to return to her quarters. She suspected he would listen, but even if he didn't, even if he got dangerously curious as her late husband once had, the creature would see to his silence.
The creature's blue skin had yellowed and its cheeks were hollow on its human-man-like face. His pupil-less eyes were now slightly obstructed by his sagging antennae, although upon seeing Reiba, he attempted to push them back upon his long, silvery head of eerie hair with the three fingered primate hands he possessed.
The rest of the creature bore little resemblance to a person however. His abdomen bore thick, large scales of blue and purple, and his legs and arms were segmented. He had what appeared to be two knees on each leg, the first similar to a human while the second bent in reverse. The outside of his knees and elbow joints were protected with short, pointed protrusions and his bare feet were four-toed and clawed.
Large claws jutted out from above his wrists. When she had first caught him, he had been using the rock hard protrusions to dig easily through clay and earth outside of the Oaken Wood along the coastal highway on her way back from a visit to Lithen Province. What he was doing there, she had yet to discover, but he was bleeding, and weak from the late summer sun at the time.
In the stone-wrought cell his claws could do less against the granite, but she regularly came herself to file the slow growing appendages to ensure that it was never an option. As well as to ensure that those claws were never used on herself.
He never spoke a word to her; he never tried to communicate with anyone or anything, though his tongue and jaws seemed to function well enough. He didn't beg anything of her, or cry out when days ago she forcibly drew that viscous black liquid that she suspected served as his blood. She had no way of knowing if he understood her words or if he was little more than a stupid humanoid insect.
"I wish I had more time with you," she relaxed, the tension in her shoulders easing in futility, "but I cannot have our spider-spy seeing you. Reiba didn't know why, but she did feel genuine regret, like she was losing a dear friend, at the thought of removing him. This confused her, but her power of purpose let her push this conflicting emotion aside.
The creature grunted as she pulled his unnervingly humanoid face up and forced his weak mouth open. I haven't had the chance to test this she worried privately, Dagleth, make this work. I don't have time! She forced a dark black pill about the size of a quail egg down the creature's throat.
Again the creature grunted and gagged as the object made its way down. He started coughing but he could not hack it up. Satisfied, Reiba backed up slowly. She would never show this beast her back, no matter how weak he was. As she exited the door she eased it nearly shut, but left a thin sliver open to the rest of the dungeon. A thin glimpse of freedom.
"Leave the dungeons alone for the night." she told the Captain as she left to return to her quarters. She suspected he would listen, but even if he didn't, even if he got dangerously curious as her late husband once had, the creature would see to his silence.
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Chapter 9 - Part II
The University on High had finally made its move and had chosen this spider-spy, this Secondsword to do their bidding. No doubt her in-laws, her late husband's sister and her family, would be making their way back from Pho-boteth, would also be arriving before the major moon set for the year, having lost their noble sponsor to be there. Lady Zaexyl implored her sister-in-law to stay and continue her studies, that she would continue as her benefactor, but the woman noted only that she would first return to say goodbye to her brother.
There were too many complications on the horizon. Reiba knew she had to hurry and complete her project before the Secondsword or her sister-in-law returned. She cursed her late husband. It was he, afterall, who put everything into motion when he uncovered her notes in her study. He had not understood what he found, thankfully, but his trespass cost him his life in the end. And now time was running out to make sense of those notes.
Tonight, she would make her last ditch effort to salvage her work. She donned thick grey, woolen trousers, a grey linen tunic and knee high boots made of some strange material out of the Outer Crest. Har'bort, rubber, as they called it. As she descended into the prison, Reiba noticed that the prior carnage had been well washed away. The modest furniture had been replaced and the pools of blood were a mere memory.
"Leave me." she ordered her guard as she entered the hallway of cells. He complied readily, handing her a torch before rapidly climbing the stairs back to the courtyard. When his mistress demanded her privacy, he was not fool enough to disobey.
The cells Onion and Cedric had once occupied were now vacant; the only tribute to their time there being the noticeable lack of dust accumulation that existed in other cells. Until late, the holds of the Lady Zaexyl Archne were not well used. That is, excepting the last in the long hallway.
Unlike the other cells, this one was enclosed entirely in stone; solitary confinement for the worst traitors this lair once held. Now it held her secret. Her staff was ignorant of its contents save her guards who thought a thief, infected with a dangerous and contagious disease, dwelt within those walls.
A small click of the door lock gave way with the turn of her heavy brass key and she was soon in the cell. As the torchlight filled all corners of the room, a sharp hiss was expelled from a crouching form as it scurried behind the stone privy. The room stunk, though the privy was not likely the cause. Tens of bowls and plates lay, scattered across the floor; food and soup entirely untouched. Each in their own stage of decay. Ignorant of who or what lay on the other side of the slot on the door, Lady Zaexyl's guards fed the creature daily as if it were human.
"They might be fooled, but you and I both know you are nothing close to human." she whispered with equal parts derision and concern. When its eyes had adjusted to the light that flowed from the torch, it rose from its hiding place.
There were too many complications on the horizon. Reiba knew she had to hurry and complete her project before the Secondsword or her sister-in-law returned. She cursed her late husband. It was he, afterall, who put everything into motion when he uncovered her notes in her study. He had not understood what he found, thankfully, but his trespass cost him his life in the end. And now time was running out to make sense of those notes.
Tonight, she would make her last ditch effort to salvage her work. She donned thick grey, woolen trousers, a grey linen tunic and knee high boots made of some strange material out of the Outer Crest. Har'bort, rubber, as they called it. As she descended into the prison, Reiba noticed that the prior carnage had been well washed away. The modest furniture had been replaced and the pools of blood were a mere memory.
"Leave me." she ordered her guard as she entered the hallway of cells. He complied readily, handing her a torch before rapidly climbing the stairs back to the courtyard. When his mistress demanded her privacy, he was not fool enough to disobey.
The cells Onion and Cedric had once occupied were now vacant; the only tribute to their time there being the noticeable lack of dust accumulation that existed in other cells. Until late, the holds of the Lady Zaexyl Archne were not well used. That is, excepting the last in the long hallway.
Unlike the other cells, this one was enclosed entirely in stone; solitary confinement for the worst traitors this lair once held. Now it held her secret. Her staff was ignorant of its contents save her guards who thought a thief, infected with a dangerous and contagious disease, dwelt within those walls.
A small click of the door lock gave way with the turn of her heavy brass key and she was soon in the cell. As the torchlight filled all corners of the room, a sharp hiss was expelled from a crouching form as it scurried behind the stone privy. The room stunk, though the privy was not likely the cause. Tens of bowls and plates lay, scattered across the floor; food and soup entirely untouched. Each in their own stage of decay. Ignorant of who or what lay on the other side of the slot on the door, Lady Zaexyl's guards fed the creature daily as if it were human.
"They might be fooled, but you and I both know you are nothing close to human." she whispered with equal parts derision and concern. When its eyes had adjusted to the light that flowed from the torch, it rose from its hiding place.
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Chapter 9 - Part I
Short in stature but thick in muscle, the man before Reiba did not appear intimidated at the new Lady Archne. His brown hair and flat, slit-like eyes marked him as a robust blooded Sandoran by birth, but his ash-kissed City Enforcer steel breastplate and close cropped spiky hair betrayed his allegiance to the Scholar Empress. Though he stood at full height, he had to tilt his head up towards the noble to be able to look her in the eye. This fact pleased Reiba enormously as she sat cross-legged on the raised dais of the Archne receiving room. But the man's listless brown eyes and thin beige lips indicated no insecurities or offense.
Falling on his right knee and pressing his right fist onto the woven linen mats that covered the floor from wall to wall, Secondsword Keubroc of the Eirdred City Enforcers bowed his head in respect and gave his greetings.
"My Lady, per the treaty held with honor between the Scholar Empress and your great civilization, I am here to offer and submit my services to you. I shall take up the living quarters you deign to give me and begin my humble submission to you from that day until the day of your wedding, whenever that is to be."
"This is not warranted. Explain yourself!" Lady Zaexyl shot back, alarmed at this sudden turn of events. "What is the precedent? What is reason? I have done nothing to offend her wisdom, the Scholar Empress."
"It is no insult or offense from you nor her wisdom, but her gift to you in these troubling times. Your husband is dead, you have no heirs. Your in-laws are bound to be returning from the White City. We do not wish to see the proud city of Eirdred or any of her districts in turmoil as nobles are murdered and the people struggle." he recited without emotion.
Lady Zaexyl paused a moment to consider. She recalled the antiquated rule to have a City Enforcer take on the security concerns of a widowed district noble. Pho-Boteth had made the charge centuries ago that they would keep the nobles propped up at a time most of the populace was in rebellion over the annexation of Eirdred into the empire. It had not been used in several generations as Eirdred's zeitgeist had learned to accept their new sovereign, albeit with hidden rebels in some small circles. Now though, Zaexyl suspected the City Enforcers had more clandestine motives. She was not going to keep this man out of her house, but she needed time.
"I see. Well perhaps your help would be welcome then, but my staff and I must prepare for your arrival. It will take a week for the needed arrangements. Return to us then." she gave a welcoming smile.
"I think you will find the needs of a solitary military man to not be significant. The Empire appreciates your dedication, but your preparations need not to extend past Re'lir. I will return then. The Six keep theirs with you."
Lady Archne dismissed the man with a wave of her hand and before he had left her courtyard, she summoned the master of household to the room.
Re'lir. Two days. That does not give me much time.
"Secondsword Keubroc will be our guest for the coming months. Prepare the sun-wing for him. It befits a warrior to see dawn, first of us all. Call to me Captain Denthil this evening after the dining hour. I wish to tour my estate and ensure everything is in order beforehand."
The walk through the courtyard to the granite underbelly of her estate was a short one, but Lady Zaexyl Archne was consumed with thoughts of this current crisis. This recent development had left her in a foul mood.
It was for such times as these that she longed for a peer with whom she could discuss options. Lord Thenae Lot had long left her side to attend to the duties of his own holdings, and she did not trust him with this matter in anycase. Her household staff was also suspect. There were those who rightly viewed her with suspicion; acknowledging that perhaps she might be the cause of the loss of their lord. She would need to work on supplanting those people, but she'd need to do it discreetly and gradually. Now was not the time.
No, this was a dance she needed to do alone, peerless as she was.
Falling on his right knee and pressing his right fist onto the woven linen mats that covered the floor from wall to wall, Secondsword Keubroc of the Eirdred City Enforcers bowed his head in respect and gave his greetings.
"My Lady, per the treaty held with honor between the Scholar Empress and your great civilization, I am here to offer and submit my services to you. I shall take up the living quarters you deign to give me and begin my humble submission to you from that day until the day of your wedding, whenever that is to be."
"This is not warranted. Explain yourself!" Lady Zaexyl shot back, alarmed at this sudden turn of events. "What is the precedent? What is reason? I have done nothing to offend her wisdom, the Scholar Empress."
"It is no insult or offense from you nor her wisdom, but her gift to you in these troubling times. Your husband is dead, you have no heirs. Your in-laws are bound to be returning from the White City. We do not wish to see the proud city of Eirdred or any of her districts in turmoil as nobles are murdered and the people struggle." he recited without emotion.
Lady Zaexyl paused a moment to consider. She recalled the antiquated rule to have a City Enforcer take on the security concerns of a widowed district noble. Pho-Boteth had made the charge centuries ago that they would keep the nobles propped up at a time most of the populace was in rebellion over the annexation of Eirdred into the empire. It had not been used in several generations as Eirdred's zeitgeist had learned to accept their new sovereign, albeit with hidden rebels in some small circles. Now though, Zaexyl suspected the City Enforcers had more clandestine motives. She was not going to keep this man out of her house, but she needed time.
"I see. Well perhaps your help would be welcome then, but my staff and I must prepare for your arrival. It will take a week for the needed arrangements. Return to us then." she gave a welcoming smile.
"I think you will find the needs of a solitary military man to not be significant. The Empire appreciates your dedication, but your preparations need not to extend past Re'lir. I will return then. The Six keep theirs with you."
Lady Archne dismissed the man with a wave of her hand and before he had left her courtyard, she summoned the master of household to the room.
Re'lir. Two days. That does not give me much time.
"Secondsword Keubroc will be our guest for the coming months. Prepare the sun-wing for him. It befits a warrior to see dawn, first of us all. Call to me Captain Denthil this evening after the dining hour. I wish to tour my estate and ensure everything is in order beforehand."
The walk through the courtyard to the granite underbelly of her estate was a short one, but Lady Zaexyl Archne was consumed with thoughts of this current crisis. This recent development had left her in a foul mood.
It was for such times as these that she longed for a peer with whom she could discuss options. Lord Thenae Lot had long left her side to attend to the duties of his own holdings, and she did not trust him with this matter in anycase. Her household staff was also suspect. There were those who rightly viewed her with suspicion; acknowledging that perhaps she might be the cause of the loss of their lord. She would need to work on supplanting those people, but she'd need to do it discreetly and gradually. Now was not the time.
No, this was a dance she needed to do alone, peerless as she was.
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