Thank you all,
Rexpennae Kansas
Chapter 10
"Who is this?"
"His name is Krethos."
"Is he the one you've been waiting for?"
"Yes, my friend, I have been waiting for his for many years."
"What is your plan?"
"Ahh, I would be saying too much, at this point there are too many variables."
"What do you want me to do, Jack?"
Jack leaned back against the wall and looked out the window, "He'll be raising an army, thanks to my instruction. I care not what you do with your subjects, but I need him, I need to meet him."
"You shall have him, Jack, my subjects should know better than to rise up in such a manner, I shall wreak such death on them that they will think twice before letting their heart beat without my permission."
"Easy Eravar, the allure of a savior is much more than some can stand against, pray do not be so hard on them, as it is that I need them."
Eravar stepped away from his throne, his old friend could be so difficult at times, but Eravar owed the assassin for his life. Von Bondahar had saved the boy from a grim fate at the hands of an angry sow bear 24 years before, and had never asked anything in return, until now.
"So, Eravar, how long do you think it'll be until they attack?"
"I'd think a good three days, they're not armed yet."
"Then arm your troops, while I need you to let your guard down, there is always a danger to you."
Eravar nodded, and sent out orders, Ready all troops, an attack is eminent.
**************************************************************************************
Esmerelda stepped onto the deck, there was no one around, not a single soul. She ran to Krethos, and wrapped her arms around him, and he returned the gesture. In the peace of the moment a sharp, deep, and terrible pain erupted in Krethos' back, he cried out in a mix of pain and rage, Esmerelda stepped back.
"I love you, Krethos…" she said, her hand upon a bloody dagger.
She raised it high above her head and came forward, all the while muttering her love to Krethos. She continued coming closer, and every step she advanced was matched by a step in retreat by Krethos, until he met the rail of the ship. There, there lay a bow, and a single arrow, on the deck beside Krethos, and in desperation he raised it, "Hold there, Esmerelda, do not step farther."
As much as he wished her to stop, she continued forward, and in a motion more painful than anything he could have experienced, he loosed the arrow…
Krethos awoke with a start, Meir was pounding on the door, "Get up Krethos, we're leaving in an hour." Meir said.
Krethos grunted in reply, and lay back down, his dreams had been plagued by the recurring dream he had just woken from, since his escape from the pirates. He got up and dressed himself in the darkness of the shrouded room. They would be moving on today, he already had a force of 500, and he would gain more as the next few days ground on.
Krethos pulled his last boot on as he stumbled out the door. The sun was bright in the cloudless sky, and he could see the castle from where he stood, the towering pinnacle in the distance. However, his concern was not there, not yet.
Krethos strode through the little village, his disheveled hair and unkempt face drew some stares, but most dared not look at him. He made his way to Meir, who was standing with an older man who, it seemed, had been a military person at some point in his life.
"Ah, Krethos," Meir exclaimed as he saw Krethos, "This gentleman says that there is a weapons cache just west of here, and a large group of rebel fighters guards it."
"Thank you Meir, tell me, would these fighters be open to helping us?
"This man believes they would, but you would need to not go to them with an army, or an assembly such as this."
Krethos cogitated for a moment, "Then I will go alone," he said, which way, and where?"
The older man gestured off into the west, and explained some of the landmarks around the cave where the weapons cache was kept. So, without anyone at his side, Krethos departed. Meir led the rest on, their work could not stop simply because their master was gone.
Krethos stole silently across the plains, not a soul was in sight. The gentle waving of the hip-high grasses mesmerized the traveling Krethos, he had not seen anything like it before. And yet he plodded on, watching for the river he was to cross.
Before long he came to the river, and crossed easily enough, and he continued on. At length he came upon a large, circular outcropping of stone, the cave lay on the other side of the hill on which the outcropping sat, but Krethos never got to go and see for himself the entrance. For he was ensnared by three men who had appeared out of the ground behind him.
"Why are you here?" the leader growled.
"I am here to enlist the aid of the rebels." Krethos answered.
"What for?"
"I am trying to get into the castle, I have an army, but I need arms, and good fighters."
The leader thought for a moment, "I cannot give you what you ask for," he said, "I have not the authority, but the Princess can. If you are serious about enlisting us, then I will take you below to see the Princess."
"I am serious, take me to the Princess." Krethos answered.
The men stood him up, and bound his hands tight, blindfolding him at the same time. When they were sure that Krethos was secure, the three led him to the mouth of the cave, and in.
The cave was damp, and cool. Refreshing from the long walk to get there, Krethos thought. He was led down for several minutes before the guards took his blindfold off.
He stood in a vast cavern, lit by torches, and as ornately furnished as any palace, but the centerpiece, and crown jewel, of the room, was the young lady sitting on a carved stone throne at the far end of the hall. Krethos walked slowly forwad and knelt before the throne.
"Who are you?" asked the Princess.
"My name is Krethos." He answered, still kneeling.
"What do you wish, Krethos?"
"Help, at the very least my men need weapons, and at the very most you could give us men."
"Stand up, Krethos, you shall tell me why I should give these things to you."
"I shall be more than happy to do so, but what, may I ask, should I address you as?"
"I am Princess Helen Rose, you may call me Princess, or Princess Rose."
Krethos stepped back a pace and said, "Me and my men are going to storm the castle El Intrivo, and rid the world of the king Eravar, who has caused such suffering upon his own people. We are many, and we are strong, but we cannot hope to overcome without tools of war.
"It seems, if I am correct, that the king has forced you here, to hide, would it not be grand to see you outside this cavern?"
The Princess sat back in her throne, and thought about what she had just been told. Her face broke into a wide smile, "Krethos, my dear, is that all? Or have you omitted something? Pray take care, My decision can be influenced by what you do not tell me."
Krethos lowered his head and ran his fingers through his long black hair, before looking full into the Princess' glittering eyes, "I am the Keyschnect. Eravar's friend, Jack Von Bondahar, has the keys, and is at the castle."
"So you wish to enlist my help, to take over the castle so you can take the keys from Von Bondahar?" asked the Princess
"Yes, Princess, that is my request."
"Krethos, my dear, are you sure of everything you've said to me? Are you sure that Von Bondahar has the keys, that he resides at the castle? And what proof of this do you have?"
"I am sure, I have no doubts, my proof is what I have seen, and what I have heard."
The Princess looked at Krethos with intent, he seemed to be telling the truth, or what he belived to be the truth. She removed her tiara and set it on the arm of her throne, before standing.
"Gentlemen, ready yourselves," she said, "We follow this man, the Keyschnect, to battle, and to our freedom."
**************************************************************************************
The ship came to the docks, and let the plank down. A middle aged man walked off, carrying a pack and a cane, for it was seen that he had a great limp.
He approached a dock worker, "I am looking for a man called Krethos, have you heard of him?"
"His name is Krethos."
"Is he the one you've been waiting for?"
"Yes, my friend, I have been waiting for his for many years."
"What is your plan?"
"Ahh, I would be saying too much, at this point there are too many variables."
"What do you want me to do, Jack?"
Jack leaned back against the wall and looked out the window, "He'll be raising an army, thanks to my instruction. I care not what you do with your subjects, but I need him, I need to meet him."
"You shall have him, Jack, my subjects should know better than to rise up in such a manner, I shall wreak such death on them that they will think twice before letting their heart beat without my permission."
"Easy Eravar, the allure of a savior is much more than some can stand against, pray do not be so hard on them, as it is that I need them."
Eravar stepped away from his throne, his old friend could be so difficult at times, but Eravar owed the assassin for his life. Von Bondahar had saved the boy from a grim fate at the hands of an angry sow bear 24 years before, and had never asked anything in return, until now.
"So, Eravar, how long do you think it'll be until they attack?"
"I'd think a good three days, they're not armed yet."
"Then arm your troops, while I need you to let your guard down, there is always a danger to you."
Eravar nodded, and sent out orders, Ready all troops, an attack is eminent.
**************************************************************************************
Esmerelda stepped onto the deck, there was no one around, not a single soul. She ran to Krethos, and wrapped her arms around him, and he returned the gesture. In the peace of the moment a sharp, deep, and terrible pain erupted in Krethos' back, he cried out in a mix of pain and rage, Esmerelda stepped back.
"I love you, Krethos…" she said, her hand upon a bloody dagger.
She raised it high above her head and came forward, all the while muttering her love to Krethos. She continued coming closer, and every step she advanced was matched by a step in retreat by Krethos, until he met the rail of the ship. There, there lay a bow, and a single arrow, on the deck beside Krethos, and in desperation he raised it, "Hold there, Esmerelda, do not step farther."
As much as he wished her to stop, she continued forward, and in a motion more painful than anything he could have experienced, he loosed the arrow…
Krethos awoke with a start, Meir was pounding on the door, "Get up Krethos, we're leaving in an hour." Meir said.
Krethos grunted in reply, and lay back down, his dreams had been plagued by the recurring dream he had just woken from, since his escape from the pirates. He got up and dressed himself in the darkness of the shrouded room. They would be moving on today, he already had a force of 500, and he would gain more as the next few days ground on.
Krethos pulled his last boot on as he stumbled out the door. The sun was bright in the cloudless sky, and he could see the castle from where he stood, the towering pinnacle in the distance. However, his concern was not there, not yet.
Krethos strode through the little village, his disheveled hair and unkempt face drew some stares, but most dared not look at him. He made his way to Meir, who was standing with an older man who, it seemed, had been a military person at some point in his life.
"Ah, Krethos," Meir exclaimed as he saw Krethos, "This gentleman says that there is a weapons cache just west of here, and a large group of rebel fighters guards it."
"Thank you Meir, tell me, would these fighters be open to helping us?
"This man believes they would, but you would need to not go to them with an army, or an assembly such as this."
Krethos cogitated for a moment, "Then I will go alone," he said, which way, and where?"
The older man gestured off into the west, and explained some of the landmarks around the cave where the weapons cache was kept. So, without anyone at his side, Krethos departed. Meir led the rest on, their work could not stop simply because their master was gone.
Krethos stole silently across the plains, not a soul was in sight. The gentle waving of the hip-high grasses mesmerized the traveling Krethos, he had not seen anything like it before. And yet he plodded on, watching for the river he was to cross.
Before long he came to the river, and crossed easily enough, and he continued on. At length he came upon a large, circular outcropping of stone, the cave lay on the other side of the hill on which the outcropping sat, but Krethos never got to go and see for himself the entrance. For he was ensnared by three men who had appeared out of the ground behind him.
"Why are you here?" the leader growled.
"I am here to enlist the aid of the rebels." Krethos answered.
"What for?"
"I am trying to get into the castle, I have an army, but I need arms, and good fighters."
The leader thought for a moment, "I cannot give you what you ask for," he said, "I have not the authority, but the Princess can. If you are serious about enlisting us, then I will take you below to see the Princess."
"I am serious, take me to the Princess." Krethos answered.
The men stood him up, and bound his hands tight, blindfolding him at the same time. When they were sure that Krethos was secure, the three led him to the mouth of the cave, and in.
The cave was damp, and cool. Refreshing from the long walk to get there, Krethos thought. He was led down for several minutes before the guards took his blindfold off.
He stood in a vast cavern, lit by torches, and as ornately furnished as any palace, but the centerpiece, and crown jewel, of the room, was the young lady sitting on a carved stone throne at the far end of the hall. Krethos walked slowly forwad and knelt before the throne.
"Who are you?" asked the Princess.
"My name is Krethos." He answered, still kneeling.
"What do you wish, Krethos?"
"Help, at the very least my men need weapons, and at the very most you could give us men."
"Stand up, Krethos, you shall tell me why I should give these things to you."
"I shall be more than happy to do so, but what, may I ask, should I address you as?"
"I am Princess Helen Rose, you may call me Princess, or Princess Rose."
Krethos stepped back a pace and said, "Me and my men are going to storm the castle El Intrivo, and rid the world of the king Eravar, who has caused such suffering upon his own people. We are many, and we are strong, but we cannot hope to overcome without tools of war.
"It seems, if I am correct, that the king has forced you here, to hide, would it not be grand to see you outside this cavern?"
The Princess sat back in her throne, and thought about what she had just been told. Her face broke into a wide smile, "Krethos, my dear, is that all? Or have you omitted something? Pray take care, My decision can be influenced by what you do not tell me."
Krethos lowered his head and ran his fingers through his long black hair, before looking full into the Princess' glittering eyes, "I am the Keyschnect. Eravar's friend, Jack Von Bondahar, has the keys, and is at the castle."
"So you wish to enlist my help, to take over the castle so you can take the keys from Von Bondahar?" asked the Princess
"Yes, Princess, that is my request."
"Krethos, my dear, are you sure of everything you've said to me? Are you sure that Von Bondahar has the keys, that he resides at the castle? And what proof of this do you have?"
"I am sure, I have no doubts, my proof is what I have seen, and what I have heard."
The Princess looked at Krethos with intent, he seemed to be telling the truth, or what he belived to be the truth. She removed her tiara and set it on the arm of her throne, before standing.
"Gentlemen, ready yourselves," she said, "We follow this man, the Keyschnect, to battle, and to our freedom."
**************************************************************************************
The ship came to the docks, and let the plank down. A middle aged man walked off, carrying a pack and a cane, for it was seen that he had a great limp.
He approached a dock worker, "I am looking for a man called Krethos, have you heard of him?"
"Ya, I hiv 'eard of such a men."
"Where can I find him?"
"Hees follers 'll come 'round on the morrah, 'tis they're last stop."
"I'll be waiting."
"Where can I find him?"
"Hees follers 'll come 'round on the morrah, 'tis they're last stop."
"I'll be waiting."
Copyright © 2008-2009 Robert W. A. Nance
All rights reserved
2 comments:
These were a good two chapters (ch. 9& 10). I am curious about the princess. What's her story (why's she a 'princess' in hiding), or is that revealed later?:) The only thing you could tweak is her response to Kretho's question about her title. It seemed a little redundant. Maybe she could just tell him what to call her instead of giving him her full name and then options. Otherwise, wonderful!
Natalie
Ahaha. I loved this. Thanks so much.
xo
Helen
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