[Mkguild] "Along Life's Winding Road" Pt1

[a_lil_dudeinpr2 at hotmail.com]

This is the first part of my new story for MK.  It took me long enough to g=
et around to it, but this is the setup part for a rather long planned story=
.  Feel free to post critiques or comments, I used some things here that I =
haven't done before.

___________________________________________________________________________=
____

Along Life=92s Winding Road
Part 1
Blackhorne Keep
By LurkingWolf

July the 18th, in the year 699, Cristos Reckoning

    It was a quiet, clear morning when this story began.  It is not the gra=
nd keep of Metamor, however, which will be the focus of this tale.  Not, at=
 least, to begin with.  It concerns at first the inhabitants of the obscure=
 Blackhorne Keep.  Well north of the Giant=92s Dike, it stood as the last m=
ajor northern keep to survive the growing influence of Nasoj=92s cruel atta=
cks.

    Blackhorne Keep was named for its first sovereign, William Blackhorne, =
who=92s family still held the power in the keep.  His family had always sho=
wn themselves to be good leaders, so they had easily maintained influence.

    So far north was the keep that it was forced to withstand some of the m=
ore fierce winters ever to be weathered by mortal men.  Yet the keep stood,=
 year after year, a silent testimony to the great heart and bravery of the =
inhabitants.

    The keep, in and of itself, was an imposing structure.  Though lacking =
the sheer size and imposing figure of its southern cousin, it=92s walls wer=
e tall and thick, preventing the entrance of anyone without consent of the =
inhabitants.  The curtain walls formed the outline of the keep, but there w=
as, oddly.

    At the center of the westward-facing wall was the keep=92s one and only=
 gate.  It was both a disadvantage and an advantage; it was advantageous in=
 that it allowed only one point of entrance, and disadvantageous in that th=
ere was only one way out should an escape be necessary.  Still, the fortres=
s was so formidable, that there had never yet been a need to escape.
`
    On this day, the keep was, as always, alive with the activities of ever=
yday life.  Two particular men, though, were in stark contrast to the rathe=
r normal day that was in progress around them.  They chased each other thro=
ugh the tight streets of the inner keep, exchanging blows with their swords=
 as they moved nimbly through the streets, occasionally using the townspeop=
le as shelter or tactical advantage.  Still, though the people were obvious=
ly aware of the men fighting around them, no move was made to stop either.

    They moved up onto the walls now, dodging past the guards who kept watc=
h.  Their swords danced quickly back and forth, with neither gaining any ad=
vantage as they tried to use changes of terrain to their advantage.  =


    One of them was an older man, with gray streaks running through his oth=
erwise black hair.  He was stronger than his opponent, but fought with an e=
xtremely fluid grace that made him seem more like a dancer than a fighter. =
 He often would just sidestep away from his attack rather than deflect it, =
trying to force any small advantage gained in this manner with his sword, b=
ut constantly foiled in his attempts.

    His opponent, a young man with shoulder-length brown hair, fought from =
a more stationary position when at all possible, using quick, sharp sword b=
lows to try to open a lane for an attack, but his opponent kept sliding def=
tly away from all attacks that came his direction.  His straightforward app=
roach to fighting seemed to leave him open to occasional attacks from his o=
pponent, but any attempt to exploit these opportunities invariably led to a=
n advantage for the younger of the two, as the advantage was faked to try t=
o catch the other fighter off guard.

    The older man was at the moment on the defensive, fending off the quick=
, continuous blows that the younger used to pressure him.  All the while, t=
hey both moved along the wall, the older backpedaling slowly while his oppo=
nent approached.  The attacks that he faced were quickly turned aside, but =
he could not find a way to press the younger man in return, instead having =
to defend himself continuously.

    Finally, he stopped and decided to hold his own.  He parried the quick =
attacks of his attacker, fighting them aside and trying to create an opport=
unity out of whatever he could find.  He continuously kept his sword on the=
 move, deflecting his enemy=92s sword, only to have another attack face him=
 almost immediately.  The younger man was working feverishly to keep his ad=
vantage, but every attack was knocked off of the mark by his opponent.

    Finally, the two men stepped back, staring at each other and adjusting =
their stances and the angle of their blades as they each tried to be ready =
to take advantage of anything their opponent might give them.

    The older of the two struck first, driving his blade from above his hea=
d towards the younger man.  Although he could have easily sidestepped this =
attack, the younger man fought it off to the side, then stepped backwards h=
alf a step before leveling the point of his blade at his opponent=92s chest=
.  With the distance between the two, it didn=92t threaten any harm to the =
other fighter, but it did eliminate all thoughts of a charge by the other m=
an.

    The two men began to circle, matching each other=92s steps perfectly, a=
nd fighting for an advantage with quick strikes at each other.  None was ga=
ined by the end of the rotation, so the younger man changed the pattern, pu=
shing the older man backwards towards the tower that stood in the wall clos=
e by.  The circling continued, as did their continuous stalemate.  Finally,=
 they stopped, eyeing each other.  Each was sure that the other had a weakn=
ess, but neither had been able to discover it.

    The younger man moved suddenly forward, driving his sword at his oppone=
nt=92s chest, stretching his body in a single fluid move towards the target=
.  The older man knocked it down, but found his immediate counterattack blo=
cked by a quick upsweeping movement of the other man=92s blade.  The younge=
r man slid his sword down until both men had locked their hilts, and now fo=
ught with pure strength to force their opponent=92s sword out of the way.  =
Though the younger had the advantage of strength, the older had the leverag=
e.  They stood in a deadlock for a few moments until finally, the stronger =
of the two drove the other=92s sword up slowly, his teeth gritting tightly =
together, determination etched across his face.  The other fighter kept a s=
olid, impassive expression on his face, even as he lost the leverage that h=
e had before held.

    As the younger seemed to gain control of the fight, though, the more se=
asoned warrior showed his intention.  As he began to be forced back, he nim=
bly danced aside, leaving nothing in the other=92s path to resist his const=
ant press.  Off balance, the man stumbled forward a bit until he turned abo=
ut, still somewhat off balance but determined to defend himself.  As he tur=
ned, however, his enemy was already upon him.  With his focus on trying to =
regain his balance, the man found that his grip on the sword had become pro=
gressively looser until, as the other fighter attacked it directly, it drop=
ped from between his fingers and clattered on the stones of the wall.

    Though it seemed that he had lost, the young man wasn=92t distracted as=
 the weapon fell free.  With a well-practiced motion, he slid his hand alon=
g the side of his enemy=92s blade, until he felt the ornate constructs of m=
etal that formed the crossbar of his opponent=92s hilt.  He took as strong =
a grip as he could on the hilt, wrenching it to the side, trying to throw h=
is opponent off balance, only to find that the man had already released his=
 grip on the sword and had retrieved the other sword from where it had fall=
en.  As he came around to face the younger man, though, he found the point =
of the other sword laying across his throat.  With a heavy sigh, he realize=
d that he had lost.

    The younger man smiled, holding the sword in an awkward but effective p=
osition, trapped between his wrists instead of held in his hands.  He spoke=
 for the first time since the duel had begun.  =93I believe you have lost, =
Mster.=94

    The older man shook his head as he looked at the victor.  =93Some day, =
Julian, I will learn how you do that.=94

    =93Some day I=92ll find the time to teach it to you, as soon as you sto=
p working me so hard,=94 Julian responded.  =93And a deal=92s a deal.  You=
=92re buying the ale tonight, as much as I want of whatever I want.=94

    =93You rascal.  I=92ll have the patrol master give you double assignmen=
ts for this, you do realize?=94

    =93Of course, but by then I will have won a bet that will give you half=
 of my patrol time anyway, so it will end up biting you in the end.=94

    The older man shook his head, brushing the tip of his sword away from h=
is throat and giving the other blade back to its owner.  =93You make a few =
too many friendly bets, my young friend.  Some day you=92ll work your way i=
nto a bet you can=92t win, and then where will you be?=94 he chuckled as he=
 sheathed his sword.

    =93I will be far away and a long time into the future by then, Master M=
ontrose,=94 Julian responded.  =93Very far away.  When I come of age I mean=
 to leave this keep behind, and see the entire Midlands.=94

    =93Julian, how many times do I have to tell you?  My surname is reserve=
d for those who do not know me.  Nathaniel, please.=94

    =93Very well, Nathaniel.  As I was saying, before you can close your ey=
es on the day of my twenty-first birthday, I will be beyond Metamor and int=
o the lands beyond what I have ever seen.=94

    =93I cannot help but believe that you will soon become quite tired of b=
eing an  itinerate swordsman,=94 Montrose said quietly.  They were now walk=
ing at a leisurely pace back down the wall.  =93Also, do you intend to brin=
g Sarah on these incredible ventures of yours?=94

    =93Quite possibly.  I bought the perfect ring two days ago, and plan to=
 meet her a little bit later this afternoon.  I, for one, harbor no doubts =
as to her answer when I ask her.=94

    =93I=92m happy for you, Julian.  Few are the men who find the perfect w=
oman so early in life, and there are sadly few who ever do actually find he=
r,=94 Nathaniel said, smiling.  =93Still, I can=92t help but feel that she =
will have other ideas about how you should spend your wedded life.  Women t=
end to want to settle down and start a family.=94

    =93And so we shall, but not before we see what the world has to offer. =
 She is as interested as I am in what goes on to the south.  All we have ev=
er known is this great barren northern wilderness which presses in on us fr=
om every side.  I have told her of what I plan to do, and she is possibly m=
ore enthusiastic about it than am I.=94

    =93Either you jest, or you have found a rare woman.  Not many are found=
 in these days that would be willing to go traveling without a home for so =
long as you intend to.=94  Nathaniel stopped, looking at his pupil.  =93I j=
ust hope your plans go well.=94

    =93If it be the will of Eli, so it will be.  If not, who can tell what =
He has in store for me?  I believe that, whatever it is, it is far grander =
than anything that I could ever imagine,=94 Julian said with a wide smile o=
n his face.

    =93Aye, so it is with the will of Eli.  He truly works in grand and mys=
terious ways.  Such things are not for mortals to understand.=94

    =93Truly spoken, Nathaniel, truly spoken.  Now, if I wish to be present=
able for my meeting with Sarah this afternoon, I really should head for the=
 baths.  She might not accept the proposal if I ask her smelling and lookin=
g like this.=94

    With this, the young man began walking quickly away from his master.  A=
s he disappeared into the streets of the city, Nathaniel mumbled a rather i=
nformal prayer to Eli, requesting His divine intervention in the life of hi=
s student.  With such a confused idea of what his life should be, Nathaniel=
 had no doubt that he would be in need of it soon. =


            *        *        *        *        =


    Julian walked through the streets with a spring in his step, the same t=
hat always accompanied him on his way to me Sarah.  He could remember the d=
ay that they had first met.  She was the daughter of one of the more celebr=
ated archers of the realm, Elliot Marshall.  At the time of their first mee=
ting, Julian had known her father well for three years, but had not even kn=
own that he had a wife, let alone a daughter at the time.  When Nathaniel M=
ontrose had been invited to family celebration, he had been allowed to brin=
g his pupil.  Julian no longer remembered the occasion, the only part that =
mattered to him was that it was when they had met.

    It had been hardly love at first sight, but they had become friends, an=
d had later been brought together more often as Julian was put under Elliot=
=92s tutelage in the use of a bow.  It hadn=92t been long before it became =
apparent that, though the young man excelled at swordplay, he had not been =
cut out for archery.  Still, his master often joked that he would have done=
 much better had Sarah not insisted on being there to watch the training.

    At first her reason had been an interest in archery.  A tomboy by natur=
e, she was certain that she would be able to match any boy her age at arche=
ry.  Julian proved conclusive evidence of this, but, though there was first=
 a tense feeling of competition between the two, they slowly found that the=
y were perfect for each other.  They would never have said it in as many wo=
rds, yet it was true.  =


    Julian had not realized his true feelings until just under a year ago. =
 When he first realized this, he became quite nervous around her, even seek=
ing to avoid her at times.  Still, the force of the growing love drove him =
back to her, and before long, they were happily meeting together in private=
.  Over time, it became an absolute certainty that they would some day be m=
arried.  If all went as planned, today would be the day of Julian=92s propo=
sal.  Already he felt that he had waited too long, and almost ran towards t=
heir meeting spot.

    Their meeting area was simply an area of the gardens that was somewhat =
more private than most other places were in this keep.  It wasn=92t the mos=
t impressive spot in the garden, but it mattered little, especially since, =
when together, they had eyes only for each other.

    Julian idly wondered how he, of all people, should have the only perfec=
t lady in all the world.  He wasn=92t much.  He was not of any exceedingly =
high rank by birth, though his father had passed down to him the heraldric =
surcoat which had been in his family for generations since they held a smal=
l domain to the south.  Nasoj had long since taken control of the area, but=
 the surcoat was an heirloom that every first born boy in his father=92s fa=
mily had received.  It was unlikely to change at any time in the near futur=
e.

    With what reputation they had, Julian=92s family had somehow convinced =
one of the greatest swordsmen of the keep, Nathaniel Montrose, to train the=
ir son.  Still, he was no noble, despite his formal training.  He was, in h=
is own opinion, the fighter that any regular from the army could be, given =
his training.  How was it, then, that she was his?

    The only way that he could honestly answer this question to his own sat=
isfaction was to say that she had chosen him.  Her father holding some infl=
uence in Lord Blackhorne=92s court, she had every right to whomever she cho=
se as her husband.  Quite obviously, from how she reacted every time she sa=
w him, she had chosen Julian.

    This thought filled him with radiant joy, a feeling which he could neve=
r experience apart from her.  He was absolutely sure that Eli had prepared =
her for him, and him for her.

    He now rounded the final corner into the gardens, moving so lightly on =
his feet that there was hardly any sound as he stepped along.  He saw her n=
ow, standing as lovely as anyone possibly could be, watching for him.  She =
smiled at him as he came toward her, the smile that she gave only to him.  =
She was so perfect=85

    For a long time after Julian came to her, they held each other in tight=
 embrace, neither wishing to let the other go.  Julian just pictured her in=
 his mind as he held her.  Her beautiful face was framed with locks of bril=
liant blonde hair, her blue eyes showing him her every feeling.  He underst=
ood her like no one else ever could, and she understood him, knew his every=
 secret, and loved him nonetheless.  =


    The two held each other for several minutes, though to them it could ha=
ve been hours.  As the sun set, they talked to each other quietly, telling =
of what they had done since their last meeting.  Julian assured her that he=
 thought of her for every moment of the day, while Sarah told him of how he=
r heart had ached for him every moment that they had been apart, though it =
had not been very long.

    And throughout their quite talk, Julian continually waited for the righ=
t opportunity to ask her the simple question that would forever change his =
life.  Until then, he just enjoyed the sweet, soft sound of her voice.

            *        *        *        *            =


    Nathaniel smiled quietly as he watched the door of the tavern, the leve=
l of his ale not having dropped an inch since his arrival.  It was already =
past the hour of midnight, and yet his pupil had not come.  Most of the res=
t of the patrons had already left, some gone to sleep off the effects of a =
long night, others resting for their work on the next day.

    =93Looks like you=92ll be getting away from your losses tonight,=94 a v=
oice said, bringing Nathaniel out from his reverie.  =93Once my daughter ac=
cepts, Julian will not leave her until far into the morning tomorrow.=94

    Nathaniel looked at Elliot with a quiet smile.  =93I am quite aware of =
the fact that Julian will not be coming tonight.  However, I will not be le=
tting myself off the hook so easily.  I am a man of my word, and I will buy=
 him a full night=92s worth of ale and wine as promised.  After all, he=92l=
l need it.  Once he=92s married, there will be far less idle drinking for h=
im.=94

    Elliot laughed, settling back into his chair.  =93Aye, she will treat h=
im just as any woman treats her husband once they=92re married.  There will=
 be no escaping that fact.=94  Elliot=92s light hair was cut short just bel=
ow his ears, framing his strong face.  His body was not overly muscled, but=
 he was a force to be reckoned with.  He was a good swordsman when needed, =
but he preferred the advantage of ranged weaponry.  =


    Nathaniel stretched where he sat.  He then looked to where another man =
sat, looking at the two with a strange smile on his face.  He was a rather =
stout individual, but he was a formidable opponent.  He would be, that is, =
if he wasn=92t quite so drunk.  His unkempt brown hair spread out about his=
 shoulders.  As Nathaniel leveled his gaze on him,  the man spoke with a sa=
rcastic tone.    =93Marriage,=94 he said, shaking his head.  =93A few years=
 ago, I was one of a good number of bachelors around here.  It seems to me =
that I seem to be quickly becoming the only one in the entire army!=94

    =93You may want to remedy that shortcoming,=94 Elliot commented.

    =93Absolutely,=94 Nathaniel added.  =93Tell me, Kent, when do you plan =
to finally find yourself a wife and settle down?=94

    Kent smiled widely before responding.  =93I=92m not every going to have=
 a wife.  None of my family ever had wives.  My father didn=92t like wives.=
  Actually, it was my mother who didn=92t like my father=92s wife=85=94

    Nathaniel laughed quietly.  =93Perhaps if you stopped being such a clow=
n, the perfect woman would walk up and have you in love before the sun rose=
 tomorrow,=94 he joked.

    =93I don=92t think so.  I believe it to be my lot to be alone.  Don=92t=
 worry, though, I like it this way.=94

    =93So I noticed,=94 Elliot said quietly.  He looked toward the counter,=
 where the bartender was cleaning up after a long night.  =93About ready to=
 close, Leon?=94

    The bartender looked up at them and smiled.  He was bald, with a mustac=
he that curled at the ends.  His clothes were slightly stained from the nig=
ht=92s work, but he was used to this.  =93I=92m currently waiting on the th=
ree of you,=94 he said.

    =93Don=92t worry about us.  When you=92re ready to close, just tell us.=
  If we don=92t move, just kick us out.=94

    =93I will take you up on that some day,=94 Leon commented, moving back =
to clean something behind the counter.

    =93Well, I think it=92s about time for me to leave as it is,=94 Nathani=
el said, standing and stretching.  He tossed a few coins on the counter and=
 started for the door.

    =93Hey, are you going to finish that ale?=94 Kent asked, also standing.

    =93If you are truly that desperate, I cannot refuse you.  You may have =
it if you want it,=94 Nathaniel responded.

    =93Very well,=94 came Kent=92s reply.  He then took the ale and drank i=
t down in a matter of seconds.

    =93Kent, I can=92t help but feel that you hold your drink a bit too wel=
l,=94 Nathaniel commented.  He then left for the maze of streets, returning=
 home to his own wife.  He purposed as he walked that he would find somethi=
ng special to do for her that night.


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